the greatest villains in the country, where shortly before
they had been known as the best people and dearest children.
At this time an opportunity presented itself, which the
Director was as glad to have, at least as he himself said, as
his own life. At the beginning of the year 1649, clearly
perceiving that we would not only have much to do about the
deputation but would hardly be able to accomplish it, we
deemed it necessary to make regular memoranda for the purpose
of furnishing a journal from them at the proper time. This
duty was committed to one Adriaen vander Donck, who by a
resolution adopted at the same time was lodged in a chamber
at the house of one Michael Jansz. The General on a certain
occasion when Vander Donck was out of the chamber, seized this
rough draft with his own hands, put Vander Donck the day after
in jail, called together the great Council, accused him of
having committed crimen laesae majestatis, and took up the
matter so warmly, that there was no help for it but either
the remonstrance must be drawn up in concert with him (and
it was yet to be written,) or else the journal--as Mine Heer
styled the rough draft from which the journal was to be
prepared--was of itself sufficient excuse for action; for
Mine Heer said there were great calumnies in it against Their
High Mightinesses, and when we wished to explain it and asked
for it, to correct the errors, (as the writer did not wish to
insist upon it and said he knew well that there were mistakes
in it, arising from haste and other similar causes, in
consequence of his having had much to do and not having read
over again the most of it,) our request was called a libel
which was worthy of no answer, and the writer of which it
was intended to punish as an example to others. In fine we