Book I. Travels Z>/ India. 85 



having plundered it the year before. At which time the Hollanders flew four 

 gjngsof the Country,' and fix hundred Blacks ; nor did their efcape only one 

 ancient Queen, who was taken alive by a common Soldier, calld Van Rc^ > 

 whom the Commander of the Army made a Captain immediately, for his re- 

 ward. They left one Company inthatHoufej but the Queen ftay'd there but 

 fix days, for they gave her into the cuftody of Savarm 3 one of the molt 

 potent of the petty Kings of that Coaft, to whom the Hollanders had promis'd 

 | give the City of Cranganor 3 if they took Cochim, provided he would be faith- 

 ful to them. 



Six weds pafs'd ere any thing confiderable was done; but then the Hol- 

 landers, forming the Town by night, were repuls'd, and loft abundance of men, 

 flain and taken Prifoners , through the Governour of Cranganors fault, who 

 commanded them, and was draflk v. hen the affault was made. Two months after, 

 the General of the Hollanders refblv'd to make another affault in the fame 

 place ; and beciufe he would not want men, he fent for thofe that lay upon 

 the fide of Jiellc-cpine. But by misfortune the Frigat ftruck upon the Sands, 

 an d fi ■'; -ting, abundance of the Soldiers were drown'd. They that could fwim, 

 gcr to land near Cocbm y not finding any other place convenient, and were 

 all r ken Prifoners by the Portugals, being not above ten in all, Soldiers and 

 Mariners. The General however would not give over the affault, but caufing 

 the Sea-men to land, he arm'd fome with half-Pikes, others with Swords, to 

 others he gave hand-Granadoes, and about ten a Clock in the morning he began 

 the affauk, with four Companies, confifting each of a- hundred and fifty men. 

 The Hollanders loft abundance of men in this laft affault,, and Co did the ^jPortu- 

 wetcs, for they defended themfelves ftoutly, being feconded by two hundred 

 So'aien, who were all Dutch-men, but had fided with the Portttguefes, becaufe 

 their Countrymen had bated them fix months and a half pay for the Iofs of Touan. 

 Without the afliitance of thefc Soldiers, the City had never held out two months, 

 there being among them one of the beft Dutch Engineers of his time, who 

 had left his Countrymen by reafbn of their ill ufage of him. 



At length the Hollanders having enter'd the Town toward evening, on CV/- 

 Wti fide ; and being Mafters of the chief Bulwark, the PortHgals came to a 

 Capitulation, and the City w r as furrender'd. The Portugals by their Articles 

 march'd out of Cochin with their Arms and Baggage ; but when they came out 

 of the City where the Hollanders were drawn up in Battalia, they were all fore'd 

 to quit their Arms, and to lay them at the Generals feet ; except the Officers, 

 who kept their Swords. The General had promis'd the Soldiers the Pillage 

 of the Town, but not being able to keep his word, for feveral plaufible 

 reafons which he told, he promis'd them fix months pay, which in a few days 

 after was redue'd to eight Roupies a man. Samarm alfo demanded of him the 

 City of Cranrranor, according to his promile ; which the Genera! made good; 

 but he eaus'd all the Fortifications to be flighted firft, and left Samarm nothing 

 bur the bare Walls. For being of a very mean Extraction, he was naturally as 

 cruel and barbarous in his difpofition. One time the Soldiers being fo put to 

 it for four days together, that they could get no food, for money, two of them 

 had fomewhere taken a Cow and kilPd her ; for which the General, when he 

 came to know of it, eaus'd one of them to be hangM immediately, and had or- 

 der'd the other to have run the Gauntlet, had not King Pcrca interceded for 

 him. ^ 



King Perca was a petty King of that Country, with whom the General was 

 then in Treaty ; and the Treaty being at length concluded, the General mufter'd 

 al! his Land and Sea-men, to the number of about fix thoufand men. A few 

 days alter, he fent fome Companies to befiege the City of Cananor, which fur- 

 render'd without any refiftance. When they return'd, the General eaus'd a Crown 

 to be made for the new King of Cochin, the other being expell'd his Country. 

 And upon the day which he had appointed for this moft folemn Coronation,the Ge- 

 neral fat upon a kind of a Throne, at the foot whereof, z.Malavare or Pirat, 

 being led thither between three Captains of each fide, fell upon his knees to 

 receive the Crown from the Generals hand, and to do homage for a petty 

 Kingdom, that is to fay, the little City' of Cochin and its Territories,' which 

 * N were 



