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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XVIIL. 
monarch, with a view to the re-establishment of peaceful 
relations ; for we jfind Raja Siniha writing on November 14 
of that year to Ryklof van Goens, as follows : — 
[24.] 
[I] Raja Singa Raju, Most Exalted Monarch and Greatest and Most 
Potent Emperor of this my far-famed Empire of Ceilao, &c., to the 
Admiral-General of the Naval Fleet, Captain-General of Sea and 
Land, and Superintendent of the Dutch nation in this my 
Empire of Ceilao, send much greeting. 
On Friday, which was the 8th of this present month of November, 
there came to my imperial notice that Your Honour had arrived 
at this my Empire of CeilaS, and at this same time there took place 
an act of treason against my imperial person,^^! such as happened to 
no monarch of this monarchy, the causes being explained to Your 
Honour in these few lines, in consequence of which it was not possible 
to dispatch the messenger with the reply to the letters of Your Honour. 
One of these [causes] is the observing of the festivals of our 
God,*^^ which have not been held for some years past by reason of the 
wars and my imperial absence, extending for some days beyond the 
accustomed time, which the same messenger moreover has seen. The 
other is that after the messenger had received his answer and was 
prepared to go with the letter already sealed, there happened to me 
that some traitorous vassals of this my Empire attempted to practise 
treason against me by means of poison and sorceries, which some ten 
or twelve years ago my imperial person succeeded in discovering every 
time, and punishing them up to the present with great penalties, which 
it pleased God to be again discovered : whereupon I commanded to 
execute upon them, as I have done, the punishment which such treason 
and falsehood merits and yet with all this they did not resolve to 
cease from their evil intents and wicked purposes; on account of which 
act my imperial person, and the prelates and friars of our law and the 
nobles of this court, with the other royal vassals, both of the low and 
high country, are doing all that is possible to utterly extinguish all 
these traitors. And if with the favour of God we shall put an end to 
all these things, and my imperial person continue in perfect health, as 
I trust he will grant me, I shall reply to the letters of Your Honour, and 
also send a trusty person from this imperial court to learn of your 
welfare and present to you my compliments on the victories you have 
gained, accompanied by a gift and present that your person merits ; 
and in case my imperial person (which God f oref end) be not in perfect 
health, I remind Your Honour that the Dutch nation has never had any 
agreement or contract with my imperial person, nor I with it, but only 
at a summons of mine, without further delay or waiting they came and 
made terms of peace with my imperial person, one of the conditions 
being that we were to be friends of friends and enemies of enemies, 
