768 nieuhoff's brazil. 



one hundred Brazilians in St. Antonio, he was ready to march to the fugar-mill Velho, 

 and from thence to Moribeca, where he would expect their further orders. 



At the fame time the inhabitants of Goyana having fortified themfelves in a certain 

 houfe, belonging to Liftry their chief magiftrate, they defired the council to furnifli 

 them with forty mufquets, for the ufe of fuch among them as were unprovided with 

 arms. Their requeft was granted, and pofitive orders fent at the fame time to Servae§ 

 Karpentier, to take this opportunity to difarm all the Portuguefe, either by fair or foul 

 means ; to effefl: which, he fhould keep the Dutch together in a body as much as 

 poiTibly he could ; his anfwer was, " he would endeavour to difarm the Portuguefe 

 by fair means, he wanting power to do it by force." Befides which, he gave notice 

 in his letter dated the nth of July, that every thing remained quiet hitherto in Goy- 

 ana, but that the Brazilians, (contrary to his exprefs orders) claiming a prerogative 

 to be commanded by none but their own officers, purfuant to a decree of the council 

 of Nineteen, had, in their paffage to Tamarika, plundered feveral of the Portuguefe 

 inhabitants. 



- Moft of the rebellious Portuguefe had left their wives and children in their houfes 

 and mills, which, as it tended to their no fmall conveniency, fo fome of the faithful 

 Portuguefe inhabitants did propofe on the 3d of July to the great councif, whether it 

 would not be for our intereft to oblige thofe wives and children to quit their houfes and 

 mills, and to fend them after their hufbands. 



Several reafons were alledged for it : 



1. Becaufe the rebels being encumbered with their families, muil of necefTity make 

 greater confumption of farinha, and other provifions, which would oblige them the 

 fooner to alter their meafures, and to change their places. 



2. That thereby they would be much difheartened, for fear of a vigorous attack. 



3. That they would not be able to march or to change their camp fo conveniently 

 as before, or to lurk in uninhabitable places. 



4. That by the removal of thefe women, who ferved them as fpies by the help- 

 of their negroes, we fhould take away all opportunity from them, to be informed of 

 our defigns. 



All which reafons being well weighed, the following proclamation was publifhed : 



A Proclamation for the Removal of the Rebels* Wives and Children, 



** The great council of Brazil, by the authority of the States-General of the United 

 Provinces, His Highnefs the Prince of Orange, and the Weft India company, make 

 known unto every body, that whereas many of thofe who have fided with the three 

 head rebels, John Fernandes Vieira, Antonio Kavalkanti, and Amador d'Araouje, 

 againft this llate, have left behind them their wives, children, and families, which hitherto 

 continue in their former dwelling-places ; we do by thefe prefents ftridly command all the 

 wives and children, whether male or female, whofe hufbands and fathers are engaged with 

 the rebels, to leave their refpedive houfes within fix days after the publication of this 

 proclamation ; and to repair to their refpeftive hufbands and fathers, or elfe to incur 

 the penalties due to rebels ; it being our refolution not to take the fame into our prp- 

 teftion ; nay, to take away our fafe-guards from all fuch of our fubjeds ^s fhall be 

 found to harbour or conceal thefe before-faid wives, children, and their effefts, unlefs 

 the hufbands and fathers of thefe wives and children fhall, within the limited timq of 

 fix days, return to their dwelling-places, and fue for pardon to the counciL 



" Thus decreed in the affembly of the great council of Brazil." 



II About 



