THe underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majesty of GREAT BRITAIN, &c. Doth herewith tender to their Lordships a Letter from the King his Master, concerning two English Ships belonging to London, the one called the Bona Esperanza, and the other the Henry Bona Ad­venture; the former hereof, was in the Year 1643. violently set upon in the East-India, between Goa and Maccao in a hostile manner in the Streights of Malacca, by two Ships belonging to the East-Indie Company of this Countrey, the one called the Ven­dillo, and the other the Portogallo, whereof one Geland was Com­mander in chief, and carried to Batavia, and there both Ship, Goods and Tackle all confiscated: And the other having in the Yeer 1642. come on ground on the Island Mauritins, was there both Ship, Goods and Tackle seised upon by some of the said Company.

The said Envoy Extraordinary doth in the Name, and in persu­ance of most precise Orders which he hath received from the King his Master, demand that Satisfaction and Reparation be forth­with made to the Persons interessed and injured.

And whereas it may seem strange that this matter should be set on foot at this time, when as in the Year 1654. Commissioners were sent to England, who did end several matters relating to the East-Indies; and whereas in the Year 1659. several matters of a fresher date were also ended, and thereby a period put to all other matters of Difference which had happened about the same time, and were known in Europe before the 20. of January in the said Year, it is to be considered that the Persons Interessed in these Ships, were such as for their singular and extraordinary activity to His Majesty of blessed memory, Father to the King his Master, were tendred un­capable of persuing or obtaining their just right at home or abroad; and upon that account it is that the businesse of these two Ships remains yet in dispute, though several matters of a much fresher date have been ended, and satisfaction given: And seeing this hath [Page 22] been the real occasion of this delay, the King his Master doth no ways doubt but that their Lordships will in so much a more eminent manner put forth and shew their Iustice for their relief.

THe underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majestie of GREAT BRITAIN, &c. having yesterday again recei­ved most strict Commands by the hands of one of the principal Se­cretaries of State, from the King his Master, sitting in full Council, earnestly to presse their Lordships the States General, that Satisfaction and Reparation be forthwith made to the Persons whose Cases are set down in his last Memorial; Doth (as in Duty bound) hereby make known the same to them, and desires that it will please their Lordships to take such Resolutions thereupon as the Iustice of the said matters do require, and as may give content­ment and satisfaction to His Majesty, whom the said Envoy Extra­ordinary doth find to concern himself very much, and to be determi­nately resolved to have Right done to His Subjects therein one way or another.

ICk George Carew Schilt-knaep, als by den prerogative Hove van Enghelant, ghestelt zijnde tot Administrateur van alle de naergelatene goederen van wijlen de Heer Willem Courten, Ridder, in zijn leven woonachtigh tot Londen in Engelandt, als mede gemachtight by procuratien van de Heer Willem Powel Ridder, Administrateur van alle de goederen, naer-ghelaten by wijlen de Heer Paul Pinder Ridder, oock voor sijn selven, ende de Heer John Ayton Ridder, geassigneerde van de Heer Edward Littleton Ridder, ende als procuratie hebbende van de Cura­teurs, ghestelt over den Boedel van Willem Courten zal^r. ende andere geinteresseerde, in de Negotie op Oost-Indien, volgens Octroy van sijne Majesteyt Carel d' Eerste hooghloffelijcker memorie verleent, in den Jaer 1635. in dier qualiteyt versoeckende, alsoo gemelten Willem Courten zal^r. by de Ministers van d' Oost-Indische Compagnie beschadight is geweest, in den Jaer 1642. door het onthouden der geberghde goederen, Ammunitie ende Scheeps-gereetschappen, uyt het Schip genaemt de Henry Bonaven­ture op 't Eylandt van Mauritius aen Landt, ende in possessie van Adrian vander Stelt [Page 23] gebracht, als oock door 't vyantlijck aentasten en veroveren van't Schip genaemt Bona Esperance, in den Jaer 1643. in de Straet van Malacca, door twee Schepen van Oorloge, genaemt de Vendelo, ende Portugallo, d'Oost-Indische Compagnie toebe­hoorende, tot Batavia opgebracht ende aldaer geconfisqueert, ende alsoo sijne Maje­steyt van Engelant Karel de Tweede, by sijne Missive aen haer Ho: Mo: de Heeren Staten Generael, in date den 21. Martij laestleden, versocht heeft dat den gemelten George Carew in sijne qualité voorsz. mocht hebben vergoedinge over de schade aen meer-gemelte Willem Courten zalr. ende sijne mede-geinteresseerde aenghedaen als voorschreven is, dat ghy Notaris onder genoemt u soude willen transporteren ter camere van d'Oost-Indische Compagnie alhier, ende van de Heeren Bewint-hebbers versoecken dat sy souden gelieven hare Ho: Mo: de Heeren Staten Generael te dienen van bericht, om alsoo voort te procederen tot vereffeninge ende vergoedinge van de voorschreve geledene schaden.

HEden den achtsten May anno 1662. hebb' ick Henrick Venkel, by den Hove­van Hollandt Geadmitteerden Openbaer Notaris t' Amsterdam resideerende, ten versoecke van den Heer George Carew Schilt-knaep, my getransporteert ende vervoeght in 't Collegie van de Heeren Bewinthenbberen der Geoctro­yeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie Camere deser Stad, ende aldaer ter vergaderinge van de gemelte Heeren, 't boven-staende versoeck voor-gelesen ende bekent gemaeckt. Waer op 't gemelte Ed: Collegie schriftelijck ter antwoorde gaf, dat sy bereydt sijn, 't bericht dien aengaande aen hare Ho: Mo: te geven, soo haest ende als wanneer haer Ho: Mo: sulcx van de gemelte compagnie sullen komen te vereysschen. Aldus gedaen binnen Amsterdam: present Abraham Kock ende Theodorus Crous als Getuygen.

I Thought it convenient before I return for England, to use all ways and means for an accomodation, that the East-India Company of the Netherlands may be left without excuse, as also the States General, if any thing hap­pens to the prejudice of the Publique for a private Dif­ference, which might be composed upon reasonable and honourable Conditions. And lest you should suffer by any mistake, I have given order to this Gentleman (the Bearer hereof) to shew you my Answer by way of Reply to your Objections, concerning the Treaties of 1654 and 1659. made with the two late Usurpers Oliver and Richard. I told you in my last, that an Amicable conclusion would conduce more to your advantage than a Publique dispute: It's possible you may think to evade our Pretences by Practise or Pleading, and forget what you have gotten by destroying that foundation which Sir W. Courten laid in his Trading voyages to China and [Page 24] Japan. Please to be as ingenious in your speedy Answer, that it may not be impertinent, as I am to you in what I intend for Replication. I hope you will deal justly, and restore what you have violently taken from us; otherwise you may be well assured the Interessed will expose the rest of their fortunes and endevours to acquire a due Satisfaction, and no ways despair in so just a Cause of the assi­stance and protection of him that is able to revenge injuries and oppressions. I only wait for an Answer to several Memorials, &c. given in to the States General on our behalf, that the King may understand your meaning, whether you desire a fair correspondency with the Crown of England, or not. I have no more to say within my Commission, but to let you know that I am and desire to be

Present

• Lord Chancellour
• Lord Treasurer
• Lord Privy Seal
• Duke of Albemarle
• Marquiss of Dorchester
• Lord Great Chamberlain
• Earl of Portland
• Earl of Anglesey
• Earl of Carlisle
• Earl of Carbery
• Lord Seymour
• Lord Hatton
• Sir William Compton
• Mr. Treasurer
• Mr. Vice-Chamberlain
• Mr. Secretary Nicholas
• Mr. Secretary Morice.

VPon the Petition of Sir John Ayton Knight, George Carew and Charles VVhitaker Esquires, on be­half of themselves and the rest of the Creditors of VVilliam Courten, Sir Edward Littleton and Sir Paul Pindar (this day read at the Board) Shewing that the Petitioners in persuance of His Majesties Let­ters of the 21 of March last, to the States General at the Hague, requiring Satisfaction and Reparation for the two Ships, the Henry Bona Adventure and Bona Esperanza, belonging to Mr. Courten, which were violently taken and confiscated by the East-India Company of Holland, contrary to the Laws of Na­tions, [Page 25] and common Right; And that His Majesties Envoy Extra­ordinary with the States being fully instructed, had fairly pro­ceeded therein, in order to the Ascertaining of their Damages sustained thereby: And that notwithstanding the Commissioners of the East-India Company of Holland have acknowledged the Fact, and are by Advocates, on both sides, sufficiently convinced, that they ought to give Satisfaction accordingly; Yet the States General do hitherto delay to give Answer to the several Memo­rials delivered in reference to His Majesties Letters, albeit they have been pressed by daily sollicitations; out of designe (as is con­ceived) of having the Treaty perfected with an utter exclusion of the Petitioners; which would tend to their unsupportable loss, the ruine of many hundreds of poor persons, the unconscionable ad­vantage of their Adversaries (the Dutch) and discouragement of all English Merchants from Trade. Upon consideration whereof, It was Ordered that Sir George Downing Knight, His Majesties Envoy Extraordinary with the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands at the Hague, do further and effectually proceed with the said States according to His Majesties Letters aforesaid, in requiring due Satisfaction to be made for the Damages sustained by His Majesties said Sub­jects, and procure their speedy Answer to such their just De­mands; And thereupon to Report the same to this Board with all convenient speed.

DE Staten Generael der Uereenighde Nedetlanden geex­amineert ende overwogen hebbende seecker Memoriael, by den Heere Downing, extraordinaris Envoyé van den Koning van Groot Britannien, &c. den 20 April lestle den aen hare Ho: Mo: gepresenteert, raeckende onder an­dere seeckere twee Engelsche Schepen, 't eene genaemt la Bonne Esperance, ende 't andere Henry Bonne Aventure, daer van't eerste in den Iare 1643. soude wesen genomen in de Straet van Malacca door twee Schepen van de Oost-Indische Compagnie deser Uereenighde Nederlanden, ende 't laetste ontrent de selve tijdt ge­strandt wesende aen 't Eylandt genaemt Mauritius aldaer met sijne Ladinge by die van de selve Compagnie soude zijn gesaiseert; verso­eckende hy Heere extraordinaris Envoyé voornaemt, dat daer over prompte satisfactie, ende reparatie aen de geinteresseerden, en mis­handelden, gedaen moge worden; met byvoeginge, dat alhoewel het ten eersten aensien wat vreemt soude konnen schijnen, dat de voorsz. saecke tegenwoordich op 't Tapijt werdt gebracht, nademael in den Iare 1654. Commissarisen gonomineert, ende naer Engelandt geson­den zijn geweest, om af te doen verscheyde saecken Oost-Indien raec­kende, ende dat in den Iare 1659. oock waren getermmeert gewor­den de saecken van jonger date, dat echter daer en-tegen te consideren stonde, dat de geinteresseerden in de voorsz. Schepen haer soodanich hebben gesignaleert voor den overleden Koningh Hooghloffelijcker Memorie, dat sy selfs niet derven hebben declameren 't gunt haer toe­hoorende, ende in dier voegen tot nu toe over 't geene voorsz. is, noch geene reparatie bekomen hebben, alhoewel veel andere saken naer date van dien voorgevallen, zedert getermineert, ende oock over de selve behoorlijcke reparatie geschiet zijn; hebben hare Ho: Mo: naer genomen informatie, over 't geene voorsz. is, goet gevonden den voorsz. extraordinaris Envoyé daer op mits desen tot antwoort toe te voegen, dat hare Ho: Mo: geenstnts souden konnen bewilligen, dat eenige saecken voor date van den voorsz. Iare 1654. gepasseert ende voorgevallen, contrariede solemnele Tractaten daer over tusschen beyde de Natien gemaeckt, ofte oock anderen by het Tractaet van den Iare 1659. gemortificeert, als nu wederom levendich gemaeckt, ende op nieuws in dispute gebracht souden werden, wat redenen van exceptie daer toe oock souden konnen ofte mogen werden voergewent, als houdende sulcks van seer vervaerlijcke consequentie, en de capa­bel, [Page 30] om door veele nieu we disputen over wel geassopieerde saecken, de Natien ten weder zijden merckelijcke te ontrusten, ende de goede intelligentie tusschen de selve te verstooren, 't welck alhoewel by sich selven, ende alleen genoech is om daer op de voorsz. oude saecke van de handt te wijsen, gelijch hare Ho: Mo: oock van nu voortaen niet gemeynt zijn over saecken van diergelijcke nature sich eenichsints in te laten, ofte tijdt te spenderen, ende moyete te doen, om haer op de eygentlijcken toe-dracht van de selve te laten informeren) soo hebben hare Ho: Mo: echter, om alle voldoens wille, ende ten overvloet, voor dese reyse alleen, in de voorsz. saecke, doch sonder tot anderen in consequentie te mogen werden getrocken, hem Heere extroordinaris Envoyé wel willen aenwijsen, eerstelijck, dat de voorsz. geinteres­seerden, seer abusivelijck, ende contrarie de waerheyt, haer tegens den voorsz. generalen Regul trachten te behelpen met de voorsz. hare voorgewende exceptie, van dat sy luydens als getrouwe Dienaers van den overleden Koningh, onsterffelick Gedachtenisse selfs hare Actie niet souden hebben derven intenteren, gedeurende de jonghste disordres in Engelandr voorge vallen.

Ende ten anderen mede, dat oock buyten de voorsz. Tractaten voor haer uyt saecke van de voorgeweden pretensie geen recht ter we­relt gevoren, ofte overigh is.

Wat het eerste belanght, is het soo verre van daer, dat de voorsz. geinteresseerden, gedeurende de voorseyde disordres niet souden heb­ben derven reclameren 't gunt haer in desen was competerende, dat ter contrarie sy luyden daer over in den voorsz. Iare 1654. haren eysch wel expresselijck voor de wederzijts geordonneerde Commissari­sen ingebracht, ende schriftelijck over gelevert hebben op de naem van Willem Toombs, als Executeur van den Testamente van den Heer Paulus Pindar, uyt wyens hoofede de tegenwoordige pretensie oock wederom wert geresusciteert, hebbende den voorsz. eysch doen­males seer enormelijck geextendeert tot twee-en-seventich duysent viif hondert ses-en-veertich ponden Sterlings, gelijck alle 't selve na­erder kan werden afgenomen uyt de Copie van den voorsz. eysch hier nevens ge voeght onder Num. l. waer mede dan oock de voorsz. voor­geweden exceptie, als tegens de notoir waerheyt voorgestelt, teene­mael komt te corrueren.

Wat nu het voorsz. tweede point aengaet, sullen hare Ho: Mo: in desen met ophalen de redenen waer door de voorsz. Oost-Indische Compagnie deser Uereenighde Nederlanden in den voorsz. Iare 1643. gesustineert heeft, gerechticht, ende genootsaeckt geweest te zijn, het voorsz. Schip la Bonne Esperance, ontrent Malacca aen te halen, ende te confisqueren; nochte oock in wat voegen het voorn. Schip de Henry Bonne Aventure, by den Schipper, ende het En­gelsche Scheeps-volck 't eenemael was geabandonneert, met schrifte­lijcke verklaringe dat sy haer leven niet in pericul wilden stellen om daer van yets te salueren, ende dat sy dienvolgende wel mochten lijden, dat het voorsz. volck van de voorsz. Nederlantsche Oost-Indische Compagnie haer best deden om 't voorsz. Schip, ofte d'ingeladen [Page 31] Goederen van dien, soo veel doenlijck, te bergen, maer alleenlijck, dat over 't een ende 't ander verscheyde klachten gevallen zijnde, eyn­delijck de voorsz. saecke geheel ende al inder minne is afgehandelt, ende daer over getroffen een finael Accoordt tusschen de voorsz. Oost-Indische Compagnie deser Uereenighde Nederlanden ter eenre, mits­gaders Jacob Pergens ende David Goubart, soo voor hem selven, ende als procuratie hebbende van William Courten, ende andere geinte­resseerden in de voorsz. differenten ter andere zijde, ende dat voor een somme van vijf-en tachtich duysent Carolus Guldens, daer op oock het reel accomplissement ende d'effective voldoeninge van de zijde van de meergemelte Oost-Indische Compagnie is gevolght, als hy Heere extraordinaris Envoyé uyt de Copie van't voorsz. Accoort, met d' Acte van Borchtochie, mitsgaders ordonnantie en quitantie alle on­der Num. II. hier by gevoeght, nader sal gelieven at te nemen, zijnde sulcks, dat de voorsz. David Goubart voor 5/16 is geweest Ree­der ende Eygenaer van't voorsz. Schip la Bonne Esperance, ende die van tijdt tot tijdt daer over uyt den hoofde van de gesamentlijcke Reeders het bewint heeft gehadt, gelijck hy oock in die qualiteyt het selve Schip aen den voorn. William Courten verhuyrt ende dienhal­ven de certe partije gemaeckt ende geteeckent hadde, behalven dat noch daer en boven den voorn. Jacob Pergens tot 't geene voorsz. is, van alle de bordere Reeders ende Eygenaers was geauthoriseert, by procuratie substitutiel op hem gepasseert den 12/22 Mey 1648. daer van en den gemelten Heere extraordinaris Envoyé, indien hy sulcks soude mogen desidereren, mede Copte ter handt gestelt sal worden, hebbende vervolgens den voorn. Jacob Pergens den voorsz. David Goubart, mitsgaders oock alle desselfs mede Reeders uytgekoft, ende effectuelijck voldaen, als hem Heere extraordinaris Envoyé, met exhibitie van dr contracten ende quitantien daer over gemaeckt, ende gepasseert, ende noot zijnde, mede gedoceert sal worden.

Ende ten eynde hem Heere extraordinaris Envoyé voorn. oock blijcken moge hoe abusivelijck tegenwoordieh in dispute getrocken wert de qualiteyt die den voorn. Jacob Pergens tot het afmaecken van de voorsz. questie gehadt heeft, soo zijn hier by gevoecht onder Num. III. de procuratie daer toe den 27 Octob./6 Novem. des Iaers 1645. by den voorn. William Courten op den selven Pergens gepasseert, mitsgaders twee solemnele transporten van de voorsz. geheele Actie, 't eene van den 10 December, 1647. ende 't ander van den 22. Februarij 1648. daer op gevolcht.

Ende hoe abusivelick de voorsz. tegen woordige Pretendenten daer tegens hebben gelieven te poseren, dat de voorn. Paulus Pindar, uyt wiens hoofde sy luyden zijn agerende, al op den 19 December des Iaers 1642. Stilo Angliae, by transport van den voorn. William Courten, ende Edward Littleton, de voorgerderde Actie soude beko­men hebben, kan handtastelijck blijcken eerstelijck uyt de Missive van den overleden Koningh van Groot Britannien Hooghst: Gedacht: over, 't selve subject aen hare Ho: Mo: geschreven den 9. October des Iaers 1647. daer by Hoochst-ged: sine Majestyte uytdruckelijck [Page 32] verklaert, het recht over de voorsz. twee Schepen hier boven breeder geroert den voorn. William Courten, ende sulcks niet den gemelten Paulus Pindar te competeren, recommanderende dienvolgende, dat daer over aen den selven Courten satisfactie moge gedaen werden, ende noch naerder uyt de Missive by meer Hoochstged: sijne Majesteyt ten selven dage eschreven aen den Heer Boswel, doenmaels van sijent wegen alhier geresideert hevvende, waer inne naer eene gelijcke ver­klaringe, den gemelten Heer Resident Boswel, by sijne Majesteyt ex­presselijck gelast wert, sich over 't voorsz. subject ten vollen te laten informeren van den voorn. Jacob Pergens, als hebbende het manie­ment van Mr. Courten's affairen n i Hollandt, ock hem Jacob Pergens daer inne te raden, ende van tijdt tot tijdt be hulpelijck re zijn, naer sijn vermogen, welcke beyde Brevien mede hier nevens gevoecht zijn onder Num. IV. daer by haer Ho: Mo: noch souden konnen voegen gelijcke brieven van het Parlament van Engelandt, ende meer andere Acten tot confirmatie van't geene voorsz. is, indien de selve haer met verseeckert hielden, dat den meer gemelten Heere extraordinaris Envoyé Downing, ende den Koningh van Groot Britannien sijn Mee­ster, naer soo een solemnele verklaringe, ende voorschriit van sijne Majesteyts Heer Uader onsterfel: Gedacht: haer desen aengaende ten vollen sullen houden voldaen; konnende echter niet voorbygaen, sijne Majesteyt alhier in passant te informeren, hoe den voorn. Paulus Pindar, onaengesien t geene voorsz. is, in den Iare 1650. ende 1651. noch gelieft heeft gehadt door sijne gemachtighden Jonas Abeels (welckers procuratie oock noth voor handen is) de Bewinthebberen van de Oost-Indische Compagnie ter Cameae tot Amsterdam, over 'tgeene voorsz, is, in Rechten te betrecken, voor Schepenen de selver Stede, ende aldaer te concluderen dat de gemelte Bewinthebberen gecondemneert souden mogen werden, aen den voorn. Pindar te beta­len ende by provisie te namptiseren de voorsz. somme van vijf-en tach­tich duysent Carolus Guldens, by 't voorgeroerde Accoort aen den voorn. Pergens ende Goubart belooft, met den interesse van de selve somme, zedert den dagh van den voorsz. Accoorde, tot de effectuele genietinge toe, als by Extract uyt het Register ofte de Rolle van Schepenen voorsz. onder Num. V. hier by gaende, breeder kan wer­den afgenomen, edoch doenmaels aen den voorn. Pindar of desselfs Gemachtighde 't geene voorsz. is voorgehouden, ende mogelijck oock hem door meer andere proeven, die mits het verloop van tijdt als nu hare Ho: Mo: niet konnen gesuppedieert werden, zijn notoir onge­lijck vertoont geweest zijnde, heeft hy daer op de voorsz. buyten ver­der vervolgh gelaten, ende zedert de selve tijdt tot nu toe, dat wy konnen bevinden, dare over noyt eenige verdere poursuite hier te Lande gedaen, sulcks dat hare Ho: Mo: haer ten hooghstden ver­wonderen, dat d' Executeur van sijn Testament in den voorsz. Iare 1654. de onbeschaemtheyt gehadt heeft van die saecke wederom le­vendigh te maecken voor Commissarisen in 't selve Iaer van weder­zijden als boven gecommitteert, ende aldaer uyt saecke voorsz. te doen den voor geroerden enormen eysch van over de twee-en-seventich [Page 33] pondent Sterlings, ende noch veel meer, dat sijne Erfgenamen of yemandt anders nyt sijne hoofde, de voorsz. nu soo volkomentlijck ge­mortificeerde Actie, noch wederom na soo solemnele Tractaten van den Iare 1654. ende 1659. heeft derven ophalen, ende daer over den Koningh van Groot Britannien importuneren, mitsgaders Ho: Mo: de moete vergen om soo ouden ende ongefondeerden saecke andermael na te sien; ende versoecken hare Ho: Mo: mitsdien, dat hy Heere extraordinaris Envoyé voornt:, alle het selve aen den Hoochst-ge­dachten Koningh van Groot Britannien soodanich gelieve te represen­teren, dat sijne Majesteyt daer over tegens de Uervolgers van dien, moge betonen sijn rechtveerdich resentiment, op dat annere daer door mogen werden afgeschrickt, sijne Majesteyt ende haer Ho: Mo: over diergelijcke oude, ende albereyts gemortificieerde actien, verder importuyn te vallen. Aldus gedaen ende gearresteert ter Uergade­ringe van de hoochgemelte Heeren Staten Generael in's Graven­hage den 22 Junii 1662.

Ter Ordonnantie van de selve

LE soussigné Envoyé Extraordinaire de sa Majesté de la Grande Bretagne, &c. ayant reçeu, examiné & consideré la Res­ponse de leurs Seigneuries les Estats Generaux des Provinces Unies, du 22. Juin dernier, sur'son Memoire du 20. Avril precedent, pour autant que le dit Memoire concerne deux Navires Anglois appartenants à Londres, l'un appellé la Bonne Esperance, & l'autre appellé le Henry Bonaventure, trouve que la matiere de fait dont on a fait des plaintes n'est aucunement deniée, mais confessée & recognue. Mais tou­chant sa demande lâ dessus pour satisfaction & reparation aux personnes endommagées, il semble que leurs Seigneuries le voudroient eviter sur deux fondements.

Le premier, sur celuy des Traictés es Années 1654 & 1659.

Le second, Que mesme sans lesdits Traictés il ne leur appartient ou reste aucun droit à cause de la ditte pretention.

[Page 34] Quant au premier, le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire ne peut qu' observer, que non ob­stant que leurs Seigneuries au commencement de leur Reponie alleguent fortement les dits Traitez, & a la fin d'icelle accusent les personnes qui demandent satisfaction, de grande impudence, parce qu'ils osent (comme il leur plaist dire) faire revivre ou mettre en controverse ces affaires ou pretentions, & d'en importuner le Roy de la Grand Bretagne, & de fairs que leurs Seigneuries prennent la peine de les examiner: il n'y a pourtant dans la ditte Response pas un mot pour expliquer comment ces choses sont esteintes & abolies par les dits Traittéz, & certainement ceux qui voudroient par encre & papier donner satisfaction pour des dommages si considerables, devroient parler clairement & distinctement, & mettre hors toutes disputes ce qu'ils pretendent & alleguent, dont le dit Envoyé Exraordinaire ne trouve dans la ditte Response aucun mot: & s'il avoit pû trouvet dans la plus exacte & pleine examination d'icelle la moindre couleur & fondement pour alleguation de cette nature, il ne les auroit pas importuné d'une Response sur ce point: Mais leurs Seigneuries luy donneront permission d'affirmer qu'il ne trouve ny en l'un ny en l'autre des dits Traittés aucune chose qui puisse empescher cette reclamation.

Quant au Traitté de l'An 1654. il esteint vrayement toutes pretentions au regard des dommages faits durant la derniere guerre, comme il appert par le troisiesme Arti­cle d'iceluy, mais ces choses estoient faittes long temps auparavant, & n'y ont aucune relation, & le dit Traitté estoit si loin de les abolir ou esteindre, que par le 30. Article d'iceluy un moyen particulier & extraordinaire a esté specifie pour donner satisfaction d'icelles, & si on pouvoit avoir pretendu que les complaignants n'avoient poursuivi ou accomplice que de leur part devoit estre poursuivi & accompli selon le dit Article, ou que les choses eussent esté par iceluy aucunement finies & determinées, où qu'il y auroit eu quelque clause ou mot denotant que le choses qui par ce moyen ne seroient esté terminées, non obstant que les complaignants auroient poursuivi & accompli ce que de leur part devoit estre poursuivi & accompli, seroient neantmoins abolies & coupées; il y pourroit vrayement avoir esté mis une belle pretention contre eux: mais les per­sonnes endommagées combien qu'ils attendoient peu de bien des Usurpateurs en ce temps là, estans tout à fait hors de faveur à cause de leur fidelité extraordinaire envers sa Majesté de glorieuse memoire, & trois d'ioeux de nom exceptez & condemnez dans tous leurs biens: neantmoins se voyans dans la derniere necessité ou de poursuiure le dit Article & faire leur demande ou estre pour jamais exclus & coupés de leur droit, une demande fut faite devant les Commissaires seants a Londres, dans le temps limité par le dit Article, & poursuiuie, comme il apparoistra par▪ l'escrit cy annex marque B Num. I. mais le temps de 3. mois limité'aux dits Commissaires fut expiré sans donner aucure sentence ou determination d'icelle: Et quant à l'autre remede mis dans le dit Article, à sçavoir par Commissaires des Cantons Protestants des Suiffes pour determiner dans 6 mois apres, toutes choses qui ne seroient decidées par les dits Commissaires à Londres; s'ils se fussent ensemblez à cette fin, et les personnes interessées dans les dits Navires ne se fussent addresses à eux, alors il y eust pû avoit quelque couleur de preten­tion contre eux: mais ils ne se sont jamais assemblez, aussi n'estoit ce leur affaire, ny en leur pouvoir de les faire assembler. Et consequemment cela ne leur estoit pas pre­judiciable qu'ils n'avoient pas esté assemblez: mais au contraire une-matiere de grief & d'injure, au seul advantage de la Compagnie Orientale de ce Pays, laquelle par ce moyen les a detenus tant d'années d'avantage sans satisfaction. Posé que les Commis­saires, que par le dit Article se devoient assembler à Londres ne l'eussent jamais esté, ou qu'ils n'eussent esté qu'apres le 18. May, le jour prefix par le dit Article, apres lequel ne seroit admise aucune allegation, en pourroit on de là tirer un argument contre les Parties pour les frustrer de tous autres remedes ou que leur pretentions seroient esteints par le dit Traitté? L'argument est le mesme à l'esgard des autres Commissaires, lesquels se devoient assembler apres en Suisse; tellement qu'il n'y a rien plus clair que les per­sonnes interessées dans les dits Navires demeurent iu statu quo, & à leur liberté de de­mander justice & satisfaction par autres voyes.

Et quant au Traitté de l'An 1659. il n'y peut encore rien estre plus evident & mani­feste qu'en ce que le dit Traitté ne coupe ny exclude cette afffaire dans la moindre chose, [Page 35] parce que la clause generale à la fin d'iceluy n'exclud, ny n'abolit pas generalement routes les affaires qui estoient cognues à Londres le 20. Janvier 1659. mais seulement (comme il appertpar la ditte clause,) telles affaires qui estoient arrivées environ le temps que les Navires le Postillon, Frederic, Francoys & Jean, furent pris, ou apres, & non pas, auparavant, dont la cognoissance estoit venue à Londres le 20. Janvier 1659. Et l'occasion d'inserer cette clause generale estoit cellecy, qu'environ le temps que le Postitton, &c. furent pris & confisquez dans les Indes Orientales par la Compagnie Orientale Flamende ou un peu apres, & que ce futsçeu â Londres le 20 Janvier trois ou quatre autre Navires Anglois furent arrestez par la ditte compagnie Orientale, mais apres quelque temps relaschez pour pourfuivre leur voyage, & ayant á la sin con­senty icy de donner satisfaction pour le Postillon, Frederic, Françoys & J [...], lequels avoient esté pris & confisquez, on insista absolument (comme quelques una de leurs Seigneuries sçavent fort bien) & à la fin apres longs debats fut accordé, que s'ils vou­loient donner satisfaction raisonnable pour ce qu'ils avoient pris & garde, une clause seroit inserée pour couper les autres pretentions, pour des choses seulement arrestées pour quelque temps, mais apres rendues, & sur ce seul poinct fut inserée la ditte olause, & tellement couchée qu'elle s'estendroit seulement là, & non pas outre: clest a dire d'abolir toutes pretentions pour toutes choses qui estoient arrivées dans les Indes Ori­entales environ le temps que le Postillon, &c. furent pris, ou apres, & non pas aupara­vant, bomme il appert par la clause mesme cy annex marqué B Num. II.

Tellement que leurs Seigneuries ne peuvent que voir combien loin il est d'aucune prejudice ou contrarieté aux dits Traittéz des Années de 1654. & 1659. d'avoir à cest heure mis cette pretension sur le Tapis, & sur ce point on se pourroit avoir es [...]argi beau­coup plus: Mais puis qu'il a pleu a leurs Seigneuries de l'admettre; le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire n'adjouste plus la dessus, mais seulement de les faire souvenir, que ny l'un ny l'autre des dits Traictés estoient faits avec le Roy son Maistre ny avec aucun de ses Predecesseurs, & par consequent qu'il n'est aucunement obligé en droit de les ad­vouer: Et cela estant ainsi, & que tout ce que sa Majesté fait en les admettant, n apoint d'autre fondement que fes inclinations envers ce Pays: ne seroit ce pas une recon­noissance bien estrange & une juste cause de provocation, & telle que sa Majesté ne peut aucunement souffrir, de ne se monstrer bien satisfaits de leur accomplissement & obser­vation, selon la naifue & genuine teneur d'iceux, mais de les detourner â unsens forcé & extorqué aux prejudice de ses Subjects, & tel dont on n'a pas songé au temps qu'ils ont esté faits, et qu'on n'eust pû avoir demandé des Usurpateurs mesmes avec lesquels ils furent faits, ny de sa Majesté s'ils eussent esté conclus avec luy ou avec aucun de ses Predecesseurs.

Or quant à la seconde objection: à scavoir, que mesmes sans les dits Traictez il ne leur appartient ou reste aucun droit à cause de la ditte pretension: Pour preuve dequoy il a pleu à leurs Seigneuries d'alleguer deux choses.

Premierement, les raisons par lesquelles la Compagnie Orientale de ce Pays, sonstint avoir pû avec justice & avoir esté contrainte d'arrester & confisquer le Navire la Bonne Esperance; & quant au Henry Bonadventure, qu'il estoit entierement abandonné par le Patron & Matelots, & qu'ils estoient contens & ne firent aucun difficulté que le peuple de la Compagnie Orientale de ce Pays sauvast le dit Navire avec sa charge.

Secondement, Que ceste affaire a esté en fin entierement & absolument terminée à l' amiable par un dernier accord entre la ditte Compagnie des Indes Orientales de ces Pro­vinces Unies d'une part, & Jacob Pergens & David Goubard tant pour luy que comme ayant procuration de William Courten & autres interessez; & ce pour la somme de quatre vingts cinq milles livres tournois, à quoy la ditte Compagnie, a reellement & effectivement satisfait en suitte.

Quant au premier de ces arguments, le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire ne peust que remarquer que leurs Seigneuries n'y insistent pas du tort, mais seulement le touchent en passant, ny mesme ne le marquent pas de leur caractere, l'appellants seulement les raisons de la Compagnie, & sans specifier aucun d'eux en particulier; & en effect ce n'est pas marveille, puis qu'on ne pouvoit commettre une plus grande & inexcusable violence & vollerie, que celle de la prise de la Bonne Esperance, un Navire apparte­tant [Page 36] à Londres, envoyé de lá, tout chargè des Marchandises Angloises & Portugaises, (ces deux Nations estans alors en paix avec ce Pays) & allant de Goa vers Maccao, toutes deux places appartenantes aux Portugais, & cesans que ceux de la Bonne Espe­rance eussent donné le moindre sujet ou occasion de cette violence: ll ne se peut aussi voir une plus grande inhumanité que. la demiere, le Navire le Henry Bonaventure n'estoit pas abandonné par le Patron on Mattelots, comme il appert pas les escrits cy annexes marqués C Num. I, II, IV. Mais quelques uns d'eux ve [...]ans aux Flamens, pour les prier de les assister pour sauver leur Navire & Marchandises, ils ont pris & gardé tout pour eux mesmes: Et quant à ce qui est ditd'un certain escrit signé par eux, qu 'ils ne vouloyent hazarder leur vies pour sauver quelque chose: Leurs Seigneuries trouverout r̄eponse suffisante là dessus par les dits escrits, que les Anglois continue­rent de demeurer en leurs Navire, & qu'ainsi par les loix & droits de Gens cem'estoit pas naufrage: Et encore qu'ils ont assisté pour sauver les Marchandises & les provi­sions du dit Navire, comme il se voit par les dits escrits, aux quels vous me permet­tre adjouster que la ditte Compagnie depuis s'est accordée avec les Portugais, de leur payer la somme de cent milles Patacons pour leur interest dans les Marchandises qui estoient dans la ditte Bonne Esperance, de laquellesomme quatre vingt mille Patacons furent actuellement payez: & quant aux Anglois dans le dit Navire, & dans le Henry Bonaventure, quoy qu'ils n'estoient pas du toirt favourisés du appuyés en ce miserable temps par ceux qui avoient alors en leurs mains le gouvernement; neantmoins la ditte Compagnie (pour gaigner quelque pretexte de les avoir donn é quelque satis­faction) paya à un certain Jaques Pergens & Goubard la somme de 85000 guldens, & ce dans un temps auquel ses affaires de sa Majesté decedce estoit enson Royaume dans le plus grand disordre & confusion sans pouvoir donner la moindre assistance à quelque Anglois outre mer, estant environ le temps de son tres execrable meurtre: & personne ne doutera que srle ditte Compagnie Orientale s'avoit pû aucunement justifier ce qu'avoitestê fait, ils n'eussent pas payé à eux telle somme, specialement en un tel temps.

Quant au second argument; dans icelny est vrayement la vie & la force de cest affaire, & si l'accord fait avec Pergens & Goubard est un bon accord, à Dieu ne plaise que la Compagnie des Indes Orientales, en soit derechef importunée, mais s'il n'est pas tel, les reclamants ont une belle & libre voye ou verte pour demander satis­faction.

Quant a la pretention de Goubard, elle est seulement sur 5. parties de 16. du Na­vire Bonne Esperance, mais il navoit rien à faire avec le Navire Henry Bonaventure, ny avec la charge de l'un ny de l'autre: & quant a son accord en ce qui touche son par­ticulier, on l'admet pour bon & sans question: Mais quant au dit Pergens qui n'estoit pas interessé dans les Navires ny dans leur charge, mais reclame en vertu d'une cer­taine procuration & transports de Willem Courten: le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire re­spond que la ditte procuration & transports estoient tout à fait vuids & nuls, comme il appert par l'escrit cy annex marqué D Num. l. par lequel le dit Willem Courten avoit absolument transporté end' Année 1642. tous ses droits & interests dans les dits Na­vires au Sieur Paul Piudar & au Sieur Eduard Littleton, & ce sur une consideration valide pour la somme de 88000. livres sterlings somme capitale prestée à Iuy.

Et outre cela, le dit Gourten estoit declaré insolvable & Bankroote pour la somme de 150000 livres sterlings (procedes de ses grandes pertes aux Indes) long temps devant la date la ditte procuration & transports donnés au dit Pergens, comme il appert par l'escrit cy annex marqué C Num. III & estoit consequemment par les loix de toutes les Nations incapable pour faire aucun Acte de disposition de ses biens.

Et il n'est pas hors de propos d'observer que quoy que la Compagnie Orientale de ce Pays, desirant fort de gaigner quelque pretexte, comme s'ils avoient achevé cette meschante affaire, paya cette petite & inconsiderable somme de 85000 guld. (car en effect elle estoit telle, non en sa consideration, mais en comparaison de ces pertes & domages) neantmoins elle scavoit alors si bien, combien peu de fondement avoit la pretention du dit Pergens, qu'ils ne luy payassent un denier qu'apres les avoir donné bonne caution de rendre la ditte somme avec l'interest, s'ils seroient cy apres troublez [Page 37] cette affaire, comme il appert par l'escrit cy annex marqué D Num. IV. laquelle se­curité est tousjours bonne, de sorte que la ditte Compagnie n'y peut rien perdre.

Et pour ce qui est en outre allegué, comme si le dit Pergens avoit effectivement payé & contenté tous les autres interessés dans les dits Navires, si cela fut vray ils seroient fort à blamer de demander satisfaction pour la seconde fois: Mais cela est absolument faus, ny est ce qu'aucuns des reclamants ayent jamais receu du dit Pergens ou d'aucun autre sur cette compte directement ou indirectement la valeur d'un denier.

Et quant aux deux Lettres escrittes par sa feu Majesté touchant cette affaire en l'an­née 1647. l'une à leurs Seigneuries, & l'autre au Sieur William Boswel, qui estoit alors son Resident en cette Cour, le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire ne se peut assez esmerveiller, que leurs Seigneuries feroient aucune mention d'icelles. Qu'estoient ces Lettres si non Lettres de recommendations en termes generaux? Sa Majesté estoit elle alors en condition, pour examiner au fond, ou regarder dans les affaires? Avoit il son Con­seil ou son Admirauté aupres de luy? Il sçavoit que William Courten avoit equippé les dits Navires devant la guerre civile en ses Royaumes, & estoit informé que les dits Navires furent pris par la Compagnie Orientale Flamende: Et qu'est ce qu'il deman­doit en ses dittes Lettres? Seulement qu' avec assistance de leurs Seigneuries la ditte Compagnie Orientale pourroit estre induite à la raison, comme sont les mots dans fes Lettres à vos Seigneuries, & au Sieur William Boswel, pour urger que satisfaction de 68880. livres sterlings, pourroit promptement estre faitte par la Compagnie Orien­tale de ce Pays: Mais si cette satisfaction qui se doit faire au dit Sieur Courten, devroit estre faitte au Sieur Paul Pindar, & au Sieur Eduard Littleton, & à ceux qui recla­ment sous eux, ou audit Pergens, ny l'un ny l' autre Lettre n'en parlent point: & encore qu'elles en avoient parlé, cela n'eut en aucune facon alteré ou determiné l'af­faire dont il est question. Qu'il me soit permis demander à vos Seigneuries, si vous prenez quelque Lettre du Roy mon Maistre pour preuves & evidences pro ou contra, combien qu'escrittes sur la meilleure & la plus exacte examination, (luy à peine recom­mandant quelque affaire, jusques à ce qu'il l'aye premierement fait considerer, exami­ner, & rapporter à luy par quelques uns de son Admirauté ou Conseil privé) vous les faites seulement un fondement pour regarder & examiner les affaires, & ne juges pas selon eux, mais selon que vous trouvez les affaires sur la preuve & evidence. Et com­ment vient il, que ces Lettres de sa Majesté sont produittes en cette sorte? Si les transports du dit Courten aux Sieurs Pindar & Littleton sont bons, rien de cette nature les peut faire invalides, ny s'ils estoient invalides, les faire bons.

Quant à ce que leurs Seigneuries touchent, que le Sieur Paul Pindar, es Années 1650. & 1651. a poursuivi les Directeurs de la ditte Compagnie Orientale devant les Eschevins à Amsterdam par Jonas Abeels, son procureur, mais faisoit tomber le proces, & ne l' a point renouvelé pour autant qu'ils sçavent, & par là veulent sug­gerer, que le dit Sieur Pindar auroit estre convaincu: Le dit Envoyé Extraordinaire replique, que le manquement de la poursuitte n'estoit pas sur un tel fondement, mais causé par la mort dudit Sieur Pindar, par laquelle la procuration du dit Abeels aussi cessoit, & la guerre s' alluma un peu apres entre Angleterre & ce Pays, a la fin de laquelle les personnes interessés dans les dits Navires, poursuivirent leur reclamation devant les Commissaires qui s'assemblerent alors à Londres, & auroient voulu faire le mesme en Suisse, si l'instrument lesquel y devoit estre envoyé, eust este envoyé, & des Commissaires assemblez la dessus, l'envoy duquel instrument & la convocation desquels Commissaires n'estoit pas leur affaire, ny en leurs pouvoir de la faire.

Et pour ce qui estoit de quelque recommendation apres ou demande à leurs Seigneu­ries, leurs personnes estoient trop noires aux yeux de ceux qui gouvernoien̄t alors pour esperer quelque chose de cette nature, & demeuroient ainsi sans esperance & assistance jusqu'au Retoor de sa Majesté tres sacrée, nostre legitime Roy & Souverain, lequel voyant ces miserables & fidelles subjects encore sans satisfaction, & neantmoins (par bon heur) point exclus par quelque Traittez ou transactions faites en ces temps là, apres meure deliberation & advis de son Conseil Privé, par sa Lettre datée à Whitehal le 21 Mars, recommanda fort cette affaire à leurs Seigneuries. Et le dit Envoyé Ex­traordinaire a encore par la penulti éme poste reçeu un autre Ordre du dit Conseil, de [Page 38] demander & insister instamment que prompte satisfaction soit faitte aux dittes person­nes, & avec toute diligence faire rapport à eux, de ce qu' aura esté fait: Et ainsi il demande par celle cy que tels ordres soyent donnez, que la ditte Compagnie Orien­tale sans plus de delay leur paye ce qui leur est deu pour les dits Navires & Marchan­dises, lesquels ont esté si long temps & avec telle violence detenus de eux à la ruine de tant de familles, & au profit inestimable de la ditte Compagnie Orientale, laquelle n'a pas seulement joüy, durant tout ce temps, du benefice de leur argent, mais aussi par là entierement discourage & ruiné le Commerce des Anglois pour China, & ces quartiers là, & l' attiré quasi entierement à eux mesmes: Faict a la Haye le 1 3/ [...] Juliet 1662.

THE underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majestie of Great Britain, &c. having received, examined and considered the Answer of their Lordships the Estates General of the United Provinces, of the 22 of June last past, to his Me­morial of the 20. of April foregoing: In so far as the said Memorial did concern two English Ships belonging to London, the one called the Bona Esperanza, and the other called the Henry Bonaventure; finds that the matter of fact complained of, is not in the least therein denied, but confessed and acknowledged; yet as to his demand thereupon for satisfaction and reparation to the persons injured thereby, their Lordships endevour to avoyd it upon a double ground:

First, Upon the account of the Treaties made in the Years of 1654. and 1659.

Secondly, That though the said Treaties were not, yet that the per­sons claiming have no right to what they demand.

Now as to the first, the said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but observe, that though their Lordships do in the beginning of their said Answer strongly alledge the said Treaties; and towards the end thereof, do accuse the person demanding satisfaction of great im­pudence for daring (as they are pleased to term it) to revive these pre­tences, and to importune His Majestie therein, or trouble their Lordships with so much as the examination thereof: yet notwith­standing throughout the said Answer, there is not so much as one word to explain how these matters are extinguished or voyded by the [Page 39] said Treaties; and certainly those who would make satisfaction for so considerable damages by Ink and Paper onely, had need make out very cleerly and distinctly, and past all dispute, what they pre­tend and alledge; of which nature the said Envoy Extraordinary finds not one clause or word in the said Answer, and could he in the strictest and throughest examination thereof, have found the least colour or ground for an allegation of that nature, he would not have troubled them with an Answer to that particular; but their Lordships must give him leave to affirm that he doth not find in the one or the other of the said Treaties, any thing that doth extinguish or debar this demand.

As for the Treaty of 1654. it doth indeed (as is set down in the third Article) bar and cut off all pretences in respect of damages during the late War; but these were matters which hapned many years before, and had no relation thereunto; and which the said Treaty was so far from abolishing or taking away, as that by the 30. Ar­ticle thereof a perticular and extraordinary way was set down for the making satisfaction for them. And if it could have been pretended that the persons complained had not of their part persued and fulfil­led, what was of their part to be persued & fulfilled by vertue of the said Article, or that these matters had been thereby in any kind ended or determined, or that there had been any clause or words denoting that what matters should not be that way determined, notwith­standing that the parties complaining should have accordingly done and fulfilled what was thereby required to be ontheir part done and fulfilled, should yet be abolished and cut off, there might then indeed have lain from hence some pretence against them; but the persons injured, though expecting very little good from the then Usurping Powers (being all of them out of favour, upon the account of their extraordinary loyalty to His late Majestie of glorious memory) and three of them excepted by name, and forfeited as to their whole Estates; yet seeing themselves in that exigency, that either they must in persuance of the said Article put in their claim or be debarred their rights; a claim was put in before the Commissioners sitting at London, within the time limited by the said Article, and pressed and persued, as will appear by the Writing hereunto annexed, marked with the letter B. Num. I. but the three months time limited to the said Commissioners did expire, without giving any sentence or determination therein; and as to the further remedy set down in the said Article, (viz.) Commissioners of the Protestant Cantons of Switzerland, to determine all such matters within six moneths after as were not decided by the aforesaid Commissioners at London, if they had met accordingly; and that the persons claiming interest in these Ships had not addressed themselves unto them, there might then indeed have been something of a colour and pretence against them; but they never met, nor was it their business, nor in their power to cause them to meet, nor consequently could their not meet­ing be any prejudice to them; but on the contrary, a matter of grie­vance [Page 40] and injury, to the only advantage of the East-India Company of this Countrey, who have thereby kept them from satisfaction so many years more: Suppose the Commissioners who by that Article were to meet at London, had never met; or suppose they had not met till after the 18. of May, the day prefixed by that Article, after which no newallegation should be admitted, should from thence an ar­gument have heen drawn against these persons, that they were cut off from all other remedy, or that their pretences were extinguished by that Treaty? and the argument is the same as to those other Com­missioners, who afterwards were to have met in Switzerland; so that there is nothing more clear than that the persons interessed in those Ships remain in statu quo, and at liberty to demand justice and satisfaction by other means.

And for the Treaty of 1659. there is nothing also can be more cleer than that that Treaty does not in the least cut off or debar this mat­ter; the general clause in the end thereof not debarring or cutting o [...] all matters generally that were known in London the 20. of Jan. 1659. but onely (as may appear by the said general clause thereof) such matters as hapned about the time that the Postillion, Frederick, Francis and John were taken, or afterwards, not (or before) but (or afterwards) known at London the 20. Januar. 1659. and the occa­sion of incerting that general clause was this, about the time when the Postillion, &c. were taken and confiscated in the East-Indies by the Dutch East-India Company, or a little after, and which was known at London the said 20. of January, there were three or foure other English Ships stopped in the East-Indies by the said Dutch East-India Company; but after some time set at liberty to persue their respective Uoyages; and it being at last yeelded unto here to give satisfaction for the Postillion, Frederick, Francis and John, which had been taken and confiscated, it was absolutely insisted upon (as some of their Lordships very well know) and at last after long debate consented unto, that in case they would make reasonable satisfaction for what they had taken and kept, a clause should be incerted to cut off those other pretences for what they had onely stopped for some time, but afterwards set at liberty; and accordingly upon this single score that clause was incerted, and was so penned as to reach its end and no further; that is to say, to cut off all pretences for all matters hap­ned in the East-Indies about the time the Postillion, &c. were taken or afterwards, (not or before) as it appears by the Writing mar­ked with the letter B Num. II.

So that hereby their Lordships may see how far the now setting on foot the pretences of the persons interessed is from being in any kind prejudicial or contrary to the Treaties of 1654. or 1659. concerning which much more might be said, but that their Lordships are pleased ha­ving made this objection themselves, to wave it, and to admit the debate of this matter, upon which account also the said Envoy Extraordi­nary says no more of it, but only to put them in mind that the said Treaties were neither of them made with the King his Master, nor [Page 41] with any of His Predecessors; and consequently, there lies not upon him the least obligation in point of right to take any notice of them; and that being so, and that their being admitted by His Majesty, is meerly out of good nature and kindness, would it not be a strange requital, and a just cause of provocation, and indeed such as His Majestie can in no wise suffer, not to rest well satisfied with the ac­complishment and observation of them according to their literal and genuine meaning? but to put a forced and extorted sense upon them, to the prejudice of His Subjects, and such as was never intended at the making of them, nor could never have been demanded or ex­pected from the Usurpers themselves with whom they were made, nor from His Majestie, if they had been made with Him or with any of His Predecessors.

Now for the second Objection, (viz.) That though the said Treaties were not, yet that the persons claiming have no right to what they de­mand; for the making good thereof their Lordships are pleased to al­ledge two things.

First, those reasons by which the East-India Company of this Countrey maintain that they might with justice, yea that they were constrained to seise and confiscate the Ship Bona Esperanza; and for the Henry Bona Adventure, that she was wholly abandonned by her Master and Mariners; and that they were willing, or made no difficulty to suffer the people of the East-India Company of this Countrey to save the said Ship with her Lading.

Secondly, that this matter hath been intirely and absolutely en­ded by an amicable accord between the said East-India Company on the one part, and Jacob Pergens and David Goubart on the other part, and that for a valuable consideration of 85000. gilders; which summe hath been in persuance thereof really paid by the said Company.

Now as to the first of these Arguments, the said Envoy Extraor­dinary takes notice that their Lordships do not insist upon it, but only (as it were en passant) hint thereat; nor do they so much as put their own stamp upon them, onely calling them the said Companies Reasons, and without setting down any of them in perticular. And indeed no wonder, seeing that a greater and more uncolourable vio­lence and robbery could not have been committed than was that of the taking the Bona Esperanza, a Ship belonging to London, set out from thence, laden onely with English and Portugais goods, both at that time in peace and amity with this Countrey, and bound from Goa to Maccao, places both belonging to the said Portugais, and with­out the least occasion offered by the said Ship, nor could there be a greater in humanity and barbarism than the latter; the Henry Bona Adventure not being abandonned by her Master and Mariners, as will appear by the Writings marked with the letter C Numb. I. II. IV. but only some of them coming to the Dutch, and praying for their assistance towards the saving of their ship and goods, they under the notion of assisting them take and keep all to themselves: And for what is said of a certain Paper signed by them, that they would [Page 42] not hazard their lives to save any thing, their Lordships will find sufficiently proved by the said Writings, that the English did actu­ally continue in their Ship, and so that it was no Wrack by Law: Moreover, that they did assist in saving the goods and Ships provi­sions, as is abundantly proved in the said Writings; to which give me leave to add, that the said Company did since agree with the Portugais to pay them 100000 Rials of eight for their Interest in the Goods in the said Bona Esperanza, whereof fourescore thousand was actually paid; and for the English concerned both in the said Ship, and in the Henry Bona Adventure, though they were such as for their Loyaltie could have nothing of favour or countenance in in their concernments, nor indeed have common justice done therein in the late distracted Times; yet the said Company did (to gain some­thing of a pretence, as if they had made satisfaction to them) pay unto Jacob Pergens and Goubart the summe of 85000 gilders, and that in a time when the affairs of His late Majesty, in His Kingdomes, were in the greatest disorders and confusion, and not capable to give the least protection to any English man beyond the Seas, being about the time of His most execrable murther; and so no man will doubt but that if the said East-India Company could have justified in any measure what was done, they would not have parted with such a sum of money, especially at such a time, upon pretence of any damage done to the English.

Now as to the second Argument, herein is indeed the life and force of this matter; and if the Agreement made with the said Pergens and Goubart be a good Agreement, God forbid the East-India Company of this Countrey should be called upon again; but if this be not a good Agreement, then the Pretenders have a fair and free way open for their demanding satisfaction.

Now as to Goubart his pretence, is only to [...]/16 of the Ship Bona Esperanza, but had nothing to do with the Ship Henry Bona Adven­ture, nor with the Lading of either of them; and as for his Agree­ment, in so far as his personal concernment went, it is admitted for good and not questioned; but as to the said Pergens, who had no interest in either of the Ships or their Lading, but claims by vertue of certain Procurations and Transports from William Courten: The said Envoy Extraordinary doth answer that the said Procurations and Transports are utterly voyd and null, as appears by an Inden­ture hereunto joyned marked with the letter D Num. I. whereby the said William Courten had in the Year 1642. absolutely transferred all his right and interest in the said Ships unto Sir Paul Pindar and Sir Edward Littleton, and that upon a most valuable consideration for the sum of 88000 pounds sterling, principal money lent unto him.

And moreover the said Courten was declared insolvent for 150000. pounds sterling, by reason of his great losses in the Indies, long be­fore he gave the said Procurations and Transports to Pergens, as appears by the Writings of the letter C Num. III. and consequently was incapable by the Laws of Nations for the doing of any [Page 43] act for the disposal of his goods: And it is not amiss to observe, that though the East-India Company of this Countrey, out of their desire of gaining something of a colour to have ended this foul business, did part with that inconsiderable and pitiful summe of 85000. gilders, (for so indeed it was, not in it self, but in comparison of these losses and damages.)

Yet that they were at that time so advised of the ungroundedness of the said Pergens his pretences, that they did not part with a far thing to him till he had given them good security to repay the said money, with interest, in case they should be further troubled in this matter, as appears by the Writings marked D Num. IV. the which security is still good, so that the said Company can be no Losers thereby.

And for what is further alledged, as if the said Pergens had really and effectually paid and contented all the other persons interessed in the Ships and Lading; if this were indeed so, it would be justly blame-worthy for them to demand satisfaction a second time; but it is utterly false and untrue, nor hath any one of the persons preten­ding ever received from the said Pergens, or any other, upon this ac­count, directly or indirectly, the value of one farthing.

And as to the two Letters written by His late Majesty concerning this business in the Year 1647. the one to their Lordships, and the other to Sir William Boswel, His then Resident in this Court; the said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but greatly wonder that their Lord­ships should so much as mention them? what were those Letters but Letters of Recommendation, and in general terms? And was His Majesty at that time in a condition strictly to examine or look into matters? had He His Councel or His Admiralties about Him? He knew that William Courten had set out those Ships before the Civil War in His Kingdoms, and had been informed that the said Ships had been taken by the Dutch East-India Company; and what did He demand in His said Letters, but onely that by the States General their help the said East-India Company might be brought to reason, as are the words in His Letter to them; and as are the words in His Letter to Sir William Boswel, to press that satisfaction for 68884 pounds sterling, might speedily be made by the Netherlands East-India Company; but whether that satisfaction to be made to the said Courten was to be made to Sir Paul Pindar and Sir Edward Littleton, and those that claim under them, or to be made to Pergens, neither of those Letters do speak; and if they had, yet would not that in the least alter or determine the case in hand: Let me ask your Lordships whether ye take any of the King my Master His Letters to be proofs and evidences pro or contra, though written upon the best and through'st examination (He scarce recommending any matter till first considered and examined, and reported to Him by some of His Admiralties or Privy Councel; but only make them a ground to look into and examine matters, and judge not according thereunto, but as you find matters upon the proof and evidence.

[Page 44] And how comes it to pass that these Letters of His late Majesty are produced in this kind? if Pindar and Littleton's Transports from Courten be good, nothing of this nature can make them inva­lid; nor if they were invalid, make them good.

And for what their Lordships do hint that Sir Paul Pindar did in the Years 1650. and 1651. prosecute the Bewinthebbers of the East-India Company, before the Magistrates at Amsterdam, by one Jonas Abeels his Procureur, but did then let the said Suit fall, nor hath to their knowledge since revived it, and so would thereby insinuate as if the said Pindar had been convinced of his error, and thereupon let it fall: The Envoy Extraordinary doth reply, that the fall of the said Suit was not upon any such ground, but was occasioned by the death of the said Pindar, by which the said Abeels Procuration also ceased, and the War between England and this Countrey broke out a little after; at the ending whereof, the persons interessed in the said ships did enter and persue their claim before the Commissio­ners that then met at London; and would have done the like in Switzerland, if the Instrument which was to have been sent thither, had ever been sent, and Commissioners met upon them: the sending of which Instrument and convoking of which Commissioners was not their work, nor in their power to do.

And as for having their affairs afterwards recommended to their Lordships in any perticular way, their persons were too black in the eys of those that then ruled, for them to hope for any thing of that nature, and so remained hopeless and helpless till the Return of His most Sacred Majesty our rightful and lawful King and Soveraign; who finding these His distressed and most loyal Subjects without satisfaction, and not excluded from it by any Treaties or Transacti­ons made in those Times; upon full deliberation and advice of His Privy Councel, was pleased by His Letters dated at Whitehall the 21. of March last, earnestly and perticularly to recommend this matter to your Lordships as appears by the Writings marked with the letter A, under the Numbers of I, II, III, IV, V. and the letter D, under the Numbers I, II, III. And the Envoy Extraordinary hath moreover by this last Post but one received another Order from the said Councel further, instantly to demand and insist that satisfaction be forthwith made to the said persons, and to report with all speed what He shall do therein to them: And he doth accordingly earnestly demand that such orders be given, as that the said East-India Company do forth­with, without further delay, pay unto them what is their due for their said ships and goods, which have been so long and so violently held from them to the ruine of many families, but to the inestimable gain of the said Company; who have not only all this while enjoyed the benefit of their Moneys, but thereby also utterly discouraged and overthrown the Trade of the English to China and those Parts, and ingrossed the same wholly to themselves.

THat Sir George Downing sent his Secretary several times, to the Deputies of the States General (that were appointed to Treat in English affairs) for a Copy of these Reasons, bywhich the East-India Company (as was mentioned in the States Answer) could justifie the taking of the Ship Bona Esperanza, nay that they were constrained to seise and confiscate the same, that there might not remain the least apprehension that the fact was justifiable; the said Reasons were often demanded, and although a short Memoriall to that purpose was given in to the States before the Reply, yet could not be obtained. It's to be notified, by the Pieces or Copies of Writings received by Sir George Downing with the States Answer in Dutch, and numbred with several Figures, are under these signifi­cations, the Paper marked Nomb. I. is the Claim exhibited by Mr. William Tombes (Executor to Sir Paul Pindar) for 72346 l. before the Dutch and English Commissioners in the year 1654.

The Papers marked with Nomb. II. are the Agreements between the Company and Pergens, the Acquittance for 85000 Gilders, the Order to the Treasurer, and the Caution given for the said money by Peter Bondan Courten.

The Papers marked with No. III. are Copies of the Procuration and the two preten­ded Transports or Bills of Sale from Mr. Courten to Mr. Pergens.

The Papers marked with No. IV. are Copies of the late Kings Letters from Hampton Court in the year 1647. the one to the States Generall, and the other to Sir William Boswell.

The Paper No. V. is the Conclusion of Jonas Abeels, upon his Action or Complaint before the Magistrates of Amsterdam for the said 85000 Gilders: But as to the Insinu­ations and Arrests of Jonas Abeels, or the Declaration of the Schepens thereupon: the Company had not instructed the said Deputies of the States to make any Answer to them, nor unto the Reasons aforesaid.

MAY it please your Lordships, I am commanded by the Creditors of Mr. Courten, Sir Edward Littleton and Sir Paul Pindar, that have entrusted me with their perticular Complaint against the East-India Company of the Netherlands, to give your Honors an Accompt of my Transactions at the Hague, with these following Considerations; that a right understanding might prevent the Miscarriage of their busi­ness. A Demand was made of the States General (on their behalf) in the Kings Name upon His Majesties justly grounded Letters of Recommendation. The Bewinthebbers of the Company at the first Treaty offered 85000. Gilders, with Interest since the Year 1649. (provided I would by consent simul & semel commence the Suit against them and Jacob Pergens before the Magistrates at Amsterdam) in Satisfaction. After­wards the States of Holland perswaded them to decline any further Treaty, upon pre­tence the King had promised their Embassadors that no Damages in the East-Indies should be insisted upon before the 20. of January, 1659. I shall not trouble your Lordships with perticulars, but refer your Honors to the enclosed printed Reply given unto the States Impertinent Answer of the 22. of June last.

The Interessed of the Ships Henry Bona Adventure and Bona Esperanza are above Three hundred several persons, many of them Orphans and Widows, whose Fortunes were bound up in the sad and deplorable condition of those two worthy Gen­tlemen, Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pindar, That lent the late King (of ever blessed memory) 95000 l. for the Ordinary support of his Crown, before the late War, and borrowed 120000 l. upon their Credit, to carry on the China and East-India Trade, by the late Kings especial appointment and Commission, in the Year 1636. which the Dutch by Violence and Rapine have destroyed, and yet the Complainants not any ways satisfied, included or excluded by any Agreement, Treaty or Confederacy in the Years 1649. 1654 & 1659.

Since the Reply to the States Answer was dispersed in English, French and Dutch, most of them are ashamed of themselves, and several of the Provinces are much troubled for the Injuries and Oppression we have suffered, and will protest [Page 47] against the rest, if we have not speedy Reparation made answerable to our Damages.

The persons concerned would rather perish than ask any thing inconsistent with the Honour or Safety of the King and Kingdome, and they should forseit their owne judgement and reason to Imagine that the King would put His Subjects into a worse condition than the Treaties of Oliver and Richard the Usurpers had left them; or, that the Commissioners appointed in this Treaty should allow the Preamble lately sent to the Dutch Embassadors to incert before the Articles (newly started, contrary to the Instructions of the 10. of May last) intending by general words to make voyd all private Actions depending between the Subjects of England and the People of the United Provinces, opposite to the Law of Nations and all Common Right.

The King was graciously pleased to promise that he would not insist upon Com­missioners for Damages of His Subjects in Europe before 1654. or in the East-Indies before 1659. but leave them to other Remedies: But in this extraordinary Case of Oppression and Injustice, the King recommended it to the States General for their Examination; and if we should now accept of 85000 Gilders with Interest, in full satisfaction for such great Damages so highly disputed by the Kings command, and most precise Orders of the Councel-board; It were not onely to admit of the Companies silent Reasons for Taking the Ships, but equally to betray the Dignity of the King and His Crown, the Strength and Courage of His Subjects, and the Justice of our Case; which we cannot do for consequence sake, being ready for Judgement in a way of State at the Hague, and some of the Company willing to give Satisfaction in this our Case as the States shall appoint.

The Holland Interest is Trade, and their Business to Discourage all others but themselves: When they are called to Accompt for Violencies and Robberies com­mitted at Sea, their Pensioners or Statesmen give ill language, and would insinuate to the King, that it obstructs the good Intelligence held between the Crown of England and the States of Holland; whereupon they have taken great advantages, and by those mistakes have been further encouraged to proceed in their wicked practises; knowing that to Implead them in their own Courts of Judicature, would but add Mischief to Misery, being both Parties and Judges themselves: Yet, if they lose but a Herring­boat, the whole Province is concerned to recover it, or satisfaction.

They are a Generation made proud and insolent by the condiscention of Princes, and so much the more considerable in the World, as the King of Great Britain is pleased to grant them in Treaties and Alliances: They are men not to be obliged by Kindness, the Soveraignty being in the Common people, who are altogether insensible of Honour, living upon the spoils of Nations, and growing rich by the vanity, sloth and excess of their Neighbours.

My Lords, Admit the King should refuse to Treat without caution to perform their Articles, rather than they would want the benefit of English Harbours in Winter, or the Countenance of Great Britain all the year, they will subscribe to any condi­tion; knowing that France and Spain holds correspondency no longer than they have a fair opportunity to reduce them to their first principles, or requite them in some other kind.

The Frontier Towns are wholly kept by English, Scotch and French, that know both the strength and weakness of their Countrey, and they are forced to continue their Armies as much to govern by an Arbitrary way at home, as to defend themselves from Invasion abroad; their Shipping must be supplyed by Strangers that are not any way concerned for the defence of their Countrey, therefore the King may take his advantage, and set a valuable price upon his owne Inheritance which God and Nature hath endowed him withall.

My Lords, I know they hunger after a nearer Alliance with the King, and had rather be at Enmity with the whole world than not in Amity with England. They term the Union with the King like man and wife. I humbly beseech you, in the name of all the Interessed persons for whom I am concerned, that by some special Provisoe in the Treaty, Ours being an extraordinary Case, It may be reserved to such Remedies as the King and His Councel shall think fit; otherwise, all English men beyond the [Page 48] Seas that have heard the noise of this Case, will despair of any protection, and resolve if the King cannot have that Reputation throughout the world that no Kingdome or Nation whatsoever shall dare to affront His Merchants at Sea, their Trade will be wholly left to them that so earnestly persue it. I beg your pardon for my boldness, and leave all to your grave wisdoms and considerations, subscribing my self

THe underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majesty of Great Britain, &c. is very sorry that he must still reproach their Lordships, that yet to this day since the Return of his Master into His Kingdomes, there is not one Example made by them or their Order for satisfaction and repara­tion to any of His Subjects, in any of those many and grievous Complaints, which in His Name, and by His special Orders have been from time to time made unto them; the which their Lordships must think cannot but neerly touch such a King and such a Neighbour, and the more when He considers how frequent the Examples of their Justice were in the dayes of those who usurped His Crowns and Authority; and also how many Examples have been of His Justice from day to day towards their Subjects at the request of their Embassadors, by the interposition of His Royal Authority.

And though it is now a considerable time since he the said Envoy Extraordinary did give in to their Deputies, his Replies upon what had been given him by them concerning the Ships Bona Esperanza, Henry Bona Adventure, and the Ship Charles; by which it appears to the whole World, how groundlesse and frivolous were the Shifts and Pretexts which those who have done these Robberies and Uio­lences would avoyd the making satisfaction for them, yet he hath not since that time heard one word from them or from their Lordships concerning them.

And he doth herewith further complain, that a certain English Ship called the Content of London, whereof one William Jordan was Commander, sailing out of the Downs, in the Month of October last, for the Coast of Africa, was there in a hostile manner set upon [Page 49] by two ships belonging to the West-India Company of this Country, the one called the Golden Lyon, and the other the St. Barbara, and taken, the People stripped and plundered; and he doth demand that satisfaction and reparation be forthwith made to the persons inte­ressed, as also to those concerned in the Experience, the Ship Daniel, Brazil Frigot, Leopard, St. John Baptist, and others, concerning which, complaints have been made to their Lordships.

And de doth hope that he shall at last be able to give an account to His Master of the reall effects of their Justice, without which it is but a prostituting of His Honour and Dignity to continue the sending His Subjects hither, and endeavouring to obtain reparation for them in this neighbourly and friendly way. Given at the Hague this 6/16 August 1662.

THE underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majesty of Great Britain, &c. ha­ving yesterday received the Resolution of their Lordships the Estates General of the United Provinces, of the 26. instant, in rejoinder to his Reply of the 13. of July last, concerning the ships Bona Esperanza and Bona Adventure; and having considered and examined the same, finds it only to contain thus much: That their Lordships did not doubt but that he the said Envoy Extraordinary, and the King His Master, would have acquiesced in their Answer of the 22. of June last; and that they do not find any thing in the said Reply, nor in the pieces thereunto joined, that can in any kind weaken the force of their said Answer; and this is the whole of their said Resolution: But as to the produ­cing of any new matter on the behalf of the East-India Company of this Country, whereby to better their cause, or to shew or make out that the matters set down in the aforesaid Reply, and made good by the pieces thereunto joined, were in any kind ill founded or mistaken: The said Envoy Extraordinary doth not therein find one word or syl­lable of that nature.

Were this a dispute between their own Subjects, it might suffice for them despotically to affirm that they do not find that the reasons given by the person injured, in reply to what is said by the person doing the injury to be of value, and to command him to acquiesce in the Declaration of that their pleasure or opinion; but this dispute is not between them and their Subjects, but between them and their Neighbours, between the King His Master and their Lordships, and His Subjects and theirs; and it is their Subjects that have done the wrong, and who did forcibly assail and attack His Sub­jects, and by violence take from them their ships and goods, and are yet in possession of them, and this is confessed: And so it is not enough that their Lordships are well contented and satisfied, but it will be expected that they do either clearly and perticularly refute and take away what is said in the said Reply, on the behalf of His Majesties Subjects who are thus grieved and injured, or cause satisfaction and reparation to be forthwith made; or else His Majesties inter­cession in an amicable way is at an issue, and he must betake him­self to such other means as are capable to right His Subjects.

And for what their Lordships are pleased to say, that they should have enlarged themselves further, but that this matter ought to be [Page 51] looked upon as extinguished by the Treaties of 1654 and 1659. The said Envoy Extraordinary doth answer, that this is a begging the question; it being not only utterly denied in the aforesaid Reply, that this matter is in any kind debarred or mortified by either of the said Treaties; but it is in the said Reply perticularly and at large shewn how far they are both of them from any thing of that nature: And on the other hand, their Lordships neither in the abovesaid Answer of the 22. of June, nor in this their Resolution (though they would thus pay His Majesties Subjects with Ink and Paper) do not in either of them so much as hint at any Article, Clause or Paragraph of the said Treaties, by which this matter should ve so mortified and extinguished.

And for the Paper of the 15 of May last, signed by one of His Majesties Secretaries of State, and delivered to their Embassa­dors at London, upon which they would found that His Majesty had consented to the mortification of this businesse: The said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but greatly wonder at an allegation of this nature; What was then the dispute? was it about mortifying or not mortifying of matters before or after, such time or times? that was not the dispute, but only from what time matters should be decided by Commissioners; and as to this, His Majesty was plea­sed in that Paper to declare himself that he did acquiesce in what was urged by their Embassadors, and that he would not press any further Retrospect then 1654. as to matters out of the East-Indies, and 1659. for matters in the East-Indies, as to the taking cognisance of them by Commissioners, and as to what his Majesty should have said in the Audience he gave their Embassadors at Hampton Court the 4 of July last: The said Envoy Extraordinary doth reply, that their Lordships have in writing, and so hath he the said Envoy Ex­traordinary what His Majesty did then say, and he doth positively deny that there is therein any word or syllable concerning the busi­ness of these two ships, or that doth in any kind concern the point in hand; and for the verifying hereof, he refers to the Paper it self; nor did at that time or any other time any thing passe His Majesty or His Commissioners in any conference with their Embassadors, other, then that for matters before 1659, in the East-Indies, his Majesty would not insist to have them decided by Commissioners, but that he did ever yeild that they should be cut off from all other reme­dies, this is utterly denied; and if he had, to what purpose had been the continued Orders of his Majesty and his Privy Councel for the pressing satisfaction in this business? it being to no manner of pur­pose to have pressed for satisfaction while the Treaty was in hand, for a business which was to be cut off by the said Treaty, in case it came to a close; it being beyond doubt that if their Lordships had had assurance that the said matter was to be cut off by the said Trea­ty, there was nothing of satisfaction to be expected, untill they saw the issue thereof.

The said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but further take notice, that their Lordships in their foresaid Resolution speak not a word of their [Page 52] agreement with Pergens; nor is it strange, seeing the transport by which he claims, bears date some years after Courten had made over all his interest in the said ships to Sir E. Littleton and Sir P. Pindar, for the sum of 68000 l. sterling money lent to him; and moreover, that the said Courten was insolvent at the time of his making the said Transport to the said Pergens, and consequently uncapable by the Laws of Merchants, both in England, here, and elsewhere, to dispose of one farthing.

Moreover, the said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but let their Lordships know upon this occasion, that since the giving in of his Reply there are certain authentique writings and Papers come to hand at London; by which it appears that Sir Paul Pindar upon the 25 of May 1648. hearing that the Directors of the East India-Com­pany of this Country were in Treaty with Pergens, did by his Pro­curer Jonas Abeels insinuate to the Directors of the said Company at Amsterdam his arrest and attachments, and declared himself to be the true Proprietor of the said ships, and of all dammages and los­ses thereby, protesting against the said Company in case they should make payment to any other: Moreover, that upon the 10 of Novemb. 1648. the Senators or Eschevens of Amsterdam did declare the Ar­rest of the said Jonas Abeels to be good and valid, and adjudged the same to be so; and the agreement made with Pergens was not till the 18 of Septem. 1649. so that this transport to Pindar is not a thing that hath been kept conceal'd till now, but the said Directors had timely and legal notice and advertisement thereof, but did notwith­standing thereof agree with Pergens, he proffering to acquit them for so small a summe as that 85000 Gilders; and that if they should have been able to have made good this agreement, they had for a matter of nothing ended a business of this value, and if they could not yet were sure not to be losers, the said Pergens giving them good security in that case to repay the said money with Interest, after the rate of 4 per cent for such time as he should have it in his hands, and which security is yet good.

Moreover, upon the 26 of Novemb. 1649. which is about seven weeks after the aforesaid Agreement, the Senators or Eschevens of Amsterdam did again declare the attachment and arrest of Jonas Abeels to be valid, and the Law to be on Sir Paul Pindar's side, with all costs and dammages.

And although such a rejoinder as this of their Lordships, in a case of this nature, could not but seem very strange at any time, yet much more at this, when it is known to all men that the conclu­sion or breaking off the Treaty with His Majesty, and consequently the good correspondence of his Kingdoms and these Provinces, de­pends singly upon the issue of this business; and if his Majesty were no ways satisfied with their Answer of the 22 of June, what can be expected to be the issue of this Resolution? And if it shall be said, what? will his Majesty stop a whole Treaty of that nature upon a perticular business? The Answer is ready, that it is not his Ma­jesty but their Lordships that do stop the Treaty upon this business; [Page 53] his Majesty did not desire nor intend that so much as mention should be made thereof in this Treaty, but to have left it to its course in the way it is; but their Lordships did of late offer certain preambles and general clauses to be inserted into the Treaty for the utter morti­fying and extinguishing of it, or at least (as they have since been plea­sed to qualifie it) for the removing it out of the amicable way in which it is now, and hath been these many months depending be­tween their Lordships and him the said Envoy Extraordinary; and in which it is so far advanced, that all in a manner hath been said that can be said on either side, and thereby to put the persons who have already suffered so many years, and by which some of them have been utterly ruined, to a new, vast and endless dispute and charge elsewhere, the which their present low condition, and His Majesties honour can in no ways admit; especially when he considers that in the year 1659. the business of the Postillion, Frederick, Francis, and John, three Ships of London taken about Bantam in the East-Indies, by some Ships of the East-India Company of this Countrey­was examined, debated, and determined, not by the ordinary Judge, but in a politick way by their Lordships, in like manner as is now actually depending the business of these two ships.

And the said Envoy Extraordinary cannot but put their Lordships in mind upon this occasion, that their Lordships in their Resolution of the 10. of May last, given to him by their Agent de Heyde, will find that then there was no preamble before the Article concerning Commissioners, whereby to mortifie matters before 1654. and 1659. respectively; yea that toward the close of the said Resolution they would perswade to have accepted the term of 1659. for Commissio­ners, as well out of the East Indies as in the East-Indies, upon this Argument, that though the Commissioners should only have taken cognisance from 1659. yet that such whose grievances were before that time, should not be deprived, but have their liberty of other remedies: And if their Lordships please to look over the Memorial of him the said Envoy Extraordinary of the 28 of June last, and which was the occasion of the Audience of the 4 of July following, given by his Majesty to their Embassadors, they will find the words of the said Memoriall to be expressly these; (That His Majesty was content that nothing should be put upon the List of Damages, to be decided by Commissioners, as to matters happened in the East-Indies, which were known at London the 20. of Jan. 1659. but would leave them to other remedies. These are the express words in the said Memorial, whereby their Lordships may perceive how far it was from ever be­ing imagined, much less intended, that by yeilding Commissioners from 1659 all matters before that time should be cut off from all other remedies, and absolutely mortified.

And if it shall be objected, that if satisfaction should be made for these two ships, that it might be an Incouragement and give occa­sion to others to bring in their antiquated complaints also: It is answered, that though his Majesty might with justice have insisted [Page 54] hereupon, and the rather considering how many of his best Subjects were sufferers by this Country during the late Broils in his King­doms; yet it hath pleased his Majesty (to shew His strong passion to have this Treaty happily concluded) to admit of their late pre­amble, whereby all differences of this kind before 1654. out of the East-Indies, and all differences in the East-Indies before 1659. are mortified, excepting only the business of the two ships; for the ob­taining satisfaction for which he is obliged both in honour and word; so that if the Treaty come to a conclusion this objection is out of Dores; but if not, others whose number is not small, as well as the persons interessed in these two ships, will put in for justice.

And whereas it is commonly scattered to and again, as if al­though the business of these two ships were excepted or ended, that yet new difficulties and matters would be proposed on the part of His Majesty, and so the Treaty still kept oft: The said Envoy Ex­traordinary doth demand of their Lordships what one difficulty hath been propounded on His side for these six or eight months, other than that one which deserves not be mentioned, viz. the having of some other to be Umpire, and not the Switzes; and this being so, he can­not attribute reports of this nature to any thing but very bad in­formation, or no great desire at least of having the Treaty brought to a good issue; and he doth assure their Lordships, that as the dispute about these two ships, its being brought into the Treaty, arose not from His Majesty, but from this State; so that no new matter will be propounded by Him or His Commissioners, but that the bu­siness of these two ships being reserved to be continued in the way in which they are, or immediately if their Lordships see good, brought to an issue, the Treaty will be forthwith concluded: the which His Majesty doth, and all good men ought, to their utmost, to desire and promote, for the avoiding those deluges of miseries which the breaking off thereof will certainly let in; and it is an easie matter when waters are within their bounds to keep them so; but very hard to return them to their old Channels when they have found a new one.

POstquam Divina Providentia nuperos in Anglia motus suaviter com­posuerat, & Serenissimum Magnae Britanniae Regem ad avita Regna ac dominia sua, admirabili quodam populorum applausu reduxerat, dictus Dominus Rex eò statim curas & cogitationes applicuit, ut pacem, amicitiamque cum Vicinis & Confoederatis suis vel continua [...]et, vel redintegraret. Ex omnibus autem Gentibus, quae cum dicto Domino Rege, vel cum Regiis Praedecessoribus suis unquam sociatae sunt, nullas Celsis ac Prae­potentibus Ordinibus generalibus Foederati Belgii praeferendas esse censuit; tum quod dictus Dominus Rex, ejusque Praedecessores propensum semper, & benevolum Ani­mum [Page 56] erga dictos Dominos Ordines, eorumque Rempublicam ostende int, tum quod mutua subditorum dicti Domini Regis Dominorumque Ordinum Generalium commoda & commercia, & praesertim ejusdem religionis professio, singularem quandam affectûs, & consilii unionem, ad uttiusque populi stabilimentnm & incre­mentum postulare videantur. Cumque dicti D. Ordines moti super memoratis ratio­nibus nihil antiquius habuerint, quam ut omnimodò pristina foedera inter dictum D. Regem dictosque Dominos Ordines renovarentur, & firmiori nexu stringe entur: Ideoque Legatos suos Extraordinarios in Angliam miserint Dominum Ludovicum de Nassau, Dominum de Lecke, Beverwaert, Odiocke; Simonem van Hoorn, Consulem & Consiliarium Urbis Amstclodamensis, Deputatum in Consilio ordinario Hollandiae & Westfrisiae; Michaelem van Gogh antehac Syndicum & Consiliarium Urbis Flissingen­sis, Deputatum ad rationes Provinciales Zelandiae; Joachimum Ripperda de Fermsum Urbis Appingadam, Helm, Uytwaarda, Marsum, Byrsum, Salweert & Eversum; Deputatos Hollandiae, Zelandiae & Groningue & Omlandiae in consessu Ordinum Gene­ralium, ad arctiorem firmioremque pacem & amicitiam cum dicto Domino Rege ineundam: placuit dicto Domino Regi deputare ex parte sua Commissarios & Pro­curatores suos è secretiori sacrae Regiae Majestatis Consilio Iohannem Baronem Robarts Custodem privati sigilli; Georgium Ducem Albemarle exercituum in Magna Britannia & Hybernia Capitaneum generalem & equorum Regiorum Magistrum; Edvardum Comitem Mancestriae, hospitii Regii Camerarium; Hieronymum Comitem Port­landiae; Densillium Baronem Hollis; Antonium Baronem Ashley Scaccarii Regii Can­cellarium, & subthesaurarium; Carolum Barckly equitem auratum, hospitii Regii Thesaurarium; Georgium Carteret, equitem auratum & Baronettum, hospitii Regii Vice-Camerarium; Edvardum Nicholas, equitem auratum, unum, atque. Guilielmum Morice equitem auratum, alterum primariorum Regis Secretariorum, ut super pro­posito foedere cum dictis Legatis tractarent, concluderentque secundum Litteras plenae potestatis, utrinque exhibitas: Tandemque inter dictos Regiae Majestatis Commissa­rios ab unâ, Dominorumque Ordinum Legatos ab altera parte, conventum & concor­datum est,

NA het afgaen van onsen laesten vanden 8 deses, hebben wy de duplicata van hare Hog: Mog: resolutie vanden 5 dito outfangen, en sijn wy op Maendagh voorleden wederom met de Heeren Koninckl. Commissarisen in nader Conferentie getreden, en alle de o [...]estelde arti­kulen distinctelick geresumeert, hebbende vevdnden dat deselve in alle deelen waren accorderende met het gheconventeerde, [Page 64] alleen dat vande Engelsche syde als noch bleef de selve difficulteyt, namentlick dat de pretensie vande geinteresseerden in de bewuste Scheepen de Bona Aventura en Bona Esperance mosten blyven geexi­meert uyt de genitale abolitie in't 15 Artikel geprojecteert, ende dat het selve in't Artikel behoorde te worden geinsereert, daer van sy in geenen deele verstonden te wljcken, waer door wy ons geredu­ceert siende tot een absoluyte necessiteyt, om, ofte die Heeren daer in te gemoete te gaen, ofte onverrichter sake te scheyden, sijn wy nae rype deliberatie en Examinatie van hare Ho: Mog: resolutien vanden 19 Juny, en derselver aenschryvens vanden 21 dito, heffens die vanden 5 deses, met de Heeren Koninck. Commissarissen, eynte­dat in het 15 Art. by parenthese achter de woorden, sibi competere se­putant, soude werden gevoeght dese clausul (hoc excepto quod scilicet, qui se jacturam passos dicunt in duabus Navibus Bona Aventura & Bona Esperance poterunt litem inceptam prosequi.)

Wy hopen en versorthen dat hare Ho: Mo: ons dese resoluytheyt niet qualick ghelieven af te neemen, alsoo wy daer toe beweegt sijn geworden, om dat wy hier komende te vertrecken onverrichter saecken onvermydelick veel sware ongelegenheden te gemoet sagen, alsoo van goederhant bericht waren, dat de Kon: albereyts ordre aen sijn af­ghesante inden Haagh hadde ghesonden, om sich bereyt te maecken, om aenstonts op ons vertreck van hier mede herwaerts te koomen.

Waer door dan dit Tractaet ongeslooten blyvende, dese pretensien niet souden werden geannulleert, maer de geinteresseerden vry blyven die te vervolgen soo sy geraden souden vinden.

Wy konnen mede niet oordeelen of het contenu van hare Ho: Mo: resolutie vande 21 July, is daer mede implicite voldaen, dewyle die woorden geen prejudicie lijden, maer veel eer directe patrosineeren de meyninge van hare Ho: Mo: in't voorseyde voorschryvens vervat, en in allen gevallen blijft het haer Ho: Mo: vry, die saecken al schoon voor haer vervolght wordende daerinne te doen en te laeten't gunt sy sullen oordeelen recht en billick te sijn, sulcx dat hier door mede in dit particulier de conditie van de Staet der Nederlanden niet is ve­rergeert; hebben oock niet gemeent te pecceren tegens de intentie van hare Ho: Mo: niet toe te staen, dat dese clausule in het Tractaet selve influeerde, en niet by een seperaet Artikel wierde ter neder ge­stelt, alsoo wy dat onderscheyt niet geoordeelt hebben van soodanich gewichte te sijn, dat daer over eenigh vorder dispuyt, en dienvol­gende dilay vande conclusie deses Tractaets behoorde te vallen, aenge­sien soodanigh separaet Artikel alter neder ghestelt sijnde dat alleen om secretesse pleegh te geschieden, dit ooghmerck niet soude konnen bereyckt worden, alsoo de gheinteresseerden niet sullen nalaten haer pretensien te vervolgen: weshalven wy oock meenen in desen het voor­noemde aenschryven in substantie, en implicite te sijn voldaen, als mede dat in't laeste van't voornoemde Artikel, achter het woort sub­missio ghevoeght is het woort progressio, alsoo schijnt sich selven te wysen, dat een submissie aen arbiters gedaen sijnde, de saecken die gesubmitteert sijn, moeten aldare worden vervolght, derhalven dat niet discrepant verblyvende, hebben wy, nae dat op gisteren weder­sijts [Page 65] pouvoirs gesien sijn artikulen van het Tractaet, in voeghen als booven is verhaelt, in't net uyt geschreeven, met die vanden Heeren Commissarissen geconfereert, en d'accoort geworden sijnde, met d'onderlinge teekeninge en besegelinghe bekrachtight, en alsoo de laeste hant aen dese soo langduyrige negotiatie gheleyt. De Heeren Commissarissen konden niet goet vinden datmen wesijts beyde de Instrumenten teyckende, maer dat het geen by haer aen ons wierde overgelevert, alleen by haer wierdt bevestight ex vice versa, latende mede toe, dat hare Ho: Mo: pouvoir aen ons verleent, in het by ons ondertekent Instrument, voor dat vanden Koninck wiert geinsereert, allegerende dat alle Tractaten by desen Koninck met Sweeden, Dene­mercken, Portugael, op die manier waren getekent. Wy hebben niet gemeent hierinne eenigh prejuditie voor hare Ho. Mo: te sijn ge­legen, en is derhalven, om dit werck niet te verachteren, de teycke­ninge op de manier by hare Excell: geproponeert, gedaen, op dat door nieuwe incidenten het Tractaet niet mocht worden verachtert.

Wy hebben geacht van ons devoir te sijn, het origeneel Tractaet, met een van onse Edellieden aen hare Ho: Mo: te senden, die oock dese aen u Ed: overleveren sal, en sullen wy soo haest doenlijck, selver jae onder Godes genadigen Zeegeen, noch inde toekoomende weeck volgen, om haer Ho: Mo: rapport van alles te koomen doen.

THe underwritten Envoy Extraordinary of His most Sacred Majesty of Great Britain, &c. makes known to their Lordships the Estates General of the United Provinces, that it hath pleased the King his Master to give him leave to return for England for a short time; but withal hath commanded him by the hands of His great Chancellor, before his going hence to demand in His Name, that satisfaction be forthwith made to the persons concerned in the Ships (Bona Esperanza and Boná Adventure) and not to stir hence without such satisfaction first made, or the final Answer had of their Lordships [Page 67] concerning this matter, according to which His Majesty will go­vern Himself; and His Maiesty doth assure Himself that their Lord­ships having had so fresh and pregnant testimony of His most particu­lar kindness toward this State, in the happy conclusion of the late Treaty; and this being the onely business reserved to be ended imme­diately between His Majesty and their Lordships, in the manner it is now depending; that they will not suffer any new eagroure to be raised by any hot debates or lingring out of time; the former whereof His Majesty hopes they will avoyd, and the latter He is resolved no ways to admit; but that they will be pleased in the quick and equi­table ending thereof, to manifest the esteem they have of His Majesty and his kindness, and their desires of having the Nations grow up into a mutual and happy confidence upon the foot of the aforesaid Treaty.

IT was given for a general rule by William of Nassau, who was both an Eminent Soldier and Statesman, That the Netherlanders should keep a fair Correspondence with France, do justice to all Strangers, and (in all Revolu­tions of time) keep a firm and inviolable Peace with England; and that when they failed in either of those Principles their foundation would be shaken, and their Government in danger of Subversion. To publish their Forgetfulness or Ingratitude to those that have spent their Youth and Fortunes to render them considerable in the World, is not to my purpose; or to tell them when they were made a Free State at Munster, created both High and Mighty by the conduct of a Prince to their Generall, they thought it time then to make Reformadoes of their Officers, put them to Pensions and maintain their Low Countries without a Commander in chief, is not my designe: No, my business to those High and Mighty Lords, is for justice against the East-India Company of the Netherlands, in a poli­tick way of Proceeding; The dispute concerns Spoyls and Rob­beries done upon the English in times of Peace, (and that for some Reasons the Company reserve to themselves:) And the King for either Reasons hath been pleased to require just reparation in this way of State, and to set a greater value upon the Lives and Fortunes of His Subjects, then the Hollanders are willing to admit.

This is the Substance of the Ensuing Narrative, which when you have weighed from what hath been set forth in the fore­going part of this Treatise, and shall consider all which follows, I question not but you may as much wonder at the strange confi­dence of some persons in Holland, as at the patient forbearance of others interessed in England. Pardon my Freedome, I find liberty in the Low Countries, consists only in speaking their minds and parting with their money; Yet I will not injure my Cause with Satyrical Expressions, nor blame the Seven United Provinces for [Page 72] a few unworthy Hollanders; although I must make a little digression and tell them that Cowards cannot be honest, and covetous men dare not dye: It is an observation in nature, that those Creatures which live upon Herbs and Roots, are more fearful then those which eat flesh; and that where the Elements are bad, the habit of the mind follows the temperature of the body: But I descant not. The East-India Company of the Netherlands, or some of their Agents in Amsterdam, published the States Answers with several documents, & intituled the Pamphlet, A Refutation of the Kings Letters and Memorials of Sr. George Downing. The West-India Company took the same liberty, and published another Pamphlet as rude in the manner, as false in the matter, and reported that the English had spoiled their Trade upon the Coast of Guiny, and that the Royal Company had damnified them 80000 l. per annum, by invading their Rights and Priviledges. It's fre­quent amongst Hollanders, upon any pretence of Damages, to demand both Life and Goods, and take a Dollar: But it's dis­honourable for an Englishman to demand any thing he cannot justifie, or take any thing without a good reason for it. It's pos­sible I may meet with some Englishmen in the United Provinces, that can forget their King and Country, and others of our Coun­trymen that study more the advantage of the Hollanders then the benefit of themselves and the English Interest; That man must be of a strange Constitution, & most depraved in his Judgement, that had rather pay a Gilder to the States, then a Stiver to his Soveraign Prince. I shall not hold you any longer in Discourse, but come to the business in hand; I desire to be tryed by a Jury of Englishmen, that goes according to the Evidences before them without favor or affection, though the States have in behalf of the Company used all manner of shifts and evasions: Yet if I be found guilty of impudence or impertinency, I will undergo their Censure and suffer any punish­ment; On the contrary, I shall beg that favour of you, if the Cause goes with me, that you will undeceive the Boors & Fisher­men in the Low Countries, and tell them I have endevoured to preserve a good Intelligence between the King Our Soveraign and the States General, upon the Foundations of Justice and Honour.

REport was made again by the Sieur Braechele & others of their Ho: Mo: deputed, touching the Proceedings in England, and having also, according to their Ho: Mo: Resolution of the 1. Instant, examined certain Letters and Papers written and sent over by the Embassadors of this State, at present in England; which said Writings were da­ted at Chelsey on the 28. of April last, and addressed to the Greffier Ruysch; Likewise caused to be read the same time, a certain Memorial, the which was from word to word as followeth;

Whereupon being deliberated, it is approved that the said Memorial be sent to the Embassadors of this State at present at London, to serve them for Instruction, and to use their endevours that the said Treaty may be concluded conformable thereto; and withal to make His Majesty the King of Great Britain sensible, and his Ministers like­wise, that their Ho: Mo: judge that His said Majesty would assuredly bring himself into great inconveniencies, in case that the Terminus a quo should be as from the year 1654. as for matters out of the East-Indies, for that thereby His Majesty would be engaged to make reparation for such Violences and Injuries done by His Usurpers Commissions and Authority, between the years 1654. and 1659. and again others also which had unjust pretences in the said years, would by no means be debarred by the like Treaty, for entring their Actions before the Judges, but have free Liberty of Prosecution and demanding reparation; and for what happened in the late conference touching that in the Fourth Article, concerning the words ubi personae contravenientes fuerint, & contra quam peccatum est, there shall be written to the Embassadors, that their Ho: Mo: cannot imagine wherefore that sustained by the English in that Subject should be different to the intention of their Ho: Mo: for that they cannot believe that the said sustained by them, can be of that substance to what specified in the Fourth Article touching the Confiscations, and, that they must be for the benefit of their State; And in case any such like Goods were confiscable by the said Article, and that they are not taken by the Officers of their State at Sea, or otherwise, and brought by them to their State, that then the Tryal and Sentence must be at the place of their habitations. On the other side their Ho: Mo: do not pretend the gains of Confiscation, that in case that any of their Subjects might be taken, having in them Arms, Moneys, or Victuals, &c. which they are intending to convey to the Rebells of His Majesty the King of England, and that such being taken in the fact and brought into Eng­land, that it is fit they receive sentence there, by which their Ho: Mo: judge to have satisfied that propounded by the English; and therefore the said Embassadors shall keep themselves within those bounds, without inlarging themselves any further, and to continue firm to the Intention of their Ho: Mo: Whereupon the said Resolution shall be presented to the hands of Sir George Downing Envoy Extraordinary by the A­gent de Heyde, and to intreat him to use his good Offices to His Majesty and His Ministers, so that this Treaty may be concluded accordingly without any longer delay.

LA continuation des desordres qui ont commencé sous les Usurpateurs de Vostre Couronne, laquelle n'estoit presque point au pouvoir des hommes d'empescher a l'entreè de vostre reestablissement sur le Throne de Vos Ancestres, nous a obligè a porter souvent nos justes plaintes jusques a Vôtre Majesté, mais nous nous verrions necessitez de nous plaindre comme nous faisons presentement, d'une procedure si extraordinaire, que jusqu'ici l'on n'en a point de ven d'exemples, non seulement en des Estats qui font profession de vivre en bonne Intelligence ensemble, mais mesme en [Page 75] ceux, qui ne se connoissent que par des Offices indifferens de civilité & d'Humanitè. Les Ambassadeurs de cet Estat qui se trouvent aupres de la personne dae Vostre Majestéuous donnent advis par leurs dernieres lettres, que les Juges de l' Admirauté de Londres ont permis a l' Agent du Cardinal de Heste de saisir au nom du Grand Maistre de Mal­the, tous les Navires Marchands appartenans aux Habitans de ces Provinces, & qu'en suitte de cette permission il a effectivement faict saisir & arrester huict Vaisseaux qui y chargeoient des Marchandises, & ce pour le desdommagement des pertes que ceux de l'Ordre pretendent avoir soufferts, & de souffrir encore faute de jouir des Commanderies situeés dans l' Estendue des Provinces Unies, & qui ont cy devant appartenu a l'Ordre. Cette affaire SIRE, a esté souvent mise en deliberation en nostre Assembleé, Nous avons aussi nommé des Deputez de nostre corps, pour en examiner le merite, & nous al­lions prendre sur leur rapport une resolution qui eust faict connoistre a toute l'Europe l' a­mour que nous avons pour la Justice, quand nous avons sceu les procedures irreguliers, violentes & ennuyes de cet Estat, & de l' Admiraute de Londres, nous avons esté surpris de ce que l'un travaille a perdre par sa Precipitation ce que ses Maistres croyent pouvoir pretendre; mais nous avons este Extremement estonnez de voir l' Admiraute de Londres qui doit estre composée de personnes graves, prudentes & esclaires, agist de la sorte, en violant le droict des gens, & en attentant a la Souveraineté de leur Roy, a sa veüe, & en sa presence, & en une rencontre que Votre Majesté mesme ne l'auroit pas voulu, ny peu exercer, sans chocquer le droict des gens. L'Empereur & les Roys de France & de Espagne qui comme Princes, recognoissans l'Eglise Romane, peuvent avoir des considera­tions particulieres, pour des biens de cette Nature, nous ont recommandé cet affaire avec chaleur & empressement, mais pas un d'eux ne s'est advisé de Menacer cet Estat des re­pressailles, bien loin de souffrir, qu'une Justice subalterne ayt permis de faire saisir ef­fectivement ces Vaisseaux, biens, & Marchandises de ceux qui ne doivent rien a l'ordre, & sur lesquels le saisissant n'a aucun droict ni pretension; ils scavent que ces provisions ne different des repressailes (que de nom, & qu'il ny a qui les Souverains, qui les donnent a leurs sujets, a l'exclusion des estrangers, & en ce cas d'vn Manifeste deny de Justice seulement, la ou au contraire l' Admirante usurpe un droict, qui est reserve a Votre Ma­jesté seule, en faveur de ceux qui n'on presque aucun commerce avec vos Sujets, & qui ne scauroient dire que nous ayons fait le moindre refus de leur rendre Justice: aussi som­mes nous entierement persuadez, que d'autant que quelques uns de vos principaux Ministres ont proteste, qu'ils n'ont aucune connoissance de la demande de l' Agent du Cardinal de Hesse, & de la provision accordeé par l' Admiraute de Londres, Votre Majeste ne desadvoüera pas seulement leur procedé, mais se ressentira aussi de l' attentat commis contre son au­torité, & de l' Injustice faicte a ceux, qui ont faict tout ce qu'ils ont pu, pour meriter l' Honneur de Votre affection, & qui en ont eu des asseurances tres expresses de Votre bou­che Royale, de sorte que nous nous dispenserions volontiers de vous donner cette Importunité dans la croyance que nous avons que vous la previendrez, par la main leveé des Vaisseaux saisis, mais nous trouvons ceste enterprise de costé & d'autre si Importante, & d'une con­sequence si fascheuse, que nous avons bien voulu ordonner tres expressement a nous Am­bassadeurs de la presenter a Votre Majesté en des termes si efficaces, qu'ils puissent obtenir la reparation du tort & de la violence, qui nous a esté faicte, & empescher que nous su­jets, qui font leur commerce dans Vos trois Royaumes, en vertu de bonne Intelligence, qui a tousjours esté entre Votre Majesté & cette Republique, ne soient plus inquietez de cette maniere a l'avenir; d'autant moins, dont nous nous plaignons, n'ont merité ny Votre Amitié ny vostre protection, Et ainsi nous remettans a ce que nous Ambassadeurs vous diront tant sur se suject, que sur les autres affaires, qu'ils ont a Negotier avec Votre Majesté, nous prierons Dieu.

SIRE, &c.

NOus avons differé de respondre a la lettre que Vostre Majesté nous a faict l'honneur de nous escrire le 12. Septembre de l'année passée parce que nous ne le pouvions pas faire pertinemment, que nous ne nous fussi­ons pleinement Informes de l'Estat de l'affaire qui luy sert de sujet: Le Capitaine Enno Doedesson Star, dont elle se plaint servoit en ce temps la, comme il fait encore presentement, dans la flotte commandée par le Vice Admiral de Ruyter, en la mer Mediterranée, & il estoit necessaire d'estre esclaircy par luy mesme, de toutes les particularitez de ce qui pourroit estre passé entre luy & le Capitaine Eduart Spragh, pour en pouvoir bien juger, & pour faire voir plus clairement a Vostre Majesté la sincerité de nos Intentions; nous ne scavons si le Capitaine Spragh a eu connoissance de l'esloignement de Enno Doedesson & s'il a voulu se servir de son absence pour donner a Vostre Majesté des Impressions contraire a une verite, dont il doit estre convaincu en sa conscience; il scait & nous en avons mis les preuves entre les mains du Sr. Downing, Vostre Envoye Extrodinaire aupres de nous, de quelle façon il a escume la mer, particulierement en l'an 1659. en piratant sur toutes sortes de Nations Indifferemment al'exemple de plusjeurs autres pirates Biscains; les ex­ces commis par ces pirates environ ce mesme temps, ou quelqnes années auparavant, & les incommoditez que le Commerce des habitans de ces Provinces en recevoyent, nous avoient obligez en l' an 1658. a ordonner, par une Resolution generale, a tous nos Capitaines & autres Officiers de Marine, de Traiter tous ces armateurs Biscains, sans aucune distinction, en Pirates, de les attaquer quelques parts qu'ils les rencontreroient en mer, & de les amener. C'est en vertu de cet Ordre que le Capitaine Spragh a esté pris, mais specialment pour avoir este reconnu par trois Matelots, qui se trouvoient dans le bord dudit Enno Doedesson, pour avoir piraté, & pour avoir pris avec le mesme Na­vire Charles, alors nom Sr. Carlos, entres autres un navire nomme le Maure appar­tenant avec la plus grande partie de sa charge qui consistoit en vins de Canarie, & autres Marchandises a des habitans d' Amsterdam & de Middelburg en Zeelande, Ce Vaissean, SIRE, fut pris par ledit Capitaine Spragh, & emmené au Havre de St. Sebastien en Biscaye, au mois de Mars 1659. les proprietairés & Fretteurs en Na­vire en ayant eu advis, en demanderent la restitution & trouverent assez de Justice a la Cour de Madrid pour l'obtenir avec les despens dommages & Interest, par un decret authentique du Roy d' Espagne, mais ledit Capitaine Spragh, & ses Interessez au lieu d'y deferer, eurent l'assurance d'arrester encore la Navire, & d'extorquer par ce moyen au bout de cinq mois du patron & de ceux qui poursuivoyent le proces pour les Interessés une somme de sept mille doubles reaulx d'argent, & la moiéte du provenu de trente bot­tes [Page 78] de Vin de Canarie, quoy que des deux cens cinquante bottes, dont ledit Navire estoit chargé, il ny en eut que soixante & unze qui furent restituez avec le Vaisseau, De sorte que quand mesme ledit Capitaine Spragg n'eust pas esté du nombre de ces arma­teurs, ou plustost pirates Biscains, contre lesquels nous avons pris cette resolutïon ge­nerale, & quoy le Capitaine Enno Doedesson n'eust pas esté obligé de l'executer a son esgard en cette qualité, il devoit neantmoins le prendre, & l'amener, a cause de la Vi­olence faicte audit Navire le Maure, qui avoit este declaré, par decret du Roy d' Es­pagne, appartenir, & qui appartenoit en effect a les habitans de ces Provinces, a moins de manquer au serment qu'il a l'Estat: Ainsi bien loin de blasmer son procedé, nous ne craignons point de dire a Vostre Majesté que nous somme Marris, de ce que l'acci­dent qui arriva au Navire Charles scavoir qu'un des Matelots, prins dans le mes­me Navire, en enstant un tampon, qui bouchoit un trou, exposa le Navire a un si evi­dent peril de perir, que le Capitaine Wildtschot, a qui Enno Deodesson en avoit donné la conduitte pour l' amener en deça, fut contraint de l'abandonner, le fit evader, & le soustraya aua penies qu'un juste Sentence eust peu prozoncer contre ses crimes: Nous avons si bien representé, & prouve cette verité a Vostre Envoyé Extraordinaire lequel nous avons prie de la faire cognoistre a Vostre Majesté, que nous ne le voulons point Im­portuner icy par une plus ample Deduction de cette affaire, seulement nous trouvons nous obliger de dire, comme nostre dessein a tousjours este de nous addresser au Roy d'Espagne & a ses sujets pour la reparation des Violences, pertes & dommages faictes aux habitans de ces Provinces, & par eux soufferts, parce que les armateurs Biscains sortoient des ports d'Espagne; ainsi croyons nous avoir droict de nous addresser a Vostre Majesté presentement que le Capitaine Spragg est a vostre service & qu'il employe vostre nom & la poursuitte de ses injustes pretensions, de vous demander justice contre luy, & qu'il soit contraint par toutes voyes Justes & raisonables de restituer non seulement les susdits sept mille doubles reaulx & la valeur de vins & autres Marchandises qu'il a pris & alienez, mais aussi les autres choses qu'il a trouveeses & prises dans le Coffre du patron du Navire Maure, dont Vostre Envoyé Extraordinaire faict le detail & la valeur, Nous avons grand sujet de l'Esperer de Vostre equite, & particulierement que Vous ne suffrirez point qu' a l'avenir l'on se serve du nom & de l'autorité de Vostre Majeste pour des affaires si mal fondées, & bien manis encore, pour taxer si legerement nostre Procedé, & blasmer nostre conduitte, jusqu'a employer des termes, dont l'on ne se sert que contre ceux, qui des­nient onvertement la Justiee, mais qu'elle aura pour ses bons amis & voisins autant de consideration qu'elle a de bonté pour ses sujets, dont l'on ne condamne point la conduite sur simple rapport d'un tiers, & sans leur donner le loisir d'y respondre. C'est ce que nous a­vons cru devoir dire a sujet de la lettre de Vostre Majesté en attendant que l'on acheve les Informations que nous faisons faire des autres Violences, extorsions & outrages, faicts par ledit Capitaine Spragg aux habitans de ces pais, & cependant nous prier ons Dieu.

SIRE, &c.

THE under-written Envoy Extraordinary of His most sacred Majesty of Great Britain, &c. hav­ing received the Answer of their Lordships, the Estates General of the United Provinces of the 27. of June last, to the Letter of the King his Master, and to his several Memorials and complaints, concerning the Ship Charles, finds that their Lordships do not deny the matter of fact complai­ned off, but offer in justification of what was done by Doedessen Star, that Captain Spragg Commander of the said Ship Charles, was one of the famous Pirates of Biscay, and in particular, that he had in the Year 1659. taken a certain Ship of this Country, called the Moor, laden with 250. Pipes of Canary wine, the whole, or at least the greater part thereof belonging to the Merchants of these Provinces, and carried her to St. Sebastians in Spain, and that upon this ground the said Doedessen Star had taken her in persuance of a certain Resolution of this State, requiring all Captaines of their Ships of war to seize all private men of war of Biscay, as trou­blers of the freedome of commerce and traffique by Sea.

And this being all that is alledged by their Lordships; the said Envoy Extraordinary doth very much wonder, that they should in their said answer charge the said Spragg of impudence in applying to the King his Master, and from him to their Lordships for Iustice, [Page 81] and much more that they should take upon them the patronage of this action of Doedesson Star's and make it their own, this being no more in effect, than what was alledged in the Letter from the Admiralty of Amsterdam to them, of the 1. of November last, and communicated a­bout that time to him, and consequently he doth not see how, or upon what account their Lordships, or he the said Envoy Extraordinary, should be better satisfied with this Answer, than with the said Let­ter. Captain Spragg was no more a Pirate than Doedesson Star, he had a Lawful Commission from the King his Master, whose native Subject he was, to seize and take all Ships and Merchandises belonging to any of His Subjects then in Rebellion against Him; and in persuance thereof, meeting with the aforesaid Ship, and finding her to be come from the Canaries, 19. parts of 20. of the Wine of the growth of which place are constantly bought by the Subjects of His Majesty, and carried into His Kingdoms, and there spent; and His said Subjects, being at that time in War with the King of Spain, and upon that account in that very year making use, in a manner, wholly of the Ships of this Country for the transport of the said Wines to England, and having other probable grounds, that a great part at least of the Wines in that Ship, did actually belong to the English, he thereupon seized her, and carried her into St. Sebastian's; and what was there herein done contrary to right, and not justi­fiable?

Had this Country ever any Treaty Marine with any of his Ma­jesties Predecessors, or had they any such Treaty with the Usurpers at that time in England, whereby to make free Ship free goods; and if not, wherein was the default or crime upon strong presumptions and grounds for him, who had a Commission to take Ships and goods belonging to England, to stop that Ship and carry her into that place?

Had he kept her at Sea, or carryed her into any other Country, and there sold and disposed of her, this had been a default, but the King his Master, was at that time within the Dominions of the King of Spain, and all such private Men of War as had his Com­mission, had liberty to equippe, to sail out of and return into all His Ports with their prizes; and accordingly the said Spragg sailed out of St. Sebastian, and returned in thither with her, & there, by lawful and due process and course in Law indevoured to make her prize; and is this Piratry? or shall upon this account the said Spragg be tax­ed with impudence for demanding of his Ship and goods?

Were there not in those dayes many Ships of this Country, that were stopped upon the like ground, of having in them goods belong­ing to the enemies of the English, and yet those that did it, not ac­counted or called Pirates? and have not both formerly and of late several English Ships been stopped by the Ships of this Country, upon suspition of having in them goods belonging to the enemies of this Country? and what upon tryall have been found so to belong to their enemies, actually confiscated, and the rest with the Ship re­stored? and how is this then a troubling of the freedom of trade and [Page 74] commerce by Sea, when the same thing and no other, is done to their people.

And in this very answer their Lordships do not affirme that the whole lading did belong to the People of this Country, but as are the words (the whole, or at least the greater part) so that notwith­standing what as yet appears to their Lordships themselves) al­though it is to be supposed that the Merchants interessed in the said Ship put the best side outmost) Captain Spragg had just grounds for the seizing of the said Ship, and the subordinate Officers of Iustice upon the place were so well satisfied therewith, that with­out a superiour command by favour from the King of Spain, he had obtained a sentence of confiscation of the said Wines.

And had Doedes [...]n Star comported himself in like manner, your Lordships had not been troubled with this complaint, but when he had taken the Charles he forthwith plundr'd her to the very boards, yea took out of her all that was good of her very sailes and rigging, used the men barbarously and cruelly; and when all was done, she was turn'd going at sea by Wilshut one of Doedesson Star's Captains, in stead of bringing her into this Country to a lawfull tryall and ad­iudication, the which he was obliged to have done, both by his commission and his orders from the Admiralty of Asterdam, as appears by their forementioned Letter to their Lordships of the 1. of Novemb. last, and Captain Spragg is so far from understanding the not doing thereof to have been any thing of favour or good hay to him (as their Lordships would insinuate in their answer) as that on the contrary he complains thereof in the highest manner.

And for what is suggested, as if Wilshut his quitting of the said Ship Charles was out of necessity upon the account of her leakiness, this is a most frivolous and groundless pretext; for Wilshut was then upon the Coast of France (as is acknowledged in the said answer) and so if he had done nothing, but what becomed an honest man, he might have carried her into some Port of France, to have stopped her leaks, and then have brought her to this Country; but the plain truth was this, Wilshut's own conscience (after some time of consideration) ac­cused him that they had done what they could not justifie, neither in France nor in this Country, and upon that account did not abandon her as would be insinuated, but forced his Majesties Subjects into her, and with menaces bid them begone with their Ship as it was, or else that he would still keep them in irons the whole summer: and that this was the truth and bottome of the businesse, appears not on­ly by the Examinations taken in the high Court of Admiralty in Eng­land, but also by the aforesaid Letter of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, the words whereof are these:

Pourtant s'il s'estoit retourné vers St. Martin susdit & illecq extendant qu' à cause de la prise de la dite Fregatte en cette Rade existe roit beau­coup des inconvenients, & considerant l'incommodité d'icelle & aussy ju­geant l'incertitude comment la ditte prise par nous pourroit estre conside­rée; il se conseillist les gens y trouvez remettre en leur possession.

[Page 75] But suppose Captain Spragg had done amiss, yet he was a Sub­ject to the King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and the taking his Ship was in the Channell, and in the moneth of July 1660. which was about two moneths after the return of His most Sacred Ma­jesty to his Kingdoms, and when he was in the full and peaceable possession of them; and was this a justifiable way to begin by execu­tion? What injuries and violences have been done to His Majesties Subjects in the East-Indies by the Dutch East-India Company? Now many Piratries have of late been committed by private men of War, and others of this Country upon them? and hath His Majesty begun by execution? hath He granted an order to seize the Fleet of this Country coming from the East-Indies, or hath he declared all such Capers as fail from hence, troublers of the freedome of trade and commerce by Sea, and given order to all his men of war every where to take them, as your Lordships say they had done to those that fail­ed out of Biscay? which yet he hath the same reason to do, they pirat­ing continually upon His Subjects, (and perchance there wants not complaints of the same nature from other Christian Kings and Prin­ces also against them) or would ye take it kindly, if Spragg being at this time in His Majesties service in the Streights should endevour to revenge himself upon Doedesson Star, who is also at this time imployed in that Sea; And yet if this course be justifiable in their Lordships, it is without doubt as justifiable in the King his Master, and if he should take this course, they would easily apprehend, what would be the consequences thereof, nor it may be would there have needed so long and tedious a solicitation in this case; But His Majesty is pleased in the first place, (according to the Laws of friendship and good neighbourhood) to apply to their Lordships, and if justice and satisfaction can be had in a friendly way, it is that he most passio­nately desires; but if not, the said Envoy Extraordinary must again repeat that he will then be justified before the whole World, in be­taking himself to such further remedies as may be capable to procure releif to the said Spragg his most loyall and faithfull Subject, whom he cannot nor will not suffer to go without reall satisfaction; nor doth he love to have his Subjects acccused of impudence, when they only humbly addresse themselves to him for help, and their com­plaints are by him in a friendly way transmitted hither.

And the said Envoy Extraordinary doth once more demand, that satisfaction and reparation be forthwith made for the said Ship Charles, and so that after the many proofes of His Majesties zeal for the relief of the people of this Country against Piratries of this na­ture, he may at last have one instance of theirs towards his, nor can it now be doubted, seeing what was done in this matter was not only done by their Lordships own men of war, but (as they are now pleased to avow in their answer) in persuance of their order: It was too much that Ships of war sailing with His Majesties commission, were from time to time taken by the Ships of war of this Country, during the late disorders, but that any such thing should be attemp­ted, or done, and that in His Seas, since His return into His King­domes, [Page 84] His Majesty can in no ways disgest or passe by without ample and full satisfaction. Given at the Hague this 13 of July 1662.

Index five Repertorium Postulatorum quae ex parte Merca­torum aliorumque Anglorum contra Populos Foederati Belgii virtute trigesimi Articuli Pacis inter utram (que) gen­tem nuper initae & stabilitae, & edicti eâ super re postmo­dùm facti, & vigesimo quarto Maii 1654. promulgati, die Martis trigesimo viz. Maii predicti coram Venerabilibus Dominis Commissariis hinc inde nominatis exhibebantur.

GUlielmus Tombes Executor Testamenti Domini Pauli Pin­dar Militis interessati in nave Bona Esperanza, unà cum mercibus mense Junio anni 1643. dum Chinam versus à Goâ navigabat a duabus navibus bellicis ad Hollandos spectantibus capta, pro suis & marinariorum damnâ reparationem petit ad summam septuaginta duarum millium quingentarum sexaginta quatuor librarum Anglicarum—72546—00—00.

Concordat cum suo Indice praemisso.

Sheweth,

THat by virtue of a Commission under the great Seal of England, grounded upon the Statutes made concerning Bankrupts, directed unto James Winstanley and others appointed to inquire into the Estate of the said William Courten, and to distribute the same according to the Laws in that Case made and provided, whereby the Commissioners found the said William Courten became insolvent, and that the East-India Company of the Netherlands and their Ministers abroad, had seised and possessed themselves of two Ships belonging to the said William Courten, called the Bona Esperanza and the Henry Bona Adventure of London, with all their Lading, Goods, Merchandizes, and Pro­visions; and also had done unto the said William Courten and his Factors, many other vio­lent injuries and wrongs in the East-Indies, whereby he himself and his Creditors are damnified to the sum of 150000 l. and upwards; as by Authentique Proofs taken in the Admiralty may appear.

The premisses considered, and for as much as the Creditors of Mr. Courten are intituled to the said Money accrewing by the damages aforesaid; Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays, on the behalf of himself and the Creditors, that his Claim may be entred, & receive such a speedy determination for relief of himself, and many poor father lesse Chil­dren, and Widowes, Creditors aforesaid; as in all Justice and Equity the merits of the Cause shall require.

And your Petitioner shall pray, &c.

Sheweth,

THat the said Ship being set out in the employment of William Courten Esq Thomas Kynaston & Company authorized by vertue of Letters Patents granted by the late King for Trading to the East-Indies, in her passage from Goa to Maccao, in the year 1643. at which time there was perfect peace and amity between the English and Dutch; was contrary to the said Peace and Amity, in a violent and hostile manner sur­prized and seized by two Holland Ships, belonging to the Holland East-India Company, the one called the Vendillo, and the other the Portogallo; in which Ships Seignior Ferme­ren, Seignior Gealand, and the Lieutenant of the Fort of Malacca, were Comman­ders, who all three at first came aboard the said Ship Bona Esperanza, as friends in way of visit, and accordingly parted; but soon after beyond all expectation of the Petitioners, Shot a Peece of Ordnance in an Hostile manner, and forthwith killed the Master Roger Tuckerman, and afterwards in Fight took the said Ship by force of Armes, to the damage of your Petitioner Newman at least 1400 l. he (being then Sole Factor of the Cargozon) and to the Damage of the rest of your Petitioners and the Company of the said. Ship 2000 l. which respective damages have ever since tended, and do tend to the utter ruining of your Petitioners: All which appears by the Claims and Depositions in the Admiralty, now brought before your Honours by William Tombes Esq Executor to the last will of Sir Paul Pindar Knight, the Assign of the said Esq Courten.

Your Petitioners in obedience to, and persuance of your Honours late Declaration injoyning all Claimers to bring in an Abstract of their Damages in particular, have presumed to present their Case as above by this tbeir Petition.

Most humbly praying that their Claim aforesaid, may be distinctly set apart by it self. And that they may according to the power and authority wherewith your Honours are now invested by the Articles aforesaid, receive their several satisfactions, answerable to their proportions of damages aforesaid.

I Underwritten Adriaen vander Stell Commander of the Island Mauritius, on the part and behalf of the Netherlandish East-India Company, do declare (upon the Instant Request of Henry Glascock Merchant, and Edward Lock Master of the Ship called the Henry Bona Adventure, that on the second of February last past at night, there arose here a very violent Hurricane whereby they lost their said Ship called as above, on the Northside of this said Island, and re­pairing thereunto, I found the said Ship as yet whole & entire, set­ting upon the Recist; I did also hear that the said Merchant and Skipper have oftentimes Charged or Commanded the said Ships Company to save or preserve their Masters goods, whether Peppers or other Commodities; whereupon the said Ships Company Replyed, that they did not desire to hazard their lives, for as to the goods that should be so saved, when that they should be Transported into England, they should not enjoy one Stiver Hyre for the saving or preserving of the said Goods, insomuch that the abovesaid persons intreated me to save the said goods with the Companies Mariners, for otherwise the said goods would in a short time be swallowed up or Perished in the Seas. All that which is abovesaid I do declare to be in substance the very truth, and shall verifie the same more at large according as the businesse shall require.

Done on the Island of Mauritius on the Northside of the said Island on the 10. of February 1643.

VVEE underwritten Henry Glascock, and Skipper Edward Lock, John Rogers Chief Steereman, John Peacock Under-Steereman, and Edward Stacy Assistant, have at sundry times required the said Ships Company to save or preserve and bring on shore the Companies goods, whether Peppers, or other Wares or Commodities, and because they refused so to do, and did not desire to hazard their lives to save or preserve the said Companies goods, therefore we underwritten did Request the said Com­mander Adrian vander Stell, that the same might be saved or preserved by his People or Mariners, namely all that which should be found to be remaining in the Ship, and in that respect we conceived that it [Page 95] was better that the same should be saved or preserved rather then to suffer them to be destroyed: And moreover that the Netherlandish East-India Company, would be pleased to do or act therein, according as they should find it most convenient.

Done upon the Island of Mauritius on the North-westside of the said Island, this 10. day of February 1643.

And was Subscribed,

• Henry Glascock
• Edward Lock
• John Rogers
• John Peacock
• Edw. Stacy.

Being examined with the Original the same is found to agree therewith, this 10. of March, An. 1643. upon the said Island Mauritius.

Concordat substantialiter cum suo originali quod attestor.

OP huyden hebbe ick Gerriz Coren, Notaris Pub­lijc (que) by den hove van Hollandt geadmitteert, re­siderende binnen Amstelredamme, my met den getuygen naegenoemt getransporteert ende gevon­den op t' Oost-Indisch huys deser Stede, inde vergaderinge vanden heeren Bewinthebberen der Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie alhier, Inde haer E. met behoorliicke eerbiedinge, int den naem van Sr. Jonas Abeels, Coopman alhier, als last, ende procuratie hebbende vanden heer Paulus Pindar, Ridder der Stadt London, geinsinueert t' gene volcht.

Jonas Abeels, als last ende procuratie hebbende vanden heer Paulus Pindar, Ridder der Stadt London, volgens den instrumente van procuratie, by denselven here Paulus Pindar, op den 11 dach Februa­rij 1647. Style van Engelandt voor den Notaris Josua Mainet ende sekere getuygen gepasseert; Doet mits desen de tegenwoordige ver­gaderinge vanden aenwesende heeren Bewinthebberen der Neder­lantsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagne, insinueren ende in­terdiceren: Alsoo de Originele Insinuant, de Heer Paulus Pindar voornt. als actie ende transport hebbende vanden Heer Willem Cour­ten Schiltknaep van London, alleen gerechticht is tot het geene de, voorn. Comp. bevonden sal woorden te moeten nitkeeren, voor de scha­den ende verliesen geleden ende noch te lyden door t' onrecht saiseren ende detineren van't Schip genaemt de Bona Esperanza, anders de Good Hope van London, ende d' ingeladen goederen, als oock voor alle de goederen ende Coopmanschappen, gesalveert uyt het Schip, genaemt de Henry Bona Adventure van London, welck voorn. Schip de Bona Esperanza, met hier ladinge genomen is inde Oost-Indien, ende de ladinge van't voorn. Schip de Henry Bona Adventure (soo de voorn. originele Insinuant verstaen heeft) op t' Eylant Mauritius ge­salveert [Page 98] en genomen is geweest in t' besit vanden heer Adriaen vander Stell, Gouverneur aldaer voor de voorn Comp. alles nae werden uytwysen vanden voorn. instrumente van procuratie, ende her trans­port vanden voorn Courten, daer inne vermelt: Dat derhalven de heeren Geinsinuerden geen penningen, ter saeck vande voorn schaden en verliesen, als ooch ter saecke vande voorn. geberchde goederen, en sullen betalen aen iemant anders, als alleen aen den Insinuant in qualite voorn. of sijn voorn. principale, ofte in cas de heeren Geinsinuerde, desen niet tegenstaende, contrarien comen te doen, dat hen de sulcx geen betalinge en sal verstrecken, maer datse andermael aen den In­sinuant in qualite voorn of sijn voorn principale sullen hebben te be­talen. Daer van wel expresselick protesterende, mitsgaders, in cas van eenige contraventie, mede van alle costen, schaden en interesse.

Alle t' welcke by de heeren Geinsinuerden gehoort, antwoorden, datmen hen soude geven copie ende die 's anderen daegs leveren aen de Rekenmeesters. Aldus gedaen binnen Amsterdam ter presentie van Ian Ianz ende Adam Nijs, Inwoonderen deser Stede, als getuy­gen, hier over gestaen des 25 May 1648. Onderstandt Uytgegeven voor Copie, ende accordeert met de principale by my: Ende was getekent.

PAyeth by the Family, according as it is great or small, so much per an. Salt. as they are taxed.

30 Stivers the Barrel of Beer Brewed in Holland. On Beer for Burghers.

34 Stivers the Barrel if Brewed in any other of the United Provinces.

118 Stivers the Barrel if Brewed without the Provinces.

2 Stivers per Barrel paid by the Brewer, and 12 Stivers for every Brew­ing Tappers or Retailers. for his Families drinking.

114 Stivers the Barrel if Brewed within the Provinces.

148 Stivers the Barrel if Brewed without the Provinces.

4 Stivers the Stope of French Wine, which is somewhat above a Pottle. On Wine.

6 Stivers the Stope for Rhenish, Spanish, or other sorts of Wine.

Tappers or those that sell Wine by Retail pay double Excise.

96 Stivers the Ame, which is 40 Gallons English measure. Vineager.

8 Stivers the Stope if made of Wine. Brande or Aquavitae

5 Stivers the Stope if made of Beer or Malt.

22 Stivers the Last of Wheat. Corn for Meetage.

25 Stivers the Last of Rye.

36 Stivers the Last of Rape seed, and other small seeds.

63 Gilders 12 Stivers the Last of Wheat or Meslin. Tobe grownd

31 Gilders 16 Stivers the Last of Rye

21 Gilders 4 Stivers the Last of Barley, Oates, and Beans.

11 Gilders 15 Stivers the last of Buck.

4 Gilders the Barrel, which contains 320 l. weight. Butter.

4 Gilders the But or Pipe. Oyle.

3 Gilders the Tunne of Train Oyl.

1 Stiver the pound if made of Waxe. Candles.

½ Stiver the pound if made of Tallow.

3 Gilders the 100 l. Starch.

6 Gilders 8 Stivers the Barrel, or Ton, Cake or Castle Sope ¾ of a Stiver Sope. the pound.

1½ Stiver the Barrel or Ton. Turffe and Coles.

18 Gilders the 100 Scales of Scoth Cole, each scale containing 250 l.

48 Gilders the Hood or Chaldron of Seacoles.

The eighth part of whatsoever it cost. Fire wood.

Horses three years old and above 2 Stivers per Month. Cattell.

Oxen or Cowes above three years old 3 Stivers per Month.

Oxen, Cowes, Calves, Sheep, Lambs, Hoggs, Pigs, &c. the seventh part Te be killed. of whatsoever they cost.

Barrel Fish and Herrings, 20 Stivers the Barrel. Fish.

Sturgeon, Salmon, &c. the ninth part of what it cost.

Of all sorts the Eighth part of whatsoever it cost. Fruit.

3 Stivers the pound weight. Tobacco.

Pitch the Barrel 16 Stivers. Pitch and Tarre.

Tarre the Barrel 10 Stivers.

English white Pack-clothes 6 Gilders the peice. Cloth.

Fine Worcester white Clothes 16 Gilders the peice.

Of low price, one Stiver per peice. Stuffes.

The twelfth part of the value or cost. Silks of all sorts.

[Page 104] The Ninth part of the value or cost. Tapistry and Gilt leather.

One sixth part of the yearly value or rent, if it be let, if not the ow­ner Lands and houses. pays it by Taxation.

All Arable lands which are sowed, or Orchards planted, pay 2¼ Stivers per Acre, every month to be accounted from the time of its sowing untill it be mowed.

Of lands or houses pay the 40 part of whatever they are sold for, as often as they are sold and alienated. Alienation.

Pay the 20 part of the Inheritance which comes by a side line if the legacy Collateral successions or Legaters. not given to a pious use.

For all men or maid servants, the Masters or Mistresses thereof pay one Servants. Gilder per an for every Servant.

Two Stivers for every small seal, and four Stivers for the great, to be set Seal money. on a Sheet of Paper; and to make this Taxe considerable, it is order­ed that all Deeds, Contracts, Wills, &c. of what nature soever that are not so sealed, shall be held as invalid, and no judgement to be given on them in Law.

All goods whatsoever sold by Weight, to be weighed, whereof there Weigh house. is a set rate what each sort payeth.

The Retailer or Shopkeeper doth compound yearly for this Taxe to pre­vent the infinite trouble thereof. Which amounteth to an innumerable summe yearly.

Besides all which there are Taxes extraordinary, as often as neces­sity requireth, whereof the States only are Judges, viz.

The thousand part, sometimes the five hundred, and sometimes the two hundred part of every mans estate rich or poor, whereof none are ex­empt but such as recieve Alms.

All men are taxed according to common report by the Magistrates of their several Cities and Towns, and the party grieved at his Assessement de­claring upon Oath that his estate is not worth so much shall be relieved.

But its seldome that any make themselves poorer then common report speaks them, for their own credit sake, and this amounts to very much. Whereby the yearly revenue is made as great as the States themselves please, and renders them so considerable, that they think themselves equal with most Princes of Europe.

The repartition what each Province payeth part to a hundred pound.

• Gelderland payeth 5-12-3
• Holland payeth 58-6-2
• Zealand payeth 9-3-8
• Utrecht payeth 5-16-7¾
• Vriesland payeth 11-13-2¾
• Overyssel payeth 3-11 5
• Groeuingen payeth 5-16-7-½

IOhn Darrell of the Parish of St. Giles Criplegate in London Merchant; Aged about Sixty and six years, deposeth and saith, That he, the said John Darrell was at Goa, a Portugal City in East-India, in the imployment and service of William Courten Esq in the Month of January 1644. old Sile, and that on the 25. day of the said month, being Saturday, a Dutch Ship bound from Surrat to Batavia, came and Anchored with­out in the road of Goa, and that four or five Dutch-men came then a shore to the English, or Factory there, and related to Mr. Courten's Agent, John Farren, and to this Deponent, that upon an Agreement made between the Dutch, and the Vice­roy of Goa, they were to pay unto the Portugalls the summe of One hundred thousand Rials of Eight, Spanish, for satisfaction of the Portugal goods taken in the Ship Bona Esperanza, bound for Maccao in the Imployment of Mr. Courten and others; and that twenty thousand of the said Royals should be detained for Mr. Courten towards his damages, although it were not so expressed or agreed: And this deponent further saith, that on the next day being Sunday and the 26. of January one Senior Vander­stell being chief of the Dutch Factory at Vingerly neer Goa, with three others, and a Churchman, came to the said City of Goa, and visited the said John Farren, and this Deponent at the English house there, and brought with them Fifty thousand of the said Rials, to pay unto the said Portugal Merchants, according to the agreement with the Viceroy aforesaid; and said moreover, that they had Order from the Governour and Councel of Batavia, to defalk and detain Twenty thousand Rials towards satisfacti­on of the English, interessed in the Bona Esperanza; and that they had likewise order to present Mr. Farren, Mr. Courten's Agent, with a considerable summe of money, to procure an accommodation and composure of the difference with the persons interes­sed in the same, but further cannot depose.

Sworn this 14 of March 1661. before Sir Nathaniel Hobart one of His Majesties Masters of Chancery in the 14. Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second.

THomas Newman of the Parish of St. Botolph Aldgate in London Merchant, Aged Forty seven years or thereabouts, maketh Oath, that he, the said Deponent, was Cape-Merchant, and Factor of the Cargazone, in the Ship Bona Esperanza, belonging to Mr. William Courten late of London Merchant, and others; And that he, this deponent in the year of our Lord 1643. making a Trading Voyage from Goa to Maccao, was violently taken by the Dutch East-India Companeys Ministers in the Straits of Malacca, to his own particular damage at that time the Sum of 1400 l. ster­ling; and saith, that to his own knowledge the several Depositions of Robert Gray, Andrew Wetton, Francis Hill, Richard Smith, Richard Wheeler, William Page, and Thomas Lamberton, since deceased, are all in substance true, he the said Deponent being an eye-witnesse thereof, and long acquainted with the trade of India and parts ad­jacent; and this Deponent saith, that after the Dutch Men of VVar had violently sei­sed the said Ship, murthered the Master and several of the Mariners, wounded eleven others, and taken both the Portugals and English goods out of her, being a good new Ship and well built, took the said Ship, with the Guns, Ammunition and Provision to Goa, to the rest of their Fleet, and carried him, this Deponent, with Captain William Gurley Captain of the said ship, and the Mariners, to Malacca, where they were all detained Prisoners for the space of six months, and very inhumanely used, and afterwards sent to Batavia; and this Deponent saith, that Captain Gurley with grief for his losses and ill usage, as he was bound for England in the year 1644. died in a Dutch ship called the Whale Fish, whereof the Heere Caune was Commander, who sold all his Clothes, and some Jewels that he had at the Main Mast, amongst the rest, he this Deponent of­fered 250 Gilders for a Diamond Ring, but could not have the same, which were all con­verted to the use of the said Caune as this Deponent believeth. And this deponent fur­ther saith, That as to the 2750. l. sterling, left at Maccao, in a former voyage, be­ing to remain upon agreement there for the space of three years, (for several privile­ges granted in Ports and Trade) and provided that if Mr. Courten and Company sent any other Ship and Merchandizes thither within that time then the said 2750 l. should be paid to the said Courten, in China goods at price currant, otherwise the said money to be lost: And this Deponent saith, that he, this Deponent, and Captain Gurley received Orders and Instructions from John Farren President for Mr. Courten at Goa, concerning the same, to act therein accordingly; but the Dutch having taken away all their Chests, with Papers and Writings, and disappointed them of their Voyage, whereby the said money was lost: And this deponent saith, that by reason of the said spoils and violence committed by the Dutch, Mr. Courten's Factories at Atcheene, Batacalla, Rajapore, Goa, Carwer, and Vizapore, were disappointed of relief and reputation, whereby they were forced to sell off what they had, for their own subsistance: But as to the particular damages of the 72000 l. sterling of Mr. Coutten and Company, in the loss of their Goods, and the intended voyage to Maccao as aforesaid, he this Deponent referreth him­self to the depositions taken in his Majesties High Court of Admiralty as aforesaid.

Jurat coram me Walter Little­ton Milit. Legum Doctor uno Cancelar. Magistr.

• Sir Tho. Allen Kt. & Bar.
• Sir Joseph Ash Kt. & Bar.
• Daniel Andrews Esq
• George Arnold Esq
• Thomas Arnold Esq
• Joseph Alstone
• William Atwood
• Francis Ash
• Francis Archer
• William Allington
• William Allen
• John Adrian
• Thomas Allen
• Benjamin Albyn
• Capt. William Asbly.

• George Lord Berkley
• Sir Joh. Brownloe Kt. & Bar.
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• Sir John Banks Kt.
• Sir Thomas Bludworth Kt.
• Sir Theoph. Biddulph Kt.
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• John Bathurst Alderman
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• Robert Beake
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• Aaron Baker
• Timothy Baldwin
• Quarles Browne.

• Sir Thomas Chambrelan Kt.
• Thomas Culling Esq
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• Henry Chowne
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• Sir James Drax
• Sir John Dethick Kt.
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• Sir Thomas Foot Kt. & Bar.
• Sir John Frederick Kt.
• Sir Richard Ford Kt.
• Edward Franklin
• Thomas Fox
• Simeou Fincham

• Sir Nicholas Gould Baronet
• Sir Jacob Gerrard Kt.
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• John Godscall
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• VVilliam Harrington
• Capt. Nicholas Hurlestone
• VVilliam Hooker
• Thomas Hawkes
• Robert Handson
• Henry Hunter
• James Hublon Senior
• Tobiah Harvey
• Thomas Heatley
• Humphry Holcomb
• James Houblon Junior

• Iohn Iollife Esq
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• Thomas Iuxon
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• Robert Ingram
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• Nicholas Juxon
• Phillip Jackson

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• Robert Knightly
• Randall Knipe

• Phillip Lord Viscount Lisle
• Sir Iohn Lewis Kt.
• Sir Iohn Lawrence Kt.
• Sir Peter Leere Kt.
• Robert Lant Esq
• William Love Esq
• Jarvis Lock
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• Sir James Modyford Kt.
• Tempest Milner Alderman
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• Paul Priaulx
• William Parker
• Christopher Penn
• George Perryer

• Sir Andrew Riccard Kt.
• Sir William Ryder Kt.
• Sir Iohn Robinson Kt.
• Richard Reeves Alderman
• Iohn Ramsey Esq
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• Sir George Smith Kt.
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• Sir William Thomson Kt.
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• Major Robert Thomson
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• Sir William Vincent Kt.
• Sir Thomas Vyner Kt.
• William Vannam Esq
• Nicholas Vanacker
• Peter Van de Putt

• Sir Stephen White Kt.
• Francis Warner Alderman
• Rowland Wynn Esq
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• Edward Wood Esq
• William Williams Esq
• Thomas Winter
• Samuel Wilson
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• Edward White
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• Andrew West
• William Wildigoes
• Nicholas Wildbore
• Valentine Wanley
• Christopher VVilloughby
• Richard VVynn
• Thomas VVilson
• James VVancourt
• Capt. William Wildy

• SIr Andrew Riccard Knight and Governour
• SIR Thomas Chambrelan Knight and Deputy
• George Lord Berkeley
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• Sir William Thomson Kt.
• Sir William Ryder Kt.
• Sir Anthony Bateman Kt.
• Sir Richard Ford Kt.
• Sir George Smith Kt.
• Sir Stephen White Kt.
• Sir James Drax Kt.
• Sir William Vincent Kt.
• Wiliam Love Alderman
• John Jolliffe Esq
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• Mr. Peter Uan De Putt
• Mr. Samuel Barnadiston
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NOte, That the whole Subscription of the East-India Company of England, in their last joint Stock, founded in Cromwell's time, was 800000. l. sterl. whereof 400000 l. was paid, and the other ready to be paid, if the Company could have im­ployed such a Stock in India or parts adjacent.

Note, That in the first year after this undertaking of the English, the Companies Actions in Holland, fell 40 l. and 50 l. in the rates current, but when they understood how the English proceeded, they came to their full values again.

Note, That when Sir William Courten set forth his Ships in 1635. and 1636. the Dutch Actions fell far lower, and the English Actions of the old Company did rise 20 l. and 30 l. in the 100 l. which never did the like before or after, and (for those reasons) that Trade was undermined and spoyled by the Dutch.

Note, That every Committee man in the English Company, hath a 1000 l. and upwards, in the Stock, otherwise he is not capable of being chosen into that office.

Note, That the Bewinthebbers or Directors of the East-India Company in Holland have the like summe of 1000 l. in the first principal Stock and upwards, otherwise they are not capable of that imployment.

Note, That the first original joint Stock of the East-India Company of the Nether­lands, was 660000 l. sterling, in the year 1602. when they laid their foundation of East-India Trade, and that every 100 l. in that principal Stock, is now worth 460 l. and upwards, which rises and falls according to news good or bad every exchange time; but what a 100 l. in the several, first, second, third, and fourth joint Stocks are worth in the old English East-India Company, is not certainly known.

Note, That the Company of the Netherlands are different in their principals of Government and Trade both at home and abroad, from the English, which have so much advanced the one, and abased the other.

1. Argumentum. Gulielmus Courten Armiger, alijque Mercatores Londinenses, qui cum illo Societatem iniverant, Literas Patentes magno Angliae sigillo confirma­tas obtinuerunt, quibus in Indiam Orientalem, Chinam, & Regiones adjacentes, mercaturam exercendi ipsis jus erat concessum. Hac autoritate freti, postquàm aliquot negotiatorum sedes & Colonias in Oris maritimis mercaturae opportunis posuissent, anno 1641. duas Anglicanas naves (inter alias) appellationibus Bo­na Esperanza, & Henry Bonadventure insignitas, necnon mercimonijs pretiosis probè onustas ad mercaturam in Indiâ Orientali faciendam emiserant. Quarum Navium & bonorum partes septem ad praefatum Gulielmum Courten ex proprio jure spectabant, reliqua octava ad caeteros Mercatores Anglos.

2. Praedictus Gulielmus Courten per Syngrapham (quam Indenturam dicimus) factam 26. die Aprilis 1642. inter ipsum & Dominum Edvardum Littleton militem ob justam Considerationem inibi expressam, concessit, alienavit & vendidit nominato Domino Edvardo Littleton, inter aliàs, supradictas naves Bona Esperanza, & Henry Bonadventure unà cum ipsarum onere, mercibus, proventibus, lucris quibuscunque exinde exorituris, aut quae ad eum diem provenissent, idque alijs amplissimis & laxissi­mis verbis, prout, &c. habenda & tenenda eidem Domino Edvardo Littleton Execu­toribus & Assignatis suis ad usum suum proprium tanquam sua propria bona & Catilla exinde in sempiternum; prout habetur in memoratâ Indentura.

3. Postea verò, nempe 19. die Decembris 1642. per Indenturam tripartitam factam juxta normam Juris Anglicani inter praedictum Gulielmum Courten ex prima parte, praedictum Dominum Edvardum Littleton ex secunda, & Dominum Paulum Pindar ex tertia, Illi praefati Gulielmus Courten, & Dominus Edvardus Littleton, ob Considerationem inibi expressam, concesserunt, alienarunt & vendiderunt praedicto Domino Paulo Pindar (inter aliàs) naves praedictas Bona Esperanza, & Henry Bonad­ventura una cum omnibus ipsarum armamentis, aplust [...]ibus, oneribus, bonis, mer­cibus, reditibus, adventuris, pecunijs, sortibus, pecul [...]js, in earum utraque existenti­bus vel quoquo modo pertinentibus; itemque omnia emolumenta, commoda, lucra, beneficia, &c. exijsdem navibus in varijs suis profectionibus exorientia & ac­crescentia; necnon omne acplenum jus, dominium, titulum, vendicationem, & interesse quodcunque ipsi praedicti Gulielmus Courten & Dominus Edvardus Littleton eorumve alteruter ad omnia & singula praememorata habuissent, prout, &c,

4. His ità peractis, Societas Hollandorum Mercaturam ad Indiam Orientalém ex­ercentium, anno 1643. (dum inter Anglos & Batavos pax esset) incidens in prae­dictam [Page 120] navem Bona Esperanza, eam hostilem in modum cum nonnullis navibus suis invaserunt oppugnarunt vi expugnarunt & depraedarunt; Anglos autem nautas, navi, mercimonijs, commodis, &c. exuerunt & spoliarunt. Itidemque bona omnia & coma eatum praedictae navis Henry Bonadveniure ceperunt & detinuerunt.

5. Quod vero ad damna & jacturas inde illatas attinet, praedicti, Dominus Jo­annes Ayton, Georgius Carew, ac Carolus Whitaker Armigeri, &c. ad quos secundum formam juris Anglicani, totum jus, & titulus, & dominium praedictorum Domini Gulielmi Courten, Edvardi Littleton & Pauli Pindar defunctorum pervenit, eadem sibi praestari, restitui & resarciri petunt ac flagitant.

Adversum haec ex parte Societatis Hollandicae praedictae octo Objectiones affe­runtur.

1. Jus ad rem mobilem nisi per traditionem transferri non posse.

2. Per Indenturam tripartitam factam inter Gulielmum Courten, Dominum Ed­vardum Littleton & Dominum Paulum Pindar, datum 19. die Decembris 1642. dun­taxat convenisse de cautione sive securitatum pecuniarum creditarum, jus autem plenarium ad naves earumque bona in Dominum Paulum Pindar nequaquam tran­stisse.

Verùm contra hasce duas Objectiones primò notandum est, Gulielmum Courten, Dominum Edvardum Littleton, & Dominum Panlum Pindar pariter omnes fuisse Anglos, deinde praedictam Indenturam tripartitam Venditionis & Emptionis, &c. factam fuisse ab Anglis in Anglià de navibus Anglicanis ipsarumque bonis ac mer­cibus tunc temporis in eorum peculio existentibus, & Nearchorum quorundam tutelae ac Curae dum in mari versarentur concreditis, &c. Unde juxta leges Angliae ista venditio & emptio firma erat ac valida, & per sigillationem & traditionem praedictae Indenturae jus omne ad emptorem delatum est, citra omnem traditionis posteriùs celebrandae necessitatem: siquidem clarissimum est ex jure Anglicano Rem mobilem (cujusmodi sunt naves & mercimonia) ab ipsius proprietario qui ipsam interventu Nearchi in possessione habeat, rectè alienari posse; traditione opus non esse, at sigillationem & traditionem syngraphae ad effectum juris abundè sufficere.

Quod cum ita se habeat, sequitur ex jure Anglicano Gulielmum Courten, quo tempore praedictas naves & bona primitùs Domino Edvardo Littleton concessit, se jure suo ad easdem, exuisse; Cum autem deinde Gulielmus Courten & Dominus Ed­vardus Littleton utrique simul Domino Paulo Pindar easdem concesserunt, itidem eorum utrumque jus suum transtulisse, prout, &c. Adeo ut praedicto Gulielmo Courten ex vi legis Anglicanae nullum ad praedictas naves jus deinceps restaret.

1. Quorum intuitu clarissimum esse censemus de Contractu praedicto ab Anglis in Anglia de navibus Anglicanis celebrato; juxta leges Civiles & recepta ac com­munia Gentium Jura, judicium ferendum esse (quoad ejusdem valitudinem & firmi­tudinem,) duntaxat secundum jus Anglicanum, non vero secundum quodvis aliud. Ac proinde cum omnia ad firmitudinem secundum legem Angliae requisita habuerit, everti non posse, tametsi circumstantiâ aliqua ex more alterius cujusvis Gentis requi­sitâ careret.

Cujus sententiae robur multis exemplis & judiciis statuminare at (que) indubitatum red­dere possumus, si quando id postulabitur.

2. Nec difficile foret ostendere in hujusmodi casu etiam juxta Legem Civilem & receptas Jurisconsultorum regulas ac sententias, in praedictarum Indenturarum sigilla­tione & traditione ob considerationes inibi expressas, reverà fictam quandam rei ip­sius traditionem inesse, quae ad transferendum jus Gulielmi Courten primùm ad Domi­num Littleton, deinde ad Dom. Pindar sufficeret, prout, &c.

3. Tertiò Objiciunt Hollandi, Quod si naufragium vel aliud infortunium accidisset, Dominum Paulum Pindar jacturam sustinere non debuisse, sed ex Syngraphis Assecura­tionis remedium quaerere, ideòque illi jus ad Naves mereésve non competere.

Haec Objectio admodum infirma videtur. Quippe notum est, tum in jure, tum in [Page 121] praxi, Illum qui cum alio de avertendo periculo contractum secerit, posse in casu dom­ni agere contra Assecuratorem; ad illud autem non teneri. Actio enim ejusmodi, cujus gratiâ Assecuratio facta est, non quidem obest sed remedii ulterioris loco est; ade­ò (que) si libeat, omitti potest, retento nihilominus rei dominio. Id quod non rar [...]ac­cidit, nempe quoties pretium Navis aut Bonorum Assecuratorum summam pecuniae in Contractu memoratam, 5, 6, 7, 8, aut 10, vicibus exoperat; item (que) in Captura Prae­datoria (qualis in nostro casu fuit) facta ab i [...] qui damnum praestare valent, qui (que) in judicium in eum finem vocari possunt.

4. Objiciunt quartò Domino Pindar non licuisse solutiones proportionnles suas postulare, nisi aliquot mensibus post reditum naviam ad Londinum; proinde damni emendationem non deberi.

Haec Objectio tum sanae Rationi, tum Juri Civili & Gentium repugnat.

Hollandi Naves & bona, de quibus Controversia est, praedatoriè & manu arrhatâ capiunt, alioqui Londinum ad possessionem. Domini Pindar reditura, ut inde sibi debita perciperet. Unde clarum per Hollandos stetiffe quo minùs naves illae & bona ad Lon­dinum pervenerint, simul (que) eosdem in causa suisse quòd Dominus Pindar pecuniis sibi debitis prorsus orbatus fuerit.

Regula. In jure Civili receptum est, Quoties per cum, cujus interest conditionem non impleri, fiat quo minùs impleatur, perinde haberi ac si conditio impleta fuisset.

Adeo ut haec regula contra Hollandos valeat, ac si idem ab illis factum esset.

Quid? quod communis ratio ostendit Hollandos qui praedictas naves praedatoriè ce­perunt, retinuerunt, ad usum suum converterunt, nec passi sunt ad Londinum reverti, causari non posse aliquid contra Dominum Pindar eò quòd ad Londinum non redierint. Hoc enim esset, contra regulam Juris & aequitatis fructum capere ex dolo suo pro­prio.

5. Quinto loco objisiunt, Syngrapham sive ladenturam Emptionis & Venditionis inter Gulielmum Courten, & Dominum Edw. Littleton, datum 26. Apr. 1662. non aliud voluisse, quàm ut caveretur ei, contra sponsiones & Fidejussiones; dictum (que) Dominum Littleton nihil pecuniarum pro Domino Courten persolvisse quo tempore facta est alienatio ad Pergens. Proinde Dominum ad naves praedictas & bona nondum â Domino Courten transiisse.

Huic Objectioni suprà satis responsum est; Nimirum Gulielmum Courten, per Sigil­lationem & traditionem Indentntae, sese omni dominio spoliasse, nihil (que) juris habuisse quo tempore dicitur fuisse facta translatio ad Pergens.

6. Sexte, objicitur, Quòd si jus Domini Edvardi Littleton aut cujusvis alterius pro­prietarii admittatur, tamen nova alicui allegationi aut praetensioni locum non esse, eò quòd Vendicatio non delata fuerit ad Anglos & Batavos Deputatos An. 1654. prout secundum Articulum Tractationis Cromwellianae tricesimum fieri oportuit.

Verùm hane Objectionem Articulus Tractationis inter Sacram Majestatem suam & Ordines Provinciarum Confoed. initae, decimus quintus, prorsus tollit, utpote in quo hanc Exceptionem reperire est. (Hoc excepto, quod scilicet qui se jacturam passos dicunt in duabus Navibus, viz. Bona Adventurà, & Bona Esperanza, poterunt litem in­ceptam prosequi.)

7. Septima Objectio est, Rescriptum sive Commissionem fundaum super Lege ad­versum Decoctores Lata, quod attinet, nec Statuta nec Consuetudinos Angliae locum habere posse in Germania Iuferiori, ubi omnia secundum Jus Civile & Gentium ju­dicantur.

Resp. Jus Civile & Gentium de decoctoribus aliquid statuisse, eos infamia notatos velle, bona Creditoribus distribuenda adjudicare, ipsis interdixisse ne quos clandesti­nos contractus, compositiones, &c. quae Creditoribus obesse possint, post decoctionem compertam faciant.

Et hujus quidem rei Societas Hollandica (vel secundum id quod ponunt in hac sep­tima Object.) notitiam habere debuit.

8. Octavò & ultimo objiciunt, si concedatur Dominum Courten solvendo impa­rem fuisse, quo tempore facta est ad Pergens alienatio, societati illud innotescere non [Page 122] potuisse, nempe cum incapacem redditum esse ad transferendum dominium alicujus rei quam in Provinciis Confoederatis haberet.

1 Cui Objectioni respondetur primo societatem cognoscere debuisse quid in hujus­mod casibus Jus Civile & Consuetudo Gentium sanciverit, quorum vi decoctores omni jure transferendi bona sua etiam in Germania inferiori privantur.

2 Juris (quod obtenditur) à Domino Courten ad Pergens translationem, non fu­isse factam ante annum 1645 & 1647. Quo tempore Domino Courten nihil prorsus juris erat aut tituli ad naves, bona, &c. praedicta; fiquidem omne jus suum & domi­nium, (quemádmodum suprà ostensum) ad Dominum Edvardum Littleton, & Do­minum Paulum Pindar, antea, viz. Anno 1642. transtulisset, concessisset, & alie­nasset.

Et hic locum habet generalis Regula Juris recepta inter Gentes, Nemo plus juris in alium transferre potest quam ipse habeat.

3. Societati significatum fuisse Dominum Courten totum jus suum multò ante ad Dominos Edvardum Littleton, & Paulum Pindar transmisisse, adeó (que) ad Pergens prorsus nullum transferre potuisse; nec Pergens potestatem habere tractandi cum ipsis; quod si quid ita tractaretur, irritum & nuslum fore. Quare si his monitis neglectis, posteà obstinato animo ad contrahendum cum dicto Pergens processerint An. 1647. ipsi in culpa sunt ut qui exiguo vel nullo pretio illud ab homine comparare voluerint, penes quem nullum esset aut jus aut dominium.

Unde hîc Regulae locus,

Adde quod societas (uti accepimus) gnara vitiosam effe dicti Pergens potestatem, cautionem sumserit de restituendo pretio si contractus in ipsorum damnum cederet.

Quare cum Objectionibus singulis responsum sit, humiliter concludimus, praedictis Objectionibus vel eorum qualibet (quae certè nobis invalidae contra Petitores viden­tur) neutiquam obstantibus,

Praedictos Dominum Joannem Ayton, Dominum Carew, Dominum Whitaker, & Socios, jus habere repetendi restitutionem, emendationem, & satisfactionem a praedicta societate, pro damno & jactura praedictarum Navium, Bonorum, Mercium, &c.

Subscript. in presentia nos J. Daniel, Will. Allen. Notar. Public. 1662.

26. April. 18. Carol. 1.

William Courten being indebted to several persons, and Sir Edw. Littleton being bound for him to them, William Courten grants (in­ter alia) the two Ships Bona Esperanza, and Henry Bona Adventure of London, with the Fraight, Stock, Merchandizes, and Poli­ces of Assurance.

This Grant is made in consideration of 20. 5. and in general, for other considerations, provided if that William Courten or his Execu­tors, &c. pay the Debts within twenty seven Months and save Sir Edward Littleton harmless, that then the Grant to be void.

19. Decemb. 18. Carol. 1.

William Courten, and Sir Edward Littleton reciting the first Deed and a great Debt of 24000. l. for a further security of that Debt, grant to Sir Paul Pindar his Executors and Assigns, all the Ships Apparel, Stocks of Merchandize, and the Polices of Assurance, and all their interest therein under divers Agreements; the Effect whereof is, that Sir Edward Littleton shall and may order and dis­pose of the said Returns for Pindar's satisfaction, by several propor­tions out of each Ship, and the Residue to be to Sir Edward Little­ton for the purposes in the Indenture, and several other agreements; by all which it appears that Sir Paul Pindar was not to have more [Page 124] then satisfaction of his Debt, but after that satisfied in such man­ner as is expressed in the Indenture, the benefit of the Surplus was to be for Sir Edward Littleton and William Courten.

The Debts for which Sir Edward Littleton was bound, are not discharged within the 27. Months, nor are yet discharged, as ap­pears by the Bonds, Counterbond and Outlawries upon record.

Then the ship Bona Esperanza is surprized in an hostile manner by the Subjects of Holland, and the Bona Adventure and her goods also taken into their possession.

1648. William Courten as is pretended in Holland, Assigns his Interest, and all the Stock, &c. to James Pergens, who makes Composition for the same. ‘The Question propounded is, Whether the Assignment or Transport to Pergens be valid, and the Composition made by him be good or no? or, Whether the Grant or Transport to Sir Edward Littleton, or by him and William Courten to Sir Paul Pindar be good or no?’

We conceive that both Questions fall into one, for if Littleton's or Pindar's Grant or Transport be valid, Pergen's Transport and Composition is void against Pindar and Littleton, and so è convenio.

We conceive that by the Common Law of England, there can no doubt be made, but that the interest and property of the ships and Merchandize in them, are really and effectually conveyed and trans­ferred first unto Littleton, and then unto Sir Paul Pindar; and al­though it be so done under certain Conditions, or Provisoes, and A­greements, yet till performance of such Proviso by Courten in Little­ton's Case, the interest remained in Littleton, and when that condi­tion was not performed (as to this day it is not) the Grant becomes an absolute Grant, and Courten or his Assigns can never avoid it.

And as for Pindar's Grant, it is absolutely good, but the person of Pindar is subject after satisfaction made to him of his Debt, to give an accompt, and make satisfaction to Courten and Littleton, but that Power of drawing Pindar to accompt, no way lessens Pindar his right and property, he is perfectly Proprietarius by the Law of England.

And this being a Contract in England by Subjects of the Crown of England, and touching their own interest, we see not how it can be otherwise interpreted.

When Courten grants his interest to Littleton, it hath no condi­tion, but that if Courten pay the Debts within the time limited, when that time is expired, and no payment made, the legal interest is absolutely out of Courten, and becomes Pindar's, not as Assignee of Courten, but as Assignee of Littleton; yet 'tis true, that Pindar after satisfaction to him of his Debts, was to make satisfaction of the surplusage, but not at all till such satisfaction.

Then Courten's Assignees can have no more or greater interest then himself had, nor could transfer any property to Pergens, because he himself had no property in the thing, but only a possibility or [Page 125] power to call Pindar to accompt for surplusage after satisfaction of Pindar's Debt, and not before.

As to these Eight Objections raised by the Hollanders,

They are of no value in our Law.

[Page 126] First, The possession by the Law of England goeth with the proper­ty, and where the right or property is, there by our Law is the possession, unless some other Person obtain actual Possession as a Trespasser; and indeed for Lands in some tuses, Delivery of pos­session is requisite, but never for Goods, the Master may sell his Goods in the Servants or Factors Custody as well as if they were in his own hands.

2. A Grant for Security of Debts, is as good as an absolute Grant to the end intended, till the Debts be discharged.

3. As for the Objection that Sir Paul Pindar was to have advan­tage of the Polices of Assurance, that is far from being solid, be­cause no advantage can be of the Police without the renunciation of the property, so without the latter he cannot have the former.

4. Though Sir Paul Pindar could not claim his payments until some Months after Arrival, yet that doth not weaken his security, therefore the taking of the Ship and goods is a damage to him, for which he is to be relieved. The fifth is answered before.

As to the questions of State, or Civil Law, it's proper for other persons to make Answer thereunto.

8. It behoves every man to take notice of anothers right, who meddles with the thing wherein another hath right; it is a bad de­fence for one Trespasser, to say, I have satisfied another man for it, & it cannot be just when one man is intituled to a satisfaction for a wrong done him, that it should lay in the Trespassees power to make the person wronged remedilesse by payment to another person; an English mans head being broken, cannot be cured by a Playster ap­plyed to a Dutch mans head.

Subscribed in the presence of us J. Daniel, Will. Allen. Notar. Public. 1662.

1. YOu shall take into your Custody and under your Charge, all the Goods, Monies and Merchandizes, and other means which already are at Carwarr, belonging unto me, or that shall here­after belong unto me, or others for my use, from other places to be Consigned unto you, or under your Command, to other persons belonging to this Imployment, and in service of this Factory. You shall likewise in case of Mortalitie, make and appoint Chief for every of the Factories on the Coast of India, which do belong to my Imployment; And for misdemeanors, have power to displace the Chief of the said Factories, And with the advice of your Councel, place fitter persons in their rooms: with other Factories from Rajapore to Ceylon, and up in the Countrey; Who are to acquaint you from time to time, the state of business, and yearly send up their Books to Carwarr, to be by you examined.

2. Forasmuch as no Blessing is to be expected but from God, You shall provide that the Service of God be duly performed, in the house twice a day, according to the Liturgy of the Church of England: To the performance whereof, be careful to call all the whole Houshold together, suffering none of the People to absent themselves from Prayer or di­vine Service, unless by sickness, or any other urgent occasion, which must be a sufficient cause, or punish the negligent according to the quality of the omission; Every Sabboth-day call the whole Houshold together, and imploy the Forenoon and Afternoon in Prayer, hearing of Sermons, or Chapters of the Holy Scriptures read, and other devout Exercises, until it shall please God to allow you a Minister, for the fuller execution of Divine Service.

3. You shall have to your Councel the rest of the Merchants of the Factory, with all other Merchants of Ships and Factories belonging to this Employment; Then presently with them debate and resolve concerning Trade and other matters; and in case of equal Voices, you shall have two Voices, a casting Voice besides your own: The second of this Factory shall be Accomptant General, and keep the Books of Business done in this and other Factories. The third person shall be Secretary, to write Letters and keep Cor­respondence with all places which have to doe with this Factory. The fourth person shall be Cash-keeper, and daily make up his Accompt with the Accomptant General. The fifth person in the Factory shall be Ware-house-keeper, and daily give over to the Ac­comptant General what parcels of Goods received or delivered, to be book'd in his Jour­nal and Lidger.

4. If any more persons be in the Factory bearing the name of Merchants, they must be employed by Order of you and and your Councel, about such business as their abilities and the time shall most require; And when there are less persons then five in the Facto­ry of the quality of Merchants, (then you shall report the business among those present according to every one his skill and abilities, bearing your self such a part as may be requisite; which four persons more or less to bear the said Offices, shall be elected by you and your Councel; and any one departing out of the Factory, shall give up Accompt of his Administration, and another by you and your Councel Elected and put in his room as afore­said; The Chief of the Factory or Agent at Carwarr, (which now is appointed to be Mr. John Farren) at his arrival shall not be nominated by other than my self. But in case of Mr. Farren his departing this Life, before he comes there, then at the coming away of Leo­nard de Woodman, (who is now sent for home) the Factory shall be governed by the Second, untill further Order by next Shipping, which Second is to be chosen by a Consul­tation of all the Merchants, and is to execute the Orders with the Power given to Mr. Farren. And in case that Leonard de Woodman be deceased, or come home with Capt. [Page 131] Hall, and another left Agent by Mr. Hall, then such person shall be removed to be Chief at Batticalla after Mr. Farren's Arrival at Carwarr.

5. Your Accomptant-general, or second Person of the Factory shall keep exact and true Books of Accompts, of all Goods, Monies, Debts and other means to me belonging, under your Receipt of this Factory, charging distinctly every parcel and quantity of Pepper, Saltpeter, and other Goods bought; and Cloth, Lead, and Iron and other Com­modities received for me and others, discharging the same when you Ship away your India Goods, or sell Europe Commodities: He shall also keep an Accompt of all the per­sons now in the Factory, or hereafter to come there, giving them Credit within the line, and not the summe drawn out with the rest of the Credit aboard the Ship, or in the Facto­ries whence they come, the Accompt it self being Copied at large in the Jornal, and in the Lidger brought into a summe within the line pro Memoratum as aforesaid, for that this Factory is not to be Charged with Ship and other Factories debts; but withal it's fit that in the giving any one his Accompt, there should be remembered whence he comes, and how much due to him in the last Ship or Factory, when any person of the Factorie takes up Monies or Goods, (which must not be otherwise than for necessaries) such Money or Goods must be charged to his Accompt, and acknowlegement taken in the Receipt Book; and at the departing of any person from the Factory, his Accompt must be ballanced and he made Creditor for his wages, during the time of his abode there, the Copie thereof delivered unto him with your Name, and the rest of your Councels hands there­unto; and another Copy thereof must be sent home to me. If the Party departs this life, his Accompt as aforesaid, with his Will and Inventory of his goods and Clothes must be sent home and a Copy delivered to the Executors (if any present) his Goods and Clothes first being sold, and the proceed thereof brought to his Accompt. The Accomptant General shall take and examine the Books of Accompt which yearly shall be sent unto this Factory, from the Factories of Rajapore, Rabag, Batticalla, Camiavore, and others when more settled; the Contents of which Books he shall extract and carry over into the Books of Carwarr, of which Carwar-Books, Copies must still be ready to send home to me, by every Ship that comes home, and belonging to this Imployment; which Copy of Books shall be by you, and the rest of your Councel perused and signed by every one of the Councel.

6. The Secretary shall keep all the Letters with some directed to this Factory, and Copy the same into a Book; He shall also write all the Letters which from this Factory must be writ to me and others in India, of which Letters, true Copies shall likewise be Re­gistered into a Book; and he must be careful to seal no Letters, untill the same be per­used by you and the Councel, and the hands of all them of the Councel then present, thereunto, with the Secretary his own hand last of all. He shall also make all the Wills and Inventories of sick and deceased people of this Factory, whereof he is to keep a true Register; He shall also keep the Book of Consultations, and a Book or Jornal of Day-observations, touching Trade, News, or other daily passages, the Copy of all which Books, the Secretary shall at all times have in a readiness, and send home the same to me by every homeward-bound Ship; which Copies must first by you, and the rest of your Councel, be perused and signed, as in the fifth Article.

7. The Cash-keeper must keep the Cash-book at large by Jornal and Liger, Charg­ing every Coin, as Pagoes, Santomees, Rialls of eight, Larrees and other small Monies on its several Accompt, with the quantity of the parts, for the receipt, and discharg­ing the same against its particular Accompt, when payment shall be made thereof; the parcell of which Cash-book, must every day before night be brought unto the Jornall, by the Accomptant Generall. The Steward shall keep his books of house expence at large, and bring in the Weeks charge thereof unto the Accomptant to be entred in his Jornal and Lidger of which Cash and Stewards book, a Copy must be constantly in readinesse, and after Examination and under written by you and the rest of your Councell, be sent home to me by every Ship which is homeward bound.

8. The Ware-house keeper shall keep a Ware-house-book, wherein at large shall be charged what Goods he receiveth into his Custody, which shall be discharged again, when he delivereth the same to be Shipped, or to those who buy the Commodity, noting every [Page 132] particular of Condition, Quantity and Quality of the Goods, and Copying every particu­lar Invoyce of Cloth and other Goods into his book, On the left side the parcell received, and on the right side the parcell delivered or Ship'd away, and of every parcell delivered and received, he shall not omit to give daily before night, particular notice to the Ac­comptant to be entered in his Jornall and Lidger. He must also keep a book of Charge upon Merchandizes, which he shall weekly sum up, and bring the same to the Accomptant to be entred in his Jornall. He shall also keep a book of Presents, wherein shall be charged the presents given, with a large Expression to whom, and to what end. And in the Cre­ditors side, bring in the presents received and retorned with a specification how they were disposed, of which Ware-house book, Charge of Merchandize and Presents, Copy must be had constantly in readinesse to send at the comming away of every Ship signed and sent home.

9. Instruct and cause to be instructed all the Young Merchants and Youths, resorting unto this Factory, not onely to keep their books exactly, but also to buy and sell all home and East-India Commodities, with the knowledge of Weights, Measures, Moneys, and Coins used there abouts, and other needfull parts to be performed in this Imployment, let the Youths and other the Young Merchants which are best able, learn the Sundry langua­ges, be instructed to speak, read, and write the same language, that hereafter all busi­nesses may be done and performed by them, without fear of being deceived by the cozening Brokers and false Linguists, let me yearly be informed of the ability of every one, not only in the Country language, but also in his books and industry in dealing with the Countrey People, and dispatching of businesse, thereby to know who may be preferred upon all occasions.

10. At every time when occasion presents, to send home Letters, do not neglect to Advise me of all particulars of my businesse, chiefly by the homeward bound Ships of this Imployment; And when you write by the East-India Company Ships, by the Holland Ships, Portugalls, or Danes and French Ships, or by land as hereafter expressed. You shall use the Figures and Ciphers, to deprive our back friends of the Contents, when per­haps they may get our Letters into their hands, you may write home by Land Via Surratt or Persia, sending your letters to Balsora in the bottom of the Gulf of Persia, to be directed to the Consull for the English Nation at Aleppo, to be further conveyed to me by way of Venice, Lyvorne, and Marsellia, or else to write by Ship from Scanderoone, you may also write home by way of the Red-Sea, to be further conveyed to Grand Cairo in AEgypt, by the bottom of the Red Sea: This to be directed to Sir Alexander Pagetti, a Venetian Merchant, and Consull of that Nation, with order to send the letters to Alexandria, and further to Venice, Livorne or Marsellia, to be conveyed unto me.

11. In House expence be frugall untill further encrease of Trade, you shall not adde to the building of Carwarr house, content your self with the house you already built at Car­warr, onely if you want Ware-house to preserve the Goods you procure for England, and other places, let convenient rooms be made, also for the Salt-Peter man what is requisite to the furthering of his work; but in digging of Ponds, Tanks, building Bridges, and other needlesse charges, do not imploy the Stock which is to be invested in Commodities? Be not too liberall in presenting, for it is frugality which makes a Trade rich, and when presents returns to you and others under your Command, let them not be applyed to any mans particular use, but brought into Accompt and Registred in the books of presents.

12. Suffer no man belonging to this or other Factories, to Trade, for himself, his Friends, or any body else, besides what is done for my Accompt: when any body is found possessed with Money or Goods or both to be invested in Trade as aforesaid, You shall take such Goods and Moneys from him, and dispose thereof to my use, giving the Possessor a receipt for the same, signed by you and the most part of your Councell, for which I promise to make satisfaction to the parties here at home at the first Ships return.

13. You shall direct all your returns, Bills of Lading, Letters, Books and Accompts, Marked with the Mark in the Margin unto me, and order the letters directed unto any else in England and Europe not to be delivered, before the same be brought to my hands, and order from me procured for the delivery thereof (which order you must renew at every Ships homeward dispatch) neither shall you disclose there in the Indies by letters, words, [Page 133] or actions; the State of businesse to Brokers, Merchants, and other the Countrey people, and lesse to the Hollander, French, Portugalls, Danes, or English, and other employed in the East-India Companies service, for the old or new Stock.

You must be industrious and secret in all your dealings in all your Trade, for it much concerns me to have the secrecy thereof reserved to myself, and the men by me employed, and when any letters come to your hands sealed and directed to me from some body in this employment, you shall not offer to open the same, neither detain it in your hands, but send the same letters sealed as you receive them, by all the speedyest conveyance you can unto me, neither shall you open nor detain the letters which I send, to the persons employed in this Service, but send or deliver the same sealed according to direction with all speed possible, unlesse that such persons were deceased, run away, or come home, before you receive such letters for them, in which case you may open the letters to take course according as shall be required.

14. When you arrive in safety at Carwarr, you shall take full Information from Wil­liam Gorle, and the rest of the Merchants (the state of businesses thereof) with their advice, and with the advice of Mr. Hogg proceed in the disposing of the Hesters lading for Monies, and in Trucke for Pepper, Cinamon, Endicoe, Callicoes, and other goods to be had there, and call the said Gorle and all others which had charge committed to them, and of him receive the Patent of the Great Seal of England, for your proceeding at Carwarr. You shall leave such order at Cannanore, as with the advice of all the Mer­chants, and Mr. Hogg shall find to tend to the most advantage of the imployment, and leave William Gorle chief, to whom you shall deliver my Orders and Instructions for his Government, and settle the rest of his Councell, according to the form therein specified, with Copy of the same Instructions to the rest of those whom it concerns.

15. From Cannanore you shall proceed with the Hester to Cocheen, to put off such quantities of your Cloth, Iron, Lead, and Baies as the place most vents, and being need­full, leave there of your Merchants for the disposing thereof, where you shall keep a faire Correspondence with Senior Francisco Quetho de Legorn, who was very Courteous to assist the Ships William, Planter, and Hester, you may agree for a good quantity of Cinamon, Pepper, and Callicoes, which at the return of the Ship from the Northward may be received in case there were not ready sufficient for the present; You may treat farther about the Freight which last year was propounded by all the chief Merchants of Cocheen for China, Japan, or Macasser, as appears by their letters to me, whereby they promise to take a good parcell of Stammells and Venice red Clothes, you may see by the Freights agreed by Capt. Weddall at Goa what to ask, which if you obtain, no better employment is to be expected for the Ships.

16. Failing at Cocheen of a China Freight, or in case of agreement, you must take so much time as may bring you to Carwarr, where you shall repair to Mr. Leonard de Woodman, deliver to him my letter, and receive from him my Patent under the Great Seal, and all the Instructions which he had from me, or from Cap. Hall; all which hav­ing received from him, you shall take into your Custody all his books and writings, and for his person send him aboard the first Ship which then shall be readiest homeward bound. Being thus aboard you shall charge him with the particulars in your Note for that pur­pose, and in the Jornall of Richard Goodwin, the charge upon oath of Simon Graye, the note of Bobshenny broker of Carwarr, and the Notes of Anthony Martin, and of his several Answers keep a true Register, which you shall send home in Authentique manner; his books you shall examine, and finding any Errour, Dubious, or false parcell, let the same Authentiquely appear, and send them home by the first homeward bound Ships, and the Copy by the next Ships; Mr. Leonard de Woodman himself, you shall send home in such degree as he shall propose himself upon Examination of his charge, if Guilty, then send him home Prisoner, if clear himself of all, then send him home chief Merchant as you found at first at Carwarr, to inform me by word of mouth of the Trade up in the Countries where he oftentimes travelled. In case of your first arrivall Mr. Woodman were at Rabagg, or elsewhere in the Country, you must send as soon as you arrive an Expresse for him to come down to consult together for the good of the Voyage, and being come down proceed as afore­said, if he refuses to come down, you must send up to Court for a Warrant, and mean while [Page 134] charge all the men in this Imployment in the Country by vertue of your Commission, and in his Majesties name to follow your direction, and thus force him to come down; mean while you must not apply your self so much upon these particulars, as to neglect other business of venting goods, and procuring lading for the Loyaltie and Unitie for England, and for the Hester for such places as you shal resolve to send her, with the advice of Mr. Hogge, and the rest of the Merchants.

17. When you have placed your self at Carwarr, and settled the Government prescribed by these Instructions you shall erect a factory at Batticalla, and amongst other Merchants send Anthony Martin to reside there, because that he speaks the Country language, and was there from the beginning, till the demolishing of the house. The Pepper about Bati­cola is very good, but not so good as that which comes from Rabagg and Houbilee, never­theless procure a Quantity, for when it costs but 30. Pag. at Candee, it is far better then to pay 36. and 38. Pag. at Rabagg and Houbilee, besides the carriage down and the Customes to be paid upon the way.

18. You shall send for Peter Demaisters, who is at present Chief at Rabagg, to come to you, and send in his room to be chief there William Hicks, and in case he should be deceased or returned, such other persons as you shall find able for that place, for that the Hollanders which lye there, strive to under-sell and over-buy all Commodities, and being Crafty Fellows, with their Insinuations and other sinister and underhand dealings, come to know of Mr. Woodman and Peter Demaisters the very secrets of this Imployment; therefore it behoves you to place one there, able to discover their underminings, and Encounter with their dealings, Peter Demaister will do more Service under you at Carwarr.

19. You shall settle Mr. Albion Mottershed at Rajapore, with the rest of the Mer­chants, in that form of Government in the Instructions for the Factory expressed: And take up the Accompt of his dealings from the beginning untill now, for that I have as yet received none.

20. It is left to your Judgement and choice, whether to settle one or more factories upon the Coasts of India, or Cocheen, Coulan, Calepatan, Dabull, or within the Coun­trey at Dichallee, Houbilee, or other places where the Pepper growes, what you resolve with the advice of your Councell, let it tend to the most benefit of this Imployment, and be cautious in settling of Factories, that the charge of the place be not more then the profits to be expected from thence.

21. The Ship Loyalty is fraughted by the Tonne at 21 l. per Tonne, Pepper 14. C. ½C. per Tonne, Cinamon at 16. C. per Tonne, Saltpeeter at 20. C. per Tonne, and other goods accordingly; She is to stay from her first arrival in India, the space of four Moneths to be unladen and to relade home; and if not dispatched within that time, then to stay on demorage for six Moneths certain, and eleven Moneths at the most at 300 l. per Moneth. The Unity is fraighted by the great, at 2900 l. for the whole fraight home, she is to stay in India, she is to stay there untill the first of January, if arrives there before the first of October, and if comes later to Rajapore, then to stay three moneths unlading and relading and dispatch; and if within that time the Ship should not be dispatch'd, then to remain upon Demorage for six Moneths certain, and twelve Moneths at the most, 150 l. per Moneth; the Copy of the Charter party you shall find amongst the rest of your Papers, but the Charter party of the Unity is sent by that Ship to Mr. Albion Motter­shed, by the same Charter parties you shall find the conditions more at large expressed. Endevour to lade home the two said fraighted Ships, before they enter upon Demourage, and put aboard the Unity about 80 tonnes of Salt-Peeter or more, to bring her down, and be carefull to have the Ship well filled with Pepper, Cinamon, and other light goods, because that I am to pay no more for 180 Tonnes, then for 100 Tonnes; see that the Hold be not imployed to stow Ships provision, let it be contracted to narrow compasse, and cause all Bulk-heads in hold, made for outward accommodation, to be taken down; and if the Bread­room be too big, fill the same with goods or other provisions, the Loyalty being by the tonne is not materiall to make her stowe so much and full.

22. During the time of the unlading and relading of the two said Ships, you shall send them both to the Southward and Northward, with direction to gather part of their lading, [Page 135] mean while let the Hester gather lading also for them, and get such quantity of Goods down to Carwarr betimes, to be laden before she enters into Demorage to be excused of 1800 l. which I shall be forced to pay for six dayes Demorage, as you may farther per­ceive by Charter party; then you may do me a wondrous good Service in dispatching the two fraighted Ships home, and better in lading home all three, which shall recommend to your Diligence, Industry, and Care.

23. In case that the Loyalty onely could be dispatch'd home, for I shall expect her at least, because it concerns me in the highest degree to have returns next Summer, then you shall employ the Unity upon fraight to Persia, Red Sea, Cambaiae, Acheen, or China, in Company of the Hester to the most benefit, and when you may get so much or more, as may cleer the 150 l. per Moneth, which I must pay for Demourage, but if no profitable fraights are to be expected, you may lade her with Cotten, Gum-lack on Sticks, Cas­sumba, Turmerick, and other goods vendible at Acheen, and send her thither consign'd to Mr. Henry Glascock, Cheif of the Factory there; You must send for Acheen also, by the Unity or Hester, all the Amber remaining at Carwarr, a parcell of Iron, Lead, and Cloth, and mean while procure her lading home against Christs-tide, 1643.

24. Provide for the homeward bound Ships, about 1000. Candees Salt-peeter, which Costs at Houbilee 3½ and 4 Pagoes a Candee, which Salt-peeter you must cause to be refined by the Salt-peeter man, which goes with you, let it be refined 30 per cent. finer, then what came by the William and Hester, for the finer it is the better for sale, lesse fraight and custom. Against next year, you shall provide another 1000. Candees Salt­peeter, which must be ready in the house before the Ships arrive out of England, and refined at leasure; You must also provide a good parcell of Pepper for these homeward bound Ships, and no lesse then 800. Candees which must be very well sifted, clear from dust, and all the light Pepper or empty Husks fanned or milled out of it, for it is better to throw away the dust and light Pepper, then to bring it home to England, although I be­lieve it will yield something in India, for dust is now worth the 1/10 part of good Pepper, neither is light Pepper worth above the 1/3 part of good Pepper, which dust and light Pepper pays as much custom and more fraight then good Pepper, for the light Pepper requires three times more room then good Pepper, so that the price of light Pepper which is here 6 d. whereas the price of good Pepper is 18 d, per pound, but the custom thereof is 3 d. and the fraight 3 d. ½ per pound; And for light Pepper 9⅜ which with the custom makes 128 d. doubled the proceed besides 6 d. first Cost. The Cinamon which you buy must also be stickt, garbled, and all the black and thick sticks refused, and if bought in a parcell together, 'tis better to throw them away then to bring them home, for the consideration mentioned in the light Pepper; You have John Smith a Grocer by Trade, who may con­stantly be employed about the Garbling and chusing of Pepper and Cinamon: Pepper of Cannanore, Callicutt, and Coulan, sells here a penny in a pound cheaper then that which comes from Rabagg, Houbilee or thereabouts.

25. By the Musters of Drugs and in the Instructions in 23 several papers, you may perceive what Drugs fit for this place with price and quantity, you have Stephen Hill Druggist, who may be employed in the choice and ordering thereof, and buy such parcels as you find exprest when it may be done to profit, and send the same home by every home­ward bound Ship, besides you must provide for Acheen, a good parcell of Turmerick, Gum­lack, Mastick and Cassumba, which is a dry flower dying Yellow, which you may also suffer to be garbled by your Druggist, Cotten which Costs at Houbilee 2½ pagoes a Candee, must also be provided for Acheen, Turmerick Costs at Rabagg 6. in 7. Pagoes a Candee, Gumlack on sticks at Houbilee 11 in 12 Pagoes a Candee. In the buying of Pepper, Ci­namon, and other goods, take heed to buy none when they be most wet or watered, whereby 20 per cent. may be lost, and more may be lost on the weight, but bespeake if they are found moist, wet, or watered, they shall make allowance, which may be tryed in weighing of 100 l. neat, and drying the same upon a Sail three or four dayes during the time of the Sun shining hot, and after three or four dayes drying, weigh what the same loses from the 100 l. aforesaid, and so a present experience may be made upon a Muster of a pound dryed by a fire. If Endicoe flat, and which may be had at about 100 Pagoes a Candee you may have a parcell and send by the homeward Ships, and send home also a parcell of Callicoes [Page 136] made thereabouts, that the sorts and prices may be known, or order great parcels here­after: inquire what Sugar to be had in the Countrey, and what price, for I understand that great store of Goox or Jaggrye may be had all the Countrey over at cheap rates, which being so, it may turn to Accompt to send a Sugar-refiner to buy and refine the Sugar there, both to save fraight and custom: Inquire also what Bee-Wax may may be bought for, and whether quantities may be had, it yeilds here alwayes 5 l. per cent.

26. Endevour with all the Industry you have, to sell all the Commodities which are consigned unto you for Money, or in Truck for money and Goods, as above expressed, and such other as hereafter you shall be informed here or at Acheen, it's not safe to keep home Commodities unsold above 12 Moneths after landing thereof, for besides the perishing of Cloth, commonly Goods kept long sell at last cheaper then the first profer, and the yearly supply from home considered, goods are not like to rise in price with keeping, Moreover the proceed thereof lyeth dead, which otherwise may be employed in Commodities for Europe or Acheen, so that you may conclude it is better to lose 50 per cent. upon goods, then to keep them 12 months unsold. By the Invoyce of the Hester, Unity, & Loyalty, you may perceive what kind of Commodities are sent from hence, per next return advise me what other goods may be sold for profit, and be diligent to find out the Trade of the place and Country to the full, and let me know whether Lead in Pigs of 300 l. sell not for as much as Pigs of 100 l. or Bars of 14 or 16 l. for betwixt Bars and Pigs here is always 14 d. per cent­weight difference, that the Bars cost more. Also the price of Corrall Beads, and whether a great difference be betwixt deep Red coloured and a pale coloured, though the Beads be of one and the same bignesse; Which sort of Beads and bignesse thereof sells with you, and what quantities a year, for being very deere I must be fully informed of the price and request before can resolve to send a considerable parcell: next year intend to send out a good parcell of Corrall, mean while you may put off all the Corrall you find unsold in any one of the Factories.

27. You must be carefull to have all the Cloth of all the three Ships ayred as soon as you come into hot Countries and in Sultry weather; You have a Packer named William Gerishe, who with his Presse may Pack up the Cloth again, as it was before; which he may also effect a shore, and be constantly employed about keeping the Cloth in good order.

28. You shall deliver a Copy of these Instructions, to all the Merchants of your Coun­cell at Carwarr, and send the Copy by the Loyalty, with the Copy of the Charge of Mr. Woodman, and all the other papers to be directed to all the other Merchants at Carwarr to be penned in a consultation of all the Merchants both of the shore, and of the Ships pre­sent, and to rule themselves accordingly, in the settling a Councel and Government as is prescribed; In case your Ship should arrive upon the Coast sooner then the Hester, or else the Hester miscarry, or lose her Monsoones, or that (which God forbid) you should depart this life before your comming to Carwarr.

29. By the premisses you are certified of the general heads of this businesse, of this Imployment, which strive to perform to my most advantage, and for what omitted, or else herein contained, which might be contrary to the most beneficial course, you shall have in all times power, (with the advice of your Councel) to alter and redresse the same, and to resolve for the best, which your resolutions I approve, as if hereby prescribed, conditionally that all times when such happen, you shall Register such Consultations with the hands of the Merchants present, and therein also inserted the reasons why so resolved, in opposi­tion of all these my Orders; And beseeching God to blesse your Endevours, and Preserve you in health Remain,

That by reason of the disappointment caused through the spoiling of the Voyages of Mr. Courten's Ships: The Factors were forced to borrow money in Acheen at 10 l. per cent. a Moneth, which is the usual rate of moneys in those parts, and for want of sup­plies their Credit dayly impaired, untill at last the whole Trade and Factories were overthrown.

I Underwritten John Darrell of the Parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London, Mer­chant, do Testifie and declare upon my corporal Oath, that according to Articles and Covenants with William Courten late of London Merchant, I set Sayle from the Downes for the East-Indies, in the Month of April 1644. in the Fraighted Ship Loyalty, (with Cap. John Durson Commander) in the Imployment of the said William Courten and Company; and in September following, I arrived in the said Ship at Jettapore in India, and going up to Rajapore, acquainted Mr. Courten's chief Agent (Mr. John Farren) therewith, who by his Letter (contrary to Expectation) certified us of the sad and distressed condition of Mr. Courten's Factors and Factories, by reason of divers and several Losses and spoils of their Ships and Voyages, trading to and again for China and parts adjacent; and that since the losse of the Ships Dragon and Katharine, the Dutch East-India Company had violently taken the Bona Esperanza, and seized the Merchan­dize and Ships provisions of the Henry Bonadventure, and assailed Capt. Blackman Commander of the Ship called the Great William, who very narrowly escaped firing or sinking in the Straights of Mallacca, as they themselves and divers others very cre­dibly reported in India to me this Deponent,

Whereby I do further declare and assert, that all supplyes were wholly prevented (and the said Factors wanting employment) their several remains of Goods and Mer­chandize were consumed, great Debts contracted, and the Factories, places of Trade, Customs, and Plantations of Dabull, Jettapore, Goa, Cocheen, Coulan, Batticalla, and Allepore, along the Sea-coast of India and Mallabar, with Vizipore, Rabagg, Harri­pore and Rajapore, up-land, also Acheen upon Sumatra in the Straights of Malacca, and Bellasore in the bottom of the Bay of Bengala, together with China Trade, and Madagascar plantation, all undertaken and settled by vertue of Letters Patents under the great Seal of England, granted to Sir Will. Courten, and others upon good foundations of reason and policy, yet by providence were suffered to be most wickedly destroyed to the ruine of Mr. Courten and his Family, and the inestimable Losse of the whole Kingdome.

And I do further declare, that in the year 1645. I came thence for England again in the Ship Thomas and John, and Brought home the Books of Accompts sealed up, and delivered them to Mr. Courten and his Lady, with the sad tidings and relations aforesaid.

Juratus Johannes Darrell 19^o. die mensis Martii 1662. juxta super veritate premissorum coram venerabili viro domino Gulielmo Mericke Legum Doctori & Milite Surrogato venerabilis viri Johannis Exton Legum Doctoris Supremae Curiae Admiralitatis An­gliae locum Tenentis, Judicis sive Presidentis.

Testibus,

• Samuel How
• Not. Publ.
• Mai. Cottle
• Not. Publ.

VIsà à nobis infra scriptis, copiâ cujusdam Contractus in Linguam Belgicam versi 19 Decembris Anno 1642. inter Gulielmum Courten Armigerum Londi­nensem, ab unâ, Dom. Edvardum Littleton Baronettum ab alterâ, & Dom. Paulum Pindar Londinensem a tertiâ parte initi, ut & impressa copia instru­menti procuratorii 27 Octobris 1645. à praedicto Courten ad Jacobum Pergens, concessi, copia quoque literarum à Parliamenti Superiori Camera Londini 20 Martii 1645/6 ad Residentem Strickland in favorem praedicti Courten, datarum; similiter duabus impressis copiis Epistolarum à Regiâ suâ Majestate Angliae, tam ad Dominos Ordines Generales, quam ad Residentem suum in favorem negotiorum praedicti Courten 9 Octobris 1647. Scriptarum; Item impressis copiis duorum Instrumentorum transportationis, sive trans­lationis, & procurationis, sive mandati, quorum unum praedicto Courten 10 Dec. 1647. Lond. & alterum vigesimo secundo Februarii 1648. hic Hagae Comitis in usum dicti Pergens concessum erat; porrò copiâ cujusdam Insinuationis Dominis Directoribus Soci­etatis Indiae Orientalis Amstelodami 25 Maii 1648. per Jonam Abeels Mandatarium, & procuratorem dicti Pindar, facta, ut & Arresti ejusdam primo Octobris 1648. ab ipso­met super Societate ibimet loci fieri facti, uti & certificationis à Consulibus & Rectoribus dictae Civitatis 7 Augusti 1654. datae cum insertione excerpta ex Registro causarum Judi­cialium ibi loci, in quo dictum Arrestum 13 Novembris 1648. validum declaratur; sicut etiam copiâ instrumenti renovationis dicti arresti data 2 Novembris 1649. ut & prote­statione, 11 subsequenti & diversis Excerptis ex Registro causarum Judicialium dictae Civitatis sub datis respectivis ultimo Maii, 21 Junii, 13 Septembris, & 8 Novembris, 1650, & 14 Febr. 1651. continentibus Petitionem à dicto Abeels, nomine quo supra, contra Dominos Directores Camerae praedictae, institutam, Decreto Scabinorum, in quo ista cau­sa salvo Jure Judicii in statu tenetur; praeterea excerpto ex eodem Registro sub dato 13 Septembris 1650, continente Petitionem in casu Indempnitatis contra Jacobum Per­gens, & Cautionarium ejus à Dominis Directoribus Institutam: Praetereà duobus ex­cerptis ex Indice aut Receptorio postulatorum, ex parte Mercatorum aliorumque Anglo­rum contra Populos Foederati Belgii virtute trigesimi Articuli pacis coram Commissariis hinc inde nominatis continente primo Petitionem Gulielmi Toomes executoris testa­menti dicti Pindar, quoad navem dictam de Bonne Esperance ad summam 72546. & secundo Petitionem dicti Courten, ad summam 60000 & Moultonii & aliorum propri­tariorum dictae Navis ad summam 10000 librarum Sterlingarum; ut & Copia lite­rarum à Regia sua Majestate Angliae 21 Martii 1661/2 ad Dominos Ordines Generales datarum, ut & Memoriali a Domino Residente Downing 20 Aprilis dictis Dominis Ordinibus Generalibus tradito, ut & responso dictorum Dominorum Ordinum Genera­lium ad idem dato; ut & expressis praetentionibus contra Societatem Indiae Orientalis nomine [Page 142] & ex parte praedicti Courten, & aliorum quorum interest, ratione damni in Indiis Ori­entalibus passi, motis; ut & impresso altero memoratorum Dominorum Ordinum Ge­neralium ad Memoriale Equitis Downingii dicto die Sancito & ultimo impresso responso vulgo Reply 13. Julii, & noviori memoriali primo Septembris praeterito, contra illud a dicto Domino Downing exhibito, omnibus Spectantibus ad naves dictas Bona Esperanza & Henry BonaAdventure, a dicto Courten in Indias Orientales instructas; Quarum prima est Fisco addicta; & Bona alterius postquam ad littus Insulae Mauritii pulsa esset tunc per Ministros Societatis salvata sunt, & duobus questionibus ex inde propositis, viz.

An Societas non obstante dicto contractu 19 Decemb. 1642. Insinuationibus, protes­tationibus, & Arrestis, cum dicto Courten, aut ejus Mandatario Pergens decimo octavo Septembris 1649. potuerit validé transigere.

Secundo, Num dictus Pindar aut nunc ejus Administrator non teneatur respectu soci­etatis in dictam Conventionem cum Jacobo Pergens Mandatario Courtenii, initam acquiescere.

Judicatur, salvo meliori Judicio, de dictis questionibus, Dominis Directoribus dictae societatis liberum fuisse non obstante insinuatione & protestatione vigesimo Maii; ut & Arresto primo Octobris ejusdem Anni supra Memorati, cum dicto Courten, aut ejus pro­curatore 18 Septemb. 1649. firmiter transigere.

Et consequenter dictum Pindar aut jam ejus Administratorem teneri in dictam Con­ventionem cum Pergens initam, respectu Societatis Acquiescere; Idque has ob rationes, quod, etiamsi dictus contractus decimo nono Decembris 1642. dicto Pindar titulo Empti­onis & translationis videatur dare proprietatem dictarum Navium, & Mercium in iisdem contentarum cum omnibus annexis, equidem non comperietur, realem fieri traditionem, & possessionem earundem, a Courten & Littleton, aliquo modo fuisse derelictam: Verùm è contra quidèm Expresse stipulatur Courten & Littleton constituturam, ea conditione ut Paulo Pindar ex redeunte onere Navis dictae Bonne Esperance solvant summam trium millium, & ex dicto onere Navis dictae Bonadventure 2500 librarum Anglicarum, dimidium unum intra unum, & alterum dimidium intra duos menses, post reditum, appulsum, & Exonerationem dictarum Navium Londini, aut alibi; & solutionibus it a peractis dicto Littleton tunc liberum & licitum fore omnes caeteros effectus dictarum Navium tenendi, habendi, & fruendi in suâ possessione in eam intentionem, quae magis exquisite in contractu exprimitur; sicut & inter dictas partes (non obstante quod dictas Naves dicto Pindar concesserint negotiati sint & vendiderint) expresse conventum & declaratum est ipsum Pindar nullo modo laturum aut passurum aliquod damnum aut jactu­ram quae per Naufragium aut alio modo posset emergere; sed omnia ista damna & jactu­rae si quaedam evenerint (uti jam contigit) à praedicto Courten solo ferrentur, & susti­nerentur.

Nec conceditur Paulo Pindar ut Merces redeuntes aut onustas ipse acceptet aut ven­dat quo sibi ipsi in conversione debiti sui solvat antequam dicti termini solutionis expirati essent, & dicti Courten & Littleton dictas respectivas summas ipsi Pindar non satisfe­cissent, sicut & eo casu tenetur ejus rei rationem, proventus & reliqua Littletonio reddere; uti etiam, casu Naufragij, aut hujusmodi alias infortunij nummorum assecu­ratorum, quorum Instrumenti, aut Polici ipsi quoque titulo praetenso Emptionis plus essent assecurati quam Pindar debebantur. Quo magis ex dicto contractu liquet, ipsas Obligationes & alias Certiorationes (inter eas quoque cautiones Bonnellij in contractu A. L. Intutam D. de prae­script. verb. L. si uno impune D locati & L. si olci cum Gloss. Cod. ibid Bald. in L. cum dotem in 2. Cod. de Jure dot. A. Mant. de tacit et ambig. convent. lib. 2. tit. 2. memoratas, dicti debiti sub Pindaro non obstante praetensa emptione, & translatione dictarum Navium, bonorum contentorum, redituum & chartarum, dictarum policen) mansisse, & ab ipso incassas esse detentas, ex eo quod ille Pindar circa finem dicti contractus in casu plenae solutionis dicti debiti promittit se easdem Obligationes & Certiorationes Courtenio & Littletonio traditurum.

Ex quibus omnibus constat quod quamvis verba dicti contractus, dictent, Courtenium & Littletonium Pindaro, dictas naves, merces, reditus, chartas assecuratitias, &c. Pindaro concessisse, negotiatos esse & vendidisse, reipsa equidem dicto contractu nihil aliud tractatum aut stipulatum esse, quam dicto Pindaro pro magno suo credito securi­tatem, forma enim. & effectus contractus magis inspicitur quam nominis impositio. A. vid. etiam Bald. B. ex illo textu colligit argumentum a natura actus, nam cui con­venit [Page 143] natura actus, ei convenit ejus species, etenim de natura emptionis & venditionis est ut perfecto contractu ad emptorem transeat periculum, & in cognoscendo speciem ali­cujus contractus magis attendi debere Pacta in eo apposita, quam nuda verba, docet, & pluribus exemplis illustrat post alios Mantica A.

Cum jam propriet as possessio & Administratio dictarum navium bonorum & mercium penes illum manserit, ad quem antea pertinebant & per consequentiam solus Courtenus demnum in casu Naufragij aut alij emergentis infortunij sustinere debebat, aequum erat eo casu id ipsi committere, ut liberum esset tractandi cum iis quos opinaretur sibi passum damnum reparare esse obligatos; & quoniam per suum Mandatarium cum dictae societate utilioribus conditionibus tractavit quam si actionem contra Societatem in usum assecurantium repudiâsset, & nummos assecuratitios ad summam 6600 librarum Angli­carum recepisset, aut per Pindarum recipi sivisset, eam ob causam Administrator Pinda­ri nullo cum fundamento pactum cum Societate initum quaestioni exponere potest, speciatim haud respectu Societatis quia Domini Directores neminem, ut proprietarium dictarum Navium, aut one ris earundem agnoverunt, aut agnoscere potuerunt, quam illum qui pro eo publice agnoscebatur, & valde seriosis literis tam a superiori Parliamenti Camera quam Rege Angliae sub dato 20 Martij 1641/6 & 9 Octobris 1647. recommendabatur, & cum cujus Mandatorio modò, aliquod tempus ante primam insinuationem a Jona A­beels qualitate qua 25 Maij factam, in transactione erant.

1. Sicut etiam Administrator tanto minus fundamenti habet pactum quaestioni expo­nendi primo quod dictus Abeels dictâ insinuatione non protestavit contra pactum ineun­dum cum Courten, aut ejus Mandatario, sed solum contra annumerationem nummo­rum cuidam alij quam suo Magistro D. Paulo Pindar praedicto faciendam.

Secundo Quod dictus Abeels primo Octobris in sequenti nomine quo supra, arrestari aut detineri curavit sub dictis Dominis Directoribus, omnia illa quae illi (haec sunt ver­ba dicti Instrumenti arresti) liquidatione aut conventione cum dicto Courten ineunda ra­tione dictarum duarum Navium ipsi solvere deberent. Quod Instrumentum cum eo mo­do quoque 13 Novembris 1648. in Registro causarum Judicialium annotatum fuisset, arrestum a Scabinis validum declaratum fuit.

3. Quia 2^o. Novembris 1649. nomine dicti Pindar, utpote habens actionem & tran­sportationem a dicto Courten ineunda aut (quod not andum) inita de dictis navibus & contentis bonis ipsi Courten solvere deberent.

Quarto quiae secundâ insinuatione & protestatione undecimi Novembris 1649. & per conseqúentiam post transactionem cum Pergens factam iterum inheret prioribus insinua­tionibus & árrestis a se dicta qualitate fact [...]s. Quae instrumenta útpote legitima, Dominus Downing in memoriali suo dictis Dominis ordinibus Generalibus primo Septembris prae­teriti exhibito, appellat.

Quinto (quod magis est & plaene omnem excludit contradictionem) quia dictus Abeeles in Iudicio 20. Maii Petitionem instituens contra dictos Dominos Directores rursus dictà qualitate Mandatarij Pauli Pindar, ut actionem & translationem a dictis Courten & Littleton hábentis conclusit ad agnoscendum aut negandum, at minime bona fide dictum pactum decimi noni Decembris 1642. & per consequentiam ut vocati (Gedens) Desendants. condemnarentur, secundum dictas iusinuationes & arresta, solvere sibi petit supra dicta qualitate, & provisionaliter consignare summam 85000 florenorum, quam vocati an­nuerant & in se ut solverentur ceperant pro damno & pretensionibus quae Gulielmus Courten cum suis praetendebant ratione dictarum Navium, cum usura dictae summae a die conventionis, ad realem solutionem, & ut latius ex dicto instrumento videre est. Quae causa cum dictae die in Statutis & ab ipso rursus dicta qualitate decimo Tertio Septembris 1650. in Iudicio oblata esset, & Domini Directores eo tempora contra dictum Jacobum Pergens Petitionem in casu indemnitat is instituissent & eadem causa decimo quarto Feb. 1651. ut ante it érum oblata, & in statu posita, uti ex dictis instrumentis liquet, omnia praedicta non reputari possunt, quam iterativae promulgationes dicti pacti ex parte Pindari. Et quoniam Administrator bonorum ipsius ultima conventione inter Regem Angliae, & has Provincias initâ in integrum restituitur quo ipso liberum sit litem motam (quod est, & solummodo intelligi potest, de praedicta lite coram Iudicio Civitatis Amstelodamensis a Jona Abeels nomine Pindari, contra societatem intentata, prosequi) nullas ea propter [Page 144] rationes comperimus quare aut quomódo Administrator transactionem aut conventionem cum Pergens, ut procuratore Courtenii, initam, jam contra Societatem, questioni ex­ponere aut in disputationem trahere posset.

Quod porro dictus Courten in plena possessione dictarum Navium & bonorum in iisdem onustorum manserit, & per consequentiam translatio proprietatis, juris, & actionis in di­ctas naves nihil aliud fuerit quam pignus & assecuratio pro dicto Pindar, exinde quoque apparet, quod in catalogo praetensionum quem presentes praetendentes imprimi curârunt pag 2. ponitur, Courtenium per amicos suos & correspondentes societatis BelgicaeIndicae, rogasse ut eadem vellet mandare Gubernatori Insulae dictae Mauritii, ut redderet bona servata, & commeatum nauticum e praedictâ nave Bonaventura; ut ex eo, quod ibi porro dicitur, aliam navem Bataviam dictam & ibi damno dicti Courtenii fisco addictam fuisse, & pag. 3. pro computatione Gulielmi Courten in nave Bonne Esperance onustam fuisse in Mercibus Judicis, uti supra expressis, summam 5000 librarum Anglicarum. Et quoniam tempore initae conventionis supra memoratae, naves jamdudum discesserant & in Indiis erant; ea de re sustinere quoque haud potest possessionem talium mercium per dictum contractum a Courteno in Pindarum transiisse; quin hoc dicto, quod deberet periculum & damnum quod inde emersit oneri Pindari verti, cum res unaquaeque suo Domino pereat; Quod jam contra verba contractus certaret, quin uti praedictum est, omnia damna & jacturae oneri solius Courteni redundare debebant, ea de re juxta dictam regulam quoque Dominium mansisse intelligi debet, & solummodo contractum pignorantium iniisse, ut liquide aparet ex exordio dicti contractus, ubi dicitur Pindarum cum cautione Bonnellii non esse contentum, & Courtenum & Littleton valde inclinare, ipsi talem ulteriorem securitatem in solutio­nem Crediti dandi quam fas & necesse esset; & quamvis ibi dicunt ipsi concedant negotientur & vendant naves, cum suo onere & redeuntibus bonis, quîa equidem (uti in facto informamur) naves non ad Courten aut Iattleton pertinebant & quod onustae merces imò ipsae Chartae assecuratitiae multo magis valerent, quam Creditum Pindari assurgebat quod etiam redeuntes merces eo tempore aestimari non potenant, & quod Courten & Lit­tleton ex proventuille duos menses post appulsum & exonerationarum navium in se reci­piebant A. & inter ali­os ex Skeneo in Reg. Majest. Scot. lib. 2. cap. 18. 85. si do­nationem ipsam Seisina fuerit subsecuta per­petuò res ma­nebit illi, Cui facta fuit do­natio, & here­dibus suis, si vero nulla fu­erit Seisina subsecuta ex tali donatione nihil efficaciter pe [...]i potest, quia ut intelligitur se­cundum Regni consuetudinem potior est nuda promissio quam aliqua mera donatio, & in not. ibid. in verb. si vera autem donatio terrae vel hereditatis, sine Seisina, & possessione nihil operatur, quia traditione dominium acquiritur, & vulgo ac­ceptum est, Chartam sine Seisinâ nihil juris tribuere, quia Charta nihil aliud est quam nuda promissio cum scil. quis pro­mittit se daturum, hujusmodi promissio nullam inducit obligationem, vulgò enim dicitur, nulla Seisina, nulla terra; & lib. 2. cap. 33. vers. 14. Ille praefertar qui Seisinam obtinet, quia melior est conditio possidentis & lib. 3. cap. 10. v. 2. perficitur emptio & venditio cum effectu, ex quo depretio inter contrabentes convenit, ita tamen quod secuta fuerit rei venditae vel emptae traditio & eod. lib. 3. cap. 3. ver. 1. cum autem mobile vadium dicitur pignus, quia res quae pignori datur cum sit mobilis, pugno sive manu traditur, nam contrahitur pignus cum ejus Seisina & possessio datur creditori, ut hic dicitur, quia rei interventus est necessarius, sine quo non contrahitur obligatio pignoris, quae tum de mum oritur, cum res est tradita, eandem sententiam latè confirmat Thomas C [...]ugier in tract de Jur. Angl. lib. 2. tit. 1. v. 4. 5. in fine, sine Seisina data liberum tentmentum. Feoflamento, dono vel locatione non transsertur & tit. 8. v. 19. ut donatio suis numeris absolula sit, traditione vel quasi confirmari debet, traditio autem vel Seisina quot modis fiat alibi diximus & lib. 3. tit. 24. v. 3. in emptione & venditione rei requiri traditionem rei quia traditionibus & usu captionibus domi­nia rerum transseruntur. obligationes Pindaro suo onere plen [...] redimendi & quod easdem retinebat, ut tunc cassat as aut delatas traderet; quod ille interea non tenebatur in damno, sed quod damnum & commodum pro solo Courten essent. Quod etiam comercium in India Orientali nomine solius Courteni agebatur & nomen Pindari ut proprietarii navium & bonorum (sicut in facto informamur) nunquam in eo notum fuit; certo certius est Pindarum dicto con­tractu non potuisse jus proprietatis in naves & bona in questione acquirere, ea propter quod absurdum esset quod Pindar per dictum contractum acquisivisset jus reale ad vindicationem navium & bonorum quae tempore contractus, in Indiis, & antequam ejus notitia in In­sulam, dictam Mauritius, aut Goa esse posset, respective capta & in Littus pulsa sunt, nam quamvis (cui non adhibetur fides sed quidem ejus contrarium ex Statutis & famosis Docto­ribus & Juris peritis Anglicis urgente necessitate ostendi potest A) talis consuetudo in Anglia esset quod ibi simplices translationes bonorum mobilium sine traditione reale jus in eadem darent, illud equidem intelligi non posset de navibus & bonis extra Angliam quae ab emptore aut ejus agente non essent acceptata, sed voluntate & consensu sub primo proprie­tario