The soldiers had been going at each other for a while, uniforms torn and blood on their lips and fists. Standing between them were Frans de Coninck and Hagens.
'I hate you, I am going to kill you!' Cornelisz, seething with rage ran into his room. He appeared with his side arms and charged Fredericus.
Abraham Gabemma arrived as Hagens and de Coninck hurled Fredericus out of harm's way and wrestled the sword from the gunner. The Commander had also arrived on the scene. He and Abraham stood aside as de Coninck and Hagens brought the disturbance under control.
'What is going on here at this ungodly hour?' Van Riebeeck demanded.
The pushing and shoving halted and the sentries assumed a respectful position. De Coninck, the most senior among the soldiers stepped forward. 'The gunner and trumpeter here,' he said and pointed to Cornelisz, 'Used bad words towards his fellow brother in arms.' He pointed to Wreede.
Fredericus Wreede and Cornelisz stood Side-by-side. Cornelisz's face was contorted with rage while Fredericus seemed to have a smirk plastered onto his exterior.
'Fredericus was aggrieved at the abusive behaviour he suffered from his attacker and was forced to defend himself.'
'You are on duty, are you not?' The Commander asked the gunner still trembling with rage.
Cornelisz, realising that he was naked cupped his private parts with both his hands.'
'I am,' he replied, eyes darting from his fellow soldiers to the Commander.
'Yet you are in a state of undress. Have you been drinking and Fornicating? The gunner dropped his head. 'I demand an answer.'
'Yes, Commander.'
'What is your main duty?'
'To guard the gunpowder room, Commander.'
'Are you on duty now?'
'Yes, Commander.'
'Why are you not guarding the gunpowder room, gunner Cornelisz?'
When it became obvious that the young gunner was not saying anything further, de Coninck stepped in. 'It was a slave who distracted him, Commander... One of yours.'
The Commander's brow creased. 'One of mine?'
De Coninck nodded and pointed to the room. The Commander walked to the gunner's room and looked inside. Maria was cowering in one corner. Naked.
'Fiscal, put him in irons,' he instructed. 'The Council will attend to the matter first at first light.'
Gabemma visited the gunner the next day. Willem Cornelisz was subdued but still spewing a great deal of negative words towards the corporal who had laid a charge against him.
'Willem, what is the cause of these devils in your heart and lips?' He asked, curious to know what could possibly have pushed the usually soft-spoken gunner and trumpeter into such a state of temporary madness. Let alone assault a fellow soldier. 'Such acts carry harsh punishments, even banishment. It will ruin your chances of becoming a freeman...'
'We argued.' His averted eyes and handdrubbing intrigued Abraham.
'About?'
He glanced at the fiscal and nodded. 'I do not want to talk about it.'
'That choice is not an option. Unfortunately. So, I will ask again. What did you and Fredericus Wreede argue about?'
'He-'
The Council will meet in the next two hours. I need answers.'
'They wanted to expose us... So he trapped us.'
'Wreede swore, under oath, that you attacked his person out of the blue. I have here,' he said and waved three pieces of paper in the air, 'Sworn statements of three witnesses that you were with the slave long after you were posted to the gunpowder room Is this true?'
Willem nodded. 'These are serious charges. Negligence in the execution of your duty. And the slave? You insulted the Commander. Maria is his personal slave.'
'Fornicating with slave women is not a crime. Everybody does it. Why me?'
'You were on duty.'
'I was framed.'
'Ridiculous. Why would anybody frame you?'
'I don't know... maybe to make an example of me...'
'I must know the truth. If not, you will be on the first boat back to Batavia. With a tainted record. Is that what you want?'
When it became obvious to the fiscal that it would take a while to crack the gunner's resolve to remain silent, he abandoned his attempt. 'Willem, I do not have the time nor the inclination for this. I am here out of concern. The charges are serious. Throw away your future. I am done here.' He headed for the door. When he was about to exit the soldier spoke.
'I want to marry Maria...'
The fiscal froze. 'This place... Are your mind affected, soldier?.'
'That is why they- I told them I was going to divorce my wife and marry Maria... They made fun of me and I lost my sanity...'
'And on top of that the arrack took control.'
'They said things... I could not take it...'
'Willem, you are a gunner. You have no station to secure her freedom. You know how these slave marriages work here. No station. No money. Not a freeman. That is you. The slave will remain the Commander's property. Surely you thought about that?'
'If I become a freeman. You said my chances look promising-'
Abraham threw his hands in the air. 'After last night?' He held up his hand containing the statements. 'After this?'
'I will explain what happened. I am prepared to take responsibility-'
Abraham scoffed. 'The Commander's term will come to an end in two year's time. Do you know what happens then?' The gunner mumbled something under his breath. 'Speak up. Do you know what happens then?'
'I will buy her from him.'
'On your soldier's wages? With your record after last night's poor display of duty and character? No. I will spell it out for you. He will sell her at a profit. To the next Commander or anyone who puts in the highest bid for her. That is what happens to your slave when he leaves. Do you understand the situation you are in?'
'I will speak to the Commander.'
'Your actions insulted the Commander. You disgraced his household in public. Do you honestly think he will borrow you his ear?'
'She is not his ox or horse.'
'You are right. His oxen can plough fields. Feed ships. And his horses? That you know. They take our expeditions into the interior. Expand our reach. So, yes. They are worth more than one house slave.'
'I want to marry her and buy her freedom and take her away from here.'
'Forget about her. Fix whatever is broken with your wife in Holland, and I will show mercy at the trial.'
***
Abraham was troubled. He owed his position and rise in station to the Commander. But that indebtedness weighed him down as he pondered on his meeting with the young gunner. The Commander was livid and his demand for the highest possible punishment made no sense. He stared at the sentence he was about to hand down.
'I put to the Council of Justice that the above testimony of François de Coninck, with the surveyor Pieter Potter and the sergeant Jan Danckaert, was heard. It states that on the night of Sunday 22 August 1660, between 10 and 11pm the gunner and trumpeter Willem Cornelisz, and Maria de Costa van Bengal, personal female slave to the Commander, were discovered in each other's arms. They were in a state of undress in the constable's room adjacent to the magazine room, where the Commpany's gunpowder was stored. Willem Cornelisz signed a confession accepting full responsibility for his reckless behaviour while on duty. His immoral conduct and fornication is not on trial today. His negligence as a gunner is. The safety of this Colony depends on diligence, and duty. He was on duty but instead was fornicating with a slave woman. What if there was an attack? He jeopardised the safety of the fort, and the whole Colony. His flagrant disregard of his duty as a soldier, tasked with the safety of the fort's ammunition, must be punished.' He searched the faces of the Council. 'You, too, called for the harshest possible punishment.' He stared at the gunner who sat, eyes downcast, staring at the floor. 'Rise.' When the young constable was on his feet, he proceeded. 'In terms of the Whoredom and Adultery Statute of India I find no grounds to punish you. In terms of your negligence on duty I sentence you to work in the service of the public works of the Company for 50 years. You are also ordered to pay a fine of 100 real.'
He sat down but his sentence elicited a sharp response from some of Colonists who turned up for his sentencing. The young gunner held his head between is hands. His sobs ripped through the room.
'That is not fair,' he wailed. He repeated the sentence over and over.
The fiscal jumped to his feet. 'Order,' he shouted.
'That is a death sentence,' someone shouted.'
Gabemma held his hand in the air and waited for the commotion to die down. 'Willem Cornelisz, you have the right to make representation to the Council of Justice in mitigation of your sentence.
'What?' Asked the gunner. He was confused and disorientated.
'Appeal. It means you can object against your sentence.'
'I can?'
'Yes.'
The next day the Council of Justice was called to hear the appeal. The courtroom was packed. Outside the gates of the fort many burgers had gathered in support of the gunner.
'Upon the appeal of Cornelisz, and upon further evidence I am obliged to take into account that no plakaten were promulgated in this Colony that prohibits carnal communication between men of the Colony and female slaves. Further investigation proved that the slave Maria van Bengal found her way to the room of Willem Cornelisz' by her own volition. The initial sentence is hereby commuted.' He, once again, called on the young soldier to face the court. His face was sullen, his eyes downcast. His shoulders drooped. 'Your matter was reviewed. In line with the relevant Whoredom and Adultery sections of the Statutes of India I fine you 50 realen. 'With regard to the gunner's great light-mindedness in the execution of his duty. Willem Cornelisz, you are dismissed from the service of the VOC with immediate effect.'
Outside the gate of the fort the gunner was cheered as he waited for silence. 'I have been wronged. Framed to make an example of. Fornication and concubinage is widespread. Why now? Why me? It had been rumoured that the Commander is eager to please the church on these matters concerning fornication and the growing number of half breeds in the Colony. I am nobody's scape goat and do not accept my sentence. I will report my case to Batavia upon arrival there and demand that my fine be back for my hard-earned wages had been stolen in the most underhanded way possible.'
Back at the fort Maria packed up the few things she possessed, tied them in a little bundle and left the protection of the Commander's fort for the first time since her arrival at the Cape. Escorted by Catrijn and Angela she made her way to the Coornhoop. Without saying a word, she found a spot among the other slaves housed in the grain shed. It was falling apart, and beyond repair. It was cold, wet and draughty. She remained quiet, unresponsive and withdrawn.
'Here. Ointment for your back.' It was Susanna. She handed Maria the ointment. 'Krotoa sent it.'
Maria stared past the ointment in her outstretched hand. 'Soon those scars on your back will be your only memories of him. Treasure them.' This brought some life to her eyes.
'We loved each other. We were going to...'
'Yes Coast. I understand.'
Maria continued crying. When she was composed she spoke. 'We planned to run away. Together. He had someone. An old friend. He was willing to hide me on a ship to the Netherlands.'
Susanna raised her eyebrows, and smiled. 'That was-'
'Stupid. I know.'
'I was going to say it was daring. And courageous.'
'Catrijn was right. It was stupid to put my life in the hands of a common soldier.'
'You told her about your plans?'
'She was going to help me when the time came.'
'Never give up on hope. That, Coast, was the advice you once gave me. You are young, and beautiful. Look at you. That soldier saw your beauty. There will be others. You will find love again.'
'I doubt it, Susanna. The Commander is leaving. He is going to sell me... to the new Commander... You were right. We cannot rely on our masters... hoping they will do right by us.'
'Once I thought I was clever, until you shared your simple wisdom with me. Do you remember what you told me?'
Maria shook her head. 'It was so long ago.'
'It was four years ago. The year I arrived.' Susanna stroked the side of her face where her ear used to be. 'You looked at me, determined, and said you live in hope, every day of your life, and that it kept you alive. Do you remember that?' When Maria nodded, she continued. 'I did not understand that word then. But after...now I do. If we have nothing to look forward to, if we have no hope... we are dead. There must be hope for us. Our future cannot be this,' she said and pulled her face in disdain at their surroundings. 'Bend over. Let me put ointment on your wounds.'
'I was so close to freedom...So close,' said Maria.
'Freedom escaped you. But you found love,' she said and put the ointment on the raw streaks of the whip.