756 
A Defcripion of C E Y L O N. 
'"^sj^^t " but as he is a HoUander^ it is but juft 
Baldictis. tc j^g (hould be difmifled at his due time, 
v^'^ " I won't fay all concerning him, what I 
could 5 my Dijfavcs will give your Ex- 
cellency a more ample account of him, 
or when your Excellency appears at 
this Court, you will be further fatisfi- 
ed in this matter. No more j God pro- 
teft your Excellency. 
At Rcygamwatte^ 
Nay 4. 1655. 
Raja Singa Rajou, Moft 
Potent Emperor of 
Ceylon. 
It IS beyond all queftion, that theDif- 
lerences arifen betwixt this Jom Herven' 
donk and Franm Has gaveoccafion to ma- 
ny Difturbances \ Hervendonk being ac- 
cus'd, of having by his Inlinuations been 
the Occafion of Franc'vs Has his detention 
mCandy^ even to the Year 1656, from 
whence perhaps he may not bedifchar- 
gedwhilllhe lives. Thefe and fome o- 
ther Accidents had put the Emperor's 
Mind into fuch a ferment, that for three 
Days together he fliow'd all the Marks of 
a fevere Difplcafure, even to the belt of 
his Courtiers, fo as to turn even his Face 
from them. But his Majefty's Letter de- 
liver'd to the new General, May 6. feem- 
ed to leave him in a much better Hu- 
liTiour. 
RAJA SING A RAJOV^ &c. 
Y^^^^ Excellency's Letter dated 
Another 
Letter 1 the 3rf, was deliver'd to me on 
from the 1 hurfday the 4^^, wherein you exprefs 
Em-peror. c«. your Sorrow for the Miftake in the Let- 
" ter I fcnt back with my laft Letter : 
" As among all other Foreign Nations, 
" our Imperial Majefty has chofen the 
Hollanders^ as the fitteft to be eraploy- 
" ed for the increafe of our Glory, Fame 
and Empire, by reafon of their Fide- 
" llty (which renders them very dear to 
" me, beyond ray ownSubjeds) fo when 
" they commit any Miftake, it touches 
*' me fo fenfibly, in regard of the other 
" Nations that frequent our Court, that 
I can't forbear to make them fenfible 
*' of their Error, even upon the leaft 
" Occafion, in order to their Amend- 
" ment for the future. If therefore 
" your Excellency will apply yourfelf to 
" fuch things as tend to our Imperial 
Service, the fame will be highly ac- 
" ceptable to us. Our Beloved Direc- 
tor-General of Happy Memory did, 
" during that fmall time he continued in 
*^ our Empire, follow this Rule with the 
greateft exa^tnefs imaginable : But 
" being fnatch'd away on a fudden by 
*' Death, we were depriv'dof the Op- 
" portunity of rewarding his Services^ 
" according to our Wifh« And as the 
faid Diredor-General has not been 
" wanting, in leaving certain Marks of 
" the Methods and CuHoms to be made 
*' ufeof inour Service, fo it will be no 
" difficult Task for your Excellency ro 
follow his Footfteps. Your Excellcn- 
" cy mentions the Refoliition you have 
taken of attempting afecond Aflauk 
" upon the City, by reafon of the ap- 
" preaching Seafon, which does not per- 
" mit our Ships to tarry longer with 
Safety in that Road j and that the Ene- 
" my is much lefFened in his Strength 
*' fince the laft A (Fault : all which as it is 
" altogether reafonable, fo I approve of 
" it with much Satisfaction. On the 0- 
" ther hand,our prefent Illnefs is no fmall 
Affliftion to us, which bereaves us of 
the Opportunity of appearing there in 
*' Perfon, and being an Eye-Witnefs of 
this Engagement, and to be nearer at 
" hand to fecond you with our Troops, 
in cafe there ftiould be Occafion-, but 
" let come of it what will, wearerefol- 
" ved to be in the Camp by next Sunday, 
" If your Excellency thinks fit to ftay 
for our Coming, it is well i but if 
" not, and that an Opportunity prefents 
" of gaining the Place, without impai- 
" ring our Honour and Reputation, I 
amfatisfy'd, living in hopes, that God 
" Almighty will crown our Endeavours 
" with Vicfory. Your Excellency men- 
" tions at the end of your Letter, that 
" you have exchanged eight of your Peo.- 
" pie that were Prifoners in the City 
" (the Remnants of 74) for as many 
*' Portugutfes your Prifoners. I am very 
" glad you fent word of it, that it may 
" not be alledged againft the Hollanders^ 
*^ that they treat with the Enemy with- 
" out our Knowledg. In the mean time 
I am defirous to know how the rci]: 
died, whether for want of Food, or 
" being well look'd to in their Sicknefs •, 
" and further, what Inftruftions you 
" have fent to the Portitgucfes by thofe 
that were fent into the City •^ if it 
" be a Secret worth knowing, your 
" Excellency will be plcafed to re- 
" veal it to us. Ever fince the Death 
of our Diredor-Generai, no found 
*' of the Drum has been heard in our 
" Camp J but in our March nearer to 
" the Enemy and your Camp, it will 
*' be requifite to make ufe of our Drums 
and other Warlike Miifick where- 
" of we thought fir to give notice to 
" youf 
