SUMATRA, 
to death, raifmg his own adherents, from the lower ckfs of people, to 
the firJR: dignities of the ftate*"' To enfure the future fubmiffion of the 
nobility, he felzed their cannon and arms, demoliflied their fortified 
houfes, and prohibited their rebuilding with any fubflantial material; 
Of thofe among the people who prefumcd to exprefs any difapprobatioa 
of his condud, he made great Daughter, and was fuppofed to have 
caufed not Icfs than twenty thoufand perfons to be executed in the fir ft 
year of his reign. 
As the Portuguefe writers make fcarcely any mention of this king's ac- 
tions, we have reafan to conclude that he did not prove fo formidable an 
enemy to Malacca as his predcceffor had been; and it appears that 
embafladors from that city refided, at different periods, in his court. 
Some expeditions, however, he fitted out again ft it, in which a general 
of his, named RajaMacosta^ had opportunities of fignalizing his valour.a 
He had long and frequent wars with the king of Johor. 
Towards the clofe of the fixteenth century, the Hollanders began to 
1600. navigate the Indian feas, and in the year 1600 fome of their fhips arri- 
ved at Achcen, where they had no caufe to boaft of the hofpitality of 
their treatment. An attempt ivas made, and probably not without the 
orders, or connivance of the king, to cut off two of their veflels, and 
feveral of the crews were murdered ; but after a defperate conflidj the 
aflTaflSns w^ere overcome and driven into the water ; and it was fome 
pleafure (fays John Davis, who w^as the principal pilot of the ihips) to 
fee how the bafe Indians did fly, how they were killed, and how well 
they were drowned.** This treacherous adion was attributed to the in- 
ligation of the Fortuguefe, A fecond party of that nation, who endea- 
vored to trade there a fliort time afterwards, met with little better ufage, 
and were obliged to ha ft en out of the road, leaving a part of thcif 
merchandize on Ibore** 
John Davis. ^ Q^icen Elhabcth** letter to th« Itbg of Achcen. 
♦ It is fomewhat remarkable tint the HolJatiders, not only at AcTiccn but at Bantam, were 
about this time always caUed Englillj by the nattres, nocwithfllanding they endeavoured, or fo 
pretended, to eftablifli a juil idea of lUe difticftion between the two nations. See Colleflioa of 
jfoj*agt& wliich contribuud to the cllablilJuiicnt of Uie Ketherlajids £aft Iii<!ia Coropnuy. 
The 
