Tyranny of the Dutch against the English wherein is exactly declared the (almost unvaluable) loss which the commonwealth of England hath sustained by their usurpation : and likewise the sufferings and losses of Abraham Woofe, then factor at Lantore, and others in the island of Banda / formerly collected in loose sheets by Mr. Woofe himself ; and now illustrated and extracted out of his papers by John Quarles.

THE THIRD PART OF THE Dutch Tyrannyes.

THis Sir Thomas Dail was a man indued with qualities which bespoke him truly Noble, vertuous, and valiant, He was generally beloved a∣mongst the Seamen, his pro∣portion and Strength wee have often admired; I my self have seen him, and President Iourden in the Great Iames together, President Iourden being as remarkable for his shortness and valour, as Sir Thomas Daile was for his stature and cou∣rage, these two I have seen walking up∣on the Decks, sporting away the time with much friendship and love, but at last a diffe∣rence arose about the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their Com∣missions,

which caused much distraction in the Fleet, upon which Sir Thomas Daile (after he had beaten the Dutch away to the Eastward) sayled out of the Straits of Sunday for the Coast of Cormodell to the Port of Meslapotan; After this, President Iourden commanded the Little Iames, a Vessell of about 400 Tunnes to go for England, and President Ball that was President before Iourden, came to Bantam, and was Ordered to goe in her for England; but whether he came home that year, I cannot ex∣actly remember, and then Captaine Iourden took upon him the command of Sir Thomas Dailes Fleet, which as I told you before, was the ground of their difference.

The aforenamed Sir Thomas Daile advanced his fortunes in France; for being there Resi∣dent when a Spaniard came into France, and desired to venter his life with the skilfullest Mounsieur there, upon which occasion Sir Tho∣mas Daile addressed himself to some of the Nobillity, and importuned them to crave leave of the King that he might be per∣mitted to encounter with the Spaniard, which thing the King having well resented, gave consent, and a day was forthwith appoin∣ted; the time being come, the Heroick Spani∣ard, in the field, was forthwith entertain∣ed with much gallantry by Sir Thomas Daile,

who maintained the fight with as much Cou∣rage and Valour as could be expected, and af∣ter a hot encounter, the Spanniard being much wounded began to want the life of Strength, and immediately after wanted the strength of life, and so yeelded the conquest, and dyed.

The report of this honourable atchievment being bruted abroad, brought such a generall applause to the renowned Victor, that both the hearts and eyes of the people were so much fixed upon him, that every one made it their study how to respect him according to his deserts; the King also gratifying him, recom∣mended him to his Master the King of England; giving a sufficient Narrative of his worth and valour, which brought him into high e∣steem in our English Nation; so receiving a Knighthood, was afterwards intrusted by Sir Thomas Smith, then chief in England for the Virginia Company, who imployed and in∣trusted him to go chief Governor for Virginia, at which time I Abraham Wo•…•…fe was shipt in the Ship called the Clove bound for the sam•…•…, place, whereof Captain Nuport was chief; and after the well and true performance of th•…•… service, in which, to my best remembran•…•…, he was seven years he, was intrusted with 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the East-Indies, the nam•…•… of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉

the Sun, the Moon, the Globe, the Clove, the Sam∣son, and the Pepper-corn, with which Ships he came safe to the Cape, and from thence set well forth, and so sailed within 30. leagues short of the Straits of Sunday, but in the dark of the night, the Ship aforenamed the Sun, which was the Ambrall, and the biggest in the Fleet, being headmost, fell foul of the shoules of the Islands of Angania, and could not get off, but was there lost, some of her men being cast ashoar on that Island, were most cruelly murthered by the Inhabitants thereof; but those that were well in health, endeavoured to get a way, to which purpose they got one of the ships Boats, and the weather being very temperate and calm, they put to Sea, and came to Bantam, where being arrived, they forth∣with repaired to the President, and related to him how many of the English were murthered and most barbarously used by the Inhabitants of Angania, and that they conceived (if the President thought it convenient) to send away a Vessel to that Island, many of the men which lay there then sick, might be preserved from the hands of the cruell Islanders, and that much of the Ships goods which was cast away might be recovered: The President hearing this, forthwith commanded a Ship to be pre∣par•…•…d •…•…nd sent spe•…•…dily away for the Island of

Angania, which being done, they set Sayl, & in a short time came to the Island, where being come, they perceived how most unhumanely the Inhabitants had dealt with the English, they fell upon them, and being very much en∣raged, put many of them to death, and after∣wards we returned, and gave the President an Account of what they had done, who was something incensed at the killing of so ma∣ny of the Inhabitants, although they had been so barbarous to our men.

Now Sir Thomas Daile having by this time come (with much difficulty) within the Straits Mouth of Sunday, and having dropt. Anchor, forthwith Man'd out a Boat, and sent up to Bantam to desire men to help them to furle their Sayles, and weigh their An∣chors, whereof I the Testator was one that was commanded out to their assistance, they of themselves being so extream, and un∣believably weak, that they could not per∣forme any service convenient for that time; but we comming, weighed their Anchors, and did other things requisite, and brought their Shipps safely to Bantam, in the memorable year of the Blazing-Starre before the death of Queen Anne, but during the time of Sir Tho∣mas his abode with us, his men having received the benefit and refreshment of the place, were

most of them again restored to their former healths, they having suckt, and rubb'd their aggrieved parts with Limes and Lemons, which is the best cure for the Scurvey that can be thought of, for it cureth (to my knowledge) the soreness of the mouth, fastens the teeth, and asswages the swelling of the flesh, and fastens it again to the bones.

Suddenly after the well recovery of Sir Thomas Daile and his men, Sir Thomas being a man of an active spirit, and hating dronish Idleness, betook himself again to Sea, and sayled to a Port called Meslapotaine, where being come, he was arrested by Death at the Suit of Nature, and gave an Acquittance to the World, and dyed; at which place a Mo∣nument was erected, which I believe is to be seen to this day, in memory of so worthy and valiant a Knight, whose death was sadly de∣plored by all the Seamen, for their hearts were so much united to him, that their griefs for his loss swelled into great extreams: Thus leaving Sir Thomas in his Tomb, I will return to Captain Iourden, and give the Reader a short, yet true, Relation of what befell him by the Treachery of the perfidious Dutch.

This Captain Iourden being a man more valiant, then prudent, sayling from Bantam (upon a design, not known, nor to this day

can be imagined) with two Shipps, the one called the Sampson, and the other the Hound, to the great Islands of Burnew, and Anchored in a Port called Suckedany, and after a short, stay there he discovered 3. or 4. Dutch Shipps standing in for the same Port, the sight where∣of made him confident that they intended no good to him, therefore he immediately gave order to prepare, and hasted aboard, fully re∣solving to fight it out to the last man, rather then to yield himself, Ships, and men, to the unmerciful hands of his approaching enemies, in the mean time the Dutch approaching nee∣rer and neerer, at last summoned our Shipps to deliver upon fair Quarter, but Captain Iourden having like the Bee, Ingens spiculum, in angusto corpore, a great heart in a little body, absolutely refused to yield upon any condi∣tions whatsoever; but the Dutch, being un∣willing (as they pretended) to shed blood, called out to our men, and told them, that they knew little Captain Iourden was there, and withall desired them to perswade their Captain to parley with them, that so they might forthwith prevent those dangers that might accrew by the denyall of so civill a courtesie; Captain Iourden being informed of their desires (being much in fury) againe refused, which still made the Dutch more im∣portunate

to effect their own ends, to which purpose, they againe desired him that he would but show himselfe upon the Quar∣ter Deck, and speak with them, that so by a faire complyance they might salve up the difference, and stop the effusion of blood, which must needs happen, if not timely pre∣vented, at last Captain Iourden (his passion being something abated) thought that the speaking with them could not damnifie him, therefore went to the Quarter Deck, and shew∣himself to them, and after some words exchan∣ged between them, Captain Iourden told them, That he knew the justnesse of his Cause, and the injustice of theirs, and was resolved to fight it out with them to the last man, the Hol∣lander urging, That alas their strength was far greater then his, and it would be •…•…steemed ra∣ther desperatenesse then true Valour to fight upon such odds; and moreover, that he would make himself guilty •…•…f the blood of those men that should be slaine in the fight;

All these words, and vain perswasions of the Dutch could no way alter the Resolution of Captain Iourden, he telling them, that he questioned not his strength, but was resolved to fight, and to leave the Success to God; Not∣withstanding this; the Dutch, willing to bring their treacherous design to passe, protracted as

much time as they could, still keeping him in talke upon the Quarter Deck, till at length, a musket shott from one of the other ships killed Captain Iourden in the place while they were in Parley, and at that very instant of time, whe∣ther by trechery, or accedent, I know not, our ship called the Hound, was part of it blown up, and many of our men mortally hurt, which sudden businesse, caused such an amazement amongst our men, that they knew not for the present what to imagine; First, they saw their Captaine treacherously slaine; Secondly, They saw part of the Hound blown up; and thirdly, they saw that the Dutch on a sudden were pre∣paring to come aboard, and being in this sad condition, they were enforced to yeeld to the mercy of their Enemies, who having made them their captives, caused them (according to their former use) to be put into Bolts, not al∣lowing us so much favour as they did to the Heathen, for they permitted them after they had taken them, to walk too and fro with a chaine, which is far more easy, then to lie in heavy Bolts of Iron; This is the favour we English have received •…•…rom them, that we must either be troubled with a guard of Iron hearted men to attend us, or else lye in Bolts of Iron, or in the Stocks; but I must omitt to informe the Reader how the Ship called the Hound was conceived to be blown up.

During the time that Captain Iourden was in parley with the Hollander, our Boats, and theirs had free recourse to either of our Ships, at which time we had aboord the Hound, a Por∣tugall, who was in the Hollanders Ships severall times, and was known to some of them; we therefore supposed, that during the time of this Portugals stay with them, they inveagled him to set fire to some of our Cartrages which we had laid ready for the fight; but that which most of all confirmes our beliefe, is this, that this Portugall was seen severall times by these Cartrages with a Match in his hand, and it is verily thought, that he was hired to do it, in respect that it hapned so immediately after the death of Captain Iourden.

Thus we may observe what injury and wrong we have sustained by the Dutch, who have been often desired to make satisfaction, and many of us that have been wronged and abused by them, did from time to time Peti∣tion the Lords and many other of the Kings Privy Councel, but found no redress, but our hopes are, that when our Honourable Coun∣cel of State shall hear the sad cryes of the poor for Justice against that Nation of blood (the Hollander) who is not to be satisfied; for they will have the kernells, let who will take the shells.

Our Ship called the Charles, being about 1000. Tun in burthen came home, we forth∣with repairing to the East-Indie House, and informed the Company of our sufferings and losses, who told us they would do what might be done for us; not long after we were served with Subpoena's to attend the Lords of the Pri∣vie Councel, where we onely heard the noise of satisfaction, but I for my part could never find the comfort of it; At that same time I Abraham Woof being examined, told the Privy Councel, that the Dutch had taken and pos∣sessed the Islands of Banda, which are of such concernment, as I then related, that the Dutch could never give the English satisfaction, how the business was smothered up, I know not; but I am sure if any was done, I will venter my life it was not to the value of a pin to a pound, and moreover I will make it appear, that they got those Islands onely by blood-shed, and murthering both the English and their friends, and possesses them by treachery and usurpa∣tion to this day, and the people (if they have left any of them alive) are but slaves to the Dutch; and for the better satisfaction of all, I will here insert the Petition of one David Powell to the Lords of the Privy Councel, and the Account both of his, my own, and others now living, all of us being aged not under 60,

and if the Honorable Counsell of STATE shall think it convenient for us to set out Bills to summon in those that have been Sufferers, either them, their sons, or Grandchildren, I am confident we shall discover some hundreds which have been highly wronged by the Dutch; and I am very sure, that many fatherlesse chil∣dren may be relieved out of the Profits, and sa∣tisfaction they ought to make us; but I shall leave all to the Grave, and serious Judgements of the COUNSELL of this Nation, and the World to judge.