Note 794 — HOOFDSTUK VI. ENGELSCHE MEDEDINGERS.

Deze schepen, aan den Middelburgschen koopman Courten, bewindhebber der N. C. behoorende, vertrokken echter waarschijnlijk spoedig weder. Althans Courten overtuigde later Carleton, dat zíjne schepen onschuldig waren aan het berooven der Engelschen (Carleton, Lettres. II p. 355); uit andere, zoo Engelsche als Nederlandsche verhalen blijkt ook, dat ze daarbij niet tegenwoordig waren. Waarschijnlijk vertrokken de schepen van Spitsbergen naar Groenlands oostkust, waar ze dit jaar eene kust ontdekten, die zij Nieuw-Zeeland noemden. (R. S.-G. 8 Jan. 1619.—Vgl. hiervóor p. 179.)

[795] Van de kwade gezindheid der Engelschen tegen de Nederlandsche walvischvaarders in den zomer van 1618 getuigen de brieven, door sommige kapiteins op Spitsbergen aan andere Engelschen geschreven en door Purchas (Pilgrimes. III p. 732-38) bewaard. „We haue reasonable good quarter with the Flemmings,” schreef kapitein Salmon 24 Juni, kort voor het gevecht aan kapitein Sherwin, „for we are merry aboord of them, and they of vs; they haue good store of Sacks (jenever), and are very kinde to vs, proffering vs any thing that we want. I am very doubtfull of making a voyage this yeere („the Flemmings are too many for vs to make a voyage,” schreef hij ook) the Company must take another course the next yeere: if they meane to make any benefit of this Country, they must send better ships that must beat these knaues out of this Country; but as farre as I can vnderstand by them, they mean to make a trade of continuance of it: we will let them rest this yeere, and let who will take care the next yeere, for I hope not to trouble them.” Salmon vond bij zijnen vriend Sherwin volkomen instemming: den 29 Juni schreef deze uit Bell-sound (Purchas l. c. III p. 733): „As for the Flemmings let them all go hang themselves, and although you be not strong enough to meddle with them, yet the worst wordes are too good for them, the time may come you may be reuenged on them againe. The Captaine wishes they would come all into Bell-sound and beat vs out, and carry vs for Holland; here is a great fleet of them in this Country. Here came in two Flemmings, but wee handled them very honestly but for feare of after-claps, or had it beene the latter part of the yeere, we would haue handled them better; now they be gone for Horne-sound, I would that they had all of them as good a paire of horns growing on their heads, as is in this Country.” De gemoedelijke Purchas zag dit alles met leedwezen. „I had thought to haue added,” dus schrijft hij (Pilgrimes. III p. 734), „a large Discourse of occurrents betwixt the Dutch and English in Greenland this yeare 1618 and had prepared it to the Presse. But hauing alreadie giuen some Relation thereof from Captaine Edge, and seeing the insolencies of some of the Dutch were intolerable to English spirits, which then suffered, or hereafter should reade them, I chose rather to passe them by aduising my Countrimen not to impute to that Nation what some frothy spirit vomits from amidst his drinke, but to honer the Hollanders worth, and to acknowledge the glorie of the Confederate Prouinces, howsoeuer they also have their sinks and stinking sewers (too officious mouthes such as some in this businesse of Greenland, beyond all names of impudence against his Maiestie, and his Leege people, as others elsewhere haue demeaned themselves) whose lothsomnesse is not to be cast as an aspersion to that industrious and illustrious Nation. Euerybody hath its excrements, euery great House its Vault or Iakes, euery Citie some Port exquiline and dunghils, euery Campe the baggage; the World it selfe a Hell: and so hath euery Nation the retriments, scumme, dregs, rascalitie, intempered, distempered spirits, which not fearing God nor reuerencing Man, spare not to spue out that to the dishonor of both, which sauing the honor of both can scarsly be related after them. A difference is to be made of relation (Nationall?) and personall faults, of which we haue said enough in the East India quarrels, twixt ours and the Dutch.” Zoo weinig ons dit breedsprakige staaltje doet verlangen den bekwamen man van den kansel te hooren, zoo merkwaardig schijnt mij dit kleine preekje voor de Nederlanders als een bewijs, hoe diep de animositeit tusschen beide volken reeds toen wortel geschoten had.

[796] Zie over de reis van 1618 en het daarbij voorgevallene: Mémoire de la Comp. Septentrionale, bij: Muller, Mare Clausum. p. 371.—Corte Deductie ende Remonstrantie der N. C., in: Noordsche togten. 4. Loop. N. C. R.-A.—Arrest v. de H. Raad van 31 Maart 1635.—Req. der Zeeuwsche N. C. aan de Stn.-Gen. dd. 22 Aug. 1624, in: Noordsche togten. 2. Admiraliteit. R.-A.—Engelsche schaderekening met het getuigenis van Leversteyn, in: Lias loopende 1618. R.-A.—Mémoire et Relation veritable, bij: Muller, Mare clausum. p. 373 vlg.—Edge, Dutch disturbance, bij: Purchas, Pilgrimes. III p. 468, 69.—Brieven van Salmon, Sherwin en Beversham, bij: Purchas l. c. III p. 733.

[797] R. S.-G. 24 Dec. 1620, 4, 5, 13, 14, 20, 22, 26, 27 Jan., 12 Febr., 4, 27 Mrt. 1621.—N. Z. 9 Mrt. 1621.—Corte Deductie ende Remonstrantie der N. C., in: Noordsche togten. 4. Loop. N. C. R.-A.—Zie over de restitutie van het geschut aan de Nederlanders en het daarbij voorgevallene: Corte Deductie ende Remonstrantie der N. C., l. c., en: Muller, Mare Clausum. p. 160 Noot 1.