opponents than his predecessor ever was.


The Administration of Director Kieft in Particular.

Sufficient has been said of what Director Kieft did in regard
to the church and its affairs, and in regard to the state,
such as buildings and taxes or revenue. It remains for us
to proceed to the council-house and produce thence some
examples, as we promised. We will, in doing so, endeavor to
be brief.

The Council then consisted of Director Kieft and Monsieur
la Montagne. The Director had two votes, and Monsieur la
Montagne one; and it was a high crime to appeal from their
judgments. Cornelis vander Hoykens sat with them as fiscaal,<1>
and Cornelis van Tienhoven as secretary,<2> and whenever any
thing extraordinary occurred, the Director allowed some, whom
it pleased him--officers of the company for the most part--
to be summoned in addition, but that seldom happened.
Nevertheless it gave discontent. The Twelve Men, and afterwards
the Eight,<3> had in court matters neither vote nor advice;
but were chosen in view of the war and some other occurrences,
to serve as cloaks and cats-paws. Otherwise they received no
consideration and were little respected if they opposed at
all the views of the Director, who himself imagined, or
certainly wished to make others believe, that he was sovereign,
and that it was absolutely in his power to do or refuse to do
anything. He little regarded the safety of the people as the
supreme law, as clearly appeared in the war, although when the