﻿AND THE DOCTRINES OF RHOODDHA. 51 



700 female followers, who became the wives 

 of the 700 men that had accompanied the 

 Prince to- Ceylon. 



VijEE Singke'ba Commaroo, after his marriage 

 "with the daughter of the King of Pandoowas r-atteh, 

 xvas crowned by the name of Vijee Sixghe'ba Raja 

 Roowo; and gave to his kingdom the name of Tarn- 

 menam nooxvereh. This was the firft eftablifliment in 

 Ceylon, after the period formerly mentioned of 1845 

 years, during which it is faid to have been overrun by 

 Demons, &c. 



Deweneepetisseh Raja is the firll King of Ceylon 

 who embraced the religion of Bhooddha. Being fully 

 inftru6led and verfed in the law, he received the bap- 

 tifm of Bhooddha, called Saraneh Sieleh, in the pre- 

 fence of the apoftle Mihendoo. 



Deweneepetisseh Raja was the ninth King, 

 after Vijee Raja. The arrival of the latter 

 in Ceylon is mentioned in many authorities to 

 have happened feven days after the afcenfion 

 of Bhooddha. However, others will have it, 

 the Dutch particularly, that the event took 

 place 350 years after the birth of our Saviour; 

 and another clafs, Chriilian Natives on Ceylon, 

 that Vijee Raja was crowned feventy-fevcn 

 years after the birth of our Saviour. It would 

 be vain to attempt reconciling thofe various 

 opinions; nor, indeed, can it be attempted, 

 but through the medium of their refpeclive 

 authorities, with a knowledge of the language 

 of each. Thofe concerning Bhooddha are, I 

 imagine, the only records that can be fought 

 after with any probability of real advantage to 

 general Chronology: but {till it is to be quef- 

 D 2 tioned, 



