De Wit releas’d from Prison, justifies his Return.
The Admiral De Wit returning home, was, upon the accusation of the Council in Brasile, and the General, Sigismond Schuppe, made Prisoner in the Hague; and together with him the other five Captains that went with him were Committed by the Admiralty, for returning without the Consent of the Council; but they were soon releas’d by the Magistrates of Amsterdam, who upon the Admiralties refusing to deliver them, commanded their Provost-Marshal to break open their Prison Doors. De Wit after his Releasement justifi’d what he had done before a full Assembly of the States, and alledg’d that it was according to the Orders he receiv’d when he undertook this Expedition.
The Portuguese Agent, Sousa Macede, obtaining Audience of the States, told them how ready the King his Master had been to come to a perfect Agreement of Peace with them, but that their own Acts of Hostility had been the occasion of the breach of that Treaty of Peace that had been concluded on; that the Robberies and Insolencies committed by those Portugueses under their Jurisdiction, was not any way authoris’d or countenanc’d by him; lastly, he offer’d them free Trade to Brasile eighty Tun of Gold to the West-India Company, 800000 l. to the Orphans and Widows in Zealand, and payment of all private Debts. But making no mention of restoring the Places in Brasile, he seem’d to mock the States; who resented it so much, that they would admit of no farther Conference with him.
Schuppe, Haeks, and Schonenbergh declare the Reasons of the loss of Reciffa.
Mean while the West-India Companies Business in Brasile went daily more and more to ruine, insomuch that in the Year 1654. they lost all their Forts and Places of Strength and Habitation, and amongst them Reciffa, the chief Residence of the Council of Brasile, who returning home, brought nothing but a doleful Relation of their unfortunate Proceedings. Schuppe, Haeks, and Schonenbergh, made each of them a long Oration, setting forth the sad Condition of the Place, and the Miseries they had endur’d a long time before they left it; also excusing their total quitting thereof to the Enemy by the great want of Provisions and other Supplies, which they so often had written for in vain, at least receiv’d short of what their Necessities requir’d, and by the Clamours of the Soldiers, who were ready upon all occasions to Mutiny or Revolt, as appear’d by their crying out upon the discovery of a Fleet of Portuguese upon the Coast, Behold our Deliverers from the Netherlanders Tyranny; lastly, by the growing Power of their Enemies, which they could not have resisted, though they themselves had been much stronger than they were.
They are try’d at a Council of War.
But the West-India Company sensibly touch’d at the thoughts of their Losses, were not satisfi’d with the Relation of Schonenbergh, Haeks, and Schuppe, but requir’d a Journal of every days Transactions, or Testimonies to confirm the truth of their Relation: They also demanded an Account of the Condition of the Store-houses when Reciffa was surrendred, and fell upon them with several Interrogatories, viz. Why the Fort Afogados was forsaken? Why the Garrisons were not drawn in from the North to Reciffa? Why they did not keep footing on the Land, and guard those Places they had left when Reciffa was lost? Why they made such ado for want of Provisions and Ammunition to dishearten the People? Why the Money proffer’d by several Citizens was not taken? Why they did not burn the Enemy’s Fleet, since, according to the opinion of several, it might easily have been done? How they could testifie the Sedition of the Soldiers, since none of their Commanders complain’d of it? Whether they us’d any Means to encourage the Besieged? Who did, and who did not consent to the Surrender? Whether no better Terms could have been made? In fine, they prevail’d with the States to secure Schonenbergh, Haeks, and Schuppe, in their Houses, and on the ninth of September, Anno 1654. brought them before a Council of War in the Hague, where the chief things objected against them were, That the Portuguese had gotten by the Conquest of Reciffa, above two hundred Brass Guns, most of them Demi-Culverins, and four hundred Iron Guns, valu’d together at ten hundred thousand Rixdollars; That the Store-houses were sufficiently stock’d with Provision and Ammunition; That they took care to secure their own Goods, but left what belong’d to the West-India Company as a Prey to the Enemy.
Their Pleas.
Schuppe condemn’d at a Council of War to lose his Salary.
Schuppe on his part alledg’d, that he could do nothing of himself, as being under the Command of the Brasilian Council. Haeks and Schonenbergh pleaded the want of Men, by reason of the many that daily dropt from them, either by Death or Defection, to the Enemy, and those that remain’d, unsafe to be trusted, as consisting of so many different Nations, also their being block’d up at the Sea by the Portuguese Fleet, the great want of Ammunition, especially Instruments of Fortification; lastly, the head-strong Resolutions of the Soldiers, to deliver up the Place, whatever their Officers should determine to the contrary; notwithstanding which, to shew that it was not quitted upon disadvantageous terms, they produc’d the Articles of Agreement upon which it was surrendred to Francisco, Governor of Pernambuco. In conclusion, the Council of War pass’d their Sentence on Schuppe, viz. That he should lose all the Sallary that was due to him from the West-India Company since the twenty sixth of January 1654. when he Sign’d the Agreement with Baretto for the delivering up of Reciffa.