A great Deluge in Brasile.
This Year 1641. was not onely remarkable for the Portugueses revolting from the Spaniards, but also for a great Deluge, which did much hurt in Brasile; for the Rains fell so exceeding hard without ceasing, that the swoln Rivers every where overflow’d their Banks and Dams; the Plants were either wash’d away, or were eaten up by little Worms, which bred as soon as the Water began to fall. Besides this Plague, the Small-pox also rag’d amongst the People, of which many dy’d, and others lay lingring a great while. The Sugar-Mills likewise stood still for want of Negro’s, which the Distemper had for the most part destroy’d, and the Sugar-Canes rotted in the Ground.
A Peace agreed on between the States of Holland and the King of Portugal.
Man while Grave Maurice receiv’d news of the Agreement between the King of Portugal and the States of the United Netherlands, according to which every one was to keep what they had gotten by the War; Trading was free for all; against all the Castles and Fortresses in America, under the King of Spain’s Dominion, Hostility was to be acted alike by both; the Countrey which lay between the utmost Borders of the Portuguese and Netherlanders, were to be divided, that each might know their just Limits; all manner of Trade to the Spanish America was forbidden to both; each Owner was to remain in possession of the Goods which he had on the Day when this ten years Peace was proclaim’d.
Tolner gives the West-India Company an Account of the state of Affairs in Brasile.
Grave Maurice seeing he could not get the States Consent to return home, sent his Secretary Tolner to Holland, to inform the West-India Company of the Condition of Brasile, and to request such things as were wanting there: Tolner accordingly arriving in Holland, acquainted them with the Extent of their Dominions in Brasile, which reach’d from Maragnan to the River Real; with the necessity of keeping the Soldiery undisbanded, in regard the Portuguese were ready to take all advantages, notwithstanding the Articles of Agreement; with the discontent of their own Men, and their readiness to mutiny upon the report that they were to be Disbanded; with the great Inconveniences of altering the Government of the West-India Company; with the number of Soldiers wherewith every Place belonging to the Company was at that present furnish’d, which amounted in all to near five thousand Men; and with the impossibility of keeping those Places, unless a speedy Supply of Men and Provisions were sent.
Grave Maurice receiv’d a Letter from Mascarenhas, wherein he made great complaint of the Netherlanders Actions on Loando, St. Thomas, and Maragnan, during the time of the Treaty, and us’d many Arguments for the delivering back of the Places then taken; but Maurice took little notice of the said Letter, being busie about setling all Affairs in this quiet Juncture of time: He freed all new Planters from the paying of Tenths for seven years, sold several Fields to be Cultivated, repair’d all decay’d Forts, kept the Catholicks in strict awe, ordain’d good Orders for Schools, Alms-houses, and payment of Money, and gave particularly Liberty to the Portuguese both in Spiritual and Temporal Affairs.
The Fort Calvaria taken by the Maragnans and others.
In the mean time sad news was brought, viz. That the Maragnans, assisted by the Portugueses and Brasilians, had taken the Fort of Calvaria near the River Tapicuru, destroy’d all those that were in Garrison, and Storm’d the City Lodowick: Whereupon Hinderson was dispatch’d thither immediately with three hundred Netherlanders, and two hundred Brasilians from Siara; which the Enemy hearing, though there were seven hundred Portugueses, and three thousand Brasilians, left the Island Maragnan, and went over to the Main Continent.
The occasion of this Plot was imputed to the fault of the sottish Governor of St. Lodowick, and his Secretary William Negenton, who by their Folly and Misgovernment provok’d the Natives to Rebellion.