772 



NIEUHOFF S BRAZIL. 



with full power t& propofe thefe points to you, and to defire you forthwith to recall the 

 faid Kamaron, Henry Dias, and other leaders, with their 'troops, within a limited time 

 out of our territories, either by public proclamation, or fuch other means as Your Ex- 

 cellency fhall think mofl forcible or expedient, and to punifli them according to their 

 deferts ; and if they refufe to obey, to declare them open enemies of His Majelly ; it 

 being impoflible for us to conceive, how due fatisfadtion can be given without it to Their 

 High and MightineiTes, to the Prince of Orange, and the Weil-India company, which 

 neverthelefs we ought and do expect from Your Excellency. 



" (Subfcribed) Your Excellency's well-meaning friends, 

 " (On the fide flood) Henry Hamel, 



A. Van Bullestraten, 

 " From the Receif, P. J. Bas, 



" July 7, 1640. J. Van Walbeck, 



and 

 Henry de Mucheron.** 



The governor gave Immediate anfwer to the deputies propofitlons, that he was fo far 

 from fending any fuccours to the rebels, that he had not had the lead knowledge of it. 

 That the Brazilians and negroes were difbanded by His Majeily's order, and that thefe 

 a$ well as the Portuguefe among them, that were come to the alliflance of the rebels, 

 could be in no great numbers, confiding (as he fuppofed) in fome vagabonds, or others, 

 who having committed mifdemeanors in the Bahia, had taken this opportunity to fhel- 

 ter themfelves, and flee from punifliment, as it frequently happened that fuch-like per- 

 fons did come to the Bahia from Pernambuko, which neverthelefs had given him not 

 the leafl fnfpicion of the council's fincerity. He told them that he was extremely glad 

 to underfland the good confidence their mailers repofed in him, of maintaining the truce 

 concluded betwixt His Majefly of Portugal and Their High and Mightinefles the States- 

 General, afluring them that he never fhould be prevailed upon to a6l contrary to it, for 

 fear of hazarding his life. And that if he had any fuch intention, he did not want 

 means to attempt it by the afliftance of the Brazilians. But that he had never had any 

 thoughts that way, notwithflanding he had been provoked to it by the Dutch, who fmce 

 the truce had taken a Portuguefe fhip and carried it to the Receif, which by the bravery 

 of the Portuguefe was delivered from the Hollanders, and they and the fhip brought to 

 the Bahia ; the Dutch mariners being difmilTed without any punifhment. He told them 

 further, that he was not infenfible what an opinion their maflers entertained of his fince- 

 rity f and that he had reafon to believe, that they had at this time as they had done be- 

 fore, fent their deputies chiefly to feel his pulfe, to inquire into his flrength, and to dive 

 into his defigns. That however, he would communicate the letter to his council, and 

 give them a fpeedy anfwer, in order to their return home, purfuant to the requefl or 

 their mailers. Then the governor arifing from his feat, the deputies took their leave 

 and returned aboard. 



The 19th, in the morning, they were fent for afhore by a lieutenant, and brought 

 to the houfe of Lieutenant-colonel Pedro Korea de Gama, where they dined in com- 

 pany of Andrew Vidal and Paulo de Kunha. Towards the evening they were again 

 conducted to the palace, where the fecretary defired them to. tarry a minute, becaufe 

 His Excellency was bufy with clofing his letters ; after fome flay, they were introduced 

 to the governor, who told them, that he had underllood the contents of the letter, 

 which he found altogether agreeable to the propofitions made to him the day before by 

 way of mouth by them, which confided chiefly in two points. 



Fird, 



