774 
A Defcriftion 0/ G E Y L O N. 
f\A-^' were haftening to its relief, were flain 
£ald(£us. Streets. The fecond Baftion, af- 
^^"^'''^^ faulted at the fame time by the Dutch, 
was bravely defended by Manoel Figeiros, 
who with two pieces of Cannon kill'd 
abundance of them j but being conftantly 
feconded by frefli Troops, efpecially of 
the Cingalefes, they fentfuch fliowers of 
Arrows and Bullets among our People, 
that they were forced to quit that Baftion 
alfo. 
From thence marching into the City, 
they were met at the entrance of a 
Street by the Commander in chief j4nto- 
nio de Melo de Cafivo, Diego de Souz.a de 
Cajlro^ Father Anthony Nunes the Jefuit, 
Sebaflian Rodrigues, John Pereira^Fincente de 
5/1 y;?, Francifco Vaknte dos Campos, Alfonfo 
Correa, Sebajiian Periera^ John Ferraon 
d' Aurcu^ Anihomo de Magalhanes^ and 
an Enfign under Cape. Alia. Thefe^ tho 
few in number, but rcany in Valour, 
charg'd the Dutch with iocomparabie 
Bravery. The Portuguefe Akxaric- Ma- 
noel Marques Gorjaon, makmg ::he Deit of 
his way over the dead Carcafes tnat 
ver'd the ground, fingl'd out a Lutch 
Captain of a Gigantick Bulk, who Ihot 
A f)arp him with a Piftol through the Body, not- 
Engage- withftandlng which he run him through 
a"! 'of ^^^^ Sword, and fent him immediate- 
columbo. to the other World then pufliing on 
his Fortune, made the D«fc^fc give ground, 
and having rallied his Men fecur'd the 
Poft for that time. The Dutch renew'd 
the Charge five times fucceflively, but 
were as often courageoufly repulfed by 
Anthonio de Melo de Cafiro, and thofe few 
that follow'd him ; and being refolv'd ei- 
ther to conquer or to die, they broke in 
with Sword in hand amongft the Enemy, 
and again poflefs'd themfelves of the firft 
Baftion, and foon after alfo of the fe- 
cond : the firft; who enter'd the lafl was 
Antbonio de Magelhanes, who fought with 
an uncommon Zeal againft the Enemy , 
for before they became Mafters of our 
Cannon, he ply'd them very warmly from 
behind the Wall (the only defence he 
had left) fo that it coft them many a 
brave Fellow before they could make 
themfelves Mafters of it ; and being now 
pofted again upon the fame Baftion, he 
was bravely feconded by two Demi- 
Cannons from the new Baftiion, and a 
fmart Ihower of Fire- works, which fet 
the circumambient Aix into fuch a 
flame and fmoak, that at a diftance it ap- 
pear'd like the Mouth of Hell. 
At the fame time the GovQrnorAnthonio 
de Souz.a Coutinho and Francifco de Melo de 
Caftro did ail that could be expected from 
brave Men on the Comas, or the Baftion 
of Xaverius, both by way of Command, 
and by charging the Cannon in Perfon, 
and performing the Duty of common 
Soldiers. The fathers Philippo and Pedro 
de Cajlelbranco, both Aujlin Friers, were 
not behind-hand with the reft in giving 
their utmofl; AfTiftance for the defence of 
the Place, being appointed to keep a 
watchful Eye upon the Enemy whenever 
they were going to alarum or amufe us 
with falle Attacks. 
It muft certainly be confefs'd, that this 
Engagement was one of the moft re- 
markable that ever happen'd in the Eaft, 
conlidering that a few, and thefe moft; 
wounded, fick, or weakened by Famine, 
did engage a much greater number, con- 
tinually iuftain'd by frefh Troops, from 
hx a Clock in the Morning till eight in 
the Evening, during which time the Ene- j^credlik 
my was repulfed not only once but five fe- Bravoj of 
veral times, by a much inferior number, tk Porm- 
who having not the leaft relief or time guefes. 
0 breath, were forced all that time to 
endure the danger and fatigues of the 
Adtion, which coft the Enemy above 
400 Men kill'd, bcfides thofe wounded 
and burnt by our Fire-woiks: On our 
fide we loft alfo the flower of our Forces, 
fome whereof were flain, others wound- 
ed and burnt to that degree, that they 
were difabled from bearing of Arms for 
a confiderable time after. Among the 
flain were, Diego de Fafconcelhos, who had xbeh L^fh 
given a thoufand Proofs of his Bravery 
in this Siege ; Father Antonio Nunes the 
Jefuit, a Pattern of Virtue, who figna- 
iiz'd himfelf not only all along on the Ba- 
ftion of S. John, as well as in other parts 
of the City, by incouraging the Soldiers, 
comforting the Sick, and burying the 
Dead : He was fliot at the Gate of the 
Baftion with a Mufquet-Ball, receiv'd 
afterwards a deep Cut, and at laft flain 
by a hand-granado after he had kill'd 
feveral of the Enemy with his Mufque- 
toon. At the fame time died in the Bed 
of Honour ( after they had given a thou- 
fand Proofs of their Bravery) Alfonfo 
Correa, Fincente da Silva, Francifco Va- 
lente de Camps, Sehaflian Pereira, and that 
brave Sea-Commander Sebajiian Abreu 
Godinho, befides an Enfign, a Native of 
Baz.ain, belonging to Capt. AUa''s Com- 
pany Manoel de Seixas an Inhabitant of 
Columbot and Anthonio Caminha d'Altevedo^ 
were forely burnt ; Diego de Souza de Cdjlro 
was mortally wounded with two Bullets, 
notwithftanding which he would not re- 
tire from the Engagement till he receiv'd . 
a deep Cut. Manoel Caldeira de Britto 
