Chap.XXXVII. A Dejcripion of CEYLON. 75 
" of Provilions having given mefufficient 
Occafion hitherto to alter my Refoluti- 
on, which is, to take care of and de- 
fend the City totheutmoftof my Pow- 
" er, for the Service of the King my 
" Mafter. God proted your Excellency^ 
ColLimb9,Apr. 
1 9. 1656. ylntonio de Souz.a Coutinho. 
Being convinced by this Letter, 
that 
nothing but Force could reduce them to 
reafon, the Cannon were order'd to play 
again as before. 
CHAP. XXXVII. 
M^ny Defer ters. Letters from the Emperor. Ysbrand Gotskens fent to hvs 
Majejly. llefolution taken to affault the City. Succours arrived from Ba- 
tavia. 
THE 21/ of y^py?/, 7 La[c'%ryn'Dt'itX' 
ters reported, that the Citizens and 
Soldiers beginning to murmur for wane 
of Rice, it was refolv'd to give to each 
Citizen and Soldier and to each Top^w 
and Lafcaryn Aiedide per dttm^ befides 
their former Allowance. Soon after a 
PoYtugucfe Deferter related, that they 
had barricadoed up molt of the Streets, 
and planted Cannon in them. About the 
fame time the new General received the 
following Letter from the Emperor. 
RAJA SINGA RAJOV, &:c. 
TheEmpc- " 
ror's Let- (.'■ 
U T of your Letter dated the 
_ iptfc of April., \ have (with a 
%mral\ " S^"^'^ ^^^^ Satisfadion) underftood 
"""^ your good Health, and good Inclinati- 
ons for my Service, as well as of Ma- 
jor John van dcr Laan.^ and the reft of 
the Chief Olhcers. Before tne Arri- 
val of the late Direftor-Geaeral (of 
" Blefled Memory) I had taken a Refo- 
lution within my fclf, to come and take 
a View of your Camp; but being then 
prevented by my lllnefs, I ftill continue 
in the fame Refolution, not only to 
" view the Works there, but alfo to be 
"aSpedatorof the brave Attions per- 
" form'd there for my Service. My faith- 
" ful Hollanders^ who are come hither 
from far diftant Countries, have for 
feveral Months la ft pad endured many 
Miferies, not without much effufion of 
" Blood i and as I am ftedfaftly perfua- 
ded that both I and our Imperial Fa- 
" mily may promife our felves the fame 
and more for the future, fo fhall I think 
" it no Trouble to come fo far into the 
" Camp, to be an Eye-witnefs (to my 
" great Satisfaftion) of the brave Adi- 
" ons performed there for our Imperial 
" Majefty's Service, 'That no notice has 
" been taken hitherto by this Court of 
" the Captain-Major, is to be attributed 
" to his being employed Day and Night 
" in the Company's Service. Some too- 
" liihPeopeare much deceived, if they 
" judg that there can be the leaft Sepa- 
ration of Intereft betwixt our Majefty 
" and the Company, the wifer fort be- 
" ing convinced that our Intereft is the 
" fame. The faid Major John van dsr 
" Laan has done me confiderable Service 
" ever lince his coming into this Ifle^ 
" and therefore I declare, that lince the 
" late Direftor-General appear'd at this 
" Court, I did lay alide all Animofity, 
" in conlideration of his great Qualities 
" and Services \ fo that now the faid 
" Major who has fpill'd his Blood more 
"■■^ than once, and been wounded with Bul- 
lets in my Service, fliall be made fen- 
" fible of the Love and Affection I bear 
" him, whenever he comes into my Pre- 
" fence. What you mention about Maf- 
''^ carenbds., is no lefs than the Truth, 
" and an undeniable one, to convince the 
World, that God will cake Revenge 
of fuch as offend their Sovereigns, 
which induces me to believe, that this 
War wc jointly carry on agd^lnil our 
"■ Enemy, will be blelTcd by God with 
Succefs. 1 was very glad to underftand 
by your Ex'cellencies Letter, that the 
Jewels prefented by me to the Dircc- 
tor-General have been fent to Batavia^ 
'* in order tobe tranfpoMcd from thence 
by triifty Perfons into Holland. The 
" faid Director-General having done me 
fuch Signal Services, ever hnce his 
" Coming into this Country, I intend fo 
" foonastheWar is brought to a Con- 
clufion, to fend a Letter with tiie firft 
" Ship to the States-General of Holland., 
" to give them an ample Teftimony 
" thereof. The Refolution taken in 
" the 
