[DUTCH] MARTINUS MARTINI. Martinus Martini, born in 1614 in Trente and was since 1643 in China
where he died on June 6, 1661 (see S. Couling, Encyclopaedia Sinica
en Biographie Universelle, XXVII (1820), bl. 323 325). With four other
Jesuits he came in June 1642 with the English
ship The Swaen from Goa to Bantam and send from
there to G.G. van Diemen a letter in Latin (delivered
on June 18, in Batavia) with which he requested "to deliver
passage to Maccasar, Siam, Cambodia or
the realm of Tonkin, to arrive through China in Japan".
This letter was send to the Chief in Nagasaki to "hand this
over to the Regents of Nagasakqui to the Commissioners as to have
them examine and estimate order(s) against such hostile undertaking.
" (Reg. from Batavia to Japan June 28, 1642 and Chief van
Elseracq to G. G. van Diemen October 12, 1642).
"Martin Martini was sent to give informations to the Holy
See; to his influence and abilities it is due that Alexander VII decreed
in a manner perfectly contrary to the former Edict [with which
some dogmas from the Jesuits were condemned as heresy]. Martinus Martini came on June 15, 1652 from Macassar to Batavia and received permission to travel with the return ships to Holland; sailing out with the "Oliphant" (February 2, 1653 and arrived in "het Vlie" on November 16, of the same year) he left for Amsterdam (Res. July 16, 1652, July 26, 1652, October 15, 1652 and January 28, 1653) By Resolution of the Chamber of Amsterdam dated on December 12, 1653 he was granted a "A gratuity of 100 "rijksdaalders", with regard to the good services he had promised and which were expected from him). He had "to the same Riebeeck [Head of the department on Cape of Good Hope] argued and indicated because of some Gold places between mentioned Cape and Mozambique lying, where big advantages could be gotten ... We consider the discovery of mentioned Coast as well as the coast of Melinde, very considerable, which from the previously mentioned Cape and the island Mauritius also appropriately could be done from Suratte" (Gen. Miss. February 6, 1645; Compare also Miss. from Jan van Riebeek to the Heeren XVII of May 15, 1653 and the answer of Heeren XVII of April 15, 1654). "With a Portuguese junk coming from Maccassar, through Companies entrance between Batavia and Japara, conquered is brought in certain Jesuit's Padre who has been hiking during 10 years through most parts of China .... Furthermore the mentioned Padre alleges that they [the Tartars] offered those of Macao their friendship as well as free trade which is affirmed with intercepted letter by the Governor of Maccao. Furthermore that they had made known not only Portuguese but also other foreign nations, which desire to frequent friendship,would be granted free and carefree entrance, therefor ditto padre doesn't doubt in case of the Company in Quanton which he judges the right place to be to do the request to the King ["the chief of the Tartarians" in Canton (Guangzhou)], their ambassador supports that they not only will be admitted but besides the free trade and carefree entrance to China will be granted" (Missive Registry from Batavia to Taijoan July 25, 1652). "That which your Nobleness writes about the opening of the trade in China and that the Tartarian viceroy in Quanton has presented the Portuguese in Maccao and all other foreign negotiants, to frequent the realm of China free and liberally, the Father Jesuit, who has come over with the ship the Oliphant, has informed us further." (Patr. Miss. 20 Jan, 1654).
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