amongst the Singhalese. 231 



Monarch, himself, who had no less than seven Councillors, 

 or Ministers attached to his Court. In later times, however, 

 this number was reduced to four; and yet these four, 

 with the King at their head, formed the Cabal, Cabinet, or 

 the Privy Council of Ceylon. Collectively, their duty was 

 to assist the King in the Executive and Legislative functions 

 of Government, which were vested in the King ; but indi- 

 vidually, they had separate duties assigned to them. The 

 " Premier" was the Prohita Minister ; and when a Brahaman, 

 he was the domestic Chaplain of Brahaman Kings. He was 

 to attend on the Kings ; that is, he was attached to the 

 King's household. One had the care of the Metropolis, 

 " Home Affairs," in respect of which he may perhaps be 

 styled, " the Secretary for the Home Department," whilst 

 another was " the Minister for Foreign affairs," and the dis- 

 penser of Justice ; the latter office being analagous to that of 

 the Lord Chancellor of England. The fourth was "the 

 Minister of War." 



The Singhalese Ministers of State, latterly, received the 

 appellation of " Adigars? or " Adikarans" from efcd* adhi, 

 " over, above, upon, &c, implying superiority in place ;" 

 and &S& <*o " the instrument in the sense of Executive :" but 

 little mention of them is made in ancient books, which only 

 refer to meti or ©aj*§ mantri " Councillors." 



It is foreign to my purpose here, to enter into a considera- 

 tion of the different duties attached to them, the perquisites 

 to which they were entitled, and the privileges which they 

 enjoyed. In pursuing my investigation of the names of 

 native titles, and their significations, I shall pass on to the 

 " Officers of the Palace,"f or the King's household. 



* From this inseparable preposition adhi, we obtain adhipati, a term which may be 

 properly used to signify " chairman," "■ president," and even "Judge" or u Governor." 

 f Davy's Ceylon,, p. 143. 



