No. 38.— 1889.] THE DUTCH IN CEYLON, 1602-1757. 105 



retained it in his own possession, appealed to it and pre- 

 tended to keep it. 



All this was an infallible argument to prove that the 

 Company's claim against that King was not false, but free 

 from design and deceit : thus as regards the old King they 

 certainly had a chance of determining any differences 

 between them and of effecting a peaceful issue. 



But as the young King was only acting upon the advice of 

 his Councillors, things were getting into a bad state, and gave 

 promise of serious trouble to the Company ; for the courtiers 

 tried by every means to cause disorder, disputed the true 

 meaning of the treaty, denied its authenticity, and strove to 

 upset it. 



It was considered better, for all these reasons, to main- 

 tain our rights and pretensions against all Europeans by 

 right of conquest, should any of them attempt to disturb us 

 in time of peace, rather than to insist on the treaty and our 

 right of hypothec, which would be the cause of endless 

 quarrels and disputes. 



It was meanwhile resolved at Colombo to quietly evacuate 

 the mountain Corles, which was done at once : they 

 were taken possession of by the King's people, who elected 

 Chiefs in all of them, with the exception of the Three 

 Corles, which were not yet inhabited. 



The Company's people still continued to go to the Court 

 to obtain titles of honour ; which had such a demoralising 

 effect that the people of Tamblegam and Coetjaar renounced 

 their fealty to the Company, and absolutely refused to pay 

 any taxes. 



At the end of the year 1688 a few courtiers came to 

 Colombo from Candia with two olas, the first notifying His 

 Majesty's intended departure for the lowlands to confer 

 personally with the Governor. It was replied, that according 

 to orders, as a Governor was not permitted to leave his post 

 unless an officer of higher or at least the same rank was sent 

 to replace him, he could not have the high honour of 

 receiving His Majesty, or conferring with him. In the 



