NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 745 



teft betwixt the King of Congo and their mafter, they being both confederates of, the 

 dates : the faid earl fent likewife a letter to Count Maurice, in which he defired leave to 

 buy a chair, a cloak, fome enfigns of war, fome apparel, and fuch like things. The great 

 council wrote alfo a letter, as well to the King of Congo, as to the Count of Sonho, 

 exhorting them to peace, and fent them the following prefents in the name of the 

 company : — To the King, a long black velvet cloak, with filver galloons, a fcarf edged 

 with filver lace, a velvet coat, and a caftor-hat with a filver hatband. — To the Count, 

 a red velvet elbow-chair, with gold fringes, a large velvet cloak, with gold and filver 

 galloons, a fcarf with a gold and filver lace, a velvet coat, and a caftor-hat with a gold 

 and filver hatband. 



They were entertained with all imaginable civility during their flay here : they were 

 very tkilful in playing with the backfword ; in the management of which, they made 

 moft terrible poftures and faces. They underflood Latin very well, and made feveral 

 learned harangues in the fame. 



The 13th of Odober 1644, a certain Jew called Gafpar Francifco de Kunha, with 

 two others of the chief of the fame fraternity, gave notice to the great council, that 

 they had been credibly informed by fome Jews, who converfed and kept frequent 

 correfpondence in the country, that the Portuguefe were plotting againfl the Dutch 

 Brazil, telling the council the reafons upon which they founded this fufpicion. The 

 council, after having returned thanks to thefe elders for their care, refolved to leave 

 no ftone unturned, to difcover the defigns of the Portuguefe ; and having received 

 certain intelligence, that they expefted fome arms and ammunition to be brought them 

 by fea, they ordered, the 1 2th of Oftober 1 644, the yacht called Niewhoufe, with a 

 galiot and a chaloop, to cruize along the coafl: of Dutch Brazil, to obferve what veflels 

 did approach the fhore. 



The 1 1 th of May 1 644, Count Maurice left the Receif, in order to his return to 

 Holland, after he had been eight years governor of the Dutch Brazil. All the citizens 

 and chief inhabitants, both of the Receif and Maurice's Town, appeared in arms, mak- 

 ing a lane from the old town to the water-gate, from whom, as he pafled by, he took 

 his leave with all imaginable demonft rations of kindnefs. At the gate he mounted on 

 horfe-back, and being accompanied by the great council, the counfellors of juftice, 

 and all the military officers, as far as Olinda, he there once more took his leave of 

 them in particular, the Sieur Bulleflract remaining only with him, being deputed by 

 the regency to conduft him on board the fhips defigned for his tranfportation. 

 They did not fet fail from the Red I^and till the 2 2d of May, with a fleet of thirteen 

 fliips, on board of which were a good number of foldiers, leaving only eighteen 

 companies for the defence of the Dutch Brazil. Mr. Bulleftraet returned the 26th 

 to the Receif. 



On the 2 2d of April, not long before the departure of Count Maurice, the com- 

 mlffion from the governors of the Weft India company, according to a refolution 

 taken at their meeting the firft of July 1642, concerning the government of Dutch 

 Brazil, and dated the 2 2d of May 1643, was read in the great council, by which the 

 members thereof were to have the adminiftration of the government till further orders. 

 Accordingly, Count Maurice having appointed a day to inveft them with the admini- 

 ftration of the government, he ordered (with the confent of the faid council) an 

 affembly to be called on the 6th of May, of the counfellors of juftice, of the magif- 

 trates, the ecclefiaftical council and miniflers of Maurice's Town ; of the commanders- 

 in-chief, both by fea and land, the chief officers of the company, the officers of the 

 militia, and the chief men among the Jews. 



VOL. XIV. q c AU 



