Concerning some other Englishmen detained in that country.
In the same captivity with ourselves on this island was another company of Englishmen, who were taken about a year and a half before us, viz.: in the year 1658. They were thirteen in number, whose names were as follows, viz.:—Master WILLIAM VASSAL, JOHN MERGINSON, THOMAS MARCH, THOMAS KIRBY, RICHARD JELF, GAMALIEL GARDNER, WILLIAM DAY, THOMAS STAPLETON, HENRY MAN, HUGH SMART, DANIEL HOLSTEIN an Hamburgher, JAMES GONY and HENRY BINGHAM.
The occasion of their seizure was thus. The ship these men belonged to, was the Persia Merchant, Captain FRANCIS JOHNSON Commander; which was lost upon the Maldive islands: but they escaped in their boats, and passing along by this land went on shore to recruit and buy provisions; and so were taken. The Cingalese that took them, plundered them of what they had, except their clothes. Yet one of them, JOHN MERGINSON by name, having cunningly hid his money about him, saved it from the heathen: but from his own countrymen he could not; some of them knowing of it, set upon him and robbed him of it. But it did them little good, for the King hearing of it, sent and robbed the robbers.
These men thus seized, were carried up before the King, of whom he demanded, "whether the English had wars with the Hollanders?" They answered, "No." "Or if the English could beat them?" They answered, "They could, and had done it lately." Then he gave order to give them all some clothes; and to Master WILLIAM VASSAL, being the chief of them, a double portion. And out of them, he made choice of two lads, whom afterwards he sent and took into his Court. Their honours and their ends we shall see by and by.
They were all placed in the city of Kandy, and each of
