2.86 The V O Y A G E S of Book I. 
never certainly known how this Treafon was difeovered : 
Some fay, that it was owing to a Slave •, others, that it was 
betrayed by a Woman. There are fome likewife of Opinion, 
that one or other of the Confpirators themfelves revealed it. 
But that which has the molt Appearance of Troth is, that 
the Government received its Informations from the King of 
Bantam y for it is certain, that Peter Erberfeld wrote to 
him, not only every Circumftarice of his Confpiracy, but 
informed him likewife, that, when he had extirpated the 
Chriftians, he intended to attack the Emperor of Java . 
The King or Bantam , perceiving by this the daring and 
ambitious Spirit of the Man, began to think, that his own 
Safety was, in fome meafure, concerned *, and that there 
could not be a better or fhorter Method taken to prevent 
his having it in his Power to do Mifchief, than to difeover 
his Schemes immediately to the Company. It is alfo remark- 
able, that Mr. Vanden. Bofch, Minifter at Macaffar, who 
wrote a Poem on this Confpiracy, infmuates, that the Dif- 
eovery was owing to the Friendlhip of a great Monarch. 
28. The Eccleiiaftical Government at Batavia confifts 
generally of eleven Perfons, all Minifters of the Reformed 
Religion ; viz. five for the two Dutch Churches in the 
City, and that in the Citadel, befides the Minifter that re- 
Tides in the Ifland of Onruft y three Portuguefe Minifters, 
and two Malayans. The five laft likewife are Dutchmen by 
Birth, though they preach in the Portuguefe and Malayan 
Tongues : And as it is neceflary, that the State ihould be 
very well informed of whatever paflfes amongft their Clergy 
when they meet together, the eleventh Perfon is a Deputy 
on the Part of the Government, who is to fee, that they 
undertake nothing prejudicial to the Civil Government, or 
Inconfiftent with the Laws, which the Company has pre- 
feribed. Befides thefe Minifters, the Confiftory is compofed 
of eight Elders, and twenty Deacons. One great Branch 
of their Bufinefs is, to fend Minifters into other Govern- 
ments, where, after a certain Term of Years, they are re- 
lieved, and return either to Batavia , or to Holland , to en- 
joy in Peace the Fruits of their Labours. Our Author tells 
us, that there came home with him a certain Preacher, who 
had made fo good Ufe of his Time, that, on his Return, 
he bought a noble Fief, and of a Paftor immediately 
became a Man of Quality. 
In other little Places, they have no ordinary Minifter y but 
one is fent thither regularly every three or four Years, to 
baptize, marry, and give the Lord’s Supper *, which is fo much 
the more neceflary, becaufe theSy nods have taken a Refolution 
not to permit any Religion, but the Reformed, to make any 
Progrefs in the Dominions of the Eafi India Company. 
The Lutherans , for a long Space of Time, have warmly 
folicited for a Church at Batavia , but have been conftantly 
refufed it, though certainly their Demand was equally juft 
and reafonable, efpecially in a Place where Mohammedans 
and Pagans are freely tolerated in the Exercife of their 
Religions ; nay, and even the Chinefe , who, as we before 
obferved, worfhip the Devil himfelf. This Ecclefiafti- 
cal Council have alfo dependent, upon them, the Confo- 
lators of the Sick, Schoolmafters and Catechifts. Of thefe 
laft the Company have a great many in their Service on 
board their Ships, whofe Duty it is to fay Prayers con- 
ftantly every Day, and to inftrudt fuch as embrace the 
Chriftian Religion. Thefe Catechifts are, for the moft 
part, Natives of the Country ; and, as they fpeak feveral 
Languages, they are the better enabled to give the necef- 
fary Inftrudlions, and to teach the Confeffion of Faith to 
fo many different Nations •, who, after being converted and 
baptized, are to receive the Communion. For the better 
Prefervation of Uniformity, there is an annual Vifitation 
made by the Minifters of all the new Convents. 
In confequence of thefe Regulations, the Reformed Re- 
ligion makes a great Progrefs, efpecially among the Ne- 
groes, of whom our Author fays he has feen 150 at a time 
who demanded Baptifm ; which, however, is not rafhly 
granted, fince all who receive it are obliged to be well in- 
ftrueled, and to be able to make their Confeffion of Faith 
before it is beftowed and in this the Dutch are fo ftrieft, 
that they do not difpenfe, in this Particular, even with 
Princes and Princeffes themfelves. It is well enough known, 
that the Chinefe are fo obftinately addicted to their Great 
Confucius , as not to be over-ready to embrace any other 
Religion ; yet there are, from time to. time, fonie of them 
who abjure their Idolatry, and embrace the Proteftant Faith, 
Our Author, however, feems to doubt a little the Since- 
rity of thefe Confeffions, from an Apprehenfion, that the 
Chinefe are feldom fincere in any thing ; and, as a Reafon 
for his Sufpicion, he tells us, that a Chinefe , having re- 
nounced his Superftition, made ufe of this remarkable 
Phrafe ; At prefent I am going to embrace the Religion 
of the Company. 
As to the Military E ft. ab 1 i fh m e n t , it is pretty much the 
fame in the Eafi Indies as in the United Provinces y the 
Troop's in the Company’s Service being as regularly paid, 
and as well difeiplined, as thofe in Holland. The firft Officer, 
in Command, in Time of Peace, has, Unfitly fpeaking, no 
higher Rank than that of Major, under whom are Captains, 
Lieutenants, and Enfigns : But, when the Troops are in the 
Field, the Lieutenants and Enfigns are at the Head of 
Companies, the Captains lead Brigades, and the Majors as 
a Major General, commands in chief. All the Forces, as 
hath been before obferved, are under the immediate Com- 
mand of one of the Counfeilors of the Indies y the Natives 
of the Country are under the Command of their own Of- 
ficers, who are capable of rifing to the Rank of a Captain, 
but not higher. The Burgeffes of Batavia choofe alfo their 
own Officers, as high as the Rank of Captains of Horfe 
and Foot: They are under the Command of a Colonel, 
who is alfo one of the Counfeilors of the Indies , and, at 
the fame time, Prefident of the Council of War. 
The Maritime Force, in the Service of the Eafi India 
Company, is regulated on the lame Foot, and on the fame 
Maxims, as their Military Eftablifhment ; that is to fay, 
there are no Officers wanting neceflary to the Prefervation 
of good Difcipline ; nor are there any honoured with high 
Titles, merely to fecure large Appointments to them, with- 
out any Benefit to the State. The whole Fleet is under 
the Diredion of one Officer, who has the modeft Title of 
Commander, or Commodore ; he has under him a Vice- 
Commander ; and, befides thefe, there are no Flag-officers, 
but every Captain has the Command of his Ship. When 
their Veffels are in the Harbour of Batavia , the Captains 
are obliged to repair every Morning to the Commander, or 
Commodore, in order to make Report to him of the State 
of their Veffels, and to receive his Orders : Yet, even this 
Commander of the Fleet does nothing of Confequence 
without the Confent and Approbation of the Governor- 
General, to whom, in fad, all the Officers of the Com- 
pany, Civil, Military, and Marine, are accountable ; fo 
that it plainly appears, the Dutch are forced to retain the 
Stadtholderfhip, or Government of a Angle Perfon, in the 
Indies , though they have thought fit to rid themfelves of 
it at Home ; and, indeed, without fuch an Eftabliffiment, 
it is not eafy to conceive, how their Affairs in the Indies 
could be fo well carried on as they are. 
29. The Country about Batavia is inexpreffibly beauti- 
ful, infomuch that one may fafely aver. Nature and Art 
feem to ftrive which ffiall have the greateft Share in adorn- 
ing it. The Air is fweet and mild, the Land fertile, and 
finely diverfified with Hills and Valleys ; and all thefe are 
improved by regular Plantations, beautiful Canals, and 
whatever elfe may contribute to render a Country pleafant 
and agreeable. But to ftep a little out into the Ifland : 
Java may be about 300 Leagues in Circumference, divided 
into abundance of Kingdoms and Principalities, all of them 
dependent on the Emperor, who refides at Kattafura. We 
muft, however, except out of the Number of thefe tributary 
Princes the Kings of Bantam and Japara , who do not 
acknowledge his Authority. The Country produces, not 
only all Things neceflary for the Subflftence of Man, but 
alfo large Proportions of thofe valuable Effefts which form 
the Commerce of the Country. It is divided by many 
Rivers, Woods, and Mountains, in all of which Nature 
has very bountifully beftowed her Treafures. It is certain, 
that in fome Parts of the Ifland there are Gold Mines : The 
Regency at Batavia , in hopes of profiting by them, 
wrought for fome Years the Mountains of Parang y but it 
fo fell out, that the Marcaffites were not fully ripened, fo 
that, after all, the Company were at the Expence of a Mil- 
lion to no Purpofe. Such as had the Direction of this 
Enterprize were very much cenfured, and the Works have 
