Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	cause_n	court_n	king_n	3,548	5	4.0704	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47586	An historical relation of the island Ceylon, in the East-Indies together, with an account of the detaining in captivity the author and divers other Englishmen now living there, and of the authors miraculous escape : illustrated with figures, and a map of the island / by Robert Knox.	Knox, Robert, 1640?-1720.	1681 (1681)	Wing K742; ESTC R16598	257,665	227

to the rest of our Country-men and see how they do They reckoning themselves in for their Lives in order to their future settlement were generally disposed to Marry Concerning which we have had many and sundry disputes among our selves as particularly concerning the lawfulness of matching with Heathens and Idolaters and whether the Chingulays Marriages were any better than living in Whoredome there being no Christian Priests to join them together and it being allowed by their Laws to change their Wives and take others as often as they pleased But these ca●es we solved for our own advantage after this manner That we were but Flesh and Blood and that it is said It is better to Marry than to burn and that as far as we could see we were cut off from all Marriages any where else even for our Life time and therefore that we must marry with these or with none at all And when the People in Scripture were forbidden to take Wives of Strangers it was then when they might intermarry with their own People and so no necessity lay upon them And that when they could not there are examples in the Old Testament upon Record that they took Wives of the Daughters of the Lands wherein they dwelt These reasons being urged there was none among us that could object ought against them especially if those that were minded to marry Women here did take them for their Wives during their lives as some of them say they do and most of the Women they marry are such as do profess themselves to be Christians As for mine own part however lawful these Marriages might be yet I judged it far more convenient for me to abstain and that it more redounded to my good having always a reviving hope in me that my God had not forsaken me but according to his gracious promise to the Iews in the xxx Chapter of Deuteronomy and the beginning would turn my Captivity and bring me into the Land of my Fathers These and such like meditations together with my Prayers to God kept me from that unequal Yoke of Unbeleivers which several of my Countrey men and fellow Prisoners put themselves under By this time our People having plyed their Business hard had almost knit themselves out of work and now Caps were become a very dead Commodity which was the chief stay they had heretofore to trust to So that now most of them betook themselves to other employments some to Husbandry Plowing Ground and sowing Rice and keeping Cattle others stilled Rack to sell others went about the Countrey a Trading For that which one part of the Land affords is a good Commodity to carry to another that wants it And thus with the help of a little allowance they make a shift to to subsist Most of their Wives spin Cotton yarn which is a great help to them for cloathing and at spare times also knit After this manner by the blessing of God our Nation hath lived and still doth in as good fashion as any other People or Nation whatsoever that are Strangers here or as any of the Natives themselves only the Grandees and Courtiers excepted This I speak to the Praise and Glory of our God who loves the Stranger in giving him Food and Raiment and that hath been pleased to give us Favour and a good Repute in the sight of our Enemies We cannot complain for want of justice in any wrongs we have sustained by the People or that our cause hath been discountenanced but rather we have been favoured above the Natives themselves One of our men happened to be beaten by his Neighbour At which we were all very much concerned taking it as a reproach to our Nation and fearing it might embolden others to do the like by the rest of us Therefore with joint consent we all concluded to go to the Court to complain and to desire satisfaction from the Adigar Which we did Upon this the man who had beat the English man was summoned in to appear before him Who seeing so many of us there and fearing the cause will go very hard with him to make the Iudg his friend gave him a bribe He having received it would have shifted off the Punishment of the Malefactor But we day after day followed him from house to Court and from place to place where-ever he went demanding Iustice and Satisfaction for the wrong we received shewing the black and blew blows upon the English mans shoulders to all the rest of the Noble men at Court He fearing therefore lest the King might be made acquainted herewith was forced tho much against his will to clap the Chingulay in Chains In which condition after he got him he released him not till besides the former fee he had given him another Lately was Richard Varnham taken into the Kings service and held as Honourable an employment as ever any Christian had in my time being Commander of Nine Hundred and Seventy Soldiers and ●et over all the great Guns and besides this several Towns were under him A place of no less Profit than Honour The King gave him an excellent Silver Sword and Halberd the like to which the King never gave to any White man in my time But he had the good luck to die a natural Death For had not that prevented in all probability he should have followed the two English men that served him spoken of before Some years since some of our Nation took up Arms under the King Which happened upon this occasion The Hollanders had a small Fort in the Kings Countrey called Bibligom Fort. This the King minded to take and demolish sent his Army to beseige it But being pretty strong for there were about Ninety Dutch men in it besides a good number of Black Soldiers and four Guns on each point one being in this condition it held out Some of the great men informed the King of several Dutch runnaways in his Land that might be trusted not daring to turn again for fear of the Gallows who might help to reduce the Fort. And that also there were white men of other Nations that had Wives and Children from whom they would not run and these might do him good service Unto this advice the King inclined Whereupon the King made a Declaration to invite the forrain Nations into his Service against Bibligom Fort that he would compel none but such as were willing of their own free accord the King would take it kindly and they should be well rewarded Now th●re entred into the Kings Service upon this Expedition some of all Nations both Portugueze Dutch and English about the number o● Thirty To all that took Arms he gave to the value of Twenty shillings in money and three pieces of Callico for Cloaths and commanded them to wear Breeches Hats and Doublets a great honour there The King intended a Dutch-man who had been an old Servant to him to be Captain over them all But the Portugueze

disused the Sea but it proved otherwise and we were not in the least stirred CHAP. XII Their Arrival at Columbo and entertainment there Their departure thence to Batavia And from thence to Bantam Whence they set Sail for England BEing arrived safely at Columbo before the Ship came to an Anchor there came a Barge on board to carry the Comman●er ashore But being late in the evening and my Consort sick of an Ague and Fevor we thought it better for us to stay until Morning to have a day before us The next morning we bid the Skipper farewel and went ashore in the first Boat going strait to the Court of Guard where all the Soldiers came staring upon us wondring to see White-men in Chingulay Habit. We asked them if there were no English-men among them they told us There were none but that in the City there were several A Trumpetter being hard by who had formerly sailed in English Ships hearing of us came and invited us to his Chamber and entertained my Consort being sick of his Ague in his own Bed This strange news of our arrival from Cande was presently spread all about the City and all the English men that were there immediatly come to bid us welcome out of our long Captivity With whom we consulted how to come to speech of the Governour Upon which one of them went and and acquainted the Captain of the Guard of our being on shore Which the Captain understanding went and informed the Governour thereof Who sent us answer that to morrow we should come before him After my Consort 's Fit was over our Countreymen and their Friends invited us abroad to walk and see the City We being barefoot and in the Chingulay Habit with great long Beards the People much wondred at us and came flocking to see who and what we were so that we had a great Train of People about us as we walked in the Streets After we had walked to and fro and had seen the City they carried us to their Land-Ladies House where we were kindly treated both with Victuals and Drink and returned to the Trumpetter's Chamber as he had desired us when we went out In the Evening came a Boy from the Governor's House to tell us that the Governor invited us to come to Supper at his House But we having Dined late with our Countreymen and their Friends had no room to receive the Governor's Kindness and so Lodged that Night at the Trumpetters The next Morning the Governor whose Name was Ricklof Van Gons Son of Ricklof Van Gons ● General of Batavia sent for us to his House Whom we found standing in a large and stately Room paved with black and white Stones and only the Commander who brought us from Manaar standing by him who was to succeed him in the Government of that place On the further side of the Room stood three of the chief Captains bare-headed First He bid us welcom out of our long Captivity and told us That we were free men and that he should have been glad if he could have been an Instrument to redeem us sooner having endeavoured as much for us as for his own People For all which we thanked him heartily telling him We knew it to be true The Governor perceiving I could speak the Portugueze Tongue began to inquire concerning the Affairs of the King and Countrey very particularly and oftentimes asked about such Matters as he himself knew better than I. To all his Questions my too much Experience inabled me to give a satisfactory Reply Some of the most remarkable matters he demanded of me were these First They inquired much about the reason and intent of our coming to Cuttiar To which I answered them at large Then they asked If the King of Cande had any Issue I told them As report went he had none And Who were the greatest in the Realm next to him I answered There were none of Renown left the King had destroyed them all How the hearts of the People stood affected I answered Much against their King He being so cruel If we had never been brought into his presence I told them No nor had ever had a near ●ight of him What strength he had for War I answered Not well able to assault them by reason the hearts of his People were not true to him But that the strength of his Countrey consisted in Mountains and Woods as much as in the People What Army he could raise upon occasion I answered I knew not well but as I thought about Thirty Thousand men Why he would not make Peace with them they so much sueing for it and sending Presents to please him I answered I was not one of his Council and knew not his meaning But they demanded of me What I thought might be the reason or occasion of it I answered Living securely in the Mountains he feareth none and for Traffick he regardeth it not Which way was best and most secure to send Spyes or Intelligence to Cande I told them By the way that goeth to Iafniputtan and by some of that Countrey People who have great correspondence with the People of Neurecaulava one of the King's Countries What I thought would become of that Land after this King's Decease I told them I thought He having no Issue it might fall into their hands How many English men had served the King and what became of them which I gave them an account of Whether I had any Acquaintance or Discourse with the great Men at Court I answered That I was too small to have any Friendship or Intimacy or hold Discourse with them How the common People used to talk concerning them I answered They used much to commend their Iustice and good Government in the Territories and over the People belonging unto them Whether the King did take Counsel of any or rule and act only by his own will and pleasure I answered I was a Stranger at Court and how could I know that But they asked further What was my Opinion I replied He is so great that there is none great enough to give him counsel Concerning the French If the King knew not of their coming before they came I ansvvered I thought not because their coming seemed strange and wonderful unto the People How they had proceeded in treating with the King I ansvvered as shall be related hereafter vvhen I come to speak of the French detained in this Land If I knew any way or means to be used whereby the Prisoners in Cande might be set free I told them Means I knew none unless they could do it by War Also they enquired about the manner of Executing those whom the King commands to be put to Death They enquired also very curiously concerning the manner of our Surprizal and Entertainment or Usage among them And in what parts of the Land we had our Residence And particularly concerning my self in what Parts of the Land and how long in

granted his desire and withall sent to both of them rich Apparel and to her many Iewels and Bracelets of Gold and Silver Suddainly after there was a great House prepared from them in the City furnished with all kind of furniture out of the Kings Treasure and at his proper cost and charges Which being finished he was brought away from his Mountain into it B●t from thence forward never saw his Wife more according to the custom of Court. And he was entertained in the Kings Service and made Courtalbad which is cheif over all the Smiths and Carpenters in Cande Vda Some short time after the King about to send his Forces against a Fort of the Hollanders called Arundery built by them in the year MDCLXVI He tho in the Kings service yet being a well wisher to his Countrey had privatly sent a Letter of advice to the Dutch concerning the Kings intention and purpose an Answer to which was intercepted and brought to the King wherein thanks was returned him from the Dutch for his Loyalty to his own Nation and ●h●t they would accordingly prepare for the Kings assault The King having this Letter sent for him and bad him read it which he excused pretending it was so written that he could not Whereupon immediatly another Dutchman was sent for who read it before the King and told him the Contents of it At which it is reported the King should say Beia pas mettandi hitta pas ettandi That is He serves me for fear and them for love or his fear is here and his love is there And forth with commanded to carry him forth to Execution which was accordingly done upon him T is generally said that this Letter was framed by somebody on purpose to ruine him The next Ambassador after him was Hendrick Draak a fine Gentleman and good friend of the English This was he who was Commissioned in the year MDCLXIV to intercede with the King on the behalf of the English that they might have liberty to go home and with him they were made to beleive they should return which happened at the same time that Sir Edward Winter sent his Letters to the King for us VVhich I have already spoke of in the fifth Chapter of this Part. This Embassador was much in the Kings favour with whom he was detained till he died And then the King sent his Body down to Columbo carried in a Pallenkine with great State and Lamention and accompanied with his great Commanders and many Soldiers Sometime after the loss of the Fort of Arrundery which was about the year MDCLXX the Dutch sent up another Embassador to see if he could obtain a Peace which was the first time their Embassadors began to bring up Letters upon their heads in token of extraordinary reverence This man was much favoured by the King and was entertained with great Ceremony and Honour cloathing him in Chingulay Habit Which I never knew done before nor since But being weary of his long stay and of the delays that were made having often made motions to go down and still he was deferred from day to day at length he made a resolution that if he had not leave by such a day he would go without it saying that the former Embassador who died there died like a Woman but it should bo seen that he would die like a man At the appointed day he girt on his Sword and repaired to the Gates of the Kings Palace pulling off his Hat and making his obeysance as if the King were present before him and thanking him for the Favours and Honours he had done him and so took his leave And there being some Englishmen present he generously gave them some money to drink his Health and in this resolute manner departed with some two or three Black-servants that attended on him The upshot of which was that the King not being willing to prevent his resolution by Violence sent one of his Noblemen to conduct him down and so he had the good fortune to get home safely to Columbo The next Ambassador after him was Iohn Baptista A Man of a milder Spirit than the former endeavouring to please and shew compliance with the King He obtained many Favours of the King and several Slaves both Men and Women And living well with Servants about him is the more patient in waiting the King's leisure till he pleaseth to send him home The last Embassador that came up while I was there brought up a Lion which the Dutch thought would be the most acceptable Present that they could send to the King as indeed did all others It was but a Whelp But the King did never receive it supposing it not so famous as he had heard by Report Lions were This Man with his Lion was brought up and kept in the County of Oudapollat near Twenty Miles from the King's Court. Where he remained about a year in which time the Lion died The Embassador being weary of living thus like a Prisoner with a Guard always upon him often attempted to go back seeing the King would not permit him Audience But the Guards would not let him Having divers times made disturbances in this manner to get away home the King commanded to bring him up into the City to an House that was prepared for him standing some distance from the Court Where having waited many days and seeing no sign of Audience he resolved to make his Appearance before the King by force which he attempted to do when the King was abroad taking his Pleasure The Soldiers of his Guard immediately ran and acquainted the Noblemen at Court of his coming who delayed not to acquaint the King thereof Whereupon the King gave Order forthwith to meet him and where they met him in that same place to stop him till further order And there they kept him not letting him go either forward or backward In this manner and place he remained for three days till the King sent Order that he might return to his House whence he came This the King did to tame him But afterwards he was pleased to call him before him And there he remained when I left the Countrey maintained with Plenty of Provisions at the King's charge The number of Dutch now living there may be about Fifty or Sixty Some whereof are Ambassadors some Prisoners of War some Runaways and Malefactors that have escaped the hand of Iustice and got away from the Dutch Quarters To all whom are allotted respective allowances but the Runaways have the least the King not loving such tho giving them entertainment The Dutch here love Drink and practise their proper Vice in this Countrey One who was a great Man in the Court would sometimes come into the King's Presence half disguised with Drink which the King often past over but once asked him Why do you thus disorder your self that when I send for you about my Business you are not in a capacity to serve me He