captivated: whose curiosity I endeavoured to satisfy. But my relations and accounts of things in those parts were so strange and uncouth, and so different from those in the Western nations; and withal, my discourses seeming so delightful and acceptable unto them: they very frequently called upon me to write what I knew of that island of Ceylon, and to digest it into a discourse, and make it more public. Unto which motion, I was not much unwilling; partly that I might comply with the desires and counsels of my friends; and chiefly, that I might publish and declare the great mercy of GOD to me, and commemorate, before all men, my singular deliverance out of that strange and pagan land: which—as often as I think of, or mention—I cannot but admire, and adore the goodness of GOD towards me; there being in it, so many notable footsteps of His signal providence.
I had then by me several papers, which—during my voyage homewards from Bantam, at leisure times—I wrote concerning the King and the country; and concerning the English there; and of my escape: which papers I forthwith set myself to peruse and draw into a method; and to add what more might occur to my thoughts of these matters. Which, at length, I have finished; contriving what I had to relate, under four heads. The first, concerning the country, and products of it. The second, concerning the King and his government. The third, concerning the inhabitants, and their religion and customs. And the last, concerning our surprise, detainment, and escape. In all which, I take leave to declare that I have written nothing but either what I am assured of by my own personal knowledge to be true, and wherein I have borne a great, and a sad share: or what I have received from the inhabitants themselves, of such things as are commonly known to be true among them.
The book being thus perfected; it required no long meditation unto whom to present it. It could be to none but yourselves, my
