Captain Towerson Was Next Brought In For Examination, And Was Shewn What
The Others Had Confessed Concerning Him.
He deeply professed his
innocence, on which Colson was brought in to confront him, being assured
he should be again tortured unless he made good his former confession
against Towerson.
On this he repeated what he had said before, and was
then sent away. Griggs and Fardo were next brought in, and desired to
justify to his face what they had before confessed. Captain Towerson
seriously admonished them, as they should answer at the day of judgment,
to speak nothing but the truth. They then fell upon their knees,
beseeching him to forgive them for God's sake, and declared openly that
all they had formerly said was utterly false, and spoken only to avoid
the torture. The fiscal then commanded them to be led to the torture,
which they were unable to endure, and again affirmed their former
extorted confessions to be true. When Colson was required to subscribe
this confession, he asked the fiscal, upon whose head he thought the sin
would rest, whether on his who was constrained to confess falsely, or
upon the constrainer? After a pause on this home-question, the fiscal
went out to speak with the governor, and returned again shortly,
commanding him to subscribe. Colson did so, yet with this remark, - "You
force me to accuse myself and others of that which is as false as God is
true; for I call God to witness that I and they are as innocent as the
child unborn."
Having thus examined all the servants of the English company in the
several factories of the island of Amboina, they began on the 21st of
February to examine John Wetheral, factor at Cambello, in Ceram. He
acknowledged being at Amboina on new-year's-day, but declared he knew of
no other consultation but about certain cloth belonging to the company,
which lay spoiling in the factory, which they considered how best to get
sold. The governor said he was not questioned about cloth, but treason;
and protesting his innocence, he was dismissed for that day. Next day he
was again brought in, and Captain Towerson was produced to confront and
accuse him, as he had formerly emitted something in his confessions
against him. But Towerson only desired him to speak the truth, and
nothing but the truth, as God should put into his heart. Mr Towerson was
then removed, and Mr Wetheral tortured by water, with threats of fire
being applied if he did not confess. At length, they read over to him
the confessions of the others, asking him leading questions from point
to point, to all of which he answered affirmatively, to free himself
from torture.
John Powel, assistant to Mr Wetheral, was next called; but he proved
that he had not been at Amboina since November; and being likewise
spoken for by Jan Joost, his old acquaintance, was dismissed without
torture. Thomas Ladbrook, servant to Wetheral and Powel at Cambello, was
then brought in; but he, too, was speedily dismissed.
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