7^8 nieuhoff's brazil. 



whom they faid he fhould confer In private concerning the point in hand, and that in 

 the following manner. 



After their return from Madam de Melo's, to the houfe of Pedro Korea de Gama^ 

 where Vander Voerde expeded their coming, Kunha was to go privately to the 

 governor, to agree with him, that when Mr. Vander Voerde, Hoogftraten, Soufa, and 

 Kunha, fhould come to fpeak with him, he fhould by his fecretary defire them to flay 

 a little while. In the meanwhile, Soufa was to afk Mr. Hoogftraten to take a glafs of 

 wine with him, and under that pretence bring him to the chamber of the confefTor of 

 the governor, where they were to have this private interview. Accordingly, Paulo 

 de Kunha went to the governor, whilft Hoogftraten and Soufa were returning to 

 Piedro Corre de Gama's houfe ; when Soufa entertained him with nothing elfe, but 

 the probability of fucceeding in their enterprife againft the Dutch Brazil, telling him, 

 that the governor ftayed only for the coming of Salvador Korrea de Saa and Benevides, 

 who were expe6led with gallons from Rio Janeiro, befides fome other fhips ; and 

 that twenty-five hundred men were defigned for this expedition, befides thofe already 

 in arms in Pernambuko, who were to be fent from the Bahia, and to be landed on the 

 Cape of St.Auftin ; " this is," faid Soufa, " the governor's requeft to you." 



Scarce were they returned to the houfe of Piedro Korrea de Gama, when Andrew 

 Vidal came and told them, that the governor was ready to receive them^; fo they went to 

 the palace, where they were no fooner come within the anti-chamber, but the governor's 

 fecretary came ^to defire them to tarry a little, the governor being bufy with ciofing 

 fome letters. So, whilft fome Portuguefe were entertaining Mr. Vander Voerde near 

 the window, fays Soufa to Mr. Hoogftraten, " Come, fhall you and I take a glafs of 

 wine in the meanwhile ?" Which Mr. Springapple, the fecretary of the embaffy, 

 iinderftanding, told him, that he would go along with them ; but Paulo de Kunha, and 

 fome other Portuguefe, taking him afide, kept him in difcourfe, whilft Mr. Hoogftraten 

 was conducted by Soufa into the confeifor's chamber. 



Within a few minutes after, the governor, Antonio Telles de Sylva, entering the 

 room, faluted Mr. Hoogftraten very courteoufly, and fetting himfelf in a chair near 

 him, ordered the chamber to be locked, nobody being prefent befides themfelves, but 

 Soufa. The governor then told Mr. Hoogftraten, that he had always taken a particular 

 notice of his chara£t6r, of his being a friend to the Portuguefe, that he hoped he 

 would continue in the fame opinion, and would not refufe the offer made him by Don 

 John de Soufa, in the King's and his name ; their intention being not to enter into a 

 war with the Dutch, but only to repolTefs themfelves of what of right belonged to the 

 prefent King of Portugal, Don John IV. and that if Count Maurice of Naflau had 

 ftayed any longer in this country, he himfelf would have been inftrumental in bringing 

 this matter about. Mr. Hoogftraten anfwered the governor, that he fhould be glad to 

 underftand what it was he could ferve him in. " You have," fays he, " underftood 

 that from Mr. Soufa, and I defire you to turn abfolute Portuguefe." Mr. Hoogftraten 

 told him it was beyond his power, becaufe immediately after his return, he fhould be 

 provided with a major's commiffion, and confequently not be employed in the fame 

 place : unto which the governor replied, " You need not queftion any place of honour 

 or profit among us, but it will perhaps not be convenient to difcourfe together upon 

 this point at prefent, for fear Mr. Vander Voerde fhould fufped us : but I intend to 

 fend two ambaffadors (of which Mr. Paulo de Kunha is to be one) to your govern- 

 ment, who fhall be empowered to treat with you further upon this account. And," 

 fays he, giving his hand to Mr. Hoogftraten, " reft affured, in the name of the King 



my 



