Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 2

438
R. Wolters aan Willem Bentinck

[B.M., Eg. 1746]

Rotterdam, 8 oktober 1748

I have just had your favour of the 6e. I am very glad that you approve of my diligence in acquainting you of the affair of Van der Meer¹⁾ and you may be sure that I shall watch him very close and I have the satisfaction to tell you that he has done such things as will ruin him in the opinion of the Princess and the Prince; he has pushed forward one Erbervelt a late pagter of this city who was named by the gecommitteerde raeden to be comptroller of the different collectors. Van der Meer had not onely the impudence to assure both the Princess and the Prince that Erbervelt's nomination would be agreable to our whole city, but went so far as to say, that he would be bound for his honesty and att his re-

1) In het origineel zijn enige namen, die oorspronkelijk in cijfercode zijn gegeven, in de tekst opgelost. Zie voor het cijfercode Bentinck II, nr. 419.

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turn here published that the Princess herself had named Erbervelt; as the last is of a most odious caracter and in all the secret intreagues of the late regents, we thought our duty to oppose his rise and our three bulldogs²⁾ went to The Hague saw the Prince, who gave them the strongest assurances that neither he nor the Princess knew Erbervelt and as this was corroborated by the evidance of a quondam clerck of Erbervelt's, the papers were put in the hands of the fiscal and Erbervelt débouté de sa place; the secret spring of this interested step of Van der Meer was, that Erbervelt's brother engaged to be security for him for the place that he has gott in the ontgrondingen³⁾.

The Prince has expressed himself with great indignation to my friend Swijndrecht upon the conduct of Van der Meer in this affair. Van der Meer is no ways in the secret of our present affairs and I find our people that are reduced onely now to Loover, Van der Cruyff and Danserweg very honest, and all of a mind that our chief dependancy is upon you, that it is to you that we owe two burgomasters⁴⁾. I have told them in general that, when att The Hague, they should never apply to a courtier, if they can be admitted to a minister, but I find more and more, that Grovestein intrudes every day in the particular affairs of the province.

The Prince has expressed so true a desire to redress the affairs of this city, that we are hard att work since yesterday; and it is agreed, that all assemblies at Doele or elsewhere shall be carefully avoided, that no other point but the charge of magistracy may be started. We are to have a meeting to night to read the ruff drafft of a petition, the purpose of which is to be, to sett forth the murmurs against the magistrates. 2^e The reasons of these murmurs by painting them out in their proper colours so as that, though not named, the Prince may know them. 3^e The consequences of these murmurs, which are the new payment of the provisional taxe and the great animosity of parties.

Four mercenairy deputies were sent last thursday⁵⁾ to the

2) Blijkbaar zijn deze ‘bulldogs’ de drie patriotten Ary Danserweg, Pieter van der Kruyff en Joris Loover. Zie Ned.Jb. 1748, p. 975.

3) Van der Meer was benoemd tot hoofdcollecteur van 's lands recht op de consumptie van turf en op de ontgronding - dat wil zeggen het afgraven van de turf - alsmede op de uit- en doorvaart daarvan binnen Rotterdam. De resolutie van 12 september, waarbij besloten werd dit recht door collecteurs te laten innen in ibidem, p. 1104 vlg.

4) De Groot en Groeninx van Zoelen

5) 3 oktober 1748. De namen van de vier gedeputeerden zijn onbekend.

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Prince to desire, that the magistracy might continue as it is, but I believe that the wise answer made them by the Prince will discourage others; it was that he the Prince was glad to find, that there were four persons in Rotterdam that had no reasons to complain of their regents and that they were the onely ones of the kind that had come to him⁶⁾. You may assure you self, that none shall be petitioned against but those that we know to be the ennemies of the Prince and of you, and to silence all parties we bring in all those that we know to be rogues as well the penitent as the unrepenting⁷⁾. I hope two posts hence to be able to give you the decision of our affairs.

I shall watch Van der Meer as close as I can, but he is now I think lost in the opinion of all honest people. I am glad, he is provided for, and our three friends thanked the Prince for it. When the peace is signed, I should be obliged to you, for the earliest notice, that you can. You know I am no merchant nor my two friends neither, but this communication will be looked upon as a proof of your friendship for your wellwishers in this town.

Poor Van der Cruyff would, poor as he is, give 20 ducats, that you were att The Hague.

6) Onderstreping in origineel.

7) Idem.