NO. 40—1890.] EMBASSY TO KANDY, 1671. 



369 



the back of the king they speak nothing but abuse 

 and calumny. Whereupon, I, in the presence of the king 

 and all the chiefs, threatened to crush him ; but lifting up 

 my hand I saw his beard and gray hair, and asked him not 

 to speak again without orders from His Majesty. But the 

 traitor said that he had already been there twenty-one years, 

 and he did not feel sorry for it. 



And I again spoke to the Emperor in Portuguese and said, 

 that if His Majesty was not pleased to at once give me leave to 

 go, I sought, at that very hour, to die in His Imperial presence, 

 for I had resolved to no longer sit as a prisoner and criminal. 

 The king then gave me leave, and ordered that I could depart 

 when I wished, and that I could take my leave and go to my 

 house. But I had first to hear an ola, that was then interpreted 

 to me, and, not to forget the contents of the same, I was 

 ordered to copy it, and to report to Your Excellency, 

 on the orders of the Emperor ; which also I did. No 

 sooner had I come out, than I threw the letter which I was 

 enjoined to write to Your Excellency before my feet, and my 

 lascoreens took it up and brought it to the house. 



The next day there came courtiers to me and asked why I 

 had yesterday thus thrown the letter down. I replied that I had 

 before this hoped and believed that I should be sent away with 

 the customary Imperial gifts and presents, and the Ambas- 

 sadors and all our imprisoned, as the Emperor had promised 

 with his mouth; but that notwithstanding everything, I had 

 only received leave to withdraw ; and that I would faithfully 

 and honestly report to Your Excellency what I had heard 

 and seen. 



Next morning about midday, I expected the Imperial 

 order, and, as no order came that day, I informed His Majesty 

 through my guards that I had been and still was ready to 

 depart, and that I was making arrangements with that end. 



These same guards came about evening and asked, on the 

 orders of the Emperor, how many coolies (coolien) I required 

 for the transport of my luggage, that the gentlemen (Mon- 

 sieur s) would give as many as I wished, but the chiefs said that 



