Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/400

 S56 SEQUEL OF JAVANESE HISTORY. his successors. Courfting from his accession, he yeigned sixteen years, as he died in the A. J. 1643, A. D. I7I8. From the circumstances of his elevation, and his own character, this prince became a mere tool ixi the hands of the Dutch, and they used their in- fluence neither with good policy nor discretion. Their conduct, equally marked by wanton cruelty, and imprudence in the affair of the chief of Su- rabaya, involved the country again in civil war. This noble, whose name was Jayeng Rono, was the confidential friend and adviser of the Su- gunan, and to his counsels, and those of the prince of Madura, he was chiefly indebted for his eleva^ tion. He had, however, incurred the displea- sure of the Dutch, most probably from thwart- ing some of their ambitious designs, or being de- ficient in that flexibility and subserviency which was necessary to their purposes, and they demand- ed his life from the Susunan. There is some- thing so sorrowful in the whole story, that I can- not forbear entering into the circumstances of it, as given by the native writers. The Susu- nan received the demand of the life of his friend with astonishment, exclaiming, as is reported, " I have already lost my right hand, (alluding to the death of the prince of Madura, which had just happened,) and they would also cut off my left." He hesitated to comply with the order, and yet