Page 221 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

THE BLACK TRAGEDY OF AMBOINA 221

him confess anything though never so false they should
do him a great favour by telling him what they would
have him say and he would speak it to avoid the torture.”
“ The fiscal whereupon said : 4 What, do you mock
us! ’ and bade * Up with him again,’ and so gave him the
torment of water which he not being able to endure prayed
to be let down again to his confession. Then he devised
a little with himself and told them that about two months
and a half before himself, Thomson, Johnson, Brown and
Fardo had plotted with the help of the Japans to surprise
the castle.
“ Here he was interrupted by the fiscal and asked
whether Towerson were not of the conspiracy. He an­
swered * No.’
You lie,’ said the fiscal. ‘ Did he not call you to
CC (
him and tell you that those daily abuses of the Dutch
had caused him to think a plot and that he wanted nothing
but your consent and service ? ’
“ Then said a Dutch merchant—one John Joost—that
sat by : ‘Did you not all swear upon the Bible to be
secret to him ? ’
“ Collings answered with great oaths that he knew noth­
ing of any such matter. Then they made him fast again.
Whereupon he then said all was true that they had spoken.
Then the fiscal asked him whether the English in the rest
of the factories were not concerned of the plot.' He an­
swered ‘ No.’ The fiscal then asked him whether the
president of the English at Jakatra (Batavia) or Weldon,
agent, in Banda, were not plotters or privy to the business.
Again he answered ‘ No.’
“ Then the fiscal asked him by what means the Japans
should have executed their purpose. Whereat when Col-