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



years afterwards the idea of bringing up his grandson, who 

 was bora in 1586, preparing him to inherit with the property 

 his valour, his disinterestedness, and his virtues. From these 

 lessons our Constantino de Sa became a better student than 

 those who studied with the brothers of the Company of 

 Jesus at St. Anthony's College ; for throughout his life his aim 

 was to gain honour and glory and to despise wealth. He was 

 so ambitious of this that there was never seen one so anxious 

 and so eager to obtain it : he undertook one thing after- 

 another, for he never was at a loss to know where to seek it, 

 and never left off until he had gained his ends ; and it is 

 certain that if the piety and religion of his soul was not 

 greater than all his actions, it would appear that his God was 

 his honour. A great many of his virtues were natural to 

 him, yet he could not deny that the example and education 

 he received from his grandfather had instructed him, and 

 given him that determined character, never to swerve from 

 the path of honour, which led him on to true virtue, and by 

 this doctrine corrected the defects which are usually inborn 

 with man. 



From early youth fortune was against Canstantino de Sa, 

 for it abandoned his grandfather at a time he most needed 

 it ; but the old man's love, together with his forethought, 

 made him think of providing for his grandson's life against 

 his own death. He therefore chose for his tutors D. Juan 

 d'Acosta and Mathias d'Alboquerque (who became Viceroy 

 of India in after years), and who were both relations and 

 intimate friends. Under this guardianship he brought up his 

 grandson until he was eighteen years old, when he married a 

 daughter of one of the Lords of Povo-lide, called Melo of the 

 House of the Counts of Olivenca, nobles of this kingdom. 

 The struggle he had with life, and the retiring modesty 

 which always kept Constantino back, would not allow him 

 the leisure of married life ; and rather exchanging the sweet 

 gifts of woman and the quiet of a family life for the rough 

 military career, which was the life to which his inclination 

 most led him, he embarked the very same year of the 



