NO. 59. — 1907.] PORTUGUESE IN CEYLON. 



353 



service to no one, we burnt ; and that on land we took merchan- 

 dise by force, and paid what we liked ; and that we carried off 

 the women and children ; and many other evils, which the king 

 and all the people had fully believed, because all told the same 

 story ; and that the captives, fastened with chains, were em- 

 ployed in rowing the galleys. 7 The Moors, seeing our armada 

 entering, hastened to tell it to the king, that our armada was in 

 the port, at which he was much affrighted, and at once took 

 counsel thereon as to what he ought to do, when it was resolved, 

 by the advice of the Moors, to send a large force to the port to 

 prevent our people from landing ; and he sent a message to ask 

 what he wanted in his port, in which he would give him all the 

 entertainment that was meet. Dom Lourenco sent him reply 

 that he was going to the islands of Maldiva , and that the pilots had 

 navigated badly, so that he had chanced to come there ; that he 

 was a merchant, that he carried goods which he sold, and bought 

 those that were on land, with good peace and friendship, if he 

 wished to have it and agree to it with him, and if not that he 

 would go his way when the weather served, because he was a 

 slave of the king of Portugal's, who was lord of the sea of the whole 

 world, and who did good to the good who desired his peace, and 

 evil to the evil. 



The king having heard this answer was very glad, and relieved 

 from the fears that the Moors had instilled into him, saying that 

 it was well that they did evil to those who did not desire peace ; 

 and yet being in doubt, not being certain of the truth of the mes- 

 sage, because the Moors had told him that our people with pro- 

 fessions of friendship entered countries, and afterwards commit- 

 ted robberies and other evils in them, the king, in order to know the 

 truth, sent word to Dom Lourenco, with a present of much pro- 

 vision, that he rejoiced and was very glad on hearing his message, 

 and that he desired all peace and friendship, and asking that 

 therefore he would send someone to speak with him, and to 

 arrange the matters that he desired ; and for the security of the 

 person who should go he sent his ring, which was the token of his 

 truth ; this was a catseye, a stone of great price, which he sent 

 by a trusty man of his household. Dom Lourenco paid much 

 honour to the messenger, showing great pleasure, and ordered to 

 be given him a piece of fine scarlet cloth, and returned to the king 

 his ring, saying that in the case of low people it was necessary to 

 take the wife and children in pledge of truth, but from great kings 

 like him he did not require any pledge but his word, which was 

 better than gold or precious stones. And with this message he 

 sent Diogo d' Almeida, 8 a gentleman, to whom he gave directions 

 regarding all he was to say and do ; and as a present he sent the 

 king a piece of velvety crimson satin, asking his pardon, as he had 

 nothing else wherewith to pay for the provision that he had sent ; 

 because if he had come direct to Ceylao he would have brought 

 wherewith to make a present such as befitted so great a king. 

 Diogo d' Almeida, well clad, with four men went with the mes- 

 senger, and on arriving the king did him much honour, because 



