Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.116

c22.116

Knox relates of Rāja Simha that he took great delight in the crafts: “he will try his *Royal* Guns, and shoot at Marks, which are excellently true, and rarely inlay’d with silver, Gold, *patronage* and Ivory. For the *Smiths* that make them dare not present them to his hand, not having sufficiently proved them. He hath Eight or Nine small *Cannon*, lately taken from the Dutch, which he hath mounted in Field-Carriages, all rarely carved, and inlay’d with Silver and Brass, and coloured Stones, set in convenient places, and painted with Images and Flowers. But the Guns disgrace the Carriages. He keeps them in an House on the Plain. Upon some Festival times he useth them. I think, they are set there chiefly for a Memorial of his late Victories: For he hath many, and far better Guns of Brass that are not so regarded.