Add MS 4828*

In Malay in Jawi script. Letter from Datuk Raja Kuasa to Richard Farmer, Deputy Governor of Bengkulu (Orang Kaya Komandar Bangkahulu), [14 January 1718].

Orang Kaya Datuk Raja Kuasa was a senior minister of Sultan Takdirullah (Raja Kecil Besar) of Anak Sungai (r. 1716-1728) (with thanks to C. Buyers for this identification, 12.7.2023).

Addressed on f. 1r: Bahawa ini alamat surat dari pada Datuk Raja Kuasa barang sampailah kiranya kepada Orang Kaya Komandar Bengkahulu.

f. 2v, Malay text of the letter:

Qawluhu al-haqq

Bahawa ini alamat surat tulus dan fu(ad) ikhlas serta putih hati sel(agi) ada peridar cakrawala bulan dan matahari akan menerangi malam dan siang dan siang tiada berubah kepada Kompeni, iaitu dari pada Datuk Raja Kuasa, barang sampailah kiranya kepada Orang Kaya Komandar Bengkahulu.

Adapun seperti hal mengatakan surat Orang Kaya sudah sampai kepada hamba, mengeratilah hamba seperti dalam surat Orang Kaya Komandar itu kata pada hamba jangan mendangar peritnah itupun hamba tiada bercarai dangan Kompeni, bicara hamba dan setia hamba tiada berubah pada Kompeni, karena Kompeni dagang kami pun Melayu dagang sama2, kita malu juga jikalau dibuwang kita sama2 malu dagang kita itupun jikalau kerja raja2 tiada hamba tahu dan tiada hamba peduli pada bicara raja itu. Jangan Komandar mendangar peritnah orang lain kata surat hamba yang d.a dangar oleh Orang Kaya lagi kata Komandar dahu(lu) kepada hamba berkirim surat pada hamba, juru tulis hamba diberi belanja empat rial sebulan. Sekarang satu pun tiada malu hamba kepada kata itu. Yang menyurat itu dari Bengkahu(lu) juru tulis anak hamba Encik Beruruk. Jikalau kan diberi belanja suruh hantar pada m.l.l d.w.k.a tahun pada hamba kepangatang[?] tamat. Jikalau ada tiada suruh tamat.

English translation:

His Word is The TruthThis is an honest letter from a sincere and pure heart, and as long as the moon and sun revolve and light up night and day never shall it waver towards the Company, from Datuk Raja Kuasa, may it be conveyed to the Noble Commander at Bengkahulu. I have received your letter and understood its contents, whereby you advise me not to pay any attention to the slander, and I assure you I will never be parted from the Company, my word and my loyalty remains firmly pledged to the Company, for the Company is for trade and we Malays too are equally for trade, we would be ashamed to break off relations, for our trade would equally suffer; if that is the decision of the princes then I know nothing of it, and neither will I heed it, so I beg the Commander not to listen to the slander in the letter said to have been written by me which has come to your attention. Furthermore the Commander had previously informed me in writing that my scribe would be paid four rial per month, and I find nothing to be ashamed of in that, the one who wrote the news from Bengkulu was my scribe Mister Beruruk. If you are planning to send the payment please send it to …. to me at Pangatang; the end. But if not, not; the end.