Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap. Deel 43

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De agent Wolters over de woelingen van 1747 en 1748,
Medegedeeld door Dr. P. Geyl.

Richard Wolters, agent van zijn Brittannische Majesteit te Rotterdam, wiens brieven aan het Engelsche Foreign Office over de woelingen in Holland gedurende de jaren 1747 en '48 ik hier uitgeef, is aan onze historici niet geheel onbekend gebleven. Een brief van hem aan Laurens van der Meer is uitgegeven door Prof. Krämer met de andere stukken van de befaamde Rotterdamsche volksmenner in B.M.H.G. XXIII. Ook in het eerste deel van de IV^de reeks der Archives komt zijn naam voor (blz. 405). Prof. Bussemaker verwijst daarbij naar Prof. Brugmans' Verslag van een onderzoek in Engeland, waar deze correspondentie wordt vermeld, maar noch hij, noch Prof. Krämer hebben Wolters thuis kunnen brengen. Hun veronderstelling, dat hij een ‘agent’ van het stadhouderlijke hof was, is onjuist. De titel ‘agent’, die Van der Meer hem geeft, slaat alleen op zijn betrekking in dienst van de Engelsche regeering en die positie was volstrekt niet ‘geheim’¹⁾. Wolters stond bij de regeering

1) In Van Laar's Levens-beschrijving van Prins Willem IV (1752) b.v. wordt Wolters met naam en toenaam genoemd: de schrijver vermeldt (I, blz. 222), dat bij het doortrekken door Rotterdam van Willem IV met zijn jonge bruid in Mei 1734 ‘zeer veele Huizen fraey geillumineerd’ waren; ‘maar daar omtrent munten uit de Illuminatien van den Heere Walters, Agent des Konings van Groot-Brittannie’.

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van Rotterdam en zelfs bij de autoriteiten in Den Haag - hij had audienties bij de Prins en bij de Prinses - als zaakwaarnemer van de Engelsche regeering bekend, hij onderhield in die kwaliteit betrekkingen met hen ter behartiging van Engelsche handelsbelangen of van de particuliere belangen van Engelsche kooplieden. Hij vervulde in die opzichten de functies van consul. Althans in 1733 was er in Amsterdam een soortgelijk ambtenaar, genaamd Louis Renard, die o.m. de belangen van Engelsche scheepskapiteins voorstond bij de Admiraliteit van Amsterdam. Ook die man schreef berichten over politieke gebeurtenissen, die hij echter niet rechtstreeks naar Engeland zond, maar aan het gezantschap in Den Haag, en zij zijn lang niet zoo omstandig als die van Wolters, die echter ook eerst in Mei 1747 een geregelde berichtgeving over de binnenlandsche gebeurtenissen, voor zoover die binnen zijn waarneming vielen, begint. Heel de nieuwsdienst uit Oost- en Midden-Europa en gedurende den oorlog ook uit Frankrijk was in Rotterdam geconcentreerd, en de organisatie van die dienst was een zeer voornaam bestanddeel van Wolters' taak. Hij legde bijvoorbeeld veel eer in met zijn uiterst nuttige berichten over de bewegingen der Fransche vloot. De berichten uit andere landen, die hij doorzond, vullen heel wat deelen op het Record Office. Het was dat werk, dat er hem als van zelf toe bracht om ook over de Hollandsche gebeurtenissen inlichtingen te zenden en toen bleek, dat die gewaardeerd werden, daar regel van te maken.

Dank zij zeer gewaardeerde inlichtingen van Dr. E. Wiersum, de archivaris van Rotterdam, ben ik in staat vollediger uitsluitsel omtrent de schrijver der hierna volgende brieven te geven dan uit de in Londen beschikbare gegevens zou zijn samen te stellen geweest. Richard was een verengelsching van Dirk (Wolters teekent ook Hollandsche brieven R. Wolters) en Dirk Wolters werd in December 1713 geboren uit ‘Dirk Wolters de jonge’ en Suzanna Bourrigaud. Zijn vader was ook reeds agent van de koning van Groot-Brittannië. Hij stierf in April 1730 (begraven 17 April). Onze briefschrijver was toen dus pas zestien jaar oud. Hij schijnt niettemin

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onmiddellijk met de opvolging begiftigd te zijn¹⁾: ik heb op het R.O. een brief van hem aan de nieuwe Secretaris van Staat, de Earl of Bute, gelezen, gedagteekend 2 April 1761, waarin hij er zich op beroemt dertig jaar lang met de approbatie der opeenvolgende ministers te hebben gediend. Het kan zijn, dat zijn moeder goed maakte, waar in den beginne zijn jeugd te kort schoot: in 1748 tenminste neemt zij zijn werk waar, als hij ziek of op reis is. Wolters' inkomen werd, volgens Rotterdamsche opgave, getaxeerd op f 1500. Uit zijn correspondentie met Bentinck van Rhoon, Br. Mus., Egerton 1745, is mij gebleken, dat zijn inkomen in Juli 1748 inderdaad £ 300 bedroeg, terwijl het kort daarop vermoedelijk op £ 400 gebracht is; het is waar, dat £ 200 in Engeland belast werd.

Richard Wolters was dus in Holland geboren en getogen. Zijn correspondentie met Bentinck heeft mij geleerd, dat hij bij voorkeur Engelsch of Fransch schreef, maar toch ook goed genoeg met het Hollandsch overweg kon, al stond zijn spelling duidelijk onder Engelsche invloed. Zijn Engelsch trouwens is ook lang niet altijd zuiver. Maar wat daarvan zij, hij was en voelde zich Hollander, en vooral Rotterdammer. Hij nam deel aan de strijd der partijen in ons land. Dat bewijst de brief aan Van der Meer in B.M.H.G. XXIII reeds en men zal het nog duidelijker zien uit verscheiden interessante stukken van zijn hand aanwezig in de Bentinck-papieren op het Britsch Museum, die zullen worden opgenomen in een uitgave van die collectie, aan de voorbereiding waarvan Dr. C. Gerretson en ikzelf thans arbeiden. Uit die stukken, meer nog dan uit de officieele correspondentie die ik hier uitgeef, kan men Wolters leeren kennen als een onafhankelijk man van een zekere positie. De oude heer Etienne Caillaud, vriend en raadsman van raad-

1) De resident Dayrolles beval zijn secretaris Troyel voor de opvolging aan; er wordt gesproken van ‘a great many pretenders’; maar omtrent de beslissing heb ik op het Record Office niets kunnen vinden. Toch werd de aanstelling van Londen uit gedaan.

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pensionarissen en griffiers, overtuigd Oranjeman (Archives, IV, I, p. 474), was zijn oudoom¹⁾. Hij was voorts intiem gelieerd aan de eene kant met Hugo Cornets de Groot en Otto Groeninx van Zoelen, die Willem IV in April 1748 tot de burgemeesterswaardigheid verhief om Rotterdam door hen te regeeren, en aan de andere kant met Bentinck van Rhoon, de machtigste man aan het stadhouderlijke hof, zoodat hij als vanzelf soms als tusschenpersoon tusschen Rotterdam en de centrale regeering optrad. Bij al deze connecties - die met Engeland niet te vergeten - spreekt het vanzelf, dat Wolters met hart en ziel de Oranjepartij was toegedaan.

Gevolg van dit alles is, dat zijn brieven naar Engeland minder het karakter dragen van een diplomatieke correspondentie, dan wel van het dagboek van een partijman. 't Is waar, dat hij ongelukkigerwijze uiterst discreet was. De namen van Van der Meer en andere Rotterdamsche volksmenners, van wier werk hij opperbest op de hoogte was, vermeldt hij niet één keer in al zijn verhalen van de opeenvolgende volksbewegingen. Ook onthoudt hij zich over het algemeen van kritiek op Willem IV, de schoonzoon van de koning in wiens dienst hij staat. Uit de Bentinck-papieren b.v. blijkt, dat Wolters van zeer nabij betrokken is geweest in het bepalen der politiek van Rotterdam tegenover de pachtersoproeren van Juni 1748 en dat hij zeer slecht te spreken was over de verbazingwekkende volte face der Haagsche machthebbers, die opeens alles aan het volk toegaven na eerst de regeerders van Rotterdam tot stijf volhouden te hebben aangezet. In zijn brieven naar Engeland laat Wolters het eerst bij de bloote vermelding der feiten om daarna, als de verkeerde gevolgen van het overhaast toegeven niet meer verbloemd kunnen worden, tegen beter weten in alle schuld op de Staten te schuiven.

In weerwil van die terughoudendheid, verergerd door partijdigheid, geloof ik, dat men uit Wolters' relaas van deze woelige jaren niet alleen allerlei nieuwe teeken-

1) Dit verklaart hij in een brief aan Bentinck (Egerton 1745.)

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achtige bizonderheden zal kunnen leeren, maar dat het vooral zijn belang heeft als het getuigenis van een gematigd en bekwaam man, die de gebeurtenissen geregeld aan een vast eigen inzicht toetst, een man die geloofde in een program van hervormingen voor de kwalen van zijn tijd en die met klimmende bezorgdheid zag, hoe weinig de vorst, die geroepen was om het uit te voeren, voor zijn taak berekend was en hoe punt na punt werd losgelaten of verknoeid. Daar was eerst de Rotterdamsche beweging voor het verkoopbaar stellen van de stadsambten, die uit Den Haag aanvankelijk werd aangemoedigd en toen op de ruwste wijze neergeslagen. Wolters, die oprechte sympathie gevoelde met de grieven der burgerij, had zich diep met die beweging ingelaten en hij uit zich tamelijk vrij over de onhandigheid, waarmee het hof zich daaromtrent gedroeg. Nergens blijkt duidelijker dat Willem IV in deze jaren, als hij de regenten had durven aangrijpen, op de steun had kunnen rekenen van een breede massa gematigde en welgestelde burgers, - een waarheid die Wolters trouwens later nog een of twee maal met zooveel woorden uitspreekt. Dat hij intusschen over de plotselinge ineenstorting van de tegenstand tegen het afschaffen der pachters voorzichtiger schreef, stipte ik al aan. Maar hoe discreet hij ook zij, het verhaal van een man die zoo goed geplaatst was om achter de schermen te kijken, geeft onvermijdelijk meer verklaring van de gedragingen der regeerders van stad en land dan b.v. dat van de Nederlandsche Jaarboeken, die overigens zooveel omstandiger zijn. Trouwens, men vindt bij Wolters ook een veel gedetailleerder en betrouwbaarder kroniek van de wisselende stemmingen der gemeente. Althans van de Rotterdamsche gemeente. Van de gebeurtenissen te Amsterdam tijdens de Doelistenbeweging is onze berichtgever minder goed op de hoogte. Toch heeft ook daar zijn verhaal waarde, omdat hij zoo diep doordrongen blijkt van de beteekenis van een hervorming, die de Prins ten slotte maar half doorzette - het breken van de onafhankelijkheid der Amsterdamsche regeering - en omdat hij zoo zonneklaar doet uitkomen, hoe de Prins zijn aanzien schaadde door zijn weifelend, onsamenhangend

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optreden in de zaak van de vrije krijgsraad. Met de wetsverzettingen in de andere Hollandsche steden besluit ik het fragment, dat ik hier aanbied. Misschien dat ik later nog eens een tweede stuk uit Wolters' correspondentie zal bewerken, maar in 1749 begint een periode van betrekkelijke rust en de brieven worden dan minder interessant.

Over de wijze van uitgeven valt weinig te zeggen. De brieven zijn te vinden in de deelen 429, 430, 444 en 445 van de Foreign State Papers, Holland, op het Record Office. (Men weet dat de nummering geheel veranderd is, sedert Prof. Brugmans zijn Verslag schreef.) Zij zijn in die deelen saamgebonden met de nieuwsberichten, die Wolters doorzond. Men zal opmerken, dat de brieven eerst gericht zijn tot ondergeschikte ambtenaren aan het Foreign Office, daarna tot de Secretarissen van Staat zelf. De afwisseling der namen van Newcastle en Bedford vraagt om eenige toelichting. In de laatste helft van 1748 toefde Newcastle met de koning in Hannover, zoodat zijn collega Bedford alleen in Londen achter bleef. Gedurende die tijd schreef Wolters aan beiden. Soms schreef hij woordelijk, soms ongeveer hetzelfde, soms uitvoeriger nu aan de een dan aan de ander, een enkel keer slaat hij aan één een post over en schrijft aan de ander des te langer. Ik heb met vermijding van herhalingen uit de twee correspondenties de interessantste brieven of passages gekozen.

Men zal misschien meenen, dat ik hier of daar wat meer had kunnen wegsnoeien. Vaak geeft Wolters eenvoudig nieuwsberichten, die geheel overeenkomen met wat men b.v. in de Nederlandsche Jaarboeken vindt. Vooral in het laatste gedeelte heb ik veel van dien aard betreffende de wetsverzettingen in Haarlem, Gouda, Dordt, Schiedam, Schoonhoven, kunnen weglaten. Men zal echter toegeven, dat een uitgave van alleen die passages, waarin de schrijver of wel een oordeel uitspreekt of bepaald iets nieuws vertelt, een niet heel aantrekkelijk en moeilijk te gebruiken geheel zou hebben opgeleverd. Er komt bij, dat men soms een nieuwe indruk kan ontvangen uit plaatsen, die op het eerste gezicht als twee druppels

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water op de overeenkomstige passages in de Nederlandsche Jaarboeken lijken. Bij nauwkeuriger beschouwing leert men er uit, hoe partijdig - veel erger en juist in de andere richting dan Wolters zelf - die in haar soort toch zoo voortreffelijke publicatie was. Ik wijs b.v. op de brief van 17 November 1747, waarin Wolters verhaalt, hoe de regeering van Amsterdam de vorige dag een herhaling van onlusten had weten te voorkomen. De burgercompagnieën op strategische punten in de stad opgesteld, de onbetrouwbare waardgelders voor die ééne dag buiten de stad gelegd, - het is geheel hetzelfde als in de Ned. Jb. Alleen... Wolters zegt, ‘those of the Burgers that did not refuse to come in arms’ en vervolgens, dat de burgers allen aan hun officieren verklaarden, dat ze op drie punten herstel van grieven verlangden. De Ned. Jb. geven niet de geringste aanduiding, dat er ook onder de burgers (in tegenstelling tot het gemeen) iets broeide.

Nog een enkel woord over een zaak, die ik uit de fragmenten, die hierachter volgen, heb uitgelicht, omdat zij weinig te maken heeft met Nederlandsche politieke verhoudingen.

Tot Wolters' functies behoorde ook het oog houden op de bewegingen van Schotsche en Iersche Jacobieten in ons land en voor dat doel hield hij een aantal spionnen aan het werk, die voornamelijk in de herbergen opereerden. In November 1747 vond hij het na overleg met Lord Sandwich, de Engelsche gezant in Den Haag, noodig om van de Rotterdamsche regeering vergunning te verzoeken tot het openen van de brieven van drie kooplieden¹⁾, die verdacht werden van relaties met Jacobieten. Hij legt uit, dat dit nogal wat voeten in de aard zal hebben, omdat hij het werk, waarin hij bekent niet handig te zijn, zelf onder toezicht van een lid der regeering zal moeten doen. De vergunning wordt trouwens niet grif verleend. Men

1) John Archdeacon, Peter Fox en Van Wijngaerten.

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weigerde niet ronduit, maar de eerste burgemeester¹⁾ wierp allerlei bezwaren op, die, volgens Wolters, ‘savoured more of the merchant than of the regent’. Wolters zag zich genoodzaakt om de hulp van de Prins van Oranje in te roepen. Hij deed het met een memorie, waarin hij er aan herinnert, dat hem hetzelfde verzoek eind 1745 is toegestaan (dat was dus gedurende de campagne van de zoon van de pretendent), en eindigt met op te merken ‘que parmi tous les malintentionnés dans cette ville Van Wyngaerten (sic, en herhaaldelijk) lui (sousigné) paroit le plus dangereux; ennemi juré du gouvernement d'Angleterre et de la République, aveugle dans sa religion, il embrasse avec joye toutes les occasions d'être utile aux ennemis de l'un et de l'autre gouvernement’. De Prins droeg aan Bentinck van Rhoon op om de Rotterdamsche gedeputeerden ter Statenvergadering over de zaak te onderhouden en Wolters kreeg nu zijn zin. De brieven werden hem door de eerste burgemeester thuis gezonden en hij opende ze de eerste maal in tegenwoordigheid van de gezant, Lord Sandwich, de volgende keeren blijkbaar alleen. Er werd niets gevonden. Wolters komt al spoedig tot de veronderstelling, dat de Jacobieten via Zeeland hun correspondentie voeren. Dan vindt hij de briefwisseling der verdachten zóó onbelangrijk, dat hij vreest dat ze vermoedens hebben.

P.G.

1) Dit was in Dec. 1747 vermoedelijk T.F. de Mey (inlichting van Dr. Wiersum).

1.
Rotterdam 30 Mei 1747 (aan Wm. Chetwynd Esq.).

We had a little incident here yesterday, some Burgers put a stop to the loading a vessell that was bound to St. Valéry, declaring that they would sett fire to her, if the merchants offered to give her orders to sail. This spirit of animosity against the French spreading as it

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does, gives the greatest uneasiness to those of our merchants who have dealings with the French, but most particularly to the mercantile part of the Magistracy. - - - -

2.
Rotterdam 13 Juni 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

A general embargo is talked of here. I wish it may take place, as it will be the only effectual means of preventing the French's getting provisions from this country, and of manning the fleet of the Republick.

It is thought by most people att the Hague that Rousset¹⁾ is not guilty of treasonable practices, but that he has ventured some severe remarks upon the Pensionary and his brother Plenipotentiary de Wassenaer. The Court of Holland, in consequence of an order from the Provincial States, have made it their business to find out those that had spread rumours to the disadvantedge of the first of these gentlemen and Rousset was the first that they could lay hold of.

1) J. Rousset de Missy, een prinsgezind pamfletschrijver. Vgl. over hem Archives, IV, I, p. 380.

3.
Rotterdam 20 Juni 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

You have perhaps allready from the Hague an account of the imbargo laid upon all Dutch shipping in the Ports of this Republick by the States-General²⁾. As the chief intent of this measure is the more speedily manning of the Dutch fleet, all masters who will give to the Admiralties of this country the choice of one third of their ships crews will be att liberty to sail as usual. This imbargo will in some measure obstruct the sending of provisions to the French Ports.

2) Ned. Jb., 1747, p. 416.

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I spare no pains in representing to those persons of the government of this city whom I have the honour to know, that a prohibition of the exportation of provisions from this country must put the French to great inconvenience as they really have not provisions enough in the Netherlands for the whole campaign, and that our cruisers make it very difficult for them to be supplied from other Ports. A prohibition of exportation of corn of all kind would be sensibly felt in Provence etc., if not immediately, att least towards the latter end of the campaign.

4.
Rotterdam 4 Juli 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

All provisions are now sent from the Ports of this Republick to France in East-frize ships, the merchants thinking that the King of Prussia's colours will be respected by the English ships of war and privateers as well as by the French; they all make their reports for Hamburg, but are certainly bound to France; I have this day given the Lords of the Admiralty advise of a ship of this kind now taking in her cargo here.- - - -

5.
Rotterdam 11 Juli 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - The persons that pulled down the Magistrate's house at Middleburgh¹⁾, the day that the Prince of Orange was proclaimed Stadtholder, are taken in arrest,

1) Het huis van burgemeester Joannes Cocquelle. De Ned. Jb. bewaren het stilzwijgen over die gebeurtenis, die men echter beschreven vindt bij Wagenaar, XX, blz. 71. Nog in Januari 1749 schreef Charles Bentinck aan zijn broer (B.M., Egerton 1728), dat hij een krachtig schrijven tot de Prinses had gericht betreffende de timmerman, die sedert 29 Juni 1747 gevangen zat te Middelburg, en dat hij zulks gedaan had naar aanleiding van een geschrift van Raap, dat met een brief van die man was uitgekomen.

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which has occasioned a great murmour amongst the people and will, I am affraid, turn to a sedition, if the proceedings against them are pursued. - - - -

6.
Rotterdam 11 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

There was a tumult yesterday in this town. Some of the most zealous inhabitants having information that a boat loaden with provisions was ready to sail for Hulst, went to the boat, landed the cargo, and distributed it to the mob, after which they forced the skipper to deliver up his French pass, carried it to the Magistrates, and demanded of them that the loaders and skipper might be punished. This comes just att a time that the States of Holland are deliberating to give leave to export provisions to Brabant etc., the onely plea in favour of the petitioners for this unpopular measure is that this is granted in Zealand - - - -

7.
Rotterdam 15 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - P.S. After having wrote the above I have heard that all pains imaginable are taken to hush the affair of the unloading the Boat that was bound to Hulst mentioned in my last¹⁾, but that our Burgers have resolved to make a representation upon this head to the Stadtholder.

Four boats loaden with wheat arrived last Saturday from Ardenburg in the iland of Cadsant. The skippers had French passes, granted upon condition that they should return with loadings of provisions, but the merchants that they are consigned to have not yet ventured upon loading them.

1) Het geval wordt inderdaad niet vermeld in de Ned. Jb.

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8.
Rotterdam 18 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

The mob of Zealand has, I hear, followed the example sett them by that of Rotterdam in unloading a boat that was bound with provisions to Ostend with a passport from the Admiralty of Zealand; these two instances of publick spiritedness will, I am told, operate a tacite prohibition of the exportation of provisions of any kind to any of the French Ports by the Stadtholder's nor the Admiralty's granting any papers on these occasions.

I fear more and more that the Government of this country will find itself deceived in the new taxe that is likely to pass to-morrow, as I am assured by People that understand these matters much better than I do¹⁾ that it will not produce what is expected. A declaration upon oath of giving two percent of all that one is worth in the world, is odious to the trading part of this nation.

I should be sorry to see this scheme fail, more particularly as the Prince Stadtholder has given it his approbation preferably to any other.

As to any negociation upon intrest, it will allways be deficient here, till the States of Holland add to the intrest of the old obligation of Holland the half percent taken from them so unpolitically²⁾. This alone can reestablish the publick credit.

1) Wolters heeft hier vermoedelijk de oude heer E. Caillaud op het oog. Zie hiervóór, blz. 48.

2) Die belasting was het eerst geheven over 1746.

9.
Rotterdam 22 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - All officers' letters from (Bergen-op-Zoom) and from the lines give us but very little hopes of the town's holding out much longer; yet I am told that a general

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who knows the town very well is of opinion that it may hold out for six weeks longer. - - - -

I send you a translation of a libell that was handed about att the Hague last Friday night, which is more violent than any that I have seen yet on the subject, and shews very plain that the people will nott be satisfied till some examples are made. I do not hear that any mischief has followed these threats since Friday night, excepting the breaking of a few windows. We may expect a bloody scene if Bergen-op-Zoom is taken, for I find by my own observation in this town that the least bad news from the siege awakens in the people all the thoughts of the danger that this Republick is in, and that violent animosity against those that are by them branded as authors of their misfortunes, and which they see with an evil eye received and caressed att the Stadtholder's Court.

The mob of Middleburg is appeased for the present, but has effected that no passes are granted by the Admiralty of Zealand to any vessells that go with provisions to any part of the French Dominions.

Traduction d'une Satyre qui a été débitée à la Haye sous le Manteau le 18^e Août.

Si l'Amour de la Patrie étoit votre unique but, vous ne souffririez point que ces gens indignes fussent dans le chemin du Prince, vous délivreriez votre Patrie, et vous dégageriez le Prince du blâme que des gens malintentionnés lui donneroient s'il congédioit ces misérables. Je ne dis point ceci parce que je suis animé contre eux, mais mon but est de tout risquer pour ma Patrie et pour le Prince. S'il n'y avoit point de danger pour l'un et pour l'autre, je ne risquerois point ma vie pour vous donner cet avertissement.

Il ne s'agit point ici de dire des injures, mais il faut des recherches. Le but de ces gens est de vous charger de nouveaux impôts pour rendre le Prince odieux à tous, de faire gémir le Négociant, de faire mourir de faim l'Artisan, pour l'amour de la Neutralité qu'ils avoient

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promise à la France. Elle étoit toute écrite et auroit été arrêtée et conclue en deux jours. Je suis un des Régents, et je vous parle de ce que j'ai vu.

Qu'on abolisse tous les Pagters, qu'on fasse percevoir tous les Droits sur Terre et sur les Rivières, une Taxe modique peut nous tirer d'affaires. Sauvez donc votre Patrie.

Noms des Traîtres à La Patrie.

Tout ce qui s'appelle Gillis, 's Gravemoer, Twickell, Van Hoey, de Witt, Karsseboom, Van der Hoop, et eet Archicoquin van Wesel¹⁾. Ce scélérat s'entend avec les Pagters et partage avec 's Gravemoer. Son Père est insolvant, sa femme n'a eu que vingt mille florins en mariage. Il demeure dans une maison de 30 mille florins, il a une campagne de dix mille, il a un carrosse à quatre chevaux, et vit splendidement.

Citoyens! c'est là où va votre argent public et vos Taxes! Délivrez donc votre Patrie de ces scélérats dès ce soir, il sera trop tard demain. Rendez-vous à huit heures sur le Plein, personne n'osera vous molester, on n'ose pas même deffendre les pasquinades. Les Régents honnêtes gens sont de votre côté. Vous délivrerez votre Patrie et vous en serez bien récompensés. Dieu vous soit en aide.

1) 's Gravemoer en Wassenaer-Twickel waren de bekendste Staatsgezinde leden der Hollandsche Ridderschap, Van Hoey was de beruchte Franschgezinde gezant bij het Fransche hof, De Witt en Karsseboom waren bekende Staatsgezinde Dordtsche regenten, Van der Hoop, de secretaris van de Raad van State, was de eenige voorname ambtenaar, die Willem IV nog in 1747 om zijn Staatsgezindheid liet ontslaan. Mr. Anthony van Wesele daarentegen was een van de mannen, die onder het nieuwe bewind carrière maakten. Hij werd in 1748 veel geraadpleegd over de belastinghervorming en in 1749 werd hij Advokaat-Fiscaal van Holland.

10.
Rotterdam 25 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - Most people that know the place and the

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manner in which the French advance, are of opinion that (Bergen-op-Zoom) can hold out three weeks longer. - - - -

11.
Rotterdam 29 Augustus 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

I do not hear that any thing has yet been done by the States of Holland in the affair of the 2 percent, which looses ground every day. I hope, however, that some means will be found to have speedely six or seven millions of florins, for the finances are in so low a condition that they can absolutely do nothing without a new negociation. - - - -

12.
Rotterdam 1 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

I am informed that the French seconded by their good friends att Amsterdam are beginning a new clandestine trade. A ship is allready freighted att Amsterdam, and several others will soon be, to go to Newcastle to take in lead by way of ballast, the better to be able to conceal it, and to compleat their cargo att Yarmonth with red herrings, they will take clearances for Leghorn, but in reality they are for the major part bound to Marseilles and for French account. - - - -

13.
Rotterdam 5 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

I was misinformed when I was told that the affair of the two per cent had intirely passed in the assembly of Holland, I now understand that it is onely conditionally and as it may pass in the other six provinces. I am sorry to see the publick so much prejudiced against this scheme, which is so strongly espoused by the Prince of

[p. 60]

Orange that I am assured that his Highness offered to go to the other Provinces himself to intreat their concurrency.

The States of Zealand, finding that their negociation att four percent is not likely to succeed, have by a placard¹⁾ invited the inhabitants of that Province to send their plate to the mint, if they are not in a condition to take any share in money in this negociation; with a promise that the interest of this fund shall never be loaded with any taxe whatsoever, which promise has been so often broke that it will never encourage any of the subjects to give their money to the publick; unless it be from their being truely sensible of the danger that the State is in, and the want that there is of money. - - - -

The raising of the Militia advances but slowly in this town, and it will be the same in the rest of the trading towns; the success with which it succeeds att Leiden, Gouda etc., is, and I am sorry to see it, a very strong symptom of the decay of their manufacturies.

1) Ned. Jb., 1747, blz. 677.

14.
Rotterdam 8 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - They had yesterday very great hopes of the safety of Bergen-op-Zoom att the Prince of Orange's Court.

15.
Rotterdam 12 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - I hear that in general the Dutch soldiers in the garnison (Bergen-op-Zoom) behave well, but that several of their officers expose themselves to the most shamefull reflections. - - - -

Several merchants of this city and Amsterdam have in a meeting agreed upon representations to be made

[p. 61]

to the Prince Stadtholder upon the Dutch ships being stopped by the English men-of-war privateers, and upon the hardships of the Mob's interrupting their sending provisions and other things not excepted by the placard to France and the Low Countries. I hear that upon former representations this has been agreed to last Saturday in the States assembly. If this permission takes place and the English men-of-war are less diligent than usual in searching and stopping the ships, we may soon see France supplyed with as much provisions as will be wanted for a twelve month.

P.S. Since writing this I have had a reading of the vindication of the taxe of two percent and I must own that I now see it in a much more favourable light than I did before, most particularely as I am assured that by the placard not onely the reestablishing the half percent upon the Bonds of Holland is promised¹⁾, but that allso the heavy taxe upon houses will in time be taken of. By a new estimate it is now thought that this new taxe will produce 20 millions of florins, some even make it amount to forty millions.

1) Dit was inderdaad het geval; Ned. Jb., 1747, blz. 666; het plakaal is gedateerd 12 September.

16.
Rotterdam 19 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

Altho I am persuaded that the most melancholly news of the surrender of Bergen-op-Zoom has reached Lord Chesterfield before this comes to your hands, I cannot help (as having been in that neighbourhood all Saturday and Sunday last) sending you what particulars I could collect of this fatal affair, most particularely as I had what I am now to relate from officers of the garnison, who, if not distinct in their accounts of so confused an

[p. 62]

affair, were att least I durst say true in what they told me.

Notwithstanding the breaches in the bastions Coehorn and Pucelle and the dying condition of ravelyn Dedem, the hopes of holding out three weeks or a month longer, by the constant supply of fresh troops from the lines, were so great, that on Friday noon the 15^e instant, N.S., Mr. Grovestein went from Bergen-op-Zoom to carry to His Royal Highness the Duke¹⁾ the strongest assurances of the great prospect that the generals had, if not of saving the town, att least of its holding out some time longer.

Mr. van Haren²⁾ was so fully persuaded of the certainty of these accounts that on the very fatal day he sett out in the morning for Steenbergen, to shew the two princes of Baden the lines and the attack, when the bad news reached him half way between Oudenbos and Steenbergen³⁾. - - - -

- - - - Mr. de Haren has token all measures in his power to put things att Steenbergen in a good condition. There were onely five pieces of cannon mounted there when he came.

Fort Moermont was immediately abandonned and the forts of Rover and Pinsen allso since, after having spoilt all the cannon and everything that could (have) been usefull to the French.

The ennemy cut of the garnison of the fort of Kijk in the Pot by land. Mr. de Haren has upon the first news of it sent orders to the boats from Tertolen to take them of if possible, but I fear that the order came to late and that the Regiment of Rechteren in those forts will be obliged to surrender as prisonner of war⁴⁾.

We have no account yet of the water fort's having

1) Van Cumberland.

2) Willem van Haren, gedeputeerde te velde.

3) Ik laat het verhaal van de overrompeling weg, omdat het niets nieuws leert.

4) Dit geschiedde inderdaad.

[p. 63]

surrendered, and I hope that it has held out long enough to save two vessels of Mr. Michell's fleet and our storeships that were a ground there when the town surrendered.

By all these foregoing and other similar circumstances it appears plainly that the town was surprised in a shamefull manner: that there was a great negligence in the guards and dispositions att a time that there were several breaches in the works and that Mr. de Lowendahl had sent the Friday night a drum major to general Cronstrom to demand the town, threatning to put the whole garnison to the sword, if it was refused.

The facility with which the ennemy gott into the town gives just reason to suspect that there has been treachery, but it would be hard to say who has been in the fault, till the whole is cleared up, and we may soon hope to know it from the pains that Mr. de Haren is resolved to take to come att the truth.

I have observed in general that Baron Cronstrom has not gott the good will of the Officers of the garnison. He is accused of obstinacy and of having contradicted the Prince of Philipsthal in everything during the whole siege. The Prince of Hillburghausen seems allso to complain that his advise has never been followed in anything during the whole siege.

I have all the reason in the world to think that there will be a violent contest between general Cronstrom and the Prince of Philipstahl, in which the former will I believe have the advantedge of having saved most of his papers, and the Prince of Philipstahl's having lost his.

I have heared general Cronstrom blamed for having left the town to early, and att a time that his presence was very necessary to second the efforts of the Prince of Philipsthal. I have heared one circumstance which I must own surprised me, which is that a few days before the surrender of the place general Cronstrom had wrote to the Prince of Orange to desire that the cannon from Breda might be sent to him, which would have been done, had it not been timely stopped by Mr. van Haren, and the French had then had a far greater number of

[p. 64]

cannon. Measures are taken to cover the fortresses that by the surrender of Bergen-op-Zoom are more exposed; immediately before the surrender of the town general Lely was sent with six bataillons to Tertolen. The innundation of the polders about Williamstadt was formed last Sunday night, and late att night, when I passed that way, the water was beginning to run in the road from Clundert to Williamstadt.

All the ferries below Standtdaerbuyten upon the Dintle are secured on the right side of that river and nothing is left upon it, but the two bridges, one of pontoons and the other of boats, att the above said places, which is little enough in case of a retreat.

As to the behaviour of the garnison of Bergen-op-Zoom, the Regiments of Duyts and the two Scotch Bataillons of Collyar and Majorbanks are said to have done most and consequentely suffered most. Some others have also done very well and others very ill, but of this as well as all the other circumstances I have not been able to gett a very perfect idea by the extream confusion that was through the whole.

I have not heared of any considerable motion that the French have made since this event; it is the general opinion that they will attack Steenbergen and some of the generals assure us that that siege will be very difficult in this season.

You may easely judge of the consternation of the people of this country, more particularely as their hopes of saving Bergen-op-Zoom dayly increased. The mob begins to be very tumultuous. Some magistrates of Zircksee have been massacrated by their townsmen upon this news¹⁾, and the mob is allso up att Amsterdam and has pulled down a Roman-Catholick Gentleman's house. I fear that this will spread all over the country unless the people are appeased by an exact inquiry into the causes of the evil.

I hope, Sir, that my prolixity in this letter will be

1) Dit bericht vind ik nergens bevestigd.

[p. 65]

excused. What I have said is not my own sentiment, but what I have had from people of veracity and experience. If Mr. Cronstrom has not acted as he ought to have done, it must more or less hurt the Prince Stadholder, as he himself chose him for this command¹⁾. This general told several officers att Steenbergen that he was writing to the Prince of Orange for leave to resign, but I hear that he is to have the command of the army of Oudenbos.

1) Vgl. Bosscha, Neêrlands Heldendaden, II, blz. 619,

17.
Rotterdam 22 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

Several of the inhabitants of Rotterdam have been with the Prince Stadtholder to communicate to his Most Serene Highness their design to desire of the Magistrates that all places and offices belonging to the town may be publickly sold, the produce to be for the use of the publick²⁾; the Prince answered by a smile, and this has encouraged the deputies to fixe the day for presenting their petition for next Munday. I do not question this affair's passing here, and if it does, I do not question its passing also in the other towns of the Province, and this will in time be a very good income for the Province.

By the care that the government att the Hague, and the Magistrates of Amsterdam have taken, the mob seems to be a little appeased, butt still insists upon an enquiry into the causes of the surprise of Bergen-op-Zoom. - - - -

The trade of lead to France is very common now, Dutch ships are dayly freighted to go to England to take in a cargo, part in lead and the rest in wheat or coals, which are all very wellcome in France.

2) Volgens Van der Meer, die tot die deputatie behoorde (B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 418), werd bij die gelegenheid de prins ook verzocht om te Rotterdam de wet te verzetten.

[p. 66]

18.
Rotterdam 26 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

You will easely see by the publication issued last week att the Hague, and by that published att Utrecht¹⁾ that there is a great disturbance amongst the people; and I am sorry to see that difference of religion is the occasion of it. I hope that the publications will have a desired effect and that the evil, which is onely yet amongst the lower sort of people, will not spread farther.

All is in confusion in Zealand since the fall of Bergen-op-Zoom, and several of the best inhabitants are sending away their best effects. The general cry of the nation is to have a strict inquiry made into the cause of the surprise of Bergen-op-Zoom.

The affair of the inhabitants of this town, for the sale of all places and offices belonging to this town, is in a way of succeeding soon. The Magistrates, frightened by the thoughts of being petitioned in a riotous manner, have agreed yesterday in council to grant this petition, whenever it comes before them. It is to be presented to-morrow, and I have att the earnest desire of some of the Magistrates been with the heads of the party to advise them to come to the town house in a decent manner and in small numbers, which they have consented to do²⁾.

I am informed that seven members of the town council are for granting this onely under restrictions, one of which is that they will consent to it, if it passes in the other towns, but I fear that the Burgers will not like this.

1) Zie Ned. Jaarb., 1747, blz. 731 en 774. Over de uitspattingen tegen Roomschen na de val van Bergen-op-Zoom meer bizonderheden in Van Laar's Leven van Willem IV, II, blz. 130, dan in de Ned. Jb.

2) In Van der Meer's relaas van deze zelfde zaken wordt Wolters' niet genoemd. Van der Meer verhaalt, dat De Back hem verzocht te zorgen, dat het request ‘in stilte en met beleefdheyt wierdt gepresenteerdt’ (ib.).

[p. 67]

The petition is a well-penned piece¹⁾ and contains besides the main affair an exhortation to such Magistrates as have places below the dignity of a Magistrate to resign them for the good of the publick. This affair gives the Magistrates more uneasiness than even the Revolution itself, as for a great number of years they have had the sole disposable (lees: disposal) of places, which every Magistrate gave by turns, to whomever he pleased.

The zeal of our Burgers has carried them still farther, and I hear that another petition is to be presented att the same time to desire that the Regents of this town may please to propose to the Provincial Assembly to make (the) Stadtholdership haereditary and to fixe it in the female ligne of the house of Orange, in case the Prince Stadtholder should dye without male issue. This being hinted to me yesterday by some of the Burgers, I advised them not to be to hasty in this affair, but to consult some of the Regents that they could most depend upon.

Something of this kind will, I am told, certainly be soon thought of, as necessary to satisfy the lower mob, and to make them abandon their present idea of making the Prince sovereign, which seems to run against the grain of the generality of the people of substance, and would occasion great troubles.

When this affair of the sale of the places has passed in this town. I do not question its passing in the other towns of the Province. I doubt there will be some struggle att Amsterdam upon it, but most people that know the inclinations of the inhabitants are of opinion that it will certainly pass.

The Magistrates of Amsterdam have yesterday sent to their chief merchants and assurers to communicate to them that upon some representations made by Mr. van Hoey's secretary to the ministers of France, about some Dutch ships being taken by French privateers and others stopped, their answer was that it was their master's

1) Ned. Jb., Oct. 1747, blz. 758 vlgg.

[p. 68]

pleasure that, since the States would not permit the exportation of provisions and other things that are wanted in France, his Ministers should not receive any representations made in favour of any of the subjects of the Republick in point of trade. This has occasioned a great consternation amongst all the merchants that trade to France.

The enclosed copy of a letter from Middelburgh will shew you how eager the Dutch merchants are att finding out means to send provisions to France. No measures that their sovereigns can take will curb that inclination, which they will gratify, till they are thwarted everywhere abroad. - - - -

Middlebourgh 1e 22 7^ber 1747.

Les fortes instances réiterées de divers ports de France, et bien particulièrement de Marseilles, pour leur envoyer des grains de toute espèce, confirment la disette quils y ont de ces articles, et nous induisent à croire que les prix en deviendront considérables, et c'est dans cette espérance que nous avons proposé de suppléer à leur demande, en envoyant de nos vaisseaux hollandois charger à Londres, Yarmouth, Linn et aux ports du West de l'Angleterre, en faisant leur déclaration à la douanne aux dits ports pour Livorne, Lisbonne et tout le Portugal, ayant, d'avance, ou précisément à leur départ, fourni nos capitaines d'instructions pour Marseille et autres ports de France. Je ne doute pas que cette voye ne soit la plus sûre et l'unique qui nous est ouverte pour le présent. Les Anglois sont naturellement lents à prévoir des choses de cette nature et nous pourrons en jouir pour quelque tems, n'en ayant point besoin pour longtems, et lorsqu' ils y mettront des obstacles, nous pourrons avoir fait de beau coups. Ils ne peuvent après tout l'empêcher que de la manière qu'on le pratique à Amsterdam, peut-être que ches vous on exige une obligation du triple de la valeur de la cargaison, qu'elle sera debarquée à l'endroit pour lequel a été fait la déclaration.

[p. 69]

19.
Rotterdam 29 September 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

The merchants of this town have had the same message from the Magistrates as those of Amsterdam¹⁾. This will for some time att least interrupt the trade to and from France, and as none of the new wines and brandys are yet shipped of in the ports of France, the French may be great sufferers by this step. As to the Dutch, they must be in the main gainers by it, as the whole country is overstocked with French commodities. - - - -

Our Burgers that have petitioned the Magistrates were yesterday with the Prince of Orange²⁾ and mett with a very gracious reception; the Magistrates are doing all they can to put a stop to a thing which so nearly touches them; their scheme is now to gain time, having referred the petition to a comittee, composed chiefly of the Burgomasters, they intend to carry the thing to the Provincial assembly, where I doubt its passing, but I am very much mistaken if this will satisfy the Burgers and those of the Regents that are for the thing.

1) Zie hiervóór blz. 67.

2) Vgl. B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 421.

20.
Rotterdam 3 October 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - For all the pains that our Magistrates take to oppose the scheme of the sale of places and employments belonging to the town, I am very confident that it will pass, if the Prince of Orange thinks proper to give it but the least countenance. - - - -

[p. 70]

21.
Rotterdam 6 October 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - As to the affair of our Burgers, the Deputies of this town have found means to represent it in a very bad light to the Prince Stadtholder, and they even give it out that his M.S.H. is against the thing, when on the other hand I have it from a very good quarter that all the Prince desires is that the Magistrates would of their own accord fixe the sale of places. Much will depend upon the courage of the Magistrates that are for the thing's being done. If the Prince thinks proper to countenance the opponants, he will att the same time take measures to appease the Burgers.

An order came down this morning from the Hague not to grant any more passes to the vessels that were before tolerated to carry provisions to the Low Countries now possessed by France.

22.
Rotterdam 10 October 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

Our Burgers waited upon the Prince Stadtholder yesterday as he passed through this town¹⁾, and his M.S.H. gave them the strongest assurances that their proposal of the sale of places would have its effect in time even beyond their wishes, and exhorted them to be peaceable and quiet.

The Burgers are to be reviewed to morrow, and those that have not good arms to have them att the town's expense. - - - -

1) Vgl. B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 422. Van der Meer's verslag van deze besprekingen, lang naderhand opgesteld en met een bizondere bedoeling, wijkt af van de voorstelling van Wolters. - De Prins was op weg naar het leger bij Breda.

[p. 71]

23.
Rotterdam 20 October 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

I had the honour of seing the Prince Stadtholder att Breda and his M.S.H. in my presence expressed his satisfaction of the innundations of Steenbergen, Williamstadt, and Gertruydenberg. - - - -

By a new explanation of the exporting of provisions to the Ports of France from this town, the exportation is permitted, but on condition that the vessells shall go out att sea, and by Zealand or the Scheldt.

24.
Den Haag 4 November 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - The affair of the sale of employments was carried yesterday att Rotterdam¹⁾. The Burgers had for several days past been with the Magistrates and declared to them that, as they knew the Prince of Orange was not against the thing, they would stick to their point, and yesterday morning the Townhouse was surrounded by above two thousand of the mob, and four hundred of the better sort of Burgers were in the very Townhouse, demanding that their request might be granted, which out of fear in most, and out of inclination in others, was accordingly granted and the sale of places published upon the spot. I do not yet know on what conditions this was done, but that the Magistrates declared to the Burgers that if in a twelve month the other towns had not resolved to do the same thing, the amount of the sale of the places, instead of going to the publick, would be employed for the use of the town. It is said that the inhabitants of Gouda will this day follow the example of the inhabitants of Rotterdam. The Burgers

1) Vgl. Van der Meer's relaas in B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 423 en Ned. Jb., 1747, blz. 864.

[p. 72]

asked the Regents how the affair of the haereditary Stadtholdership went on. They answered that they had given their consent, and that it was expected that Amsterdam would soon yield to (lees: too).

They then added a request that all trade with France, but most particularely that of sending provisions to France, might be stopped. The Magistrates assured them that something would be done soon which would make them easy as to that point. The effect of this last article has been such that several boatmen, allready loaded for Gendt and Sluys, have refused to take out Count Saxe's passes sent to the commissaries, and several of them now refuse going.

H.R.H. the Duke setts out to-morrow for ter Heyden. I am in great hopes that we shall finish our affairs of winter quarters to-morrow. The Council of State have, I am sorry to say it, shown as many difficulties in this affair as they would have done in former days.

25.
Rotterdam 11 November 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - The proclamation published here by the Prince of Orange's order and sent by three Deputies of the Provincial Assembly of Holland, has not been attended with any immediate bad consequences.

By this proclamation¹⁾ the promise that the Magistrates were obliged to make to the people of selling all places and employments is annulled, and by it the Burgers are warned never to address their Regents in a tumultuous manner, and to pretend to prescribe laws to their superiors; and that those that shall for the future be guilty of the like trespasses shall be punished with the utmost severity.

The proclamation, as to its contents, is generally applauded, but it is thought that it was very ill-timed,

1) Gedateerd 8 November, Ned. Jb., Nov. 1747, blz. 869 vlgg.

[p. 73]

and this affair ought either to have been crushed in its infancy or left to take its course. The Burgers would certainly not have gone that length, if they had not been incited and encouraged att first. The night before last the proclamation was tore of in the different places of this town, where it was put up, and on the other hand the Magistrates' servants, who triumph by this proclamation, treat the heads of the Burger party with the greatest insolence¹⁾; which, unless it is put a stop to, will create new mischief.

As to the last petition, it is penned in so insolent and despotick a strain that it was absolutely necessary to take notice of it. It contains seven articles²⁾.

- - - - Att Amsterdam the affair went farther, but was last night so far appeased that the mob did not appear in such crowds as they had done before. The Townhouse and the avenues to it are garded by Burgers who consented to appear in arms as the Bank is under the Stadthouse, but three companies, whom's turn it was to do duty yesterday, refused to do it.

I am told that the Prince of Orange is about taking measures to pacify the inhabitants in the other towns, and that att the same time the affair of the selling of places will be taken into consideration in the States assembly. - - - -

1) Vgl. Van der Meer, t.a.p.

2) Volgt een vertaling van het request, dat 6 November aangeboden was en waarvan het oorspronkelijk te vinden is in de Ned. Jb., Nov. 1747, blz. 866 vlgg.

26.
Den Haag 14 November 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - I am sorry still to perceive that the publication³⁾ has not had the effect that I could have wished for the good of the Republick that it might have had.

Most of the Burgers of Rotterdam are of opinion that

3) De publicatie van 8 November, vermeld in de vorige brief.

[p. 74]

the last petition was to disrespectfull not to have been taken notice of by the Prince. They detest the riotousness of the lower mob, which went even to burn the very Orange cocardes, that were two days before looked upon as marks of joy and satisfaction, but they all agree that the Prince of Orange can not without risking the loosing the affections of the people help removing those of the Magistrates that are most odious, which they look upon as a sure remedy, and 3 or 4 of the most loyal and substantial amongst them have resolved to go to the Prince and speak to him in that sense.

When I consider the marks of disloyalty that have been given in a true light, I find that they would be of little signification as having been done onely by a very small number of the lowest sort of the people, were it not that secret ennemies are certainly not wanting, that increase the fire and that do all that they can to breed disturbances. Another thing that gives me great uneaseness is that the generality of the people are of opinion that the Prince is prejudiced in favour of those very Magistrates that are loaded with the hatred of the publick, and that those very Magistrates were allways remarkable for being his ennemies.

The onely thing that gives me hopes that every thing may be quieted again, is that the petitioners in the different towns are now divided into different parties and none of them thus disunited strong enough to make an attempt like the last with any hopes of success.

As the affair is become so desperately bad, and that I plainly see that these people aim att nothing less than to change the whole form of the civil government in this town, I have thought it right to refuse having any farther communication with them, unless it be to speak what I know, if called upon by my friends here.

I am still of opinion that something must be done to please the better sort of the Burgers, who once appeased will take care to keep the mob in order and prevent their asking unreasonable things.

[p. 75]

27.
Den Haag 17 November 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

Everything is seemingly quiet in our town, but the same spirit of discontent att the last publication continues to such a degree that I am still affraid that things will not be right, unless something is done by the Prince Stadtholder, either by removing some of the Magistrates, or granting the place bill in some shape or other.

The Magistrates of Amsterdam were threatened by the mob, who were joined by some of the Burgers, and gave it out that as yesterday¹⁾ they would renew their sollicitation, but the Magistrates have taken proper measures to prevent mischief: those of the Burgers that did not refuse to come in armes have been properly posted about the Townhouse and in different places of the town, the gates were shut and the new raised militia, who seemed the week before to side with the mob, turned out of the town for that day. Everything has been quiet, but the Burgers being spoken to by their officers have all declared that they wanted three points of their Magistrates: the sale of places, the re-establishing the gilds, and the giving the Posts to the publick. How far the Magistrates will keep their promises as to these points, I do not pretend to say, but this I know, that things will not be thoroughly pacified till they are granted.

1) Vgl. Ned. Jb., 1747, blz. 859 vlgg.

28.
Rotterdam, 8 December 1747 (aan Chetwynd).

- - - - As to their (the French) being supplied from hence, I sec no great likelyhood of it, excepting that the merchants here and the few in Great Britain that will send wheat to France will make use of Danish and Oostfrise ships, till they find out that this way is not safer than those tryed before.

[p. 76]

I do not see any great dispositions here to take out letters of Marque¹⁾, most of the Merchants are of opinion that their governors are not in earnest, and others think it hardly worth while to privateer in Europe; I hope att least that the East India Company will take the hint given them by the States' answer to France. - - - -²⁾.

1) Plakaat der Staten-Generaal, gedateerd 11 December 1747 in de Ned. Jb., 1747, blz. 928.

2) Na deze brief komt er gedurende ettelijke maanden geen correspondentie van eenig politiek belang onder Wolters' papieren op het Record Office voor. Hij schijnt eerst geruime tijd ziek te zijn geweest. Daarna werd hij (midden Maart 1748) door de hertog van Cumberland aangesteld tot ‘Commissary of the Army for this campaign’ en die betrekking hield hem veel buiten Rotterdam. Hij gaf haar eind April weer op, onder voorgeven van slechte gezondheid, maar meer nog, zooals hij aan W. Bentinck schrijft (B.M., Eg., 1745), omdat hij de misbruiken, die waren ingeslopen en die hij niet kon verbeteren, niet wilde dekken met zijn naam.

29.
Rotterdam 24 Mei 1748 (aan de hertog van Newcastle).

- - - - The affair of the last riot in the town of Groningen, in which the abolishing the farmers for publick taxes has been demanded and obtained, does not make much noise here, as it is not much known, but I have reason to expect that when the journal of what has passed in that Province is printed, as I am told that it will be³⁾, the article of the farmers will occasion some commotions in this province, and particularly in this town, unless the Prince Stadtholder, who has now in Rotterdam two chief Magistrates of his own chusing⁴⁾, thinks proper to interfear in behalf of the Magistrates.

3) Wolters kan het oog hebben op het Echt Verhael van de onlusten in de Provintie Groningen; ook de Ned. Jb. over Mei kwamen uit met een uitvoerig relaas, 1748, blz. 376-390.

4) Wolters bedoelt de burgemeester Hugo Cornets de Groot en Otto Groeninx van Zoelen van Ridderkerk, die op de gewone dag der Magistraats-verkiezing, 29 April, waren aangesteld.

[p. 77]

30.
4 Juni 1748 (aan Andrew Stone).

You herewith have with the usual news a copy of the publication of the French court for a cessation of hostilities att sea between Great-Britain and France: the Dutch merchants are very clamorous upon it, as being left out of this publication, and intend, as I am informed, to complain to the Prince Stadtholder, who will I hope bring them to a more calm and reasonable way of thinking upon this head.

31.
11 Juni 1748 (aan Newcastle).

- - - - Nothing has been hitherto published in this country with relation to opening the trade with France, but what the Admiralty of Amsterdam has notified to the Merchants that they were att liberty to load corn etc. for France and other places: when a farther explanation has been desired by some of the Merchants, they have been told that the ships thus loaded are not to sail, till notice be given to the Admiralty, and that proper vouchers must be produced that no part of these cargoes are for French account.

It is, however, believed that a full proclamation will soon he issued for a free trade; as the merchants, who onely waited for the preliminaries as a signal to be beforehand with their neighbours in sending to France the so much longed for provisions, are very impatient to have the trade opened.

By several letters from Friseland I find that the people are absolutely bent upon having an abolition of all excises or taxes that are farmed out by the Government. The manner in which the Prince of Orange will treat this affair in Friseland will influence the whole country, for if it passes there, it will certainly go through the rest of the Provinces, and most particularly in that of Holland,

[p. 78]

as all degrees of the inhabitants are full of the advantedges which they expect from it. The scheme (if the same which was proposed by Mr. Slingeland in his time) is every way more advantageous to the government and to the subject than the present form of the revenue; all taxes being abolished, and instead of 25 percent that they were reckoned att, onely half is to be paid in an other way, and att least a third more will by this method come in the publick coffers than by the old scheme, and all provisions, being untaxed, will be ¼ cheaper, which will of course lower the price of labour. - - - -

32.
Rotterdam 14 Juni 1748 (aan Andrew Stone).

- - - - A placard suspending the three placards published last year in relation to the trade with France was issued last Wednesday, and it is expected that a proclamation was allso issued out in France on the same day about ceasing of hostilities att sea against the Dutch: but it does not yet seem certain that France will restore the regulation of trade of the year 1739.

The Dutch ships will now be att liberty to navigate to the Ports of France; great quantities of wheat and other corn are allready bought up att Amsterdam for French account, and several ships are allready loaded with those commodities. I make no doubt but the court of France will use its utmost efforts to be att first abundantly supplyed; that whatever the issue of the congres may be, she may feel herself in a condition not to suffer so severely as she has done of late by the interruption of trade.

The publication about the farms of publick taxes¹⁾, contained in this day's Hague Gazette, gives the people

1) Een publicatie op naam van de Prins en Gecommitteerde Raden, waarin het volk werd vermaand om van het denkbeeld van de afschaffing der pachten af te zien: Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 450.

[p. 79]

to understand that the Prince Stadtholder does not intend to countenance the new measures that the people seem to be so fond of; but yet the spirit that has discovered itself in the Province of Friseland has now gained that of Overyssell, and unless the publication stops it at once, it is my opinion that it will spread farther.

33.
Rotterdam 18 Juni 1748 (aan Andrew Stone).

- - - - The troubles in odium to the farmers of publick taxes have discovered itself in this Province and particularly att Haerlem last Friday¹⁾ in a very strong manner, the fury of the mob increased at the publishing the placard mentioned in my last, most of the Pagters houses in that town have been plundered. The people of Haerlem received the gentlemen²⁾ that were sent in the Prince of Orange's name last Saturday in a very decent manner, but yet gave them to understand, that they would not rest, till the finances of the publick were redressed. Measures are taken att Amsterdam against tumults, but att the Hague notwithstanding the presence of the court and some troops there is a ferment of sedition. In this town³⁾ every thing is quiet, as the Burgers have a good opinion of their present new Magistrates. What measures will be taken to remedy this evil I do not know, neither am I informed if the government is really at work upon the so necessary scheme of redressing the finances; but I am very sure that nothing's being done will quite dishearten the people. The scheme for abolishing the present form of taxes was first proposed in the year 1679, and strongly urged by Mr. Slingeland in 1727, but in all that time and since, nothing has been done towards it.

1) 14 Juni.

2) Grovestins, Burmania en Thierry.

3) Rotterdam.

[p. 80]

I have heared of another scheme which would take of(f) the odium without altering the thing intirely, which is as first proposed in the Province of Groningen, to have the taxes farmed out as usual to private people, but the produce to be carried to the Treasury, and the farmer to be answerable for deficiencies and to have half the overplus of the produce.

34.
Rotterdam 18 Juni 1748 (aan Bedford).

- - - - The mob was up yesterday att Leiden and was very buysy last night in pulling down houses; there was allso something of the kind att the Hague; but I believe that no great mischief was done; they were threatned with a tumult last night att Amsterdam, but the mob give it out that next Thursday¹⁾ is the day that they have marked out, which I hope, as the Magistrates have now time to prepare, will be prevented.

All these motions must bring the Prince of Orange to the dilemma of doing what the people desire, or of punishing to the utmost extent of the placards, which are indeed now grown so common that they are not minded as they were at first. - - - -

1) 20 Juni.

35.
Rotterdam 21 Juni 1748 (aan Andrew Stone).

- - - - Since my last the commotions in this Province increased to such a pitch, particularly att the Hague, that last Wednesday morning²⁾ it was thought advisable not to keep the thing any longer a secret from the Prince of Orange, who was carried to the assembly of Holland³⁾, where a placard was modelled, which was

2) 19 Juni.

3) De Prins was ziek.

[p. 81]

published here yesterday¹⁾, and I was glad to see that it had a very good effect upon the minds of the people; and I hope this placard will take of(f) the odium of that of the 12 instant²⁾, which I must own was not worded as it ought to be to pacify the people, besides which it was unluckkily known that the Prince of Orange had had no hand in this placard. All the true friends to the government took great pains to cure the people of this notion, but as it is now come so far that the people make very severe reflections upon the Prince of Orange for that placard, it was thought necessary to speak truth.

Tho the people seem to be making war against the Pagters onely, their chief aim was, and their great hatred is against the Pensionary, who finds his refuge in the Prince's court, which has still more exasperated the people against him: - and I must say that I foresee that we shall never have any quiet here till this gentleman can he persuaded to resign: which I fear that he will hardly do, now that he has once more escaped the fury of the mob.

These troubles and the consequent stagnation of the revenue are very terrible, for even in this town, where the good conduct of the Magistrates has hitherto kept everything quiet, the mob go dayly to the neighbouring villages to buy bread, which they bring to town without paying any taxe.

I hope that the so necessary and so much wished for means of raising the finances may be soon thought of, since nothing else will pacify the people, who know very well that there have been, and are hitherto, very gross abuses in the administration of the publick money, which the way that the people have taken att present will be so far from effecting (unless an immediate redress follows)

1) Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 459. Dit plakaat beloofde overweging van de afschaffing, maar gebood, dat inmiddels de heffing zou doorgaan. Dit laatste was gericht tegen de regeering van Haarlem, die ze reeds had afgeschaft.

2) De proclamatie hiervóór, blz. 78 vermeld als in de Haagsche Ct. van de 14de gestaan hebbende.

[p. 82]

that the Pagters will find in the molestations which they have met with a plausible excuse for not paying the full amounts of their farms.

Upon the least encouragement from the Prince of Orange several of the inhabitants that have the good of their country really att heart will be glad to assist finding out the means of speedily redressing the grievances.

36.
Rotterdam 25 Juni 1748 (aan de hertog van Bedford).

I am sorry to tell your Grace that our civil broils in this Province are not likely to come to an end yet, and indeed I do not see yet that any of the means, allowed by most people that know the humour of the people to be most effectual, are thought of.

Last Friday¹⁾ upon insinuations of malicious people that troopes were to be sent to Haerlem, the mob of that town rose in a tumultuous manner and compelled the Magistrates to issue a proclamation to abolish all Pagts for the town²⁾; a placard of the States of Holland was published yesterday in all the towns, disapproving in the strongest manner of the conduct of the people of Haerlem, but not a word of a speedy redress, which of course for that reason had very little effect³⁾.

Yesterday the mob was up att Amsterdam and when the post came away last night, four houses of the farmers of publick taxes had been ransacked and it was much feared that all would be in confusion last night; the people said lowdly that they would have redress upon the high taxes upon the necessaries of life; that if the magistrates did not grant it, they would declare the Prince Count of Holland; and if he allso refused their

1) 21 Juni.

2) Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 446. De Magistraat weigerde uitdrukkelijk zich aan de Staten-resolutie van de 19de te storen.

3) Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 461. Die resolutie vernietigde het besluit van de Magistraat van Haarlem van de 21ste.

[p. 83]

just demands, they would, as they had raised him, allso pull him down.

Some of the Burgers of Amsterdam appeared in arms and others refused it, but all declared that they would deffend the Townhouse, but that not one of them would deffend the Pagters; that as to the necessity of a redress, they were of the same mind with the mob, tho not so riotous.

Everything is hitherto quiet in this town, but we fear a mutiny every instant. I have taken the liberty to advise the proposing to the people that as they will not hear of Pagters, and that the publick should not suffer they should bring their taxes to the town treasury for the use of the publick¹⁾. I hope that this method, which the Magistrates have taken, will be relished by the people, and it will then certainly keep this as well as other towns quiet till other methods can be thought of: but all this will availl nothing, unless speedy and strong assurances can be given to the people that they will see their grievances redressed, as soon as the nature of the thing will permit it.

An express is gone from hence to the Hague with very strong representations to the Prince upon this head, whom's answer is most impatiently looked out for.

I have heard nothing from Haerlem today, and I fear that the publication of yesterday has had a bad effect there.

P.S. After writing this I am informed by an express from Count Bentinck that the Prince has this day proposed in the Assembly of Holland the abolition of Pagts, and resumption of the deliberations upon the places and Post Office.

1) Wolters was van 21 tot 24 Juni in Den Haag geweest om ten behoeve van zijn vrienden in de Rotterdamsche regeering het gevoelen van de stadhouderlijke regeering uit te vinden. Uit de Bentinck-papieren (Egerton 1750) blijkt, dat hij het in de tekst vermelde middel overbracht als door Z.H. sterk aanbevolen; natuurlijk kan het daarom toch wel van hem afkomstig zijn.

[p. 84]

37.
Rotterdam 28 Juni 1748 (aan Bedford).

Since my last the commotions in this country are brought to a lukky end. Last Tuesday the Prince of Orange proposed to the States of Holland the abolishing all Pagts, all the towns agreed to this proposition excepting Amsterdam, the deputies¹⁾ desired time to send an express as they had no instructions on this head, and the consent being come the next day, yesterday morning a placard of the States of Holland was issued importing the abolition.

The Prince of Orange's proposition is very popular, as it comprehends not onely the abolition of Pagts, but an exhortation to the bringing to a conclusion the deliberations upon the proposal to make places more beneficial to the publick, and upon giving the income of the Post Office to the publick; which the town of Amsterdam has hitherto refused.

As to the finding means to have an equivalent for the Pagts, I expect that most of the Magistrates will be very dilatory in it, as the loss that they for their private sustain by the abolition of Pagts, puts them out of humour with every new scheme that is proposed. - - - -

1) Van Amsterdam.

38.
Rotterdam 2 Juli 1748 (aan Stone.)

Things are tolerably quiet here since the abolishing the Pagts, but nothing is yet done to find an equivalent, and I am sorry to see that those gentlemen that are employed by the States are so very slow in what they are about, that it is to be feared that people will gett into the habit of paying no taxes so much that it will be difficult to bring them to a new regulation.

[p. 85]

The States of Holland instead of publishing that Pagts were to be abolished att the expiring of the Pagts, which would have been in August, or of mentioning, as it is in the Prince of Orange's proposition, that they onely intended to abolish the Pagts upon necessaries of life¹⁾, have from the date of their placard, which was last Wednesday²⁾, abolished all Pagts whatsoever, which will put them to great inconveniencies; as to the regulation to make places more beneficial to the publick, and to give the income of the Post Offices to the publick, the town of Amsterdam has not yet consented, and it is much to be feared that if the Magistrates do not consent, they will bring new troubles upon them. - - - -

1) Die beperking komt niet voor in de propositie als afgedrukt in de Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 465. In de resolutie waarover Wolters vervolgens spreekt, wordt trouwens uitdrukkelijk vermeld, dat zij genomen is ‘conform het geproponeerde van Zijne Hoogheit’: a.w., blz. 468.

2) 26 Juni.

39.
Rotterdam 2 Juli 1748 (aan Bedford).

I have nothing very material to write to your Grace to day. The execution att Amsterdam³⁾ has quietted the people for the present, but the mob declare that they will not rest till their Magistrates have consented to give part of the income of the places and the whole of the Post Office to the publick.

3) Executie op 28 Juni van twee lieden uit het grauw (een man en een vrouw), die aan de plunderingen hadden deelgenomen. Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 513.

40.
Rotterdam 9 Juli 1748 (aan Bedford).

It is a great satisfaction to me to find by Mr. Aldworth's

[p. 86]

letter of the 21^e of June O.S. that your Grace is pleased to take notice of my accounts of the late disturbances in this Province, and I shall not faill to continue these accounts, and take the liberty to communicate to your Grace the remarks, which the little knowledge I have of the Constitution of this country will lead me to make upon the good and bad consequences, which these events may be attended with or followed by; and I am by this very letter agoing to abuse the liberty which your Grace gives me, but I hope that my good intentions will plead my excuse. Altho the people of this Province are much pleased to see the most odious taxes of consumption taken of(f), I cannot say that I flatter myself that we have yet attained that degree of quiet which is so necessary to the Republick.

The Prince of Orange has in his late proposition to the States of Holland comprehended the three great points of redress which the people expected from the change in this government.

1. An abolition of all taxes upon the different branches of consumption;

2. the making all places advantageous to the publick by looking into and redressing grievances upon this head, and making them beneficial to the publick;

3. the allotting the income of the different Post-Offices of the Province to the publick.

The two last points were intended to procure to the States a certain income, by which part of the Land Taxe &c might in time be taken of(f). All the towns have consented to the last point excepting Amsterdam, who has now given it to the town, and as to the affair of places all the towns would readily come into it, were Amsterdam to yield, and I will venture to say that if the States had att first come into these two points, the people would have given them no disturbance upon the affair of taxes.

And, indeed, without pretending in the least to justify the late riotous proceedings, I cannot help owning that the people are so far in the right in their demands, that hitherto in most towns the income of the Post-Office has been made private property, insomuch that in one family

[p. 87]

att Amsterdam the Hamburgh and Northern post is known to produce near 3000 pounds sterling per annum¹⁾.

As to the places, the rage of the people on this head is owing to the shamefull manner in which the Magistrates have inhansed²⁾ to themselves, their children, friends and servants all places to such a degree, that one of the Burgomasters and most considerable men of this town³⁾ is porter and letter carrier to the Amsterdam boat, and hardly allows the person that officiates for him enough to live upon; and that a Magistrate's daughter of Gouda att nine year old was appointed midwife to the town, and had a person to seek for, who for the insignificant allowance of 10 £ per annum would officiate for her. I onely name these two cases as instances of ten thousands more, duely attested and known even to our lowest citizens; besides the sale of places, directely contrary to the oath taken by Magistrates on their entering upon their offices, which was come to such a pitch that by some they were given to the highest bidder, I must take the liberty to mention one more instance to your Grace of the abuse made by the Magistrates of the uncontrould power that they had.

It was several years since (as by the sand that the tide continually throws in the channell that leads to the great sluice of Naerden the effect of that sluice was intirely obstructed) enacted, that to deepen this channell all the sand that was used in the town of Amsterdam should be taken from thence, but Burgomaster Six⁴⁾ has

1) Nog in 1751 trokken uit de postmeesterschappen de Van de Poll's f 35.812 jaarlijks; Elias, Vroedschap van Amsterdam, I, blz. CXL. De Keulsche en Hamburgsche postmeesterschappen waren in het bezit van burgemeester Pieter en burgemeester Harman van de Poll en van 's laatsten zoon Harman: a.w.

2) Enhanced.

3) Rotterdam.

4) Bedoeld is zeker Jan Six, die de naam had van een der meest corrupte leden der regeering te zijn (vgl. Elias, Vroedschap van Amsterdam, I, blz. CXLI) en die 6 Sept. 1748 door de Prins werd geremoveerd. Hij had een ‘hofstede Elsbroek onder Hillegom en daaromheen een uitgestrekt grondgebied’ (a.w., II, blz. 657). Ook Pieter Six evenwel, eveneens burgemeester en niet geremoveerd in 1748, bezat een hofstede bij Lisse (ib., blz. 747).

[p. 88]

some years agone found means to gett himself authorised to oblige all those that supply the town with sand to fetch it from an estate that he has between Haerlem and Leiden, by which he indeed not onely getts money and improves his estate, but has the satisfaction of acting in defiance of a placard of the States of Holland; and the consequence of this is, that by the choaking up of the channel on the Suyder Sea, Naerden, the chief key of Holland, is without an inundation. Instances of this kind, and the haughty behaviour of the Magistrates, so unbecoming a Republican gouvernment, have so far exasperated the people that they are strenuously bent upon carrying their point. What affable and disinterested Magistrates can do with the people, we were sensible of in this town in the late troubles of the Province.

I hear with great concern that the Magistrates of Amsterdam continue in their refusal to bring to a conclusion the affair of places and Post Offices, and I am very well persuaded that a further denial will be attended with new troubles in their town, much more serious than the last, which they themselves seem to be so far sensible of, that last Friday they have issued out an order not onely to the citizens that usually carry arms upon these occasions, but even to all those who by their places or by paying a fine are exempted from this duty, to rendezvous upon the first likelyhood of a tumult to the alarum posts assigned to them without waiting for the alarum; but as I am sure that most of the citizens are of opinion that what the Prince Stadtholder demands of the Magistrates is just and reasonable, I believe the citizens will not be ready to give them the assistance they expect from them. As I shall for a fortnight be in the country att no great distance from Amsterdam for the benefit of my health, I shall be from thence able to give your Grace an account of anything material that

[p. 89]

may occur, and the usual advices will be regularely transmitted from my house.

The hurry, which fear has thrown the States of Holland into, to take of(f) all taxes before an equivalent was found, amongst many inconveniences, will cause:

1. a stagnation of att least a month in the publick revenue.

2. the late farmers most of them owe money to the publick, and will not want a plea for not paying: those that have been plundered, from the losses that they have sustained, will plead poverty, as will those that have not suffered any publick resentment from the mob, by saying that they have att least suffered by their being obstructed in the execution of their office. Another evil arising from the abolishing the taxes before an equivalent was found, or att least before the expiration of the year of the farms, is that upon the sudden abolishing of the Pagts without any previous notice the retailers, being obliged to sell their goods cheaper¹⁾, allso obliged the farmers to restore to them the amount of the taxes payd for the goods that they had by them at that time, and this will produce deficiencies, which will not be very convenient to the States just now.

As the Prince of Orange finds that the difficulties, made against all plans of redress that are proposed, increase every day, his Most Serene Highness has started the agreeing upon some provisional plan, by which the State would have the same income as it had by the taxes; I have not yet seen this plan agreed to in consequence of the Prince's proposal, but I know that it is agreed to raise 10 millions of florins and that the towns and districts of this country are to raise their proportionate

1) Men nam, zeggen de Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 440, de afkondiging der Magistraat van Haarlem van 14 Juni ‘voor eene vergunning van vrijheit om alles zonder Impost bij Bakkers, Brouwers, enz. te halen... zonder eens te denken dat die schade nu gansch en al op die Bakkers en Brouwers aenkwam, vermits die van de nu uitgegeven wordende waren, bij het inslaen derselve, de Pacht reeds betaeld hadden’.

[p. 90]

shares of this summ. If this is to be done by the Magistrates taxing their citizens, it will take very well here, but I do not know, how it will be relished in some of the other towns, where the last troubles have thrown them into a great diffidence of what their Magistrates do.

The debates upon the three points of the Prince's proposition can be looked upon in no other light than as a struggle between the Stadtholder and people, and the Magistrates of Amsterdam. If the Prince does not gett the better of them in this affair, he will ever find them in his way, and I foresee that he will feel this very sensibly, when att the peace a reduction in the troops of the Republic is proposed.

By what I know of the sentiments of the people, I believe that I may assert that they will not be intirely quiet, as long as they see that the Ministers of the Republick that were in the secret of the committee of Holland in the transactions att Breda in April 1747¹⁾, have any share in the Prince's councils and favour, and amongst them all the Grand Pensionary is most hated. - - - -

I have taken the liberty to start the going to work in a taxe, whatever it may be, by the list of the survey of the houses of this Province taken in 1732, by which they were found to be in the whole Province 163.462, which att 5 persons in a house will produce the number of 817.310 inhabitants, which may one with another be taxed att 20 florins a head: I do not know what difficulties are started against this scheme, but this I know that I remain under the lowest number of inhabitants reckoned upon mathematical probabilities, the lowest of which makes them come to 900.000 souls. I have onely thrown this in as a hint that may be usefull to planmakers, leaving to fitter hands the distribution of classes.

P.S. After writing my letter I am informed that the Magistrates of Amsterdam have agreed to bring in to

1) Zie Jorissen, Lord Chesterfield en de Republiek der Vereenigde Nederlanden.

[p. 91]

the Prince of Orange by the 1^e of 7^ber N.S. a list of the produce of places in their town, but they have not given any answer as to the affair of the Post Office.

41.
Rotterdam 12 Juli 1748 (aan Bedford).

This day the affair of the provisional taxe of ten millions of guilders upon the Province is to be resumed in the Assembly of Holland, and by what one of our Magistrates tells me, most of the towns will send in very pushing remarks upon the manner of raising this money, which may for some time longer retard the definitive settling of this affair¹⁾.

As to the other two propositions, the town of Amsterdam intends to represente the necessity of keeping the income of the Post Offices by adapting it to the use of the Alms-houses, but are ready to pay a summ out of this income in proportion to what the Posts produce in other towns, which would by no means answer the intentions, as in most towns, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague excepted, the Post Offices produce very little. - - - -

1) Een verslag van de Statenvergaderingen van 12 en 13 Juli van de hand van Willem Bentinck in Archives IV, I, p. 212 vlgg.

42.
Rotterdam 13 Juli 1748 (aan Newcastle).

- - - - As to the affairs of this country, I believe that yesterday the raising of ten millions of florins for this year was agreed upon; the thing will not meet with great difficulties, if the Magistrates of the towns take in the taxing the advice of the chief Burgesses of the Parishes, as it has allways been found that this way of taxing has produced more than when the proportions of the classes have been determined by the Magistrates alone.

[p. 92]

43.
Amsterdam 16 Juli 1748 (aan Newcastle).

Everything is quiet here, and I believe that the execution¹⁾ and the good precautions that are taken will prevent any farther disturbance from the mob, but the Burgers persist in demanding the sale of places and the giving the income of the Post Office to the town to make part of her quota to the State. This is intended to be put to the Magistrates in the strongest manner by several of the Burger companies; but the day before yesterday another petition²⁾ was handed about in several of the Burger guard rooms, which besides the two above-mentioned demands contains several others of so extravageant a nature, that it leads me to believe that it was contrived by the Magistrates, in hopes that the major part of the citizens, though all bent upon the affair of places and Post Offices, will oppose this petition, and that the proposal of these two points may fall by their being tacked to the other demands, of which one is, that the whole Magistracy as well Burgomasters, as Town Council and Bench of Sherifs, shall be dismissed, and that a new Regency shall be chosen by the Burgers³⁾. - - - -

1) Vgl. hiervóór, blz. 85.

2) De zoogenaamde elf artikelen; vgl. Wagenaar, XX, blz. 270.

3) Wolters had iets vroeger in dezelfde geest aan Lourens van der Meer, de befaamde koekebakker van Rotterdam, geschreven en hem ontboden om de beweging terug in het rechte spoor te leiden: B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 431.

44.
Maerse 18 Juli 1748 (aan Newcastle).

The secret conferences between the Burgers of Amsterdam encrease every day, and it is much to be feared that they will burst out ere long in that city. Pains

[p. 93]

are taken by well-meaning Patriots¹⁾ to make the people desist from most of the points of their intended petition, and onely to stick to the petition to have the sale of places and that the income of the Post Office may go to the publick. What the success of these endeavours will be, I do not know, but I am sorry to see that the hatred against the Magistrates is now higher in the town of Amsterdam, than it has been in any other town of this Province.

1) Vgl. noot op vorige blz. Van der Meer was inmiddels aangekomen.

45.
Maersen 23 Juli 1748 (aan Newcastle).

Nothing material has happened att Amsterdam since my last; the Magistrates of that city have published the abstracts of the ancient priviledges granted to them by the Counts of Holland, which contain very just replies to nine of the eleven articles intended to be demanded by the Burgers, but their proofs as to the right which they pretend to have to the absolute disposal of places and Post Offices are very weak, but upon the whole this paper is very well penned and very strong in some of its articles.

The Burgers seem to desist from the nine demands, and to be now most chiefly bent upon asking the sale of places and Post Offices, and the general idea is to have them sold for the city, and the produce to be employed in making up the quota of the city to the State.

A friend that is just come in assures me that when he left Amsterdam this morning, it was said and generally believed, that Mr. Van Collen, late Burgomaster, had not onely spoke favourably of the demands of the Burgers, but that he intended to head them in their petition, in which case I make no doubt of the success; and this step of Mr. Van Collen will have this farther good effect, that it will engage the people, who will naturally put a

[p. 94]

great trust in him, to wave any other demand but that of the Posts and places¹⁾.

The meeting of some peasants in Noorthe-holland has made it necessary to send two squadrons of Dragoons thither from the Hague; their approaching Haarlem last Saturday liked to have brought on a new tumult, and the Burgers absolutely refused to lett them pass through the town. It is high time that some equivalent in lieu of the Pagts should be laid on the people. I am told that it is allready agreed upon, but I have not been able to learn any farther particulars.

The French merchants from Nantes, Bordeaux and Rochelle have sent orders to their correspondants att Amsterdam to buy up several of the large merchant-men from 300 to 500 tuns carrying from six to twenty-four guns, employed by the Dutch in the Mediterranean trade the beginning of this war. I am assured that above thirty have allready been bought up att Amsterdam, they are intended to serve as Martinica and St. Domingomen.

1) Ferdinand van Collen was de eenige oud-burgemeester, die de Prins bij de wetsverzetting in September in het burgemeesterscollege bracht. Zijn benoeming was toen echter aan de meer geavanceerde partij lang niet aangenaam. Vgl. Archives, IV, I, p. 254.

46.
Rotterdam 3 Augustus 1748 (aan Newcastle).

We have att last the placard of the States of Holland for provisionally making good the income of the Pagts, in consequence of which each inhabitant of the Province is invited and ordered to pay in the respective Townhouses the proportion of what they each of them payd in the late taxes. To this is joined a promise that this provisional method is to last onely six months, in hopes that by that time a proper plan will be found out. I believe the intention of this is to see what the late taxes

[p. 95]

really produced, and accordingly to regulate the proportions for each inhabitant in the intended plan. Some taxes are renewed and amongst them the town weights, measure of corn, duty upon the sale of ships, and others, which, tho' hurting the trade, are none of them odious.

The Burgers of Amsterdam are divided about the intended petition, which I believe will prevent its being presented, but the same rancour and animosity against the Magistrates subsists so much that I fear that it will soon or late break out into something very bad.

47.
Rotterdam 9 Augustus 1748 (aan Bedford).

I am sorry to find by what I have learnt att the Hague yesterday that civil discords in these Provinces are yet far from being att an end.

The States of Frizeland have indeed amply yielded all the points relating to the power of a Stadtholder, and by introducing a bataillon into the town of Harlingen the Prince of Orange is master of the key of the Province, and may whenever he pleases introduce more troops, but this is far from appeasing the people, who persist in demanding redress upon the chief points of their grievances. Mr. de Haren the Elder has done a great deal of good since his arrival in that Province, but it is thought necessary to send thither Mr. Charles Bentinck, who being a very popular man will add great weight to the mission¹⁾. - - - -

Count Randwyck, just arrived from Gelderland att the Hague, is, I am told, come to inform the Prince that they are threatened in that Province with fresh disturbances from the people and to desire that troops may be sent thither. However dangerous this experiment really is for the future wellfare of this State, it will become necessary, if the people continue obstinately to

1) Van de zending van C. Bentinck is niets gekomen.

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demand, not onely a redress of grievances, but an enquiry into the past conduct of their Magistrates, which would be of the most dangerous consequence, as there hardly is a member of the States but what has more or less been involved in what occasions the present clamours.

The same ferment is in the other Provinces and most chiefly and most dangerously so in that of Holland: the Burgers of Amsterdam seem to be mostly brought of¹⁾ the scheme of changing the whole Magistracy, which measure, were it ever so necessary, would certainly be attended with very bad consequences, as the thirty-six members of the Town Council are people of great wealth and power, who, if intirely turned out of the Government, would either desert the country or form cabals against the present administration, which, if helped with the intreagues of a French minister, might prove very fatal. The chief aim of the Burgers of Amsterdam is now to demand of their Magistrates

1^e.	to have their captains of the Burger compagnies chosen from amongst the Burgers;
2^e.	The regulation and retribution of places;
3^e.	The Post Offices;

but they are divided upon the two last points. Some would have the Post Offices offered by the town to the Prince of Orange to be by his Highness given to the State, as has been done last year by other towns; others are for the absolute sale of places and Post Offices and that the produce shall go towards paying the quota of the town to the Provincial State for taxes etc. This division is very favourable to the Magistrates, but if once the Burgers agree upon these points and are in the least encouraged from the Hague, they must carry their points. There is to be a great meeting of them to-night att different publick houses att Amsterdam upon this head.

The inhabitants of the voting town of Gorcum²⁾ having

1) Versta: off.

2) Vgl. Memoriën van Diederik van Bleiswijk, uitgegeven door Jorissen in de Werken van het Historisch Genootschap.

[p. 97]

found means to come att the Register of the Taxe upon houses have discovered that their Magistrates have made them pay ever since the year 1733 a third more than they were taxed at by the States¹⁾. - - - -

This affair is looked upon to be very considerable, as it is to be feared that this has been the case in several other towns.

In short every day creates fresh difficulties, which more and more obstruct the so much wished for and so much wanted publick rest, and indeed I see no end of these disturbances, till once the people can be made sensible that the Prince of Orange has really att heart to redress their grievances; that the revenues of the State are established upon a more solid footing, by some certain taxe being laid on in lieu of the abolished Pagts. The delays in this affair, however unavoidable they may be from the difficulties that are dayly started, will compleat the ruin of the credit of the State unless speedily remedied: the diffidence is as great as ever amongst the moneyed men, and there is really no other way of accompting for the excessive height of the exchange than great remittances being dayly made by them to England to buy in the stocks att all events.

When once the people are made easy as to the chief points of their grievances, and that they see that some of those Magistrates that are most odious to them are turned out, they will be very peaceable, and if then disturbances are raised by the lower mob, the Burgers will second any vigourous measures that the Prince will think necessary to be taken, to keep in awe the illmeaning part of the nation. I may be mistaken in this my opinion, but I am corroborated in it by some of my friends, who know both the constitution of the country and the humour of the people perfectly well.

1) Volgt een relaas van de actie der burgerij, dat niets nieuws brengt.

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48.
Rotterdam 13 Augustus 1748 (aan Newcastle).

The Burgers of Amsterdam who have now several considerable inhabitants att their head (amongst which I heard Messrs Muylman and Crop and three captains of the Burgers¹⁾ have agreed upon a petition which is this day to be presented by them to the Magistrates, which onely comprehends the affair of the Post Offices, places and chusing the captains out of the Burgers; the petition, which I have had one reading of, is very well drawn up, in very moderate terms, and as to the two first articles in the very words of the Prince of Orange's proposition²⁾.

The Burgers had last Friday taken possession of the Doele, a publick house formerly belonging to them, and assembled there last Friday night³⁾. Above one thousand of them had, I am told, signed the petition. If the Magistrates do not give way, I fear that things will be brought to great extreamities, as most of the people engaged in this affair, are very sensible that the Prince of Orange's predecessors in the Stadholdership have ever met with very great obstructions from the Magistrates of Amsterdam, particularely in the affair of the reduction of troops, and that it is now high time to bring them to more reasonable thoughts. If the Magistrates of that city are prudent enough not to oppose the torrent, things

1) Vgl. o.a.B.M.H.G., XXVI, blz. 11 en 17. De Muylmans, vader en twee zoons, waren zeer voorname kooplieden, die echter nooit tot de regeering hadden behoord; een der zoons werd in September door Willem IV in de vroedschap gebracht (vgl. Elias, i.v.). Van de schutterkapiteins is de bekendste Christiaan Scholten, wiens vader J.A.S. ook weldra in de vroedschap kwam. Crop kan ik niet thuis brengen.

2) Dit zijn de 3 artikelen, die Van der Meer naar Amsterdam bracht, nadat de Prinses zelf ze had ‘geschaafd’ en goedgekeurd (B.M.H.G., XXIII), en die door Raap werden overgenomen.

3) 9 Augustus.

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will go on very quietely and the town will be pacifyed, but if they should not, I fear the consequences.

49.
Rotterdam 20 Augustus 1748 (aan Bedford).

I have heard nothing material since last post of the affairs of the town of Amsterdam. The Burgers do not yet think that their Magistrates are in earnest in their concessions, and as they taulk, tho' in general terms, of having their old Priviledges renewed, it is to be feared that this will rouse the Burgers of other towns, in which case it is to be hoped that the Prince Stadtholder will interfear to prevent things going to great a length.

50.
Rotterdam 23 Augustus 1748 (aan Bedford).

I herewith have the honour to send your grace a translation of the answer made by the Magistrates of Amsterdam to the petition of the Burgesses of that city¹⁾, which is so far from satisfying the people, that the petitioners being assembled in numbers last Wednesday²⁾ att the Doelen, and the answer being read, the first proposal was to go to the houses of those Magistrates whom they suspect most, and to sett the mob about plundering them; but the pains taken to appease the most violent members having succeeded, it was unanimously agreed to send deputies to the Prince of Orange;

1) 19 Augustus; Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 710 vlgg.

2) 21 Augustus. Van die vergadering maken noch de Ned. Jb., noch Lafargue's of Van der Meer's relaas van de gebeurtenissen melding. De volksleiders kwamen volgens Van der Meer (B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 438) reeds diezelfde 21ste op het Huis ten Bosch.

[p. 100]

the purport of their message I do not exactely know; but I am assured that it is to testify that they persist in their just demands; to know the truth of what is asserted by the Magistrates in their answer, and to desire that his Highness may be authorised by the States to dissolve the Magistracy and to chuse a new one¹⁾.

I find that the Magistrates of this great city are more steddy and artfull than those of the other towns, for by the exhortation to the Burgers of petitioning by companies only instead of coming in a body, they have discovered that hardly a third of each company durst shew themselves in this affair; and that consequentely the party is less formidable than they imagined at first.

The Prince of Orange's answer to the Haerlem petitioners which was carried thither by Mr. Grovestein, is very just; the Prince agrees to some of the demands which are reasonable, rejects others, and in others referrs them to their own Magistrats in affairs in which they have a right to decide, and as to the Priviledges, his Highness says that they will be inspected into and that justice will be done to them.

I am told that this answer, which is the more equitable as the prince has tryed to reconcile the different and some of them even contradictory articles of the several Petitions of the inhabitants of Haerlem, has not been received as it ought to have been; but however, the Haerlemmers, as the first promoters of the abolition of the late taxes, very chearfully pay the provisional taxe, as is allso done in this town, but att Amsterdam nothing has or will be done in this affair, till the present troubles of that city are att an end.

The ill-meaning part of the inhabitants of this country, (which, I am sorry to say it, are very numerous) take great pains to cry down this provisional payment, with a view of distressing the government.

1) Van der Meer gaf de 22ste ook als zijn meening te kennen, dat een wetsverzetting of de instelling van een geheel vrije krijgsraad onvermijdelijk was geworden: Archives, IV, I, p. 238.

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51.
Rotterdam 30 Augustus 1748 (aan Bedford).

As the assent to the three points of the petition of the citizens of Amsterdam given last Tuesday¹⁾ was onely given in the name of the four Burgomasters, and with a clause imposting that they agreed to these three points if not contradictory to the Resolutions of the States of Holland and the intentions of the Prince of Orange, the deputies of the Burgers when they came to make their report to their fellow citizens assembled att the Doele were very ill received, and next day Raap, one of the Burger deputies, went to the houses of the Burgomasters and by dint of persuasion a full and entire consent has att last been obtained, but not full enough in the opinion of the Burgers, as some members of the council²⁾ were not present, which has divided the Burgers, and five deputies of the dissatisfyed party are gone to the Hague to intreat the Prince of Orange to come to Amsterdam to change the whole Magistracy as the onely means of making the people easy³⁾.

Alltho' this can not be done without a special commission from the States of Holland to the Prince, it may perhaps be thought necessary, as the Prince, when the whole Magistracy has resigned, may find means to reinstate all the old ones but three, or perhaps four, of those that are the most odious to the people; Count Bentinck is I am told gone to Amsterdam to try to adjust matters there⁴⁾.

Burgomaster Six, knowing how odious he is to the

1) 27 Augustus. Het was inderdaad Maandag 26 Augustus. Dinsdag 27 gingen burgemeesters nog een stap verder en Woensdag 28 kwam de toestemming van de Raad.

2) Van de vroedschap.

3) Wolters spreekt hier blijkbaar van de bona-fide democratische partij van Gimnich. Van hun zending wordt door Van der Meer, de voornaamste touwtjestrekker van de hofpartij, geen gewag gemaakt.

4) Willem Bentinck kwam de 29ste in Amsterdam.

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people and seeing the ferment that the whole city was in, thought proper to retire privately to the Hague last Tuesday night.

52.
Rotterdam 3 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

The Magistrates of Amsterdam, made sensible att last of the risk that they run by continuyng in their refusal to agree att full to the demands of their citizens, have last Saturday¹⁾ given their consent to the Prince of Orange's being authorised by the States of Holland to adjust matters att Amsterdam between the Magistrates and inhabitants, and to change the Magistracy, if it be thought necessary to the quiet of the city.

Thus authorised, his Most Serene Highness sett out last Sunday morning in his way to Amsterdam, where he arrived yesterday morning att ten o'clock, and was attended in the streets by the deputies of the Burger companies, and the workmen of the Admiralty and East India Docks to the number of four thousand.

The choice which his Highness has made of Count Bentinck and the Greffier Fagel to accompany him leaves me no manner of doubt of the success, as these gentlemen are both well affected and very popular.

The Prince, att his arrival att the gates of Amsterdam, has discharged his own guards, which is a very popular step. - - - -

1) 31 Augustus.

53.
Rotterdam 3 September 1748 (aan Newcastle).

I am assured that the Magistrates, frightened by a petition that the Burgers of Amsterdam intend to present to the Prince Stadtholder this day, to be beforehand with them, have yesterday all resigned their employments. This petition consists of eight articles²⁾. - - - -

2) Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 950 (October).

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As to the article of the Prince's naming annually the Burgomasters, it is directely contradictory to the ancient priviledges of the city of Amsterdam, and indeed the States of Holland can dispense with this, but the query is whether the Prince will chuse to go so far; alltho' a change of this kind could not but be of the greatest advantedge in the deliberations of the States, in which the Magistrates of Amsterdam have ever acted a very obstinate and dilatory part.

As to the customs, the demand of the Burgers of Amsterdam is very just, for the States of Zealand encourage smugling to such a degree that most of the merchants of this city chuse to have their goods landed in one of the ports of Zealand, from whence they are sent hither without any duty.

I look upon it as a very lukky incident that the Prince is authorised to change the whole Magistracy, as he will now have it in his power onely to leave out a very few of those that are most odious, and reinstating the rest, which done by the Prince will satisfy the people.

It is much to be feared that the storm will blow over to the rest of the voting cities in Holland.

54.
Rotterdam 6 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

I have learnt nothing since last Tuesday that can make me conclude that the affairs of Amsterdam are yet adjusted; the Burgers are divided, some of them would have the Prince discharge the whole Magistracy, and the other party, satisfyed with what his Highness has declared, that he would do justice, expects onely that those of the Regents that were most odious shall be dismissed.

The Prince having expressed his desire to have proofs given him of the facts that are laid to the charge of some particular Magistrates, I do not find that the vouchers are forthcoming as they ought to be, if the accusations were very well grounded.

[p. 104]

The affair of the Burger Captains is settled so that the Burgers are for the future to name them, and as to Colonells, the Prince is to name one half and the Burgers the other.

The Merchants have delivered in their remarks in point of custom and town duty that they think are burthensome to the trade.

I see more and more that the spirit of changing the Magistracy has reached the other voting towns of Holland: in this town there are no less than twelve Magistrates upon the list, to remove which¹⁾ some of the lower peoples have assembled for a few days past. These motions would be attended with very bad consequences, if a number of the well-meaning citizens did not take all pains imaginable to persuade the people to wait the event of the transactions att Amsterdam, before they undertake anything here, and then, even if they have any subject of complaint against any of their Magistrates, to go with them directely to the Prince Stadtholder, without disturbing the quiet of the city by petitioning the Magistrates in a tumultuous manner; for all this I can hardly think that the people will be brought any farther than to lessen the list of those that they intend to complain against. I fear that the other towns will be soon seen to follow the example of the people of Amsterdam, and most particularely in the town of Leiden, which in all probability will begin first. I am sorry to see in these affairs many citizens of this and other towns, that were thought onely to act att first for the good of the publick, now animate the people to produce dangerous events, merely for the sake of their own private interest. - - - -

1) Which moet terugslaan op magistrates.

55.
Rotterdam 10 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

As the change made by the Prince Stadtholder in the

[p. 105]

Magistracy of Amsterdam and the consequent publication by the Magistrates is in all the publick papers, I shall not here repeat their contents.

I must onely say that the manner in which the Prince of Orange has conducted the whole affair meets with the approbation of all well-meaning subjects, and the few that are discontented are onely so from private motives relating to themselves or their friends; the onely member of the new council that I have heard exceptions made against, is Mr. Volkert van Yever, who it is said is born in Russia, and consequently not eligible, but this I cannot ascertain.

As there are, and ever will be, in all societies, people that are jealous of the rest of the society that they live in, there are now att Amsterdam ten companies of Burgers¹⁾, or att least some people in them, that show their discontent att the change, as it is partial instead of total; they give it out that they will show this their discontent farther when the City council of war will be regulated, which was to be either yesterday or to-day. They farther say that these companies did not send their deputies with the rest, but the twenty persons were named to this purpose by the other companies, to make the Prince believe that the whole body of the Burgers was unanimous in its demands. This, true or not, is propagated by people who want to perpetuate the troubles, but as the present Magistracy has so great a majority as fifty to ten (even supposing that the whole ten companies are unanimous in their opposition), I hope that they will find all necessary support in quelling any new troubles that may be raised.

The great point of all still remains to be settled, which

1) Wolters spreekt in heel deze brief van 10 vendels. Uit geen van de andere bronnen blijkt evenwel, dat de oppositie tot 10 van de 60 vendels beperkt bleef. De 9^de werden Raap met de zijnen van de Doelen gedrongen en 's nachts drongen een aantal van de extremisten tot de Prins door. Van dat alles spreekt Wolters pas in zijn volgende brief, maar dan blijkt hij zoo slecht op de hoogte, dat hij Gimnich in plaats van Raap als verdacht van heulen met de Prins noemt.

[p. 106]

is to give the Prince the annual nomination of the Burgomasters of Amsterdam; and this I should think must be done by the new Magistrates of Amsterdam's proposing the thing themselves in the Assembly of Holland, where the proposition will by these means be brought in more decently and with a certainty of success.

I am told that the several petitions for naturalisations that have laid before the States of Holland so long will soon be taken into consideration, and the deliberations on this affair are allready so far advanced that the price of a naturalisation is fixed att five hundred florins currentcy of Holland. This affair, which has allways been so strenuously opposed during the late administration, will certainly breed discontent in the old patrician families, as the views of the petitioners can onely be to become Magistrates, since excepting this point, the petitioners have allready the same priviledges, both as citizens and merchants, as if they were born in the Province of Holland.

There are some motions att Haerlem which portend a speedy change in the Magistracy there, and all that the well-meaning patriots here have been able to effect, is to persuade the people to apply to the Prince of Orange instead of petitioning their Magistrates, and not to name subjects to the Prince to fill the places that will become vacant, leaving the choice intirely to his Highness, or att least naming so great a number that the Prince may have an opportunity of providing for those that be thinks are fit subjects.

P.S. After writing this letter I have received one, wrote from Amsterdam late last night, mentioning that the Prince of Orange, having proposed the naming two of the new chosen Councellors Collonels of the Burgers, the ten companies refused to consent to it. If this point is pushed, I fear that it will create fresh demands, and most particularly the demission of the two Pensionaries and of the five Secretaries of that city.

[p. 107]

56.
Rotterdam 13 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

I am sorry to see myself obliged to tell your Grace that the fears of my Amsterdam correspondant, mentioned in my postscript of the 10^e instant N.S., were to well grounded, as the affair of the regulating the city council of war has given a very bad turn to everything that has been hitherto done in that great city. To be more particular and exact, I shall relate by way of journal the most material circumstances of this affair.

On the 9^e in the afternoon Gemnick, one of the Burger deputies that was one of the chief people that brought about the change of the Magistracy, and who had hitherto been in great credit with the people, having in the Doele assembly reported that he had not received a favourable answer from the Stadtholder to the message which he was sent with, which was ‘to have his Highness' approbation to chuse a city Council of war intirely independant of the magistrates’; he was abused in the most terrible manner by the assembly, more particularly as he had been one of those that had proposed the naming some of the Magistrates that were chosen att their recommendation, to be officers of the Burgers; things went so far that Gemnick and his friends were in danger of their lives; and as an instance of what the aspersions against them were, I can onely say that next day they printed a justification in which they declare that they never had either with his Highness or any one of his courtiers any conferences that tended to the giving up the priviledges of the city, and to the selling the liberties of their fellow-citizens¹⁾.

These deputies being turned out, others were imme-

1) Het is vreemd dat Wolters hier Gimnich in plaats van Raap noemt: 't was juist de partij van Gimnich, die de Rapisten verdacht en de bedoelde justificatie is dan ook van Raap en de zijnen: vgl. B.M.H.G., XXIII, blz. 455, en Ned. Jb., 1748, 862.

[p. 108]

diately chosen. The new deputies were sent to the Prince Stadtholder with a message from the assembly to desire leave to chuse a free council of war, in which all the officers from the Collonel down to the Ensign should be chosen by the Burgers. The Prince answered that he could absolutely not grant their request, adding the strongest arguments that could be for this his refusal, as the unlawfullness, absurdity and inconsistency of a council of war intirely independant of the Magistrates. With this answer the Burgers went back to the Doele, where this answer was very ill received, in so much, that on the 10^e att three in the morning the Burgers returned in numbers to the house where the Prince lodges. Count Bentinck and others appeared to receive their message, but none of the reasons that were given them for not disturbing his Highness att that time were of any effect, and the Prince was obliged to admit three of them into his Bedchamber, and the request was put to his Highness in much stronger terms than the day before, to which the Prince, moved att their unreasonable obstinacy, answered as before that what they asked was against the laws, and that he would rather leave the city that instant, than to do anything that was against his conscience, upon which the deputies gave the Prince to understand that the Burgers would not suffer him to stirr out of the city, till every thing was regulated to the full satisfaction of the citizens, and that six-thousand were within call to keep the gates and booms of the city. The Prince, finding it impossible to withhold the intentions of this frenetick mob, granted their request, which the next morning was ratified by a publication, of which I herewith send a translation¹⁾, and which was spread amongst the Burgers. All the afternoon of

1) Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 866. - Willem IV, schrijvend aan zijn vrouw, zegt zelf van dit nachtelijk bezoek slechts: ‘Ils me dirent des choses frès fortes et peu mesurées, qui, grâces à Dieu, ne m'ébranlèrent point, et après les avoir renvoié, je tâchois de me rendormir’.’ Archives, IV, I, p. 267.

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the 10e, and on the 11e, there was a great confusion amongst the Burger Companies, of which some in compliance to the publication met in a regular manner, and either chose new, or confirmed their old, officers; but in general, what by ill-humour, or what by ignorance, the meaning of the publication was misconstrued or mistaken by the major part, who desired a further explanation. Such pains have, however, been taken by several of the well-meaning citizens, and with such effect, that I am made to hope by a letter wrote last night that the choice of officers in the whole sixty companies would be compleated, so as that the new-chosen Officers may be presented to the Prince Stadtholder this morning, which if it be true, I hope to know to-night before I seal this.

Their demands are that the choice of the whole Council of war by the Burgers shall be made a perpetual law, and as the abolishing the Old-Council has been proposed, I am informed that the Prince of Orange has received an authorisation from the States of Holland to this purpose.

This Old-Council, which is composed of all those that have been either Scheepens or Burgemeesters, has been very odious, as it is believed by the people that the whole was managed by five or six people.

Some Burgers, not even contented with these changes, speak of some removes in the East India Company and Admiralty.

I see in all this the strongest symptoms of the secret machinations of the Prince of Orange's ennemies, and as such in general I look upon the Roman Catholicks and all that has any relation to, or connection with, the late farmers of publick taxes, who from a hatred to the present government were steadily attached to the late Magistrates, tho the former were so instrumental in hurting the latter in that great city. I can not think but they are now unanimous in favour of the old Magistrates.

It is industriously spread about, and to readily believed by the unthinking multitude, that the former deputies of the Burgers had views that were detrimental to the liberties of their fellow citizens.

[p. 110]

As a strong instance of the changes of humour in the people of Amsterdam, I am told that Mr. Scholten, who is one of the new chosen Magistrates and who not onely was beloved by his own company, but the darling of the whole body of the people in the present affairs, being talked of by some of his friends to succeed Mr. Geelvink in the Admiralty, one of the Burgers got up and said: ‘I suppose this is meant as a recompense for his having been att such pains to give up the liberties of this city, and I wish that neither he, his brother nor son¹⁾ may be rechosen as officers’.

Another very strong instance, not onely of the bad humour of the people but of the vigilance of secret ennemies to take hold of every opportunity to hurt the Prince, is, that last Tuesday was exposed publickly to sale att Amsterdam with the printer's name a copy of verses containing a very strong encomium of the late Magistrates, applauding their voluntary resignation (as it is stiled)²⁾, abusing those that obliged them to this, and inviting them to reassume their places; which piece, had it been published three days before, would have cost the printer and sellers their lives.

I make no doubt of the Prince's getting the better of the ill-humour of the people, but I cannot help thinking that the to me sole and essential end of all these troubles, which is giving the Prince the annual naming of the Burgemeesters of Amsterdam, is lost by it³⁾.

Some people who dive very deep into the secret springs of the actions of Princes and of their Ministers, are of opinion that these motions are as they should be, and that they take their rise from the secret operations of the Prince of Orange's friends, who think it necessary

1) Vgl. noot op blz. 98. J.A. Scholten's broer wordt bij Elias niet vermeld.

2) Op de Vrywillige Afstandt van de..... Burgermeesteren dezer stadt, Knuttel N^o. 18019.

3) Men weet, dat Willem IV een informeele afspraak nopens recommandatie voor het burgemeesterschap maakte, die na zijn dood door de Amsterdamsche regeering werd op zij gezet.

[p. 111]

to bring things to this extremity. But I must own that these suppositions are to deep for my understanding, and that I am sorry to see the Prince of Orange in danger of losing all the intrest that he had with the people of Amsterdam, from which intrest I hoped such regulations, as would have had the greatest and best effect upon the future deliberations of the States of Holland, for the good of the union between the two nations, and of the publick cause of Europe.

I pity those gentlemen that have accompanyed his Highness in this journey, who (and this is the opinion of all well-meaning people) have acted as men of honour, integrity and knowledge, but who I fear have been deceived by their friends att Amsterdam¹⁾.

I am glad to see, however, that the present motions of the people of Amsterdam, are looked upon with indignation by the citizens of this and some other places.

An independent Council of War will in my opinion totally enervate the power of the Magistrates, who will not have any share of power over those very people that are by their directions to maintain the quiet of the city.

Mr. Bakker and Mr. Graefland, two of the new chosen Magistrates, who are generally well spoken of, have thrown up. - - - -

1) Willem IV merkt 12 September aan zijn vrouw met leedvermaak op, dat ‘notre gros Tribun’ - W. Bentinck - ‘est d'une humeur insupportable depuis avant-hier et surtout depuis hier, remarquant que son prétendu favoritisme auprès du public s'en va en bredouille’; Arch. IV, I, p. 269.

57.
Rotterdam 17 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

By the Prince of Orange's consenting to the Burgers chosing a free Council of War, these affairs are att Amsterdam so far brought to a conclusion, that the most part of the companies having chosen their officers, and

[p. 112]

five Collonels being by them named, instead of two that they had before, the Council of War met last Saturday.

The Prince of Orange went to the Town Hall, gave his assent to the Council of War, and by dismissing two thirds of the Old-Council, and discharging four Scheepens and naming four new ones, compleated the change of the Magistracy, so that in this point att least it must be said that his Highness has given full satisfaction to the Burgers.

The Prince left Amsterdam last Sunday noon. The acclamations, marks of respect and affection, both from the Magistrates and from the people, were if possible greater than att his arrival. His Highness took the Alphen road to avoid passing through Leiden and Haerlem, in the first of which cities some motions similar to those of Amsterdam have discovered themselves, and the enclosed papers will show the disposition of the latter¹⁾.

Mr. Van Zanen, who delivered the speech in the Council of Haerlem, is a Magistrate of the Prince of Orange's appointing, and in spite of his representations the Magistrates have made their nomination, which, however, I do not hear that has yet been returned with the Prince's assent.

To return to the affairs of Amsterdam, all the members of the late Magistracy that were employed in the States General, Council of State, Committee of Holland and all other inferior councils have been dismissed and others appointed in their place.

Yesterday morning a publication was issued att Amsterdam in the name of the Prince of Orange, relating to the new Council of War²⁾, in which his Highness gives

1) De propositie van Van Zanen, gedaan op 7 September, om, gezien de onrust onder de burgerij, niet tot de gewone burgemeesterverkiezing over te gaan, maar de Prins in de stad te verzoeken om orde op de regeering te stellen, is te vinden Ned. Jb. 1748, blz. 880.

2) Deze proclamatie, verschenen na 's Prinsen vertrek, was een waar Parthenschot tegen de Doelisten, wier aristocratische tegenstanders er groot leedvermaak om hadden; zie Lafargue's verhaal, B.M.H.G., XXVI, blz. 101 vlg. De proclamatie zelf: Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 870.

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several very good and very necessary orders to be observed in the Council of War. - - - -

I fear much that it will nott be in the power of the peaceable people in the Council of War to keep the rest in awe, as altho' the Prince in his publication insinuates that the Council shall onely take cognisance of the affairs that properly belong to them, some of the Burgers hint that they expect that this independent Council shall bring to an account all those that have been employed in the finances from the highest to the lowest ever since the year 1701.

The Magistrates of Amsterdam have allready begun to examine the old priviledges of the gilds; in the mean time nothing is done in that great city in affairs relating to the publick revenue; and it is much feared that if affairs of this kind are obliged to be brought before the Council of War, they will, tho' ever so good, meet with obstructions.

The States of Zealand have published a placard by which it is said that as no plan has hitherto been found out to serve in lieu of the publick taxes, these will as usual be farmed out on the 26^e instant; I fear that this resolution, tho' ever so wise, will meet with obstructions from the unthinking multitude.

I could not help translating the report of the Merchants of Amsterdam, which I have the honour herewith to enclose to your Grace¹⁾, as it shews that the sound part of the citizens of that great city are thoroughly persuaded of the Prince of Orange's having done everything for the best; and indeed I am assured from a very unquestionable hand that his Highness has during his stay att Amsterdam shewn great aversion to enter upon anything that was contrary to the priviledges of either the Magistrates or the people.

1) Een toespraak namens de kooplieden gehouden door Josua van der Poorten op 6 September: Ned. Jb., 1748, blz. 854.

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58.
Rotterdam 20 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

I have no particular news from Amsterdam since last post. No incident has yet happened that can lett us see how far the Independant City Council of War intends to exert its power, but I am sorry to hear that three of their Collonels are very violent, and would do anything to make the Magistrates sensible of their independancy.

A party still subsists in that great city, which by the secret intreagues of the late Magistracy and by the machinations of ill-meaning people, is very shy of the Prince and of the new Magistrates, and it is upon the capacity and popularity of the latter that the future rest of the city will depend; the assemblies of Burgers are still held in spite of the publication, but they thin every day.

The Magistrates of Haerlem have all resigned their places and remitted the choice of a Magistracy to the Prince of Orange. - - - -

59.
Rotterdam 24 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

By the Prince of Orange's being now authorised by the States of Holland, for this once, to make in the Magistracy of all the Voting Cities of the Province such changes as he shall think necessary, it is expected that his Serene Highness will so far gratify the expectations of the people as to remove such Magistrates in each city as are most odious.

Att Haerlem there are three parties, one for the old Magistracy, a second for the demanding all the points that the Burgers of Amsterdam have obtained, and the last, which is more concise and moderate in its demands.

The Burgers of Leiden have drawn up a petition con-

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sisting of fifteen articles¹⁾ in which are onely a few reasonable demands, and the prerogative of a free Council of War is allso demanded. In one of the articles they go farther than any other city has yet ventured to do, by demanding that the Roman Catholicks shall be exempted from the taxe which they annually pay for the liberty of having their meeting houses, which demand wether granted or denyed might be of a most dangerous consequence, if in this the example of the people of Leiden was followed by the other cities.

But I hope that Rotterdam will give the tone to all the other cities that have not yet declared themselves, as by the pains taken by the well-meaning Patriots²⁾ the Burgers are brought so far that the number of Magistrates which they want to see dismissed is reduced to six, who are all accused of having shared with the Pagters, of having abused the power of the place of Grand Baillif by extorting money for fines etc. etc. The petition to be presented to the Prince of Orange will be drawn up in general terms to desire onely that his Serene Highness will inquire into the merits of the complaints and do justice accordingly, and in all likelyhood nothing but this one point of redress will be asked of his Highness, to whom the choice of proper persons to fill up the vacant places will be intirely left.

An incident has just happened att Amsterdam which makes me fear that the Deliberations of the City Council of War will not be so peaceable as some people expected. A captain of one of the companies being chosen by a majority of sixty-two to fifty-four in the company, against

1) In een andere brief spreekt Wolters van 17 artikelen. De Ned. Jb. geven er 18, waarvan het 14^de luidt: Dat ook de Roomsche Kerk bevrijd zij van het fourneren van 1200 gulden's jaers tot noodig maintenu van hare Armen: 1748, blz. 832.

2) Hij bedoelt Van der Kruyff enz. Op Van der Meer viel na zijn terugkeer uit Amsterdam geen staat meer te maken. Dr. Gerretson en ik hopen andere brieven van Wolters hierover te publiceeren in onze Bentinck-uitgave.

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the opinion of the officers, who all were with the minority, these reported their friend to the Council of War, who by them was accordingly declared duly elected. Apprised of this the Burgers of the company who were the majority have last Saturday advertised the case, inviting their fellow citizens to join with them in their endeavours to see their lawfully chosen captain reestablished.

During all these broils nothing is done in the great city in the provisional taxe, and this affair advances but slowly even in those cities in which there are no considerable disturbances. - - - -

60.
Rotterdam 24 September 1748 (aan Bedford).

The last advices from Groningen say that Mr. Rouse, the Prince of Orange's Aid de Camp, found means to introduce four Bataillons into the city of Groningen, that the Burgers have been disarmed, and that it is hoped that things there will be brought to a settled state of quiet.

The Prince of Orange, having received and examined the representations of the Magistrates and Burgers of Haerlem, has sent Mrs. Catwyck and Pauw as commissaries to the said city to terminate these affairs.

Some deputies of this city are gone this day to the Prince of Orange, to inform his Highness that several motions of various kinds have discovered themselves amongst the Burgers, which will end in demanding the same points as were obtained by the Amsterdammers, unless this is speedily prevented by granting them the most material point, which is the change of Magistracy.

Att Dort and in allmost every city the Magistrates have offered to resign their offices.

As to the finances, I am informed that the Pensionary has made a speech in the States of Holland, setting forth in the most moving terms, that the provisional taxe, which for the three last months ought to have rendered 1.600.000

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florins, has hardly rendered 100.000, and as no plan has been yet found to serve in lieu of the abolished Pagts, it is now said that the onely way of making the common people pay, is to make them pay insensibly; and that the onely way to do this, is to raise, not by farmers, but for account of the publick, the old taxes upon bread, beer and firing.

61.
Rotterdam 1 October 1748 (aan Bedford).

A new discontented party has discovered itself att Amsterdam since Friday last, which assembles in the suburbs; and has produced a new petition to the Prince of Orange¹⁾, of which I have the honor to enclose an abstract. All my hope is that no citizen of any note will join in these unthinking and dangerous demands, and that they will all agree in one point which is, to procure to his Highness the annual nomination of the Burgomasters.

The desire to have a charge of magistracy discovers itself more and more in all the voting cities; yesterday the names of twelve Magistrates of Gouda that are odious to the people were put up att the Town house, and when the undersheriffs came to pull the list down, they were opposed by the mob; att Gorcum the dissentions between the Magistrates and citizens are gone so far that the former were obliged to sett out last Sunday to resign their offices into the hands of the Prince of Orange.

The Commissaries named by the Prince of Orange to go to Haerlem were yesterday to commence upon those affairs in that city, and the Magistrates have consequently published that all citizens are invited to go to these gentlemen to give an account of what they have to alledge against their Magistrates.

1) Het Billijk verzoek der Amsteldamsche Burgerije, Knuttel N^o. 18056; het was een herhaling van de acht artikelen.

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62.
Rotterdam 4 October 1748 (aan Bedford).

- - - - The scheme of having a Council of Trade in this country, mentioned in some of my former letters, is more than ever talked of, but it will now be att the Hague instead of the trading town, as it was at first said. Two merchants of this city were sent for to the Hague to be consulted upon this affair. These two gentlemen, and an other marked out in this city to be of this council, are in the French trade, and I have reason to think that a party is formed to recommend none but what are in that trade. As this council is to take cognizance of the affairs of all the different branches of trade, I think it would be very necessary to have in this council, if not British merchants settled in this country at least Dutch merchants that are in English trade: I have often experienced the great jealousy that the merchants of this country that are in the French trade bare to the English trade.

This I thought it my duty to acquaint your Grace of in the very infancy of the thing; and should it not be thought proper to act in a publick way for this affair, I have some hopes of being able to effect it by two private ways; the first is by my speaking to the Magistrates of this city; as I have the satisfaction of being very well with them and that I can easely make them sensible that this city subsists chiefly by the trade with his Majesties British dominions. I think I could engage them, when the thing is proposed in the States assembly, to propose the having part of this council composed of English merchants. The second way would be for me to represent this to the Prince of Orange, which I may do, from the leave his Highness has given me to come to him att any time to represent what may be for the good of the publick. I shall before I proceed any farther¹⁾

1) Het Billijk Verzoek.

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wait your Grace's orders upon this affair, which I have allso mentioned to the Duke of Newcastle.

The Magistrates of Amsterdam have taken most vigorous measures against the eight articles, of which I have sent a translation last post, and the Bailif of Amstelland, in whom's district the new petitioners assembled, takes all possible pains to disperse them; the publication of Amsterdam, which is to-day in all the papers, is very strong and will, I hope, prevent any farther mischief. - - - -

63.
Rotterdam 11 October 1748 (aan Newcastle).

- - - - The merchants mentioned in mine of the 4^e instant N.S., as marked out to be of the Council of Trade are now consulted about the Tarif, to be made with the Court of France for the mutual trade of both these nations, and I hear that one of them (whom I allways suspected) has allready discovered himself to be much inclined to France, whilst another, as violent on the other side, would have things asked of France which that Court will nott easely be brought to grant in the present times. The great question is if the Tarif of 1664 shall be taken as a rule, or if onely the renewal of that of 1739 shall be asked.

64.
Rotterdam 18 October 1748 (aan Newcastle).

The affairs of this country continue to be in the same disagreable situation, and will continue so till the Prince of Orange has found means to rectify the affair of the Magistracy of the different Towns.

Att Leiden the Magistrates have found means to persuade twenty-two of the sixty-four Representatives of the Burgers to petition for the continuation of the Magistracy, which has made the mob outrageous, and the houses of Mrs. Van den Bergh and Van Royen would have been

[p. 120]

pulled down, were it not for the Burger guard; it is believed that the Prince of Orange will be obliged to give up more Magistrates of that city than he att first intended.

The People of Gouda had shut their gates from an information that a Regiment was to be sent thither, but upon the assurances of the Prince of Orange they are now all easy; excepting that they continue with their petition.

As to this city, the subscribers to the petition come in so throng that I hope that it will be ready to be presented next Munday. I say I hope, because it is the onely means of preventing the mischief of parties, which begin to discover themselves; and which unless prevented must disturb the rest that we have hitherto enjoyed in the present troubles.

I herewith join a translation of the proposals of the Dutch East India Company, which I believe will not be of any effect.

P.S. I have just had advice from Amsterdam that the common people begin to pay the provisional equivalent in lieu of Pagts, but that they pay from 20 to 30 styvers for three months, which must make this fall far short of the produce of the abolished Pagts.

65.
Rotterdam 22 October 1748 (aan Bedford).

The Burgers of this city having presented their petition last Saturday, the Prince of Orange sent the Commissaries here yesterday and the whole magistracy have resigned their offices, so that we shall see a decision in a few days. I believe that the fall of five will satisfy the people. - - - -

66.
Rotterdam 25 October 1748 (aan Newcastle).

I had the honour to inform your Grace last Tuesday

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of the arrival of the Prince of Orange's Commissaries in this city to change the magistracy.

All Tuesday they were engaged in taking the depositions of the citizens against their Magistrates and receiving the arguments of the Magistrates; on Wednesday morning Mr. de Wassenaer told me that the proofs came in so throng that he would go away for fear that by a longer stay the Prince might be obliged to turn of(f) more Magistrates than he had proper subjects to put in their place.

That morning by the intreagues of the tottering Magistrates petitions were handed about to be signed by their tradesmen in opposition to the petition which is in the Prince of Orange's hands; and amongst others Mr. Kennedy, the Scotch minister, who has received personnal civilities from Mr. Van Teylingen, persuaded the British merchants to sign and deliver a petition in his favour, which was taken very ill, as to my certain knowledge there were very material proofs against this magistrate.

These petitions roused the spirits of the petitioners against the Magistrates to such a pitch that, as they are much the plurality, things might have come to great extremities, if the Commissaries had not returned yesterday morning with the Prince of Orange's decision, by which five Magistrates viz. Messrs. Van Berckell, Van der Hoeven, Hogendorp, Van Teylingen and Schoonhoven, were dismissed, and five new ones put in their place, of which number Mr. Yvois, son-in-law to Mr. Van Berckell, desired to be excused.

Everything is perfectly quiet in this city and there is none the least likelyhood that the defeated party will dare to stirr.

By the Prince of Orange's demitting Mr. Van Berckell and Van der Hoeven, the places of Grand Baillif of the city and Schieland become vacant, and will be disposed of by his Highness and are in the mean time in the hands of the oldest scheepens of these two colleges.

As to the change, I must own that if for publick reasons I had to name the Magistrates to be demitted, I would have named the very five that are turned

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out¹⁾. Some are left in that by their pride and avarice have made themselves odious, but they will never have any power; and by the nomination of Mr. Paats, our two Burgomasters de Groot and Groeninx will be able to execute their salutary schemes for the good of this city, the Republick, and the common cause.

Gouda, Gorcum and Schoonhoven call for the Commissaries, and I wish they may give them as little trouble as we have done here.

1) Inderdaad blijkt uit Wolters' correspondentie met Bentinck, dat hij een aanzienlijk aandeel had gehad in het vaststellen van de lijst der af te zetten leden.

67.
Rotterdam 1 November 1748 (aan Newcastle).

Since my last of the 25^e past N.S. a party of restless citizens have presented to the Magistrates of this city a petition, which as to a free Council of War, the sale of places, and giving the Posts to the publick is allmost the same as the famous eight articles proposed att Amsterdam. The Magistrates, informed that this party was excited by the dismissed Magistrates, but knowing att the same time that it was very inconsiderable, they have withstood this effort, and so far triumphed, that I believe that the petitioners will be brought publickly to testify their concern for what they have done.

The Commissaries are expected this evening att Gouda, with the Prince of Orange's decision.

The deputies of the East India Company have been assembled att the Hague for this week past; and have got their new grant. The money which they are to pay on this occasion will be very wellcome as the finances decrease every day, and that nothing is yet found out to serve in lieu of the abolished Pagts; whilst the provisional equivalent is payd every where very ill; but most chiefly att Amsterdam.

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68.
Rotterdam 5 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

The affairs of Gouda are finished by the dismission of six Magistrates. Besides the complainst against the Magistrates the people of that city have demanded several points, of which some have been granted them and others refused, and upon the whole the Prince has consented that the priviledges of the city may be printed that the Burgers may know what they are intitled to; and what they may decentely ask of their Magistrates.

The Commissairies are now att Schoonhoven, from whence they are to go to Gorcum and Dort. Delft and the towns of North-Holland are contented with their Magistrates.

I do not yet hear that any progress is made in the affairs of the finances, altho' four months of the six are allready expired.

69.
Rotterdam 8 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

The Commissaries are returned from Gorcum to the Hague, but the changes that they have made in that city are not yet publick. I suspect that they have had a great deal of trouble there as the parties between Magistrate and Magistrate ran very high.

Delft, which had hitherto been so quiet, is likely to give them as much trouble as any other city has done. The Prince of Orange has in course recommended a person to be put upon the nomination to serve as grand Bailliff of that city; but has unlukkily been misinformed as to the person¹⁾, who is so odious to the people, that

1) Mr. Matthijs Verschoor. Hij was een protégé van de Bentincks en de kracht van de partij tegen hem lag in de voormalige antistadhouderlijken. (Vgl. Wolters' volgende brief.) De Prins durfde zijn candidatuur tegen de felle oppositie in niet volhouden, tot groote ergernis van de Bentincks, en troostte Verschoor later met een andere betrekking.

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several of the most substantial inhabitants have petitioned against him; and amongst other reasons of their dislike they alledge his avarice and poverty; which indeed are very bad qualifications for a magistrate of this kind. This will unquestionably rouse the animosity against some of the old Magistrates, which hitherto lay dormant att Delft.

I was yesterday informed that the Prince had marked out for grand Baillif of Rotterdam, a person who is not very agreable to the people¹⁾, and I fear that when this is publick it will occasion a great discontent amongst the people, more particularely as they wished for another person²⁾, who has signalised himself in the Revolution of this government.

I must own that as I allways thought that the chief intent of all these changes is to make the people easy, it would be highly necessary as far as is consistent with equity and the laws, to chuse men of the people's liking; the contrary will make these changes of little or no effect.

I have just heard that three deputies of the inhabitants of Tergoes are arrived att the Hague to petition for the abolishing of the Pagts, which were farmed out anew in the Province of Zealand in September last. I fear that this affair will throw us here into new difficulties.

1) Leuve.

2) Mr. Jan Cordelois (Wolters aan W. Bentinck).

70.
Rotterdam 12 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

I am informed that att Delft the parties for and against the Magistrates run higher every day, but as to the person recommended by the Prince of Orange to be grand Baillif of that city, he has gained ground since

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my last, and a very strong party has petitioned the Prince in his favour. I have farther heared that he is supported by those in the government that wish his Highness well; and that I have reason to think that the information given me last week was to partial.

I am sorry to find that there is still a ferment att Amsterdam, and it is with much ado that some of the people are kept from presenting their favorite eight articles anew. Upon the whole I have all the reason in the world to believe that several of the new chosen Magistrates of that great city are more connected with the late Magistracy than ever was imagined, and I fear that we shall soon experience that the majority of them are much in the same way of thinking as the late Magistrates. - - - -

P.S. After writing my letter I am informed that the mob at Leyden is up and insists upon the Magistrates consenting to the free Council of War, as the Commissaries did not decide this affair; the gates were shut yesterday.

71.
Rotterdam 15 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

We have no certain account of what has been done att Gorcum. The Commissaries who still continue there have sent an express to the Hague. All I could learn is that on the one hand the Magistrates refused voluntarily to resign their places¹⁾, as has been done in the other cities, and that on the other the people not onely demanded the general dismission of all the Magistrates, but that they might be made accomptable for their past conduct. I hope that a medium may be found and that it may not be necessary to sett an example of to exact a scrutiny, which would certainly renew the troubles in

1) In Jorissen's relaas van deze gebeurtenissen (a.w., blz. 85 vlgg.) wordt dit niet uitdrukkelijk gezegd, maar het is er niet mee in strijd.

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the other cities; the more as Haerlem, Leyden and Amsterdam are far from being att rest yet. - - - -

72.
Rotterdam 19 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

Every body here is surprised att the decision of the affairs att Gorcum, where the whole magistracy has been continued and onely seven new counsellors added. I am of opinion that it is chiefly owing to the want of proper persons to fill the vacant places, if the change had been made as the inhabitants desired it: but this however is true that the whole Magistracy refused to a man to resign their places, as has been done hitherto by the Magistrates of all the other cities of the Province; declaring that, if the Prince found them guilty, that they would submit to the fate of being turned out.

The insurrection att Leyden was come last Thursday to such a pitch, that some of the mob went armed to the Townhall to make new demands of the Magistrates, threatning to be the death of them if they did not submit. That night and the following day the mob threatened to pull down the houses of some of the Magistrates, even of those that the Prince of Orange had thought proper to continue.

The danger of this growing mischief obliged the Prince of Orange to take the resolution to send troops to Leyden; and accordingly a detachment of foot from the Hague, and a Regiment of Dragoons that was cantoned in the neighbourhood of Leyden entered that city last Saturday by break of day without any opposition.

I have since had the following account from a person who is just come from Leyden; that the Judge advocate of the Court of Holland with three Commissaries of that Court of Justice are arrived at Leyden: with powers to try and condemn the guilty: that twelve persons of the number of those that went armed to the city hall were yesterday taken up; and that four more of the ring leaders of the Riots were allso apprehended: that yesterday

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noon a Proclamation in the name of the Prince of Orange was issued, setting forth, that it was att the desire of the Magistrates and the best inhabitants that the Troops were sent to Leyden, and that his Highness was sorry to find that it would be necessary for the peace of the city to keep a constant garrison there.

The detachment consists of fourteen hundred men, the foot most Swiss.

I long to see what effect this necessary step will have upon the other cities; I find that it is approved of here, and I hear that the Burgers of Haerlem are so sensible of the necessity of putting a stop to the present mutinous dispositions of the multitude that they have sent deputies to the Hague, to desire allso to have troops.

As much as I know of the turn of mind of the people of Amsterdam, I think they will be much out of humour att this; but upon the whole I hope that this way of making use of a military Power will be attended with none of the bad consequences that it was in former times generally attended with: the more as even those that were most against these vigourous proceedings att first, are now come to think that the obstinacy of the mob has made them of absolute necessity.

The new placard of the States of Holland to oblige the inhabitants to pay the provisional taxe, is so far of effect that they are not so backward in paying, but for all that I fear that their payments in general are far from coming up to the equivalent of the abolished Pagts.

73.
Rotterdam 22 November 1748 (aan Bedford).

I was misinformed when I told your Grace last post, that several of the heads of the late mutiny att Leyden were secured. for I now hear, that the Magistrates, according to the usual good-management in this country, instead of improving the first effects of the terror that scared the People att the approach of the Troops, in laying hold of the chief mutineers, to deter others by

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their punishment, had given them time to escape before the commission of the Provincial High Court of Justice appointed to judge them had reached Leyden.

If, after this escape, it is still thought necessary to make examples the Judges must dive into older affairs, and I am persuaded that the very people who would with great satisfaction have seen the authors of the last mutiny executed, will grumble much, if the Commissaries will bring the people to an account for the riots about the Pagters.

I find by my letters from Amsterdam, that there are very different opinions there about this step of the Prince Stadtholder's, some people look upon it as a violation of the ancient priviledges of the voting cities of the Province, whilst others maintain that the Prince had a right to send troops even att the sole desire of the Magistrates: but in general I find that the publick, tho not pleased with these kind of things, is of opinion that this step was absolutely necessary.

Unless some examples of severity can be made at Leyden, by pursuing, apprehending and executing some of the promoters of the late riot, the Prince of Orange will, excepting the saving the Magistrates of that city from the present danger, have no great benefit for the publick quiet, from the sending of the troops.