82 



CEYLON BRANCH 



roy, with positive orders to co-operate with Xavier in 

 destroying the power of the tyrant of Jaffna and affording 

 relief to the Christians of Manaar. No sooner had De Castro 

 arrived at Goa than he ordered all the forces which the Cap- 

 tains of Comarin and of the Pearl Fishery had tinder their 

 command to assemble at Negapatam, and make a sudden 

 irruption into J affna, without giving the tyrant time to provide 

 for his defence ; but while they were equipping the fleet, it 

 happened that a Portuguese vessel laden with rich mer- 

 chandize was driven by tempest on the Coast of Jaffna, the 

 King made seizure of it, and the Captain and the ship's com- 

 pany foreseeing that if in this conjuncture war should be 

 made against the King, they should never be able to recover 

 their wealth out of his hands, brought the officers of the fleet 

 so far over by large bribes, that they gave up the undertaking 

 upon some frivolous pretence. Though the King was thus 

 delivered from the meditated invasion of his Kingdom, he 

 seems to have enjoyed afterwards no tranquillity, as his tyran* 

 nical conduct towards his own subjects naturally produced 

 frequent revolts, which he often found it difficult to crush, and 

 became anxious to come to some accommodation with the 

 Portuguese, who were about this time in possession of nearly 

 the whole west coast of Ceylon. Accordingly in A. d. 1548, 

 when Xavier visited his Court, he not only received him with 

 all possible marks of honor, but likewise offered himself to 

 embrace the Christian faith, and when Xavier returned to 

 Goa, dispatched with him an Ambassador to the Portuguese 

 Viceroy there, entreating the latter to rank him amongst the 

 vassals of Portugal and to allow him a company of soldiers, to 

 be maintained at his own expense, for the protection of his 

 person and dignity. The Viceroy readily accepted his pro- 

 posals, and dispatched Antonio Monis Barreto, with an 



