Dissertation_A Bick_May 25 - DataSpace at Princeton University

the Portuguese, had crossed the Rio São Francisco at the border between Portuguese and Dutch
Brazil and were marching north toward Pernambuco. Their plan was to connect with local
militias organized by João Fernandes Vieira (ca. 1613-1681), a wealthy planter whom the
council conclusively had identified as the author of the revolt. Thanks to an anonymous letter,
the council had been forewarned and begun efforts to round up and question those Portuguese
who had not already fled into the interior. Two Dutch soldiers had been killed in the small
village of Ipojuca, only fifty miles from Recife, and fighting was now underway. Separate
companies of soldiers had been deployed to create a defensive circle around the city and the
senior military officer in the colony had been dispatched to the front in hopes that his presence
might help “to bring the inhabitants to reason.” 27 Without fresh soldiers, the council concluded,
the inhabitants “will be reinforced in their judgment that the company seeks to abandon this
colony” and all efforts to defend it would be in vain. 28
The directors in Middelburg turned from this letter to the council's secret minutes and to
two reports based on interrogations of leading Portuguese planters. 29 The minutes were dated
May 31, 1645, the day after the council had received the anonymous letter that alerted them to
the conspiracy. This letter, a copy of which was enclosed, suggested that “a good number” of
people already were gathered in Paraiba with the intention to overwhelm the garrisons and expel
27 NA 1.01.04, inv.nr. 5758, Letter of the Hoge Raad in Recife, dated June 27, 1645, fol. 139. “waerop wy omme
exempel te Statueren, op dat andere diergelyck niet en attenteren geresolveert hebben de heer Overste Luytenant in
persoon, met eenich gecommandeert volck van hier ende de troupen in Moribecq leggende, in passant mede
nemende een gedeelte vant garnisoen in St. Antonio, recht toe na Poiucan te senden, om, die gerevolteerde tot reden
te brengen.”
28 Ibid, fol. 140. “Eyndelyck om dese te sluyten willen wy uwe Ed. E. noch maels opt alderserieuste recommanderen
de besendinge van Chrysvolck tot versterckinge van onse maght en alle gerequieerde behoeften in conformiteyt van
de Lysten die aende Cameren gesonden worden, daeromme wy continuelyck nu al Jaren langh by uwe Ed. E. hebben
aengehouden sonder die te connen obtineeren, t' welcke vele van de Ingesetenen oorsaeck heeft gegeven om te
gelooven, en den anderen in te beelden, dat uwe Ed. E selve dese conqueste soecken te abandoneren.”
29 The secret minutes are NA 1.01.04, inv.nr. 5758, Extracts from the secret resolutions of the Hoge Raad, May 31-
June 21, 1645. The interogations are NA 1.05.01.01 inv.nr. 60, Report of the interrogation of Sebastião Caravãlho,
Mauritstaad, signed by Pieter Jansen Bas and Balthasar van de Vorde, June 19, 1645; Report of the interrogation of
George Homen Pinto, signed by Jan van Walbeek, June 25, 1645.
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