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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XL 



3. That if the order of the Honourable Company permitted 

 it, he would present himself before His Majesty in person,, 

 in order to faithfully execute the contract made with Heer 

 Westerwold, which up till now has not been necessary. 



4. That the past disturbances were not ascribed to His 

 Majesty or caused by the Netherlanders, but by false tongues 

 and ill-meaning persons ; to whom His Majesty is requested 

 not to give too ready credence, but rather to consider the loyal 

 services of the Netherlanders, who desire no other recompense 

 than the faithful fulfilling of the contract and His Majesty's 

 friendship. 



On the 21st of the same month of August, Heer Maetsuycker 

 prepared another letter for His Majesty, informing him that 

 Laurens Maerschalck was ready to depart for Candia, to 

 assure His Majesty of the good feeling of the Netherlanders, 

 and to settle the differences upon the conditions proposed, 

 which His Majesty would, no doubt, accept. 



After the despatch of this letter, another communication 

 was received from His Majesty dated August 29, in which His 

 Majesty desires to learn the opinion of the Netherlanders 

 concerning the peace proposals of the Portuguese. 



Heer Maetsuycker replied, on September 10, that His 

 Majesty should act touching it according to his own pleasure, 

 and in the interests of his country, the only desire [of the 

 Netherlanders] being the strict fulfilment of the contract made 

 by Heer Westerwold, if His Majesty also had the same feeling. 

 That further, the wish of the Portuguese for peace with His 

 Majesty was only caused by the fear of an approaching war with 

 the Netherlanders,and the opportunity of gaining His Majesty's 

 protection ; but in this they deceive themselves, the contract 

 being no obstacle to prevent us from harrying them wherever 

 possible ; the only difference being that the Netherlanders 

 formerly warred with them in the name of His Majesty, but 

 will now be obliged to attack them in the name of their 

 Excellencies the States General ; consequently everything 

 captured will be the property of the Netherlanders, and should 

 Colombo be taken, His Majesty would have no claim upon it, 



