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 Officers under them.] Things thus standing with them, they
cannot go in Person to visit and oversee their several Charges
themselves. They have therefore several Officers under them to
do it. The chief of whom is the [Courlividani.] Courlividani. This
person beside his entertainment in the Countrey unto which he is sent
to Govern under the Dissauva, hath a due revenue, but smaller then
that of the Governour. His chief business is to wrack and hale all
that may be for his Master, and to see good Government, and if there
be any difference or quarrel between one or other, he takes a Fine
from both, and carrieth to the Governour, not regarding equity but
the profit of himself and him that imploys him. But he hears their
case and determines it. And if they like not his sentence, they may
remove their business unto the Governour himself, whose desire is not
so much to find out the right of the cause, as that that may be most
for his own interest and profit. And these carriages cannot reconcile
them much love among the people; but the more they are hated by the
people for their rigorous government, the better they please the
King. For he cares not that the Countrey should affect the Great men.
The Dissauva's by these Courlividani their Officers do oppress and
squeez the people, by laying Mulcts upon them for some Crimes or
Misdemeanors, that they will find and lay to their Charge. In Fine
this Officer is the Dissauva's chief Substitute, who orders and
manages all affairs incumbent upon his Master.
[Congconna, Courti-atchila.] Next to him is Congconna, An Overseer. Who
is to oversee all things under the Courlividani. But besides him,
there is a Courti-A-chila like our Cunstable, who is to put that in
execution that the Governour orders, to dispatch any thing away that
the Land affords for the Kings use, and to send persons to Court,
that are summoned. And in the discharge of this his Office, he may
call in the assistance of any man.
[The Liannah.] The next Officer under the Governor is the Liannah, The
Writer. Who reads Letters brought, and takes accounts of all Business,
and of what is sent away to the Court: He is also to keep Registers,
and to write Letters, and to take notice of things happening.
[The Undia.] Next to him is the Undia. A word that signifieth a
lump. He is a Person that gathers the King's Money: and is so styled
because he gathereth the King's Monies together into a lump.
[The Monnannah.] After him is the Monnannah, The Measurer. His Place
is to go and measure the Corn that grows upon the King's Land. Or
what other Corn belongeth to him.
The Power of these Officers extends not all a whole County or Province
over, but to a convenient part or division of it. To wit, so much
as they may well manage themselves. And there are several sets of
the like Officers appointed over other Portions of the Countrey. As
with us there are divers Hundreds or Divisions in a County. To each
of which are distinct Officers belonging.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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