Letter from the Fugitive Pangeran Puger to the Supreme Government, 5 May 1704

FROM : DAILY JOURNALS OF BATAVIA CASTLE,  5 MEI 1704 [BEGINNING WITH FOL. 215]

Translation of the Letter in Javanese from the Pangéran,now in Semarang, addressed to the Honourable Supreme Government.

This letter from a pure and unblemished heart of Pangéran Adipatih Poegar delivered by the hands of envoys, namely two mantri  (ministers) named Ingabey Djawriya, [and] Demang Soerantaka, as well as three lesser chiefs named Nalla Diewangsa, Marta Soeta and Naya Wangsa, also bears greetings from my consort, Raden Ayoe Katje, and other wives, as well as wishes for a long life and [good] health on this Earth for my father, the Lord Governor-General and the Councillors of Asia residing in Batavia the which and etc.

In this I again approach Your Excellent Most Noble Lords to inform you about how I am situated and my  way of life, as well as the reason I have come to Samarang from Cartasoura. The principal [reason] is the shame and affronts I had to suffer after the decease of Your Excellency’s son, my elder brother Souhoijhoenang Aman Kurat, as I have been accused of having a hand in [fol. 216] the evil wrought by Soeria Casoema, the which I answer by saying I had no part in it. Although he is my son, he is old and wise enough to distinguish good from evil and to act entirely on his own account. Nevertheless, the present Sousouhoenang chose to believe that my words were further proof of my guilt, for the which I and my whole family were taken into custody, and all the Cartasoura mantris were ordered to keep a close watch on us. Moreover, I was forced and commanded to revisit Soeria Casoema, but I was not permitted to wear a kris. This is that of which I must notify Your Honours, plus the fact that I have arrived in Semarang, and lodge in the house of my friend Tommagon Jouda Nagara. Earlier, on two separate journeys, I have called upon his assistance and he has not refused me, besides he looks forward to my visits to Semarang with pleasure. Therefore, because of the affection shown me by my friend Tommagon Jouda Nagara, I did not hesitate to risk my life, [helped] all the more so because Your Excellencies’ Esteemed favour and affection, proved to me previously by Your Excellencies, on which I constantly place my hope and trust, has dwelt in my memory. Because I regard Your Excellencies as my fathers, in the place of my late father the Soesouhoenang who lies buried in Tagal, I beseech Your Excellencies’ benevolence and help.

Furthermore, I should like to inform Your Excellencies that, when I left Cartasoura, this was done with the foreknowledge and advice of the coastal and the inland regents, otherwise I think that I could never have reached Samarang, but instead would have been caught up with on the road. First among the said mantri who have assisted my flight are the chiefs of the sea coasts by the name of Raden Poerwa Nagara, son of my brother Pangérang Adie Patty Tsjackraningrat of Madura, who had been commanded and ordered by his father to assist me.

[I also enjoyed the support of] Ingabey Jangrana of Surabaya, Ingabey Nalla Ditta of Grissee, Tommagong Soura Wie Krama of Tsjedajoe, Tommagong Marta Poura of Japara, Rangadi Mangala of Kaliewoegol, Ingabey Wiera Sraya of Kendal, Aria Wiera Nagara of Pamelang. I have had nothing to do with [the man] in Damack.

In none of the above-mentioned coastal regents do I place greater faith than in my brother Pangerang Adie Patty Tsjacraningrat, who, above all others, has assured me of his affection, good advice and complete trust.

Secondly, [I must mention] the chief regents of the Highlands, namely: Tommaggong Mangoendjoeda, Ingabey Tjetra Mangala, Demang Soura Djaya, Ingabey Djaga Patty, Ingabey Wangsa Diepa, Tommagong Malaya and the one who is now Radeen Aria Sindouradja [fol. 217], as well as my old friend and uncle Adiepatty Natta Cousoema, my younger brothers Aria Mataram, Aria Pamoeler, Raden Ingabey Wirsarie, and Aria Soera Tanie, who all lived in reciprocal friendship and accord with me when I was in Carta Soura, and now do not doubt but that they should continue to persevere in that same, even though a watchful eye is being kept on the coastal mantri and that, with the exception of myself, those who wanted to follow me, yea all those of Poegar’s people were captured and held vast in their houses.

I must not be remiss about informing Your Excellencies that, after five days’ illness, my brother the Soesouhoenang Amang Koerat, has died and during his sufferings had three different people journey to me for the purpose of summoning me, and he was told that I was not in Carta Soura, but had left for Jagaraga to hunt for runaways, even though I did not stir from Carta Soura, but on the contrary kept watch day and night at the paséban, being at court. At the deathbed of the Soesoehoenang no others were present except the Pangéran Adi Patih Anom, Kiay Pangoeloe, and Kiay Sarip, as well as his consort, Ratoe Amangkoerat, and some of her blood relatives [among whom], as I have been informed, were the previously mentioned Pangéran Adie Patty Anum, who repeatedly told the Soesoehoenang when I was asked for that I was not in Carta Soura, which has pierced my heart, especially because I was not informed of my brother’s illness until he had passed away. Whereupon I was ordered to escort his dead body to Imagiri to be laid with our ancestors, which I had to do immediately because the people had gone on ahead with the body so that I had to pursue them, and caught up with them in the afternoon in the nerogije Pakak, and from there accompanied it, until we reached the place to which I had been commanded to bring the remains. In the meantime, orders had been given that the body should not be laid in the grave by the usual court servants who had brought it thither, but by we relatives who were present, namely my younger brother Aria Mattaram, Aria Seminingrat, Pangéran Lammongan, Kiay Ingabey, Radja Manggala, and the chiefs of the clergy, as well as the widow of the late Amangkoerat.

Finally with this I send His Excellency as a gift:

1 brown and 1 white bahoe dingda horse

1 kris called Noepoes and 1 pike called Jakong Patsan.

Although these are of trifling value, I hope that Your Excellency will accept them as tokens of friendship.

All that I have to say for the present is in this letter.