280 



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



[Vol. XX. 



powder, lead, matches 1 , and other necessary things, and 

 ordered Thome de Sousa de Arronches 2 , who had come from 

 Ceilao in the past April 3 , to embark in order to return and 

 serve in the post of captain-major of that coast 4 : and all 

 these provisions the viceroy sent, because by 5 the letters that 

 he received from Ceilao in August 6 , in which they informed 

 him of all that had passed with Rajii, and of the truce that 

 had been made, which it was understood he had conceded in 

 dissimulation in order the more at his ease to provide himself 

 with the things that he required for the siege that he hoped 

 to lay to that fortress, and that the truce would last only as 

 long as he wished, although at present he was ill, and it was 

 surmised this was from poison that his people had given him 7 . 

 This galleon got to Columbo in a few days 8 , whereby that 

 fortress was relieved and provided 



* H* * * * * 



1 1 here follow the printed edition, which has murroes, where the 

 manuscript reads munigoes (munitions), a tautology. 



2 It is evident, from the abrupt way in which this man is here men- 

 tioned, that Couto must have spoken of him in his lost Ninth (and 

 perhaps Eighth) Decade. When he first came to Ceylon, and in what 

 capacity, I do not know ; but we shall find that from this date for 

 many years afterwards he remained in the island to afflict the natives 

 with his brutalities. His name will ever be associated with the infamy 

 of the destruction of the famous temple at Dondra, as related further 

 on (p. 375). From a royal alvard of 7 March 1595, summarized in 

 Arch. Port.-Or. v. 1411 (No. 1015), it would seem that he came to India 

 as a soldier in about 1575 (see infra, p. 428, note 3 ). 



3 Couto does not record his departure from Ceylon, which must have 

 taken place at or about the same time as that of Tristao de Abreu (see 

 supra, p. 274). 



4 He held this post until 1595, when he was appointed captain of 

 Columbo (see infra, p. 408). 



6 Apparently an error for " because of." As it stands, the sentence 

 is incomplete. / 



6 See supra, p. 279. How these letters were sent, is not said. 



7 This truce and the (alleged) poisoning of Raja Sinha must have 

 occurred in 1585 (and not in 1586, as Couto leads us to suppose), since 

 they are mentioned in a royal letter of 10 January 1587 (in Arch. 

 Port.-Or. iii. 72) as having been reported in a letter of the viceroy's 

 received by ships that left India in January 1586. From that letter 

 it appears that Raja Sinha wished to send ambassadors to the viceroy, 

 but the captain of Columbo would not consent, the reason for which 

 refusal the king desired to know. 



8 In September or October 1586, apparently. 



