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
[What course they took for Cloths.] Victuals was the only thing allowed
them, but no Cloths. By this time the Cloths they had were almost
worn out. This put them to a study what course to take to procure
more, when those on their backs were gone. The readiest way that they
could devise was this, that whereas they used to take their Victuals
brought to them ready dressed, they should now take them raw; and so
to pinch somewhat out of their Bellies, to save to buy Cloths for their
Backs. And so accordingly they concluded to do: and by the favour that
God gave them in the sight of the People, by alledging the Innocency
of their Cause, and the Extremity of their present Condition, having
not the least ability to help or relieve themselves, they consented
to give them two Measures of Rice a day each man. One of which is
as much as any man can eat in a day, so that the other was to serve
for advance towards Cloths. [Their fare.] For besides Rice, they gave
them to eat with it Salt, Pepper, Limes, Herbs, Pumpkins, Coker Nuts,
Flesh a little. These and such like things were their constant fare.
[What Employment they afterwards followed.] And thus they made a shift
to live for some years, until some of them had an insight in knitting
Caps, by whom all afterwards learned, and it proved to be the chief
means and help we all had to relieve our wants. The ordinary price we
sold these Caps for, was Nine pence a piece in value English Money,
the Thread standing us in about three pence. But at length, we plying
hard our new Learned Trade, Caps began to abound, and Trading grew
dead, so that we could not sell them at the former price: which
brought several of our Nation to great want.
[How the English Domineered.] The English began now to pluck up their
hearts, and tho they were entred into a new Condition, they kept
their old Spirits, especially considering they were the King's Men,
and quartered by his special order upon the People. When they had
obtained to have their Allowance raw, if any brought them not their
full due, they would go in and Plunder their Houses of such Goods
as they found there, and keep them until they came and brought them
their compleat allowance to redeem their Goods back again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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