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 by craft at once both pleased and punished his People.] After
the Rebellion, when the People that lived at a further distance,
saw that the King intended to settle himself near the Mountain
to which he fled, Viz. Digligy, and not to come into the old City
again, it being very troublesom and tedious to bring their Rents and
Taxes thither, they all jointly met together, being a great number,
and sent an Address to intimate their Desires to him; which was with
great Submission, That His Majesty would not leave them destitute of
his Presence, which was to them as the Sun, that he would not absent
himself from them to dwell in a Mountain in a desolate Countrey;
but seeing there was no further danger, and all the Rebels destroyed,
that he would return to his old Palace again, vowing all Fidelity to
him. The King did not like this Message, and was somewhat afraid there
being such a tumultuous Company met together, and so thought not fit to
drive them away, or publickly to declare his displeasure at them; but
went to work like a Politician. Which was to tell them that he thanked
them for their love and affection towards him; and that he was desirous
to dwell among them in such a part of their Countrey as he named: and
so bad them all go to work to build him a Palace there. The People
departed with some Satisfaction, and fell to work might and main:
and continued at it for near two years together, felling Timber, and
fetching it out of the Woods, laying Foundations, hewing Stone, till
they were almost killed with labour. And being wrought quite tyred,
they began to accuse and grumble at one another for having been the
occasion of all this toil. After they had laboured thus a long while,
and were all discouraged, and the People quiet, the King sent word to
them to leave off. And now it lies unfinished, all the Timber brought
in, rots upon the place, and the building runs to ruin.
[In what labours he employs his People.] And this is the manner how
he employs his People; pulling down and building up again, equalling
unequal grounds, making sinks under ground for the passage of water
thro' his Palace, dragging of great Trees out of the Wood to make
Pounds to catch Elephants in his Presence; altho' they could catch
them with far less labour, and making houses to keep them in, after
they are taken.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account