bound to bestow the moriafcchy oh- a branch of th e ; loyal family
; but think they . -are completely at liberty to elect either
a native or a foreigner, though nowise connected with the
royal blood. The throne^ ihas in5;general',
many' ages possessed; by the ancient Candian royal.family, which
is now every I nearly! extinct. i.
There appears - to •,be no fixed regulation foe-eondficting ,the
election; and what, is called the choice 'of the people may yery
justly:be supposed to mean merely the. consent}of the ruling
party at the time. There have been a number.' of absurd stories;
told by.; some i voyagers; .with • regard to the method pursued
by the Candians in the- election of a. king. I had an
opportunity', of enquiring particularly into the foundation of
these tales from some of the principal and best informed Candians
whom I meL at Sittivacea: and Ruanelli. I£ Jj&s^been
said >that when the Candians-.were abouf -to^el ^ t k^ng,^t^e
wh^le. people, of the kingdqmJ.were^assernbled.Tor dhat ^pijpjose,
and ? the candidates, together with an etephant,t ^ ^ u c y ^ b e -
fore them. • The elephant was then made the arbiter of the
throne, and the first of the candidates before whom he stppt,
.and made obeisance, of his ohm accord and without b e in g ^ S ^
wise' instructed „to d t, was looked uppn as the m y g l^ p io p fr^ )^
son to enjoy the sovereign dignity, and was 'a c c o ^ jh ^ l^ ^ c d e d
without .farther,contest. This story- has,;j l o n g ^ W < | i r f e ^ ^
-dfe '?i$iaa4: &■ ■ -still- ;h(Blieved by many residing there ;, ;dnd'
yet upon enquiring into the feet, among ;the',:;b g ^ |n f^ rm e d
Candians;:they assured me that no. such, ceremonial had, fivey
taken place. V . . : .
The King, of Candy yields to no eastern prince ip t%,number
arid extravagance ,o£ his titles;.; I onee had an > opportunity
- of seeing a long 'piece of parchment oh which they were inscribed;
but although I had' procured a copy, o f.. them, I am 'convinced
-» {hat few of my readers, teven tlifefrgahatest proficients in heraldry;
would have taken the . trouble to read it. Fof several of liis
titles, the king seems to have been indebted to the Portuguese
and Dutch, who were1;’ extremely liberal in repaying him witji
«Fesefc frof:3i^^^corner'''ofx-'hik‘' domitlibusl- wbiefqothej^jfqUnd hit*1
'■ His^6ap$|atjf
Majesty is usually • designed Emperor of Ceylon, King of Candy
'a n a Jafn'apatafn/' Prin$mdesbebdbd^f|omf • the - -goldbji '/fun,
Ifin'ldoha^and1 ci^^ofif Candy-is higheifbhari aary^feh^|,
‘ fdFe^wh'om all'' otfedFs4 'rhuMb daflf,|)yos®at'e^|;!^^^p®® Ouva^Duko'
' 'O^er ''Bfe seven^rdWdb^^dii^d^le^drfiA'e east; v M ^ r q i i ^ » 5
Duranuro:t ahd^^fh^jfohr^Peofi^fl Lbrd pil^^b^labp^ands GaSt©;
’lltlrd^lf^the^sifei-pbrt's of 'Nigumho,Spqlt,uata,i. dnd M&f ura,;
whorri'4 He?* IriaSicfl dfh’ Manaar a n d ^C a ip d iif e ^ ^ l^ ^ jf ? Eo'rcljdsF
'V'th©fishe'r^T^f pfetfcris^the .Chmhr iqB all'tprycfaqsF Ifeekh-„He!be^-
fJIforoy^frorb felephahts bowhijWeseiOWith a» l^ g ,
of tlle same sort are. always' added; to ■ his ,M^e§ty%v|ldd-r<Ks.
Many h i| them&eremt.idehtly invpnted<|$l$phiS.-Europga'n Mfedf--
bduWvfobaihl&i him villi an imaginary: sovereignty vlnle- theyb
a'ctuiF^osseskl^^P
These lofty titles are attended with correspondent reverence
on the part of his own subjects. No' one dares approach him
' without - prostrating himself three several times before, the throne,
each time repeating a long string of his Majesty’s titles with the
K utmost fervour. . No. one even of the. highest rank is.’ allowedf
1 to cough, ' or spit in his presence. - Every 'one is silent. before
him, nor does any one even in a whisper venture to address
' another. The solemn gravity of his nobles when admitted into
M m ’