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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A21090	A true relation of the vniust, cruell, and barbarous proceedings against the English at Amboyna in the East-Indies, by the Neatherlandish gouernour and councel there Also the copie of a pamphlet, set forth first in Dutch and then in English, by some Neatherlander; falsly entituled, A true declaration of the newes that came out of the East-Indies, with the pinace called the Hare, which arriued at Texel in Iune, 1624. Together with an answer to the same pamphlet. By the English East-India companie. Published by authoritie.	Skinner, John, Sir, fl. 1624.; Digges, Dudley, Sir, 1583-1639.; Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.; East India Company.	1624 (1624)	STC 7451; ESTC S100220	56,331	110

that the Hollanders did not onely lauish away much money in building and vnnecessary expences vpon the Forts and otherwise and bring large and vnreasonable reckonings thereof to the common accompt but also did for their part pay the Garrisons with victualls and cloth of Coromandell which they put off to the Souldiers at three or foure times the valew it cost them yet would not allow of the English Companies part of the same charge but onely in ready money thereby drawing from the English which ought to pay but one third part more than two thirds of the whole true charge Hereupon and vpon the like occasions grew some discontents and disputes and the complaints were sent to Iaccatra in the Island of Iaua Maior to the Councell of defence of both Nations there residing who also not agreeing vpon the points in difference sent the same hither ouer into Europe to be decided by both Companies here or in default of their agreement by the Kings Maiestie and the Lords the States Generall according to an Article of the Treatie of the yeare 1619. on this behalfe In the meane time the discontent betweene the English and the Dutch about these and other differences continued and daily encreased vntill at last there was a sword found to cut in sunder that knot at once which the tedious disputes of Amboyna and Iaccatra could not vntye And this was vsed in maner as followeth About the eleuenth of February 1622. Stilo veteri a Iaponer Souldier of the Dutch in their Castle of Amboyna walking in the night vpon the wall came to the Sentinell being a Hollander and there amongst other talke asked him some questions touching the strength of the Castle and the people that were therin It is heer to be noted that those Iaponers of whom there is not thirty in all the Island did for the most part serue the Dutch as Souldiers yet were not of their trusty bands alwaies lodged in the castle but vpon occasion called out of the town to assist in the Watch. This Iaponer aforesaid was for his said conference with the Sentinell apprehended vpon sufpicion of treason and put to the Torture Therby as some of the Dutch affirmed hee was brought to confesse himselfe and sundry others of his countrey-men there to haue contriued the taking of the Castle Hereupon other Iaponers were examined and tortured as also a Portugall the Guardian of the Slaues vnder the Dutch During this examination which continued three or foure daies some of the English-men went to and from the Castle vpon their businesse saw the prisoners heard of their tortures and of the crime laid to their charge But all this while suspected not that this matter did any whit concerne themselues hauing neuer had any conuersation with the Iaponers nor with the Portugall aforesaid At the same time there was one Abel Price Chirurgion of the English prisoner in the Castle for offering in his drunkennesse to set a Dutch-mans house on fire This fellow the Dutch tooke and shewed him some of the Iaponers whom they had first most grieuously tortured and told him they had confessed the English to haue beene of their confederacy for the taking of the Castle and that if he would not confesse the same they would vse him euen as they had done these Iaponers and worse also Hauing giuen him the torture they soone made him confesse what euer they asked him This was the fifteenth of February 1622. Stilo veteri Forthwith about nine of the Clock the same morning they sent for Captaine Towerson and the rest of the English that were in the Towne to come to speake with the Gouernor in the Castle They all went saue one that was left to keepe the house Being come to the Gouernor hee told Captaine Towerson that himselfe and others of his Nation were accused of a conspiracie to surprise the Castle and therefore vntill further triall were to remaine prisoners Instantly also they attached him that was left at home in the house tooke the Marchandize of the English Company there into their owne custody by Inuentory and seized all the chests boxes bookes writings and other things in the English house Captaine Towerson was committed to his chamber with a guard of Dutch Souldiers Emanuel Tomson was kept prisoner in the Castle the rest viz. Iohn Beomont Edward Collins William Webber Ephraim Ramsey Timothy Iohnson Iohu Fardo and Robert Browne were sent aboard the Hollanders ships then riding in harbour some to one Ship and some to another and all made fast in Irons The same day also the Gouernor sent to the two other Factories in the same Island to apprehend the rest of the English there So that Samuel Colson Iohn Clarke George Sharrock that were found in the Factory at Hitto and Edward Collins William Webber and Iohn Saddler at Larica were all brought prisoners to Amboyna the sixteenth of February Vpon which day also Iohn Powel Iohn Wetherall and Thomas Ladbrook were apprehended at Cambello and Iohn Beomont William Grigs and Ephraim Ramsey at Loho and brought in Irones to Amboyna the twentieth of the same month In the meane time the Gouernor and Fiscall went to worke with the prisoners that were already there And first they sent for Iohn Beomont and Timothie Iohnson from aboard the Vnicorne who being come into the Castle Beomont was left with a guard in the Hall and Iohnson was taken into another roome Where by and by Beomont heard him crie out very pittifully then to bee quiet for a little while and then loud againe After taste of the torture Abel Price the Chirurgion that first was examined and tortured as is aboue remembred was brought in to confront and accuse him But Iohnson not yet confessing any thing Price was quickly carried out and Iohnson brought againe to the torture where Beomont heard him sometime cry aloud then quiet againe then roare afresh At last after hee had beene about an houre in this second examination hee was brought forth wailing and lamenting all wet and cruelly burnt in diuers parts of his body and so laid aside in a by-place of the Hall with a souldier to watch him that he should speake with no body Then was Emanuell Tomson brought to examination not in the roome where Iohnson had beene but in another something farther from the Hall Yet Beomont being in the Hall heard him roare most lamentably and many times At last after an houre and an halfe spent in torturing him hee was carried away into another roome another way so that he came not by Beomont through the Hall Next was Beomont called in and beeing demanded many things all which he denied with deep oathes and protestations was made fast to be tortured a cloth tyed about his neck and two men ready with their Iarres of water to be powred on his head But yet for this time the Gouernor bad loose him hee would spare him a day or two because hee was an old man This was all

crime it will not be amisse to recollect and recall vnto this place as it were vnto one summe and totall certain circumstances dispersed in seuerall parts of this narration whereby as well the innocencie of the English as the vnlawfull proceedings against them may be manifested First therefore it is to bee remembred that the Iapons were apprehended examined tortured three or foure daies before the English were attached and the fame aswell of their apprehension as torture was rife and notorious in the Town of Amboyna and the parts adioyning Tomson in this interim and the very first day of the examination of the Iapon went to the Castle to ask leaue of the Gouernor to land some Rice and brought back the newes with him to the English house of the cruell handling of these poore Iapons This had been Item enough to the English if they had been guilty to shift for themselues whereto also they had ready means by the Corricorries or small Boats of the Amboyners which lie along the Strand in great number wherewith they might easily haue transported themselues to Seran to Bottoon or to Maccassar out of the reach and iurisdiction of the Dutch but in that they fled not in this case it is a very strong presumption that they were as little priuie to any treason of their owne as suspicious of any ●…eacherous train laid for their bloods In the next place let it be considered how impossible it was for the English to atchieue this pretended enterprise The Castle of Amboyna is of a very great strength as is before declared the Garrison therein two or three hundred men besides as many more of their free Burgers in the Town What their care and circumsp●…ction in all their Forts is may appear not only by the quick Alarum they now took at the foolish question of the poore Iapon made to the Sentinell aboue-recited but also by that which a little before hapned at Iaccatra where one of their souldiers was shot to death for sleeping on the water Durst ten Englishmen where of not one a souldier attempt any thing vpon such a strength vigilancy As for the assistance of the Iapons they were but ten neither and all vnarmed aswell as the English For as at the seizure of the English house all the prouision therein found was but three swords two muskets and half a pound of powder so the Iapons except when they are in seruice of the Castle and there armed by the Dutch are allowed to haue no Armes but onely a Catanne a kinde of short sword and it is forbidden to all the Dutch vpon great penalty to sell any hand-gum powder or bullets to the Iapons or Amboyners But let it be imagined that these twenty persons English and Iapons were so desperate as to aduenture the exploit how should they be able to master the Dutch in the Castle or to keep possession when they had gotten it what Second had they There was neither Ship nor Pinace of the English in the harbour All the rest of the Iapons in the Island were not twenty persons and not one English more The neerest of the rest of the English were at Banda forty leagues from Amboyna and those but nine persons all afterwards cleered by the Gouernor and Fiscall themselues from all suspicion of this pretended crime as were also the rest of the English at Iaccatra On the other side besides the strength of the Castle and Towne of Amboyna the Hollanders haue three other strong Castles well furnished with Souldiers in the same Island and at Cambello neere adioyning They had then also in the road of Amboyna eight Ships and vessels namely the Rotterdam of 1200. tun the Vnicorne of 300. tun the Free-mans vessell of 100. tun the Calck of 60. tun Captaine Gamals Iunck of 40. the Flute of 300. tun the Amsterdam of 1400. tun and a small Pina●…e of about 60. tun and all these well furnished with men and munition It is true that the Stories doe record sundry valiant and hardy enterprises of the English Nation and Holland is witnesse of some of them yea hath reaped the fruit of the English resolution yet no Story no Legend scarcely reporteth any such hardinesse eyther of the English or others That so few persons so naked of all prouisions and supplyes should vndertake such an aduenture vpon a counterpartie so well and abundantly fit●…d at all points But let it be further granted that they might possibly haue ouercome all these difficulties yet to what end and purpose should they put themselues into such a ieopardie They knew well enough that it was agreed betweene both Companies at home That the Forts in the Indies should remaine respectiuely in the hands of such as had possession of them at the date of the Treatie Ann 1619. and that the same was ratified by the Kings Maiestie and the Lords States Generall They knew likewise and all the world takes knowledge of his Maiesties religious obseruation of peace and treatie with all his neighbours yea with all the world what reward then could these English hope for of this their valour and danger Certainely none other than that which is expresly prouided by the Treatie it selfe that is To be punished as the disturbers of the common peace and amitie of both Nations But let these English-men haue beene as foolish in this plot as the Hollanders will haue them is it also to be imagined that they were so gracelesse as when they were condemned and seriously admonish●…d by the Ministers to discharge their consciences yet then to persist in their dissimulation being otherwise of such godly behauiour as to spend the time in Prayer singing of Psalmes and spirituall comforting one another which the Dutch would haue had them bestow in drinking to driue away their sorrow Let Colsons question to the Minister be considerd his the rests offer desire to receiue the Sacrament in signe token of their innocencie their mutual asking forgiuenes for their like false accusations of one another forced by the torture Tomsons last farewell to Beom●…nt Colsons prayer and his writing in his praier booke Fardo s farewell to Powl●… also his coniuring exhortation to his fellowes to discharge their consciences and all their answeres thereunto crauing Gods mercie or iudgement according to their innocencie in this cause their generall and religious profession of their innocencie to their countrey-men at thei●… last parting with them finally the sealing of this profession with their last breath and blood euen in the verie article of death and in the stroke of the Executioner What horrible and vnexampled dissimula●…ion were this If some one or more of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…n so fearefully desperate yet would not there one amongst ten be found to thinke of the iudgement to come whereunto he was then instantly summoned without Essoine Baile or Mainpri●…e What had they hope of reprieue life if they kept ●…eir countenance to the last Yet what hope had Tomson

and the rest when Capt. Towersons head was off Nay what desire had Tomson and Clarke to liue being so mangled and martyred by the torture They were executed one by one and euery one seuerall tooke it vpon his death tha●… he was guiltlesse Now to blanch a●…d smooth ouerall this rough and barbarous proceeding it is here giuen out that the Gouernor Fiscall found such euidence of the plot and dealt so euenly in the processe that they spared not their owne people hauing vsed some of their natiue Hollanders partakers of this treason in the same maner as they did the English But this as well by the relation here truely and faithfully set downe grounded vpon the sworn testimonie of sixe credible witnesses as also by other sufficient reports of diuerse lately come out of those parts appeareth to bee a meere tale not once alleaged by anie in the Indies in many moneths after the execution but only inuented and dispersed here for a Fucus and a faire colour vpon the whole cause and to make the world beleeue that the ground of this barbarous and tyrannous proceeding was a true crime and not the vnsatiable couetousnesse of the Hollanders by this cruell treacherie to gain the sole Trade of the Molluccos Banda and Amboyna which is already become the euent of this bloody processe To adde hereunto by way of aggrauation will be needlesse the fact is so full of odious and barbarous inhumanitie executed by Hollanders vpon the English Nation in a place where both liued vnder termes of partnership and great amitie confirmed by a most solemne Treaty FINIS A TRVE DECLARATION OF the News that came out of the East-Indies with the Pinace called the HARE which arriued in TEXEL in Iune 1624. CONCERNING A Conspiracy discouered in the Iland of Amboyna and the punishment following thereupon according to the course of iustice in March 1624. comprehended in a Letter missiue AND SENT From a friend in the Low-Countries to a friend of note in England for information of him in the truth of those passages Printed anno 1624. Right Worshipf●…ll and Worthy SIR THe great outcryes which haue beene made in England vpon the last newes which came out of the East-Indies about a certayne execution which was done in the Iland of Amboyna in March 1623. because we see the great desire that your Worship hath to keep good correspondence betwixt these two Nations it hath caused me beyond my owne curiosity to search inq●…ire after theright true beginnings procedings and issues of these affaires vpon which this execution followed Wherein I perswade my selfe I haue attained good successe by such meanes as I haue vsed and by my good acquaintance so that at the last I am come to the cleare light of the matter partly by the letters that haue beene sent home to the Company here and declared to the States Generall as also by a particular examination of the processe made against them in Amboyna before their execution and sent ouer hither in writing which at this present hath caused mee to write this vnto your Worship that so the truth may bee made knowne concerning this busines in all places where your Worthynes and respect can or may bring it to passe that so your Worship and all true well willers of our Countrey may be no otherwise thought of than wee deserue THe very causes and beginnings through which the Gouernour and Councell established in the name of the Vnited Netherlands in Amboyna came into suspicion that some thing was plotted against that Province did first flow from the great licentiousnes of the Tarnatanes in Moluque and Amboyna Who contrary to the contract of alliance 1606. made with the High and Mighty Lords the States attempted without our consent and knowledge to make peace with the King of Tidore as also truce with the Spaniards their and our ancient aduersaries by which the said Tarnatanes had too much cast off all respect which they both in regard of our confederacy and manifold assistance did owe to this State The Spaniard also was master enough at sea in the Moluque because the English Merchants there in the East-Indies were vnwilling to furnish vs with ships of warre toward the common defence as they were bound to doe according to the treaties 1619. to the number of ten Through which the voyages to Mannila comming to cease the enemy traded there without any interruption procured power to send Gallyes Shipps and Pynasses to the Moluque with great succours of people and prouision and that because against the same through the default of the English Merchants there were no Ships of warre kept as there should haue beene The subiects of the King of Tarnata begun to commit great insolencies otherwise than they were wont against our Nation hauing outragiously assaulted diuers of vs diuers wayes and also slayne some and wee notwithstanding could not obtayne any punishment vpon them And as one outrage vnpunished prouokes many more through hope of the like impunity or other considerations so were the sayd Tarnatanes of Amboyna dwelling at Loho Cambello and those neere adioyning places proceeded further and haue armed themselues at Sea and inuaded diuers Ilands and places standing vnder the Netherlands Gou●…rnour in Amboyna spoyling them and killing our subiects and taking others and carring them away for slaues And notwithstanding the instant request of the Netherlands Gouernour no satisfaction or iustice ha●…h followed but the said Tarnatanes are yet gone further and openly threatned to murder the Dutch Marchants and to spoyle and burne the Logie or Factory which our people haue many yeares there enioyed so that our Merchants haue taken out the Dutch goods to auoid damage And the Tarnatanes at Loho did actually set on fire and ruined the said Netherlands Factory In the Manichells an Iland being vnder the Prouince of Amboyna they haue in like manner shortly after burned the Netherlands Logie with the losse of all the goods therein The Netherlands Gouernour that by his presence and authority hee might cause such rebellions to cease and to giue order for time to come and also to seeke satisfaction and punishment vpon the foresaid insolencies went toward Loho with a small power of sloopes and comming there-about was mett otherwise than was wont by a nauy of sloopes of the Tarnatanes of Loho stronger than his were Thes●… by their conference gaue him well to knowe how little reuerence they gaue the Dutch Gouernour they braued him without hope of restitution of any thing to come so that nothing done he was faine to returne to his Castell of Amboyna By reason of these things the sayd Tarnatanes became so stout and daring that they gaue out openly that they would come and spoile our subiects by a generall army with aboue a 100. Friggetts with these they said they would come against Amboyna to make a vniuersall spoile of our people Through which there came a great feare vpon the Indians standing

haue entred the Acts of this processe Well at last hee concludes the narration of the confessions with the summing vp of the number and nations of the parties that had thus confessed which he saith were ten Iapons foureteene English and the Neatherlandish Marnicho or Captaine of the Slaues By which last words hee would giue the Reader occ●…sion to thinke that the fact was so cleere and their owne proceeding so euen and iust that they had executed one of their owne Neatherlanders for it Which how true it is is already declared in the conclusio●… of the English Relation The truth is this Captaine of the Sla●…●…es was of the Portugall race and borne in Be●…gala His verie name Augustine Perez sheweth he wa●… no N●…therlander Hauing thus 〈◊〉 this relation this Authour proceedeth to a disputation and taking notice of some aspersions in England cast vpon these proceedings at Amboyna he diuideth them into two heads the one that the processe was without its due formalitie the other that there was excesse and extremiti●… vsed against the Conspirators For the point of formalitie he first taketh great paines to prooue that the formalities of processe in Amboyna are not therefore vnlawfull because they agree not with our forme in England Which labour he might haue spared for no wise man will deny him this point And such as shall be so ignorant as to blame the Dutch for varying from vs herein were not worthy the answering Herewithall also hee deduceth the title of the Lords States generall to the Soueraigntie of Amboyna and so the Gouernour of Amboynaes iurisdiction in causes as well criminall as ciuill to bee rightly grounded Thence he concludes tha●… the Iapons being sworne seruants to the Dutch and 〈◊〉 their pay were subiect to the iurisdiction of the Dutch Gouernor Then hee telleth vs that the Author and complices of murther and treason are by the lawes of all nations to be punished with d●…ath all which points may bee grant●…d him witho●… any preiudice to the cause of the English in this question At last he comes in partic●…lar to the●… case and a●…firms that the chiefe of the English there mig●… not apprehend the English complices of this conspiracy because themselues were complices of th●… f●…ct All which also may be gran●…d in t●…is po●… of 〈◊〉 in the point of cognisance shall bee anon in due place examined In the meane time this Author to make the point of apprehension cleere beyond exception saith that the English were not apprehended vpon the first suspicion when yet there was euidence and indicia sufficient to doe it but after the examination of all the Iapons and their ioynt confession that the English whom they specified by name and surname had moued aud hired them to this treason yea not vntill Abel Price had also confessed as much and that all the English in the out Factories were priuie thereunto For answer hereof that must be repeated which hath beene vpon other occasions before alleadged that the first beginning of the processe was by the torture there being no sufficienteuidence or indicium to torture the Iapon that onely sought to enforme himselfe of the course of the Watch and of the strength of the Castle wherein himselfe was a souldier and so the whole Series of the examination proceeding from the confession of one tortured person to apprehend and torture another without other euidence though it brought forth more confessions and those with name and surname and other circumstances according as the Interrogatories or rather directories of the Gouernour and Fiscall led the prisoners was wholly against the forme and rule of all lawes of tortures Scilicet in fabriea ●…i pra●…a est reg●…la prima Caeter a mendose fieri atqu●… obstipa necesse est But here must be answered an obiection that may be made against this from anothe●… part of this relation that is that some of the English confessed without or before torture yea this Price here m●…ntioned was either not tortured at all or very lightly Yea but he was shewed the tortured bodies of the poore Iapons martyred with fire and water and told that vnlesse he would confesse that which they told him they had first confessed he should be tortured as ill or worse than they This feare of torture is by their owne law equalled to the torture it selfe and consequently the confession thereupon made no better indicium or euidence to bring another man to the torture than the confession made vpon the racke it selfe Againe it must be here remembred that the very matter of Price his confession here mentioned to wit that all the English Merchants of the out Factories were priuie to the pretended treason was refuted by the processe of the Dutch themselues that found Powle Ramsey and two others of those Factories guiltlesse Next this Author taketh notice of an obiection made in England against the iurisdiction of the Dutch Gouernor and his Councell at Amboyna ouer the English there because this power is by the Treatie of the yeere 1619. disposed of and agreed to consist in the Councell of defence of both nations at Iaccatra For information in which point this Author saith he hath perused ouer all the seuerall articles of the said Treatie and findeth in the 23. article that the Fortresses were to remaine in the hands of them that then possessed them and in the thirteenth fourteenth and fifteenth that the Councell of defence hath no other power but onely ouer the Fleet of defence ouer the commerce and finally to taxe the charges of maintenance of the Forts But he could not see the thirtieth article which orders that all disputes that cannot be decided by the Councell of defence should bee remitted into Europ●… first to the two companies there and in default of their agreement to the King and States Why then was not this dispute so proceeded in There is nothing in the former articles to limit the Councell of defence and this generall article appeareth to bee added by way of ampliation to prouide for that which was not particularly and expresly ●…ared for in the former Which is most plaine by the words of the explanation vpon this thirtith article agreed vpon at the first and subscribed by the Commissioners on both sides An. 1619. where this course of proceeding is expresly directed not only in disputes about the meaning of the Articles but also about any other matter hapning in their common aboad Since which aso the Kings Maiestie hath vpon a smaller occasion than the life of his Subiects cleerly declared himself in the point of Soueraignty That both nations in the Indies should wholly lay aside all pretence thereof Which declaration was sent to the Lords States Generall and by them accepted before this bloody butchery was executed But if it were granted that the Hollanders are absolute Lords of their partners the English in those parts without respect to the Treatie yet at least the Hollanders in

the time hee had not yet certainely set it but that there should suddenly bee another assembly of the conspirators when Gabriel Towerson would giue order for all things and giue a signe to the Iaponians whereupon when they shewed it they should begin the worke within The sayd Gabriel Towerson being asked in particular what moued him to such a wicked fact hee answered the desire of Honour and Profit Being further demanded who should enioy that Honour and Profit and for whome hee would haue taken the Castle he answered That if he did obtayne his desire hee sh●…uld presently haue aduertised those of his Nation being in Batauia and called for their helpe who if they had sent him succour hee would haue kept the Castle for his owne company viz for the English East-Indian Company and if not he would haue held it for himselfe and haue endeuoured a peace with the Indians that so by the one meanes or the other hee might attayne his purpose After the examination of Towerson was ended the Dutch Gouernour in Amboyna vpbrayded Towerson of his cruell intent and asked if this should haue beene the recompence of the manifould honours and kindnesses hee had done vnto him Whereto Towerson answered with a deepe sigh Oh if it were to bee begun it should not be done This voluntary confession and penitent acknowledgement with much sorrow was made the 9. of March being the day when the execution should haue beene done but the examination of Towerson was ended the 18. of February so many dayes before This is the substance of the confessions of 10. Iaponians of 14. En●…lish and of a Neatherlandish Merinho or Captaine of the Slaues who all confirmed these their confessions with their owne hands What crime this intended prodition was is hence very manifest and vndoubted what punishment is due to treachery according to the law and customes of all nations is also well knowne no true Christian man will patronage any such horrible attempt but will adiudge it worthy of death as it was determined vpon the complices of this conspiracy according to order of iustice as there in Amboyna it is exercised according to desert by the Gouernour and Councell in the name of the High and Mighty Lords the States Here you haue Sir the very substance of the truth both of the fact and punishment other than which many things are spread abroad in England but vpon what pretence or intendement I know not let the matter it selfe speake for it selfe The first point which is obiected against this iustice done in Amboyna is concerning the proceedings which are said to bee holden without formality and with extreamity against these conspirators Your Worship and each reasonable man knoweth that euery land hath their lawes and ordinances and their particular manner of proceedings as well in Ciuill as in Criminall causes England hath hers France Spayne Dutchland Netherland and all other Kingdomes and Gouernments haue also theirs which are iust lawfull to euery one in their dominion so that when any man will iudge of the equity or iniustice of a proceeding vsed in any land hee must examine the same according to the lawes and customes of that Kingdome or dominion where the iustice and proceedings were holden These proceedings were holden by the Netherlandish Gouernor in the name of the illustirons Lords the States hauing supreame power many yeares since in the Yles of Amboyna which were conquered in the name of the said Lords the Staes from the Spaniards or Portugalls who held that Castle in the name of the King of Spaine our hereditary enemy therefore they are now possessed in the name of the Lords the States and are vnder their dominion by a iust and lawfull title of warre according to the law of Nations There among other things iustice is administred according to the lawes of the Netherlands in that manner as was vsed in the proceedings against these conspirators I know that the lawes of England are diuers from ours in criminall cases yea from all the Nations in Europe howbeit therefore no man hath any ground of reason to say that the proceedings of the Engl●…sh Iudges holden in England against delinquents are not legitimate though the said English proceedings doe vary in the manner from the proceedings of France Spayne c. where other customes are for that is lawfull which agreeth with the lawes of that land where the fact is committed Now then the Iaponian souldiers being in the service of the Netherlands Company in Amboyna are discouered to haue conspired against the Castle and the Gou●…rnment there vnder whose oath pay they were they were apprehended and examined and conuicted of the said conspiracy This proceeding is lawfull and toucheth no man because the said Iaponians knew no other Master than the Netherlanders vnder whose oath seruice and pay they stand All these Iaponian conspirators with the said Merincho a Captayne of the Netherlands Slaues confessed with one mo●…th that they were moued and induced to this conspiracy by the English Merchants resident in Amboyna whose names they named Now not only the right of Netherland but of England and of the whole world requireth that the authors abettors complices of murther and treason should bee punished with death whereto according to the common lawes as also the particular lawes of eue●…y Kingdome or Dominion the suspected persons first and before all should bee imprisoned not only for preuenting the eff●…ct of their euill purpose but that they might also receiue their deserued punishment which apprehe●…sious could not in that place bee done by any o●…her man than by the command of the Netherlands Gouernor to whom it belongeth to take care to see euery act concerning supreame power to be there obserued specially al other reasons ceasing the highest English Officers there could not apprehend these English conspirators because all the chiefe of the English Merchants in Amboyna were themselues of the conspiracy and complices of the fact vpon which the apprehension was made Therefore the apprehension of the English complices must bee done by the Dutch Gouernour who therefore hath therein proceeded according to the custome of all Nations of the world And that these apprehensions may bee holden more lawfull it appeareth out of the written processe that the said English complices were not imprisoned vpon the first suspitions and grosse euidences which were had against them but then at last when all the Iaponian souldiers were taken examined and conuicted and had discouered by the vniforme confession of all the 11. the names and sur-names of such English as had perswaded and hyred them to this fact of which English one viz. Abel Price Barber was before apprehended as an Incendiary for burning and violence done vpon other houses who also was first examined and first confessed as the other 11. Iaponians that he by name Gabriel Towerson and other English Merchants whom hee named by their names had suborned the said

Iaponian souldiers and that all the English Merchants in the Forraigne Cantores in Amboyna had knowledge of this conspiracy c. So that it may be seene out of that which went before that the Dutch Gouernour dealt no otherwise in the apprehension examination of the English than according to his place and power and that with great discretion according to the lawes of these Vnited Prouinces The second point which is abusiuely dispersed in England against this execution is that it is said that it did not appertain to the Netherlanders in Amboyna to imprison the said English and to proceede against them or to punish them but that it did belong to the Councell of defence resident at Iaquetra consisting half of English half of Netherlanders according to the treaty of the yeare 1619. made betweene his Maiesty and the Lords the States betweene the two East-India Companyes That I might the better informe my selfe thereof I tooke in hand and perused the generall treaty of 1619. with the explication following thervpon but I professe that as I thinke euery vnderstanding man not louing discord must confesse that neither in the said treaty nor in the enlargement any one article or word could be perceiued wherby according ●…o that which is vntruely said in England either this or any such thing is ordayned or decided by the said treaty as it ought to haue clearely beene in so great and important a point as this part of iurisdiction is I appeale to all wise men who I desire may iudge of this whether this speech of some in England to wit that the said Councell of defence should alone haue iudged these conspirators bee agreable to the said treaty or contrary to the same I finde many arguments for my negatiue opinion to wit that before the treaty of 1619. the Dutch in Amboyna administred iurisdiction and iudicature vpon all and euery one who dwelt in or vnder the iurisdiction of the Castle as well inhabitants as strangers without difference and that in this said treaty the Dutch with the English Merchants made onely a league in the matter of commerce and negotiation of Nutmegs Mace Cloues and Pepper in some quarters without hauing any further treaty or communication in the land so that without the bounds of this common negotiation euery one remained free and vn-hyndered in the land by the right and possession which either Company enioyed and exercised seuerally according as the same appeareth out of the 23. article of the treaty where it is expressly said That Castles and Forts shall remayne in their hands who at present doe possesse them And out of the 13. 14. 15. articles of the treaty all may see that this common Councell of Defence hath no more power saue onely ouer the fellowship of the treaty that is ouer the Nauy of defence in the Sea to the defence of the common Merchandize and liberty of commerce and lastly to taxe the charges for the prouision of munition in the Forts neither can any other thing be sincerely collected out of the said treaty so farre as I can conceiue Therefore this second point is found to be vntrue and abusiue being not founded vpon the said treaty which treaty notwithstanding ought to bee the onely rule both of the one and the other Company Finally it is giuen out in England that in the examination of the Conspirators there was excesse in the Netherlands Iudges in the point of Torture I acknowledge that no argument or pretext against the iustice of this execution hath more mooued mee in the beginning than this pretence of excesse aforefaid because this stirreth Christian compassion although I also iudge that wise men will not suffer themselues to bee too much transported thereby before the true reasons doe fully appeare which should moue vs thereunto For I well remember yet that in the time of former mistakings in the Indyes many things were pretended on both parts vpon which there were great outcries one either side which yet by due examination were found to be though faire yet false pretexts of some ill-willers and men desirous to wrangle which pretences being throughly sifted by the High and much admired wisdome of his Maiesty and the Lords the States were well discouered ●…o be no such matters as they were made as it is also vndoub●…edly to be beleeued that his Maiesty and the States will yet further doe in this affaire and so the cause of the Dutch Company may bee in the carriage hereof rightly iustified Of which I vnderstand that the Lords the States haue speciall regard and that they haue beene throughly informed what is the very truth of the things there past and of the execution in Amboyna vpon the English Conspirators Vnto which end the Lords the States resolued to see and peruse all the papers and letters touching the said pro●…eedings And now thereupon men speake farre otherwise than heretofore for pretences and cauills being once detected cannot stand with truth And it doth plainly appeare that there is little truth in the matter of torture reported to bee most cruelly inslicted vpon these English Conspirators as in England it is said And I haue euer suspected this for a slander for I know the Dutch Nation doth naturally abhorre this kinde of cruelty and are as much mooued to commiseration as any other people But whether these euill minded men who haue scattered this great slander in England and haue so fowly defaced a iust cause haue done it by occasion of our vse of tortures in these lands in some weighty causes according to the custome of the most dominions of Europe I cannot iudge But is that to bee censured and iudged 〈◊〉 bee vniust of the whole world which is repugnant to the l●…wes of England or any one Nation where tor●…ure is rarely vsed Nothing so but the iustice or iniustice of a cause must bee as aforesaid determined according to the lawes where it is done and not of other lands If this were not so why then should not the whole world much more iudge that as a hard and a thing vnheard and therfore condemnable which in some cases is vsed in England according to the lawes there when they proceed against some guilty person who being once and againe asked of the Iudge and vtterly refusing to bee legally tried is adiudged as dumbe that is by contumacy whose condemnation then accordingly followeth that hee is laid vpon a table or planke and another planke vpon him and so much weight of stone or lead laid vpon him that his body is miserably bruised and so pressed violently to death The which according to the confession of all nations especially because this kinde of iustice is not vsed in other lands and by the English writers is iudged to bee one of the most sharpe and seuere kindes of death that can bee inuented yet cannot such an execution bee called cruell and vnlawfull when it is done in England because it is done according

hard taske to make it probable that eighteen Englishmen Merchants and their seruants all vnarmed should with the helpe and assistance of tenne Iapons likewise vnarmed vndertake the surprize of a Castle so prouided euery way as that of Amboyna is before in the relation of the English truely described to bee as also the same Author well weighing that albeit all that he was to write of this pretended Conspiracie should bee taken for true yet the fact would seeme very poore to beare so rigorous a punishment in persons of that qualitie and of that relation to those that inflicted it prouides more skilfully than fairely for both these points in the preamble of this relation To this end he ●…akes and heapes together all the iealousies and dangers that the Dutch had in the Indies yea and more than they truely had at or about the time of the pretended conspiracy and applyes them all to the suspicion of this busines as if all their enemies were likely to conspire ●…ith the English and therefore the fact vnder colour whereof th●…y were condemned and executed were possible and probable and as if the state of the time had bin then so dangerous that euery shadow of conspiracy was to bee exquisitely enquired of and the l●…ast off●…ce to be seu●…rely punished Wherefore al●… this be no direct charge of the English but vs●…d by the Author to supply the want of probabili●…ies in the processe it selfe it will not be amisse to examine the seuerall circumstances and how far they may yeeld any suspicion against the said English Now this Author taketh the maine grounds of this s●…spicion of some great plot against the Prouince of Amboyna from the vnwonted boldnesse and insolencies of the Ternatans first in the Moluccoes and then in Amboyna For those in the Moluccoes h●… saith they had lately before the pretended conspiracy of the English gone about contrary to the Treatie Anno 1606. betweene them and the Dutch to make peace with the King of Tedore and truc●… with the Spaniard without the consent or knowledge of them the Dutch which how honestly and conscionably it is alleadged to this purpose may appeare by the Iournalls of those parts which euidently sh●…w that this Treatie betweene those of 〈◊〉 and Tedore was in Nouember 1621. ●…hat is to say fifteene moneths before this forged conspiracie and that with the knowledge of 〈◊〉 the Gouernour of the Dutch who vpon the 19. of Nouember the yeare aforesaid acquainted M. Nichols the Agent of the English in those parts with the preparations of this Treatie which was actually holden at Ternata the 24. of the same month But the matter was so well handled by the Dutch to keepe those neighbour Islands in perpetuall warre that the Treatie was dissolued re infectâ And the seuenth of December following an Edict was published by the King of Ternata commanding all the Tedorians forthwith to depart the Island of Ternata vpon paine to be made slaues After this the correspondence betweene the Dutch and Ternatans in the Moluccoes returned into as firme state as euer the Ternatans performing daily exploits against the Spaniards and communicating the triumph with the Dutch As the seuenteenth of Februarie 1622. being a full yeare before the feined treason of the English the King of Ternata with twentie Curricurries tooke a Spanish Galley slew fortie in fight and tooke 150. prisoners whom they sold to the Dutch for Cloth and Rice and comming by the Hollanders Castle of Maalaïo the eighteenth of the same moneth with the heads of diuers Spaniards at his Stern the Dutch saluted him from their said Castle with nine shot of great Ordnance The 25. of Aprill following the Admirall of the King of Ternata tooke a Prow of the Spaniards slew some and sold the rest to the Dutch The 28. of the same moneth both Dutch and English were feasted by the King of Terna The 22. of May next ensuing the king of Ternata went forth to Machian with sixe Curricurries and at his departure was honoured with thirty shot of great Ordnance from the Dutch Castle The 15. of Iune the Admirall of the king of Ternata made a voyage towards Mindanow carrying diuerse of the Dutch with him to assist him The third of Iuly the Ternatanes tooke other prisoners and sold them to the Dutch The 24. of August the king of Ternata made one Vogler a Dutch Merchant his Treasurer at whose instalment in his new office the Dutch gaue seuen great shot from the Castle And this good correspondence betweene the Ternatans and the Dutch in the Moluccoes continued euen vntill and after the execution of the English at Amboyna which was as hath beene shewed in February 1623. new stile Vpon the 14. of which moneth the Dutch gaue the king of Ternata and other Blacks two hundred Bailes of Iapan Rice with other presents at the deliuerie whereof there were shot off from the Castle seuen peeces of Ordnance and three Vollies of small shot By all which may appeare how sincerely this Author applyeth the diffidence betweene the Dutch and the king of Ternata which was now none at all to this businesse of Amboyna The next point is that the Ternatans in the Moluccoes went about also to make truce with the Spaniards without consen●… or knowledge of the Dutch wherein this dealing of the Author is worse than the former For this Treatie of truce appeareth by the Iournalls to haue beene holden the 19. of Iuly 1623. which was fiue moneths after the execution of the English at Amboyna and so came too late to mo●…e suspicion against them And yet this pretended feare and iealousie of the Moluccoes is f●…rther 〈◊〉 by the strength of the Spaniard beeing then as this Author affirmeth Master of the sea there and that by default of the English who contrary to the treaty of the yeer 1619. had deserted the defense and sent no more ships neither to the Moluccoes nor to the Manilliaes whence now the Spaniards had means to send Ships Gallies and Pinaces to the Moluccoes What the strength of the Spaniard in the Moluccoes by sea was at the time of this pretended feare may appeare by the exploits before-mentioned done vpon them by the Cur●…curries of the Ternatans without help of the Hollanders But for the default of the English which is heer odiously alledged it will bee requisite to set downe the true causes wherefore the English relinquished the action of defense aswel at the Manilliaes as elsewhere being a matter much aggrauated vpon all occasions by the Holl●…ders albeit themselues haue giuen the cause thereof Wherefore shortly the true motiues of the English their desisting from the action of defense were as followeth The English had by agreement of the Councell of defense two yeers together maintained a Fleet of fiue tall warlike ships to ioine with the like strength of the Hollanders for the action of the Manilliaes and the profit of the voyage as the charge to bee