1617, June 30

“Jonathan Willemsz Bruster”¹ of the north quater in England, ribbon worker, registered his name in the “poorterboeken”, thus becoming a burgher or citizen of Leiden. Jonathan (1593-1659) was the eldest son of pilgrim father William Brewster. Giving assurance for Brewster were burghers, Isaac de Sijde² and Jan Sebastiaensz van Hout. 

1617, Autumn

Robert Cushman and John Carver are sent to England and begin negotiations with the Virginia Company for a patent. Also this year were presented to the English authorities The seven articles of the Church of Leyden³ signed by John Robinson and William Brewster.

1618, Aug. 29

On this date, by order of the States-General of the Netherlands, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt and his chief supporters, jurist Hugo Grotius, Gilles van Ledenberg, and Rombout Hogerbeets, as well as others, were arrested.

1618-1619

The Synod of Dort was held between 13 November, 1618 and the 9 May, 1619. This international synod was organized by the Reformed Church with the intent to settle the dispute between the Remonstrants, who followed the writings of Arminius, and the Contra-Remonstrants led by Francis Gomerus. The acts of the Synod were tied to political intrigues back in the Netherlands that had arisen during the “Twelve Years Truce” which had brought about a pause to the war between the Dutch and the Spanish Crown. Arising from of the synod, “The Canons of Dort“, being the Five Articles against the Remonstrants.⁴

1619

Leiden city magistrates appointed Johannes de Laet to cooperate on their behalf in the foundation of the West India Company whereby he was provided with a room in Leiden Town Hall from where he was to direct the fund-raising necessary for the City’s participation. By the time the Company was officially organized Leiden investors had raised 275,000 guilders, an amount that gave Leiden permanent representation in the Amsterdam Chamber.^BREMMER

1619, April 24

On this date (session 138) the Dutch delegates to the Synod of Dort declared that the Remonstrants whom they had cited were deposed from their church offices. After the national synod was over, provincial synods enforced Dordt’s decision by deposing almost two hundred Remonstrant ministers.

1619, May 13

On this day, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was publicly beheaded. (mixed up in the political intrigue was the expiration of the “Twelve Year Truce” with Spain and the ongoing religious debate amongst the Dutch, as well as Oldenbarnevelt’s defence of the Dutch Constitution, republican principles and the separations of powers, against the Coup d’etat of stadtholder Maurice and his Orangist party.—SEE, “Trial of Oldenbarnevelt, Grotius and Hogerbeet“

1619, July 15

“An edict of the States General was published in Leiden, prohibiting separate religious gatherings or conventicles, aiming to prevent the establishment of Remonstrant congregations. Also forbidden were all money collections, promises, contracts, or agreements made in such gatherngs, or undertakings to support them.”^BANGS

1619, July

The States-General permitted those Remonstrant ministers who submitted to their deposition to remain in the country and collect their salary for six months. Most of these would not submit and were banished from the United Provinces. The government also forbade any defense or promotion of Remonstrant doctrine.

1619, Nov. 19

Registered under this date as a medical student at the University of Leiden, was “Johannes Monerius Montanus Xanto”ⁿ¹
, age 24, living in the home of Robert Botack, a shoemaker living on the Voldersgraft. ^{DU RIEU p144, ELSEVIER p440fn}

1620, Sept. 16

The Mayflower departed Southampton, England with the first group of Pilgrims for “Virginia”.

1621, Spring

Elizabeth Stuart, “Queen of Bohemia“, arrived at the Hague, having accepted an offer of assylum for her and her husband. ⁵

1621, May 9

The Mayflower arrived back in England—She docked at London on May 16th with little reward to the investors in the way of return trade goods or in commodities.

1621, May 30

The siege of Saint-Jean-d’Angely began. The Protestant stronghold, strategic to the defense of La Rochelle, was forced to surrender to the king’s forces after only twenty-six days.

1621, June 3

The Dutch West India Company was granted a charter from the States General of the Netherlands, but it would take two more years before the company was organized. ^{STOKES v4, p48}

1621, Early June

Sent from Ambassador Dudley Carlton at the Hague “Translation of the States Placart touching the West Indies” [so endorsed by Carleton]. The States General having settled a Company of Negotiation and Traffic for the West Indies, Africa, and other places hereunder described, by Letters Patent, it is forbidden to any within the term of 24 years after the first July next ensuing to sell, negotiate, or drive any manner of trade upon the coasts and countries of Africa from Tropico Cancri unto the Cape de Bona Esperance, nor upon the countries of America, beginning at the south end of Terra Nova, through the Straits of Magelana, Le Mayre, or any other straits and passages thereabouts as far as the Strait of An Jan, as well upon the North Sea as the South Sea, nor upon any island either upon the inside or the other, or those situated between both; as also upon the Australis and Southern Countries, &c., under the penalties described, &c. 2pp. ^SAINSBURY

1621, June 16

Edwin Sandys was taken into custody by order of the House of Commons and not released until July 18th, wherefore he was confined to house arrest.⁶

1621, June 24

The Protestant stronghold of Saint-Jean-d’Angely fell to the forces of Louis XIII, leaving La Rochelle more vulnerable to attack. However, Louey decided to next move his land forces upon the Protestant stronghold of Montauban. In July, a naval blockade was established against La Rochelle, which ended a year later with Protestant forces holding out, though the resolve of the king only increased.

1621, June 26-30

During these few days, 14 young men and boys between the ages of 9 and 24 years, all natives of La Rochelle, were registered at the University of Leiden. This was of the partial evacuation of that place, after the fall of Saint-Jean d’Angly, and the expected blockade and siege of this most resolute of the Protestant strongholds. Among them was a medical student from Saintonge who had also registered. ^{DE RIEU}

1621, July

Jesse de Forest, along with a companion, visited the British Ambassador Sir Dudley Carleton at the Hague wherein he requested support in founding a separate colony in the territory of “Virginia”.

1621, July

Jean Mousnier de La Montagne drafted the Round-Robin Petition as well as the accompanying seven articles.

1621, July

Regarding the Round-Robin Petition, the signatures, and or marks of those wishing to emigrate to “Virginia” were collected by Jesse de Forest, evident by the fact that the names of those who gave only a mark were written in the hand of de Forest. Collected were the signatures and marks given by 54 men and two women, these the ascribed representatives of a group totalling 227 men, women, children, and servants. Included on this list were two persons who signed their name “Mousnier de la Montagne.”^{O’CALLAGHAN (1853), p7 SAINSBURY 498 BAIRD 352 DE FOREST (1900), 190 GREEN p22-26}

1621, July

Jesse de Forest returned to the Hague to present the requested terms and signatures of those looking to emigrate to “Virginia”.

1621, July 29⁷

A letter bearing this date was sent bt Sir Dudley Carleton, British ambassador at the Hague, to Sir George Calvert wherein Carleton wrote of the request presented by Jesse de Forest, who “here hath been with me of late, on behalf of the Walloons desirous of emigrating to Virginia.”

1621, August

The Virginia Company responded to the petition of certain French and Walloon families that had been forwarded to them for a response. It’s likely that de Forest never received this response, though it probably wasn’t what Jesse de Forest was hoping for as the Virginia Company, though amenable to the emigration of these people to Virginia, were unwilling to aid them in their transportation and instead of allowing them to form their own settlement, were offering them land grants throughout the various cities, boroughs and corporations already existing in the colony. ^{Sainsbury 26}

1622, Feb. 5

Dudley Carleton, the British Ambassador at the Hague, sent a message to the Privy Council wherein he aknowledged having received their letters of 15th December regarding Hollanders having planted a colony upon some parts north of Virginia and their direction to him of informing the States General to “stay any ships bound thither” and to prohibit the further prosecution of that plantation. Carleton reported that about four or five years ago two companies of Amsterdam merchants began trading with the natives in those parts which they have named New Netherland, but that he did not believe that there was any colony intended as a considerable number of families had come to him so as to procure a place of habitation there. ^{Sainsbury 27 8}

1622, Feb. 7

On this date a letter from Calvert wherein he writes that he does not remember Carleton had any directions about such a plantation. Three score families of Walloons had applied for a portion of land, which was referred to the Virginia Company.^{Sainsbury 27 9}

1622, March 22

Native Americans attack the European settlers in English Colony of Virginia with a loss of several hundred lives suffered by the colonists.¹⁰

1622

During the first quarter of this year a group of Walloon families, which included that of Jesse de Forest, proposed to the Dutch authorities a plan for their emigration to the “West Indies.” ^{O’CALLAGHAN (1856), 28 DE FOREST v1, 22 n119}

1622, April 21

It was recorded in the register of “Resolutions of the States of Holland and Westfriesland” that the Directors of the West India Company report that they had examined the paper relative to the Families to be conveyed to the West Indies and thought the plan advantageous to the Company and therefore an effort should be made to promote it, as well as a promise given that they shall be employed. However, the Directors also thought that the plan should be postponed until the Directors of the Company could be formed. To this the Assembly unanimously agreed and resolved that said promise should be given. ^{O’CALLAGHAN (1856), 28 BAIRD, 166 DE FOREST v1, 22}

1622, Aug. 27

In session, before the States-General, councilors of the States of Holland reported upon a petition summited to them for their consideration wherein, it appears, that Jesse de Forest applied to the States-General for their permission to enroll families and individuals who professing the Reformed religion might be willing to form a settlement in the West Indies for the advancement and promotion of the West India Company. The report being viewed favorably, it was resolved that Jesse de Forest would be permitted to enroll qualified persons and families on condition that he should do so with the knowledge and concurrence of the several cities in which he should make the enrollment and that the same would be returned to the States of Holland. ^{BAIRD, 168 DE FOREST (1900), 196 DE FOREST v1, 23}