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
And after all their Imprisonment, without any examination, they are
carried forth and executed: and these not only the common sort, but
even the greatest and most nobly descended in the Land: For with whom
he is displeased, he maketh no difference.
[He punishes whole generations for the sake of one.] Nor is his
wrath appeased by the Execution of the Malefactor, but oftentimes
he punisheth all his Generation; it may be kills them alltogether,
or gives them all away for Slaves.
[The sad condition of young Gentlemen that wait on his Person.] Thus
he often deals with those, whose Children are his Attendants. I
mentioned before, that young Men of the best Families in the Land,
are sought out to wait upon the King in his Court. These after they
have served here some small time, and have as it were but seen the
Court, and known his Customs and Manners, he requiteth them by cutting
off their Heads, and putting them into their Bellies: other faults
none do know. Heretofore, as it is reported, he was not so Cruel,
but now none escapes, that serves in his Palace. Then he recruits
his Slain out of the Countries, by giving Orders to his Dissava's
or Governors to send him others to Court. Whither they go like an Ox
to the Slaughter, but with far more heavy hearts. For both they and
their Parents full well know what end the King's honorable Service
will bring them to. Howbeit there is no remedy. Being thus by Order
sent unto the Court, their own Parents must provide for and maintain
them, until the King is pleased to call them to his Use which it may
be will not be in some years. Sometimes it happens, that the Boys
thus brought, before the King makes use of them about his Person,
are grown too big, and so escape. But those that are employed in the
Palace, enjoy this favour, That all such Taxes, Customs, or other
Duties belonging to the King, which their Fathers were wont to pay,
are released, until such time as they are discharged from the King's
Employment; which is always either by Execution, or by being given to
somebody for perpetual Bondmen. During the time of the King's favour,
he is never admitted to go home to Visit his Parents and Friends. The
Malekind may come to see him, but no Women are admitted, be it his
Mother that bare him. And after he is killed, tho' for what no man
knows, he is accounted a Rebel and Traitor against the King: and then
his Father's House, Land and Estate is seized on for the King. Which
after some time by giving of Fees and Gifts to the great ones, they do
redeem again: And sometimes the whole Family and Generation perish, as
I said before. So that after a Lad is taken into the King's Palace, his
Kindred are afraid to acknowledge Alliance to him. But these matters
may more properly be related, when we come to speak of his Tyranny.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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