Mean while the Portuguese Agent, Francisco de Sousa Continho, proffer’d the States to go to Brasile himself, and cause to be restor’d all those Places which had been taken from the West-India Company, particularly the City St. Salvador and Tercera, besides Reparation for all other Damages.
Grave Maurice his high Demands.
At the same time Grave Maurice was Treated with to go to Brasile again, but his Demands were so high, that it came to nothing; for he requir’d 4000 l. yearly to spend at his Table, and 5000 l. besides during his Life; also 2000 l. to set him out, and twelve thousand Men to Besiege St. Salvador, which was always guarded by four thousand, and thirty Carvels lay ready before Lisbon to carry four thousand more thither.
Angola and Loando taken by the Portuguese.
All things went very ill on the Hollanders side at this present; for besides that the fore-mention’d Fleet had not its wish’d success, most of the Men being destroy’d by the immoderate Heat of the Climate, Angola and Loando were also taken by the Portuguese.
These Misfortunes made the West-India Company begin to be very forward to come to a Treaty with the Portuguese Agent, who before seem’d rather to court them, having offer’d to Engage for the restoration of whatever they possess’d at that time, when the ten years Peace was concluded; but when they came to insist upon that Point, he answer’d, That he must expect new Orders from Lisbon concerning Loando, because the taking of that Place caus’d an alteration in the state of Affairs. But the States no way satisfi’d with Delays, that were like to prove both hurtful and disgraceful, resolv’d to put into Execution what they had before agreed upon, viz. The East-India Company was impower’d to make Prize of all Portuguese Ships towards the payment of the fifteen Tuns of Gold ordain’d for the West-India Company, to help them against the Portuguese Oppression. The West-India Company also receiv’d Commissions to Cruise for Portuguese Vessels before Brasile.
Schuppe and Coche miserably defeated as they were Besieging Gararapes.
On the seventeenth of February, Anno 1649. three thousand Soldiers that came over in the fore-mention’d Fleet, besides two hundred Negro’s, and as many Seamen, marching to Besiege Gararapes under the Command of Schuppe and Coche, were so furiously set upon by the Sallying Enemy, that they were forc’d to break up the Siege in great disorder, whilest the Portuguese being in number two thousand five hundred, fell upon the Rere; and though the Dutch Officers us’d all the care they could possible to bring their Men to face about, yet they were not able to keep them from running away; in which flight great slaughter of them was made by the Portuguese Horse, consisting of a hundred and thirty, Arm’d with Lances, insomuch that in the flight and the pursuit, a thousand Netherlanders were slain, and nineteen Ensigns or Colours were left behind as Trophies for the Portuguese; the chief of the Slain were Colonel Brink and Houteryve.
The Zealanders were much concern’d at the improsperous Affairs of Brasile, in regard a fifth part of the West-India Companies Stock belong’d to Middleburg, Flushing, and Veer, insomuch that the Complaints of Widows and Orphans that shar’d in the common loss, mov’d the States to fit out six great Ships, and as many Ketches, Mann’d with two thousand eight hundred Men, for Brasile, where all things ran to ruine, the Grandees both of the Council, Army, and Fleet, being at variance, and impeaching one another.
The rest of the Provinces, especially Friesland, being less inclin’d to the West-India Company, were somewhat colder in the pursuit of this Business; nevertheless, upon a fresh Letter of Complaint from Walter Schonenbergh, President of the Brasilian Council, they held a Consultation together, how to raise Moneys for the fitting out of twenty Ships and five Ketches for the Relief of Brasile.