Tattanour bravely situate for all conveniences excellently well watered The Kings Palace stands on the East corner of the City as is customary in this Land for the Kings Palaces to stand This City is three-square like a Triangle but no artificial strength about it unless on the South side which is the easiest and openest way to it they have long since cast up a Bank of Earth cross the Valley from one Hill to the other which nevertheless is not so steep but that a man may easily go over it any where It may be some twenty foot in height In every Way to come to this City about two or three miles off from it are Thorn-Gates and Watches to examine all that go and come It is environed round with Hills The great River coming down from Adams Peak runs within less than a mile of it on the West side It has oftentimes been burnt by the Portuguez in their former Invasions of this Island together with the Kings Palace and the Temples Insomuch that the King has been fain to pay them a Tribute of three Elephants per annum The King left this City about Twenty Years ago and never since has come at it So that it is now quite gone to decay A second City is Nellemby-neur lying in Oudipollat South of Cande some Twelve miles distance Unto this the King retired and here kept his Court when he forsook Candy Thirdly The City Allout-neur on the North East of Cande Here this King was bornâ— here also he keeps great store of Corn and Salt c. against time of War or Trouble This is Situate in the Countrey of Bintan which Land I have never been at but have taken a view of from the top of a Mountain it seems to be smooth Land and not much hilly the great River runneth through the midst of it It is all over covered with mighty Woods and abundance of Deer But much subject to dry Weather and Sickness In these Woods is a sort of Wild People Inhabiting whom we shall speak of in their place Fourthly Badoula Eastward from Cande some two dayes Iourney the second City in this Land The Portugals in time of War burnt it down to the ground The Palace here is quite ruined the Pagodas onely remain in good repair This City stands in the Kingdom or Province of Ouvah which is a Countrey well watered the Land not smooth neither the Hills very high wood very scarce but what they plant about their Houses But great plenty of Cattle their Land void of wood being the more apt for grazing If theâ—e Cattle be carried to any other Parts in this Island they will commonly dye the reason whereof no man can tell onely they conjecture it is occasioned by a kind of small Tree or Shrub that grows in all Countreys but in Ouvah the Touch or Scent of which may be Poyson to the Ouvah Cattel though it is not so to other The Tree hath a pretty Physical smell like an Apothecaries Shop but no sort of Cattle will eat it In this Cuontry grows the best Tobacco that is on this Land Rice is more plenty here then most other things The fifth City is Digligy-neur towards the East of Cande lying in the Country of Hevahatt Where the King ever since he was routed from Nellemby in the Rebellion Anno 1664. hath held his Court. The scituation of this place is very Rocky and Mountainous the Lands Barren So that hardly a worse place could be found out in the whole Island Yet the King chose it partly because it lyes about the middle of his Kingdom but chiefly for his safety having the great Mountain Gauluda behind his Palace unto which he fled for Safety in the Rebellion being not only high but on the top of it lye three Towns and Corn Fields whence he may have necessary supplies and it is so fenced with steep Cliffs Rocks and Woods that a few men here will be able to defend themselves against a great Army There are besides these already mentioned several other ruinous places that do still retain the name of Cities where Kings have Reigned tho now little Foot-steps remaining of them At the North end of this Kings Dominions is one of these Ruinous Cities called Anurodgburro where they say Ninety Kings have Reigned the Spirits of whom they hold now to be Saints in Glory having merited it by making Pagoda's and Stone Pillars and Images to the honour of their Gods whereof there are many yet remaining which the Chingulayes count very meritorious to worship and the next way to Heaven Near by is a River by which we came when we made our escape all along which is abundance of hewed stones some long for Pillars some broad for paving Over this River there have been three Stone Bridges built upon Stone Pillars but now are fallen down and the Countrey all desolate without Inhabitants At this City of Anurodgburro is a Watch kept beyond which are no more people that yield obedience to the King of Candy This place is above Ninety miles to the Northward of the City of Candy In these Northern Parts there are no Hills nor but two or three Springs of running water so that their Corn ripeneth with the help of Rain There is a Port in the Countrey of Portaloon lying on the West side of this Island whence part of the Kings Countrey is supplyed with Salt and Fish where they have some small Trade with the Dutch who have a Fort upon the Point to prevent Boats from coming But the Eastern Parts being too far and Hilly to drive Cattel thither for Salt Gods Providence hath provided them a place on the East side nearer them which in their Language they call Leawava Where the Eastwardly Winds blowing the Sea beats in and in Westwardly Winds being then fair weather there it becomes Salt and that in such abundance that they have as much as they please to fetch This Place of Leawava is so contrived by the Providence of the Almighty Creator that neither the Portuguez nor Dutch in all the time of their Wars could ever prevent this People from having the benefit of this Salt which is the principal thing that they esteem in time of Trouble or War and most of them do keep by them a store of Salt against such times It is as I have heard environed with Hills on the Land side and by Sea not convenient for Ships to ride and very sickly which they do impute to the power of a great God who dwelleth near by in a Town they call Cotteragâ—m standing in the Road to whom all that go to fetch Salt both small and great must give an Offering The Name and Power of this God striketh such terror into the Chingulayes that those who otherwise are Enemies to this King and have served both Portuguez and Dutch against him yet would never assist either to make Invasions
a small Profession as perceiving that there is a greater God than those that they thro long custom have and do Worship And therefore when an Impostor a Bastard Moor by Nation born in that Land came and publickly set up a new nameless God as he styled him and that he was sent to destroy the Temples of their Gods the King opposed it not for a good while as waiting to see which of these Gods would prevail until he saw that he aimed to make himself King then he allowed of him no longer as I shall shew more at large hereafter when I come to speak of the Religion of the Countrey The Christian Religion he doth not in the least persecute or dislike but rather as it seems to me esteems and honours it As a sign of which take this passage When his Sister died for whom he had a very dear Affection there was a very grievous Mourning and Lamentation made for her throughout the whole Nation all Mirth and Feasting laid aside and all possible signs of sorrow exprest and in all probability it was as much as their lives were worth who should at this time do any thing that might look like joy This was about Christmas The Dutch did notwithstanding adventure to keep their Christmas by Feasting The News of this was brought to the King And every body reckoned it would go hard with the Dutch for doing this But because it was done at a Festival of their Religion the King past it by and took no notice of it The Value also that he has for the Christian Religion will appear from the respect he gives the Professors of it as will be seen afterwards CHAP. III. Of the King's Tyrannical Reign WEE have all this while considered this King with respect unto his Person Temper and Inclinations now we will speak of him with more immediate respect unto his Office and Government as he is a King And here we will discourse of the manner of his Government of his Treasure and Revenues of his Great Officers and lastly of his Strength and Wars As to the manner of his Government it is Tyrannical and Arbitrary in the highest dâ—gree For he ruleth Absolute and after his own Will and Pleasure his own Head being his only Counsellor The Land all at his Disposal and all the People from the highest to the lowest Slaves or very lâ—kâ— Slaves both in Body and Goods wholly at his Command Neither wants He those three Virtues of a Tyrant Iealousie Dissimulation and Cruelty But because Policy is a necessary endowment of a Prince I will first shew in an instance or two that he is not devoid of it The Countrey being wholly His the King Farms out his Land not for Money but Service And the People enjoy Portions of Land from the King and instead of Rent they have their several appointmentsâ— some are to serve the King in his Wars some in their Trades somâ—â—erve him for Labourers and others are as Farmers to furnish his House with the Fruits of the Ground and so all things are done without Cost and every man paid for his pains that is they have Lands for it yet all have not watered Land enough for their needs that is such Land as good Rice requires to grow in so that such are fain to sow on dry Land and Till other mens Fields for a subsistence These Persons are free â—rom payment of Taxes only sometimes upon extraordinary occasions they must give an Hen or Mat or such like to the King's use for as much as they uâ—e the Wood and Water that is in his Countrey But if any find the Duty to be heavy or too much for them they may leaving their House and Land be free from the King's Service as there is a Multitude do And in my judgment they live far more at ease after they have relinquished the King's Land than when they had it Many Towns are in the King's hand the Inhabitants whereof are to Till and Manure a quantity of the Land according to their Ability and lay up the Corn for the King's use These Towns the King often bestows upon some of his Nobles for their Encouragement and Maintenance with all the fruits and benefits that before came to the King from them In each of these Towns there is a Smith to make and mend the Tools of them to whom the King hath granted them and a Potter to fit them with Earthen Ware and a Washer to wash their Cloaths and other men to supply what there is need of And each one of these haâ—h a piece of Land for this their Service whether it be to the King or the Lord but what they do for the other People they are paid for Thus all that have any Place or Employment under the King are paid without any Charge to the King His great Endeavour is to Secure himself from Plots and Conspiracies of his People who are sorely weary of his tyrannical Government over them and do oâ—ten Plot to make away with him but by his subtilty and good fortune together he prevents them And for this purpose he is very Vigilant in the Night the noise of Trumpets and Drums which he appoints at every Watch hinders both himself and all others from sleeping In the Night also he commonly does most of his Business calling Embassadors before him and reading the Letters also displacing some of his Courtiers and promoting others and giving Sentence to execute those whom he would have to live no longer and many times Commands to lay hold on and carry away great and Noble men who until that instant knew not that they were out of his favour His Policy is to make his Countrey as intricate and difficult to Travel as may be and therefore forbids the Woods to be felled especially those that divide Province from Province and permits no Bridges to be made over his Rivers nor the Paths to be made wider He often employs his People in vast works and that will require years to finish that he may inure them to Slavery and prevent them from Plotting against him as haply they might do if they were at better leisure Therefore he approves not that his People should be idle but always finds one thing or other to be done tho the work be to little or no purpose According to the quantity of the work so he will appoint the People of one County or of two to come in and the Governor of the said County or Counties to be Overseer of the Work At such times the Soldiers must lay by their Swords and work among the People These works are either digging down Hills and carrying the Earth to fill up Valleys thus to enlarge his Court which standeth between two Hills a more uneven and unhandsom spot of ground he could not well have found in all his Kingdom or else making ways for the Water to run into the Pond and elsewhere for his use
Boar. CHAP. VII Of their Birds Fish Serpents and Commodities THeir Birds Such as will be taught to speak Such as are beautiful for Colour A strange Bird. Water-Fowls resembling Ducks and Swans Peacocks The King keeps Fowl Their Fish How they catch them in Ponds And how in Rivers Fish kept and fed for the King's Pleasure Serpents The Pimberah of a prodigious bigness The Polonga The Noya The Fable of the Noya and Polonga â— The Carowala Gerendo Hickanella Democulo a great Spider Kobbera-guson a Creature like an Aligator Tolla-guion The people eat Rats Precoius Stones Minerals and other Commodities The People discouraged from Industry by the Tyranny they are under PART II. CHAP. I. Of the present King of Cande THE Government of this Island The King's Lineage His Person Meen and Habit. His Queen and Children His Palace Situation and Description of itâ— Strong Guards about his Court Negro's Watch next his Person Spies sent out a Nights His Attendants Handsome Women belong to his Kitchin His Women And the Privileges of the Towns where they live His State when he walks in his Palace or goes abroad His reception of Ambassadors His delight in them CHAP. II. Concerning the Kings Manners Vices Recreation Religion SPare in his Diet. After what manner he eats Chast himself and requires his Attendants to be so He committed Incest but such as was allowable His Pride How the People address to the King They give him Divine Worship Pleased with high Titles An instance or two of the King 's haughty Stomach He slights the defection of one of his best Generals He scorns to receive his own Revenues The Dutch serve their ends upon his Pride by flattering him The People give the way to the Kings foul Cloths His natural Abilities and deceitful temper His wise saying concerning Run-awayes He is naturally Cruel The Dogs follow Prisoners to Execution The Kings Prisoners their Misery He punisheth whole Generations for the sake of one The sad condition of young Gentlemen that wait on his Person His Pleasure-houses Pastimes abroad His Diversions at home His Religion He stands affected to the Christian Religion CHAP. III. Of the King's Tyrannical Reign HIS Government Tyrannical His Policy He farms out his Countrey for Service His Policy to secure himself against Assassinations and Rebellions Another Point of his Policy Another which is to find his People work to do A Vast work undertaken and finished by the King viz. Bringing Water divers Miles thro Rocks Mountains and Valleys unto his Palace The turning this Water did great injury to the People But he little regards his Peoples Good By craft at once both pleaseth and punisheth his People In what Labours he employs his People He Poisons his only Son The extraordinary Lamentation at the Death of his Sister His Craft and Cruelty shewn at once CHAP. IV. Of his Revenues and Treasure THe King's Rents brought three times in a year The first is accompanied with a great Festival How the Nobles bring their Gifts or Duties Inferior Persons present their New-years Gifts What Taxes and Rents the People pay The accidental incoms of the Crown The Profits that accrue to the King from corn-Corn-Lands Custom of Goods Imported formerly paid His Treasuries He has many Elephants Great Treasures thrown into the River formerly The Treasure he most valueth CHAP. V. Of the King's great Officers and the Governors of the Provinces THe two Greatest Officers in the Land The next Great Officers None can put to Death but the King Theso Dissauvas are Durante bene placito Whom the King makes Dissauvas And their Profits and Honours Other benefits belonging to other Officers They must always reside at Court The Officers under them viz. The Cour-lividani The Cong-conna The Courli-atchila The Liannah The Vndia The Monannah Some Towns exempt from the Dissauvas Officers Other Officers yet These Places obtained by Bribes But remain only during pleasure Country Courts They may appeal Appeals to the King How the Great Officers Travel upon Public Business Their Titles and signs of State The misery that succeeds their Honour The foolish ambition of the Men and Women of this Country CHAP. VI. Of the King's Strength and Wars THe King 's Military affairs The natural strength of his Countrey Watches and Thorn-gates None to pass from the King's City without Pasports His Soldiery All men of Arms wait at Court The Soldiers have Lands allotted them insted of Pay To prevent the Soldiers from Plotting The manner of sending them out on Expeditions Requires all the Captains singly to send him intelligence of their affairs When the War is finished they may not return without order The condition of the Common Soldiers He conceals his purpose when he sends out his Army Great Exploits done and but little Courage They work chiefly by Stratagems They understand the manner of Christian Armies Seldom hazard a Battel If they prove unsuccessful how he punishes them CHAP. VII A Relation of the Rebellion made against the King A Comet ushereth in the Rebellion The Intent of the Conspirators How the Rebellion began The King flyes They pursue him faintly They go to the Prince and Proclaim him King The carriage of the Prince Upon the Prince's flight the Rebels scatter and run A great Man declares for the King For the space of eight or ten days nothing but Killing one another to approve themselves good Subjects The King Poysons his Son to prevent a Rebellion hereafter His ingratitude Another Comet but without any bad Effects following it PART III. CHAP. I. Concerning the Inhabitants of this Island THe several Inhabitants of the Island The Original of the Chingulays Wild Men. Who pay an acknowledgement to the King How they bespeak Arrows to be made them They rob the Carriers Hourly wild Men Trade with the People Once made to serve the King in his War Their Habit and Religion A skirmish about their Bounds Curious in their Arrows How they preserve their Flesh. How they take Elephants The Dowries they give Their disposition The Inhabitants of the Mountains differ from those of the Low-Lands Their good opinion of Virtue tho they practice it not Superstitions How they Travel A brief character of them The Women their habit and nature CHAP. II. Concerning their different Honours Ranks and Qualities HOw they distinguish themselves according to their Qualities They never Marry beneath their rank In case a Man lyes with a Woman of inferior rank Their Noble men How distinguished from others The distinction by Caps Of the Hondrews or Noble men two sorts An Honour like unto Knighthood Goldsmiths Blacksmiths Carpenters and Painters The Privilege and State of the Smiths Craftsmen Barbers Potters Washers Iaggory-makers The Poddah Weavors Basket-makers Mat-makers The lower ranks may not assume the habit or names of the higher Slaves Beggers The reason the Beggers became so base and mean a People They live well Their Contest with the Weavors about dead Cows Incest common among them A Punishment to deliver
punish them not to work and be well maintained and so commanded to take away their Sizzars and Needles â—rom them Yet this lasted not long for afterwards they fell to their work again Those that have been long there are permitted to build little Shops on the Street side against the Prison and to come out in the day time and sell their work as they make it but in the Night time are shut up again When the Streets are to be swept about the Palace they make the Prisoners come out in their Chains and do it And after all their Imprisonment without any examination they are carried forth and executed and these not only the common sort but even the greatest and most nobly descended in the Land For with whom he is displeased he maketh no difference Nor is his wrath appeased by the Execution of the Malefactor but oftentimes he punisheth all his Generation it may be kills them alltogether or gives them all away for Slaves One Impaled on a Stake Thus he often deals with those whose Children are his Attendants I mentioned before that young Men of the best Families in the Land are sought out to wait upon the King in his Court These after they have served here some small time and have as it were but seen the Court and known his Customs and Manners he requiteth them by cutting off their Heads and putting them into their Bellies other faults none do know Heretofore as it is reported he was not so Cruel but now none escapes that serves in his Palace Then he recruits his Slain out of the Countries by giving Orders to his Dissava's or Governors to send him others to Court Whither they go like an Ox to the Slaughter but with far more heavy hearts For both they and their Parents full well know what end the King 's honorable Service will bring them to Howbeit there is no remedy Being thus by Order sent unto the Court their own Parents must provide for and maintain them until the King is pleased to call them to his Use which it may be will not be in some years Sometimes it happens that the Boys thus brought before the King makes use of them about his Person are grown too big and so escape But those that are employed in the Palace enjoy this favour That all such Taxes Customs or other Duties belonging to the King which their Fathers were wont to pay are released until such time as they are discharged from the King's Employment which is always either by Execution or by being given to somebody for perpetual Bondmen During the time of the King's favour he is never admitted to go home to Visit his Parents and Friends The Malekind may come to see him but no Women are admitted be it his Mother that bare him And after he is killed tho' for what no man knows he is accounted a Rebel and Traitor against the King and then his Father's House Land and Estate is seized on for the King Which after some time by giving of Fees and Giâ—ts to the great ones they do redeem again And sometimes the whole Family and Generation perish as I said before So that after a Lad is taken into the King's Palace his Kindred are afraid to acknowledge Alliance to him But these matters may more properly be related when we come to speak of his Tyranny Sometimes for his Pleasure he will ride or be carried to his Banquetting-House which is about a Musquet-shot from his Palace It stands on a little Hill where with abundance of pains and many Months labour they have made a little Plain in length not much aâ—ove an Arrows â—light in breadth less Where at the head of a small Valley he hath made a Bank cross to stop the Water running down It is now become a fine Pond and exceeding full of Fish At this Place the King hath several Houses built according to his own appointment very handsom born up with carved Pillars and Painted and round about Rails and Banisters turned one Painted and one Ebony like Balconie Some standing high upon a Wall being for him to sit in and see Sport with his Elephants and other Beasts as also for a Prospect abroad Others standing over this Pond where he himself sits and feedeth his Fish with boiled Rice Fruits and Sweet-meats They are so tame that they will come and eat in his hand but never doth he suffer any to be catch'd This Pond is useful for his Elephants to wash in The Plain was made for his Horses to run upon For oftentimes he commands his Grooms to get up and ride in his Presence and sometimes for that good Service gives the Rider five or ten Shillings and it may be a piece of Cloath Always when he comes forth his Horses are brought out ready saddled before him but he himself mounts them very seldom All of which he had from the Dutch some sent to him for Presents and some he hath taken in War He hath in all some twelve or fourteen some of which are Persian Horses Other Pastimes and Recreations he hath for this is all he minds or regards As to make them bring wild Elephants out of the Woods and catch them in his Presence The manner how they get them unto the City I have mentioned already Also when he comes out of his Court he Delights to look upon his Hawks altho' he never use them for his Game sometimes on his Dogs and tame Deer and Tygers and strange kind of Birds and Beasts of both which he hath a great many Also he will try his Guns and shoot at Marks which are excellently true and rarely inlay'd with Silver Gold and Ivory For the Smiths that make them dare not present them to his hand not having sufficiently proved them He hath Eight or Nine small Iron Cannon lately taken from the Dutch which he hath mounted in Field-Carriages all rarely carved and inlay'd with Silver and Brass and coloured Stones set in convenient places and painted with Images and Flowers But the Guns disgrace the Carriages He keeps them in an House on the Plain Upon some Festival times he useth them I think they are set there chiefly for a Memorial of his late Victories For he hath many and far better Guns of Brass that are not so regarded In his Palace he passeth his time with looking upon certain Toyes and Fancies that he hath and upon his Arms and Guns calling in some or other of his great Men to see the same asking them if they have a Gun will shoot further than that and how much Steel such a Knife as he will shew them needs to have in it He takes great delight in Swimming in which he is very expert And the Custom is when he goes into the Water that all his Attendance that can Swim must go in likewise And now lastly for his Religion you cannot expect much from him Of the Religion of his Countrey he makes but
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 Commanâ—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 â— 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 â—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
for the King Betel-Nuts The Trees The Fruit. The Leaves The Skins and their use The VVood. The profit the Fruit yields Iacks Iombo Other Fruits found in the Woods Fruits common with other parts of India The Tallipot the rare Uses of the Leaf The pith good to eat The Kettule yields a delicious juice The Skin bears strings as strong as wyer The VVood its Nature and Life The Cinnamon-Tree The Bark The VVood. The Leaf The Fruit. The Orula the Fruit good for Physick and Dying This water will brighten rusty Iron and serve instead of Ink. The Dounekaia The Capita Rattans It s Fruit. Canes The Betel Tree The Bo-gauhah or God-Tree Roots for Food The manner of their growing Boyling Herbs Fruits for sawce Europaean Herbs and Plants among them Herbs for Medicine Their Flowers A Flower that serves instead of a Dial. What Beasts the Country produceth Deer no bigger than Hares Other Creatures rare in their kind The way how a Wild Deer was catched Of their Elephants The way of catching Elephants The understanding of Elephants Their Nature The damage they do Their Diseases The Sport they make Ants of divers sorts How these Coddia's come to sting so terribly These Ants a very mischievous sort The curious Buildings of the Vaeos The manner of their death Bees of several kinds Bees thaâ— build on Trees like Birds The people eat the Bees as well as their honey Leaches that ly in the grass and creep on Travellers Legs The remedies they use against them Apes and Monkeys of divers kinds How they catch wild Beasts How they take the Wild Boar. Their Birds Such as will be taught to speak Such as are beautiful foâ— colour A strange Bird. Water-Fowls resembling Ducks and Swans Peacocks The King keeps Fowl Their Fish How they catch them in Ponds Fish kept and fed for the Kings pleasure Serpents The Pimberah of a prodigious bigness The Polongâ— The Noya The Fable of the Noya and Polonga The Carowala Gerende Hickanella A great Spider Kobbera-guion a Creature like an Allegator Tolla-guion The People eat Ratâ— Precious Stones Minerals and other Commodities The People discouâ—aged from Industry by the Tyranny they are under The Government of this Island The King 's Lincage His Person Meen and Habit. His Queenâ— and Children His Palace Situation and Description of it Strong Guards about his Court. Next his own Person Negro's watch Spies sent out a Nights His attendants Handsom women belong to his Kitchinâ— His Women and the Priviledg of the Towns where they live His State when he walks in his Palace or goes abroad His reception of â—â—bassadors His delight 〈◊〉 them Sparing iâ— his Dyet After what manner he Eats Chast himself and requires his Attendants uo bâ— so He â—ommiâ—â—ed Iuâ—â—st but such aâ— waâ— allowable His Pride How the people Address to the King They give him divine worship Pleased with high â—uleâ— An insâ—anâ—â— oâ—â—wo oâ—â—he King'â— haughâ—y 〈…〉 He slighâ—â— the 〈◊〉 of one of hiâ—â—eâ—◠〈◊〉 He 〈…〉 hi◠〈◊〉 â—he Dutâ—h seâ—ve â—heâ—◠〈◊〉 upon hiâ— Pâ—â—de by â—laâ—â—â—â—ing him The people givâ— way â—o the King 's â—â—â—l â—loths Hiâ— natural 〈◊〉 and deceâ—â—â—ul 〈◊〉 His wise saying concerning Runnawayes Naturally cruel The Dogs follow Prisoners to execution The Kings Prisoners their Misery He punishes whole generations for theâ— sake of one The sad condition of young Gentlemen that wait on his Person His Pleasure Houses His Pastimes abroad His Diversion at hâ—mâ— Hâ—s Religion How he stands affected to the Christian Religion His Government Tyrannical His Policy He Farms out his Countrey for Service His Policy to secure himself from Assassination or Rebellion Another point of â—iâ— Policy Another which is to find his People work to do A vast work undertaken and finished by the King The turning this water did great injury to the People But he little regards his Peoples good The King by craft at once both pleased and punishâ—d his People In what labours he employs his People He â—oyâ—onâ— his only Son The extraordinary lamentation at the death of his Sister His câ—afâ— and cruâ—lty shâ—wn at once The King's 〈◊〉 brought three 〈◊〉 in the year The first 〈◊〉 â—ompâ—â—nded with a great Festival How the Nobles being their 〈◊〉 of Dâ—â—â—â—s Inferior Persons present their New-year Gifts What Taxes and Rents the People pay The accidental Incomes of the Crown The Profits that accrue to the King from corn-Corn-Lands Custom of goods imported formerly paâ—d His Treasuriesâ— He has many Elephants Great Treasure thrown into the River formerly The Treasure he most valueth Two greatest Officers in the Land The next great Officers None can put to death but the King These Dissauva's are duâ—ants bene phâ—â—â—â—â— Whom the King makes Dissauva's And their Proâ—â—â—â— and Honours â—he Liannah The Undia The Monnannah Some Towns â—xempt from the Piâ—â—uva's Officers Other Officers 〈◊〉 These places obtained by Bâ—â—â—es But remain only during pleasure Counâ—rey-Courts They may appeal Appeals to the King How thâ—sâ— great Offiâ—ers â—rave upon publick Business Their Titles and Signs of 〈◊〉 The misery that succeeds their Honour The foolish ambition of the Men and Women of this Countrey The King 's Military Aâ—fairs The natural strength of his Countrey Watches and Thorn-gates None to pass from the Kings City without Pasports Their Soldiery All Men of Arms wait at Court The Soldiers have Lands allotted them instead of Pay To prevent the Soldiers from Plotringâ— The manner of sending them out oâ— Expeditionâ— The King requireâ— all the Captains singly to send him intelligence of their Affairs When the War is finished they may not return without order The Condition of the common Soldiers He conceals his purpose when he sends out his Army Great exploits done and but little Courage They work chiefly by Stratagems They understand the manner of Christian Armies They seldom hazzard a battel If they prove unsuccessful how he punishes them A Comet ushered in the Rebellion The intent of the Conspirators How the Rebellion began The King Flyes They pursue him faintly They go to the Prince and Proclaim him King The carriage of the Prince Upon the Princes Flight the Rebells scatter and run A great man declares for the King For eight or ten days nothing but killing one another to approve themselves good Subjects The King poysons his Son to prevent a Rebellion hereafter His ingratitude Another Comet but without any bad effects following it The several Inhabitants of this Island The Original of Chinguluys Wild-men By an acknowledgment to the King How they bespeak Arrows to be made them They violently took away Carriers goods Hourly Vadahs trade with the people One made to serve the King Their habit and Religion A Skirmish about their bounds Curious in their Arrows How they preserve their flesh How they take Elephants The dowrâ—eâ— they give Their disposition A description of a Chingulay Their disposition The Inhabitants of the Mountains differ from those of the Low-lands Their good opinion of Virtue though they practice it not
Officers Forced to pass thro a Governours Yard The Method they used to prevent his Suspition of them Their danger by reason of the Wayes they were to pass They still remain at the Governors to prevent suspition An Accident that now created them great fear But got fairly rid of it Get away plausibly from the Governor In their way they meet with a River which they found for their purpose They come safely to Anarodgburro This Place described The People stand amazed at them They are examined by the Governor of the Place Provide things necessary for their Flight They find it not safe to proceed further this way Rosolve to go back to the River they lately passed CHAP. X. The Authors Progress in his Flight from Anarodgburro into the Woods unto their arrival in the Malabars Country THey depart back again towards the River but first take their leave of the Governor here They begin their Flight Come to the River along which they resolve to go Which they Travel along by till it grew dark Now they fit themselves for their Iourney Meeting with an Elephant they took up for the second Night The next morning they fall in among Towns before they are aware The fright they are in lest they should be seen Hide themselves in a hollow Tree They get safely over this danger In that Evening they Dress Meat and lay them down to sleep The next morning they fear wild Men which these Woods abound with And they meet with many of their Tents Very near once falling upon these People What kind of Travelling they had Some account of this River Ruins The Woods hereabouts How they secured themselves anights against wild Beasts They pass the River that divides the King's Countrey from the Malabars After four or five days Travel they come among Inhabitants But do what they can to avoid them As yet undiscovered CHAP. XI Being in the Malabar Territories how they encountred two Men and what passed between them And of their getting safe unto the Dutch Fort. And their Reception there and at the Island Manaar until their Embarking for Columbo THey meet with two Malabars To whom they relate their Condition Who are courteous to them But loath to Conduct them to the Hollander In danger of Elephants They overtake another Man who tells them they were in the Dutch Dominions They arrive at Arrepa Fort. The Author Travelled a Nights in these Woods without fear and slept securely Entertained very kindly by the Dutch Sent to Manaar Received there by the Captain of the Castle Who intended they should Sail the next day to Iafnipatan to the Governor They meet here with a Scotch and Irish Man The People Flock to see them They are ordered a longer stay They Embark for Columbo 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 THey are wondered at Columbo ordered to appear before the Governor Treated by English there They come into the Governor's presence His State Matters the Governor enquired of Who desires him to go with him to Batavia Cloths them And sends them Money and a Chirurgeon The Author writes a Letter hence to the English he left behind him The former Demands and Answers penned down in Portugueze by the Governor's Order They Embark for Batavia Their friendly Reception by the Governor there Who furnishes them with Cloths and Money And offers them passage in their Ships home Come home from Bantam in the Caesar. CHAP. XIII Concerning some other Nations and chiefly Europeans that now live in this Island Portugueze Dutch MAlabars that Inhabit here Their Territories Their Prince That People how governed Their Commodities and Trade Portugueze Their Power and Interest in this Island formerly The great Wars between the King and them forced him to send in for the Hollander The King invites the Portugueze to live in his Countrey Their Privileges Their Generals Constantine Sa. Who loses a Victory and Stabs himself Lewis Tissera served as he intended to serve the King Simon Careé of a cruel Mind Gaspar Figazi Splits Men in the middle His Policy Gives the King a great Overthrow loseth Columbo and taken Prisoner The Dutch The occasion of their coming in The King their implacable Enemy and why The Damage the King does them The means they use to obtain Peace with him How he took Bibligom Fort from them Several of their Embassadors detained by the King The first Embassador there detained since the Author's Remembrance His Preferment and Death The next Ambassador dying there his Body is sent down to Columbo in great State The third Ambassador Gets away by his Resolution The fourth was of a milder Nature The fifth brings a Lion to the King as a Present The number of Dutch there They follow their Vice of Drinking The Chingulays prejudiced against the Dutch and why CHAP. XIV Concerning the French VVith some Enquiries what should make the King detain white men as he does And how the Christian Religon is maintained among the Christians there THe French come hither with a Fleet. To whom the King sends Provisions and helps them to build a Fort. The French Ambassador offends the King He refuseth to wait longer for Audience Which more displeaseth him Clapt in Chains The rest of the French refuse to dwell with the Ambassador The King useth means to reconcile them to their Ambassador The Author acquaints the French Ambassador in London with the Condition of these men An Inquiry into the reason of this King 's detaining Europoeans The Kings gentleness towards his White Soldiers They watch at his Magazine How craftily the King corrected their negligence The Kings inclinations are towards White men The Colour of White honoured in this Land Their privilege above the Natives The King loves to send for and talk with them How they maintain Christianity among them In some things they comply with the worship of the Heathen An old Roman Catholick Priest used to eat of their Sacrifices The King permitted the Portugueze to build a Church ERRATA Besides divers Mispointings and other Literal Mistakes of smaller moment these are to be amended PAge 1. Line 16. after Parts strike out the Comma p. 3. l. 25. for Oudi pâ—llet read Oudi pollat p. 7. l. 31. after they dele that p. 12. l. 43. for Ponudecarso read Ponudecars p. 13. after rowling dele it p. 22. l. 38. for Out-yards read Ortyards p. 25. l. 6. for tarrish read tartish p. 27. l. 10. for sometimes read some p. 29. l. 33. for Rodgerati read Rodgerah p. 33. l. 15 25 29. for Radga in those three lines read Raja p. 35. l. 12. for a read at Ibid. l. 51. for being none read none being p. 39. l. 1. dele a p. 47. l. 36. for Ourpungi read Oulpangi Ibid. l. 43. for Dackini read Dackim p. 50. l. 16. for Roteraâ—ts read Roterauls Ibid. l. 17. after these read are Ibid. l. 24.
after them read to p. 51. l. 2. after them a Semicolon Ibid. Marg. l. 3. for others read these Ibid. l. 18. for their read theirs Ibid. l. 19. dele and. Ibid. l. 49. for Courti-Atchila read Courli-atchila p. 58. l. 30. after were read or were p. 62. Marg. l. 1. for By read Pay Ibid. l. 18. after shooting add him Ibid. Marg. l. 14. for one read once p. 69. l. 28. after lace dele the Comma Ibid. l. 30. for Kirinerahs read Kinnerahs p. â—1 l. 3. after places add and p. 73. 14. dele they say Ibid. l. 42. for ward read reward p. 74. l. 5. dele â—he Semicolon after Vehar and place it after also Ibid. l. 27. for hands read heads p. 76. l. 23. for God read Gods Ibid. l. 36. after know a Period p. 80. l. 3. for him read them p. 87. l. 27. after Hens â— Semicolon p. 88. l. 35. for stream read steam p. 89. l. 7. for a read the p. 101. l. 28. for Husband read Husbandman p. 102. l. 23. after considerable a Comma p. 103. Marg. l. 4. for benefit read manner p. 105. l. 26. for so read To p. 109. l. 1. read Heawoy com-coraund To fight as much as to say To act the Soldier p. 110. l. 29. after go add their Iourney p. 111. l. 9. for Friday read Iridah p. 112. l. 52. after temple add in p. 118. l. 41. after and add his p. 128. l. 51. dele no p. 132. l. 38. dele the Comma after Holstein p. 134. l. 47. For Crock read crook p. 138. l. 37. for ny read any Ibid. l. 47. after they read had p. 148. l. 52. for go read got p. 151. l. 6. for here read have p. 154. l. 27. for favors read feavâ—rs p. 155. l. 4. dele the first it Ibid. l. 18. for he read we p. 161. l. 43. for Dâ—abac read Diabat p. 168. l. 4. after before add us Ibid. l. 7. after comparing add it p. 176. l. 22. for the read great p. 179. l. 21. for be read beg Ibid. l. 34. dele what they keep And instead of Cande Uda throout the Book read Conde Uda AN Historical Relation OF ZEILON Alià s Ceylon AN Island in the EAST-INDIES PART I. CHAP. I. A general Description of the Island HOw this Island lyes with respect unto the Neighbouring Countries I shall not speak at all that being to be seen in our ordinary Sea-Cards which describe those Parts and but little concerning the Maritime parts of it now under the Iurisdiction of the Dutch my design being to relate such things onely that are new and unknown unto these Europaean Nations It is the Inland Countrey therefore I chiefly intend to write of which is yet an hidden Land even to the Dutch themselves that inhabit upon the Island For I have seen among them a fair large Map of this Place the best I believe extant yet very faulty the ordinary Maps in use among us are much more so I have procured a new one to be drawn with as much truth and exactness as I could and his Iudgment will not be deemed altogether inconsiderable who had for Twenty Years Travelled about the Iland and knew almost every step of those Parts especially that most want describing I begin with the Sea-Coasts Of all which the Hollander is Master On the North end the chief places are Iafnipatan and the Iland of Manaur On the East side Trenkimalay and Batticalow To the South is the City of Point de Galle On the West the City of Columbo so called from a Tree the Natives call Ambo which bears the Mango-fruit growing in that place but this never bare fruit but onely leaves which in their Language is Cola and thence they called the Tree Colaambo which the Christians in honour of Columbus turned to Columbo It is the chief City on the Sea-coasts where the chief Governour hath his residence On this side also is Negumba and Colpentine All these already mentioned are strong fortified places There are besides many other smaller Forts and Fortifications All which with considerable Territories to wit all round bordering upon the Sea-coasts belong to the Dutch Nation I proceed to the Inland-Country being that that is now under the King of Cande It is convenient that we first understand that this land is divided into greater or less shares or parts The greater divisions give me leave to call Provirces and the less Counties as resembling ours in England tho not altogether so big On the North parts lyes the Province of Nourecalava consisting of five lesser Divisions or Counties the Province also of Hotcourly signifying seven Counties it contains seven Counties On the Eastward is Mautaly containing three Counties There are also lying on that side Tammanquod Bintana Vellas Paunoa these are single Counties Ouvah also containing three Counties In this Province are Two and thirty of the Kings Captains dwelling with their Soldiers In the Midland within those already mentioned lye Wallaponahoy it signifies Fifty holes or vales which describe the nature of it being nothing but Hills and Valleys Poncipot signifying five hundred Souldiers Goddaponahoy signifying fifty pieces of dry Land Hevoihattay signifying sixty Souldiers Cote-mul Horsepot four hundred Souldiers Tunponahoy three fifties Oudanour it signifies the Upper City where I lived last and had Land Tattanour the Lower City in which stands the Royal and chief City Cande These two Counties I last named have the pre-eminence of all the rest in the Land They are most populous and fruitful The Inhabitants thereof are the chief and principal men insomuch that it is a usual saying among them that if they want a King they may take any man of either of these two Counties from the Plow and wash the dirt off him and he by reason of his quality and descent is fit to be a King And they have this peculiar Priviledge That none may be their Governour but one born in their own Country These ly to the Westward that follow Oudipollat Dolusbaug Hotteracourly containing four Counties Portaloon Tuncourly containing three Counties Cuttiar Which last together with Batticalaw and a part of Tuncourly the Hollander took from the King during my being there There are about ten or twelve more un-named next bordering on the Coasts which are under the Hollander All these Provinces and Counties excepting six Tammanquod Vellas Paunoa Hotteracourly Hotcourly and Neurecalava ly upon Hills fruitful and dwell watered and therefore they are called in one word Conde Vda which signifies On top of the Hills and the King is styled the King of Conde Vda All these Counties are divided each from other by great Woods Which none may fell being preserved for Fortifications In most oâ— them there are Watches kept constantly but in troublesome times in all The Land is full of Hills but exceedingly well watered there being many pure and clear Rivers running through them Which falling down about their Lands is a very great benefit for the Countrey in respect
their Rice or for want of it and of these there is no want to those that will take pains but to set them and cheap enough to those that will buy There are two sorts of these Alloes some require Trees or Sticks to run up on others require neither Of the former sort some will run up to the tops of very large Trees and spread out very full of branches and bear great bunches of blossoms but no use made of them The Leaves dy every year but the Roots grow still which some of them will do to a prodigious bigness within a Year or two's time becoming as big as a mans wast The fashion of them somewhat roundish rugged and uneven and in divers odd shapes like a log of cleft wood they have a very good savoury mellow tast Of those that do not run up on Trees there are likewise sundry sorts they bear a long stalk and a broad leaf the fashion of these Roots are somewhat roundish some grow out like a mans fingers which they call Angul-alloes as much as to say Finger-Roots some are of a white colour some of a red Those that grow in the Woods run deeper into the Earth they run up Trees also Some bear blossoms somewhat like Hopps and they may be as big as a mans Arm. For Herbs to boyl and eat with Butter they have excellent good ones and several sorts some of them are six months growing to maturity the stalk as high as a man can reach and being boyled almost as good as Asparagus There are of this sort some having leaves and stalks as red as blood some green some the leaves green and the stalk very white They have several other sorts of Fruits which they dress and eat with their Rice and tast very savoury called Carowela Wattacul Morongo Cacorehouns c. the which I cannot compare to any things that grow here in England They have of our English Herbs and Plants Colworts Carrots Radishes Fennel Balsam Spearmint Mustard These excepting the two last are not the natural product of the Land but they are transplanted hither By which I perceive all other European Plants would grow there They have also Fern Indian Corn. Several sorts of Beans as good as these in England right Cucumbers Calabasses and several sorts of Pumkins c. The Dutch on that Island in their Gardens have Lettice Rosemary Sage and all other Herbs and Sallettings that we have in these Countreys Nor are they worse supplyed with Medicinal Herbs The Woods are their Apothecaries Shops where with Herbs Leaves and the Rinds of Trees they make all their Physic and Plaisters with which sometimes they will do notable Cures I will not here enter into a larger discourse of the Medicinal Vertues of their Plants c. of which there are hundreds onely as a Specimen thereof and likewise of their Skill to use them I will relate a Passage or two A Neighbour of mine a Chingulay would undertake to cure a broken Leg or Arm by application of some Herbs that grow in the Woods and that with that speed that the broken Bone after it was set should knit by the time one might boyl a pot of Rice and three carrees that is about an hour and an half or two hours and I knew a man who told me he was thus cured They will cure an Imposthume in the Throat with the Rind of a Tree called Amaranga whereof I my self had the experience by chawing it for a day or two after it is prepared and swallowing the spittle I was well in a day and a Night tho before I was exceedingly ill and could not swallow my Victuals Of Flowers they have great varieties growing wild for they plant them not There are Roses red and white scented like ours several sorts of sweet smelling Flowers which the young Men and Women gather and tie in their hairs to perfume them they tie up their hair in a bunch behind and enclose the Flowers therein There is one Flower deserves to be mentioned for the rarity and use of it they call it a Sindric-mal there are of them some of a Murry colour and some white It s Nature is to open about four a clock in the Evening and so continueth open all Night until the morning when it closeth up it self till four a clock again Some will transplant them out of the Woods into their Gardens to serve them instead of a Clock when it is cloudy that they cannot see the Sun There is another white Flower like our Iasmine well scented they call them Picha-mauls which the King hath a parcel of brought to him every morning wrapt in a white cloth hanging upon a staff and carried by people whose peculiar office this is All people that meet these Flowers out of respect to the King for whose use they are must turn out of the Way and so they must for all other things that go to the King being wrapt up in white cloth These Officers hold Land of the King for this service their Office is also to plant these Flowers which they usually do near the Rivers where they most delight to grow Nay they have power to plant them in any mans Ground and enclose that ground when they have done it for the sole use of their Flowers to grow in which Inclosures they will keep up for several years until the Ground becomes so worn that the Flowers will thrive there no longer and then the Owners resume their own Lands again Hop-Mauls are Flowers growing upon great Trees which bear nothing else they are rarely sweet scented this is the chief Flower the young people use and is of greatest value among them CHAP VI. Of their Beasts Tame and Wild. Insects HAving spoken concerning the Trees and Plants of this Island We will now go on to speak of the Living Creatures on it viz. Their Beasts Insects Birds Fish Serpents c. useful or noxious And we begin first with their Beasts They have Cowes Buffaloes Hogs Goats Deer Hares Dogs Iacols Apes Tygers Bears Elephants and other Wild Beasts Lions Wolves Horses Asses Sheep they have none Deer are in great abundance in the Woods and of several sorts from the largeness of a Cow or Buffalo to the smalness of a Hare For here is a Creature in this Land no bigger but in every part rightly resembleth a Deer It is called Meminna of colour gray with white spots and good meat Here are also wild Buffalo's also a sort of Beast they call Gauvera so much resembling a Bull that I think it one of that kind His back sâ—ands up with a sharp ridg all his four feet white up half his Legs I never saw but one which was kept among the Kings Creatures Here was a Black Tygre catched and brought to the King and afterwards a Deer milk white both which he very much esteemed there being no more either before or since ever heard of in
Palace three or four times before he comes out once And oftentimes he comes out when none there are aware of it with only those that attend on his person within his Palace And then when it is heard that his Majesty is come forth they all run ready to break their necks and place themselves at a distance to Guard his Person and wait his pleasure Sometimes but very seldom He comes forth riding upon an Horse or Elephant But usually he is brought out in a Pallâ—nkine which is nothing so well made as in other parts of India The ends of the Bambou it is carried by are largely tipped with Silver and curiously wrought and engraven for he hath very good workmen of that profession The place where he goeth when he comes thus abroad is to a Bankqueting-house built by a Pond side which he has made It is not above a Musquet shot from his Palace Where he goeth for his diversion Which I shall by and by more particularly relate Another instance of his State and Grandure will appear in his reception of Ambassadors Who are received with great honour and Show First he sends several of his great men to meet them with great Trains of Soldiers the ways all â—ut broad and the grass pared away for many miles Drums and Trumpets and Pipes and Flags going before them Victuals and all sorts of varieties are daily brought to them and continue to be so all the time they are in the Land and all at free-cost For the Custom here is Embassadors stay they never so long are maintained at the Kings Cost and Charges And being in the City have their Victuals brought them out from the Kings Palace ready dressed Presents Goods or whatsoever they please to bring with them the King prepareth men to carry And when they are come to the House that is prepared for them which is hung top and sides with white Callico they are kept under a Guard and great Commanders with Soldiers appointed to watch at their Gates which is accounted for a great honour But these Guards dare not permit any to come to the Speech of them for the King careth not that any should talk with Ambassadors but himself with whom he taketh great delight to have conference and to see them brought before him in sine Apparrel their Swords by their sides with great State and Honour and that the Ambassadors may see and take notice of the greatness oâ— his Majesty And after they have been there some times he gives them both Men and handsom young Maids for their Servants to attend and also to accompany them often causing them to be brought into his presence to see his Sports and Pastimes and not caring to send them away but in a very familiar manner entertaining discourse with them CHAP. II. Concerning the King's Manners Vices Recreation Religion UNder the Consideration of his Manners will fall his Temperance his Ambition and Pride his Policy and Dissimulation his cruel and bloody Disposition He is temperate both in his Diet and his Lust. Of the â—ormer I am inâ—ormed by those that have attended on his Person in his Palace that though he hath all sorts of Varieties the Land affords brought to his Table yet his chief fare is Herbs and ripe pleasant Fruits and this but once a day Whatsoever is brought for him to eat or drink is covered with a white cloath and whoever brings it hath a Muster tyed about his mouth lest he should breath upon the Kings Food The Kings manner of eating is thus He sits upon a Stool before a small Table covered with a white cloath all alone He eats on a green Plantane-Leaf laid in a Gold Bason There are twenty or thirty Dishes prepared for him which are brought into his Dining-Room And which of these Dishes the King pleases to call for a Nobleman appointed for that service takes a Portion of and reaches in a Ladle to the Kings Bason This person also waits with a musâ—er about his mouth And as he is abstemious in his eating so in the use of women If he useth them 't is unknown and with great secrecy He hath not had the Company oâ— his Queen this twenty years to wit since he went â—rom Candy where he left her He allowes not in his Court Whoredom or Adultery and many times when he hears of the misdemeanors of some oâ— his Nobles in regard of women He not only Executes them but severely punisheth the women iâ— known and he hath so many Spâ—eâ— that there is but little done which he knows not oâ— And oâ—ten he gives Command to expel all the women ouâ— oâ— the City not onâ— to remain But by little and little when they think his wrath is appens'd they do creep in again But no women of any Quality dare presume and if they would they cannot the Watches having charge given them not to let them pass Some have been taken concealed under mans Apparel and what became of them all may judg â—or they never went home again Rebellion does not more displease this Kingâ— then â—or his Nobles to have to do with women Therefore when any are admitted to his Court to wâ—it upon him they are not permitted to enjoy the Company of their Wives no more then any other women Neither hath he suâ—â—ered any for near this twenty years to have their Wives in the City except Slaves or inferior servants Indeed he was once guilty of an Aâ—l that seemed to arguâ— him a man of most unbridled â—â—st For he had a Daughteâ— that was with Child by himselâ— but in â—hildbed â—oth dâ—ed But this manner of Iuâ—â—st is allowable in Kingsâ— iâ— it be only to beget a right Royal Isâ—ue which can only be gotten that wayâ— But in all otheâ— ' â—â—s held abomâ—inable and severely punished And here they have a common and usual Prâ—uerb Neâ—e can reproach the â—â—us nor the Beggaâ— The one being so high that none â—aâ—e the other so lowâ— that nothing can â—hame or reproach them His Pride and asseâ—lation of honour is unmeasuâ—able Which appears in his Peoples manner of Address to him which he either Commands or allows of When they come before him they fall flat down on their Faces to the Ground at three sâ—veral â—imesâ— and then they sit with their legs under them upon their Knees all the time they are in his presence And when he â—ids them to absent they go backwards untill they are out of hiâ— sightâ— oâ— a great distance from him But of Christian People indeed he requires no more then to kneel with their â—aâ—â— oâ—â— before him Nay He takes on him all the Cerâ—monies and Solemnitieâ— of Honour which they shew unto their Gods making his aâ—â—ount that as he is now their King so herâ—aâ—ter he shall be one oâ— thâ—ir Gods And the People did call him God Formerly since my â—â—â—ing on that land he used not to come ouâ— oâ— his Palace
in his Palace Where he hath it running thro in many places unto little Ponds made with Lime and Stone and full of Fish To bring this Water to his Palace was no small deal of labour For not having a more convenient way they were forced to split a great Mountain in twain to bring the Water thro and after that to make a Bank cross a Valley far above a Cables length and in height above four Fathom with thickness proportionable to maintain it for the Water to run over the top Which at first being only Earth the Water would often break down but now both bottom and sides are paved and wrought up with Stone After all this yet it was at least four or five Miles to bring this Water in a Ditch and the ground all Hills and Valleys so that they were forced to turn and wind as the Water would run Also when they met with Rocks which they could not move as this Ground is full of them they made great Fires with Wood upon it until it was soundly hot and hereby it became so soft that they could easily break it with Mawls This Water was that which nourished that Countrey from whence it was taken The People of which ever since have scarce been able to Till their Land Which extremity did compel the People of those Parts to use a means to acquaint the King how the Countrey was destroyed thereby and disabled from perâ—orming those Duties and Services which they owed unto the King and that there was Water sufficient both â—or His Majestie 's Service and also to relieve their Necessities Which the King took very ill â—rom them as if they would seem to grudge him a little Water And sure I am woe be to him tâ—â—t should mention that matter again So far is he from regarding the good of his Countrey that he rather endeavours the Dâ—struction thereof For issue he hath none alive and e're long being of a great Age Nature tells him he must leave it Howbeit no love loâ—â— between the King and his People Yet he daily contriveth and buildeth in his Palace like Nebuchadâ—ezzar wet and dry day and night not showing the least sign of Favour to his People Who oftentimes by such needleâ—s Imployments are Letted from the seasonable times of Ploughing and Harvest to their great prejudice and sometimes utter undoing After the Rebellion when the People that lived at a further distance saw that the King intended to settle himself near the Mountain to which he fled Viz. Digligy and not to come into the old City again it being very troublesom and tedious to bring their Rents and Taxes thither they all jointly met together being a great number and sent an Address to intimate their Desires to him which was with great Submission That His Majesty would not leave them destitute of his Presence which was to them as the Sun that he would not absent himself from them to dwell in a Mountain in a desolate Countrey but seeing there was no further danger and all the Rebels destroyed that he would return to his old Palace again vowing all Fidelity to him The King did not like this Message and was somewhat afraid there being such a tumultuous Company met together and so thought not fit to drive them away or publickly to declare his displeasure at them but went to work like a Polititian Which was to tell them that he thanked them for their love and affection towards him and that he was desirous to dwell among them in such a part of their Countrey as he named and so bad them all go to work to build him a Palace there The People departed with some Satisâ—action and fell to work might and main and continued at it for near two years together selling Timber and fetching it out of the Woods laying Foundations hewing Stone till they were almost killed with labour And being wrought quite tyred they began to accuse and grumble at one another for having been the occasion of all this toil After they had laboured thus a long while and were all discouraged and the People quiet the King sent word to them to leave off And now it lies unfinished all the Timber brought in rots upon the place and the building runs to ruin And this is the manner how he employs his People pulling down and building up again equalling unequal grounds making sinks under ground for the passage of water thro' his Palace dragging of great Trees out of the Wood to make Pounds to catch Elephants in his Presâ—nce altho' they could catch them with far less labour and making houses to keep them inâ— alter they are taken He stands not upon any 〈◊〉 to establish himself or sâ—â—â—ke terror into his People This made him 〈◊〉 oâ—â— his only Son a young man of about â—ifteen years After the Rebellion the Kingdom being setled in the King's hands again and knowing that the hearts of the People disaâ—â—ecting himâ— stood strongly bent towards the Prince and fearing his own safely as the Prince grew to â—per years to prevent all he poisoned him For about a year after the Rebellion his Son was Sick the King takes this Opportunity to dispatch him by pretending to send Phyâ—iâ— to him to â—â—â—e him The People heaâ—ing of the Death of the Prince according to the Custom of the â—and when any of the Royal Blood is deceased came all in general towards the City where he was with black or else very dirty Cloaths which is their Mourning the Men all â—aâ—e headed the Women with their hair loose and hanging about their Shoulders to mourn and lament for the Death of their â—oung Prince Which the King hearing of sent this word unto them That since it was not his fortune to live to sit on his Throne aâ—ter him and Reign over the Land it would be but in vain to mournâ— and a great trouble and letâ— unto the Countrey and their voluntary good will was taken in as good part as the mourning it self and so dismiâ—â— the Assembly and burned the Princes dead Body without Ceremonies or Solemnities Yet the Death of an old Sister which he had caused no small â—amentation It was she that carried the Prince away in the Rebellion Which I shall relate by and by Countrey alter Countrey came up to mourn giving all signs of extraordinary sadness both in Habit and Countenance the King himself was sâ—â—n to weep bitterly The White men also came which the King took wellâ— Insomuch that the Hâ—llanders supposing the King himself to be dead came up to take Possession of the Countrey but hearing the contrary and understanding their mistake returned back again The King and all his Countrey for more than a years time went in mourning And her Body was burnt with all the Honour and State that could be Yet notwithstanding all the love and respect he bare unto heâ— he did not once Visit her in all the time of her
Sickness And it iâ— now for certain reported that there is not one of his Generation left Once to try the hearts of his Attendantâ— and to see what they would doâ— being in the Water a swimming he seigned himself to be in extremity and near Drowning and cryed out for helpâ— upon which two young Men more venturous and forward than the rest immediately made way and came to his helpâ— who taking hold of his Body brought him â—aâ—e to â—and At which he seemed to be very glad Putting on his Cloaths he went to his Palace then he demanded to know who and which they were that had holpen him out of the Water They supposing by his Speech it was to give them a reward for the good Service they had so lately done him answered We were they Whereupon he Commands to call such a great Man For it is they whom he appoints always to see Execution done by their Soldiers To whomâ— hâ— gave Command saying â—ake both these and lead them to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 and â—ut off their Heads who dared to presume to lay their hands on my Person and did not preâ—â—aâ—â—e themselves rather that I might lay my hand on them for my â—â—liâ—â— and â—aâ—eâ—y And accordingly they were Executed CHAP. IV. Of 〈…〉 and â—reasure Three 〈◊〉 in the year they usually carry their Rentâ— unto the King The one is at the New-year called Oâ—rida â—â—tamaul The other is for the 〈…〉 And the last is at a certain Sacrifice in the Month oâ— Noâ—ember to their God called â—â—oy â—â—tamaul But â—â—sides thâ—se whatsoever is wanting in the King's House at any other time and they have it they must upon the King's Order bring it These Rents are but little Money but chiefly Corn Rice or what growâ— out of the Ground To speak a little of the first time Viz. at the beginning of the New year when the King'â— Duties are brought him Their New year is always either the â— th or the 18 th or the 19 th of March At this time upon a specâ—al and good day for which the Astrologers are consulted the King washes his head which is a very great Solemnity among them The Palace â—â—all adorned with 〈◊〉 a sort of 〈…〉 that make a very 〈◊〉 shâ—w They are high Poles standing in towâ— before all the Gates of the Palace either nine or seven in a â—ow the middlemost being the highest and so they fall lower and lower on each side Thro the middle of them there is an arched passage which â—eâ—ves for a Door On the top of the Poles are 〈◊〉 slying and all about 〈◊〉 full of painted Cloth with Images and Figures of Men and Beasts and 〈◊〉 and Flowersâ— Fruits also hanged up in great order and 〈◊〉 On each side of the entrance of the Arch stand Plantâ—â—â— Trees with bunches of Plantaneâ—â— on them 〈◊〉 they were growing There are also 〈◊〉 some places single Poles of an exceeding height standing by with long Honour of divers colours â—lying and a Bell at the end of each as in the Figure â—â— And now they say The Palace â— adorned beyond Heaven All the Army is summoned in to stand and wait at the Palace for the greater State In the mean time he goes to lie Washing houses houseâ— built on purpose for him to wash in called Outpungâ— here are Bathe and Streams and Conveyances of Water and many Servants whole Office it is to wait upon the business of these houses Here he washeâ— his head Which when he has done he comes forth into Publiâ— view where all hâ—â— Mâ—â—â—a stand in then Aâ—â—â— Then the great Guns are firâ—d Now all the great Men the Nobles and the Goverâ—norâ— of the Countrey make their appearance before him with their Paâ—kâ—uâ— then New years Gifts which are due and accustomed Presents for Performâ— in their Places and Offices to give There is a certain Rate for it Their manner of bringing these Gâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ther Duties in thus Their Servants bring them wrapt up in white Cloth to the Court and then they take them at their hands put them upon their heads and so come in humble manner and lay them at the King's feet These Presents are Gold Iewels Plate Arms Knives Cloth each one by a rate according to the Place he is in and the Countrey he hath under him And most oâ— them are to present a Sum of Money besides And if they can procure any precious Stone or Rarity or any other thing which they think the King will accept that also they bring and glad they are to be honoured with the savour of his acceptance These New years Gifts for these many years he thinks scorn to receive and bids them carry them away again till another time Thus they come with them time after time presenting them which he as often refusing at last they bring them no more All sorts of Tradesmen also and such as by their Skill can any ways get Money at the New year are to pay into the Treasury each one a certain rate Which now adayes he accepts not though formerly he always did At this and the other times the things which the People carry as their Rents and Taxes are Wine Oyl Corn Honey Wax Cloth Iron Elephants Teeth Tobacco Money They bring them themselves and wait at Court with them commonly divers Months before they be received The great Officers tell the King the People have brought their Rents The King saith 'T is well But if he give no order withal to receive the things brought as he seldom does there is no remedy but there they must wait with them And this he doth out of State The Rents and Duties brought at the two other times are after the same manner the great Men do only bring theirs once at the New year There are other Revenues the King hath which are accidental but bring in great wealth That whensoever any man dies that hath a stock of Cattel immediately out thence must be paid a Bull and a Cow with a Ca lt and a Male and Female Buffalo which tax they call Marral And there are Officers appointed whose place it is to come and carry them away Also at Harvest yearly there is a certain rate of Corn to be paid by every man according to the Land they hold and enjoy Heretofore the King granted that upon Payment of a Sum of Money they should be clear from this yearly Tax of Corn so long till the present Possessor died and the Land descended to his Son or some body else And then the Estate became liable again to the â—orementioned Duties But now of late there is no mention of any discharge by Money corn- So that in time all Houses and Families in the Kingdom will be liable to the Payment of this Tax of Corn which will bring in no small quantity of Provision to the King Only Soldiers that are slain in the Wars their Lands are free from the Payment of this Tax but if
they die naturally they are not The Farmers all in general besides their measures of Corn pay a certain Duty in Money with their Rents If they Sell or Alienate their Inheritances the Kings accustomed Duties must not be diminished whosoever buyeth or enjoyeth them Neither is here any Land which doth not either pay or do some Duty to the King Only one case expected and that is if they give or dedicate Land to a Priest as an Alms or Deed of Charity in God's Name On that there is never any more Tax or Duty to be imposed as being sacrilegâ—â—ns to take ought from one that belongs to the Temple Formerly the King had the Benefit of the trade of two Ports Cotiar and Portalone unto each of which used to come yearly some twenty or thirty Sail of small Vessel which brought considerable Customs in But now the Hollander has deprived him of both suffering no Vessels to come The King hath several Treasure houses and in several places in Cities and Towns where always are Guards of Soldiers to watch them both day and night I cannot certainly declare all that is contained in them There are Precious Stones such as his Land affords mony but not very much Cloth and what he hath got by Shipwrack Presents that have been sent him from other Nations Elephants-teeth Wax good store of Arms as Guns Bowes and Arrows Pikes Halberds Swords Ammunition store of Knives Iron Tallipat-Leaves whereof one will cover a large Tent Bedsteads Tables Boxes Mats of all sorts I will not adventure to declare further the Contents of his Treasuries lesâ— I may be guilty of a mistake But sure I am he hath plenty of all such things as his Land affords For he is very Provident and Careful to be well furnished with all things And what he does abound with he had rather it should lye and rot then be imbezelled and wasted that is distributed among his Servants or Slaves of which he hath great store He hath some hundreds oâ— Elephants which he keepeth tame and could have as many more as he pleaseth but altho not catched yet they are all his and at his Command when he pleaseth It is frequently reported and I suppose is true that both he and his Predecessors by the distress they have been driven to by the Portuguezes have cast some store of Riches into the great River Maâ—velagonga running by the City in deep holes among Rocks which is irrecoverable and into a made Pond by the Palace in the City of Cande or Hingodegulâ—neur Wherein are kept to this day two Alligators so that none dare go into the water for fear of being devoured by them And often times they do destroy Cows that go to drink there But this Pond by cutting the Bank might easily be drained To conclude the Land that is under his jurisdiction is all his with the People their Estates and whatsoever if affords or is therein But that which he doth chiefly value and esteem are Toys and Novelties as Hawks Horses Dogs strange Birds and Beasts and particularly a spotted Elephant and good Arms of which he hath no want CHAP. V. Of the Kings great Officers and the Governours of the Provincesâ— THere are two who are the greatest and highest Officers in the Land They are called Adigars I may term them Chief Iudges under whom is the Government oâ— the Cities and the Countries also in the Vacancy of other Governors All People have liberty in default of Iustice to appeal to these Adigaâ—s â— or if their causes and diffeâ—rences be not decided by their Governours according to their minds To these there are many Officers and Sergeants belonging All which to be known carry slaves in their hands like to Bandâ—eâ— the crooked end uppermost which none but they dare carry The sight of which slaves upon what message soever they be sent signifies as much as the Adigars Hand and Seal If the Adigar be ignorant in what belongâ— to his place and office these men do instruct him what and how to do The like is in all other places which the King bestows if they know not what belongs to their places there are Inferiour Officers under them that do teach and direct them how to Act. Next under the Adigars are the Dissauva's who are Governours over Provinces and Counties of the Land Each Province and County has its Governour but all Governours are not Dissauva's nor other great Officers known by other names of Titles as Râ—terautâ— and â—â—â—anies â— But all these Generals or Chief Commanders who have a certain number of Soldiers under them These great men are to provide that good orders be kept in the Countries over which they are placed and that the Kings accustomed dutie be brought in due season to the Count. They have Power also to decide controversies between the People of their Iurisdiction and to punish contentions and disorderly personsâ— which they do chiefly by amercing a Fine from them which is for their Proâ—fit for it is there own and also by committing them Prison Into which when they are once fallen no means without mony can get them out again But be the â—acâ— never so hainous Murther it â—ell they can put none to death The sentence of death being pronounced only by the King They also are sent upon expeditions in War with their Soldiers and give Attendance and watch at Court in their appointed Stations These Dissauva's are also to see that the Soldiers in their Countries do come in due season and order for that purpose They are appointed by the King himself not for life but during his good pleasure And when they are dead or removed oftentimes their places lay void somtimes for months somtimes peâ—haps for yearsâ— during which time the Adigar rules and governs those Countries and for his labour receiveth all such Incoms and Profits as are accustomed and of right do belong to the Governour The King when he advances any to be Dissauva's or to any other great Office regards not their ability or sufficiency to perform the same only they must be persons of good rank and gentile extracâ—ion and they are all naturally discreet and very solid and so the siâ—ter for the Kings employment When he firsâ— promotes them he shews them great testimonies of his Love and â—avour especially to those that are Christians in whose service he imposeth greater confidence than in his own people concluding that they will make more conâ—â—â—ence of their ways and be more â—aithful in their Office and giveâ— them a Sword the hilâ— all carved and inlaid with Silver and Brass very handsomly the Scabberd also covered with Silver a Knife and Hâ—lbeâ—d and lastly a Town or Towns for their maintenance The benefit of which iâ— that all the Profitâ— which before the King received from those Townsâ— now accrues unâ—o the Kings Officer These Towns are composed of all And in the discharge of this his Office
the Estate And as â—or the Family after Examination with Punishment to make them conâ—ess where the Estate lyes they have Monthly Allowance out oâ— the â—ame But the Wise or Women-Kindred are now nothing at all in esâ—eem â—or Honorable Ladies as they were before Yet sometimes he will send for the Sons or Brothers oâ— these whom he hath cut ofâ—â—or Tâ—aitors and remand them out oâ— the Prisons where he had committed them and prefer them in honorable Employment It is generally reported and I have seen it so that those whom he prefers unto the greatest and weightiest Imployments are those whom he intends soon to cut ofâ— and contrariwise those whom he doth aâ—â—ect and intends to have longer Service oâ— shall not be so laden with Places and Honours Howbeit altho they know and see this before their eyes daily yet their hearts are so haughty and ambitious that their desires and endeavours are to ascend unto the highest degrees oâ— honour tho that be but one remove from Death and utter Destruction And the Women's ambition is so great also that they will put their Husbands on to seek for Preferment urging how dishonorable it is â—or them to sit at home like Women that so they may have respect and be reputed for great Ladies CHAP. VI. Of the King's Strength and Wars IT remains now that I speak a little oâ— the King 's Military Affairs His Power consists in the natural Strength oâ— his Countrey in his Watches and in the Craft more than the Courage oâ— his Soldiers He hath no Artificial Forts or Castles but Nature hath supplied the want oâ— them For his whole Countrey oâ— Cande Vda standing upon such high Hills and those so difficult to pass is all an Impregnable Fort and so is more especially Digligy neur his present Palace These Places have been already described at large and therefore I omit speaking any â—urther of them here There are consâ—ant Watches set in convenient places in all parts of the Countrey and Thorn-gates but in time of danger besides the ordinary Watches in all Towns and in all places and in every cross Road exceeding thick that 't is not possible for any to pass unobserved Thâ—se Thorn-gates which I here mention and have done beâ—ore are made of a sort of Thorn bush or Thorn-tree each stick or branch whereof thrusts out on all sides round about sharp prickles like Iron Nails of three or four inches long one of these very Thorns I have lately seen in the Repository at Gresham College These sticks or branches being as big as a good Cane are platted one very close to another and so being â—astned and tyed to three or four upright spars are made in the â—ashion of a Door This is hung upon a Door case some ten or twelve foot high so that they may and do ride thro upon Elephants made of three pieces of Timber like a Gallows after this manner â— the Thorn door hanging upon the transverse piece like a Shop window and so they lift it up or clap it down as there is occasion and tye it with a Rope to a cross Bar. But especially in all Roads and Passages from the City where the King now Inhabits are very strict Watches set which will suffer none to pass not having a Passport which is the print of a Seal in clay It is given at the Court to them that have Licence to go thrô the Watches The Seals are diâ—â—erent according to the Profession of the Party as to a Soldier the print oâ— a man with a Pike on his Shoulder to a Labourer a Man with two Bags hanging on each end of a Pole upon his Shoulder which is the manner they commonly carry their Loads And to a white man the Passport is the print of a Man with a Sword by his side and a Hat on his head And so many Men as there are in the Company so many prints there must be in the Clay There is not half the examination for those that come into the City as for those that go out whom they usually search to see what they carry with them To speak now of their Soldiery their Expeditions and manner of Fight Besides the Dissauvas spoken of before who are great Generals there are other great Captains As those they call Mote-Ralls as much as to say Scribes Because they keep the Rolls or Registers of certain Companies of Soldiers each containing 970 Men who are under their Command Of these Mote-Ralls there are four principal But besides these there are smaller Commanders over Soldiers who have their Places from the King and are not under the Command of the former great ones All these both Commanders and common Soldiers must wait at the Court But with this difference The great Men must do it continually each one having his particular Watch appointed by the King But the private Soldiers take their turns of Watching And when they go they do carry all their Provisions for the time of their stay with them upon their Backs These Soldiers are not listed listing Soldiers being only upon extraordinary occasions but are by Succession the Son after the Father For which Service they injoy certain Lands and Inheritances which is instead of Wages or Pay This duty if they omit or neglect they loose or forfeit their Inheritance Or if they please to be released or discharged they may parting with their Land And then their Commander placeth another in their room but so long as the Land lies void he converts the Profits to his own proper use And he that after takes it gives a Bribe to the Commander who yet notwithstanding will not permit him to hold it above two or three years unless he renew his Bribes The Soldiers of the High-Lands called Cande Vda are dispersed all over the Land so that one scarcely knows the other the King not suffering many Neighbours and Townsmen to be in one Company which hath always heretofore been so ordered for fear of Conspiracies When the King sends any of these Commanders with their Armies abroad to War or otherwise sometimes they see not his face but he sends out their Orders to them by a Messenger sometimes admits them into his Presence and gives them their Orders with his own mouth but nothing in Writing And when several of them are sent together upon any Design there is not any one appointed to be Chief Commander or General over the whole Army but each one as being Chief over his own Men disposeth and ordereth them according to his pleasure the others do the like Which sometimes begets disagreement among themselves and by that means their Designs are frustrated Neither doth he like or approve that the great Commanders of his Soldiers should be very intimate or good Friends lest they should conspire against him nor will he allow them to disagree in such a degree that it be publickly known and observed And when
there is any tidings to send the King they do not send in general together by consent but each one sends particularly by himself And their common custom and practice is to inform what they can one against another thinking thereby to obtain the most favour and good will from the King By this means there can nothing be done or said but he hath notice thereof Being in this manner sent forth they dare not return altho they have perâ—ormed and finished the Business they were sent upon until he send a special Order and Command to recall them When the Armies are sent abroad as he doth send them very often against the Dutch it goeth very hard with the Soldiers who must carry their Victuals and Pots to dress it in upon their Backs besides their Arms which are Swords Pikes Bows and Arrows and good Guns As for Tents for their Armies alwayes ly in the Fields they carry Tallipat leaves which are very light and convenient along with them With these they make their Tents Fixing sticks into the ground and laying other pieces of Wood overthwart after the manner of the roof of an House and so lay their leaves over all to shoot the Rains off Making these Tents stronger or slighter according to the time of their tarriance And having spent what Provisions they carried out with them they go home to fetch more So that after a Month or two a great part of the Army is always absent VVhensoever the King sends his Armies abroad upon any Expedition the Watches beyond them are all secured immediately to prevent any from passing to carry Intelligence to the Enemy The Soldiers themselves do not know the Design they are sent upon until they come there None can know his intentions or meaning by his actions For sometimes he sends Commanders with their Soldiers to ly in certain places in the Woods until farther order or until he send Ammunition to them And perhaps when they have laid there long enough he sends for them back again And after this manner oftentimes he catches the Hollanders before they be aware to their great prejudice and dammage He cares not that his great Men should be free-spirited or Valiant if there be any better than the rest them to be sure suddenly he cuts off lest they might do him any mischief In their War there is but little valour used altho they do accomplish many notable Exploits For all they do is by crafty Stratagems They will never meet their Enemies in the Field to give them a repulse by Battel and force of Arms neither is the Enemy like to meet with any opposition at their first goings out to invade the King's Coasts the King's Soldiers knowing the adverse Forces are at first wary and vigilant as also well provided with all Necessaries But their usual practice is to way lay them and stop up the wayes before them there being convenient places in all the Roads which they have contrived for such purposes And at these places the Woods are not suffered to be felled but kept to shelter them from the sight of their enemies Here they lye lurking and plant their Guns between the Rocks and Trees with which they do great damage to their Enemies before they are aware Nor can they then suddenly rush in upon them being so well guarded with Bushes and Rocks before them thro which â—efore their Enemies can get they flee carrying their great Guns upon their Shoulders and are gone into the Woodsâ— where it is impossible to find them until they come them selves to meet them after the former manner Likewise they prepare against the enemies coming great bushy Trees having them ready cut hanging only by wit hs which grow in the Wood these as they march along they let fall among them with many shot and Arrows Being sent upon any design they are very circumspect to keep it hidden from the Enemies knowledg by suffering only those to pass who may make for their Benefit and advantage their great endeavour being to take their Enemies unprovided and at unawares By the long wars first between them and the Portugueze and since with the Hollander they have had such ample experience as hath much improved them in the art of War above what they were formerly And many of the chief Commanders and Leaders of their Armies are men which formerly served the Portugueze against them By which they come to know the disposition and discipline of Christian Armies Insomuch as they have given the Dutch several overthrows and taken Forts from them which they had up in the Countrey Heretofore for bringing the head of an Enemy the King used to to gratify them with some reward but now the fashion is almost out of use The ordering of their battel is with great security there being very few lost in Fight For if they be not almost sure to win the battel they had rather not fight than run any hazzard of loosing it If his men do not successfully accomplish the design he sends them upon to be sure they shall have a lusty piece of work given them to take revenge on them for not using their weapons well he will exercise them with other tools houghs and pickaxes about his Palace And during the time they stay to work they must bring their Victuals with them not having monies there to buy They cannot carry for above one month and when their Provisions are all spent if they will have any more they must go home and fetch them But that is not permitted them without giving a Fee to the Governour or his Overseer Neither can they go without his leave for besides the punishment the Watches which are in every Road from the Kings City will stop and seize them CHAP. VII A Relation of the Rebellion made against the King FOr the Conclusion of this Part it will not be improper to relate here a dangerous rising of the People against the King It happened in the year 1664. About which time appeared a fearful Blazing-Star Iust at the Instant of the Rebellion the Star was right over our heads And one thing I very much wondred at which was that whereas before this Rebellion the Tail stood away toward the Westward from which side the Rebellion sprung the very night after for I very well observed it the Tail was turned and stood away toward the Eastward And by degrees it diminished quite away At this time I say the people of this land having been long and sore oppressed by this Kings unreasonable and cruel Government had contrived a Plot against him Which was to assault the Kings Court in the night and to slay him and to make the Prince his Son King He being then some twelve or fifteen years of age who was then with his Mother the Queen in the City oâ— Cande At this time the King held his Court in a City called Nillemby The Situation of which
guilty of imprudence and horrible ingratitude that most of those that went along with him when he fled of whose Loyalty he had such ample experience he hath since cut off and that with extreme cruelty too In the year 1666 in the month of February there appeared in this Countrey another Comet or stream in the West the head end under the Horizon much resembling that which was seen in England in the year 1680 in December The sight of this did much daunt both King and People having but a year or two before felt the sad event of a Blazing-Star in this Rebellion which I have now related The King sent men upon the highest mountains in the Land to look if they could perceive the head of it which they could not being still under the Horizon This continued visible about the space of one month and by that time it was so diminished that it could not be seen But there were no remarkable passages that ensued upon it A Vadda or Wild Man PART III. CHAP. I. Concerning the Inhabitants of this Island WEE shall in this Part speak of the Inhabitants of this Countrey with their Religion and Customs and other things belonging to them Besides the Dutch who possess as I judg about one fourth of the Island there are Malabars that are free Denizons and pay duty to the King for the Land they enjoy as the Kings natural Subjects do there are also Moors who are like Strangers and hold no Land but live by carrying goods to the Sea-Ports which now are in the Hollanders hands The Sea-Ports are inhabited by a mixt people Malabars and Moors and some that are black who profess themselves Roman Catholicks and wear Crosses and use Beads Some of these are under the Hollander and pay toll and tribute to them But I am to speak only of the natural proper People of the Island which they call Chingulays I have asked them whence they derive themselves but they could not tell They say their Land was first inhabited by Devils of which they have a long Fable I have heard a tradition from some Portugueze here which was That an antient King of China had a Son who during his Fathers Reign proved so very harsh and cruel unto the people that they being afraid he might prove a Tyrant if he came to the Crown desired the King to banish him and that he might never succeed This that King to please the people granted And so put him with certain Attendants into a ship and turned them forth unto the Winds to seek their fortune The first shore they were cast upon was this Island Which they seated themselves on and peopled it But to me nothing is more improbable than this Story Because this people and the Chineses have no agreement nor similitude in their features nor language nor diet It is more probable they came from the Malabars their Countrey lying next tho they do resemble them little or nothing I know no nation in the world do so exactly resemble the Chingulays as the people of Europe Of these Natives there be two sorts Wild and Tame I will begin with the former For as in these Woods there are Wild Beasts so Wild Men also The Land of Bintan is all covered with mighty Woods filled with abundance of Deer In this Land are many of these wild men they call them Vaddahs dwelling near no other Inhabitants They speak the Chingulayes Language They kill Deer and dry the Flesh over the fire and the people of the Countrey come and buy it of them They never Till any ground for Corn their Food being only Flesh. They are very expert with their Bows They have a little Axâ— which they stick in by their sides to cut hony out of hollow Trees Some few which are near Inhabitants have commerce with other people They have no Towns nor Houses only live by the waters under a Tree with some boughs cut and laid round about them to give notice when any wild Beasts come near which they may hear by their rustling and trampling upon them Many of these habitations we saw when we fled through the Woods but God be praised the Vaddahs were gone Some of the tamer sort of these men are in a kind of Subjection to the King For if they can be found tho it must be with a great search in the Woods they will acknowledg his Officers and will bring to them Elephants-Teeth and Honey and Wax and Deers Flesh but the others in lieu thereof do give them near as much in Arrows Cloth c. fearing lest they should otherwise appear no more It hath been reported to me by many people that the wilder sort of them when they want Arrows will carry their load of Flesh in the night and hang it up in a Smith's Shop also a Leaf cut in the form they will have their Arrows made and hang by it Which if the Smith do make according to their Pattern they will requite and bring him more Flesh but if he make them not they will do him a miâ—chief one time or another by shooting in the night If the Smith make the Arrows he leaves them in the same place where the Vaddahs hung the Flesh. Formerly in this Kings Reign these wild men used to lye in wait to catch Carriers people that went down with Oxen to trade at the Sea-Ports carrying down Betelnuts and bringing up Cloth and would make 〈◊〉 to give them such things as they required or else threatning to shoot them They fearing their lives and not being able to resist were fain to give them what they asked or else most certainly they would have had both life and goods too At which this King sent many Commanders with their Soldiers to catch them which at length they did But had not some of themselves proved false to them being incouraged by large promises they could never have taken them The chief being brought before the King promising amendment were pardoned but sent into other Woods with a Command not to return thither any more neitheir to use their former courses But soon after their departure they forsook those Woods they were put into and came to their old haunt again falling to their former course of Life This the King hearing of and how they had abused his Pardon gave command either to bring them dead or alive These Vaddahs knowing now there could be no hope of Pardon would not be taken alive but were shot by the Treachery of their own men The heads of two of the chiefest were hanged on Trees by the City And ever since they have not presumed to disturb the Countrey nor the King them he only desiring their quiet and not to be against him About Hourly the remotest of the Kings Dominions there are many of them that are pretty tame and come and buy and sell among the people The King once having occasion of an hasty Expedition
Days and good Seasons and at the Birth of a Child write for them an account of the day time and Planet it was born in and under These accounts they keep with great Care all their Life-time by which they know their Age and what success or evil shall befall them These People also beat Drums and play on Pipes and dance in the Temples of their Gods and at their Sacrifices they eat and carry away all such Victuals as are offered to their Idols Both which to do and take is accounted to belong to People of a very low degree and quality These also will eat dead Cows Next to the Weavers are the Kiddeas or Basket-Makers Who make Fans to fan Corn and Baskets of Canes and Lace Bedsteds and Stools Then follow the Kirinerabs Whose Trade is to make fine Matts These Men may not wear any thing on their Heads The VVomen of none of these sorts ever do Of these two last there are but few All below the Couratto or Elephant-Men may not sit on Stools nor wear Doublets except the Barbar nor wear the Cloth low down their Legs Neither may any of these ranks of People either Man or Woman except the Potter and the Washer wear the end of their Cloth to cover their Bodies unless they be sick or cold Neither may they presume to be called by the Names that the Hondrews are called by nor may they where they are not known change themselves by pretending or seeming to be higher than Nature hath made them and I think they never do but own themselves in the rank and quality wherein they were born and demean themselves accordingly All Outlandish People are esteemed above the inferior ranks The Names of the Hondrews always end in oppow of others below the degree of the Elephant People in adgah The Slaves may make another rank For whose maintenance their Masters allow them Land and Cattle Which many of them do so improve that except in Dignity they are not far behind their Masters only they are not permitted to have Slaves Their Masters will not diminish or take away ought that by their Diligence and Industry they have procured but approve of it as being Persons capable to repose trust in And when they do buy or otherways get a new Slave they presently provide him a Wise and so put him forward to keep House and settle that he may not think of running away Slaves that are born of Hondrew Parents retain the Honour of their degree There is one sort of People more and they are the Beggars who for their Transgression as hereafter shall be shewn have by â—ormer Kings been made so low and base that they can be no lower or baser And they must and do give such titles and respects to all other People as are due from other People to Kings and Princes The Predecessors of these People from whom they sprang were Dodda Vaddahs which signifies Hunters to whom it did belong to catch and bring Venison for the King's Table But instead oâ— Venison they brought Man's flesh unknown which the King liking so well commanded to bring him more of the same sort of Venison Thâ— King's Barbar chanced to know what flesh it was and discovered it to him At which the King was so inraged that he accounted death too good for them and to punish only those Persons that had so oâ—fended not a sufficient recompence â—or so great an Affront and Injury as he had sustained by them Forthwith therefore he established a Decree that all both great and small that were of that Rank or Tribe should be expelled from dwelling among the Inhabitants of the Land and not be admitted to use or enjoy the benefit of any means or ways or callings whatsoever to provide themselves sustinence but that they should beg from Generation to Generation from Door to Door thro the Kingdom and to be looked upon and esteemed by all People to be so base and odious as not possibly to be more And they are to this day so detestable to the People that they are not permitted to fetch water out of their Wells but do take their water out of Holes or Rivers Neither will any touch them lest they should be defiled And thus they go a begging in whole Troops both Men Women and Children carrying both Pots and Pans Hens and Chickens and whatsoever they have in Baskets hanging on a Pole at each end one upon their Shoulders The Women never carry any thing but when they come to any House to beg they Dance and shew Tricks while the Men beat Drums They will turn Brass Basons on one of their singers twirling it round very swift and wonderfully strange And they will toss up Balls into the Air one after another to the number of Nine and catch them as they fall and as fast as they do catch them still they toss them up again so that there are always Seven up in the Air. Also they will take Beads of several Colours and of one size and put them in their mouths and then take them one by one out of their mouths again each Colours by themselves And with this Behaviour and the high and honourable Titles which they give as to Men Your Honour and Your Majesty and to Women Queens Countesses and to white Men White of the Royal Blood c. They do beg for their living and that with so much importunity as if they had a Patent for it from the King and will not be denied pretending that it was so ordered and decreed that by this very means they should be maintained and unless they mean to perish with hunger they cannot accept of a denyal The People on the other hand cannot without horrible shame lift up their hand against them to strike or thrust them away so rather than to be troubled with their importunity they will relieve them And thus they live building small Hovels in remote Places High-ways under Trees And all the Land being as it were of Necessity Contributers towards their maintenance these Beggars live without labour as well or better than the other sorts of People being free from all sorts of Service and Duties which all other are compelled to perâ—orm for the King Of them it is only required to make Ropes of such Cow-hides as die of themselves to catch and tie Elephants with By which they have another Privilege to claim the flesh there of for themselves from the Weavers Who when they meet with any dead Cows use to cut them up and eat them But if any of these Roudeahs Beggars see them they will run to them and drive them away offering to beat them with the Poles whereon they carry their Baskets saying to them How can we perform the King's Service to make Ropes of the Hide if the Weavers hack and spoil it telling them also That it is beneath such honourable People as they to eat such Vnclean and Polluted
flesh By these words and the â—ear the Weavers are in to be touched by that base People than which nothing could be more inâ—amous they are glad to get them away as fasâ— as they can These Men being so low that nothing they can do can make them lower it is not unusual with them to lay with their Daughters or for the Son to lay with his Mother as iâ— there were no Consanguinity among them Many times when the King cuts off Great and Noble Men against whom he is highly incensed he will deliver their Daughters and Wives unto this sort of People reckoning it as they also account it to be far worse Punishment than any kind of Death This kind of Punishment being accounted such horrible Cruelty the King doth usually of his Clemency shew them some kind of Mercy and pittying their Distress Commands to carry them to a River side and there to deliver them into the hands of those who are far worse than the Executioners of Death from whom if these Ladies please to â—ree themselves they are permiâ—ted to leap into the River and be drowned the which some sometimes will choose to do rather than to consort with them There are some of this sort of People which dwell in remote Parts distant from any Towns and keep Cattle and sell them to the Chingulayes also shoot Deer and sell them where they â—all in the Woods for if they should but touch them none would buy them The Barbar's Information having been the occasion of all this misery upon this People they in revenge thereof abhor to eat what is dressed in the Barbar's House even to this day CHAP. III. Of their Religion Gods Temples Priests TO take a more particular view of the state of this Countrey we shall first give some account of their Religion as it justly requires the first place and then of their other secular concerns Under their Religion will come to be considered Their Gods their Temples their Priests their Festivals Sacrifices and Worship and their Doctrines and Opinions and whatsoever other matters occur that may concern this Subject The Religion of the Countrey is Idolatry There are many both Gods and Devils which they worship known by particular Names which they call them by They do acknowledge one to be the Supreme whom they call Ossa polla maupt Dio which signifieth the Creator of Heaven and Earth and it is he also who still ruleth and governeth the same This great Supreme God they hold sends forth other Deities to see his Will and Pleasure executed in the World and these are the petty and inferior gods These they say are the Souls of good men who formerly lived upon the Earth There are Devils also who are the Inflicters of Sickness and Misery upon them And these they hold to be the Souls of evil men There is another great God whom they call Buddou unto whom the Salvation of Souls belongs Him they believe once to have come upon the Earth And when he was here that he did usually sit under a large shady Tree called Bogahaâ— Which Trees ever since are accounted Holy and under which with great Solemnities they do to this day celebrate the Ceremonies of his Worship He departed from the Earth from the top of the highest Mountain on the Island called Pico Adam where there is an Impression like a â—oot which they say is his as hath been mentioned before The Sun and Moon they seem to have an Opinion to be gods from the Names they sometimes call them by The Sun in their Language is Irri and the Moon Handa To which they will sometimes add the Title Haumi which is a name they give to Persons of the greatest Honour and Dio that signifies God saying Irrihaumi Irridio Handahaumi handa Dio. But to the Stars they give not these Titles The Pagoda's or Temples of their Gods are so many that I cannot number them Many of them are of Rare and Exquisite work built of Hewn Stone engraven with Images and Figures but by whom and when I could not attain to know the Inhabitants themselves being ignorant therein But sure I am they were built by far more Ingenious Artificers than the Chingulayes that now are on the Land For the Portugueze in their Invasions have defaced some of them which there is none found that hath Skill enough to repair to this day The fashion of these Pagoda's are different some to wit those that were anciently built are of better Workmanship as was said before but those lately erected are far Inferior made only with Clay and Sticks and no Windows Some viz. Those belonging to the Buddon are in the form of a Pigeon House foursquare one Story high and some two the Room above has its Idols as well as that below Some of them are Tiled and some Thatched In them are Idols and Images most monstrous to behold some of silver some of brass and other metals and also painted sticks and Targets and most strange kind of Arms as Bills Arrows Spears and Swords But these Arms are not in the Buddou's Temples he being for Peace therefore there are in his Temples only Images of men cross-legged with yellow coats on like the Goâ—ni-Priests their hair frisled and their hands before them like women And these they say are the spirits of holy men departed Their Temples are adorned with such things as the peoples ability and poverty can afford accounting it the highest point of Devotion bountifully to dedicate such things unto their Gods which in their estimation are most precious As for these Images they say they say they do not own them to be Gods themselves but only Figures representing their Gods to their memories and as such they give to them honour and worship Women having their natural inâ—irmities upon them may not neither dare they presume to come near the Temples or houses of their Gods Nor the men iâ— they come out of houses where such women are Unto each of these Pagodas there are great Revenues of Land belonging which have been allotted to them by former Kings according to the State of the Kingdom but they have much impaired the Revenues of the Crown there being rather more Towns belonging to the Church than unto the King These estates of the Temples are to supply a daily charge they are at which is to prepare victuals or sacrifices to set before the Idols They have Elephants also as the King has which serve them for State Their Temples have all sorts of Officers belonging to them as the Palace hath Most of these Pagodas are dedicated to the name and honour of those whom they call Dio or Gods to whom they say belong the Government on earth and of all things appertaining to this life Besides these Publick Temples many people do build in their yards private Chappels which are little houses like to Closets sometimes so small that they are not
above two â—oot in bigness but built upon a Pillar three or â—our â—oot from the ground wherein they do place certain Image of the Buddou that they may have him near them and to testifie their love and service to him Which they do by lighting up candles and lamps in his house and laying â—lowers every morning before him And at some times they boyl victuals and lay it before him And the more they perform such ceremonious service to him here the more shall be their ward hereafter All blessings and good success they say come from the hand of God but sickness and diseases proceed from the Devil not that of himself he hath such absolute power but as servants have power licence and authority from their Masters so they from God But the Gods will require some to wait at their Altars and the Temples men to oâ—â—iciate in them their Priests therefore fall under the next consideration Oâ— these there are three sorts according to the three differences of Gods among them And their Temples are also called by three different names The first and highest order of Priests are the Tirinanxes Who are the Priests of the Buddou God Their Temples are styled Vehars There is a religious house in the City of Digligy where they dwell and assemble and consult together about their affairs which being the meeting place of such holy men they call it a Vihar also they admit none to come into their order but persons of the most noble birth and that have learning and be well bred of such they admit many But they do not presently upon their admission arrive unto the high degree of a Tirinanx For of these there are but three or four and they are chose out of all the rest of the order unto this degree These Tirinanxes only live in the Vihar and enjoy great Revenues and are as it were the Superiors of all the Priests and are made by the King Many of the Vehars are endowed and have Farms belonging to them And these Tirinanxes are the Landlords unto whom the Tenants come at a certain time and pay in their Rents These Farmers live the easiest of any people in the Land for they have nothing to do but at those set times to bring in their dues and so depart and to keep in repair certain little Vehars in the Countrey So that the rest of the Chingulais envy them and say of them Though they live easy in this world they cannot escape unpunished in the life to come for enjoying the Buddou's land and doing him so little service for it All the rest of the order are called Gonni The habit is the same to the whole order both Tirinanxes and Gonni It is a yellow coat gathered together about their wast and comes over their left shoulder girt about with a belt of fine pack-thread Their heads are shaved and they go bare-headed and carry in their hands a round fan with a wooden handle which is to keep the sun off ther hands They have great benefit and honour They enjoy their own lands without paying scot or lot or any Taxes to the King They are honoured in such a measure that the people where ever they go bow down to them as they do to their Gods but themselves bow to none They have the honour of carrying the Tallipot with the broad end over their heads foremost which none but the King does Wheresoever they come they have a mat and a white cloth laid over upon a stool for them to sit upon which is also an honour used only to the King They are debarred from laying their hands to any manner of work and may not marry nor touch women nor eat but one meal a day unless it be fruit and rice and water that they may eat morning and evening nor must they drink wine They will eat any lawful flesh that is dressed for them but they will have no hand in the death of it as to give order or consent to the killing of it They may lay down their order if they please which some do that they may marry This is done by pulling off their coat and flinging it into a River and washing themselves head and body and then they become like other lay-men A Tirinanxy or Cheif Preist Some of these Priests against whom the King took displeasureâ— were beheaded afterwards cast into the River Which thing caused amazement in all the people how the King durst presume to do it towards such holy and reverend persons And none hereâ—oâ—ore by any â—ormer Kings have ever been so servedâ— being reputed and called Sons of Boddon But the reason the King â—lew them was because they conspired in the Rebellion They threw aside their Habits and got their swords by their sides The second order of Priests are those called â—eppuâ—â— Who are the Priestâ— that belong to the Temples of the other Gods Their Temples are called â—â—walâ— These are not distinguished by any haâ—bit from the rest of the People no nor when they are at their worship only they wear clean cloths and wash themselves before they go to their service These are taken out from among the Hondrewâ— They enjoy a piece of Land that belongs to the â—ewal where they officiate and that is all their benefit unless they steal somewhat that is dedicated to the Gods They follow their Husbandry and employments as other men do but only when the times of worship are which usually is every morning and evening oftner or seldomer according as the Revenue will hold out that belongs to that Templeâ— whereof each is Priest The service is that when the boyled rice and other vicâ—uals are brought to the Temple door by others he takes it and presents it before the Idol Whence after it hath â—â—ood a while he brings it out again and then the drummers pipers and other servants that belong to the Temple eat it These Gods have never any flesh brought in sacrifice to them but any thing else The third order of Priests are the Iaddeâ—es Priests of the Spirits which they call Dayaâ—taus Their Temples are called Coâ—els â— which are inâ—erior to the other Temples and have no revenues belonging to them A man piously disposed builds a small house at his own chargeâ— which is the Temple and himself becomes Priest thereof Therein are Bills and Swords and Arrows and Shields and Images painted upon the walls like â—ierce men This house is seldom called Gods house but most usually Iacco the Devils Upon some extradinary festival to the Iacco the Iaddese shaveâ— off all his heard When they are sick they dedicate a red Coâ—k to the Devil Which they do after this manner They send for the Iaddese to their house and give him a red Cock chicken which he takes up in his hand and holds an Arrow with it and dedicates it to the God by telling him that if he restore the party to his health
fruit upon any that might ask or desire it But before this dedicated fruit is lawful for them to use they must carry some of it to the Temple This for certain I can affirm That oftentimes the Devil doth cry with an audible Voice in the Night 't is very shrill almost like the barking of a Dog This I have often heard my self but never heard that he did any body any harm Only this observation the Inhabitants of the Land have made of this Voice and I have made it also that either just before or very suddenly after this Voice the King always cuts off People To believe that this is the Voice of the Devil these reasons urge because there is no Creature known to the Inhabitants that cry like it and because it will on a sudden depart from one place and make a noise in another quicker than any fowl could fly and because the very Dogs will tremble and shake when they hear it and 't is so accounted by all the People This Voice is heard only in Cande Vda and never in the Low Lands When the Voice is near to a Chingulaye's house he will curse the Devil calling him Geremoi goulammah Beef-eating Slave be gone be damned cut his Nose off beat him a pieces And such like words of Railery and this they will speak aloud with noise and passion and threatning This Language I have heard them bestow upon the Voice and the Voice upon this always ceaseth for a while and seems to depart being heard at a greater distance When smaller Devils do fail them they repair unto the great one Which they do after this manner They prepare an Offering of Victuals ready dressed one dish whereof is always a red Cock Which they do as frequently offer to the Devil as Papists do Wax-Candles to Saints This Offering they carry out into a remote place in the Woods and prostrate it to the honour and service of the Grand Devil before which there are men in an horrible disguise like Devils with Bells about their Legs and Doublets of a strange fashion dancing and singing to call if it were possible the Devil himself to come and eat of the Sacrifices they have brought the sick Party is all the while present I have hitherto spoke of their ordinary and daily Worship and their private and occasional Devotions besides these they have their solemn and annual Festivals Now of these there are two sorts some belonging to their Gods that govern the Earth and all things referring to this life and some belonging to the Buddou whose Province is to take care of the Soul and future well-being of Men. I shall first mention the Festivals of the former sort They are two or three That they may therefore honour these Gods and procure their aid and assistance they do yearly in the Month of Iune or Iuly at a New Moon observe a solemn Feast and general Meeting called Perahar but none are compelled and some go to one Pagoda and some to another The greatest Solemnity is performed in the City of Cande but at the same time the like Festival or Perahar is observed in divers other Cities and Towns of the Land The Perahar at Cande is ordered after this manner The Priest bringeth forth a painted stick about which strings of Flowers are hanged and so it is wrapped in branched Silk some part covered and some not before which the People bow down and worship each one presenting him with an Offering according to his free will These free-will Offerings being received from the People the Priest takes his painted stick on his Shoulder having a Cloth tied about his mouth to keep his breath from defiling this pure piece of Wood and gets up upon an Elephant all covered with white Cloth upon which he rides with all the Triumph that King and Kingdom can afford thro all the Streets of the City But before him go first some Forty or Fifty Elephants with brass Bells hanging on each side of them which tingle as they go Next follow men dressed up like Gyants which go dancing along agreeable to a Tradition they have that anciently there were huge men that could carry vast Burthens and pull up Trees by the Roots c. After them go a great multitude of Drummers and Trumpetters and Pipers which make such a great and loud noise that nothing else besides them can be heard Then followeth a Company of Men dancing along and after these Women of such Casts or Trades as are necessary for the service of the Pagoda as Potters and Washer-women each cast goeth in Companies by themselves three and three in a row holding one another by the hand and between each Company go Drummers Pipers and Dancers After these comes an Elephant with two Priests on his back one whereof is the Priest before spoken of carrying the painted stick on his Shoulder who represents Allout neur Dio that is the God and Maker of Heaven and Earth The other sits behind him holding a round thing like an Vmbrello over his head to keep off Sun or Rain Then within a yard after him on each hand of him follow two other Elephants mounted with two other Priests with a Priest sitting behind each holding Vmbrello's as the former one of them represents Cotteragom Dio and the other Potting Dio. These three Gods that ride here in Company are accounted of all other the greatest and chiefest each one having his residence in a several Pagoda Behind go their Cook-women with things like whisks in their hands to scare away flies from them but very fine as they can make themselves Next after the Gods and their Attendance go some Thousands of Ladies and Gentlewomen such as are of the best sort of the Inhabitants of the Land arrayed in the bravest manner that their Ability can afford and so go hand in hand three in a row At which time all the Beauties on Zelone in their Bravery do go to attend upon their Gods in their Progress about the City Now are the Streets also all made clean and on both sides all along the Streets Poles stuck up with Flags and Pennons hanging at the tops of them and adorned with boughs and branches of Coker Nut-Trees hanging like Fringes and lighted Lamps all along on both sides of the Streets both by day and night Last of all go the Commanders sent from the King to see these Ceremonies decently performed with their Soldiers after them And in this manner they ride all round about the City once by day and once by night This Festival lasts from the New Moon until the Full Moon Formerly the King himself in Person used to ride on Horseback with all his Train before him in this Solemnity but now he delights not in these Shows Always before the Gods set out to take their Progress they are set in the Pagoda-Door a good while that the People may come to worship and bring their Offerings unto them during which
and carries it himself that Night they both sleep together to beget acquaintance one with the other And then they appoint a day when he is to come and fetch her home which is the Marriage-Day The day being come he attended with his Friends goes to her house which is always in the Evening and brings Provisions and Sweet-meats with him according to his Ability towards the Charges of the Wedding Which is never more than two Meals Whereof Supper is the first Then the Bride and Bridegroom both eat together in one Dish which is to intimate that they are both of one rank and quality and sometimes they tye their Thumbs together but not always and that Night go to sleep together The next day having dined he taketh his Bride and departeth home with her putting her before him and he following her with some of her Friends to Conduct her For it is the constant Custom and Fashion in this Land for the Husband to follow his Wife The reason whereof is a Tradition among them that a Man once going foremost it happened that his Wife was stoln away and he not aware of it Being come home the Bridegroom makes a Feast as he is able Some few days after her Friends usually come to see her bringing a present of Provision with them And sometimes they use this Ceremony the Man is to stand with one end of the Woman's Cloth about his Loins and she with the other and then they pour water on both their Heads wetting all their Bodies which being done they are firmly Married to live together so long as they can agree The Elder sorts of People usually woe and conclude their Marriages as they are in Bed together For when they have lost their Maiden-heads they fear not much what Man comes to sleep with them provided he be of as good quality as they having nothing more to lose And at the day appointed the Man gives the Woman her Cloths and so takes her home But their Marriages are but of little force or validity For if they disagree and mislike one the other they part without disgrace Yet it stands firmer for the Man than for the Woman howbeit they do leave one the other at their pleasure They do give according to their Ability a Portion of Cattle Slaves and Money with their Daughters but if they chance to mislike one another and part asunder this Portion must be returned again and then she is fit for another Man being as they account never the worse for wearing Both Women and Men do commonly wed four or five times before they can settle themselves to their contentation And if they have Children when they part the Common Law is the Males â—or the Man and the Females for the Woman But many of the Women are free from this controversie being Childless In this Countrey each Man even the greatest hath but one Wife but a Woman often has two Husbands For it is lawful and common with them for two Brothers to keep houâ—e together with one Wiâ—e and the Children do acknowledge and call both Fathers So long as the Women have their Infirmities or Flowers upon them they are accounted very unclean insomuch that the very house is polluted in that degree that none will approach near it And even she her self cares not to conceal it but calls out to them that come near that they may avoid her house But after she hath washed her Head and Body all is purified again It is lawful for no Woman altho they be great Men's Wives to sit on a Stool in the presence of a Man It is customary for Men upon any frivolous account to charge one another in the Kingâ—s Name to do or not to do according as they would have it This the Women upon Penalty of having their Tongues cut out dare not presume to do As it is usual to punish Men for faults committed by Imprisonment and Chains or by making them stand with a weight on their Backs until they do pay such a Sum of Money as is demanded which for ordinary faults may be five or ten Shillings So the Punishment which is inflicted upon Women is to make them stand with a Basket of Sand upon their Heads so long as they shall think sitting who appoint the Punishment Punishment by stripes is never used either to Men or Women but only to those on whom the King Commands them to be laid Lands of Inheritance which belong to Women are exempted from paying Harriots to the King Women pay no Custom for things they carry to the Sea-Ports Neither is any Custom paid for what is carried upon any Female Cattel Cow or Buffalo They have no Midwives but the neighbouring good Women come in and do that Office As soon as the Child is born the Father or some Friend apply themselves to an Astrologer to enquire whether the Child be born in a prosperous Planet and a good hour or in an evil If it be sound to be in an evil they presently destroy it either by starving it letting it lye and die or by drowning it putting its head into a Vessel of water or by burying it alive or else by giving it to some body of the same degree with themselves who often will take such Children and bring them up by hand with Rice and Milk for they say the Child will be unhappy to the Parents but to none else We have asked them why they will deal so with their poor Infants that come out of their Bowels They will indeed have a kind of regret and trouble at it But they will say withal Why should I bring up a Devil in my House For they believe a Child born in an ill hour will prove a plague and vexation to his Parents by his disobedience and untowardliness But it is very rare that a First-born is served so Him they love and make much of But when they come to have many then usual it is by the pretence of the Childs being born under an unlucky Planet to kill him And this is reputed no fault and no Law of the Land takes cognizance of it In their Infancy they have Names whereby one may be called and distinguished from the other But when they come to years it is an affront and shame to them either Men or Women to be called by those Names Which they say is to be like unto Dogs Then they change their Names into Titles according to the Town wherein they were born or do dwell Also they have other Names which may be compared to Coats of Arms properly and only belonging to that Family by which likewise they are called This People are very Ambitious of their Titles having but little else that they can boast in and of Names and Titles of respect they have great plenty in their Language instances whereof shall be given afterwards CHAP. VIII Of their Employments and Recreations IT
custom in the Land of Ouvah which is a great breeder of Cattle and hath but very little Wood so that they have not where with to make hedges It is that when they sow their Lands they drive their Cattle thence and watch them all day that they break not into the Corn and at night they tie their Cattle to secure them from straying into the Corn-Lands otherwise if one Neighbours Cattle eats another neighbours Corn he must pay the dammage Those that are lazy and loath to Plow or that are Poor and want Corn to sow the Custom is to let out their ground to others to Till at Ande that is at halves â—ut sees and accustomable dues taken out by the Husbandman that tills it the Owner of the Land receives not much above a third part For the Husâ—and hath divers considerable payments besides his half share of the Corn. As namely first he hath Cotoumann that is so much Corn as they scratch off from the whole heap of trodden Corn by drawing a bundle of Thorns over it Secondly Waracool that is a consideration for the expences they are at in Tilling and Sowing for which there is a Rate according to the bigness of the field Thirdly Warrapoll that is the Corn they leave at the bottom of the heap after they have done sanning Which is the Womans fee â—or their pains in weeding the Corn and in pulling it it up where it is too thick and planting it where it is thin c. Fourthly Bolerud which is the Chaâ—â— and sweepings of the Pit This sometimes comes to a considerable value according to the quantity of Corn that is trodden Fiâ—â—ly Peldorah which is a piece oâ— Corn they leave standing before the watch house which is set up in their Corn grounds to watch their Corn from the wild beasts And this left standing is the fee for watching There is yet another due Ockyaul which belongs to their Gods and is an offering sometimes carried away by the Priest and sometimes they bestow it upon the beggars and somâ—times they will take it and hang it up in their houses and at convenient time sacrifice it themselves It is one of their measures which is about half a Peck And in the mean time until this Corn is ripe the Owner is fain to go a borrowing Corn to sustain himself and Family Which he pays consideration for which is when his own Corn is ripe a bushel and an half for a bushel that is at the rate of Fifty per Cent. Which manner of lending Corn is a means that doth maintain mâ—ny strangers and others For they who have got a small stock of Corn by that Profit may competently live upon it Which was the means that Almighty God prepared for my relief and maintenance Corn thus lent is somewhat difficult to receive again For the Debtor being Poor all the Creditors will come into the field when the Corn is a shareing that being the place of payment and as soon as it is divided each one will scramble to get what he can And having taken possession of it from thence the Creditor must carry it home himself be it far or near If the Debt remains in the Debtors hands two years it becomes doubled and from thence forward be it never so long no more use is to be paid by the Law of the Land which Act was established by the King in favour of the Poor there having been some whole Families made Slaves for a bushel of Corn. But yet it is lawful for the Creditor missing Corn to lay hands on any of his goods or if the sum be somewhat considerable on his Cattle or Children first taking out a License from the Magistrate so to do or if he have none on himself or his wife if she came with him to fetch the debt if not she is clear from this violence but his Children are not If a woman goes away from her Husband without his consent no Man may marry her until he first be married In lending of mony by the use of it in one years time it becomes double And if the Creditor receive not his mony at the expiration of the year but lets it lie in the Debtors hands never so long after no more than double is is to be paid the encrease never runs up higher as it is in lending Corn. If a Bond-woman has Children by a Free-man the Children all are Slaves to her Master but if a Bond-man has Children by a Free-woman the Children are free For the Children are always as the Mother whether Bond or Free No man may cut down a Coker-nut-Tree If any man to a bargain or promise gives a stone in the Kings name it is as firm as hand and seal And if any after this go back of his word it will bear an Action If any man be taken stealing he must restore seven for one or else be made a Slave if he be not able to pay it It is lawful and customary for a man in necessity to sell or pawn his Children or himself No man building an house either in his own or another mans ground if he be afterwards minded to leave his Land where his house stood may pull it down again But must let it stand for the benefit of whosoever comes after him For the deciding of matters in controversie especially of more abstruse cognizance the paaties do both swear before their Gods sometimes in their Temples and sometimes upon more extraordinary occasions in hot Oyl Sometimes in their Temples To explain which take this following relation A Slave was accused by a Merchant to have robbed his house Whereupon to clear himself the Slave desired he might swear So the Merchant and Slave went both to the Temple to swear The Merchant swore positively that the Slave had robbed his house and the Slave swore as poynt blank that he had not robbed his house and neither of them having any witnesses God who knew all things was desired to shew a Iudgment upon him that was forsworn They both departed to their houses waiting to see upon whom the Iudgment would fall In the mean time the Slave privatly sets the Merchants house on fire and his house was burnt down to the ground Then it was clear by this supposed divine Iudgment the Merchant was forsworn The Slave presently demands satisfaction for laying Theâ—t fasly to his charge The Merchant could not tell what to say to it but would give him none The Slave was now to take his own satisfaction as he had opportunity And his Master bids him seize upon the Merchants Person or any other relating to him and bring them to his house and there detain them Within a short time after the Slave seeing a Kinsman of the Merchants passing by offers to seize him But he rather than be taken draws his Knife and Stabs the Slave on the shoulder and so escapes In Fine the Merchant was fain to bribe
he had no Stomach at all and was greatly afraid of as he justly might be For the avoiding therefore of it he sends a Letter to this English Courtier whein he entreated him to use his interest to excuse him to the King The English man could not read the Letter being writ in the Portugueze Tongue but gave it to another to read Which when he knew the contents of thought it not safe for him to meddle in that business and so concealed the Letter The person to whom the English man had given it to read some time after informed the King thereof Whereupon both the Portugueze that sent the Letter and the English man to whom it was sent and the Third Person that read it because he informed no sooner were all three at one time and in one place torn in pieces by Elephants After this Execution the King supposing that we might be either discontented in our selves or discountenanced by the People of the Land sent special order to all parts where we dwelt that we should be of good cheer and not be discouraged neither abused by the Natives Thus jealous is the King of Letters and allows none to come or go We have seen how dear it cost poor Henry Man Mr. William Vassal another of the Persia-Merchant men was therefore more wary of some Letters he had and came off better This man had received several Letters and it was known abroad that he had Which he fearing lest the King should hear of thought it most convenient and safe to go to the Court and present them himself that so he might plead in his own Defence to the King Which he did He acknowledged to him that he had received Letters and that they came to his hands a pretty while ago but withall pretended excuses and reasons to clear himself As first that when he received them he knew not that it was against the Law and manner of the Countrey and when he did know he took Council of a Portugueze Priest who was now dead being old and as he thought well experienced in the Countrey But he advised him to defer a while the carrying them unto the King until a more convenient season After this he did attempt he said to bring them unto the King but could not be permitted to have entrance thro the Watches so that until now he could not have opportunity to present them The King at the hearing hereof seemed not to be displeased in the least but bid him read them Which he did in the English Language as they were writ and the King sat very attentive as if he had understood every word After they were read the King gave Vassal a Letter he had intercepted sent to us from Sir Edward Winter then Agent at Fort St. George and asked the News and Contents thereof Which Mr Vassal informed him at large of It was concerning the Victory we had gained over the Dutch when Obdam Admiral of Holland was slain and concerning the number of our Ships in that Fight being there specified to be an Hundred and Fifty Sail. The King inquired much after the number of Guns and Men they carried The number of Men he computed to be one Ship with another about Three Hundred per Ship At that rate the King demanded of him how many that was in all Which Mr. Vassal went about to cast up in the Sand with his finger But before he had made his Figures the King had done it by Head and bid him desist saying it was 45000. This News of the Hollanders overthrow and the English Victory much delighted the King and he inquired into it very particularly Then the King pretended he would send a Letter to the English Nation and bad Mr. Vassal inform him of a Trusty Bearer Which he was very forward to do and named one of the best which he had made trial of One of the Great men there present objected against him saying he was insufficient and asked him if he knew no other At which Vassal suspected their Design which was to learn who had brought those Letters to him and so framed his answer accordingly which was that he knew no other There was much other discourse passed between the King and him at this time in the Portugueze Tongue Which what it was I could never get out of him the King having commanded him to keep it secret And he saith he hath sworn to himself not to divulge it till he is out of the Kings hands At parting the King told him for Secrecy he would send him home privatly or otherwise he would have dismist him with Drums and Honour But after this the King never sent for him again And the man that he named as fit and able to carry the Kings Letter was sent away Prisoner to be kept in Chains in the Countrey It is supposed that they concluded him to have been the man that brought Vassal his Letters And thus much of the Captivity and Condition of the Persia-Merchant men CHAP. V. Concerning the means that were used for our Deliverance And what happened to us in the Rebellion And how we were setled afterwards ALl of us in this manner remained until the year MDCLXIV At which time arrived a Letter on our behalf to the King from the Right Worshipful Sir Edward Winter Governour of Fort St. George and Agent there The Dutch Embassadour also at that time by a Commission from the Governour of Columba treated with the King for us With Sir Edward's Message the King was much pleased and with the Dutch's mediation so prevailed with that he promised he would send us away Upon this he commanded us all to be brought to the City Whither when we came we were very joyful not only upon the hopes of our Liberty but also upon the sight of one another For several of us had not seen the others since we were first parted Here also we met with the Persia Merchant men whom until this time we had not seen So that we were nine and twenty English in all Some few days after our Arrival at the City we were all called to the Court. At which time standing all of us in one of the Palace Court-yards the Nobles by command from the King came forth and told us that it was his Majesties Pleasure to grant unto us our Liberty and to send us home to our Countrey and that we should not any more look upon our selves as Prisoners or detained men At which we bowed our heads and thanked his Majesty They told us moreover that the King was intended to send us either with the Dutch Embassadour or by the Boat which Sir Edward Winter had sent and that it was his Majesties good will to grant us our choice We humbly referred it to his Majesties pleasure They answered his Majesty could â—nd would do his pleasure but his will was to know our minds After a short consultation we answered since it
there being but a ridge of Mountains between them and me But tho so near I could not come to them a Watch being kept at every passage The King sent down against them two great Commanders with their Armies but being not strong enough to expel them they lay in these Watches to stop them from coming up higher The name of this Fort was called Arrandery Which altho they could not prevent the Dutch from building at that time Yet some years after when they were not aware they fell upon it and took it and brought all the People of it up to Cande where those that remained alive of them were when I came from thence In this Countrey of Hotteracourly where the Dutch had built this Fort wâ—re four English men placed whereof I was one All whom the King immediately upon the News of the Dutche's Invasion sent order to bring up out of the danger of the War into Cande Vda fearing that which we were indeed intended to do viz. to run away This Invasion happening so unexpectedly and our remove so sudden I was forced to leave behind me that little Estate which God had given me lying scattered abroad in Betel-nuts the great Commodity of that Countrey which I was then parting from and much ado I had to get my Cloths brought along with me the Enemies as they called them but my Friends being so near And thus was I carried out of this Countrey as poor as I came into it leaving all the fruits of my Labour and Industry behind me Which called to my remembrance the words of Iob. Naked came I into this world and naked shall I return God gave and God hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. We all four were brought up together into a Town on the top of a Mountain called Laggendenny Where I and my dear Friend and fellow Prisoner and fellow Batchelor Mr. Iohn Loveland lived together in one House For by this time not many of our People were as we that is single men but seeing so little hopes despaired of their Liberty and had taken Wives or Bedfellows At our first coming into this Town we were very much dismayed it being one of the most dismal places that I have seen upon that Land It stands alone upon the top of a Mountain and no other Town near it and not above four or five Houses in it And oftentimes into this Town did the King use to send such Malefactors as he was minded suddenly to cut off Upon these accounts our being brought to this place could not but scare us and the more because it was the King's special Order and Command to place us in this very Town But this our trouble and dejection thanks be to God lasted but a day For the King seemed to apprehend into what a fit of Fear and Sorrow this our Remove would cast us and to be sensible how sadly we must needs take it to change a sweet and pleasant Countrey such as Handapondown and the Countrey adjacent was for this most sad and dismal Mountain And therefore the next day came a comfortable Message from the King 's own mouth sent by no less Man than he who had the chief Power and Command over those People who were appointed to give us our Victuals where we were This Messagâ— which as he said himself he was ordered by the King to deliver to the People in our hearing was this That they should not think that we were Malefactors that is sâ—ch who having incurred the King's displeasure were sent to be kept Prisoners there but men whom his Majesty did highly esteem and meant to promote to great Honour in his Service and that they should respect us as such and entertain us accordingly And if their ability would not reach thereunto it was the King's Order he said to bid them sell their Cattel and Goods and when that was done their Wives and Children rather than we should want of our due allowance which he ordered should be as formerly we used to have and if we had not Houses thatched and sufficient for us to dwell in he said We should change and take theirs This kind Order from the King coming so suddenly did not a little comfort and encourage us For then we did perceive the King's purpose and intent in placing us in those remote Parts was not to punish us but them that we might be his Instruments to Plague and take revenge of that People who it seems had Plundred the King's Palace in the time of the late Rebellion when he left it and fled for this Town lies near unto the same and their Office lying about the Court they had the fairer opportunity of Plundering it For the Service they are to perform to the King is to carry his Pallenkine when he pleaseth to ride therein and also to bring Milk every Morning to the Court being Keepers of the King's Cattel In this Town we remained some three years by which time we were grown quite weary of the place and the place and People also grown weary of us who were but troublesom Guests to them for having such great Authority given us over them we would not lose it and being four of us in call one of another we would not permit or suffer them to domineerâ— over us Being thus tired with one anothers Company and the King's Order being of an old Date we used all means we could to clear our selves of one another often repairing unto the Court to seek to obtain a Licence that we might be removed and placed any where else But there was none that durst grant it because it was the King's peculiar Command and special Appointment that we must abide in that very Town During the time of our stay here we had our Victuals brought us in good order and due season the Inhabitants having such a charge given them by their Governour and he â—rom the King durst not do otherwise So that we had but little to do only to dress and eat and sit down to knit I had used the utmost of my skill and endeavour to get a Licence to go down to my former Quarters all things being now pretty well settled hoping that I might recover some of my old Debts but by no means could I obtain it The denial of so reasonable a desire put me upon taking leave I was well acquainted with the way but yet I hired a man to go with me without which I could not get thro the Watches For altho I was the Master and he the Man yet when we came into the Watches he was the Keeper and I the Prisoner And by this means we passed without being suspected Being come into my old Quarters by pretending that this man was sent down from the Magistrate to see that my Debts and Demands might be duely paid and discharged I chanced to recover some of them and the rest gave over for lost for I never more
looked after them And so I began the world anew and by the Blessing of God was again pretty well recruited before I left this Town In the time of my residence here I chanced to hear of a small piece of Land that was to be sold. About which I made very diligent inquiry For altho I was sore a weary of living in this Town yet I could not get out of it not having other new Quarters appointed me unless I could provide a place for my self to remove to which now God had put into my hand As for the King's Command I dreaded it not much having found by observation that the King's Orders weaâ— away by time and the neglect of them comes at last to be unregarded However I was resolved to put it to a hazard come what will Altho I had been now some seven or eight years in this Land and by this time came to know pretty well the Customs and Constitutions of the Nation yet I would not trust my own knowledge but to prevent the worst I went to the Governor of that same Countrey where the Land lay to desire his advice whether or no I might lawfully buy that small piece of Land He inquired Whose and what Land it was I informed him That it had been formerly dedicated to a Priest and he at his death had left it to his Grandson who for want was forced to sell it Understanding this the Governor approved of the business and encouraged me to buy it saying That such kind of Lands only were lawful here to be bought and sold and that this was not in the least litigious Having gotten both his consent and advice I went on chearfully with my purchase The place also liked me wondrous well it being a point of Land standing into a Corn Field so that Corn Fields were on three sides of it and just before my Door a little Corn ground belonging thereto and very well watered In the Ground besides eight Coker-nut Trees there were all sorts of Fruit Trees the Countrey afforded But it had been so long desolate that it was all overgrown with Bushes and no sign of a House therein The price of this Land was five and twenty Larees that is five Dollars a great Sum of Money in the account of this Countrey yet thanks be to God who had so far inabled me after my late and great loss that I was strong enough to lay this down The terms of Purchase being concluded on between us a Writing was made upon a leaf after that Countrey manner witnessed by seven or eight Men of the best Quality in the Town which was delivered to me and I paid the Money and then took Possession of the Land It lyes some ten Miles to the Southward of the City of Cande in the County of Oudaneur in the Town of Elledat Now I went about Building an House upon my Land and was assisted by three of my Countreymen that dwelt near by Roger Gold Ralph Knight and Stephen Rutland and in short time we finished it The Countrey People were all well pleased to see us thus busie our selves about buying of Land and Building of Houses thinking it would ty our Minds the faster to their Countrey and make us think the less upon our own Tho I had built my new House yet durst I not yet leave my old Quarters in Laggendenny but wait until a more convenient time fell out for that purpose I went away therefore to my old home and left my aforesaid three English Neighbours to inhabit in it in my absence Not long after I found a fit season to be gone to my Estate at Elledat And upon my going the rest left the Town also and went and dwelt elsewhere each one where he best liked But by this means we all lost a Privilege which we had before which was that our Victuals were brought unto us and now we were forced to go and fetch them our selves the People alledging true enough that they were not bound to carry our Provisions about the Country after us Being settled in my new House I began to plant my ground full of all sorts of Fruit Trees and by the Blessing of God all grew and prospered and yielded me great Plenty and good increase sufficient both for me and for thoâ—e that dwelt with me For the three English men I left at my House when I departed back to Laggendenny still lived with me We were all single men and we agreed very well together and were helpful to one another And for their help and assistance of me I freely granted them Liberty to use and enjoy whatsoever the ground afforded as much as my self And with a joynt consent it was concluded amongst us That only single Men and Batchellors should dwell there and such as would not be conformable to this present agreement should depart and absent himself from our Society and also forfeit his right and claim to the forementioned Privilege that is to be cut off from all benefit of whatsoever the Trees and Ground afforded I thought fit to make such a Covenant to exclude women from coming in among us to prevent all strife and dissention and to make all possible Provision for the keeping up love and quietness among our selves In this manner we four lived together some two years very lovingly and contentedly not an ill word passing between us We used to take turns in keeping at home while the rest went forth about their Business For our house stood alone and no Neighbour near it Therefore we always left one within The rest of the English men lived round about us some four or five miles distant some more So that we were as it were within reach one of another which made us like our present Situation the more Thus we lived upon the Mountains being round about us beset with watches most of our People being now married so that now all talk and suspition of our running away was laid aside Neither indeed was it scarce possible The effect of which was that now we could walk from one to the other or where we would upon the Mountains no man molesting or disturbing us in the least So that we began to go about a Pedling and Trading in the Country farther towards the Northward carrying our Caps about to sell. By this time two of our Company seeing but little hopes of Liberty thought it too hard a task thus to lead a single life and married Which when they had done according to the former agreement departed from us So that our Company was now reduced to two viz. my Self and Stephen Rutland whose inclination and resolution was as stedfast as mine against Marriage And we parted not to the last but came away together CHAP. VII A return to the rest of the English with some further accounts of them And some further discourse of the Authors course of life LEt us now make a Visit
to him at the Kings Palace for a Ticket to receive my Allowance out of the King's Store-houses Hereby I was brought into a great danger out of which I had much ado to escape and that with the loss of my Allowance for ever after I shall relate the manner of it in the next Chapter CHAP. VIII How the Author had like to have been received into the Kings Service and what means be used to avoid it He meditates and attempts an escape but is often prevented THis frequent Appearance at the Court and waiting there for my Tickets brought me to be taken notice of by the Great men inâ—omuch that they wondered I had been all this while forgotten and never been brought before the King being so fit as they would suppose me for his use and service saying That from henceforward I should fare better than that Allowance amounted to as soon as the King was made acquainted with me Which words of theirs served instead of a Ticket Whereupon fearing I should suddainly be brought in to the King which thing I most of all feared and least desired and hoping that out of â—ight might prove out of mind I resolved to forsake the Court and never more to ask for Tickets especially seeing God had dealt so bountifully with me as to give me ability to live well enough without them As when Israel had eaten of the Corn of the Land of Canaan the Manna ceased so when I was driven to forego my Allowance that had all this while sustained me in this wilderness God otherways provided for me From this time forward to the time of my Flight out of the Land which was five years I neither had nor demanded any more Allowance and glad I was that I could escape so But I must have more trouble first For some four or five days after my last coming from Court there came a Soldier to me sent from the Adigar with an Order in writing under his hand that upon sight thereof I should immediatly dispatch and come to the Court to make my personal appearance before the King and in case of any delay the Officers of the Countrey were thereby Autâ—orized and Commanded to assist the Bearer and to see the same Order speedily performed The chief occasion of this had been a Person not long before my near Neighbour and Acquaintance Oua Matteral by name who knew my manner of Life and had often been at my House but now was taken in and employed at Court and he out of friendship and good will to me was one of the chief Actors in this business that he might bring me to Preferment at Court Upon the abovesaid summons there was no Remedy but to Court I must go Where I first applyed my self to my said old Neighbour Oua Motteral who was the occasion of sending for me I signified to him that I was come in obedience to the Warrant and I desired to know the reason why I was sent for To which he answered Here is good news for you you are to appear in the Kings Presence where you will find great Favour and Honourable entertainment far more than any of your Countrey men yet here found Which the great man thought would be a strong Inducement to persuade me joyfully to accept of the Kings Employments But this was the thing I always most dreaded and endeavoured to shun knowing that being taken into Court would be a means to cut of all hopes of Liberty from me which was the thing I esteemed equal unto life it self Seeing my self brought unto this pass wherein I had no earthly helper I recommended my cause to God desiring him in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and Princes to divert the business And my cause being just and right I was resolved to persist in a denial My case seemed to me to be like that of the four Lepers at the Gate of Samaria No avoiding of Death for me If out of Ambition and Honour I should have embraced the Kings Service besides the depriving my self of all hopes of Liberty in the end I must be put to death as happens to all that serve him and to deny his service could be but Death And it seemed to me to be the better Death of the two For if I should be put to Death only because I refused his service I should be pitied as one that dyed innocently but if I should be executed in his Service however innocent I was I should be certainly reckon'd a Rebel and a Traytor as they all are whom he commands to be cut off Upon these considerations having thus set my resolutions as God enabled me I returned him this answer First That the English Nation to whom I belonged had never done any violence or wrong to their King either in word or deed Secondly That the causes of my coming on their Land was not like to that of other Nations who were either Enemies taken in War or such as by reason of poverty or distress were driven to sue for relief out of the Kings bountiful liberality or such as fled for the fear of deserved punishment Whereas as they all well knew I came not upon any of these causes but upon account of Trade and came ashore to receive the Kings Orders which by notice we understood were come concerning us and to render an account to the Dissauva of the Reasons and Occasions of our coming into the Kings Port. And that by the grief and sorrow I had undergone by being so long detained from my Native Countrey but for which I thanked the Kings Majesty without want of any thing I scarcely enjoyed my self For my heart was alwayes absent from my body Hereunto adding my insufficiency and inability for such honourable Employment being subject to many Infirmities and Diseases of Body To this he replied Cannot you read and write English Servile Labour the King requireth not of you I answered When I came ashore I was but young and that which then I knew now I had forgot for want of practice having had neither ink nor paper ever since I came ashore I urged moreover That it was contrary to the Custome and Practice of all Kings and Princes upon the Earth to keep and detain men that came into their Countreys upon such peaceable accounts as we did much less to compel them to serve them beyond their power and ability At my fiâ—st coming before him he looked very pleasingly and spake with a smiling countenance to me but now his smiles were turned into frowns and his pleasing looks into bended brows and in rough Language he bad me be gone and tell my tale to the Adigar Which immediatly I did but he being busie did not much regard me and I was glad of it that I might absent the Court But I durst not go out of the City Sore afraid I was that evil would befall me and the best I could expect was to be put in Chains All
it was not to be doubted but the Chief Commander at the Fort would bountifully reward him if he would go with us and direct us thither But whether he doubted of that or no or whether he expected something in hand he excused himself pretending earnest and urgent occasions that he could not defer but advised us to leave the River because it winds so much about and turn up without fear to the Towns where the People would direct us the way to the Fort. Upon his advice we struck up a Path that came down to the River intending to go to a Town but could find none and there were so many cross Paths that we could not tell which way to go and the Land here so exceedingly low and level that we could see no other thing but Trees For altho I got up a Tree to look if I could see the Dutch Fort or discern any Houses yet I could not and the Sun being right over our heads neither could that direct us insomuch that we wished our selves again in our old friend the River So after so much wandring up and down we sat down under a Tree waiting until the Sun was fallen or some People came by Which not long after three or four Malabars did One of which could speak a little Portugueze We told these Men vve vvere Hollanders supposing they vvould be the more vvilling to go vvith us but they proved of the same temper vvith the rest before mentioned For until I gave one of them a small Knife to cut Betel-nuts he vvould not go vvith us but for the lucre of that he conducted us to a Tovvn From vvhence they sent a Man vvith us to the next and so vve were passed from Tovvn to Tovvn until vve arrived at the Fort called Arrepa it being about four of the Clock on Saturday afternoon October the eighteenth MDCLXXIX Which day God grant us grace that vve may never forget vvhen he vvas pleased to give us so great a deliverance from such a long Captivity of nineteen years and six Months and odd days being taken Prisoner when I was nineteen years old and continued upon the Mountains among the Heathen till I attained to Eight and Thirty In this my Flight thro the Woods I cannot but take notice with some wonder and great thankfulness that this Travelling by Night in a desolate Wilderness was little or nothing dreadful to me whereas formerly the very thoughts of it would seem to dread me and in the Night when I laid down to rest with wild Beasts round me I slept as soundly and securely as ever I did at home in my own House Which courage and peace I look upon to be the immediate gift of God to me upon my earnest Prayers which at that time he poured into my heart in great measure and fervency After which I found my self freed from those frights and fears which usually possessed my heart at other times In short I look upon the whole Business as a miraculous Providence and that the hand of God did eminently appear to me as it did of old to his People Israel in the like circumstances in leading and conducting me thro this dreadful Wilderness and not to suffer any evil to approach nigh unto me The Hollanders much wondered at our Arrival it being so strange that any should escape from Cande and entertained us very kindly that Night and the next Morning being Sunday sent a Corporal with us to Manaar and a Black Man to carry our few things At Manaar we were brought before the Captain of the Castle the Cheif Governor being absent Who when we came in was just risen from Dinner he received us with a great deal of kindness and bad us set down to eat It seemed not a little strange to us who had dwelt so long in Straw Cottages among the Black Heathen and used to sit on the Ground and eat our Meat on Leaves now to sit on Chairs and eat out of China Dishes at a Table Where were great Varieties and a fair and sumptuous House inhabited by White and Christian People we being then in such Habit and Guize our Natural colour excepted that we seemed not fit to eat with his Servants no nor his Slaves After Dinner the Captain inquired concerning the Affairs of the King and Countrey and the condition of their Ambassadors and People there To all which we gave them true and satisfactory Answers Then he told us That to Morrow there was a Sloop to sail to Iafnapatan in which he would send us to the Commander or Governor from whence we might have passage to Fort St. George or any other place on that Coast according to our desire After this he gave us some Money bidding us go to the Castle to drink and be merry with our Country-men there For all which kindness giving him many thanks in the Portugueze Language we took our leaves of him When vve came to the Court of Guard at the Castle vve asked the Soldiers if there vvere no English men among them Immediatly there came â—orth tvvo men to us the one a Scotchman named Andrew Brown the other an Iirshman vvhose name vvas Francis Hodges Who after very kind salutes carried us unto their Lodgings in the Castle and entertained us very nobly according to their Ability vvith Rack and Tobacco The Nevvs of our Arrival being spread in the Tovvnâ— the People came flocking to see us a strange and vvonderful sight and some to enquire about their Husbands Sons and Relations which were Prisoners in Cande In the Evening a Gentleman of the Tovvn sent to invite us to his House vvere vve were gallantly entertained both vvith Victuals and Lodging The next day being Munday ready to Embark for Iafnapatan came Order from the Captain and Council that we must stay until the Commander of Iafnapatan who was daily expected came thither Which we could not deny to do and order was given to the Victualers of the Soâ—diers to provide for us The Scotch and Irish man were very glad of this Order that they might have our company longer and would not suffer us to spend the Captains benevolence in their company but spent freely upon us at their own charges Thanks be to God we both continued in health all the time of our Escape but within three days after we came to Manaar my Companion fell very Sick that I thought I should have lost him Thus we remained some ten days at which time the expected Commander arrived and was received with great ceremonies of State The next day we went before him to receive his orders concerning us Which were to be ready to go with him on the morrow to Columbo there being a Ship that had long waited in that Road to carry him In which we embarked with him for Columbo At our coming on board to go to Sea we could not expect but to be Sea-sick being now as Fresh men having so long
had given me in my Voyage hither Which offer he made me he said That I might better satisfie their Company in Holland concerning the Affairs of Ceilon which they would be very glad to know At this time came two English Merchants hither from Bantam with whom the General was pleased to permit us to go But when we came to Bantam the English Agent very kindly entertained us and being not willing that we should go to the Dutch for Passage since God had brought us to our own Nation ordered our Passage in the good Ship Caesar lying then in the Road bound for England the Land of our Nativity and our long wished for Port. Where by the good Providence of God we arrived safe in the Month of September CHAP. XIII Concerning some other Nations and chiefly Europaeans that now live in this Island Portugueze Dutch HAving said all this concerning the English People it may not be unacceptable to give some account of other Whites who either voluntarily or by constraint Inhabit there And they are besides the English already spoken of Portugueze Dutch and French But before I enter upon Discourse of any of these I shall detain my Readers a little with another Nation inhabiting in this Land I mean the Malâ—bars both because they are Strangers and derive themselves from another Countrey and also because I have had occasion to mention them sometimes in this Book Thâ—se Malabars then are voluntary Inhabitants in this Island and have a Countrey here tho the Limits of it are but small it lyes to the Northward of the King's Coasts betwixt him and the Hollander Corunda Wy River parts it from the King's Territories Thro this Countrey we passed when we made our Escape The Language they speak is peculiar to themselves so that a Chingulays cannot understand them nor they a Chingulays They have a Prince over them called Coilat wannea that is independent either upon the King of Cande on one hand or the Dutch on the other only that he pays an acknowledgment to the Hollanders Who have endeavoured to subdue him by Wars but they cannot yet do it yet they have brought him to be a Tributary to them viz. To pay a certain rate of Elephants per annum The King and this Prince maintain a Friendship and Correspondence together And when the King lately sent an Army against the Hollanders this Prince let them pass thro his Countrey and went himself in Person to direct the King's People when they took one or two Forts from them The People are in great subjection under him they pay him rather greater Taxes than the Chingulays do to their King But he is nothing so cruel He Victualleth his Soldiers during the time they are upon the Guard either about the Palace or abroad in the Wars they are now fed at his Charge whereas 't is contrary in the King's Countrey for the Chingulay Soldiers bear their own Expences He hath a certain rate out of every Land that is sown which is to maintain his Charge The Commodities of this Countrey are Elephants Hony Butter Milk Wax Cows wild Cattel of the three last great abundance As for Corn it is more scarce than in the Chingulays Countrey neither have they any Cotton But they come up into Neure Caulava yearly with great droves of Cattel and lade both Corn and Cotton And to buy these they bring up Cloth made of the same Cotton which they can make better than the Chingulays also they bring Salt and Salt Fish and brass Basons and other Commodities which they get of the Hollander because the King permits not his People to have any manner of Trade with the Hollander so they receive the Dutch Commodities at the second hand We now proceed unto the Europaean Nations And we begin with the Portugueze who deserve the first place being the oldest Standers there The Sea-Coasts round about the Island were formerly under their Power and Government and so held for many years In which time many of the Natives became Christians and learned the Portugueze Tongue Which to this day is much spoken in that Land for even the King himself understands and speaks it excellently well The Portugueze have oâ—ten made Invasions throughout the whole Land even to Cande the Metropolis of the Island Which they have burnt more than once with the Palace and the Temples and so formidable have they been that the King hath been forced to turn Tributary to them paying them three Elephants per Annum However the middle of this Island viz. Cand ' Vda standing upon Mountains and so strongly â—ortified by Nature could never be brought into subjection by them much less by any other but hath always been under the Power of their own Kings There were great and long Wars between the King of Ceilon and the Portugueze and many of the brave Portugal Generals are still in memory among them of whom I shall relate some passages presently Great vexation they gave the King by their irruptions into his Dominions and the Mischiefs they did him tho oftentimes with great loss on their side Great Battels have been lost and won between them with great destruction of Men on both parts But being greatly distresâ—ed at last he sent and called in the Hollander to his aid By whose seasonable assistance together with his own Arms the King totally dispossessed the Portugueze and routed them out of the Land Whose rooms the Dutch now occupy paying themselves for their pains At the Surrender of Columbo which was the last place the Portugueze held the King made Proclamation That all Portugueze which would come unto him should be well entertained Which accordingly many did with their whole Families Wives Children and Servants choosing rather to be under him than the Dutch and divers of them are alive to this day living in Cande Uda and others are born there To all whom he alloweth monthly maintenance yea also and Provisions for their Slaves and Servants which they brought up with them This People are privileged to Travel the Countreys above all other Whites as knowing they will not run away Also when there was a Trade at the Sea Ports they were permitted to go down with Commodities clear â—rom all Customs and Duties Besides these who came voluntarily to live under the King there are others whom he took Prisoners The Portugueze of the best Quality the King took into his Service who are most of them since cut off according to his kind Custom towards his Courtiers The rest of them have allowance from that King and follow Husbandry Trading about the Countrey Stilling Rack keeping Taverns the Women â—ew Womens Wastcoats the Men â—ew Mens Doublets for Sale I shall now mention some of the last Portugueze Generals all within this present King's Reign with some passages concerning them Constantine Sa General of the Portugals Army in Ceilon when the Portugueze had footing in this
Land was very successful against this present King He run quite thro the Island unto the Royal City it self which he set on Fire with the Temples therein Insomuch that the King sent a Message to him signifying that he was willing to become his Tributary But he proudly sent him word back again That that would not serve his turn He should not only be Tributary but Slave to his Master the King of Portugal This the King of Cande could not brook being of an high Stomach and said He would fight â—o the last drop of Blood rather than stoop to that There were at this time many Commanders in the Generals Army who were natural Chingulays with these the King dealt secretly assuring them that if they would turn on his side he would gratifie them with very ample Rewards The King's Promises took effect and they all revolted from the General The King now daring not to trust the Revolted to make tryal of their Truth and Fidelity put them in the forefront of his Battel and commanded them to give the first Onset the King at that time might have Twenty or Thirty thousand Men in the Field Who taking their opportunity set upon the Portugueze Army and gave them such a total overthrow that as they report in that Countrey not one of them escaped The General seeing this Defeat and himself like to be taken called his Black Boy to give him water to drink and snatching the Knife that stuck by his Boy 's side stabbed himself with it Another General after him was Lewis Tisséra He swore he would make the King eat Coracan Tallipa that is a kind of hasty Pudding made of Water and the Coracan Flower which is reckoned the worst fare of that Island The King afterwards took this Lewis Tisséra and put him in Chains in the Common Goal and made him eat of the same fare And there is a Ballad of this Man and this passage Sung much among the common People there to this day Their next General was Simon Caree a Natural Chingulays but Baptized He is said to be a great Commander When he had got any Victory over the Chingulays he did exercise great Cruelty He would make the Women beat their own Children in their Mortars wherein they used to beat their Corn. Gaspar Figari had a Portugueze Father and Chingulays Mother He was the last General they had in this Countrey And a brave Soldier but degenerated not from his Predecessors in Cruelty He would hang up the People by the heels and split them down the middle He had his Axe wrapped in a white Cloth which he carried with him into the Field to execute those he suspected to be false to him or that ran away Smaller Malefactors he was merciful to cutting off only their right hands Several whom he hath so served are yet living whom I have seen This Gaspar came up one day to fight against the King and the King resolved to fight him The General fixed his Camp at Motaupul in Hotteracourly And in order to the King 's coming down to meet the Portugueze Preparation was made for him at a place called Cota coppul which might be Ten or Twelve miles distant from the Portugueze Army Gaspar knew of the place by some Spies but of the time of the Kings coming he was informed that it was a day sooner than really it happened According to this information he resolved privatly to march thither and come upon him in the night unawares And because he knew the King was a Polititian and would have his Spies abroad to watch the Generals motion the General sent for all the Drummers and Pipers to Play and Dance in his Camp that thereby the Kings Spies might not suspect that he was upon the March but merry and secure in his Camp In the mean time having set his People all to their Dancing and Drumming he left a small party there to secure the Baggage and away he goes in the night with his Army and arrives to Catta coppul intending to fall upon the King But when he came thither he found the King was not yet come but into the Kings Tents he went and sits him down in the seat appointed for the Kâ—ng Here he heard where the King was with his Camp which being not far off he marched thither in the morning and fell upon him and gave him one of the greatest Routs that ever he had The King himself made a narrow escape for had it not been for a Dutch Company which the Dutch had sent a little before for his Guard who aâ—ter his own Army fled turned head and stopped the Portugueze â—or a while he had been seized The Portugueze General was so near the King that he called after him Houre that is Brother stay I would speak with you but the King being got a top of the Hills was safe And so Gaspar retyred to his Quarters This Gallant expert Commander that had so often vanquished the Chingulays could not cope with another Europaean Nation For when the Hollanders came to beseige Columbo he was sent against them with his Army They told him before he went that now he must look to himself for he was not now to Fight against Chingulays but against Soldiers that would look him in the Face But he made nothing of them and said he would serve them as he had served the Chingulays The Hollanders met him and they fought but had before contrived a Stratagem which he was not aware of they had placed some Field-pieces in the Rear of their Army And after a small skirmish they retreated as if they had been worsted which was only to draw the Portugueze nearer upon their Guns Which when they had brought them in shot of they opened on a suddain to the right and left and fired upon them and so routed them and drove them into Columbo This Gaspar was in the City when it was taken and himself taken Prisoner Who was afterwards sent to Goa where he died And so much of the Portugueze The Dutch succeeded the Portugueze The first occasion of whose coming into this Land was that the present King being wearied and overmatched with the Portugueze sent for them into his aid long ago from Batavia And they did him good service but they feathered their own nests by the means and are now possessed of all the Sea-Coasts and considerable Territories thereunto adjoyning The King of the Countrey keeps up an irreconcileable War against them The occasion of which is said to be this Upon the beseiging of Columbo which was about the year MDCLV it was concluded upon between the King and the Dutch that their Enemies the Portugueze being expelled thence the City was to be delivered up by the Dutch into the Kings hands Whereupon the King himself in person with all his Power went down to this War to assist and joyn with the Hollanders without whose help as it is
generally reported the Dutch could not have taken the City But being surrendred to them and they gotten into it the King lay looking when they would come according to their former Articles and put him into possession of it Mean while they turned on a suddain fell upon him contrary to his expectation whether the King had first broke word with them and took Bag and Baggage from him Which provoked him in so high a manner that he maintains a constant hostility against them detains their Ambassadours and forbids his People upon pain of Death to hold Commerce with them So that the Dutch have enough to do to maintain those places which they have Oftentimes the King at unawares falls upon them and does them great spoil sometimes giving no quarter but cutting off the Heads of whomsoever he catches which are brought up and hung upon Trees near the City many of which I have seen Sometimes he brings up his Prisoners alive and keeps them by the High-way sides a spectacle to the People in memory of his Victories over them many of these are now living there in a most miserable condition having but a very small Allowance from him so that they are forced to be and it is a favour when they can get leave to go abroad and do it The Dutch therefore not being able to deal with him by the Sword being unacquainted with the Woods and the Chingulays manner of fighting do endeavour for Peace with him all they can dispatching divers Embassadours to him and sending great Presents by carrying Letters to him in great State wrapped up in Silks wrought with Gold and Silver bearing them all the way upon their Heads in token of great Honour honouring him with great and high Titles subscribing themselves his Subjects and Servants telling him the Forts they build are out of Loyalty to him to secure his Majesties Country from Forraign Enemies and that when they come up into his Countrey t is to seek maintenance And by these Flatteries and submissions they sometimes obtain to keep what they keep what they have gotten from him and sometimes nothing will prevail he neither regarding their Embassadours nor receiving the Presents but taking his opportunities on a suddain of setting on them by his Forces His Craft and Success in taking Bibligom Fort in the County of Habberagon may deserve to be mentioned The Chingulays had beseiged the Fort and knowing the Dutch had no Water there but all they had was conveyed thro a Trench wrought under Ground from a River near by they beseiged them so close and planted so many Guns towards the mouth of this Trench that they could not come out to fetch Water They cut down Wood also and made bundles of Faggots therewith which they piled up round about their Fort at some distance and every night removed them nearer and nearer So that their works became higher than the Fort. Their main intent by these Faggot-works was to have brought them just under the Fort and then to have set it on Fire the Walls of the Fort being for the most part of Wood. There was also a Bo-gahah Tree growing just by the Fort on which they planted Guns and shot right down into them The houses in the Fort being Thatched they shot also Fire-Arrows among them So that the beseiged were forced to pull off the Straw from their Houses which proved a great inconvenience to them being a Rainy Season so that they lay open to the weather and cold The Dutch finding themselves in this extremity desired quarter which was granted them at the Kings mercy They came out and laid down their Arms all but the Officers who still wore theirs None were plundered of any thing they had about them The Fort they demolished to the Groundâ— and brought up the Four Guns to the Kings Palace where they among others stand mounted in very brave Carriages before his Gate The Dutch were brought two or three days journey from the Fort into the Countrey they call Owvah and there were placed with a Guard about them having but a small allowance appointed them insomuch that afterwards having spent what they had they perished for Hunger So that of about ninety Hollanders taken Prisoners there were not above five and twenty living when I came away There are several white Embassadours besides other Chingulay People by whom the Dutch have sent Letters and presents to the King whom he keeps from returning back again They are all bestowed in several hoâ—ses with Soldiers to Guard them And tho they are not in Chains yet none is permitted to come to them or speak with them it not being the custom of that Land for any to come to the speech of Embassadours Their allowance is brought them ready dressed out of the Kings Palace being all sorts of Varieties that the Land affords After they have remained in this condition some years the Guards are somewhat slackned and the Soldiers that are to watch them grow reâ—â—ss in their Duty so that now the Ambassadours walk about the Streets and any body goes to their houses and talks with them that is after they have been so long in the Countrey that all their news is stale and grown out of date But this liberty is only winked at not allowed When they have been there a great while the King usually gives them Slaves both men and women the more to alienate their minds from their own Country and that they may stay with him with the more willingness and content For his design isâ— to make them if he can inclinable to serve him As he prevailed with one of these Embassadours to do for the love of a woman The manner of it I shall relate immediatly There are five Embassadors whom he hath thus detained since my coming there of each of whom I shall speak a little besides two whom he sent away voluntarily The first of these was sent up by the Hollanders some time before the Rebellion against the King Who had detained him in the City After the Rebellion the King sent for him to him to the Mountain of Gauluda whither he had retreated from the Rebels The King not long aâ—ter removed to Digligy where he now keeps his Court but lest the Embassador at Gauluda remaining by himself with a Guard of Soldiers In this uncomfortable condition upon a dismal Mountain void of all society he continued many days During which time a Chingulay and his Wife falls out and she being discontented with her Husband to escape from him flies to this Embassadors house for shelter The woman being somewhat beautiful he fell greatly in love with her And to obtain her he sent to the King and profered him his service if he would permit him to enjoy her company Which the King was very willing and glad to do having now obtained that which he had long aimed at to get him into his service Hereupon the King sent him word that he
trusty than his own People With these he often discourses concerning the Affairs of their Countreys and promotes them to places far above their Ability and sometimes their Degree or Desert And indeed all over the Land they do bear as it were a natural respect and reverence to White Men in as much as Black they hold to be inferior to White And they say the Gods are White and that the Souls of the Blessed after the Resurrection shall be White and therefore that Black is a rejected and accursed colour And as further signs of the King's favour to them there are many Privileges which White Men have and enjoy as tolerated or allowed them from the King which I suppose may proceed from the aforesaid Consideration as to wear any manner of Apparel either Gold Silver or Silk Shoes and Stockings a shoulder Belt and Sword their Houses may be whitened with Lime and many such like things all which the Chingulayes are not permitted to do He will also sometimes send â—or them into his Presence and discourse familiarly with them and entertain them with great Civilities especially white Ambassadors They are greatly chargeable unto his Countrey but he regards it not in the least So that the People are more like Slaves unto us than we unto the King In as much as they are inforced by his Command to bring us maintenance Whose Poverty is so great oftentimes that for want of what they supply us with themselves their Wives and Children are forced to suffer hunger this being as a due Tax imposed upon them to pay unto us Neither can they by any Power or Authority refuse the Payment hereof to us For in my own hearing the People once complaining of their Poverty and Inability to give us any longer our Allowance the Magistrate or Governor replied It was the King's special Command and who durst disannul it And if otherwise they could not supply us with our maintenance he bad them sell their Wives and Children rather than we should want of our due Such is the favour that Almighty God hath given Christian People in the sight of this Heathen King whose entertainment and usage of them is thus favourable If any enquire into the Religious exercise and Worship practised among the Christians here I am sorry I must say it I can give but a slender account For they have no Churches nor no Priests and so no meetings together on the Lord's Dayes for Divine Worship but each one Reads or Prays at his own House as he is disposed They Sanctifie the Day chiefly by refraining work and meeting together at Drinking-houses They continue the practice of Baptism and there being no Priests they Baptize their Children themselves with Water and use the words In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and give them Christian Names They have their Friends about them at such a time and make a small Feast according to their Ability and some teach their Children to say their Prayers and to Read and some do not Indeed their Religion at the best is but Negative that is they are not Heathen they do not comply with the Idolatry here practised and they profess themselves Christians in a general manner which appears by their Names and by their Beads and Crosses that some of them wear about their Necks Nor indeed can I wholly clear them from complyance with the Religion of the Countrey For some of them when they are Sick do use the Ceremonies which the Heathen do in the like case as in making Idols of clay and setting them up in their Houses and Offering Rice to them and having Weavers to Dance before them But they are ashamed to be known to do this and I have known none to do it but such as are Indians born Yet I never knew any of them that do inwardly in Heart and Conscience incline to the ways of the Heathen but perfectly abhor them nor have there been any I ever heard of that came to their Temples upon any Religious account but only would stand by and look on without it were one old Priest named Padre Vergonce a Genoez born and of the Iesuits Order who would go to the Temples and eat with the Weavers and other ordinary People of the Sacrifices offered to the Idols but with this Apology for himself that he eat it as common Meat and as God's Creature and that it was never the worse for their Superstition that had past upon it But however this may reflect upon the Father another thing may be related for his Honour There happened two Priests to fall into the hands of the King on whom he conferred great Honours for having laid aside their Habits they kept about his Person and were the greatest Favourites at Court The King one day sent for Vergonse and asked him if it would not be better for him to lay aside his old Coat and Cap and to do as the other two Priests had done and receive Honour from him He replied to the King That he boasted more in that old habit and in the Name of Iesus than in all the honour that he could do him And so refused the King's Honour The King valued the Father for this saying He had a pretty Library about him and died in his Bed of old Age whereas the two other Priests in the King's Service died miserably one of a Canker and the other was slain The old Priest had about Thiâ—ty or Forty Books which the King they say seized on after his Death and keeps These Priests and more lived there but all deceased excepting Vergonse before my time The King allowed them to build a Church which they did and the Portugueze assembled there but they made no better than a Bawdy-house of it for which cause the King commanded to pull it down Although here be Protestants and Papists yet here are no differences kept up among them but they are as good Friends as if there were no such Parties And there is no other Distinctions of Religion there but only Heathens and Christians and we usually say We Christians FINIS Books printed for and sold by Richard Chiswel FOLIO SPEED's Maps and Geography of Great Britain and Ireland and of Foreign Parts Dr. Cave's Lives of the Primitive Fathers Dr. Cary's Chronological Account of Anciâ—â—t time Wanly's Wonders of the little World or History of Man Sir Tho. Herbert's Travels into Persia c. Holyoak's large Dictionary Latin and English Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle of England Causâ—n's Holy Court Wilson's compleat Christian Dictionary Bishop Wilkin's Real Character or Philosophical Language Pharmacopaeia Regalis Collegii Medicorum Londinensis reformata Iudge Ione's Reports in Common â—â—w Iudge Vauâ—han's Reports in Common Law Cave Tabulae Ecclesiasticorum Scriptorum Hobbe's Leviathan Lord Bacon's Advancement of Learning Sir W. Dugdale's Baronage of England in 2 Vol. QUARTO DR Littleton's Dictionary Bishop Nicâ—olson on the Church
get safely over this Danger They dress Meat and lay down to sleep They fear wild Men which these Woods abound with They meet with many of their Tents Very near falling upon the wild People What kind of travelling they had Some account of this River Ruins The Woods hereabouts How they secured themselves a nights against wild Beasts They pass the River that divides the King's Countrey from the Malabars After four or five days travel they come among Inhabitants But do what they can to avoid them As yet undiscovered They met with two Malabars To whom they relate their Condition They are courteous to them But loath to conduct them to the Hollander In danger of Elephants They overtake another man who tells them they were in the Dutch Dominions They Arrive at Arrepa Fort. He Travailed a Nights in the Woods without fear and slept securely Entertained very kindly Sent to Manaar Received by the Captain of the Castle Who intended them to Sail the next day to Iafnapatan Here they meet with a Scotch and Irish man The People flock to see them They are ordered a longer stay They embark for Columbo They are wondred at at Columbo Ordered to appear before the Governour Treated by English thereâ— They come into the Governor's presence His state Matters the Governor eâ—quired of The Governor desires him to go to Batavia Cloths them Sends them Money And a Chirurgeon The Author writes a Letter to the English at Cande The former Demands and Answers penned down â—â— Portugueze by the Governor's order They Embark for Batavia His friendly Reception at Batavia with the Governor Furnishes them with the Cloths and Money Offer him passage in their Ships Come home from Bantam in the Caesar. Concerning Malabars that inhabit in this Island Their Territories Their Prince The People how governed Their Commodities and Trade Concerning the Portugueze Their Power and Interest in this Island formerly The great Wars between the King and them force him to send in for the Hollanders The King invites the Portugueze to live in his Countrey Their Privileges Their Generals Constantine Sa. He loses a Victory and stabs himself Lewis Tisséra served as he intended to to serve the King Simon Caree of a cruel Mind Gaspar Figari Splits Men in the middle His Policy Gives the King a great overthrow Looses Columbo and taken Prisoner The Dutch the occasion of their coming in The King their inplacable enemy and why The dammage the King does them The means they use to obtain Peace with him How he took Bibligom Fortâ— Several Embassadâ—rs detained by the King The first Embassador there detained since the Authors remembrance His preferment and death The next Embassador dying there his Body is sent down to Columbo in greaâ— Stateâ— The third Embassador Gets away by his resolution The fourth was of a milder Nature The fifth brings a Lion to the King as a Present The number of Dutch there The Chingulays prejudiced against the Dutch and why The French come hither with a Fleet. To whom the King sends Provisionsâ— and helps them to build a Fort. The French Ambassador offends the King He refuses to wait longer for Audience Which more displeased the King Clapt â—n Chains The rest of the French refuse to dwell with the Ambassador The King uses means to reconcile the French to their Ambassador The Author acquaints the French Ambassador in London with the condition of these Men. An inquiry into the reason of this King 's detaing Europaeans The King's gentleness towards his white Soldiers They watch at his Magazine How craftily the King corrected their Negligence The King's Inclinations are towards white Men. The colour of white honoured in this Land Their Privilege above the Natives The King loves to send and talk with them How they maintain Christianity among them In some things they comply with the worship of the Heathen An old Priest used to eat of their Sacrifices The King permitted the Portugueze to build a Church