428 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XI. 



work, viz., a Portuguese one of 1681 and a Spanish one of 

 1684 : the Spanish edition of 1681 being really the only 

 one ever published. The Bibliotheca National of Lisbon, 

 however, possesses a Portuguese manuscript of the work, 

 which differs from the printed Spanish edition, and which 

 the curator of the Library, Sr. Pessanha, considers to be the 

 original. It is certainly rather strange that the author 

 should have written his work in Spanish ; for, though at 

 the period during which the events recorded therein took 

 place Portugal was united to Spain under one Crown, this 

 was not the case when the book was published. 



Apart from its own intrinsic merits, this work possesses an 

 interest from the fact that it was one of those utilized by 

 the Abbe le Grand in the additions made by him to his 

 translation of Ribeiro. Another work which Le Grand 

 mentions as having been lent to him, namely, the narrative 

 by the Sinhalese priest Felippe Botelho of the war in Uva, 

 which, he says, gave a much fuller and more detailed 

 account of the defeat and death of Constantino de Sa than 

 even this volume does, has, unhappily, disappeared from, 

 view, recent efforts to trace it having proved fruitless. 



Ribeiro, who wrote his book on Ceylon in 1685, was 

 evidently indebted to the younger Sa's work for his descrip- 

 tion of Constantino de Sa's campaign against the Sinhalese 

 and its disastrous termination." 



A Sinhalese poem, apparently by a native Christian, 

 entitled Kustantinu Hatana, celebrates the victorious march 

 of the Portuguese General and his army on Badulla ; but 

 says nothing, I believe, of his defeat and death. 



Knoxf has a quaint reference to Constantino de Sa, as 

 follows : — 



Constantine Sa, General of Portugals Army in Ceilon,. when the 

 Portugueze had footing in this land, was very successful against this pre- 

 sent King. He run quite through the Island unto the Royal City itself, 

 which he set on Fire with the Temples therein. Insomuch that the 

 King sent a message to him signifying, that he was willing to become 

 his Tributary. But he proudly sent him word back again. That that 

 would not serve his turn ; He should not only be Tributary, but Slave 

 to his Master the King of Portugal. This the King of Cande could not 

 brook, being of an high Stomach, and said, He would fight to the last 

 drop of Blood, rather than stoop to that. There at this time many 

 Commanders in the General's Army who were natural Chingulays ; 

 with these the King dealt secretly, assuring them that if they would 

 turn on his side, he would gratifie them with very ample Rewards. 

 The King's Promises took effect ; and they all revolted from the 

 General. The King now daring not to trust the Revolted, to make 



* See " Ribeiro," book II., chapters I. and II. 

 f "Ceylon," 1681, p. 177. 



