gone so far and has effected so much, that many of them dare
bring no matter before the court, if they do not stand well or tolerably
so with the Director. For whoever has him opposed, has as much as the
sun and moon against him. Though he has himself appointed many of the
councillors, and placed hem under obligation to him, and some pretend
that he can overpower the rest by plurality of votes, he frequently puts
his opinion in writing, and that so fully that it covers several pages,
and then he adds verbally, "Monsieur, this is my advice, if any one has
aught to say against it, let him speak." If then any one rises to make
objection, which is not easily done, though it be well grounded, His
Honor bursts out immediately in fury and makes such gestures, that it
is frightful; yea, he rails out frequently at the Councillors for
this thing and the other, with ugly words which would better suit the
fish-market than the council chamber; and if this be all endured, His
Honor will not rest yet unless he has his will. To demonstrate this by
examples and proof, though easily done, would nevertheless detain us too
long; but we all say and affirm that this has been his common practice
from the first and still daily continues. And this is the condition and
nature of things in the council on the part of the Director, who is
its head and president. Let us now briefly speak of the councillors
individually. The Vice Director, Lubbert van Dincklagen,(1) has for a
long time on various occasions shown great dissatisfaction about many
different matters, and has protested against the Director and his
appointed councillors, but only lately, and after some others made
resistance. He was, before this, so influenced by fear, that he durst
venture to take no chances against the Director, but had to let many
things pass by and to submit to them. He declared afterwards that he
had great objections to them, because they were not just, but he saw no
other way to have peace, as the Director said even in the council, that
he would treat him worse than Wouter van Twiller had ever done, if he
were not willing to conform to his wishes. This man then is overruled.
Let us proceed farther. Monsieur la Montagne had been in the council
in Kieft's time, and was then very much suspected by many. He had no
commission from the Fatherland, was driven by the war from his farm, is
also very much indebted to the Company, and therefore is compelled to
dissemble. But it i