7 
o 
6 
A Defcriftion of C E Y L O N. 
CkJ^^ " next, we either will pay ready Mony 
Batdaus.^ u or exchange the fame for Am- 
" munition or other Merchandizes, as 
" your Majefty fliall think fit. So foon 
as our Envoys are affur'd of your Ma- 
jefly's Refolutions upon this Head, and 
of your Intentions to enter into a fur- 
ther Treaty with us, they (hall (ac- 
cording to orders) fet fail immediate- 
ly to our Fleet before Goa, to confer 
" with the Admiral how foon and how 
many Ships may be detach'd out of his 
Fleet, either for the Tranfportation 
of the Cinnamon, or your Majefty's 
Aid, according to the prefent Exigency 
" of Affairs. We defire therefore your 
Majefty to give thefe Envoys, fent with 
a molifc fincere Intention to your Ma- 
jefty, a futable Reception, and a fa- 
vourable Audience-, and afterwards 
to difpatch them with all convenient 
fpeed, to further their arrival at our 
Fleet before Goa^ before the Mouffon 
" be paffed, which otherwife might 
prove no ilnall Obftade to our Defign. 
" We acknowledg we ought to have pre- 
fented your Majefty with fome Foreign 
" Rarities (according to Cuftom) but 
*■« being ignorant of the Condition of 
your Country, and in no fmall fear 
•■^ that thefe Envoys might perhaps be de- 
tain'd by the Portuguefes^ we hope your 
Majefty will excufe the fame for this 
" time. We pray, moft Potent Empe- 
^' ror, that God may grant your Majefty 
" Health, Profperity, and Viftory over 
" your Enemies. 
It 
cc. 
cc 
Dated in the Fort 
Geldria, the 2oth 
oiOUob. 1637. 
Subfcribed, 
Your Majefty's moft 
devoted Servant, 
Charles Reyniers. 
Travfaai' "^^^ Empcror, whilft the Envoys were 
01s if the making their Propofitioris, ftood with the 
Envnp-, Crown on his Head, and a Scymeter in 
his Hand, his Head, Arms and Legs a- 
dorn'd with Jewels, Rings and Chains of 
Gold. He enquired after the State of 
Affairs in Holland^ the Health of the 
Prince of Orange^ and whether the Envoys 
had a full Power to treat with him ; unto 
which they anfwer'd. No, but that the 
Admiral of the Dutch Squadron before 
Coa had : So they were conduded to the 
Apartments prepar'd for their Recepti- 
on, to reft themfelves after fo fatiguing 
a Journy. 
The next day being again admitted in- 
to the Emperor's Prefence, he ask'd them 
feveral Matters concerning the prefent 
ftate of Affairs in Europe : The Portugutjes 
having made it their bufmefs to reprefent 
the Dutch as an inconfiderable Mob^ and 
the Emperor neverthelefs having by the 
great Naval Strength that appear'd of 
late years in the Eafi-Indks conceived a 
quite different opinion of their Strength 
than what had been whifper'd about by 
the Portuguefesj was very glad to find 
the Truth to prove agreeable to his for- 
mer Sentiments concerning the Power of 
a Nation, with whom he was going to 
enter into a ftrift Confederacy againft the 
PoYtuguefes. The next following day they 
began to enter upon a Treaty about the 
Cinnamon, and the Fort of Batecah. 
Whilft his Majefty held frequent Confe- 
rences (twice a day for a whole Week) 
with our Deputies, a Letter was fent to 
the King or Prince of Mateli ( the Em- 
peror's Brother ) by Diego de Melo de ne Por- 
Cajlro^ Governour of Columho ^ wherein tuguefe 
he complained of the intended Breach of^"^^''^^^ 
the Peace^ ftiUng the Hollanders rebellious ^y^Dutcfj 
Subjects of the King of Portugal, vpho had fui^e^hd. 
incur'd the Hatred of all the other Indian 
Princes. He added. That the Emperor was 
guilty of this Rupture whereof he had given 
notice in a Letter to the Viceroy of Goa. 
His Majefty defir'd that the faid Letter 
Ihould be tranflated into the Dutch^ and 
be deliver'd by the Envoys to the Ad- 
miral before Goa \ and told them for the 
reft, that he was too well acquainted with 
their ways, to give Ear to thefe Calum- 
nies : That he would endeavour to amufe Tk Empi- 
them with Compliments, till he could 
find an opportunity of furprizing ^^'^^^^iJU^^ 
Fort of Mankewarc in the Low-Countries 
near the South Shore of the IQe. He 
writ alfo a Letter to the Admiral IVefier- 
woldj and order'd three Deputies to go 
along with our Envoys to take a view of 
the Fleet before Goa^ and to give an ac- 
count thereof to him. 
The 2'jth of the fame Month his Ma- 
jefty thought fit to difpatch the Envoys; 
Palankyns or Litters were order'd for 
their Journy, with fome Elephants for 
their Baggage, and a Convoy of loLaf- 
caryns, under the Command of a Colonel 
to condud them, with orders to defray 
their Charges in all places through which 
they paffed. It v/as further remarkable, 
that whilft the Governour of Paliacatta\ 
Letter was deliver'd to his Majefty, and ^f'' 
the Envoys made their Propofitions, he ^J^^ 
arofe from his Chair, and remain'd ftand- '^^"^ 
ing all the while, an Honour never done 
to the Portuguefes. The Dutch Envoys 
fet fail the i^th of the next following 
* Month 
