Batavia's Graveyard - Mike Dash [214]
Chapter 7: “Who Wants to Be Stabbed to Death?”
Gijsbert Bastiaensz’s letter home, the only personal account of life on Batavia’s Graveyard, was particularly important in compiling the information in this chapter. Information on the geography, geology, and archaeology of Wiebbe Hayes’s Island has been drawn from the various publications of the Western Australian Maritime Museum, and my discussion of the events surrounding Pelsaert’s return to the Abrolhos on the interpretations advanced in Jeremy Green, Myra Stanbury, and Femme Gaastra (eds.), The ANCODS Colloquium: Papers Presented at the Australia-Netherlands Colloquium on Maritime Archaeology and Maritime History (Fremantle: Australian National Centre of Excellence for Maritime Archaeology, 1999).
Gijsbert Bastiaensz LGB; J. Mooij, Bouwstoffen voor de Geschiedenis der Protestantsche Kerk in Nederlands-Indiï (Weltevreden: Landsdrukkerij, 1927), I, 328.
Jeronimus preaches his views Verdict on Jan Hendricxsz, JFP 28 Sep 1629; interrogation of Jan Pelgrom, JFP 26 Sep 1629 [DB 184, 209]; Mooij, op. cit., p. 308.
“He tried to maintain . . .” This summary was written by Salomon Deschamps, but presumably at Pelsaert’s dictation. JFP 30 Sep 1629 [DB 212].
Spiritual Liberty and its views Norman Cohn, The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1970), pp. 148–97.
“Bastiaensz was rarely allowed to preach” In his evidence to the Church Council in Batavia, Bastiaensz claimed that he had continued to preach in the Abrolhos. It was certainly in his interests to assert this, since—as we will see—his perceived weakness during the Batavia episode had left him in danger of being prevented from taking up a post in the Indies. Since there are several references in the journals to a ban on religious services (cf. verdict on Andries Jonas, JFP 28 Sep 1629 [DB 204]), the predikant was probably referring to his time on Wiebbe Hayes’s Islands, if he was telling the truth at all. There is, however, one reference in the Harderwijk MS to a religious ceremony on the island; see below. Mooij, op. cit., p. 328.
“Blaspheme and swear” Harderwijck MS [R 26].
“Let us sing” Ibid.
Severed seals’ fins Ibid.
Oaths of loyalty Later on, when circumstances compelled Jeronimus to remove potential rivals from his band, “he tore the Oath of agreement publicly, by which action he dismissed the same, and so those who had to die were murdered at night, and then a new agreement was made.” For this, and the oaths themselves, see JFP 19 Sep 1629; interrogation of Jeronimus Cornelisz, same date [DB 147–8, 166].
Those who signed Twenty-five men signed the first oath of loyalty, and 36 the second, not including Cornelisz himself. Their names are listed here; note the changes in the order of the names, which in certain cases seem to denote variations in status within the group. The original lists give occupations and places of origin for most of the men, which have had to be omitted here. Deschamps, who wrote out the documents, places himself at the bottom of each, no doubt to dissociate himself as far as possible from the mutineers, though his rank would have assured him of a higher place in the originals. Finally, note that Cornelisz signs as a member of the band on the first occasion, primus inter pares, while the second oath was sworn to him, as undisputed leader. From JFP 19 Sep 1629 [DB 165–7]. Additions to the ranks of the mutineers are marked* on the second list:
FIRST OATH, 16 JULY 1629 SECOND OATH, 20 AUGUST 1629
Hieronomus Cornelisz Coenraat van Huyssen
Coenraat van Huyssen David van Zevanck
Jacop Pietersz Jacop Pietersz
David van Zevanck Wouter Loos
Isbrant Isbrantsz Gsbert van Welderen
Olivier van Welderen Gijsbert Bastianesz*
Gsbert van Welderen Reyndert Hendricx
Jan Pelgrom de Bye Jan Hendricxsz
Jan Hendricxsz Andries Jonas*
Lenert Michielsz van Os Rutger Fredricx
Mattys Beer Mattys Beer
Allert Janssen Hans Frederick*
Hans Hardens Jacques Pilman*
Rutger Fredricx Lucas