De verovering van Suriname voor 250 jaren werd in 1917 herdacht. Verschillende bladen en tijdschriften wijdden er artikelen aan, waarvan wel het meest historische waarde had dat van den heer F.E. baron Mulert in Onze Eeuw1)
.
Dit jubileum gaf mij aanleiding om in de Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap XXXIX eenige mededeelingen te doen over Suriname vóór de verovering door Abraham Crijnssen, ontleend aan het handschrift van majoor John Scott, berustende in het Britsch-Museum2)
, getiteld: ‘Description of Guiana’, en aangevuld met enkele bijzonderheden over de verovering van Suriname.
Het verhaal van de inneming van Paramaribo in 16653)
door William Byam, eveneens door Scott geschreven4)
, werd door den heer George Edmundson medegedeeld in de Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap XIX.
De studie van mej. S.J. van den Berg in de Bijdragen
1) F.E. baron Mulert, De verovering van Suriname voor 250 jaren herdacht. Onze Eeuw, 17de jaargang, blz. 401-410.
2) Sloane MSS., 3662. 3) Bedoeld is 1667. 4) Zie noot 2.
voor Vaderlandsche Geschiedenis en Oudheidkunde1)
bracht mij er toe enkele documenten, op Suriname betrekking hebbende, na te gaan en daarvan een afschrift te maken. Zij zijn hierachter opgenomen en geven een belangwekkenden kijk op de kolonie Suriname vóór de verovering in 1667 en bovendien een juist beeld uit Engelsche bron van het verloren gaan dier kolonie, en wel van de hand van William Byam, die Suriname aan Crijnssen op 27 Februari 1667 moest overgeven.
Daarin wordt melding gemaakt van den bouw van het fort (bij Paramaribo) door de Engelschen, de voltooiing daarvan door de Zeeuwen, benevens de inneming door Abraham Crijnssen, welke lezing volkomen overeenstemt met het ‘Waerachtich verhael van de Heerlijke Overwinning van Pirmeriba en de Reviere Seraname’, geschreven den 29stenMei 1667 in het schip De Vissers-Herder2)
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Byam, die naar Antigua uitweek, moest daar een geheel nieuw leven beginnen, doch nam aan de schulden te betalen, die hij had aan Sir Robert Harley, aan wien hij veel verschuldigd was.
F.O.D.
I.
John Treffry to Charles Pym. Suriname, 1662, Augustus 15.
We have been long in expectation of my Lord [Willoughby], who by his last told me that he would soon be ready to sail, having fully agreed with His Majesty concerning Barbados and this place. I hope that we shall see this Colony wonderfully prosper by reason of the decline of Barbados, whence we daily espect sixty passengers and planters by the Guiana. All things are
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excessively dear and the sugar so bad that it will hardly be received. Money is as fluent here as in England, and taverns take nothing else - no goods, which must occasion a decay of their trade. The Spaniards, we understand, have bought 500 negroes from the island for ready money at high rates. Our Colony is daily improving. Seven ships have allready gone hence laden with sugar, specklewood, and other commodities.
Major Noel has a wind mill up and ours will be the next to be made. Every one is striving for the goods of the public. Our sugar is far better and of greater price than that of Barbados. Our noble Governor may justly bear the honour, having won every one not only to himself but also to industry. Some debauched persons have lately tried to make the world beleive that he intended to poison Lieut. Col [Robert] Sanford. It was a plot of Sanfords. Particulars given.
Pym MSS.
10thReport, appendix, part. VI, 1887. Historical Manuscripts Commission.
II.
Sir R. H[arley] to Colonel Byam, Governor of Surinam. Brampton, 1666, October 30.
Stating his desire to dispose of all his interests in Surinam. Copy.
The Manuscripts of His Grace the duke of Portland, preserved at Welbeck Abbey. Vol. III.
14th, report, appendix, part II, 1894.
III.
Lord Willoughby to Sir Charles Pym. Barbados, 1667, December 15.
I am going to Leeward to settle things there, and I
may chance try my skill in Indian hunting. Their late barbarities have been such that they deserve no law. Heraldic seal.
Pym. MSS.
10thReport, appendix, part. VI, 1887.
IV.
1667, December 31.
The Dutch Ambassador talks not so calmly about the taking of Surinam.
MSS. of S.H. Le Fleming Esq. of Rydal Hall.
12thReport, appendix, part. VII, 1890. No. 935.
V.
1668, Juni 9.
The king has protested on the Dutch Ambassadors his displeasure, that Surinam has been surrendered by Lord Willoughby.
MSS. of S.H. Le Fleming Esq. of Rydal Hall.
12thReport, appendix, part. VII, 1890. No. 985.
VI.
William Byam to [Sir Robert Harley]. 1668, November 6. Antigua.
The last I received from you was of the 30thof October [16]66 from Brampton Castle, advising the sale of what you had in Surinam, which arrived not to my hands till December last. The sad miseries which war and pestilence brought on that colony I formerly advised, bust lest my letters have been misguided I shall present you with a short account of that unfortunate colony, which you well know.
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In June [16]66 I received orders to erect a fort at Pramorabo, and to attack the French at Wynwad at Cheyan and Synnamaru, which was done with great succes, taking the fort of Synnamaru by storm, and brought the governor and near fifty prisoners to Surinam; and for fear that the Dutch and Arwalas Leward should in the mean attempt us in the absence of our forces, I sent a fleet of periagos to fall on their quarters, which was so fully prosecuted that they brought up about seventy slaves. At the return of our forces, which was in August following, we were visited with such a contagious pestilence that in a short time we lost a great part of the chiefest men of the land. This retarded our fort and spread over all the country. In February following arrived a Dutch fleet from Zealand, by the advice of Scott, to take the colony, which found us in a most weak condition, near half our men dead, and half that were living, miserably weak, ill armed, and our fort not half built, but one bastion perfected. Viewing our exposed condition they came with four frigates to an anchor very near the fort, where they battered with all the nimble fury they could for three hours, and our walls being but half built, commanded from their frigates the inside of the fort. I had but five barrels of powder which was spent to fifty weight and that very bad. They then landed about seven hundred men with scaling ladders, grenades &c., and finding our works not tenable nor ammunition to defend them, if they had been finished, I called a council of war of all officers and gentlemen that were with me and surrendered with their advice upon most honourable terms. I had about ninety men, such as they were, with me, most of which immediately clave to the Dutch. From hence I went up to Toorarica where rallying all that ever I could with Jews and all, old and young, sick and well, I could reach but to a hundred and sixty-eight, and then with the advice of the Council and desire of the country we articled with the Dutch, and the sooner because we expected every minute a French fleet. In our capitulations we stood very much for the same terms for all absent persons
interested in the colony as for ourselves, which by no means they would grant, having positive orders from their States to confiscate all absent persons estates, which the defection of our people, our weakness, sickness and other necessities, enforced us to condescend unto. You had at this time a very thriving stock of cattle at St. Johns where I placed William Gwilt and a negro woman of yours to look to them, having as you advised me at Barbados sold your small plantation in Para to Captain Whitaker for 4500 sugar. After the taking of the country the Dutch brought your cattle from St. Johns to Parham and the negro woman - who had brought forth a mulatto - where some they killed and disposed of others. They had now at beginning of October [16]67 completed the fort, having had near a hundred and sometimes a hundred and fifty negroes constantly at work, about which time Sir John Harman after the taking of Cheyan arrived with his fleet, and Lieutenant General Henry Willoughby with two regiments. The foot having surrounded the fort, Sir John Harman on the 7thof October came up in the Bonadventure with several frigates attending him, and having his round tops well manned with small shot, dropped anchor near the fort, and immediately beat them off their guns. He began about seven in the morning, and about one they put out a flag of truce, upon which the seamen and soldiers ran to the battered walls, and got up and took the Dutch governor as he was drawing articles. The fort being taken it was declared by a council of war of the land officers that whatever was confiscated by the Dutch and whatever was theirs else of right, did now properly belong to them, they having gained it by the sword, without any articles made with the enemy, nor had they any other reward for their service, being not in pay. Upon which they commanded down all negroes, that were in the Dutch
possession and such as were not paid for to the Dutch; amongst the rest, all those at Parham, where the negro woman and mulatto was; the which the soldiers gave the Lieutenant General for his share, and then carried off and divided the rest at Barbados. About
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the 1st of November following the fleet set sail from Surinam, and about the beginning of December after, Lieutenant General H. Willoughby returned in the Bonadventure, sent thither to bring off His Majesty's subjects, the colony being to revert to the Dutch, with whom I came off, with my family, but most of my negroes and goods I put aboard the Willoughby frigate, wich Captain Clarke and I hired to sail for Antigua. Some few days after our arrival at Barbados came the Lieutenants General's negroes in another ship, which he had freighted for them, and also the negro woman and the mulatto, which Mr. James Walwyn your attorney hearing of, made application to His Excellency for her, which Mr. Walwyn told me he promised he should have, but whether he afterwards received her, I know not.
Sir, there is one thing I must acquaint you, that one Sandford, who went off for Nevis with the Dutch fleet, one of our colony and brother to Robert Sandford, being an inveterate and malicious enemy of mine, and not dreaming the colony would ever be reduced to His Majesty's obedience, gave out and averred that I had betrayed the country to the Dutch, and had carried myself with the greatest base treachery and cowardice as ever villain did, upon which after the retaking of the country I was called before a court martial and there tried, where I was acquitted with exceeding great honour, they presenting me unasked with an attestation of my honourable carriage in that service; and Sandford afterward denied the report, and in the presence of Sir John Harman and the Lieutenant General, gave me his recantation under his hand.
Sir, whilst I was in Barbados, I would have perfected accounts with Mr. Wallwyn your attorney, but all my papers being gone before in the Willoughby I could not. I have now sent him my account between us, in which I have charged you debtor for 5000 sugar, which I gave Mr. Treffrye, or else he would have confiscated that which was in Mr. Westrope's hand, Captain Marten's executor, and also that 4500
in Captain Whitaker's hands: what remains still in Westrope's hands I have
secured, being about 13000 , and I am lately advised I shall receive it. I have desired Mr. Walwyn to remit you a copy of the account for the clearing, of which I have by very great providence all the papers preserved.
Sir, I am now beginning to hew a new fortune out of the woods in Antigua, where hardship must be my fare for a time till I can make goods and raise a stock, and till then I hope you will forbear the balance of the account I owe you.
If I may serve you or any friends of yours that comes into these parts let me beg the employ, and I shall do it most faithfully, being still very sensible of the great obliging favours undeservedly received from you.
An account of some of the chiefest that died in Surinam in the late mortality. Colonel Christopher Legard.
Captain George Marten. Serjeant Major Thomas Noell. Captain Francis Starky.
Lieutenant Henry Long. Mr. Seymour Straunge. Captain Robert Colvile. Mr. Paul Yong.
Mr. Thomas Gray. Mr. John Deerihum. Captain John Parker.
Captain Bartholomew Washington. Mr. Stephen Woodroffe.
Mr. Asgod Kingsmill. Mr. John Blygh.
Captain Thomas Sanderson. Colonel Ely: Elye.
Captain Augustine Story. Mr. Thomas Quinton. Mr. Thomas Davys. Mr. Thomas Martin. Ensign John Durham. Mr. Henry Adys. Mr. Richard Woodstocke. Mr. Robert Chapman. Mr. William Coxe. Mr. Richard Knightly. Mr. Thomas Wale. Captain Bevell Rawdon. Captain Robert Collinson. Mr. Francis Sandford. Several Jews.
With many others at least five hundred. By which you may judge what a miserable time of sickness we have had.
The Manuscripts of His Grace the duke of Portland, preserved at Welbeck Abbey. Vol. III.
14threport, appendix, part. II, 1894.
VII. William Byam to Sir Charles Pym at Hatton House, London. Antigua, 1668, November 8.
I have deserted our unfortunate colony of Surinam, war and pestilence having almost consumed it. As it is to revert to the Dutch, I have with great loss removed to Antigua, where I am hewing new fortune out of the wild woods. Resettling is hard, the island being ruined by the French and the Indians. The titles of our lands are established to the satisfaction of all, and the inhabitants are more row than ever before. Heraldic
seal.
10thReport, appendix, part. VI, 1887. pp. 96.
VIII. 1670, November 1.
A Commission is issuing to Major Bannister and others to carry out the agreement with the United Provinces about Surinam.
MSS. of S.H. Le Fleming Esq. of Rydal Hall. 12thReport, appendix, part.
VII, 1890. No. 1662.
IX. 1671, Juni 13.
Major Bannister, who was sent to Surinam to bring away the English according to the treaty with the Dutch, has arrived at Jamaica with many of them in good health.
MSS. of S.H. Le Fleming Esq. of Rydal Hall. 12thReport, appendix, part.
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