The Colony of Surinam. 25 
tions for the Court of Holland and the Supreme Court 
of Holland and West Vriesland. The procedure in crim- 
inal cases was conducted in accordance with the ordi- 
nance on the Style, before referred to. 
The Court of Holland, also called the Court of Holland, 
Zeeland and West Vriesland, had jurisdiction in civil as 
well in criminal matters extending over all the Provinces 
of the United Netherlands ; among other corporations, 
societies and bodies corporate, the West India Company 
was subject to the jurisdiction of this Court. 
Consequently the civil and criminal law of Holland 
became the law in those foreign countries of which the 
West India Company obtained and held possession under 
the various octroys or fundamental laws and privileges 
granted by the States-General of the United Netherlands. 
And, in this way, the law of Holland, the Roman- 
Dutch Law, became the general and common law of the 
colony of Surinam, which, as has been seen in the pre- 
ceding pages, rested on a special octroy under the rule 
and administration of the West India Company in 1682, 
after having been up to that time, ruled and possessed 
by the Province of Zeeland, where the same system of 
law prevailed. 
Under the fundamental law of 1682, the West India 
Company had a certain legislative authority in Surinam. 
It could however not infringe or violate the privileges 
granted to the inhabitants, or go beyond the instructions 
and orders transmitted to the Governor by the Sovereign 
Power at home. The States-General also continued 
to legislate for the colonies. The W. I. Company 
exercised its authority by their Committee or Council of 
D 
