Meneses surpris’d by Niewland after they were come to terms of Agreement.
Alvares de la Benho his Complaint to Grave Maurice of his Country-men.
In Loando the Governor for the Dutch, nam’d Cornelis Niewland, and the Portuguese Governor Peter Cæsar de Meneses, came to this Agreement, That since the ten years Peace was concluded on between the Portuguese and Netherlanders, Meneses should possess the Countrey wash’d by the River Bengo, and call in the ancient Natives to live and Trade as formerly; all which was faithfully perform’d: nay, Meneses furnish’d Niewland with as much Meal as he requir’d, towards the maintaining of a thousand Negro’s, whom he had bought; and the Hollanders and Portugueses began now to be every day more and more friendly and familiar with each other, when on a sudden Niewland not onely remembring what was done lately on the Islands Maragnan and St. Thomas, but also stirr’d up by other later Actions, which gave him occasion of jealousie, sent two hundred Musquetteers in the Night from Loando, to take the Governor Meneses, with some others, who he fear’d might make an Insurrection. The Soldiers accordingly about Day-break fell unawares upon the sleeping Portugueses, kill’d forty of them, and carry’d Meneses and many other Persons of Quality away Prisoners, together with a Booty valu’d at above ten thousand Ducats, and sent a hundred and sixty Portugueses in an old leaky Vessel to St. Salvador; but they being toss’d to and again at Sea for a considerable time, eight of them dy’d, the rest almost starv’d, Landed on Pernambuco; where Simon Alvares de la Benho being amaz’d to see his Countrey-men thus hardly dealt with, complain’d of Niewland, Mols, and Cross, who were the chief of Loando, that they had broke the Laws, and the sworn Articles of Peace; urging that it would be very unjust that the poor Portugueses should not have Satisfaction for the Wrong which they had sustain’d, as also for the loss of their Goods. To which Grave Maurice answer’d, “That Loando belong’d to the West-India Company, and that for his part he had nothing to do with that City, but that if the States were acquainted therewith, they would without doubt be highly concern’d at it.”
Christopher Santches, a free Negro, gave information of the sad Condition of the Island St. Thomas, viz. That the greatest part of the Hollanders that had been left upon that Island being dead, Pirez hereupon with the King’s Consent fitted out two Ships, and setting Sail from Lisbon about the beginning of July 1642. first refus’d to pay the usual Custom at the Island St. Thomas, afterwards fell upon the Hollanders, whom he Besieg’d in the Castle, and against the Law of Arms poyson’d all the Waters.
To prevent the future Inconveniences that were likely to arise from a Famine which about this time afflicted the whole Countrey of Brasile, Grave Maurice judg’d it convenient to sell the Lands in the Alagoas to new Planters; to which purpose Henrick Moucheron was chosen Overseer, to take care that all the Fields about Porto Calvo, and along the River Francisco, as also in the Alagoas, should be Sow’n with Bread-Corn.
Grave Maurice takes his leave of the several Governors in Brasile.
Grave Maurice obtaining leave at last to go home, took Leave by Letters of the Governors of Serinhain, Porto Calvo, Iguarazua, Itamaraca, Parayba, Rio Grande, and in Person of the Council at Reciffa, who all thank’d him for his prudent Government, manifesting their hearty sorrow for his departure, Which without doubt would produce many Inconveniences. But though the Council of the West-India Company had order’d him to return home about the beginning of March 1643. yet he went not so soon, because he was to reduce the number of Militia to eighteen Companies, and also to settle the Revenues, and dispose of Offices, in which he found much trouble; wherefore before his departure he wrote to the States of the United Netherlands, assuring them how impossible it was to defend Brasile, which extended some hundreds of Leagues, with so small a number of Men, since the Portuguese cover’d inward malice under a feigned shew of kindness, and at the same time watch’d all opportunities to drive the Netherlanders from their Plantations, being very much exasperated by the priviledge of Religion granted to the Jews, whilest their Monks and Jesuits were banish’d. Moreover, in regard they ow’d the West-India Company above fifty nine Tuns of Gold, they sought to cancel that Obligation, by making themselves Masters of whatsoever their Creditors had in Brasile, so that there was no way but to keep them under by force of Arms.
He leaves the Government and returns home.
After Grave Maurice had sent this Letter to Holland, he left the Government of Brasile to the chief Council, the Militia to Henrick Hoes, Captain of his Life-guard, with Directions for Governing after his departure. Having setled all things in good order, he went from Maurice-stadt through Paratibi and Iguarazu to Parayba; where Janduy sent him three of his Sons, with twenty Tapuyans, desiring him not to go away; two of them with several Carapates and Waypebarans, (a People who made themselves Masters of the great Palmares) and five other Brasilians went aboard with him on the twentieth of May 1644.
The Fleet, consisting of thirteen Ships, and Mann’d with fourteen hundred Men of all sorts, was laden with so many Merchandizes as were valu’d at twenty six Tuns of Gold; with which Grave Maurice arriving at the Texel, Landed at the Helder, and gave an Account of his Government in Brasile, and of the then present state of that part of it which belong’d to the West-India Company.