Prints

A scarce view of the city of Manila taken from the Bay. The view shows Intramuros, Cavite and churches then existing in the countryside around Manila at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

Francois Valentyn {1666 - 1727} was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church who served with the Dutch East India Company. He lived for many years on Java and Amboina. He was born in Dordrecht in April 1666. After studying theology he made two journeys to the East Indies. He was Calvinist minister on Amboina 1686 - 1694. From 1695 - 1705 he returned to the Netherlands. On his second voyage he travelled to Java in 1706. He returned to Amboina 1707 - 1713. In preparation of his Oud en Nieuw Oost Indien Valentyn was given priveleged access to the secret archives of the Dutch East India Company which allowed him to recount transcripts and copies of earlier 17th century Dutch voyages, accounts, charts and engravings.