An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
[The number of those that were left on the Island.] Thus were Sixteen
of us left to the mercy of those Barbarians, the Names of which are as
follow. The Captain, Mr. Joh. Loveland, John Gregory, Charles Beard,
Roger Gold, Stephen Rutland, Nicolas Mullins, Francis Crutch, John
Berry, Ralph Knight, Peter Winn, William Hubbard, Arthur Emery, Richard
Varnham, George Smith, and my Self. Tho our hearts were very heavy,
seeing our selves betrayed into so sad a Condition, to be forced to
dwell among those that knew not God nor his Laws; yet so great was the
mercy of our gracious God, that he gave us favour in the sight of this
People. Insomuch that we lived far better than we could have expected,
being Prisoners or rather Captives in the hands of the Heathen;
from whom we could have looked for nothing but very severe usage.
[The Dissauva departs.] The Ship being gone, the King sent to call
the Dissauva speedily to him, who upon this order immediately marched
away with his Army, leaving us where we were. But concerning us was
no order at all.
CHAP. II.
How we were carried up into the Countrey, and disposed of there,
and of the sickness, sorrow and death of the Captain.
[They intend to attempt an Escape, but are prevented.] The Dissauva
with his men being gone, the people of the Town were appointed to
guard and secure us until further order. But they carryed us some six
miles higher into the Countrey, and would not yet adventure to bring
the Long boats-crew unto us, but kept them by themselves in another
Town, fearing lest we might make an Escape, as certainly we would have
attempted it had they not removed us. There was a small Moors Vessel,
which lay in the River, which they had seized on about this time,
as we supposed they would have done by our Ship if they could have
catched her there. This Vessel had some forty men belonging to her
who were not made Prisoners as we were, but yet lay in the same Town:
with those we had concluded, that they would furnish us with Arms,
and in the night altogether to march down, and get on board of their
Vessel, and so make our escape. But being prevented in this design
by our departure, we were fain to lay at their mercy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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