244 



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



[Vol. XX. 



I could never succeed in telling the smallest part of their 

 delusions : and for that reason, when I treat of any, it is only 

 in passing, as I shall now do here. On the birth of this Brama 

 king 1 the astrologers made great a-strological observations 

 and constructions of diagrams to learn his good or bad fortune, 

 and the things good or evil that were to befall him during his 

 life. Among the absurdities that they wrote down as having 

 noted on this subject was that he was to marry a daughter of 

 the king of Ceilao, that there were to be such and such marks, 

 and that the lineaments of her body were to be of certain 

 measurements, which they thereupon recorded ; and the 

 Brama king of Pegu, wishing to give fulfilment to the 

 absurdities which they called prophecies, sent ambassadors 

 to the king Dom Joao of Columbo, in that he alone by blood 

 and legitimacy was the rightful emperor of the whole island, 

 to ask him for a daughter to wife , and sent him a ship laden with 

 provisions, as there were none in Ceilao 2 , and many trinkets 

 and rich jewels. These ambassadors reached Columbo at the 

 same time that the king left Cotta for that city 3 , whom the 

 king received with much honour and entertainment ; and 

 learning for what purpose they had come, he dissembled over 

 the business, not denying that he had no daughter, as in fact 

 he had not, nor has had 4 , in which his astrologers had already 

 lied and deceived themselves ; but as he had brought up in his 

 household a daughter of his grand chamberlain's, who was 

 likewise of royal blood, whom Francisco Barreto when gover- 

 nor made a Christian and gave him his name 5 , by whom on 

 account of his parts and kinship the king was very much 

 led, and we may assert that he ordered everything. 



Of this maiden the king was very fond, and called her 

 daughter, and honoured her as such ; and after the ambassa- 

 dors of the Brama had presented to him their commission he 

 always placed her with him at table, and called her daughter, 

 and under this name he wished to give her to the Brama as his 

 wife; but he feared that the captain of Columbo 6 would prevent 



1 See supra, p. 212. note x . The curious episodes related in this and 

 the following chapter do not appear to be recorded in the native 

 annals of Burma. Couto refers to them in VII. ix. ii. (pp. 191-2). 

 Phayre (Hist, of Burma 117) erroneously ascribes these events to the 

 years 1574-6. 



2 Of. supra, pp. 242, 243. The lack of provisions was confined to 

 Columbo and its vicinity, and was due to the blockade set up by 

 Mayadunne. 



3 About April 1565 (see p. 241, note 3 ). 



4 Dharmapala was childless (c/. supra, p. 100, and infra, p. 414). 



5 As stated in VII. ti. iv. (see p. 172, note 4 ). 6 Diogo de Mello 



