CiiAP. I.] NEW ALLEGIANCE. 25 



died the last legitimate emperor of Ceylon, Don Juan a.d. 

 Dharmapala. He expired at Colombo in May, 1597, ^ * 

 bequeathing his domuiions by will to Phihp II. By this 

 deed the Portuguese acquired their title to the sove- 

 reignty of the island \ Avitli the exception of Jaffna, the 

 nominal king of which they still recognised, and Kandy, 

 to the throne of which they had themselves asserted the 

 right of Donna Catharina the Queen. 



Eibeyro gives a remarkable account of the mutual 

 arrangement mider which the Singhalese chiefs now took 

 the oath of allegiance to the new dpiasty. It was at 

 first proposed that the laws of Portugal shoidd be 

 introduced for all races ahke, reserving to the native 

 chiefs their ranks and privileges ; but after an interval 

 asked for dehberation by the deputies, they retin-ned a 

 i-eply to the effect that, being by birth and education 

 Singhalese, and earnestly attached to tliek own rehgion 

 and customs, it would be difficult, if not perilous, to 

 require them to abandon them on the instant for others 

 which Avere utterly unkno^wn to them. Such changes, 

 they said, were often the precm^sors of revolutions, 

 that swept away both institutions, the new as weU as 

 the old, to the injury ahke of the j^eople and the king. 

 On all other points they were ready to recognise 

 Philip n. as theu^ legitimate sovereign ; and so long as 

 his majesty and liis ministers respected the rights and 

 usages of the nation, they woidd meet with the same 

 loyalty and fidehty which the Singhalese had been ac- 

 customed to show to their own princes. On tliese con- 

 ditions they were ready to take the oath, the officers of 

 the Idng being at the same time prepared to swear in 

 the name of their master to respect and maintain the 

 ancient privileges and laws of Ceylon. 



The covenant was concluded and proclaimed, together 

 vnth a solemn declaration that the priests and rehiiious . 

 orders were to have full hberty to preach Christianity, 



^ De Couto, dec. xii. ch. v. torn. viii. p. 39 ; RibeyrO; bk. i. ch. ix. 



