21 May 1683
Source:
Collection University of Amsterdam, Geheugen van Nederland
The Suriname Society was established in Amsterdam on 21 May 1683 to develop the new overseas colony of Suriname. The Society sent a varied assembly of goods and people to the colony, including Amsterdam criminals, orphan girls to meet the shortage of marriageable women, horses from Norway, French soldiers and slaves from Angola. Roman Catholics were forbidden in Suriname. According to a correspondent in Suriname, two “popish priests” disguised as soldiers had crossed the Atlantic "to propagate the papacy there". The Society decided to send two additional Protestant ministers to counter this danger.