Memoirs and Instructions of Dutch Governors, Commandeurs, &c.
MEMOIR OF
HENDRICK ZWAARDECROON,
COMMANDEUR OF JAFFNAPATAM,
(afterwards Governor-General of Nederlands India),
1697.
FOR THE GUIDANCE OF
THE COUNCIL OF JAFFNAPATAM, DURING HIS
ABSENCE AT THE COAST OF MALABAR.
Translated by SOPHIA PIETERS,
Dutch Translator.
With an Introduction and Notes by the Government Archivist.
COLOMBO:
H. C. COTTLE, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, CEYLON.
1911.
INTRODUCTION.
This Memoir of Commandeur Zwaardecroon was, as stated, compiled and
left by him in 1697 for the instruction and guidance of the Political
Council of Jaffnapatam during his absence from the "Commandement"
on special duty as Commissioner to the Coast of Malabar. He did not,
however, return to his post, having been appointed Director of Surat
on the termination of his Commission. Of the many compilations of the
same kind prepared by successive Commandeurs on the standing orders of
the Supreme Government at Batavia, this of Zwaardecroon is one of the
most exhaustive and authoritative in regard to the Dutch Company's
affairs in the north of the Island. It was quoted and referred to
from time to time during almost the whole period of the Dutch rule
in Ceylon. Its value will be found to consist chiefly in the light
it throws on such matters as native industries, sources of revenue,
and the condition of the people. Many obscure terms, some local, some
obsolete, such as "officie gelden," "adigary," "alphandigo," &c, which
occur in the old records, will be found explained here for the first
time; and the topographical information is both full and accurate. In
a word, the work bears the impress not only of a man of great powers
of observation and sound judgment, but also of a strong and capable
ruler. His independent character is shown in the plain-spoken manner in
which he marks his resentment of the methods adopted at headquarters in
regard to appeals from the native subjects of the Commandement. That
a man possessed of such intelligence and independence of character
should in the course of time have risen to the highest post in the
Company's service, viz., that of Governor-General of Nederlands India,
was in the natural course of events.
The following brief personal account of him, based on information
collected from various sources, will, I am sure, be of some interest.
Hendrick, or Henricus, Zwaardecroon was born at Rotterdam on January
26, 1667. His father, Theophilus Zwaardecroon, son of an older Henricus
Zwaardecroon, was Rentmeester, or Steward, to Jonker Gysbrecht van
Mathenesse, his mother being Margaretha van Heulen. He came out
to the East in 1684 as Secretary to the High Commissioner Hendrick
Adriaan van Rhude, Lord of Mydrecht, to whom frequent reference is
made in the Memoir. Having been first attached to the adelborsten
(lit. "noble youths"), a regiment composed of gentlemen's sons, he,
shortly after his arrival in Batavia, exchanged from the Military to
the Civil Service of the Company, and passed rapidly through the grades
of boekhouder, onderkoopman, and koopman. In 1694 he was appointed
Commandeur of Jaffnapatam with the rank of opperkoopman. This
Memoir is the record of his three years' administration of the
Commandement. After four years' service at Surat, he was appointed
Secretary to the Supreme Government at Batavia, being admitted the
following year (August 4, 1704) an Extraordinary Councillor of India
(Raad extra-ordinair van Ned. Indie). In 1709 he became President
of the Board of Dike-reeves (College van Heemraden), and, in 1715,
was elevated to the rank of a Councillor in Ordinary. His modest
disposition and unambitious character will be seen from the fact that,
although twice offered the Governor-Generalship, he declined the honour
on the ground that he did not feel himself qualified to accept it. But
he was at last prevailed upon to do so, and formally received his
appointment on November 13, 1718. The appointment was confirmed by the
Chamber of XVII, in the Netherlands on September 10, 1720. He remained
at the head of the Government of India up to October 16, 1724, when he
retired at his own instance. He never returned to the Fatherland, but
lived a simple and unostentatious life in Batavia up to his death. The
following passage, which I quote from my Report on the Dutch Records,
[1] gives an account of his death and burial:--"His death occurred
at Batavia on August 12, 1728, some years after his retirement. At
his special desire the burial took place in the graveyard attached
to the Portuguese Church outside the town. His grave is still to be
seen on the left side of the entrance to the church. This church and
graveyard were intended for the humbler section of the community; and
Zwaardecroon, says an old writer (Hofhout), chose this burial place,
because he wished to lie beside the 'common people.' This is said
to have been characteristic of the man, who, as long as he lived,
took pains to maintain by ostentatious display the dignity and the
honour of the Honourable Company which he served, but at his death,
though of gentle descent himself, preferred to be buried among the
poor and lowly than among the high and mighty of the land. [2] His
funeral as described in the Dagh Register des Casteels, Batavia,
August 16, 1728, was one of great magnificence."
When Councillor of India, Zwaardecroon was commissioned by the
Government of India to compile a descriptive account of Malabar
and Coromandel, a work which he appears to have satisfactorily
accomplished. During his Governor-Generalship he undertook for the
first time, in 1723, the planting of coffee within the territories
under his rule. For his exceptional services to the Company in
introducing coffee and the silk worm industry into Java he was
much commended by the Directors of the East India Company, and was
presented by them with a silver tankard inlaid with gold, bearing a
suitable inscription on the lid. [3]
Of his marriage and descendants I have not been able to obtain
any definite information. He appears to have married in Batavia,
but the lady's name does not occur. By this marriage he had two
children: a daughter Hillegonda, who married Cornelis van Berendrecht,
"waterfiskal" of Netherlands India, and a son, Hendrick Zwaardecroon,
who is mentioned in 1703.