. R. Knox

1681

the ghost, February 9th 1660; being very sensible unto the very instant of his departure.

According to his own appointment; with my own hands, I wrapped him up ready for the grave: myself being very sick and weak; and, as I thought, ready to follow after him.

Having none but the black boy, I bade him ask the people of the town for help to carry my father to the grave; because I could not understand their language: who immediately brought forth a great rope they used to tie their cattle withal, therewith to drag him by the neck into the woods; saying "that they could afford me no other help, unless I would pay for it." This insolency of the heathen grieved me much to see; neither could I, with the boy alone, do what was necessary for his burial, though we had been able to carry the corpse: having not wherewithal to dig a grave, and the ground being very dry and hard. Yet it was some comfort to me, that I had so much ability as to hire one to help; which at first I would not have spared to have done, had I known their meaning.

By this means, I thank God, in so decent a manner as our present condition would permit, I laid my father's body in the grave; most of which I digged with my own hands: the place being in a wood on the north side of a corn field, where heretofore we had used often to walk, going up to Handapoul [? Handepoli]. That division, as I have said, being called Bonder Coswat, because formerly it had belonged to the revenues or jointure of the Queen: Bonder implying something relating to the King. It lies towards the northwest of the middle of the island, in the county of Hotkorle.

Thus was I left desolate, sick, and in captivity; having no earthly comforter; none but only He who looks down from heaven to hear the groaning of the prisoners; and to show himself a Father to the fatherless, and a present help to them that have no helper.

The news of my father's death being carried to Court; presently two messengers were sent from thence to see me, and to know of me how and in what manner my father died; and what he had left? Which was a gold ring, a pagoda [= 6s. in present value], some two or three dollars, and a few old clothes; GOD knows but a very little: yet it scared me not a little, fearing they would take it away from me, and

my want being so great: but they had no such order or intent. But the chief occasion of their coming was to renew the former order unto the people of that town: that they should be kind to me; and give me good victuals, lest I might die also, as ny father had done. So for a while I had better entertainment than formerly.

CHAPTER III.

How I lived after my father's death: and of the condition of the rest of the English, and how it fared with them. And of our interview.

STILL remained where I was before; having none but the black boy and my ague to bear me company. Never found I more pleasure in reading, meditating and praying than now: for there was nothing else could administer to me any comfort; neither had I any other business to be occupied about. I had read my two books so often over, that I had them almost by heart. For my custom was after dinner, to take a book and go into the fields and sit under a tree; reading and meditating until evening except the day when my ague came, for then I could scarce hold up my head. Often have I prayed as ELIJAH under the juniper tree, that GOD would take away my life; for it was a burden to me.

At length it pleased GOD that my ague began to be a little moderate; and so, by degrees, it wore away: after it had held me sixteen months.

Provisions falling short with me, though rice, I thank GOD, I never wanted, and money also growing low: as well to help out a meal as for recreation; sometimes I went with an angle to catch small fish in the brooks, the aforesaid boy being with me.

It chanced, as I was fishing, an old man passed by; and seeing me, asked of my boy, "if I could read in a book?" He answered "Yes." "The reason I ask," said the old man, "is because I have one I got when the Portuguese lost Colombo; and if your master please to buy it, I will sell it him." Which when I heard of, I bade my boy go to his house with him, which was not far off, and bring it to me to see it; making no great account of the matter, supposing it might be some Portuguese book.

The boy having formerly served the English, knew the

. R. Knox.

1681.

book; and as soon as he had got it in his hand, came running with it, calling out to me "It is a Bible." It startled me to hear him mention the name of a "Bible: " for I neither had one, nor scarcely could ever think to see one. Upon which, I flung down my angle, and went to meet him. The first place the book opened in, after I took it in my hand, was the sixteenth chapter of the Acts, and the first place my eye pitched on, was the 30th and 31st verses, where the gaoler asked St. PAUL "What must I do to be saved? And he answered saying, Believe in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved and thine house."

The sight of this book so rejoiced me, and affrighted me together; that I cannot say which passion was greater, the Joy for that I had got sight of a Bible, or the Fear that I had not enough to buy it, having then but one pagoda in the world: which I willingly would have given for it, but my boy dissuaded me from giving so much, alleging my necessity for money many other ways, and undertaking to procure the book for a far meaner price; provided I would seem to slight it in the sight of the old man. This counsel after I considered, I approved of, my urgent necessities earnestly craving, and my ability being but very small to relieve the same and however, I thought, I could give my piece of gold at the last cast, if other means should fail.

I hope the readers will excuse me, that I hold them so long upon this single passage; for it did so affect me then, that I cannot lightly pass it over as often as I think of it, or have occasion to mention it. The sight indeed of this Bible so overjoyed me, as if an angel had spoken to me from heaven. To see that my gracious GOD had prepared such an extraordinary blessing for me, which I did, and ever shall look upon as miraculous: to bring unto me a Bible in my own native language; and that in such a remote part of the world where His name was not so much as known, and where any Englishman was never known to have been before. I looked upon it as somewhat of the same nature with the Ten Commandments He had given the Israelites out of heaven. It being the thing for want whereof I had so often mourned, nay and shed tears too; and than the enjoyment whereof, there could be no greater joy in the world to me.

Upon the sight of it I left off fishing; GOD having brought

a fish to me that I longed for: and now how to get it and enjoy the same, all the powers of my soul were employed. I gave GOD hearty thanks that He had brought it so near me, and most earnestly prayed that He would bestow it on me. Now it being well towards evening, and not having wherewithal to buy it about me, I departed home; telling the old man that in the morning I would send my boy to buy it of him.

All that night I could take no rest for thinking on it, fearing lest I might be disappointed of it. In the morning, as soon as it was day, I sent the boy with a knit cap he had made for me to buy the book, praying in my heart for good success: which it pleased GOD to grant. For that cap purchased it, and the boy brought it to me to my great joy; which did not a little comfort me in all my afflictions.

Having said all this concerning my father and myself, it will now be time to think of the rest of our poor countrymen, and to see what is become of them.

They were carried into the county of Hotterakorle, westward from the city of Kandy; and placed singly according to the King's order aforesaid, some four, some six miles distant one from the other. It was the King's command concerning them that the people should give them victuals, and look after them so they carried each man from house to house to eat, as their turns came to give them victuals: and where they supped, there they lodged that night. Their bedding was only a mat upon the ground.

They knew not that they were so near to one another a great while, till at length Almighty GOD was pleased by their grief and heaviness to move those heathen to pity and take compassion on them; so that they did bring some of them to one another. Which joy was but abortive, for no sooner did they begin to feel the comfort of one another's company; but immediately their keepers called upon them to go from whence they came, fearing they might consult and run away, although Colombo, the nearest port they could fly to, was above two days' journey from them. But as it is with wild beasts beginning to grow tame, their liberty increaseth; so it happened to our men. So that at length, they might go and see one another at their pleasures; and were less and less watched and regarded: and seeing they did not attempt to