Dutch Captain: Johan Hendrickszoon van Nijs

Johan Hendrickszoon van Nijs has very little presence in the published literature. Dr. De Boer's book about the campaign omits any mention of him from the index. That is true for Charles Boxer's book, as well, but he does list him in various lists in his book, even though he omits him from the index and supposedly complete list towards the end of his book. The explanation may be that his name was not van Nijs, but Denijs or De Nijs. Hendrick Corneliszoon Denijs is frequently mentioned in the literature about the summer campaign of 1639. He also was mentioned in the Staet van Oorlog the Water for the years 1628 and 1629. Hendrick Corneliszoon Denijs served the Admiralty of Amsterdam. He seems to have commanded a convoyer in the Battle of the Downs. Charles Boxer mentions Commandeur Johan Hendrickszoon van Nijs as being assigned to a squadron with Cornelis Engelen Silvergieter, Captain Waterdrincker, Captain van Dongen, Frans Janszoon, Captain Forant, Captain Regermorter, Captain De Zeeuw, Captain Juynbol, and Captain Melcknap. This appears on page 178. A Commandeur Denijs appears in the margin on page 182, so this may be the same man, with a mangled spelling of the name to account for the other reference. Having seen much handwritten Dutch from the 1620's and 1630's, it is plausible that names would be misspelled and the handwriting difficult to read. As of now, we must assume that the one entry was mangled, and that this is a member of the Denijs family, perhaps actually Hendrick Corneliszoon Denijs. Sources:

1. James C. Bender, unpublished manuscript "Dutch Ships 1600-1700", 2005.
2. Dr. M.G. De Boer, Tromp en de Armada van 1639, 1941.
3. Charles R. Boxer, The Journal of Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp Anno 1639, 1930.