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



Dedication. 



To the Virgin, Our Lady, Mother of Mercy* 



BOOKS are in their records a living copy of the past, and 

 that which cannot be seen by the eye can be related to the 

 ear. This contains a relation of the exploits which the 

 General Constantino de Saa, my father, and his valiant 

 Captains performed in the wild wastes of Geylan. 



To your Holy Majesty, Virgin Mother of God, Queen of 

 the Angels and our Lady, I humbly offer it, and, with your 

 favour, hope that neither filial love will alter the truth of its 

 incidents, nor the poor style of it diminish the dignity of the 

 history ; nor may ignorance offend the glory of those notable 

 Champions of your Son, our Redeemer Jesus Christ, whose 

 most Holy Name they first preached with the Sword, and 

 sacrificing their lives wrote it with their Blood, to the 

 amazement of the Gentiles. Accept, most merciful Lady, 

 this small offering, and with your grace shield me that the 

 errors of my pen may not be known under the shadow of 

 your protection. 



Licences. 



I have seen this book entitled u Rebellion of Cey lan and 

 the Progress of its Conquest during the Government of 

 Constantino de Saa y Noronha, written by Joab Rodrigues 

 de Saa y Menezes." In it I find nothing contrary to our 

 Holy Faith or to good manners ; and therefore it appears 

 to me very worthy of being printed, so that the heroical 

 deeds and excellent virtues of so illustrious a Governor may 

 be preserved to the memory of posterity. 



Frey Baltasar Pinto, 



Lisbon, Sao Bento da Saude, 28th July, 1678. 



