.Paul_Gerritsen

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In her time, the "Prins Willem" was one of the world's finest merchantmen. Built at Middelburg in Zeeland and at approximately 2,000 tons, she was easily the biggest vessel in the Dutch East India Company's (de VOC) fleet, their flagship and their great pride. With her keel laid down in 1649, she was launched on 1 January 1650, and fitted out in time to begin her maiden voyage to Batavia on 5 May 1651. Although constructed by the shipwrights of Zeeland in the south of Holland, "Prins Willem" was built ‑ as were all of de VOC's ships ‑ using the Amsterdam measure; that is to say in multiples of the old Amsterdam foot of 28.31 centimetres, near enough equal to the English foot of twelve inches. By this standard, she was 181 feet from stem to stern, had a full‑bellied depth of 18 feet, and was 45 feet on the beam. She was designed with only two full decks but her generous depth of hold permitted the addition later of a 'cow‑deck' or orlop, laid down above the cargo hold to afford accommodation for the extra fighting men required in times of war. Quite aside from her practical conception, "Prins Willem" was a work of great beauty. Her ornamentation by way of decorative carvings was a marvel in which to delight. The massive, two‑ton figurehead of a pouncing lion was only one of scores of hardwood sculptures which elaborated her stern, rails and beak to enhance her from bowsprit to rudder and this was so despite the fact that the thrifty Dutch burghers did not normally concern themselves with such frivolity. Indeed, so much was paid in wages to the "Prins Willem" wood‑carvers that those who came later to paint the ship were restricted to a total budget of only 160 florins. The artists and painters overcame this parsimony by means of a clever device; unable to afford final gilding, they first painted the figures an ochrous yellow then added a covering of resin mixed with sulphur. In sunshine, or reflecting the light from her two enormous lanterns, the result was an appearance of costly gold and the high stern especially must have looked beautiful.