News
France's "Domestic Troubles" Have Ended?
The French Crown's staggering debts and a desire to avoid further civil unrest has led the Crown and the Protestant rebels to negotiate the Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Prince William of Orange negotiated the truce on behalf of the Huguenots in the hopes it would stabilize the fighting near his Southern border. The Crown agreed to grant the Rebels control of Calais, Roubiax, and Dunkirk. Oh, and the intervening countryside between them. In return, the Huguenots agreed to submit to the French Crown, take a loan from the Dutch to cover the Crown's costs in fighting their Rebellion, and cease all hostilities. Prince William of Orange also agreed to not support the Huguenots should they rebel in the future.
The fact it left the Dutch Republic with a semi-autonomous buffer of sympathetic Frenchmen to shield his Southern Border was not lost on the Great Powers of Europe. Or that the threat of Dutch annexation was what truly secured the peace.
The Marian Civil War Draws To A Close?
Regent Moray of the King's Men was assassinated by the Hamiltons in May. By June, Queen Elizabeth's Yorkshire Army had taken Glasgow Castle and now marches on Edinburgh to finish off Queen Mary's last army in Scotland. The open support of the English Crown for King James VI should bring a swift and decisive end to the war in favor of Protestantism. It is even said that King James VI has agreed to marry Queen Elizabeth despite the fact they are practically cousins. Scandalous.
Spain, the Ever Victorious, has conquered the East Indies
With their attempts to conquer the Americas at an impasse, the Spanish have turned to the East Indies and their Pacific interests. It is feared if their conquests should continue unchecked, they will dominate the China/Japan/East Indies trade in a few short years as both the Dutch East India and British East India companies have barely managed a profit. Rumors have begun to circulate that Prince William intends to mandate a crash ship building program and conscript sailors to crew the new warships. Another War with Spain?
Sir Marcus Crowley has Enemies
A known pirate attacked Sir Marcus Crowley while he was on his way to Church last Sunday. The assassin scored a small cut along his right cheek but Sir Marcus's bodyguard dispatched the man before further damage was done. Unfortunately, no evidence who hired the assassin was found other than a few pieces of eight. Spanish coin was too common to be traced in any reliable manner.
It is rumored Sir Marcus Crowley's dispute with Ms. Thorne may be the cause. Sir Marcus has been an outspoken opponent of the Orange and the past Governor. He is well known for his charity towards Protestant causes and the Church. Such piety is certainly the mark of an honest man.
Crime cannot pay in Williamsburg, Governor! You must take action against Ms. Thorne!
It should be noted the local newspaper might have a Republican bias.
Rumors
New Governor, Old Problems
The taxes are too damn high. The Spanish disrupt trade. Graft and illegal exchanges of goods happen in the Williamsburg every day. Is the new Governor going to end up as corrupt as the old one? Opium Dens, pirated booty, smuggled slaves to fill the brothels, and magical tools the Church calls "Witchcraft" are just some of the items being sold in the black market. The truth is the "Orange" faction of Williamsburg is responsible for this particular mess despite their protests of innocence. The new Governor had best clean house if he expects people to have faith in him.
Brazen Criminals!
Shakedowns and demands of protection money have grown a little too common as "privateers" push honest merchants to accept clipped coins in returns for goods. Few merchants speak of such things for fear of reprisal and the fact it opens them up to extortion by more "privateers". The previous Governor tolerated this behavior for payments in female slaves and Rum. An honest Governor must punish this filth.
Summer Nuptials
Father Audrey has married several couples this Summer. However, only one was truly noteworthy. Sarah Crowley, daughter of Sir Marcus, and the most eligible woman on the island appeared to have gained a little weight when she hastily married a "privateer's" quartermaster. A truly scandalous wedding for such a lovely young woman. Perhaps it was true love and Sir Marcus simply indulged his only daughter? He had always been soft on the girl.
Rumors have begun to percolate that Sarah ran away with the man to escape her father's lecherous grip, but honestly, Sir Marcus could have easily convinced his friend not to marry the pair if that was the case. Sir Marcus was far too pious a man to engage in an illicit affair with his own daughter!
The other rumor was that Sir Marcus had need of reliable "privateer's" to protect a very valuable cargo he intended to sell to England. The man did sometimes deal in rare magical goods and the occasional ransom. But honestly, who didn't in a region filled with privateers and "privateers"? The ransom of the occasional nobleman's daughter by an honest intermediary was generally the desired outcome when your daughter was captured by pirates. Better that than her being kept as the ship's whore, eh?
Father Audrey, the Decider?
The Republicans and Sir Marcus had always had a strong bond as well as common interests. They both wanted to defend Capitalism, the Republic, and Protestantism from the sort of centralized power that had led to the Rebellion. The misrule and abuses of the Spanish King and their Pope. One man with the power to dictate a man's secular and religious life from a thousand miles away was the sort of thing these men loathed. They both felt Prince William, or a future successor, posed a similar kind of danger.
Ms. Thorne and the common men of the Dutch Colony supported Prince William as a matter of course. He had granted them the opportunities that had led them to this place. While other colonies relied on slave labor, Prince William's decision to frown on that sort of thing had guaranteed employment for every commoner in the Colony. In fact, there was demand for thousands more to work the sugar plantations and distill sugar cane. Prince William favored light rule with few demands beyond his taxes. What was not to love? Every Government taxed. Most Governments lacked William's light touch on everything else.
Father Audrey and the most devout subjects of the island seemed to hold the deciding votes in every situation. His friendship with Sir Marcus might sway him one way, but the Church traditionally backed Prince William as long as Prince William left them alone. Regardless, the deciding vote was frequently in Father Audrey's hands.
