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 King's Inclinations are towards white Men.] Indeed his
inclinations are much towards the Europæans; making them his great
Officers, accounting them more faithful and trusty than his own
People. With these he often discourses concerning the Affairs of
their Countreys, and promotes them to places far above their Ability,
and sometimes their Degree or Desert. [The colour of white honoured
in this Land.] And indeed all over the Land they do bear as it were
a natural respect and reverence to White Men, in as much as Black,
they hold to be inferior to White. And they say, the Gods are White,
and that the Souls of the Blessed after the Resurrection shall be
White; and therefore, that Black is a rejected and accursed colour.
[Their Privilege above the Natives.] And as further signs of the King's
favour to them, there are many Privileges, which White Men have and
enjoy, as tolerated or allowed them from the King; which I suppose may
proceed from the aforesaid Consideration; as, to wear any manner of
Apparel, either Gold, Silver, or Silk, Shoes and Stockings, a shoulder
Belt and Sword; their Houses may be whitened with Lime, and many such
like things, all which the Chingulayes are not permitted to do.
[The King loves to send and talk with them.] He will also sometimes
send for them into his Presence, and discourse familiarly with
them, and entertain them with great Civilities, especially white
Ambassadors. They are greatly chargeable unto his Countrey, but he
regards it not in the least. So that the People are more like Slaves
unto us than we unto the King. In as much as they are inforced by his
Command to bring us maintenance. Whose Poverty is so great oftentimes,
that for want of what they supply us with, themselves, their Wives,
and Children, are forced to suffer hunger, this being as a due Tax
imposed upon them to pay unto us. Neither can they by any Power or
Authority refuse the Payment hereof to us. For in my own hearing
the People once complaining of their Poverty and Inability to give
us any longer our Allowance, the Magistrate or Governor replied,
It was the King's special Command, and who durst disannul it. And
if otherwise they could not supply us with our maintenance he bad
them sell their Wives and Children, rather than we should want of
our due. Such is the favour that Almighty God hath given Christian
People in the sight of this Heathen King; whose entertainment and
usage of them is thus favourable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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