462 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XL 



King John III., his grandfather for this reason sending with 

 his ambassadors an effigy of his grandson as vassal of the 

 crown. 



This prince, the Chronicle of S. Francisco and the Padre 

 Gonzaga call Parcapandar ;* and they say that, desirous of 

 becoming a Christian, he sent with this embassy a petition 

 for some Franciscan priests to be sent from Portugal to 

 baptize him, and preach the Christian law in Geylan. Six 

 of them were sent from the Provincial of Portugal, 

 having for their prelate Fray Juan de Villa de Conde ; but 

 when they arrived in the Island they found the king had 

 changed his mind, and the result was that he did not become 

 a Christian. Fray Juan had great disputes for the space of 

 fifteen days with the Moorish priests and learned men, and 

 confounded them so by his arguments that they were 

 convinced, and did not venture to contend any more with 

 our friar, who, to prove the truth of his doctrine, offered to 

 walk through the fire with one of their head priests. After 

 this the king precluded them from preaching in Ceylan. 

 Although many came and were converted, he tried to prevent 

 conversion by great punishments ; he killed his son for 

 having become a Christian, and confiscated the property of 

 many of the principal nobles of his household for the very 

 same reason. 



This persecution lasted until his death, when he was 

 succeeded by his grandson in the year 1540, who, being 

 deposed by Raju,% a bastard son of Madune his uncle, 

 retired to a convent of Franciscans, where he was baptized, 

 and taking the name of Don Juan Priapandar to the time 

 of his death. Seeing himself without issue he gave over the 

 inheritance and succession of his empire to the Crown of 

 Portugal. 



This prince left an elder brother of his own name (not the 

 same whom Diego de Couto mentions, who was of another 



* Chiron, de San Francisca, 4 p., c. 51, page 59; P. G-onz., 4 p., foL 1208. 

 f Pr ovine ia means a certain number of convents under a ProyinciaL 

 % Raja Sinha I., 1581-92 a.d. (Sitavaka).— B., Hon. See. 



