An occurrence which took place shortly after the assumption of the government by this prince is noticed by the Javan writers, and argued highly in favour of the justice and impartiality of this prince.
The wife of Mérta Yúdha, writer to the Susúnan, and nephew of the Adipáti of Semárang, presented herself before him, alleging that her life was endangered by the cruel treatment of her husband, and imploring that she might be divorced from him, or protected against his ill usage. The Susúnan inquiring into the particulars, ascertained from the testimony of the woman herself, that she was attached to Pangéran Adipáti, the son of the Susúnan, who had frequently visited at her house in the absence of her husband, and that the severities she had suffered were the consequence of the rage which a discovery of that fact had occasioned. He called upon the Pangéran Adipáti to say if it was correct; and the prince, being ashamed to tell a falsehood, acknowledged the fact: wherefore his father reproved him in the strongest terms, and cautioned him not to be guilty of a like transgression a second time. Then calling for Mérta Yúdha, he thus addressed him: "Mérta Yúdha, your wife has come to me requesting my interference to procure her a divorce from you, or that I should prohibit you from again ill-treating her in the same severe manner you have before done, on account of her attachment to my son, the Pangéran Adipáti." To which Mérta Yúdha replied, "Respecting this affair, allow me to explain. She committed an offence towards me, and she now comes to you to complain of me, saying I had beaten her until she was nearly dead. That I did beat her is true, but that I did so until she was nearly dead is utterly false. I beat her when I was enraged; but, as my anger subsided, I quickly became kind to her again; and yet she has the audacity to request a divorce. This completes three offences; in the first place, she committed the fault; in the second, she has told a falsehood; and in the third, she has requested a divorce. These points I submit to the justice of your majesty." The Susúnan then reflected that as the Pangéran Adipáti's conduct had been the cause of this woman's offence, it would not be just to punish her, without also punishing his son; and being disinclined to be severe with him on account of his youth, he felt at a loss how to decide with justice. At length, seeing but one way to get rid of the difficulty, he thus addressed Mérta Yúdha: "Enough, Mérta Yúdha; the fault rests with my son the Pangéran Adipáti, and your wife cannot be condemned to punishment, unless my son be also condemned. Now I have not the power to condemn my son, on account of his youth; therefore, I publicly request your pardon for my son's offence. If you wish to be divorced, the permission is granted, and I will provide you with another wife. You want her immediately—it is well;—but I have no women at present except my own, none but the Rátu and my own daughters. Make your choice, and whichever you prefer of them, I will present to you in marriage. Place your confidence in what I say, and believe that I say no more than what I will do."
Mérta Yúdha, struck with astonishment, knew not how to reply. At last, after bowing his head several times to the ground, he declared that he was overcome by this act of magnanimity; that he forgave the young prince from his heart, and would willingly receive his wife back again, and treat her with kindness. The Susúnan then dismissed the parties, giving them advice as to their future conduct, and presenting them with a sum of money and several rich presents. Mérta Yúdha and his wife, say the Javan writers, afterwards lived most happily together, and never ceased to praise the justice and magnanimity of the prince.
In the spring of 1705, the Dutch government again sent a force to Semárang, which was joined by seven thousand Madurese, under the command of Panambáhan Chákra Diníngrat.
At this time Surapáti, who, after his first arrival at Matárem, had offered to surrender, again made an application to the Dutch for protection, and offered to send six thousand auxiliaries, promising at the same time to conduct himself as a faithful subject; but his offer was rejected.
On the 5th October, 1705, a contract was entered into by the new sovereign with the Dutch, by which, 1st, the contracts of the 24th September, 1640, and 20th October, 1677, and all privileges and immunities granted by Susúnan Mangkúrat Mas to Messrs. Speelman and Cooper, were confirmed. 2d. His highness ceded to the Dutch the district of Gebáng as situated within the following boundaries; viz. "From the mouth of the Dónan, on the southern shore, in a westerly direction along its banks as far as Pasúruan, where there is an inland lake; thence along the north-eastern sea-shore to the mouth of the river Che-brom, and further on along the north-eastern side of an accessible swamp to Che-satia, near the village Madúra, thence in a north-easterly direction over the mountains of Dáyu-luhur to mount Sumána or Subáng, and then south-east over the mountains of Bonkok, where a northerly direction is taken, and continued to the river Losári, and further on along the banks of that river to its mouth on the northern coast of the island." 3d. The Susúnan acknowledged Chéribon as an independent state, in consequence of that country having, in 1680, been saved by the Dutch from the ravages of a banditti. 4th. The Susúnan resigned to the protection of the Dutch the countries of Súmenap and Pamakásan, stated to have been forced on them during the reign of Susúnan Tegál-arom, by the chief Yúdha Nagára. 5th. The Susúnan renewed and confirmed the cession of Semárang and Kaligawé, as stated in the transfer of 15th January, 1678. He further ceded to the Dutch the ports of Torbáyá and Gumúlak, on condition that the tolls continued to be collected for his own benefit, as at Sámárang. The Dutch, on the other hand, agreed to restore about fifty villages which belonged to Demák and Kaligáwe.
It was agreed that the tolls on goods imported into, or exported from, the Susúnan's dominions by the Dutch, should be levied according to the above-mentioned contract of 25th February, 1677, and that the Susúnan should in future require a duty of three instead of two per cent. from individuals trading with Dutch passes, it being left to his highness to fix the duties to be levied on goods belonging to persons who were not furnished with licences from the Dutch. 7th. The Dutch obtained liberty to establish factories in every part of the Susúnan's dominions, for which sufficient lots of vacant ground were to be given them, to answer every purpose of safety and convenience, and also to establish yards for building vessels. The Javan chiefs were bound to supply the Dutch at all times, payment being made for the same, with timber, labourers, &c. but they were to pay no capitation, and only to be considered as Company's subjects, as long as they should be employed by the Company. 8th. His highness promised to supply the Dutch with as much rice as should be required, at the market price, the Dutch being also at liberty to purchase that article from his highness's subjects, who were also allowed to export rice to Batavia, and all countries at peace with the Dutch. 9th. Pursuant to the contract of 1677, the Susúnan agreed to continue to shut his ports against Makásars, Búgis, Maláyus, Bálians, and other foreigners, except such as should obtain the permission of the Dutch. 10th. It was agreed that the Dutch, and all persons authorized by them, should continue to enjoy the exclusive privilege of importing and selling opium and clothes, as granted to them by Susúnan Mangkúrat, on the 20th October, 1677: that the native chiefs should carefully prevent all encroachments on this monopoly, and that all seizures of prohibited goods made by them and by the Company's servants, should be for the profit of his highness, to whose discretion it was left to remunerate the officers making the seizure. 11th. That all seizures made at sea by the Company's cruizers should be for the sole benefit of the captors, although afterwards brought into his highness's ports. 12th. The Susúnan's subjects were to be prohibited from trading otherwise than with Company's passes, and their trade eastward was restricted to Bálí and Lómbok, northward to Borneo and Banjarmásin, and westward to Bantám, Lámpung, Jámbi, Indragíri, Johór and Malácca. They were prohibited from visiting the eastern governments, or Búton, Tímor, Bíma, &c., on pain of confiscation of vessels, cargo, &c. It was declared, that whenever his highness should be desirous of sending vessels to these quarters on his own account, the Dutch should attend to his wishes, as far as might be consistent with their regulations. 13th. The balance remaining due to the Dutch of the debts of his highness, adverted to in the contracts of 25th February and 15th October, 1677, was remitted, together with the sum to be paid to Captain Jonker for the delivery of the rebel Trúna Jáya, and all other claims of the Dutch on his highness, for expenses incurred in re-establishing him on the throne, &c. on the express condition that this contract should be faithfully observed; otherwise the said claims and pretensions to retain their former validity. In consideration of this important remission, his highness promised to supply the Company during twenty-five years, commencing in 1706, with eight hundred lasts of good rice annually, deliverable at Batavia by his highness's own vessels. An article was afterwards added to this treaty, by which it was stipulated, that no other European nation than the Dutch should ever be permitted to trade or build factories on Java.
On the 11th October, 1705[274], a further agreement was entered into by his highness, by which he promised to bear the expense of keeping a detachment of two hundred men of the Dutch troops at Kérta-súra, for his highness's protection and security, amounting to thirteen hundred Spanish dollars per month.
On the 12th July, 1706, a treaty for determining the boundaries between the territories of the Susúnan and those of the Dutch was entered into.
The deposed prince, Susúnan Mangkúrat Mas, after flying from his capital, proceeded to the eastern districts, and joining Surapáti, reduced the eastern provinces under their authority, and appeared confident of success, being possessed of immense treasures in specie and jewels, which he had carried off with him.