of complaints from both Catholics and Protestants. Moreover, he left undisturbed the religious activities of both Africans and the indigenous tribes. He reduced taxation and allowed the planters liberal credit. He established local representative governments on which both Portuguese and Dutch residents served. He maintained strict discipline among the soldiers in the garrison. Under Maurits’ rule Recife, which had been chiefly a village at Olinda's port that supported shipping and catered to seamen, was renamed Mauritsstad. Using bridges to nearby islands, Maurits laid out the capital of New Holland and set it on course to become the capital city of Pernambuco that Recife is today. Partly to induce planters to build their own homes in the new city Johan Maurits built two country-seats. He built a dike system to bring in water from the river and in the sandy wasteland, he brought in fertile soil and planted a garden with all kinds of fruit trees from Brazil as well as imported trees. The garden had two thousand coconut palms, which gives an idea of the scale of the plantings. He also brought all kinds of birds, parrots, macaws, wading birds, pheasants, guinea fowl, ducks, swans, and doves beyond counting. He also had animals brought in including tigers, ounces, anteaters, apes, monkeys, tapirs, etc. A final witness to the capabilities of Johan Maurits is found in Southey's description of the completion of the principal bridge (among several bridges) Maurits had built for Recife. "A great work yet remained, to connect Mauritius with Recife by a bridge. The architect went on building stone pillars, until he came to the deepest part, before giving up the attempt in despair. There were many persons who rejoiced at the failure, an outcry was raised against Mauritz, as the projector of an impracticable scheme. He took it into his own hands. In two months it was completed, and the bridge opened." Jews in Dutch Brazil "Relatively few of the Dutch ever learned to speak Portuguese fluently...and there is no recorded instance of an 'Old Christian' Portuguese of Pernambuco having troubled to learn Dutch." Writers of this period explain that Jews in Pernambuco succeeded because they spoke both languages. Despite this essential function hatred of the Jews was the one point on which Dutch Calvinists and the Catholic friars were united. Both complained that Jews congregated publicly, married with Christians, converted Christians, circumcised Christians, employed Christian servants