368 



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



[Vol. XX. 



upon which the captain of the ship hastened thither ; and 

 asking what that was, one who spoke the language told him 

 that that man was the husband of that woman, and that he 

 was not in the village when they captivated her ; and that 

 hastening thither, learning that the Portuguese had carried 

 off his wife, he rushed like a madman to the vessels, and got 

 on board that in which he saw her, and caressed her tenderly. 

 The captain of the ship told the affair to Thome de Sousa, and 

 as it was a remarkable thing, he went to see it with his own eyes . 

 and found them both embraced and uttering lamentations ; 

 and asking a Chingala Christian who was listening to them 

 what that was, and what he was saying to her, he told him 

 that on that man's coming to his wife he clasped her in his 

 arms in that manner, and spoke to her these words : " God 

 grant that never may I, with you going captive 1 , remain free, 

 but that both may have a like fortune : be you captive of the 

 Portuguese, and I your captive, and for love of you, because 

 thus shall the captivity of both be easier and 2 more sufferable, 

 because love will alleviate for us its trials ;" and that she with 

 many tears answered him : " Now that I see this, I count 

 myself the most fortunate of all the Chingalas : today you 

 have placed a crown on yourself, and on me a very strong 

 fetter of love and loyalty, which as long as I live shall hold me 

 a prisoner." Thome de Sousa was moved with pity at what 

 the interpreter said he had heard from them, and at seeing 

 that these two lovers were so wrapped up in their dalliances 

 that they neither saw the captain 3 nor paid any attention to 

 him ; and the captain astonished at that strength and con- 

 stancy of love in those two barbarians, and understanding well 

 that it was not any kind of love that made him do that, but a 

 very great force ot it , which was what made a free man of his 

 own accord offer himself to captivity, moved to pity by that 

 act, made them rise, and taking them by the hands ordered 

 to say to them : 64 God grant that never might two such good 

 spouses, who loved each other so, be any more parted, nor 

 have greater captivity than the tie in which love had placed 

 them ; that he liberated them, that they might go happily, 

 and might they live as long as God pleased in that agreement " : 

 and they understanding that through the interpreter threw 

 themselves at his feet, and said, " that since he showed that 



1 The printed edition has " seeing you captive."" 



2 The printed edition omits these two words. 



3 The printed edition has " captain-major." The reference may be 

 to either Thome de Sousa or the captain of the ship in which the scene 

 occurred. 



