344 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [Vol. XIX. 



nomen ; primus eo sub caelo jecit fundanienta religionis tu98 : 

 ac sacri imperii tui fines primus eousque gentium propagavit. 

 *Tu nuncio accepto faalicitatis et christianse et tuae, Deo acceptum 

 refers ; supplicationes decernis ; solemnia statuis ; Senatum 

 accersis ; populum que romanum, te in vaticana sede spectandum 

 exhibes, dum ad aram maximam pronus supplex que gratias deo 

 agis. Eo die, qui Divo Thomaa indorum consecratus est, quern 

 nostris affuisse creditum, bene apud indos gestis rebus, jussisti 

 coram te sacrosancto que senatu astante me verba habere de 

 ingenti beneficio, quod a Deo Optimo maximo grex tuus te 

 pastore susceperat ; quod te prsesede Lusitanus Rex fines sacra- 

 tissimi imperii tui ad indos usque produxisset ; quod in novum 

 terrarum orbem inventum auream attulisset setatem. Cum que 

 obtemparassem ac pro rostris de setate aurea, quam India ab 

 aureo Rege receperat, non nihil in medium adduxissem. Mandas 

 iterum quse dixeram sc fiber em ; ac legenda darem ; feci equidem 

 quod prsecipis ; atque ea quae de aurea setate, de que partibus 

 ejus quatuor, ac felicissima Lusitani Regis victoria eo die disserui, 



in libeilum redegi 



******* 



Nunc cum Lusitanus Rex indica illorum maria vicerit, 



superbos, contumaces que animos domuerit, atque auream vitam 

 agere jusserit ; jam terbio ad dicendum vocatus, de tertia victoria 

 tua, quam tibi Apostolicus Rex peperit, ut potui locutus sum. 

 Has vero tres ins ti tut i ones, quibusin has tres gentes feelicissime 

 usus es, a latino scrip tore constitutas invenio. Ubi optimi prin- 

 cipis mores in rebus a te prseclare gentes recognosces. Nam 

 Perusia, Bononia, Taprobane (uti a?quum justum que fuerat) 

 pacem , veniam, bellum pacasbi ; faciles difficilibiis pepercisti ; 

 superbos bello armis que debellasti 



1 The manuscript of this oration, beautifully written on 80 leaves of 

 parchment (the first is missing), with gilt edges, and bound in pink 

 satin, is in the public library of Evora in Portugal. A description of it, 

 with several lengthy extracts, is given in torn. i. of Cunha Rivara's 

 Gatalogo dos Manuscriptos da Bibliotheca Publico, Eborense ; and it is 

 from this volume that I quote the passages here given. Frei Egidio 

 de Viterbo was, at the time when he delivered this oration, prelate- 

 general of the Augustine order ; he afterwards became cardinal, 

 patriarch of Constantinople, &c. This oration, which is not mentioned 

 in any of the works referring to the author, is entirely a eulogy of 

 the pope and King Manuel. 



2 There is no date to the manuscript, but in the first passage quoted the 

 oration is said to have been delivered on St. Thomas's day (21 Decem- 

 ber), and that the year was 1507 is proved by the reference to Taprobane 

 and by the statement in the letter from Rome quoted in the diaries of 

 Marino Sanuto (see infra, B 6). Curiously enough, the eminent scholar to 

 whom we are indebted for that priceless treasure the Archivo Portuguez- 

 Oriental, as well as other valuable works, has blundered over the date. 

 After the last extract he puts the following note : ' ' We quote all 

 these passages in full in order that we may arrive at a conclusion as to 

 the epoch of this oration, which we have no hesitation in placing on 

 St. Thomas's day in the year 1505. For shortly before had taken 

 place the expeditions of the pope against Perugia and Bologna, and it 



