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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

borne at Firando and the other Sacoube of the same place the former of which being tortured confessed both to haue beene priuie to this pretended treason and to haue offered his seruice vnto the English to ayde them in taking of the Castle and the latter confessed to haue had knowledge of the consultation of the other Iapons to this purpose But neyther of them was executed nor so much as condemned The reason whereof was not knowne to the English that were saued They had prepared a cloth of blacke Veluet for Captaine Towerson s bodie to fall vpon which being stayned and defaced with his blood they afterwards put to the account of the English Companie At the instant of the execution there arose a great darkenesse with a sudden and violent gust of winde and tempest whereby ●…wo of the Dutch Shippes riding in the harbour were driuen from their anchors and with great labour and difficulty saued from the rockes Within a few dayes after one William Dunckin who had told the Gouernour That Robert Browne the English Tailour had a few moneths before told him hee hoped that within sixe moneths the English should haue as much to doe in the Castle of Amboyna as the Dutch This fellow comming vpon an euening to the graue where the English were buried beeing all saue Captain Towerson in one pit fell down vpon the graue and hauing lien there awhile rose vp againe starke mad and so continued two or three dayes together and then died Foorthwith also fell a new sicknesse at Amboyna which swept away about a thousand people Dutch and Amboyners in the space wherein there vsually died not aboue thirty at other seasons These signes were by the suruiuing English referred to the confident prediction of Emanuel Tomson aboue-named and were by the Amboyners interpreted as a token of the wrath of God for this barbarous tyranny of the Hollanders The next day after the execution beeing the eight and twentith of February Stilo veteri was spent in triumph for the new General of the Dutch then proclaimed and in publick rejoycing for the deliuerance from this pretended treason The day following being the first of March Iohn Beomont George Sharrock Edward Collins and William Webber were brought to the Gouernor who told Webber Beomont and Sharrock that they were pardoned in honour of the new Generall and Collins that hee was to go to Iaccatra there to stand to the fauour of the Generall So the Gouernor made them drink wine with him and curteously dismissed them willing them to go and consult with the rest that were saued who were fit to be placed in the seuerall Factories Which done and their opinions reported to the Gouernor hee accordingly commanded each to his place adding that he would thenceforth take vpon him the patronage and gouernment of the English Companies businesse To which purpose he had within a few daies past opened a Letter that came from the English President at Iaccatra directed to Captaine Towerson beeing as hee said the first English Letter that euer he intercepted further saying that he was glad that he found by that Letter that the English at Iaccatra were innocent touching this businesse The Gouernor and Fiscall hauing thus made an end at Amboyna dispatched themselues for Banda where they made very diligent enquiry against Captaine Welden the English Agent there yet found no colour nor shadow of guilt to lay hold on but at last entertained him with courteous speeches professing to bee very glad that they found him as well as the English at Iaccatra to bee without suspicion of this treason as they tearm it Captaine Welden perceiuing the disorder and confusion of the English Companies affaires at Amboyna by means of this dealing of the Dutch forthwith hired a Dutch Pinace at Banda and passed to Amboyna where instantly vpon his arriuall he re-called the Companies seruants sent as before by the Dutch Gouernor to the vnderFactories Hauing enquired of them the rest that were left at Amboyna of the whole proceedings lately passed hee found by the constant and agreeing relation of them all that there was no such treason of the English as was pretended as also vnderstanding what strict command the Gouernor had giuen to the suruiuing English not once to talk or conferre with the countrey-people concerning this bloody businesse although the said countrey-people euery day reproached them with treason and a bloody intention to haue massacred the natiues and to haue ripped vp the bellies of women with childe and such like stuffe wherewith the Dutch haue possessed the poore Vulgar to make the English odious vnto them The said M. Welden therefore finding it to sort neither with the honour nor profit of the English Company his Masters to hold any longer residence in Amboyna hee took this poore remnant of the English along with him in the said hired Pinace for Iaccatra whither the Gouernor had sent Iohn Beomont and Edward Collins before as men condemned and left to the mercy of the Generall When this heauy newes of Amboyna came to Iaccatra and the English there the President forthwith sent to the Generall of the Dutch to knowe by what authority the Gouernor at Amboyna had thus proceeded against the English and how he the rest of the Dutch there at Iaccatra did approoue these proceedings The Gouernor returned for answer that The Gouernor of Amboyna's authority was deriued from that of the Lords States General of the Vnited Neatherlands vnder whom hee had lawfull iurisdiction both in criminall and ciuill causes within the destrict of Amboyna further that such proceeding was necessary against traitors such as the English executed at Amboyna might appeare to bee by their owne confessions a copie wherof he therewith sent to the English President who sent the same back to be authentickly certified but receiued it not again Hitherto hath been recited the bare and naked narration of the progresse and passage of this action as it is taken out of the depositions of six seueral English Factors whereof foure were condemned and the other two acquitted in this processe of Amboyna all since their return in●…o England examined vpon their othes in the Admiralty Court The particular of captaine Towerson's as also of Tomson's examinations and answers are not yet come to light by reason that these two were kept apart from all the rest and each alone by himselfe nor any other of the English suffered to come to speak with them except onely that short Farewell which Iohn Beomont took of Tomson the morning before the execution before-mentioned The like obscurity is yet touching the examinations and answers of diuerse of the rest that are executed being during their imprisonment so strictly lookt to and watched by the Dutch that they might not talk together nor mutually relate their miseries But because the Hollanders defend their own proceedings by the confessions of the parties executed acknowledging seuerally vnder their hands that they were guilty of the pretended

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

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

to the lawes of that land though strangers shall iudge otherwise of it And in like manner the English nation cannot complaine of the torture which euill willers say was vsed vpon these English Conspirators in Amboyna because it is done according to the lawes of this Gouernment and is not vnusuall in cases of treason neither with vs nor almost any Nation in Europe And for England it selfe it is well knowne and his most excellent Maiesty doth acknowledge by his owne Princely pen that the Rack the Manicles are the on●…ly tortures that are exercised vpon Traytors to force them to confesse without concealement what they knowe to bee dangerous to the State And to say the ●…ruth wi●…hout taking parts the English Conspirators being a●…ronted with the vniforme and written confessions of the 11. Iaponians their Compli●…s which could conuince them sufficiently according to the lawes and fr●…de them guilty of the same conspi●…acy and consequen●…ly of death if now notwithst●…nding this they had persisted in the sto●…t deniall of the fact were not this to speake according to the manner in England enough to iudge them dumb by con●…umacy and so to esteeme them worthy of this sore p●…nishment of pressing to death as is aforesaid But this torture of ours if any in Amboyna were so tortured is to bee iudged farre lesse than that pressing where the malefactor doth suffer such extreame misery as cannot bee imagined and which is not to bee lenifyed or cased at all but ended by death But to the sufficient satisfaction of my self and your Worship and all men a●…d not to speake according to the sentence and conscience of others I haue vsed all diligence to get into my hands the written Processe con cerning the Conspirators in Amboyna which I obtained authentically and read carefully and I finde that all that is by mee aboue said is confermed to wit That the Iaponian Complices were examined and made their confession as aforesaid for 3. dayes viz. the 23. 24. 25. of February 1623. and that all this being don●… and consummated before then at last is Gabriel Towerson first with the rest of the English Complices imprisoned the said 25. of February when their examination and confession began and continued diuers dayes without ouerhasting till the 3. of March. And the said examinations and confessions being so finished the Netherlands Gouernour and Councell deliberated whether the punishment might bee deferred to any long time or referred to any other place but it was so concluded by ioynt consent of all that the said punishment there deserued must bee executed in the same place for example and that it could not in any wise bee delaied without extreame danger for reasons there related and among others because the Ternatanes Indians about Amboyna had otherwise than they were wont rebelled neither could it bee fully knowne what great confederacy these Conspirators had made with them and others And touching any extraordinary and cruell ●…orture I haue accuratly ouerlooked euery ones confession but I finde not one word in any one which maketh any mention of such torture as is vniustly spoken of in England nay scarce finde any mention of that ordinary torture which is in vse saue onely these words in one act of the 25. February 1623 viz. The Councell being gathered together haue thought meete that all the English should be presently examined one after another as accordingly it was instantly done and some of them before any torture others after a little or rather a touch of it confessed as followeth Vnto which followeth presently the particular confession of each one subscribed with his owne hand as aforesaid So that hence it is manifest that no extraordinary torture was vsed in such manner as is giuen-out there by those that wish vs euill nay that those few that felt any were onely touched not punished with ordinary torture And thus your Worship hath the vpright and impartiall truth of this businesse touching the whole passage as it proceeded and the punishment as it was inflicted from which some English were exempted by fauour that the English goods should not be lost according as order hath beene giuen to that end And I finde that the sentence was giuen the 9. of March 1623. by a competent assembly of 14. Iudges who as it appeareth in the sentence in the doing thereof did before earnestly call vpon the name of the Lord that hee would please to be president and predominant in euery one of their hearts in this their sorrowfull assembly and that hee would inspire them onely with that which might bee iudged to bee expedient and iust c. So that out of all that is aboue said nothing else can appeare but that this businesse was managed lawfully and orderly by men of honesty and conscience against such as had vndertaken against the State against the wealth and aduantage of this East-India Company the liues of their Officers there placed against the estate and welfare of many who had little deserued and as little expected such wickednes from their friendly confederates in the same society of Marchants there resident with them And now considering the premisses I hope it shall bee farre from euery Christian in any wise to protect or excuse this wicked fact but rather to mourne and g●…ieue as wee doe for this conspiracy and for the euill the conspirators haue so deseruedly drawne vpon their owne heads and to honour them who in iustice haue punished villany according to the due merit thereof for wee all know that without IVSTICE without reward of that which is Good and punishment of that which is Euill no society of mankinde can consist And of this information which I send in loue and honour to your Worship as vnto a louer of Truth and a hater of Treachery you may make such vse as to yo●… shall seeme good in any place where you come both for refutation of any thing already reported contrary thereunto and for preuention of any further false rumors or clamors and finally for propagation of that vndoubted truth which here to my b●…st I haue endeauoured to discouer And if you shall meete with any thing of worth which can be truly auowed to bee contradictory vnto any thing I haue written I desire to vnderstand it from you and you to suspend your wise and impartiall iudgement till I haue cleared it vnto you TRVTH remaineth euer the same So I commend you to the God of truth desiring him to giue vs mindes Not to iudge according to outward appearance but to iudge with a righteous iudgement From my Lodging Iuly 23. 1624. THE ANSWER VNTO THE DUTCH PAMPHLET MADE IN DEFENCE OF THE VNIVST AND BARbarous proceedings against the ENGLISH at AMBOYNA In the East-Indies by the HOLLANDERS there Printed at London Anno M. DC XXIV AN ANSWER TO THE DUTCH RELATION TOVCHING THE PREtended Conspiracie of the ENGLISH at AMBOYNA in the Indies THE Compiler of this relation perceiuing that hee had an

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

Amboyna are bound to obserue the Lawes of the vnited Prouinces for so saith this Author himselfe Doe these allow to begin the processe at the torture and to bring persons of honest fame to the racke vpon others confession made in the torture Doe their lawes allow of the leading interrogatories aboue mentioned to direct the prisoner what to say to auoide the torture Where in the vnited Prouinces is that drowning with water in vse or the torture with fire vsed to Iohnson Tomson and Clarke or especially the splitting of their toes and launcing of the breast and putting in gun-powder and then firing the same whereby the body is not left intire neither for innocency nor execution Clarke and Tomson were both faine to be carried to their execution though they were tortured many dayes before Lastly their confessions were contradictorie apparantly false and of things impossible to bee done much lesse practised before by the said parties and therefore ought not by their law to haue been beleeued nor the prisoners to haue beene condemned thereupon without other sufficient indicia or euidence besides In the last place this Author handleth the excesse of torture whereof hee taketh notice there is much complaint in England and saith That the Lords States generall take great care to enforme themselues of all the passages of this businesse and to that end haue desired to see all the letters peeces and papers that concerne this processe by which it appeareth not that there was any cruell torture vsed But suppose the acts make no mention of them is it any maruell that the Authours of this murtherous and tyrannous processe being themselues the persons that also formed the acts would omit those things that made against them It is to be presumed also that the acts kept by their people at Poloway in Banda haue omitted many things of their processe against the poore Polaroones whom in August 1622. being about sixe moneths before this execution of the English their Gouernor there vsed in like sort as the Gouernor of Amboyna did the English and gaue him a modell and precedent of this processe which it will not bee amisse to relate briefly because this Authour in the next place alleadgeth the mercifull disposition of the Netherlands nation in generall to inferre thence that it is therefore vnlikely that their Gouernour at Amboyna was so cruell as is reported in England Polaroon one of the Islands of Banda was in possession of the English at the time of the treaty Anno 1619. and by the agreement was to remaine theirs After the treaty came vnto the Indies the Hollanders forbare publishing thereof in the Ilands of Banda vntill they had taken Polaroon But knowing that it must be restored again according to the treaty they first take all courses to make the Iland little or nothing worth they demolish deface the Buildings transplant the Nutmeg-trees plucking them vp by the roots and carrying them into their owne Ilands of Nera and of Poloway there to bee planted for themselues and at last finde a means to dispeople the Iland and to leaue it so as the English might make no vse of it worth their charge of keeping and that vpon this occasion There was a yong man the son of an Orankey or a Gentleman in Polaroon that had committed felony for which by the Lawes of his Country he was to die This fellow to saue his life ●…ed to another Iland of Banda called Rofinging and there turned Christian but quickly vnderstanding that that would not make him safe from punishment hee went back secretly to his owne Countrey of Polaroon and hauing lurked there a few daies tooke his passage for N●…ra another Iland where the Dutch haue a Fort and told the Dutch Gouernor that the Orankeys of Polaroon had conspired to massacre the Dutch as well at Polaroon as at Poloway with help of the people of Seran that should send ouer thirti●… Curricurries for that purpose Immediately vpon this indicium of this malefactor certaine Prows or Fisher-boats of the Polaroons that were fishing at Poloway were seized and the people made prisoners Command was sent by the Dutch Gouernor to Polaroon that the Orankeys should come ouer to him that there might be further inquisition made of this matter The Priest of the Polaroons and seuenty Orankeys instantly took a Prow or small vessell of their owne and imbarked themselues for Poloway As they were at sea and yet out of the sight of the Dutch Castle they were met by a Fisher-boat of Bandanezes and told how all the rest were apprehended and that if they went to Poloway they were all but dead men Neuerthelesse the Priest and the rest although they had space and means to haue escaped to Seran and other places safe enough from the Hollanders yet were so confident of their innocency that they would needs to Poloway to purge themselues Where as soon as they were arriued they were instantly carried prisoners to the Castle and withall the Gouernor with a force of two hundred men went presently for Polaroon whence hee fe●…ched all the rest of the Orankeys and bro●…ght them prisoners to the same Castle As soone as they were comne they were presently brought to the torture of water and fire euen in the same sort as our people were afterwards at Amboyna onely heerein differing that of those at Poloway two were so tortured that they died in their tortures the rest beeing one hundred sixty two persons were all vpon their own forced confessions condemned and executed The Priest when he came to the place of execution spake these words in the Mallaian Tongue All yee great and small rich and poor black and white look to it we haue committed no fault And when hee would haue spoken more he was taken by the hands feet laid along cut in two by the middle with a sword Forthwith the Gouernor caused the wiues children and slaues of those of Polaroon to be all carried out of the Iland and distributed in other Ilands subject to the Dutch and so haue made a cleer Country for the English where they may both plant and gather themselues destitute of the help of any of the Countrey-people without whom neither the English nor Hollanders can maintaine their trade in the Indies And yet this is not heer recited to the end thereby to charge the Neatherlands Nation with those cruell proceedings but the persons themselues that haue committed those barbarous tyrannies Who if wee shall beleeue an Author of their owne are not of the best of that Nation For the Maiores as this Author sayes vse the Indies as a Tucht house or Bridewell to manage their vnruly vnthrifty children kindred whom when they cannot rule order at home they send to the Indies where they are preferred to offices and places of gouernement Yea saith he they prefer such to be Fiscals there as neuer saw studie nor law So that it is no maruell that such