Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/373

 The Expansion of England 335 ships, which English ships in their resistance and defense the said Hollanders took, slew seven or eight of their men (whereof one was a chief factor), chained the captain, mer- chants, and mariners, and put the mariners into their galleys. All the munition and victuals in the said English ships did the Hollanders take out and carried the same ashore, chal- lenging all to be theirs as their proper inheritance, and there- fore will be lords of the same. The Hollanders likewise took an English bark going from Bantam x to Jacatra, slew some of her men, wounded many more, chained the captain and mariners, and carried away the said bark at the stern of one of their ships into Bantam Road, and there anchored close by the admiral of the English in most despiteful and daring manner, making their vaunts that they were the chief people of all Europe; and to make a show of the same they advanced their own arms and colors, and under them placed the colors of England and France, and then shot at the said English and French colors in most contemptuous and disdainful manner. At Bantam the English and Hollanders had great disputes, insomuch as it was verily thought they would have fought together in the road, for the general of the Hollanders had brought thither fourteen great ships, ready to fight, where the English had nine, which they fitted for defense; but they fought not, for the governor of Bantam forbade them to fight in his road, and threatened them that if they did fight contrary to his command he would cut the throats of all their men that he should find upon the land. The 27th of November the Hollanders proclaimed war against all the English at the Mulluccoes, Banda, and Am- boyna, threatening to make one and all prize and to put them to the edge of the sword ; which proclamation of theirs they fixed upon the doors of their lodgings at Bantam, challen- ging all to be theirs as their proper inheritance. 1 Bantam was originally the chief settlement of the Dutch in Java, near the Strait of Sunda, somewhat to the west of the present important port of Batavia.