A. D. 1620. -^oc 



Poituguefe, were feverally plotting againft our Perfian trade. The Por- 

 tuguefe more efpecially were our company's greateft enemies on all oc- 

 cafions. 



The Ruflia and Eaft-Tndia companies having (as related under the 

 year 1619) laid down their whale fifhery, four members of the Ruflia 

 company now fent out feven (hips to Spitzbergen, on their owm private 

 account ; but they proved unfuccefsful. 



1 62 1 In the next year they fent the fame number of {hips thither 



again, with better fuccefs. In both thefe voyages, and others alfo prior 

 to thefe, mention is made of the quantity of oil brought home ; but 

 not the leaft mention of whalebone or fins. They fucceeded very badly 

 in 1622 ; but in 1623, the lad year of their union, they had good fuc- 

 cefs ; though they were not able to drive the Dutch away, who were 

 fuperior in number of fhips, and had the prince of Orange's coni- 

 mifllon. 



The truce between Spain and Holland expiring this year, the later 

 began hoftilities, by taking the tov.n and port of St. Salvador in Braiil ; 

 and in their homeward voyage they took feveral Spanilh fhips. 



The Englifh at the Banda ifles were fo ill fupported by their friends 

 at Bantam, that the Hollanders, colleding all their force, attacked them 

 in the feveral iflands, feizing on their forts, artillery, and other effeds ; 

 burning fuch towns as made refiftance, and putting many of the natives 

 to the fword. They are faid alfo to have imprifoned and othervvife 

 cruelly ufed our company's people ; and, in fhort, after ading other bar- 

 barities, they drove the Englifh abfolutely from thence, compelling the 

 natives to make a folemn furrender of their country to them. 

 This is our Englifh company's account. 



But the Dutch, in their own vindication (printed at Amflerdam 1622) 

 allege, that as early as 1609, the natives, by a fpecial treaty, put them- 

 felves under the protedion of the flates-general ; who agreed to defend 

 them againft the Portuguefe and their other enemies, on condition of 

 receiving all their fpices at ftated prices : but that afterwards the Ban- 

 danefe broke thefe engagements, and committed feveral violences againfl; 

 the Dutch, till the years 1616 and 161 7, when this agreement was re- 

 newed ; but was again foon after broken, by the inftigation of the 

 Englifli, who furnifhed them with provifions, ammunition, and fhips, 

 till the year 1620, when peace between the Englifli and Dutch com- 

 panies united their councils, for reducing the Bandanele into terms of 

 trade, for the common benefit of both companies. For, it feems, the 

 people of Banda had re-admitted lome Portuguefe to trade there : and 

 when the Dutch came to attack the Bandanefe on that account, they 

 were underhand fupported by the Englifh, contrary to the agreement 

 between the Englifh and Dutch ; wLert-by the later alone undertook 

 the redudion of thole ifles, for their common benefit. So that the 

 Vol. II. Q^q 



