 On returning to his home country he first went back to his city of birth Middelburg , before starting a career as a local administrator in Zeelandic Flanders , and settling in Hulst shortly after the town had been wrested from the Spanish in 1645 . He eventually rose to be three times mayor of <unk> <unk> and twice mayor of Hulst . Thanks to powerful allies in the Middelburg chamber of the VOC he was able to successfully appeal for the cancellation of the fines placed on him , and the money was returned . In 1640 he married Anna van Driel , who died that same year while giving birth to Nuyts ' third son , also called Pieter . In 1649 he married his third ( or perhaps fourth ) and final wife , Agnes Granier , who was to outlive him . 
