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



[Vol. XL 



Captains gave them for the defence and safety of the 

 Emperor and King D. Juan. 



At whose death, and the resignation of his grandson 

 (already mentioned), our forces began the work of conquest, 

 being already masters of the greater part of the Island, which 

 was abandoned by the Zing alas after they rebelled against 

 the tyrant Drama. 



For the better management of their supreme government 

 it was necessary for a person of higher rank and greater 

 authority than the ordinary Captains of Golumbo, who until 

 then had governed and commanded the armies, although 

 their post had always been occupied by noblemen. 



Matias de Alboquerque being Viceroy of India, nominated 

 Pedro Lopes de Souza (until then Captain of Malacca) to be 

 Governor and Captain-General of the Island of Geylan, 

 of whose end we shall say something when we relate the war 

 with Gandia. 



To Pedro Lopes succeeded Don Jeronimo cle Azevedo, in 

 whose time the Emperor D. Juan died. For eighteen years 

 he governed the possession with fitful fortune, and passing 

 over from this post to the vice-regal post of India, left in his 

 place Don Francisco de Menezes, who had been up till then 

 his Field-Captain-Major, as they were called by his Lieute- 

 nants and Camp Master-Generals. 



After a year he died, and was succeeded by Don Francisco 

 Manuel Homem Mascarenas, Avho during the ten years 

 he governed acted with valour and prudence, bravely 

 opposing the designs of the king of Gandia, the most- 

 formidable enemy we had in the Island, and against whom a 

 cruel and obstinate war had waged. Amongst the laudable 

 acts this knight did during his Government was the division 

 and distribution of the aldeas (villages), which were subject 

 to us (they are what in the West Indies are called encomiendas 

 or charges). They were very numerous, and as they gave the 

 chief ones to his arbitration, there was no lack of rewards, 

 nor of pay for the services. 



