73° 
A Defcripion of C E Y L O N. 
C^'Jy^ provided they would fail along with the 
^^rsj Fleet to C^z/ow; but that they refufed to 
■^^^ accept of the fame, and were fail'd to 
the Northward. 
Theii/Jof January, two hours before 
break of day, the General being got a- 
board the Ttr Goes^ call'd a Council of 
War there, wherein it was refolv'd to 
fend forthwith the Ship the Cod-fifli to 
Negombo, in order to unlade her Cargo 
(intended for Gale) there in company of 
the AmfleYdam and Marygold-flower j and 
the Hare Yacht was order'd to keep as 
clofe to the Bay as polTibly ;{he could, to 
obferve the fraall VefTels that might pafs 
and repafs in and out of the City. 
The 2^th of January the Flujhing Yacht 
coming from IVmgmla, brought Letters 
from our Fador Leonard Johnfon, dated 
the 6th of January, intimating, that the 
Viceroy of Coa, inftead of fending the 
pretended Succours to Ceylon, had now 
refolved to fend two Caracks to Portugal, 
and three Yachts to Mojamhiciue and that 
the Defign of the Relief of Columho 
feem'd to be laid afide : in confirmation 
whereof he fent the following Tranflatioa 
of a Letter written by one of our Spies 
there. 
To the Commodore of the r>x\X.Q\\ S({uadron 
near Wingurla. 
Letter of a '■^ W O Ships (both arrived this 
spy from u 1 Year) viz. Bon Jefus carrying 65 
Guns, and the Noffa Senhora da Graz.ia 
" of 60 Guns, are intended to be fent to 
" Portugal, being now bufy in unloading, 
" and expeding only the return of our 
Goa. 
Fleet from Cochin and the Cape. It is 
fuppofed they will be ready to fail by 
the end of the firft Month of the Year. 
Three Yachts more are order'd from 
" Mofambique, being now taking in their 
Cargo, befides another Yacht, defign'd 
for Macajfar. The Caravel intended 
" for China is not ready to fail, and ic 
remains uncertain whether flie will go 
" thither. But, if fiie doe?, it will not 
" be till next Spring. Hitherto we fee 
no Preparations either of Men or Ships 
" for Ceylon ; and they feem unrefolved, 
" whether they had befl: fend any Relief 
thither, for fear they Ihould fall into 
" the hands of the Dutch. But if any be 
" fent, it will certainly not be till after 
" the departure of the Ships for Pcrtu- 
" gal, for which the Viceroy Ihews a 
great concern, being afraid they will 
be intercepted by the Dutch before 
' ' they can reach Portugal. 
Dated January d. 
I 6 <, 6. 
Your Excellency's 
conftant Slave, 
Vrcgami Sinay. 
Hereupon it was agreed in a Council of ^^tcb 
War, to order the Ships the Ter Goes, f^^J^"^ 
Mars, the Arms of Holland, Amjierdam, 
Flufhing, Erafmiis, Naarden, Zierik-fce, 
Marygold-flower^ and the Hare, forthwith 
towards Goa, there to expedt the coming 
of the Ships from Trajouan, in company 
of thofe from Per/ia and Suratte. And 
that the Yachts the Workum, Pophnf- 
burgh, Codfifh and Rabbit, with fome light 
Frigats and Sloops, Ihould be kept for the 
Blockade of the Harbour of Columho. 
CHAP. XXX. 
Mr. Hartraan frefented by the Emperor. Some Spies han^d. The Arrival of 
fever al Ships. Letters from the Emperor and Dutch General. 
A Bout that time the Emperor fent his 
Letter to the Dutch General Mr. 
Hulfi, in anfwer to his fent by Mr. Hart- 
man, the chief Contents of which were, 
That he intended to come into our 
Camp in the night-time, having been 
detained hitherto by the Advice of the 
Great Men of his Court (thefe Pagans 
being very fuperftitious in chufing their 
time) but that now he was refolved to 
fpeak with the General infpiteof all 
the pretended Obftacles. That he was 
glad tounderftand, that notwithftaad- 
u 
it 
" ing our Lofs in the laft general Affault 
" we kept our Pofts, and that he intend- 
ed to difpatch Mr. Hartman the next 
*' Thurfday. It was dated at Balane, 
January 20, 1^56. and fubfcribed. 
Raja Singa Rajou, moft potent 
Emperor of Ceylon, 
Mr. Hartman returned, being prefent- Mr, Mm 
edwith a Golden Chain and a Ring, and nian'^ Rt 
reported, that fome of the Emperor's ^«™' 
Difavet having brought him the news, 
w that 
