676 
A Defcripion 0/ C E Y L O N. 
C H A P. V. 
The Portuguefes leave Candy, are routed by the Cingalefes. The Emprefs taken 
Prifoner, Don John becomes Mafier of the Empire ; Marries Donna Gather i- 
na. Jeronimo Oriedo defeated. 
Don lohn T^OiV 'John was not wanting to turn 
imfroves ]lJ the Hatred of the People (which 
the haU to jnuft needs enfue upon fo barbarous a 
hk advan- p^Q.^ j-q advantage, and to reprefent 
untag^, the perfidious Defigns of the Portuguefes 
in the worft colours, offering them his 
Affiftance againft thefe Foreigners, as he 
had done before againft Ra]a Singa ; 
which fucceeded fo well, that they re- 
folvM unanimoufly to fide with him, in 
order to drive them out of the Country. 
The Portuguefes having received intelli- 
gence of the great Preparations made a- 
gainft them, and that Don John was ad- 
vancing with his Army towards Candy, 
began now, but too late, to repent of the 
Murder of Janiere ; and feeing their Ruin 
at hand, unlefs they took timely care of 
The por- their Safety, they retreated from Candy 
tuguefcs to the Fort of Gannoor, whence they fent 
leave C3h- to Columbo for Relief. The Cingalefes 
having got notice of their Flight, purfu'd 
them fo clofely, that many of them fell 
into their hands, efpecially of thofe De- 
tachments fent to Goa and Halalmia for 
Provifions, 5c whereof they fent back 
with their Ears, Nofes and Privy Parts 
cut off, in revenge of the Ravifhments 
committed upon their Wives and Daugh- 
ters. 
Art tnife- The Portuguefes were fo terrify'd there- 
at, that finding themfelvesdeftitute of all 
treated by ^^^^^ Relief, they refolved likewife 
Mci^' ^^^^^ Gannoor, and to retire to Walane^ 
i5*po„ which they put in execution 1590. on a 
Sunday j and the better to cover their 
Flight, or at leaft to divert the Cingalefes 
from purfuing them, fet the circumjacent 
Country on fire. But thefe preferring 
their Revenge before all other Confide- 
rations, followM them at the heels, and 
attack'd them moft furioufly in four feve- 
And mt- ral Parts at once. The Portuguefes de- 
fended themfelves moft courageoufly ; but 
being over-power'd in Number, were 
forc'd to give way with the lofs of many 
of their beft Soldiers, either kill'd or 
taken Prifoners, among whom was the 
Pedro Lo' Portuguefe General Lopes zni Donna Ca- 
pcs-fi therina. The General dy'd within three 
D. Cache- (Xays after of his Wounds, after he had 
jrina tai^en recommended his Son to Don John's care, 
Frifmrs. afterwards by him (purfuant 
to his Promife) fent to Columbo^ 
The Indians got a confiderable Booty, 
befides a vaft Quantity of Arms, Cannon 
and Ammunition, in this Engagement ^ 
and Don John purfuing his Vidory with 
the utmoft vigour, made himfelf Mafter 
of all the Forts belonging to the Portu- 
guefes ^ fome by AfFault, the Garifons 
whereof he put to the Sword ^ fome by 
Compofition, which was pundtually ob- 
ferv'd. All which ftruck fuch an Amaze- 
ment into the circumjacent Kings and 
Princes, that they appear'd in Perfon be- 
fore him, and asking Pardon for their 
having beenengag'd with the Portuguefes, 
brought him confiderable Prefents, and 
did him Homage with the ufual Solemnity 
of proftrating themfelves with their Fa- 
ces to the Ground. 
Being thus fettled a fecond time in the 
Throne, he thought it the fafeft way to 
fecure himfelf of the Fidelity of his Sub- 
jeds by marrying Donna Catherina (fhe 
being then but 1 2 years old) which was 
celebrated with great Solemnity for no 
days fucceffively ; notwithftanding which 
the Charges thereof did not amount to 
above 5000 Pagodes : But the Prefents 
b^ftowM upon many of the Nobility (to 
reconcile them to his Intercft) to no lefs 
than 958754 Pis-^o^ffx, or 4859538 Dwrcfe 
Guilders, making the Sum of 1943815 
Rixdollai s. His next Care was to ftreng- 
then his Frontiers by three ftrong Forts ^ 
and he built himfelf a Palace, furround- 
ed with feveral Bulworks, wherein he 
imploy'd the captive Portuguefes, who, to 
their great grief, were forc'd to fee their 
Enfignsdifplay'd upon the Towers of their 
Enemies. 
Don John having for fome time enjoy'd 
the quiet Pofieflion of the Throne, Don 
Jerommo d"* Oriedo was fent in the quality 
of Portuguefe General to Ceylon, with a 
confiderable number of Land Forces, 
compos'd of Spaniards and Portuguefes, 
brought thither from G'o^ and other Pla- 
ces on the Indian Coaft. Having by great 
Prefents brought over to his fide moft of 
the Princes of the Low-Lands, he order'd 
feveral Forts to be ereded to ferve him 
for a Retreat upon occafion, Don John 
was fo far from annoying his men in per- 
fefiing thefe Fortifications, that he feem'd 
todefpifeit, faying, Let them go on, Ivoill 
Don John 
reflor'd tm 
the King- 
dom. 
Marries 
D. Cathe^ 
rina. 
Oriedo a 
PorCH- 
guefe Ge" 
neral in 
Ceylon. 
