Yet It Seems Proper, Occasionally At Least, In The
Introductions To Leading Voyages, Like The Present, To Give Some Short
Historical notices of the subject, for the materials of which we are
chiefly, if not solely, indebted to the Annals
Of the Company, a work of
meritorious and laborious research, already several times referred to.
Under the difficulties which had long attended the exertions of the
English to acquire a share in this peculiarly called spice trade, the
agent and commercial council of the English company at Bantam, gave
authority to the commanders of the Swan and Defence to endeavour to
obtain from the native chiefs of the islands of Puloroon and Puloway, a
surrender of these islands to the king of England, with the stipulation
of paying annually as a quit-rent, a fruit-bearing branch of the nutmeg
tree; yet stipulating that these islanders were to continue entirely
under the guidance of their own laws and customs, providing only that
they should engage to sell their spices exclusively to the agents of the
English company, who were, in return, to supply them with provisions and
Hindoostan manufactures at a fair price, in exchange for their peculiar
productions, nutmegs and mace. They were likewise authorised, if they
procured the consent of the natives, to establish fortified stations, or
factories, at Puloroon, Puloway. Pulo-Lantore, and Rosinging, or
Rosengin.[255] The views of the Bantam factory on this occasion seem to
have been generally judicious, as to the measure they now authorised,
but exceedingly ill judged in attempting to execute so very important a
purpose with a force entirely inadequate to that with which it had to
contend.
[Footnote 255: An. of E.I. Co. I. 187.]
The Dutch had expelled the Portuguese, at that time the subjects of
their tyrannical oppressors, the Spaniards, from a great portion of the
spice islands, in which warlike measure, and its consequences, they had
always to support a considerable force, both naval and military, in
these seas, and in various forts upon these islands; and besides, that
they felt their preponderance from these circumstances, and used it very
naturally for their own exclusive benefit, they alleged, and with no
small appearance of equity, that the English had no right to enjoy the
advantages of a trade, which they, the Dutch, had conquered from the
Portuguese and Spaniards. This opposition of interests proceeded in the
sequel to great extremities, in which the greatly superior power of the
Hollanders in these seas, enabled them effectually to oppress the
English, in what are peculiarly called the spice islands, and even to
expel them from all participation in that trade, as will appear in some
of the subsequent sections of this chapter.
It would be not only premature in this place, but incompatible with the
nature of our work, which is intended as a Collection of Voyages and
Travels, to attempt giving a connected history of these dissensions
between the Dutch and English in Eastern India, which will be found
detailed in the Annals of the English Company. It is hardly possible,
however, to refrain from one observation on the subject, - that the Dutch
company, and the government of Holland, appear to have mainly proceeded,
in their hostile opposition to the English East India trade, on their
knowledge of the pusillanimous character of King James, which he vainly
thought to veil under the pretensions of loving peace, but which the
Dutch, as will be seen in the present section, clearly understood, and
openly expressed, as the childhood of St George, the tutelary martial
saint of England. Beati pacifici, his favourite adage, is an excellent
Christian and moral sentiment, but is incompatible with the unavoidable
exigencies of government, at least as they were then situated. - E.
* * * * *
May it please your Worships,
We arrived at Macassar on the 19th of November, 1616, from Bantam, with
the Swan and Defence, under the command of Captain Nicholas Courthop,
who sailed in the Swan, of which ship Mr Davis was master, the other
being commanded by Mr Hinchley. We remained there for the purpose of
taking in an hundred quoines[256] of rice. On the 4th December, we saw
a large Dutch ship in the offing, which came to anchor about five
leagues off, and on the 5th they sent their skiff ashore, which made
directly for the English house, having eight men on board. As soon as we
perceived this boat coming ashore, we ran to the sea side; but, before
we got there, two of her men were landed, whom we acquainted with the
danger they were in, as the king of Macassar, and all the other kings
thereabouts, were become their mortal enemies, because of the many
injuries done them by the Hollanders, who had forcibly carried away a
principal sabander, and other persons belonging to Macassar, for which
they were determined upon revenge; and, therefore, that they might all
expect to be put to death, unless the king could be prevailed upon to
spare them. The Dutchmen were so much alarmed at this intelligence, that
they wished to have gone back to their boat, but the Macassers had
already gathered about us, and laid hands upon them.
[Footnote 256: The amount or quantity of these quoines are no where
stated, or even hinted at; but, from circumstances in the sequel, they
appear to have been considerable. - E.]
I, and other English, immediately went in all haste to the king,
acquainting him with what had happened, lest, if the Dutch had intended
any treachery, he might have suspected us as being accessary. The king
gave us thanks, and desired us to take the two Dutchmen who had landed
to our house, that we might learn from them their intentions in coming
here. This we did, and they informed us that they belonged to a fleet
lately fitted out from Holland, and had lost company of their consorts.
One of these called himself John Staunch, and reported himself to be an
under-factor.
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