On the 28th of October, 1628 the Batavia merchant ship set out on it's maiden voyage. It set out from Texel in the Netherlands and was sailing to Batavia, which is modern day Indonesia, with seven other ships of various sizes accompanying it. The Batavia had men, women and children on board including Lucretia Van Der Meylen, who was traveling on the Batavia to meet her husband in the Indies. Whilst on board, the skipper, Arien Jacobsz tried to seduce Lucretia but failed. Instead, he seduced her maid and was successful. Lucretia and the commodore, François Pelsaert, Became friends which infuriated the Skipper even more.

All through bad weather, they made it to the Cape of Good Hope on the 14th of April, 1629. The skipper took this opportunity to go on a violent drinking binge. it was thought that Jeronimus Cornelius suggested mutiny after or around this time...