No. 38.— 1889.] THE DUTCH IN CEYLON, 1602-1757. 83 



Company, their weakness must not be allowed, merely for the 

 sake of obtaining peace, to be availed of by the people to 

 drive out the Company in process of time. We should 

 therefore be very circumspect in our negotiations concerning 

 the surrender of forts and lands ; also touching the terms of 

 peace, we should not, in the hope of peace, give them any 

 advantage which might injure us, otherwise the Company 

 would be only courting their ruin, knowing their powers of 

 dissimulation and treachery. 



Governor Pyl wished to act upon these opinions at once 

 upon the arrival in August, 1686, of an embassy from Candia, 

 but in vain, for the courtiers would not listen to him, and 

 spent their time principally in empty compliments, and ex- 

 pressing [their sense of] His Excellency's favour and affection. 



In accordance with the orders received from Batavia, 

 the Governor on this occasion made them the offer of all 

 the Corles taken by the Company in 1665 ; but they were 

 refused by the courtiers, who pretended no authority had been 

 received from His Majesty the King to accept them. 



Tidings were received in December, 1687, of the death of 

 His Majesty Raja Singa Rajoe, King of Candia. Whereupon 

 it was decided to go into mourning, and retain it until the Am- 

 bassadors (who had come to Colombo to notify the succession 

 of the young prince Mahastane to the throne) had fulfilled 

 their mission. The Ambassadors acted as if they knew 

 nothing of the late King's death, but they were paid back in 

 the same coin for their dissimulation. The Gannebandaar 

 privately requested the Governor not to sorrow over the 

 death of the old King. 



The Governor caused a general rejoicing in honour of 

 the ascension of the new King to the throne, and ordered, 

 amongst other things, three discharges of musketry by the 

 military ; and it was resolved to celebrate the obsequies of 

 the old King in the usual manner. 



The Secretary of State afterwards arrived at Colombo 

 from Candia, and notified the death and cremation of the 

 old King. 



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