Hambroeck Anton

Hambroeck Anton a Protestant missionary surnamed the "Dutch Regulus," was born in the early part of the 17th century. He went as missionary to the East Indies, and settled in the island of Formosa, then the most important establishment of the Dutch in the China Sea. He converted a large number of natives, and the mission was prospering, when the celebrated Chinese pirate Coxinga, driven away by the Tartars, landed in Formosa, aid set siege to Tai-Ouan with an army of 25,000 men, April 30, 1661. Hambroeck, his wife, and two of his children, were made prisoners, and the former was sent by Coxinga as envoy to the commander of the town, Frederick Coyet, to advise him to surrender. Instead of this, he advised him to defend the city to the last, and then returned to the camp of Coxinga, notwithstanding the remonstrance's of Coyet, and the prayers of his two daughters, still in Tai- Ouan, saying that he "would not permit heathen to say that the fear of death had induced a Christian to violate his oath." Coxinga, enraged at his courage, caused him to be beheaded on his return (in 1661), together with the other Dutch prisoners, some 500 in number. Coyet was nevertheless obliged to capitulate in Jan. 1662. See Du Bois, Vies des Gouverneuers Hollandais (La Haye, 1763, 4to), p. 210; Recueil des Voyages qui ont servi a Hablissenent et aux progrez de la Compagnie des Indes orientales (Rouen, 1725, 10 vols. 8vo), vol 10; Raynal, Hist, philosophique des deux

Indes (Lond. 1792,17 vols. 8vo) 2, 26, 27; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 23, 217.