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
They desired to know also, how many English men there were yet
remaining behind. I gave them an account of Sixteen Men, and also of
Eighteen Children born there. They much enquired concerning their
Embassadors detained there, and of their behaviour and manner of
living; also what the King allowed them for Maintenance; and concerning
several Officers of Quality Prisoners there, and in general about
all the rest of their Nation. And what Countenance the King shewed to
those Dutch men that came running away to him? I answered, The Dutch
Runnawayes the King looks upon as Rogues. And concerning the Portugueze
they enquired also. I told them, The Portugueze were about some fifty
or threescore persons, and six or seven of those, Europe men born.
They asked me moreover, How we had made our Escape, and which way,
and by what Towns we passed, and how long we were in our Journey? To
all which I answered at large.
[The Governor desires him to go to Batavia.] Then the Governor asked
me, What was my intent and desire. I told him, To have Passage to our
own Nation at Fort S. GEORGE. To which he answered, That suddenly
there would be no convenient opportunity. But his desire was that
we would go with him to Batavia, where the General his Father would
be very glad to see us. Which was not in our power to deny. Then he
commanded to call a Dutch Captain, who was over the Countreys adjacent,
subject to their jurisdiction. To him he gave Order to take us home
to his House, and there well to entertain us, [Cloths them.] and
also to send for a Tailor to make us Cloths. Upon which I told him,
his Kindness shewn us already was more than we could have desired;
it would be a sufficient favour now to supply us with a little Money
upon a Bill to be paid at Fort S. George, that we might therewith
Cloth our selves. To which he answered, That he would not deny me any
Sum I should demand, and Cloth us upon his own account besides. For
which we humbly thanked his Lordship: and so took our leaves of him;
and went home with the aforesaid Captain.
[Sends them Money.] The Governor presently sent me Money by his
Steward for Expences when we walked abroad in the City. We were
nobly entertained without lack of any thing all the time we stayed
at Columbo. My Consort's Ague increased, and grew very bad; [And a
Chirurgeon.] but the chief Chirurgeon by order daily came to see him,
and gave him such Potions of Physick, that by God's Blessing he soon
after recovered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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