and then fled into the mountains and escaped their hands; but more through their cowardliness than his valour.
This rebellion I have related at large in the Second Part [of this book]; whither he that desires to know more of it, may have recourse. Only I shall mention here a few things concerning ourselves, who were gotten [had got] into the midst of these broils and combustions; being all of us now waiting upon the King in the city of Nillembe. We here break off Captain KNOX'S narrative, to give his account of this rising, from the Second Part referred to. A relation of the rebellion made against the King.
It happened in the year 1664 A.D. About which time appeared a fearful blazing star [a comet]. Just at the instant of the rebellion, the star was right over our heads. And one thing I very much wondered at was, that whereas before this rebellion, the tail stood away towards the westward; from which side the rebellion sprang: the very night after—for I well observed it—the tail turned, and stood away toward the eastward; and by degrees it diminished quite away.
At this time, I say, the people of this land, having been long and sore oppressed by this King's unreasonable and cruel government, had contrived a plot against him: which was to assault the King's Court in the night, and slay him; and to make the Prince his son, king—he being then some twelve, or fifteen years of age—who was then with his mother the Queen in the city of Kandy.
At this time the King held his Court in a city called Nillembe: the situation of which is far inferior to that of Kandy; and as far beyond that of Digligy where he now is. Nillembe lieth some fourteen miles southward of the city of Kandy. In the place where this city stands, it is reported by tradition that an hare gave chase after a dog; upon which it was concluded that that place was fortunate: and so indeed it proved to the King. It is environed with hills and woods.
The time appointed to put their design in action was the 21st of December 1664, about twelve in the night. Having got a select company of men—how many I know not well,
