No. 38.— 1889.] THE DUTCH IN CEYLON, 1602-1757. 137 



boats laden with arecanuts, trusting by these concessions to 

 obtain, through his influence, the repeal of the King's 

 commands against the gathering of cinnamon in his lands. 



The Chalias once more became unruly, on account of five 

 scoundrels having been deservedly punished for disobedience 

 by the Mahavidaan, and the discontent rose to such a height 

 that it became necessary to despatch three companies of 

 European soldiers, besides ten of lascoreens, to the villages 

 Kosgodde, Wellitotte, and Madampe to subdue them : this 

 brought them back to their duty. 



In the following year, 1745, also the Court showed signs of 

 renewed discontent by retarding the progress of our Ambas- 

 sador and delaying him two months on his way to Candia. 



The Dessawe of the Three and Four Corles made many 

 unreasonable demands, and finally sent 400 men to destroy 

 the houses and plantations of the inhabitants of the villages 

 of the Hina Corle, pretending to the Governor the whole 

 time that after much trouble and many presents he had 

 persuaded the Court to remain in sincere friendship with 

 the Company, and that he was coming down with a consider- 

 able retinue, by His Majesty's permission, to arrange for the 

 gathering of cinnamon and the transport of elephants, and 

 to arrange all differences. He also requested that a vessel 

 might be got ready to convey to Pegu some courtiers who 

 were coming with him, to fetch thence some priests of Boedoe. 



The aforesaid Dessawe and other courtiers came soon after 

 to Colombo bearing an ola, which, however, contained 

 nothing but a request for suitable vessels to convey some 

 messengers to Pegu. 



As this was not granted by the Governor and Council, the 

 Court, out of revenge, redoubled their aggressions in the year 

 1746, and seemed to use great endeavours to obtain priests 

 of Boedoe with the help of the Company, robbed the people 

 who came from the Mature Dessavony and Gale Corle to 

 purchase, as usual, cardamoms from the King's lands, of their 

 money and cloths. 



The courtiers also laid claim to seven villages in the Hina 



