the English Commissioners would have reason if the Affair concerning the Restitution of Bantam were determined by their High and Mightinesses and the Company of Holland not to ingage themselves in a long Suit being able to make an end of the Affair without breaking their Heads with so many Disputes but as these Gentlemen have been mistaken in writing of a few Lines as it appears by their Answer of 27 th July to the Memorial of us the underwritten of the 19 th of the same Month where the word of Decisors at which they are so angry is not to be found but that of Negotiators is used 't is not much to be wondred at that they should be mistaken in the Explication of the Answer of the States General to the Memorial of Sir John Chardin to which they refer in their Demand Their High and Mightinesses love justice too much to have been willing to dispose of a Town that did not belong to them and to which they had no right It is true that they offered not only not to hinder the resettlement of the English in Bantam from being obstructed either by the Dutch Company or any of their Subjects but also to further it themselves and to make the said Company to assist them in it which is far from that which the Deputies of the English Company say in their Demands But it being important to prove here that the English Company cannot at this time take hold of the Answer of their High and Mightinesses no more than of the advances which the Company of Holland made in the year 1683 towards the accommodating the Differences which the War of Bantam had made to arise between the two Companies who must have recourse to what passed between Sir John Chardin and the Deputies of the Dutch Company on the subject of the said Differences It is certain that at that time it was not known in what condition the Affairs of Bantam were Whether the War between the King of Bantam yet lasted or whether it was ended and if it were determined whether it were done by a treaty or by force of Arms if by Arms which of the two the Father or the Son remained Conqueror and Master of the Kingdom It being also less known whether the Son in case that by the Auxiliary Arms he was resettled in his Throne had not granted to the Company of Holland in recompence of their Assistance some right in Bantam by virtue of which they might have been able to dispose of the reestablishment of the English in their former Residence Besides that the Dutch Company might reasonably promise themselves that the King of Bantam who owed his Deliverance from the Oppression in which he was to the Auxiliary Arms of the Company would not be displeased that to be assured that the English would never assist his Father against him they had engaged to cause the English to be resettled in their former Habitation which Consideration would not have place any more after that the Father was reduced under the Power of his Son. In these uncertainties the Dutch Company made some Advances and Sir John Chardin drew up a project of Accommodation between the two Companyes wherein it is spoken of the withdrawing the Dutch Forces from Bantam and of what each of the Companyes should be obliged to do in the Cases therein specifyed But it having pleased Mr. Chudleigh and Sir John Chardin to break up somewhat abruptly the Negotiation which was already very far advanced and that it pleased the English Company to refuse all the Offers as well of the States General as those which the Embassador Citters made here in London in the Name and on the behalf of the Company of the United Provinces after the return of the said Sir John Chardin the last Company did not think it proper to follow the Negotiation with which my Lord Embassador Citters was charged upon the foot of those offers which had been despised and by which they were by consequence no more tyed especially when in the latter end of the year 1683 they understood by Letters from India that the War of Bantam was ended with advantage to the Son who remained in possession of the Kingdom of Bantam the Father being made Prisoner and the Rebels Power overcome without however having granted to the Dutch Company any Right by virtue of which they might be able to settle the English again in Bantam To what purpose is it then to alledge at this time the Answer of the States General to the Memorial of Sir John Chardin after that they have publickly refused their offers and proposed new Conditions which appeared to their High and Mightinesses so much out of all reason that they would not so much as allow them to give so much as an Ear to them as it appears by the Resolution of their High and Mightinesses quoted B. How can the English Company then imagine that excepting at present the offers which they refused two years ago the Dutch Company should think themselves obliged to it after the change of Affairs which hath happened at Bantam Have not they declared that after the said change the Treaty could not continue any longer upon the foot of the Offers which they had rejected with so much disdain And although they had not declared it was it not a thing visible and evident of it self to conclude a project which supposing a perfect uncertainty of the Affairs of Bantam contain causes which at present cannot happen Besides it is not to be conceived how the English Company after having chosen themselves the way of decision in pursuance of the year 1674 and 1675 and prest for this Effect the Nomination of the deciding Commissioners can at present make use of the offers and projects of Accommodation which they themselves caused to be broken off and which besides has nothing of Common with a judicial discussion in which the two Companyes are at present engag'd and from which they can't dismiss themselves to return to the Treaty but by a Common Consent the underwritten Deputies of the Company of Holland having proved at present that neither from the offers of their High and Mightinesses nor those of the said Company of Holland the English Company can infer any thing which is capable of making good their Demands we will now pass to the second point which is that of the justice of the Complaints of the English Company and will Examine in them first their Nature and in what they consist and will consider in the second place the strength of the proofes which have been delivered to the underwritten to make them good As to the first point the English Company had represented to the King of Great Brittain of Glorious Memory as it appears by the Letter his Majesty wrote to the aforesaid Lords the States General dated the 23th April 1683 that the Sieur St. Martin Commander in Chief of the Dutch Forces and Ships which the Government of Battavia
Dutch being landed at Tancoratt the Javans all left Terrytyassy except the Sultan two Pengrans and two English men which were employed as Gunners at sight whereof the King being troubled set fire to the Palace himself and fled up the Hills and about a Month after the young King sent to his Father and promised him his Freedom and Liberty if he would come and live with him in the Fort who consented to it upon the following terms viz. as he was informed That the English French and Danes might have the same liberty that they had formerly and that the Dutch Renegado should be turned out of the Fort and that when he came in no Dutch-man should stir from his Quarters which was consented to But three dayes after he was in the Castle the Dutch desired the Son to demand his Father's Treasure who told him that he had given it all to his Son Pengran Probaya who is gone up the Hills with Four Thousand Macassars and Mallayans The 18 th July 1683 all the English being going from Batavia for Surrat the Dutch Council in Bantam sent for the aforesaid Ambrose Moody and after Examination discharged him and ordered him to take his passage to Batavia in a Dutch Ship. When the two English Men which had been with the old King came down the Hills the Javans carryed them before the Chief of the Dutch who ordered them to go before the young King who when he saw them gave them their liberty to go where they pleased But three dayes after the Dutch sent to the Pengran who lives in the English Factory and ordered him to keep the English Gunners close Prisoners All which was told and affirmed to him by the Brother of the said Pengran The 22th of August 1683. The Agent and Council of the English Nation set sail from Batavia for Surat at which time the Dutch had Wars with the King of Jambee and the King of Jehore and on the West Coast of Sumatra and with Rogia Pelatta the King of Macassar who formerly served the Dutch but is now fled from them with his Forces and dayly Mallayans and Macassars go from Batavia and Bantam to his assistance The Dutch at Ambonia sent this year as he hath heard several of them confess Fifty Dutchmen to Batavia in Irons because they began to Revolt Sometime before the English left Batavia the Dutch had been a fitting of nine ships and a Fleet of Prowes to go against Macassar but finding they had not men sufficient to man them were forced to forbear till next year Now they suffer no Java to wear either Launce or Crease or any other Weapon and the best Java that is in Bantam must pull off his Cap to any Dutchman Although the Dutch have not above Three or Four Hundred Men in Bantam yet the Young King hath not power to act any Thing and all Javans pay to the Dutch at their Marriage Ten Rs. 8 / 8 and Two Rs. 8 / 8 per month for each Fishing Prow and Two Ditto a year Head-money and several other Taxes which makes the Javans daily run from Bantam to Pengran Probaya So that now he hath about Ten Thousand Men in the Field and is in expectation that the English will send to His assistance The Dutch Received the Letters which were sent by the Ambassadors and interpreted them as they pleased And would not suffer the Ambassadors nor no Java to speak to the Young King but by their Linguester The Young King with his own Hands did crease his Uncle Pengran Coloone and keeps his Brothers which came in fast in irons Pengran Keedull did come in with the Old King but finding how severe the Young King was made his escape with several other great Men. The Dutch could not perswade the Young King to sign to their Articles at which they are much troubled The Dutch have perswaded the Young King to turn out of Bantam all Europeans the Moors Banyans and the Chineses In January 168 2 / 3 Ambrose Moody did see in Bantam the Two great brass Guns which came from Tonqueen which he thinks the Company have not charged to accompt The Young King of Bantam must pay to the Dutch for every White Man that they lose in the Wars or by sickness Thirty Rs. 8 / 8 and Twenty for each Black. They have lost already by their own confession Fifteen Hundred Europeans by sickness and by the Warrs since the 18th of July 1683. the Chief of the Dutch was poisoned in Bantam and very oft as the soldiers go to Market they are killed with Clubs The Young King by instigation of the Dutch keeps His Father close prisoner and suffers onely one slave-Woman to bring him Victuals which she puts in at a Window and keeps Centinel always at the door In the time of the aforesaid Moody's imprisonment there was sent to him in Bantam from Mr. Gurney which did belong to the Kempthorne a Letter by the Hands of Nicholas Dios which he did ask leave of the Dutch to deliver and had consent but within two days after the Dutch put the said Dios in prison and would not discharge him before the English came from Batavia which was about five months time after his first imprisonment Signed Ambrose Moody I Ambrose Moody above-named do own the foregoing Relation or Narrative to which my name is subscribed to be drawn by my self and of my own Hand-Writing And I do make Oath that all and every particular therein is true according to what I have heard from very credible persons or been my self an Eye-witness of as the same is exprest by me in the said Narrative Sworn the 25th of June 1684. before Sir John Moore Signed Ambrose Moody The Dutch Commissioners Instructors their First Paper presented to the Lords Commissioners Decisors To the most Honourable Lords my Lords the Commissioners appointed by the King of Great Brittain and the Gentlemen appointed Commissioners by the Lords the States General of the United Provinces for the Decision of Differences arisen between the East-India-Company of England and that of the said Provinces upon the Subject-matter of Bantam Most Honourable Lords AS the Directors of the East-India-Company of the United Provinces have been very sensibly moved to see that the differences of Bantam have been able to cause a difference between the two Companies whose interest is so much never to be dis-united so they have been very glad to understand that it hath pleased his Majesty to name four Lords as Illustrious by the Qualities of their minds as of their birth and office to labour jointly with the Deputies of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces in the decision of the said differences and to prevent by the wayes of Justice and Equity this coldness from ever being capable of sowing seeds of bitterness which might be able to destroy the remainder of this brotherly love which ought to be the Bond of Union and good Intelligence between the two Companies The under-written
Companies inheritance bought with their money As also our Concerns to a considerable amount and therefore you had best act with discretion and justice for we must take notice of your proceedings in any thing to our prejudice and advise thereof to His Royal Majesty of Great Britain who undoubtedly will take due satisfaction In the mean time we shall endeavour to follow our Trade and we shall not want them that are appointed to give us an account of the least obstruction therein which we advise you not to do because of the ill consequences that may be to your own interest for we would in all things preserve a good Friendship with you provided 't is not to the dishonour and prejudice of our King Countrey and Company We send these by Captain James Lesly with order to deliver it to your Honours desiring it may be Freindly Received as our answer to your aforesaid Declaration and so we remain Your Honours Friends and Servants William Gyfford Elihu Yate c. 1686. The Time they did this was while the King of Gulcondah in whose Dominions Metchlepatam is was engaged in a dangerous War with the Great Mogul and they took that Advantage to fall out with him and after they had got from him the value of about Sixty Thousand Pound Sterling with enlargement of their Priviledges at Pollicatt they quitted the place having no further use of it And indeed the English Company at the time they presented the aforesaid Transcript humbly acquainted His Majesty with their Opinion that the Dutch would not hold that place it being not worth their Charge to defend it having Pollicat so near that would do their business as well But that which the English complain of is the insolent injury of commanding them from their own Possession which they had enjoy'd about Eighty Years which is the very same thing they did at Bantam but intending to keep that place for ever as they did not Metchlepetam they used the Name of the Young King in the former Case that it might look like his Act and not theirs And whether the Dutch did well in that or the English had cause to complain We would have any honest peaceable Dutchman tell us after we have asked them How they would like it If the French now they have as is supposed command of the Forts at Syam should forbid them to Trade to the House they have built there Or How they would have liked it if our Soldiers after they had surprized the Fort at Hughly in Bengall should have forbid them Trading any more at their own House in Hughly or from bringing any Goods thither after Six or Eight Weeks as they did the English at Metchlepatam The Dutch Company talk much of Natural Right and Equity but there is one short Rule if they would observe it would soon end all our differences That is Of doing as they would be done unto But that the English Company affirm they never did yet to them which they may have time to repent when they find the same measure meted to themselves As to the Case of Batam Capass which is a most Egregious Case as the Reader will observe hereafter The Dutch Company would extenuate the Hostilities executed upon the English there in so contemptuous a manner by pretending a Title to all the Trade of the West Coast of Sumatra by virtue of private Contracts made with the respective Soveraign Kings or Rajahs for all the Gold and Pepper within their Respective Dominions An old Claim which they long since made as well in the time of Cromwell's Usurpation as since His late Majesties Happy Restauration but with how little Justice the Reader may partly observe by Doctor Turner and Sir William Thomson's Certificate Two of the Arbitrators that determined the Differences between the two Companies at concluding the peace that was made between the two Nations in the aforesaid Usurpers time a true Copy whereof followeth We whose Names are subscribed being with others chosen in the Year 1654 by the English East-India Company to join with the Arbitrators chosen by the Dutch East-India Company to end all matters in difference between the said Companies Do certifie That the English East-India Company did Demand of the Dutch East-India Company satisfaction for a quantity of Pepper taken out of the Ship Endymion by the Dutch East-India Company at Padognae on the West Coast of Sumatra in the Year 1649. And that the said Arbitrators on behalf of the Dutch Company did declare that it was one of the clearest Demands that the English had against the Dutch Company And that in the Eighty Five Thousand Pound awarded by us and the other Arbitrators to be paid by the Dutch Company unto the English It was amongst other things for satisfaction for the Pepper taken out of the said Ship Endymion and for Dammages sustained thereby And farther That the Arbitrators on behalf of the Dutch Company did then propose a Clause in the Draught of the award then drawn up for excluding the English from Trade and Commerce on the West Coast of Sumatra for the time to come The which was wholly rejected by the Arbitrators for the English Company and was thereupon left out of the said Award for that it was insisted upon by the Arbitrators for the English East-India Company That they were as free to Trade with all the Governments and Natives of India as the Dutch all which is very well known to the Worthy Dutch Arbitrators that are yet alive In Testimony whereof we have hereunto set our Hands this 26 th of March 1670. William Thomson William Turner Subscribed in the Presence of Robert Blackborne Notary Publick So much for the Fact now for the Reasons I. IS it not most ridiculous that the Dutch having but Two or Three inconsiderable Forts as is before-mentioned should pretend to the Trade of a vast Island upon which it may reasonably be concluded there are about One Hundred Sovereign Kings one half whereof in probability scarce ever spoke with any Dutchman II. If they have made any such Contracts they are of no force to the English Company who are no Parties to the said Contracts whatever they may be to the Princes themselves but by Natural Right the English Company is alwayes at Liberty when ever such Contracted Princes grow weary of the Dutch by their bad or non-performance with them and if the English Company do make another Contract and by consent of the Soveraign Prince of the place build a Fort in his Dominions where the Dutch have no occupancy and the Dutch do after that hire the Mallayes to murther the English or do destroy or rob them or destroy their Fort themselves We appeal to all Nations Whether such Acts of Hostility are not a notorious willful breach of the Peace between the two Nations and a pregnant Violation of Common Right And whether this be the true State of the Case let the Reader judge by the following Extract of Mr.