WHereas at this present, there is much speach, and may censures, concerning the pro­fits and Government of the East Indie Com­pany, as well by the Maiors on their part, as by the Aduenturers on theirs, the one making boast of great profits; and to haue governed the same so worthily as that they conceiue to haue [Page 2]deserved still to continue and bee confir­med in their places. Other maintaining to the contrary, that neither the profit, nor the Maiors governement, to haue beene such, as that either prayse or thankes is due to them; but that the Adventurers, haue rather iust cause to petition to the Lords the States Generall, for redresse of better ordering thereof in the now next intended Patent, that thereby the profits may be advanced and more increased.

Now the better to explaine this myste­rie, and diversitie of opinions, wee will first set downe what hath beene the pro­fits, and next what hath beene the man­ner of governement, to the ende that e­uery man may iudge, what prayse and thankes the Maiors haue deserued.

As concerning the profits, first is to be knowne, at what time the Adventurers did bring in and make up their Stocke, viz. in Annis. 1604. 1605. and 1606. which being receiued together faleth to bee in Anno. 1605—100. the Interest whereof rec­koned to the yeere 1622. which is for 17. yeeres after 6¼ per Cent. per An. with Interest [Page 3]vpon Interest amounteth to little more or lesse then —180.

Now considering the Maiors from the yeare 1604. to the yeare 1621. haue every yeare sent from hence to the East Indies, a fleete to a certaine number of Ships, which are in all 18. fleetes of Ships, some­times more some times lesse; which one with the other I reckon about halfe a ca­pitall: whereof the assurance simply go­ing and comming amounteth to 24. per Cent. though more must be given if one will ensure the trade which passeth from Port to Port in the East Indies, which du­ties for going and comming amounteth vnto — 2 [...]6.

Hereof the Interest reckoned at 6¼ per Cent. per An. from Anno 1605. to the yeare 1621. vntill the money bee yearely payd, which amounteth with Interest vpon In­terest, to little more or lesse then —199.

Whereby appeareth that the Capi­tall with the Interest and Assurance a­mounteth vnto — 695.

Against this, is to bee reckoned what the Companie receiveth of the Ensurers, [Page 4]for losse sustained by Sea as well in go­ing as comming, which ought to be va­lued as it cost the Company here, which taken at the highest will hardly amount vnto 150. which being deducted out of the aboue said 695. the Capital commeth to stand in with the Interest and assurance 5. Capitals, 45. per Cent. Now the Maior haue at severall times delivered to the Ad­venturers: 2. Capitals, viz.

Anno

• 1610 — 57.½
• 1615 — 42.½
• 1618 — 62.½
• 1620 — 37.½

Sum-200

From which the Interest being recko­ned to the yeare 1622. after 6¾ per Cent. Ann. with interest vpon interest which amounteth vnto — 117.

The rest of the Account or Adventure, prised in March 1622. taken at the high­est is worth — 190

In Summe, the Capital with the pro­fits from the beginning vnto this present which the Adventurers haue receiued, 5. Ca­pitals. 7. per Cent. And the Capital com­meth [Page 5]to stand in here, with the interest and assurance, as aboue appeareth, 5. Capitals and 45. per Cent. So as the Adventurers haue gained nothing neere the simple interest of 6¼ per Cent. per Ann. and ordinary assu­rance. By this may bee gathered what profits the Adventurers haue enioyed, and how thankefull they ought to be to the Maiors,

Now as concerning the Governement, it is a thing certain that be it good or bad, the profits arise accordingly, for we dayly see and finde that by negligence all ill governmēt, a great estate is soone brought to nought: and on the contrary through a good dilligent and provident governing, great gaines arise out of a small stocke or meanes: whereas during all this Patent, so little profit ariseth, though great gaine is ordinarily to be made in the East Indies, so as hereby may well be concluded that the same must be so, by reason of the di­recting or governing the same.

Now as concerning the well gover­ning: First of all is required a good vn­derstanding and experience, which I per­swade [Page 6]swade my selfe hath beene and is in many of the Maiors without all doubt, but that is not enough, except there be care and diligence withall, but what care and dili­gence can be expected from them, who are so continually imployed in their pub­licke Offices and functions, besides their particuler affaires, that they can scarce once or twise in a weeke, spend a fewe houres in this waightie businesse, which indeede hath need of a constant and con­tinuing sale according as the greatnesse and importancy thereof requireth.

For if a Marchant here in Towne, fin­deth so much to doe in his private affaires, that to doe the same well, hee hath very small time besides to spare: how much more time then doth so great businesse require? when not onely heere within the Land, but also in the Indies, in so ma­ny farre remōte partes, so great in Trade is driven from Port to Port, and much more may be, were it well ordered: when vp­on any advise comming thence, good re­gard is to be had, as also good information to be taken from any committie or other [Page 7]person comming thence, that so thereby good advise may likewise been sent backe from hence vpon sure ground, and to set­tle so good an order for redresse of ought that is amisse there, that the Trade may flourish, and that those places which the Company haue conquered there, may be to vs and our posteritite in all obedience without preiudice. How great and con­tinuall a diligence this may require, and how little hath bin vsed, those that haue any vnderstanding may easily gather by the small profits, which haue bin made.

Further, is required in very Maior, that he by all meanes seeke to procure the common good of that which is commit­ted to his charge, and not his particular: but how or wherein haue they hitherto fought the common good of the Compa­ny, so long as they take a libertie to sell the Companies goods vnto themselues, in which sale no doubt they seeke their own particular profit, and not the Companies. At sometimes one Maior buying the Com­panies goods of another Maior; and at an­other time it happeneth quite contrary, [Page 8] viz. that he which was at first the buyer, is now become the seller to him that former­ly was the seller himselfe: one may well coniecture how these things are thus car­ried, by such, who it may be are not so ho­nest as they should be; what hinderance hereby befalleth the Adventurers, and what profits to the Maiors, one may well coniec­ture by the small profits which the Adven­turers haue made, and the great wealth which the Maiors haue attained vnto.

When as the Maiors haue bought great quantitie of the Companies goods for themselues, is to be imagined what kinde of advise they will send to the Indies con­cerning such goods as themselues haue bought, and whether their advise shall not [...]end to their particular profits.

Further may well be iudged, in what maner the Maiors seeke to procure the pro­fit of the Adventurers, who make it a busines to sell their adventure for long dayes of payment, yea, oft-times more themselues haue in the Companie, which is the cause that they may wish ill successe to the Company, to the end that they may buy [Page 9]it in, the better cheape against the time of payment befalleth, and so to make their profit out of the Companies losses: how much such Maiors doe affect that the Com­panie may prosper, may be imagined?

And whether they haue not sometime set out great and vnnecessary Fleets (for many of them haue quite sould at their adven­tures) whereby they could not be able to deliver out any shares to the Adventurers: wherevnto notwithstanding, the Maiors are by the Patent inioyned, so often as 5 per centum, profits may be made. All which they doe to cause the adventure to fall in prise, to the end that they may buy it a­gaine good cheape. But what hinderance hereby is befallen many Adventurers, yea, some vtterly vndone, is too apparant, and they ought to examine their consciences, how free they are, and cleane herein. For might one pervse their Bookes, no doubt thereby would be found, that many a­mongst them haue little or no adventure) at all with the Company, and it would plainely appeare, that their provision or factorie concernes them nearer then the [Page 10]profit of the stooke they haue there to exspect, and therefore doe readily resolue to the setting foorth of great shipping or fleets, when as fewer and smaller would haue beene sufficient for Conquest, and fewer for trade from Port to Port: whereof that fleete which went through the straight of Magellane was one, which fleete alone did charge the Com­pany with more then a Capital.

It is likewise the practise of these kinde of Maiors, (knowing the choyce to be in their own powers) to preferre their friends and kindred to the governement, and ex­cluding those that are great Adventurers, take ofttimes such as are none, but such as when then stand in nomination to be; doe then begin to buy conditionally so they are chosen, then their buying to stand: but if not, then the bargaine to be voyd: what good service the Company is to exspect by such nimbling may well bee coniectured. Besides they oft times preferre their friends, to be sent as Com­mitties and other Offices to the Indies, although very vnfitt thereto, whereas it [Page 11]highly concerneth the Company, to haue both honest and fitt persons there, for hardly can it be imagined the great wrong which the Company haue sustained, tho­row the having so basely vilde, & proud­ly insolent Committies in the Indies.

Further, what losse the Companie is put vnto, by the building of so great and costly Shippes (each Chamber striving which shall make the greatest Ship, and all for great stowage, to cause the grea­ter returne to be brought into their cham­ber, thereby to procure to themselues the greater factorie or provision) can­not well be imagined: for as well might it be done with lesser, and Ships not so costly, and so the more stocke to bee imployed in Trade, or otherwise to free themselues of their interest money, which great Shipps, are partly vsed to carry wood and stone in the Indies, for the building of the Fort Iacatra, some being worne and spent there, so as indeed one might haue done as well betweene this and the Indies, with halfe as many great ships.

Also many Summes of Gold haue bin spent in the making of divers costly Forts and Castles in the Indies, the walles being all of stone, being King-like workes, whereas to haue made them of Earth, as they are here in our Countrie the Nether­lands, had beene as vsefull for keeping the Trade, from other Committies of for­raine Lands: so had this needeles charge beene imployed in Trade, might haue advanced the Company more then a Ca­pital.

Also the Companie hath freely indured some losse, by reason of the complaint of those persons who having done the Com­panie good service, could obtaine little or no Salary for the same. Whereby is befal­len that some haue put themselues into the service of other Companies of forraine Lands, to the no small hinderance of this Companie, and by reason of their com­plaints, many other honest yong men haue beene discouraged from comming into the Companies service, whereas the ha­ving of good and sufficient courses, doth very much import the Companie. For [Page 13]which cause wise and provident Mer­chants doe both recompence and preferre their faithfull servants, to the end that thereby they may the longer make vse of their good service, which example so the Maiors would imitate in requiting their faithfull sevants, and preferre some of them to the Maiorship, it would doe the Company much good, for that they being well experimented in the course of trade in the Indies, might serue the Maiors (who were never there) vpon all occasions, with sound and well grounded advise and di­rections, and this would be an induce­ment for other honest yong men to put themselues into the Companies service there, and being in hope of further pre­ferment, to performe it faithfully.

By these aboue-mentioned, and other reasons that may be annexed hereto, is easie to iudge, whence it proceedeth that hitherto so little profit hath beene made.

And that therefore the Adventurers as Petitioners, haue iust cause and reason to intreate the Lords the States, for better or­der [Page 14]and Patent, and that they are not to bee blamed, as some haue gone about to doe.

For Conclusion; Considering the Trade to the Indies, doth so much con­cerne the Land in generall, and the Ad­venturers each in his particular, to the end that through the well ordering there­of, it may not fall to the grounde, but stand firme to vs, and to our posteritie. It is not to be doubted, but that the Lords the States Generall, and the Prince his Ex­cellency, wil take this so important a busines to heart, and not onely be inclineable to the request of the Adventurers, but add thereunto other more neces­sary points, such as they in their great Wisedomes shall find fit and necessarie.