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
[Looses Columbo, and taken Prisoner.] This Gallant expert Commander,
that had so often vanquished the Chingulays, could not cope with
another Europæan Nation. For when the Hollanders came to beseige
Columbo, he was sent against them with his Army. They told him before
he went, that now he must look to himself, for he was not now to Fight
against Chingulays, but against Soldiers, that would look him in the
Face. But he made nothing of them, and said, he would serve them as he
had served the Chingulays. The Hollanders met him, and they fought:
but had before contrived a Stratagem, which he was not aware of:
they had placed some Field-pieces in the Rear of their Army. And
after a small skirmish they retreated as if they had been worsted;
which was only to draw the Portugueze nearer upon their Guns. Which
when they had brought them in shot of, they opened on a suddain to
the right and left, and fired upon them, and so routed them, and
drove them into Columbo. This Gaspar was in the City when it was
taken, and himself taken Prisoner. Who was afterwards sent to Goa,
where he died. And so much of the Portugueze.
[The Dutch the occasion of their coming in.] The Dutch succeeded the
Portugueze. The first occasion of whose coming into this Land was, that
the present King being wearied and overmatched with the Portugueze,
sent for them into his aid long ago from Batavia. And they did him
good service, but they feathered their own nests by the means, and
are now possessed of all the Sea-Coasts, and considerable Territories
thereunto adjoyning.
[The King their implacable enemy, and why!] The King of the Countrey
keeps up an irreconcileable War against them. The occasion of which
is said to be this. Upon the beseiging of Columbo, which was about
the year MDCLV. it was concluded upon between the King and the Dutch,
that their Enemies the Portugueze being expelled thence, the City
was to be delivered up by the Dutch into the Kings hands. Whereupon
the King himself in person with all his Power went down to this War
to assist and joyn with the Hollanders, without whose help, as it is
generally reported, the Dutch could not have taken the City. But being
surrendred to them, and they gotten into it, the King lay looking,
when they would come according to their former Articles, and put
him into possession of it. Mean while they turned on a suddain &
fell upon him, contrary to his expectation (whether the King had
first broke word with them,) and took Bag and Baggage from him:
Which provoked him in so high a manner, that he maintains a constant
hostility against them, detains their Ambassadours, and forbids his
People upon pain of Death to hold Commerce with them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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