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A Defcripion 0/ C E Y L O N. 
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the Council of War is very accepta- 
ble to me But as your Excellency in 
his High Station has the chief Ma- 
nagement of fuch Matters, as tend to 
our Majefty's Service, in your Hands, fo 
lam molt inclined to follow your Ad- 
vice. The Method propofedfor the 
reducing of the City has been debated 
in our Imperial Council but as the 
fame mufl: be exprelTed in a different 
Language (which carries along with 
it a conliderable Alteration) I will pafs 
it by in filence, earneftly requiring 
you, that whenever the faid Refolution 
is to be put in execution, to fend me 
Advice of it, that I may aflift you 
therein Perfon. You are of Opinion 
that it would be more convenient for 
me not to come into the Camp, till af- 
ter the taking of the City, but what 
Biifinefs have I in the Camp then, un- 
lefs it be to fee the Conditions per- 
formed ? whereas the late Direftor- 
General had given me his Word, that 
the City fliould be delivered into my 
Hands. In the Letter I fent to your 
Excellency, I defir'd that the Captain 
who had funk the PoYtuguefeShx]^ fhould 
come along with you to our Court 
and you having made no mention of 
him in your Anfwer, I am at aftand 
to guefs the Reafon thereof. The auk- 
ward Anfwer of the Portuguefes in 
Columbo to your Summons, fliews them 
to be void of Senfe i and I, who am 
well acquainted with their Bravadoes, 
look upon it as an infallible Sign of 
their Diftrefs ; being convinc'd by my 
own Experience in divers Engage- 
ments, that when they were moft at a 
pinch, they would brag moft. I have 
for a confiderable time confider'd with 
myfelf, whether I fliould write a Let- 
ter to thofe in the City, but for fear 
of a haughty Anfwer, I refolve to let 
it alone. No more, &c. 
The 2 2d of April, 
i 6 % 6. 
Raja Singa Rajou, Moft 
Potent Emperor of 
Ceylon. 
fent at that time, but that the faid 
Direftor's Departure (which was fo 
fadden, that my Servants did not over- 
take him before he came to Kraben- 
hof) prevented it. But when the new 
General (hall appear at Court, you as 
well as the reft of the Officers ftiall not 
be forgot. You have been an Eye- 
Witnefs of the Refpeft paid by me 
here to the Direftor- General ; and 
whenever the new General makes his 
Appearance before us, the fame lhall 
(not without great Reafon) be increa- 
fed, our Imperial Majefty having re- 
ceiv'd more Signal Services from his 
Excellency, whereof I would have you 
give notice to him at the firft Oppor- 
tunity. If you fhould happen to dif- 
cover any Error in fuch Letters as are 
fent from this Court, you fliall excufe 
them to the General. You lhall alfo 
put him in mind, that we ftand in need 
here of an Anvil, and a pair of Smiths 
Bellows; and as there is frequent Oc- 
cafion for Writing, don't forget to 
let us be furnifh'd with fome white Pa- 
per j you may fend alfo fome Cbirnt 
Ware. Farewel. 
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The following Letter was endofed, 
snd diredled to the Sabandaar of Cale^ 
Don John dc Cojia, 
HAving been inform'd by feveral of 
our Meffengers fent from hence 
with Letters, thai fince the Arrival of 
the late Direftor-General of Blefled 
Memory, you have given all imagina- 
ble Satisfaftion in reference to his Per- 
fon I intended to have fent you a Pre- 
At the Court of Rcygamwatcc, April 23. ii$55. 
The 2^tb of the fame Month, aTo- 
pas Deferter, named Lazaro Henrico^ who 
came over to us during the Siege of Ci?- 
leture^ but afterwards run over again to 
the Enemy (notwithftanding he was well 
entertained by the late Diredor-General) 
brought a Letter from Manoei Fonfeiiue de 
Montis^ a Merchant of Columbo, diredied 
to Major van der Laan. 
Mr. van der Laan. 
" T Beg of you to believe what I am go- 
" ing to tell you, concerning the pre- 
fent Condition of the City. Be care- 
ful not to venture a Storm, they having 
provided Retrenchments in all Pofts, 
" well provided with Cannon, befides 
" four Mines, to be difcovered to youby 
" my Servant. The Rice is fold ftill at 
" three Seraphyns^ and is very fcarce. If 
" you intend to haften the Surrender of 
this City, fend fome body from Calc- 
hither, to convince them that they 
'■^ are ftill living there ^ this being the 
*' Reafon why they would not hitherto 
" hearken to any Conditions. I fend my 
^' Servant with this Letter to you, to 
" fliew the fameto the General, tho it 
*' is rumoured abroad here that General 
Huljt'ii d-ead, but I don't believe it, 
♦ The 
Defertif 
brings it 
Letter 
from A 
Merchatit 
in Coluas- 
bo. 
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