Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 2

418
Uittreksel uit een brief aan de gravin van Portland¹⁾

[B.M., Eg. 1714]

1) Op de rugzijde schreef de gravin van Portland: ‘This extract out of a letter writ me of what past when the Prince went to Amsterdam september 1748’.

Mister Bentinck 16 september 1748 returned from Amsterdam.

[p. 144]

Offered to go thither²⁾ to see how things were. Mister Pinch³⁾ against it at first; when [he] agreed to it, would have it without [Bentinck] being sent by order; [Bentinck] refused going except done by authority. When [he] had orders, [he] was told, that they⁴⁾ should attend by their spys⁵⁾ and that their intrigues alone would undermine all the divisions and disputes. Bentinck repeated, what were the points he was to insist on: first that the burghers and magistrates agreed together to desire the Prince to go to Amsterdam, second that the two partys, the magistrates and people, should submitt to the Prince's decission in the contested points.

The 28th of august Bentinck set out. Between Harlem and Amsterdam some of those most in credit mett him from the magistrates with joy and assured all was quiet in the town. Mister Twickle⁶⁾ being in Rhynland halve wage huys⁷⁾ mister Bentinck entertain'd them in the open aire; they all joynd to desire the Prince to go to Amsterdam and that he would try to get the magistrates to ask it. Bentinck said they must be sure then to keep all quiet.

Raab⁸⁾ the most in credit amongst these people who came, was for entering into particulars about the changes to be made in the government, but Bentinck put it off, for it to be all settled by the Prince. This was agreed too but not without Bentinck recommending to Van der Meer, a maker of gingerbread at Rotterdam, who was plenipotentiary for mrs. Pinch⁹⁾ to keep as much union as could be at Amsterdam which he promised to do¹⁰⁾, Bentinck sent Zeno Bentinck¹¹⁾ to Amsterdam where he was very respectfully received

2) Namelijk eind augustus voordat de Prins ging.

3) De Prins, die in Bentinck I, p. 188 ‘Pinch'd fingers’ wordt genoemd. Volgens Archives IV, I, p. 241 was niet de Prins maar de Prinses ertegen. De zin is terwille van de duidelijkheid aangevuld.

4) De Prins en de Prinses.

5) Lees: spies; bedoeld worden Van der Meer, die als agent van de Prinses te Amsterdam vertoefde en Raap c.s.

6) Unico Willem graaf van Wassenaar-Obdam, heer van Twickel, bekend aanhanger der statenpartij.

7) Huis Zwanenburg, halverwege Haarlem en Amsterdam.

8) Daniel Raap, porceleinkoopman te Amsterdam, de bekende leider der gematigde Doelisten.

9) De Prinses.

10) Zie over dit onderhoud Krämer, Omwent., p. 444.

11) Zeno Arend baron Bentinck.

[p. 145]

and staid himself at the Heerelogement¹²⁾, till mister Zeno Bentinck brought him an account how the magistrates had received him; Raab and Gimnick¹³⁾, the two chiefs, who headed the people, were not agreed what to ask; Bentinck used all his address to leave all the decission of the Prince, if they would not ruine the country; and he was sent back to The Hague after this with a request for the Prince to go to Amsterdam. On the way Van der Meer mett them¹⁴⁾; he was one of those who, mrs. Pinch thought, could agree matters by deputys being nam'd, as in others places, Bentinck was call'd in to give his opinion and disagreed with the proposal quite, which did not please; but at Amsterdam [he] was persuaded, he could prove there was no dealing with commissary for 300.000 men; it must be done by those most in credit. The Prince in arriving at Amsterdam was received by 4.000 Bylits¹⁵⁾, who walked on each side and before his coach, bear headed, tho' it rain'd very hard and quite without noise, thinking that the most respectfull.

The Bylits are so called being good substantial inhabitants of Amsterdam, ship carpenters, from father to son, and are a body of people very respectable strong and robust; the magistrates have always thought themselves secure, when on their side, and they were long joynd to them, but Gimnick having consulted with the chief amongst them they ownd they had been dupes by the magistrates and that for the future they would joyn with the burgers. They kept their word and 1.500 Bylits engag'd by a writing sign'd to own Gimnick for their leader and gave other assurances of their standing by him. Gimnick's profession is a painter or rather a designer of patrons for silks. When he will work, can gain 200 guilders a week, but as he does not mind growing rich, he gives himself up to his humour, of being a good compagnon, is an honest man and [has a] good deal of witt.

The Prince after many difficultys settled the government; upon being shewn, how ineffectuall all he had done, was, did he¹⁶⁾ not settle an independant counseil of war, - and notwithstanding the desires for his return to The Hague - staid one day longer to settle it.

12) Het Oudezijds Heerenlogement te Amsterdam.

13) Hendrik van Gimnig, een Haarlems patroontekenaar, leider van de radicale groep der Doelisten. Zie Bentinck II, nr. 411.

14) Versta: toen de Prins met zijn gezelschap, waarbij ook Bentinck, op 1 september op weg was naar Amsterdam.

15) De bijltjes.

16) Versta: if he did not...

[p. 146]

One perceiv'd one change upon the Prince going to Amsterdam that a monsieur Gaudin¹⁷⁾ was out of the book of accounts of that 1.000 guilders, and 1.500 guilders a year; his daughters were paid out of the office of gaugers.

17) Het blijft onbekend wie de schrijver hier bedoelt. Vermoedelijk een lid van het geslacht Godin. Echter: wie?