62 



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



in which His Majesty was implicated : the guilty parties 

 were punished according to their deserts. 



During the remainder of the year, and the two years 

 following, nothing of importance occurred, and the King 

 now and then showed some desire for peace, without ceasing, 

 however, from disturbing the lowlands, carrying off the 

 inhabitants, and even murdering them. 



In the year 1661, it was found advisable to cede Calpetty, 

 to His Majesty. Their Excellencies, however, disapproved of 

 his, pointing out the facilities it would afford for the smug- 

 gling of cinnamon from that fort ; they would, however, 

 leave His Majesty in possession, provided he did not break 

 the treaty. 



In September, 1662, Heer van der Meyden gave over the 

 government to Heer Ryckloff van Goens, after the latter had 

 captured the town of Cochin on the Malabar Coast from 

 the Portuguese. It was remarkable that during that 

 expedition, wherein some of the Ceylonese forces were also 

 employed, the King remained quiet, and it was conjectured 

 that in consequence of the glorious triumph of the Company 

 he would still so remain. 



Meanwhile His Majesty still kept the Netherland 

 Ambassadors, sent to him during so many successive years, 

 captive without assigning any reason or listening to the 

 repeated solicitations for their release. Whereupon their 

 Excellencies wrote to Ceilon on August 26, 1663, that they 

 would for the future send only competent Lascoreens or 

 other natives to the Court instead of Netherlanders. 



At the end of the year 1663, the Governor Rijckloff van 

 Goens returned to Batavia, and was replaced by Heer Jacob 

 Hustaard, during whose administration nothing further hap- 

 pened, save that the English endeavoured to gain a footing 

 on the Island by the aid of the Candian Court : this they 

 were, however, unable to do, as the relations between the 

 King and the Company remained peaceable. 



This [quietness] also continued during the time of Com- 

 mandeur Roothaes, who took over the Government on the 19th 



