Book I Travels in India. 



having plunder'd it the year before. At which time the Hollanders flew four 

 Kings of the Country, and fix hundred Blacks ; nor did their efcape only one 

 ancient Queen, who was taken alive by a common Soldier, calPd Van Rez., 

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

 ward. They left one Company in that Houfe j but the Queen ftay'd there but 

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

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

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

 ful to them. 



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

 landers, ftorming 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 drunk when the alTault was made. Two months after, 

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

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

 the fide of Belle-epine. But by misfortune the Frigat ftruck upon the Sands, 

 and fplitting, abundance of the Soldiers were drown'd. They that could fwim, 

 got to land near Cochin, not finding any other place convenient, and were 

 all taken Prifoners by the Portugais, being not above ten in all, Soldiers and 

 Mariners. The General however would not give over the aflault, 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 aflault, with four Companies, confiding each of a hundred and fifty men. 

 The Hollanders loft abundance of men in this laft alTault, and fo did the Portu- 

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

 Soldiers, who were all Dutch-men, but had fided with the Portuguefes, becaufe 

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

 Without the affiftance of thefe 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 reafon of their ill ufage of him. 



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

 vete fide ; and being Mafters of the chief Bulwark, the Portugais came to a 

 Capitulation, and the City was furrender'd. The Portugais 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. Samarin alfo demanded of him the 

 City of Cranganor, according to his promife ; which the General made good j 

 but he caus'd all the Fortifications to be flighted firft, and left Samarin nothing 

 but the bare Walls. For being of a very mean Extra&ion, 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 kill'd her ; for which the General, when he 

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

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

 him. 



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

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

 all his Land and Sea-men, to the number of about fix thoufànd men. A few 

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

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

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

 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, a 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 



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