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



his power to consent to His Imperial Majesty's wishes, he 

 would report the matter to the Governor. 



The conference being ended, the courtiers left to report to 

 His Majesty. 



A few days after the Ambassador was invited to another 

 conference with the aforesaid courtiers at the Court, and the 

 Gannebandar being the spokesman, said that His Imperial 

 Majesty having been informed of the deliberations of the last 

 meeting, had, after perusing the documents handed to him ? 

 remarked that two articles did not meet with his approval. 

 But before giving any further explanation, he entered upon 

 a long resume about the first landing of the Portuguese upon 

 these shores, their engagements entered into with the Kings 

 of Cotta, Sitavaca, and Candia, without, however, their acquir- 

 ing any lands from them — except on their first arrival, getting 

 from the King of Cotta as much land as would be covered by 

 a cow's hide ; adding that the Portuguese continually broke 

 their contracts, and caused His Majesty much trouble, for 

 which they were frequently punished ; that at last His 

 Majesty, considering the Holland nation the truest and most 

 estimable of all, had invited them to his dominions and had 

 made a contract with them, which several of their Governors 

 had broken, against the good intentions of the Company,, 

 until Governor Pyl assumed the Government, and by his 

 upright conduct gave such satisfaction to the late and also to- 

 the present King. 



After this, the Gannebandaar coming to the point, said first 

 that in article 3 mention was made of some debt due from 

 His Imperial Majesty to the Company for expelling the 

 Portuguese from the kingdom on behalf of His Imperial 

 Majesty ; he must maintain that His Imperial Majesty was 

 not indebted to the Company for the following reasons : — 



1st. — That the Company had been the first to break the 

 contract. 



2nd. — That they had appropriated to themselves the spoil 

 obtained from the Portuguese by the conquest of the towns 

 and forts, while the King was entitled to two-thirds of it. 



