We know not what to think of you; for, the daily reports that fly up
and down these Lands, part true, part untrue, put us out of patience. Wee
are told, yours doe not onely search our ships for French commodities,
(which we like not) and abuse cut men, but they [unr]lk of Torturing,
and tying them up by the Thumbs, to make them confess, as if you meant
to be even with us for Amboyna.
But some of us observe well enough the cunning inventors of these stories,
and their ends; for, they have put the people quite out of patience
with these, and the like, as your dayly taking of our Ships, which they
tellus of; and also of our demanding 80. Tuns of Gold, that is,
800000 l. for Amboyna business, and other matters, besides the tenth
Herring, Flushing, Rammekins, free trade with your ships to Answerp, and
through the Zooen; all which reports the poor people beleeve, and so
think of nothing but wars, and in all Sea sowns there is a continual
calculating of what strength every one cin set forth.
Here is a talk of 150. men of war, besides what we have already to
be made ready in six weeks, so that in all there will be about 230. and
if wars must be we boast of what we will do, by setting forth 100. more
with letters of Marr, and I know not what more we will do; for many
wild discourses we have, and never think of the strength of your ships,
the resolution of your Seamen, with the great necessities and dangers
that must needs in a short time befal us by quarrelling with you; but we
are high, blown up with wealth, and therefore we vapour, and love our
money better then the remembrance of all those ancient counesies that
we received from England. This is the Peoples humour, but as for our
Governors, I Know they are wise, and wary, and do remember the
daies of old, &c.
From the Barbados, November 30.
The 16. instant, we arrived here all in good health, where we found
many ships; the greatest part of them had unladen ther goods; 12.
were taken by your Fleer, and two or thee small ones ran a ground. The
1[unr] day Sir George sent a summons to the Lord Wipo shby, but received
no satisfactory answer; onely in his answer, his Lordship was pleased to
direct it unto Sir George Ayscna, aboard the Rainbow, one of of his Majestie's
Ships. They areas yet very high in their resolutions; which was
occasioned by the coming in of a Dutch ship about six daies before the
arrival of our Fleet, who had brought them news that the King was in
England with a powerful Army, and within 40. Dutch miles of London;
and that he had cut off all, or the greatest part of Major General Horson's
Brigade; which these Kingly creatures (who make lies their refuge)
do beleeve, and upon the News made Bonfires, drank heal hs,
and called for damnation, as if Hell were not spacious enough to contain them.
Upon the 27. there came in also a Dutch ship, which brought so me
horses, and other goods for this Island, which were taken by one of our