238 THE GOVERNOR-GENEEAL. [1697. 



not that Title. He Governs with more or less Authority, 

 according as the People have conferr'd on him more or less 

 Power. The General of Batavia, King or Viceroy/ or what 

 you please to call him, is chosen by the Company by 

 plurality of Voices, and tho' his Power be subject to be 

 revok'd by his Electors, in like manner as the Emperor of 

 Germany's is, yet he generally enjoys his Office for Life^ : 



Chefs qui gouveruent avec plus ou moins d'autorite, selon que les Peuple 

 leur enont plus ou moins confere, ou que les Chefs en out plusou nioius 

 usurpe. Et il y a une difference moins essentielle, dans le fait, entre le 

 Due de Savoye, par example, & le Roi de Portugal, qu'il n'y en a entre 

 le Roi de France & le Roi de Polvgne, quoique cesdeux derniers portent 

 le meme nom de Roi, mais revenons a nos moutons." Evidently this is 

 an interpolation of Misson's writing. 



The Gouverneur- General van Nederlands Indien at this period was 

 Heer VVillem van Outhoorn, whose portrait is engraved in the folios of 

 Valentyn, from the picture in the Great Hall, at Batavia. He was at 

 the head of affairs from 1691 to 1704. 



" The authority of the Governor- General is almost unbounded ; and 

 although he is obliged to give cognizance to the Council and consult 

 them on some matters, he possesses a most arbitrary and independent 



power in all His Excellency usually resides at his country-seat, 



called Weltevreeden, about an hour and a quarter's Avalk from Batavia, 

 and which is a superb mansion. When the Governor rides out he is 

 always accompanied by some of his horse-guards. An officer and 

 two trumpeters precede his approach, and every person who meets him, 

 and happens to be in a carriage, must stop and step out of it till he has 

 rode by. A company of dragoons always mount guard at Weltevreeden. 

 He has besides some halberdiers, who are employed in carrying 

 messages and commands, and who always are attendant on the Gover- 

 nor's person wherever he goes. They are dressed in short coats of 

 scarlet cloth richly laced with gold, and follow in rank upon the 



junior ensign in the Company's service His lady receives the 



same honours, and is equally escorted by a party of horse-guards when 

 she rides out." (Stavorinns, vol. i, p. 278 et seq.) 



1 In orig. : " Viceroi ou si Ton veut Vice-Bepubliquer 



2 In orig.: " D'un Cote, la Politique raisonable veut qu'il soit revoca- 

 ble ou deposable, de peur qu'il ne s'emancipe selon les demangeaisons 

 ordinaires de ceux qui ont un grand pouvoir : & d'un autre cote aussi, 

 cette meme bonne politique veut qu'on le laisse dans son emploi, aussi 

 longtemps qu'il est possible : parce que comme il ne rend aucun compte, 

 & qu'il a de grands moyens de remplir ses coffres, il y a moins d'incon- 



