Chap. III. (?/ BRAZIL FOR 1 UGUEZE. 177 
pradifed thofe Frauds, that proved afterwards fd fatal to 
themfelves. King yohn^ defirous of being acknoAvledged 
by as many Kingdoms and States as poffible, in Quality 
of rightful Poffeffor of the Crown of Portugal^ as un- 
doubtedly he was, fent Don P rifian de Mandoca Hurtado^ 
his Embaffador, to the Hague ^ to reprefent to the States- 
General the Reafonablenefs of owning his Title, ajid the 
Advantages that mull accrue from their living in a good 
Correfpondence together. The firft was readily admitted 
by the Hutch StatSiuen *, and, by Degrees, they came 
likewife into the Second ; but, as they thought them- 
felves Gainers by the War, and a vaft Over-match for 
Portugal^ unfupported by Spam^ they put off the Con- 
clufion of the Treaty as long as they could. 
At laid, on the 13 th of June 1641, they ligned a 
League offenfive and defenfive, with the Crown of Por- 
tugal, for what regarded the Dominions of both States in 
Europe \ and a Truce for ten Years in the Eafi and IV efi 
Indies : This laft was conceived in very general Terms; 
for it was to comprehend all the Dominions of both Par- 
ties, and was to commence from the Day of the Publica- 
tion of the Truce ; it was likewife ftipulated, that Com- 
miffioners fnould meet in eight Months, in order to con- 
clude a definitive Peace, and to fettle the Pretenfions of 
both Parties ; but, at the fame Time, the Dutch took 
care to provide, that if this Treaty fiiould prove ineffec- 
tual, the Truce, and free Trade between the Dominions 
of both States, fhould ftill continue ; only the Portu- 
gueze fhould not be at Liberty to export any of the Com- 
modities of Brazil into Holland ; and, on the other Hand, 
the Dutch were to be under the like Reftriftion, with 
Refpe(ff to the Dominions of Portugal It is evident, 
from the very Frame of this Treaty, that the States con- 
trived every thing for their own Advantage ; and that 
the King of Portugal fubmitted to it from pure Necef- 
fity. Experience, however, foon made this more vifible. 
On Complaints, that feveral Places were taken from the 
Portugueze after the Publication of the Truce ; Reftitu- 
tion was refufed, as to fome ; and though Orders were 
given, as to others, agreeable to the Spirit of the Treaty, 
yet they were drawn up in fuch a Manner, that moft of 
the Dutch Governors refufed to comply with them. 
The Portugueze Viceroy, and the reft of that Nation in 
Brazil, entered eafily into the Politics of the Dutch ; and 
inftead of attempting to do themfelves Juftice, by Force, 
they pradiifed exaftly the fame Method for their own 
Advantage ; They magnified the Wifdom of the Dutch 
Government, confided in the Promifes made them, and 
took in good Part all the Excufes that were made for 
Non-performance of them ; by which Means they fo 
over-reached Count Maurice, in the two laft Years of his 
Government, that he perfuaded himfelf, and eafily en- 
gaged the Directors of the IVefl India Company, to be- 
lieve, that their Territories were effedtually lettled, and 
that they had nothing to fear in Brazil, either from the 
Natives, or from the Portugueze ; who thought them- 
felves happy under their Adminiftration, and were as 
much attached to it as the Dutch themfelves. 
'But the Contrivances of their Enemies might proba- 
bly have proved abortive ; if the Managers of the Dutch 
Wefi India Company had not entered into a Confpiracy 
againft themfelves. They found that they v/ere now 
poffefled of v/hat they had fo long fought ; feveral ftrong 
Forts on the Coaft of Africa, and a very large Part of the 
rich Country of Brazil ; and they were defirous of make- 
ing the greateft immediate Profits poffible of both. It 
was from this Notion, that they fent over repeated 
Orders to Count Maurice, to take fuch Meafures as 
might increafe their Revenue, and prove the Import- 
ance of Brazil, by fending over vaft Quantities of Sugar 
and other valuable Effebls, and not fuffering inch as were 
in Debt to the Company to pay in fmall Sums, or at 
different Terms, but fpeedily, and at once. Count 
Maurice obferved to them, that the Execution of thefe 
Orders would be attended with many Inconveniences ; 
that a long Vv^ ar had been carried on ; that the Country 
had been but lately reduced ; that moft of thofe who were 
in Debt to the Company were Portugueze, who had fettled 
in their Territories, and who had hitherto behaved well, 
Yol, II. Numb. 8i, 
and ou§ht therefore to be kindly treated,- and not dfiveii 
to Extremities, which might put them upon Things that 
otherwife would not have entered into their Heads. But 
this v/as talking to the Deaf ; the Company had heard 
that Brazil was very rich, they were poffeffed of a great 
Part of , it, and could fee no Reafon why all that it pro- 
duced iliould not be immediately ftiipped for Holland. 
There were fome otlier Things alfo that gave them 
great Uheafmefs. Oppofite to ' the Rei.eif there lay a 
very commodious Hand, upon which their Governor 
caufed a new Town to be built, chiefly out of the Ruins 
of tht Portugueze City of Olinda^ fortified it thoroughly^ 
and gave it the Name of Mauricelufgh ; which, in a 
ftrort Time, was grown a very confiderable Place, and 
which he united to the Receif, which was become the- 
Centre of the Dutch Commerce, by a Stone Bridge j 
This firft and laft coft forty thoufand Pounds, Now, 
though all this was done for the Benefit and Convenience 
of the Dutch Inhabitants, and to fecure the Company’s 
Capital in that Country from Danger, yet they could not 
help grudging the Expence. 
But what put them moft out of Humour was the Pa- 
lace Count Maurice built for himfelf. It was indeed a 
very ftately Strudlure, Handing in the moft commodious 
Part of the Town, in the midft of very fine Gardens, 
elegantly laid out, and curioufly planted with Cocoas of 
all Sorts, as well as Lemons, Citrons, Pomegranates, Figs, 
and other Fruit-trees. Thefe Gardens were certainly 
very expenfive ; and as to the Palace, it was faid to have 
coft fix hundred thoufand Florins ; and fo contrived, as 
to command the moft admirable Profpedl both by Sea 
and Land. Before the Front of this noble Structure there 
was a Battery of Marble, rifmg gradually from the River- 
fide, upon which were mounted ten large Pieces of Brafs 
Cannon. Without the City, Count had alfo a 
moft magnificent Villa or Country Palace, furrounded 
with fine Gardens, and adorned with curious Fifti-ponds, 
but withal encompaffed with ftrong Walls, and the whole 
fo difpofed, as to ferve at once for the Governor’s Plea- 
fure, and for the Defence of the City, which was covered 
by it, as a Fort, on that Side ; and it proved extremely 
ufeful to them when the War broke out again. He like- 
wife made many other Improvements, fuch as laying out 
Parks and Meadows within the Fortifications, which, 
while duly taken care of, produced all Things neceffary 
for the Subfiftence of the Garrifon ; and were, in all re- 
fpedts, equally commodious and beautiful. 
In this Manner Count Maurice employed thofe Trea- 
fures, which were the Fruits of his many Vidtories and 
extenfive Conquefts ; and which, a Man of a lefs gene-^ 
rous Temper, would have found Means to have tranf- 
ported to Holland, as his private Fortune. But thofe 
Marks of Greatnefs .of Mind, and public Spirit, which 
ought to have extinguifhed, nourifhed that Envy, which 
had been conceived againft him, and while he Was labour- 
ing to extend and fecure the Power of the Colnpany in 
Brazil, the Diredlors of that Company in Holland were em- 
ployed in cenfuring his Condudt, and in magnifying his Ex* 
travagance, in laying out fuch vaft Sums, while the Colony 
produced fo little to the Company’s Stock. Such was the 
Situation of Things, and fuch the excellent Reafons 
which induced the Diredtors to form a Defign of recalling 
Count Maurice, as the only Means of making the Colony 
turn to an Account, and bring in fuch a Revenue, as 
might be proportionable to the Views and Expedtations of 
the Company ; which wife Projedl of theirs, they at laft 
brought to bear ; Count Maurice himfelf affifting them 
therein, being grown to the full as weary of their Manage- 
ment, as they were of his ; fo that on the i ith of May 1 644 
he took leave of the Council, quitted the Government, 
when he had held it eight Years, and returned into Hoi- 
land, on board a Fleet of thirteen Sail of large Ships, 
with near three thoufand Soldiers on board ; eighteen 
Companies only being left for the Defence of the Dutch 
Settlements, agreeable to the Inftrudlions he had received, 
and to that Scheme of frugal Management, which w^as 
now to take Place, and by which they hoped to repair 
that Extravagance and Profufion, with which . they 
charged Count Maurice. , 
Zz I havs 
