A Defcripion C E Y L O 
vtmojl ex- {QYcral Mothers murder'd their own 
Children to feed upon, two whereof 
yrant of 
Frovifms, 
were executed. It was a moft doleful 
Spedacle to hear the poor miferable 
Wretches cry out in the Streets for 
Bread, fome imploring Heaven for AfTi- 
ftance, others curling thofe who were 
the occafion of their Mifery, others ex- 
piring and breathing their laft in the 
Houfes and Streets. 
The 9th Domingo de Ramos forced a 
multitude of poor Wretches out of the 
Town i but thefe being driven back by 
the Enemy, and expos 'd to our fmall 
fhot, periih'd either by them or by Fa- 
mine upon the fhore. 
The Enemy advanc'd this day briskly 
with their Trenches, as we did on our 
iide in our Retrenchments. 
The lotb we fet fire to the Enemy's 
Gallery, which however did not fucceed 
according to expectation for want of fufE- 
cient Fuel^ but Father Damian Fieira, 
Manoel Guerreiro^ and Simon Lopes de Baflo 
did kill many of the Enemy upon this 
occafion. 
The ixth we planted a Canrion be- 
twixt our Palifado's againffc their Galle- 
ry, but they had ftrengthned it fo well 
that we could effeft nothing of moment. 
One of our Soldiers run over to them. 
The nth we began two other Mines 
with incredible labour, but indifferent 
fuccefs, for want of skilful Engineers. 
Four feledled Men were polled in the 
Redoubt of S. John^ Baftion, who de- 
fended that Poft, which was within a few 
Rods from the Enemy's Works, with a 
great deal of Bravery, as they did in 
moft other places, notwithftanding we 
were reduced to a very inconfiderable 
number, there being not above five or 
fix Men left in fome Companies, as thofe 
of Diego de Souz.a de Caflro^ Manoel de 
S. Jago Garcia^ and Don Diego de Fafcon- 
celhos, who perform'd Wonders in the 
defence of the Baftion of S. John. 
The 13^1? the Enemy having received 
a Reinforcement out of two Yachts, they 
bour'd very hard in their Mine on the 
Baftion of S. John under favour of their 
Cannon, which play'd inceflantly : At 
that time Father Damian Vieira kiil'd a 
ftout Hollander who had the Diredion 
of the Work, which advanced apace, 
tho we ply'd them very warmly with our 
Fireworks. Two of our Soldiers defer- 
ted to the Enemy. 
The iSth we began to work on our 
Countermine from the foot of the Bafti- 
on of S. John towards that of S. Stephen^ 
under the Diredion of Father Damian 
Vietra^ Simon Lopes de Bafto and John ^^^""^ 
Fereira d' Abreu, whilft the Serjeant- f^f^^ 
Major Antonio de Leaon^ Diego de Souz.a 
de Caftro, and Ruy Lopes Coutinbo ply'd the 
Enemy with their Fireworks, and other 
combuftible Matter. 
The fame day we got intelligence by 
an Advice-Boat that the fo long expeded 
Succours under the Command of Francifco 
de Seixas Cabreira was come upon our 
Coaft ; it conlifted of 21 Ships, and two 
Galliots with Provifions, one whereof 
Was upon the King's account, the other 
of Simon Souta^ a Gentleman of Honour^ 
who took Companion of our prefent Con- 
dition. They fet fail from Goa the 19th 
ot March j but as they were endea- 
vouring to make the Cape Comoryn^ one 
of the Galliots, in which was Si^non de 
Souz.a^ was attack'd fo furioufly by a A'wj- of 
Dutch Vedel coming from Calecoulang 
with Pepper, that after having loft l^^r " 
Maft fhe funk, Simon de Souz.a being nar- j-^'J^ 
rowly fav'd with a few Soldiers, and Columboo 
carried to Columho. The Dutch Ship 
then falling in among the reft fought fo 
manly, that fhe forced our Ships to re- 
treat into the Harbour of Tutecoryn^ 
from whence they could not come to Co- 
lumho till Auguft •, tho if the faid Fleet 
had arriv'd fafely,they had brought fcarce 
Rice enough to ferve only for a little time. 
About the fame the fame time Father 
Damian Fkira^ John Fereira d^Abreu, and 
Simon Lopes de Bafto^ went with fotne 0- 
ther Ofiicers (cali'd Reformado's by the 
Portuguefes) into one of our Mines. 
Father Damian and Lieut. Nunes going 
about 6 paces before the reft, todifcover 
whether any of the Enemys were at 
hand, and being miftaken by their Com- 
rades for Hollanders^ thefe difcharged 
their Mufquetoons upon them, notwith- a flrangt 
ftanding which the Jefuit efcaped mira- Efiape. 
culoufly the danger, without receiving 
the leaft hurt. This happy efcape was 
attributed to the Prayers of Father Frey 
Luys a Capucin^ to whom fuch as were go- 
ing upon fonle defperate Enterprize us'd 
to recommend themfelves. 
The I'^th Nicholas dc Mow a efcapM 
out of Prifon (where he was detain'd 
ever fmce the bufinefs of the Count d^Obi- 
da/i ) and with five Miftices went over to 
the Enemy, as did much at the fame time 
a Serjeant and a Soldier. About 80 
Paces from the Gate of Ra]uha the Enemy 
batter'd part of our Wall betwixt the 
Baftions of Madre de Decs and S. Se- 
bajlian^ from a Battery of 5 pieces of 
Cannon, from whence they fhot 350 
Cannon-Balls againft it in one day. 
Ggggg 2 The 
