Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/419

 "come down so low?" We told him, "That privilege was given to us by the King himself full fifteen years since at his palace at Nellembe; when he caused it to be declared unto us that we were no longer prisoners, and," which indeed was our own addition, "that we were free to enjoy the benefit of trade in all his dominions."

To prove and confirm the truth of which, we alleged the distance of the way that we were now come from home, being nearly an hundred miles, passing through several counties, where we met with several Governors and Officers in their respective jurisdictions; who, had they not been well sensible of these privileges granted to us, would not have allowed us to pass through their countries [districts]. All which Officers we described to them by name. And also that now we came from the High Sheriff's house at Colliwilla, where we had been these three days, and there heard of the order that was come to secure the Watches; which was not for fear of the running away of white men, but of the Cingalese. These reasons gave him full satisfaction, that we were innocent traders: seeing also the commodities that we had brought with us; this further confirmed his opinion concerning us.

The people were very glad of our coming, and gave us an end of an open house to lie in: but at present they had no dried flesh, but desired us to stay two or three days, and we should not fail: which we were very ready to consent to, hoping by that time to come to the knowledge of the way, and to learn where about the Watch was placed. To prevent the least surmise that we were plotting to run away; we agreed that Stephen Rutland should stay in the house by the things; while I, with some few of them, went abroad, pretending to inquire for dried flesh to carry back with us to Kandy, but intending to make discoveries of the way, and to provide necessaries for our flight, as rice, a brass pot to boil our rice in, a little dried flesh to eat, and a deerskin to make us shoes of. And by the providence of my gracious God, all these things I happened upon, and bought: but, as our good hap was, of deer's flesh we could meet with none. So that we had time enough to fit ourselves; all people thinking that we stayed only to buy flesh.

Here we stayed three days. During which, we had found the great road that runs down towards Jaffnapatam, one of