ap.XL. A Defcripion 0/ C E Y L O N. 
777 
by the King of Cajlile^ and why might 
not the fame be ex'peded from the King 
of Portugal ? To conclude, Columbo^ and 
with it the whole Ille of Ceylon, being loft 
for want of Succours, all fuch as have 
deferved well in the Defence of that 
Place, ought to be rewarded for their 
Services, as thofe who have been negleft- 
ful in their Duty for the Prefervation 
-'tdJrefsto thereof, deferve condign Punifliment at 
M/y f^'s Majefty's Hands. And as nothing is 
gueic- uj. ^^^.g common, than that Courtiers em- 
ploy their Favourites in Places of Truft r\J^y^ 
(without any regard to Merit) and after- ^^^^am 
wards endeavour to conceal their Mifcar- '-^^^^ 
riages from the King \ it is for this rea- 
fon that we lay this account at your Ma- 
jefty's Feet, taken from the Journal kept 
at Columbo and other authentick Records, 
confirm'd by the Teftimony of many 
Perfons of Credit, both Ecclefiafticks 
and Laymen, that were prefent from 
the beginning to the end of this Siege, 
CHAP. XL. 
The Origin of Columbo. Arrival of the Portuguefes. Their Engagements 
ivith and Con(juef of the Moots. They fortify Columbo. Raja Singa dif 
fatisfed, s . ■. v/^^ 
(kT.gmof *T^HE City of Columbo is an antient 
th' City of X City, feated at 5 4 Degrees of 
Cglambo. North Latitude, in a pleafant Country, 
near a delightful River \ which queftion- 
lefs indiicM the Portuguefes to fix upon 
this Place for their chief Refidencein this 
Ifland. For Emanuel King of Portugal, 
having been fully inform'd concerning the 
Condition of Ceylon, order'd a Fort to 
be eredted there, for the better Eftablifh- 
raent of his Affairs there, and to curb 
the Emperor. Lup.de Britto being fent 
thither with a good Number of Soldiers 
and Workmen, John Silva dQViver'd thQ 
faid Fort up to him. For Zoares who was 
lately fail'd with 20 Ships and 700 Land- 
men to Ceylon (after Laurence d' Almeyda, 
who forae Years before entred into a 
Confederacy with the King of Ceylon) 
had juft before made an Agreement with 
the Governor of Columbo about a Settle- 
ment m that Place, which he look'd up- 
on as the moft proper for a Fortification, 
both in refped of its Situation, and 
the Plenty of the beft Cinnamon that 
grows in the whole Ifle, being feated in 
the Form of a Crefcent, and affording 
fafe Anchorage for Ships, provided they 
are not too bulky. 
Accordingly it was agreed to ereft a 
Fortification there, under pretence of fe- 
curing the Commerce of Xht Portuguefes^ 
but in effeft to curb the King and the Na- 
tives. He who reign'd at that time in 
the Ifle being a Brahman, was not a little 
jealous of the Europeans ; but being fen- 
Ttmt^be- hble to what pitch of Greatnefs the King 
2^'^ He ^^^^^y arriv'd by the Affif- 
f^f^te Portuguefes^ he gave his Con- 
Ctiwalcfe& fenr, tho not without fome Reluftancyj 
Vol. IIL 
and confequently was of no long Conti- 
nuance. For the Saracens who were cha° 
fed thither from the Continent, and had 
fettled their Traffick in this Ifle, lound 
means by the Promifes of great Sums of 
Mony, and of their Affiltance, to en- 
tice the King and Court to oppofe the 
Defigns of the Portuguefes, who intended fg^^ 
to enflave them, under pretence of fet- broken, 
ling their Commerce ^ for which purpofe 
they raifed fome Works, and having 
mounted fome Iron Cannon upon them, 
feiz'd fome Portuguefes that came afhore, 
without fufpeding any harm. 
Zoares coming afhore with his Work- 
men, in order to rafe the intended For- 
tifications, was furpriz'd to find fome 
Forts erefted by the Cingalefes ; and hav- 
ing received certain Intelligence, that 
the fame had been done at the Inftigation 
of the Moors, he eafily gueffed that no- 
thing but Force was likely to eftablilh the 
Portuguefes in Ceylon, Accordingly hav- p ^ 
ing landed his Men, he attack'd the E- guefes 
nemy, who at adiftance fomewhat gall'd ro«t r/be 
his Forces with their Arrows ; but after Cingalefes 
they came to a clofe Engagement, the 
Cingalefes were quickly put to the Rout, 
and purfued by the Portuguefes with confi- 
derable Lofs : The Portuguefes had many 
wounded but few killed, among the laft 
v/as the brave Patieco, lately come from 
Afatacca, 
Zoares having allow'd one day only to 
his People to refrefli themfelves, begaa 
the next Morning an Entrenchment, 
reaching from the Harbour to the Seafide, 
without the leaft Oppofition : within this 
he order'd a Fort to be erected, where- 
upon having mounted his Gannon, and 
H h h h h ftreng* 
