The following interrogatory was put to this man:  “What are the names of this declarant and his companions?  In what vessels did they come?  How many are there in Maluco and in these Eastern Yndias?  In what regions have they been, each of them, and how long in each region, and in what vessels did they come?  To whom do these vessels belong? who equipped them? on whose account did they make their voyage? and for whom is this factory conducted?  Are this factory and that of Terrenate all one, belonging to the same owners?  With what permission did they come to these regions?”

He said that he was named Joan and was a native of Amberes, a Christian, and had been baptized in the said city.  Of his companions, the factor, named Jacome Joan, is a Dutchman, a native of the city of Absterdaem; the second is named Pitri, a native of Yncussa in the islands of Olanda; a third is named Costre, by his last name, and this declarant does not know his first name.  He is a native of Campem, of the states of Olanda.  This declarant came to these regions in the ship of the [Dutch] vice-commander, which voyaged in company with the other four; and they seized Ambueno and this fort of Tidore.  It is eight months since they left him on this island, and two months before they had anchored in the said port, the said five ships had halted for supplies in Java, where they remained fifteen days.  Jacome Joan, who is at present factor of this island of Tidore, has spent five years in Terrenate.  The declarant does not know from what place he came.  The merchants of Jelanda of the city of Millburg—­named Joan Comne, another Burriel, and another Muniq, natives of Amberes—­are known to this declarant, and have other associates in Olanda in the city of Ambstradama, in Cuyssem and in Horrem. [16] All of these together have a common purse, and it is all one amount; it is they who have equipped these vessels for this expedition.  The names of the citizens of these cities of Olanda and Gelanda are known to one of the associates of this declarant, the one named Costre.  The factories of Tidore and of Terrenate are all one, owned by the same persons.  In Ambueno, in Java, in Banda, in Sunda, in Pajani, in Achi, on the coast of Vengala, [17] and in some regions the names of which are not known to this declarant the said merchants have factories, under such an arrangement that the whole affair is all one thing, owned by the same proprietors.  Of these fleets none set sail except by permission of the prince of Oranje, to whom is given the part which pertains to him as lord.  And this is his answer.

He was asked, “What ship is the one which was met by this fleet? whence comes it? what arms and artillery, powder and provisions does it carry? whence are they obtained and provided? and where have they their factory?” He answered that the ship about which the inquiry is made is one of the five which came with this witness when they seized the said forts of Ambueno and Tidore.  The captain was a certain