The barbarous Cruelty of Vidal.
Vidal raging for madness because now and then some of his Prisoners escap’d, caus’d several of them to be cruelly murder’d, tying some of them Back to Back, and then cutting them in pieces; others he threw with Stones ty’d about their Necks into the Rivers; others he ty’d by their Privities, and hung them upon Trees; and also knock’d out the Brains of others.
The Soldiers at Reciffa mutiny for want of Provision.
In Reciffa the Soldiers, consisting of divers Nations, began likewise to mutiny, crying, They should be all starv’d; and saying, They had better be slain in the Field fighting against the Enemy, than die of Hunger in the City. They also complain’d, The Commissioners themselves betray Brasile; and threatned by force to fetch the Provisions out of the publick Stores, saying, They had long enough endur’d Thirst and Hunger.
A new Fleet sent by the States to Brasile.
The Dutch Fleet set out for Brasile.
These Transactions in Brasile were very ill resented in Holland, the common People in the Hague being ready to pull down the Portuguese Ambassador’s House, in revenge of the Cruelties exercis’d upon the Netherlanders in Brasile, had they not been hindred by the Prudence of Prince Henrick. The Ambassador pretending to be ignorant of the fore-mention’d Passages, proffer’d to make what Satisfaction the West-India Company should require. But the States not satisfi’d with Excuses, when the Actions plainly manifested what their Intentions were, Complain’d to the French King of the unthankful and malicious Dealings of the Portuguese Crown; and meeting but with small Redress, they prepar’d to right themselves by force of Arms, and to that end rais’d several Regiments of Land-Soldiers, besides Seamen, to send to Brasile. The Fleet design’d thither, consisting of twenty two Sail, after it had been frozen up before Flushing three Moneths, set Sail at last in the beginning of February, Anno 1646. with the Lord Schonenburgh, a Member of the States, the Councellor Goch, and Treasurer Beaumond, Men very well experienc’d in Governing of Countreys: To these were added the eminent Merchants of Amsterdam, Haeks and Trovire, to keep the West-India Companies Accounts, and Le Heremiet for their Secretary. Sigismond Schuppe bore the chief Command over the Militia, and the Admiral Bankert over the Fleet, which suffer’d the greatest hardship imaginable; for being driven by tempestuous Winds into the Downs, two of them driving from their Anchors were cast away on the Flats. The Fleet getting out again, was once more forc’d by a Storm to put in at the Isle of Wight; from whence by reason of continual Gusts they could not stir in nine Weeks time. During this tedious waiting for a fair Wind, the Brasile Frigat, valu’d at 20000 l. was split in pieces against a Rock of the Island, and of three hundred Men thirty onely were sav’d. A Pink, which came in two Moneths from Reciffa, brought also sad tydings to the Fleet, viz. That the Town was in such a Condition, that without doubt the Fleet would come too late to their assistance: whereupon they making the more haste, endeavor’d, not without great trouble, to weigh Anchor again, whilest the Wind rose higher and higher, and the Waves going very hollow, drove the Ships down towards Portland Coast, full of Rocks, to which they were so near, that they saw a Scotchman split in pieces against them; and had not the Wind come about, and abated of its fury, the Fleet had undoubtedly perish’d. No sooner was this Danger past, but another succeeded; for the Soldiers in the Admirals Ship complaining of the small allowance they had of Cheese, Brandy, and Tobacco, had made themselves Masters of the Store-room, and threatned to kill the Lords Goch and Beaumond; but they, assisted with Men from the other Ships, who came in at the Cabbin Windows, so order’d the Mutineers, that they ask’d forgiveness, which for many Reasons was granted, onely they were distributed by seven in a Ship throughout the whole Fleet. After a great Contest between Goch and Beaumond about carrying the Flag, which could not be decided, Goch was left by the rest of the Fleet, who Steer’d another Course, and getting near the Line, lay becalm’d six days; in which time he lost very many of his Men by a strange kind of Scorbute which rag’d amongst them; at last Sailing along the Promontory of St. Augustine, he came to an Anchor before Reciffa, which he found in the greatest Exigency imaginable, insomuch that it was resolv’d upon, the next day to surrender the Place up to the Portuguese, on promise of Quarter onely: which Resolution none oppos’d more than the Jews; for the Portuguese swore that they would burn them alive, if ever they became Masters of Reciffa, which made them resolve to die with the Sword in their Hands, and sell their Lives at a dear rate. Six Weeks after Gochs Arrival, the remaining part of the Fleet, escaping many dreadful Storms, in which, besides the two that were lost in the Downs, they lost five Ships and five hundred Men, arriv’d also at Reciffa; where the Commissioners appointed Officers to distribute to every one their certain allowance of Victuals. The prime Councellor Schonenburgh also decided the Difference between Beaumond and Goch, as also between Haeks and Trovire, about their Places in the Assembly, viz. that they should sit above one another by Turns. The old Governors, Hamel, Bassi, and Bullestraet, were blam’d by every one for the decay of Brasile; and being sent to Holland, were receiv’d with frowning Looks, and rail’d against in Pamphlets as faithless Persons, who sought nothing but their own advantage, and were threatned to be call’d to an Account. It was also laid to their charge, that they had not given a true Account of the State and Condition of Brasile; that the State was much more decay’d than they had made known, by which means the present Power prov’d too weak to do any thing to the Enemy.
Garstman Fin’d and Disgrac’d upon King Dary’s Complaint.
Amongst other Misfortunes which befell the West-India Company, the Revolt of the Tapuyans and other Brasilians was not the least, which hapned upon the occasion of Garstman’s putting to Death of Jacob Rabbi, a German, and indeed their chief Ringleader in all Robberies and Villanies; but Dary their then King alledging that Rabbi was wrongfully Executed by Garstman, and that his Tryal belong’d to him as King, prosecuted Garstman so vigorously, that he and his Ensign Jacob Boulan, his Accessory in the Fact, had their Goods and Salary confiscated, and they themselves were sent home in disgrace.
The Portuguese Invitation prevails above the Netherlanders.