1619 Battle Lellopitiya ( Ceylon )
The Portuguese Constantino de Sa e Noronha ( the God of the island of
Ceylon ) returned to Malvana like a moon encircled with stars
There our great lord Constantino de Sa seated in the midst of his brave
army like Sakraya in his glory ,on a throne shaded with a sesath
smiled upon his men and darting the light of his eyes upon them ,like bees
on the full-bloom flowers ,he brandished his dazzling blade and addressed
them thus :
let the prince Madune and Barreto in their ignorance of our might ,disturb
the lands from the Wanni side ,for I shall crush them with a heavy hand ,
with my victorious blade in my hand I plunge into the midst of war to make
the field of battle as a red sea ..
an endless stream of stately warriors crowded in front and rear ,mounted
on their horses and elephants ,with their swords and their bows and their
guns
our lord Constantino de Sa started from Malvana with his ministers ,like
an ocean wave
there on the bank of the great river he stood with his martial train and gazed
in delight like Sakraya on the margent of heaven ,and the sun sank in splendour
in the West ,our lord Constantino de Sa arose and entered the royal house
and as at early dawn the sun arose in the East ,Constantino de Sa and his
host awoke ,thus he advanced glorious and halted at Nivitigala
he reached Madawalagama where he rested for the night ,
and as the light of dawn scattered the darkness of the night ,our lord
Constantino de Sa awoke
next morning our troops went forth to meet the foe ,returning victorious
with many heads and on the second day our lord started again ,
reaching beautiful Sanwana in the evening
for with the roar of a thousand cannon and the deafening blast of music
our lord advanced on Meddegama Nuwara with his victorious host
and the city was set on fire
and now the enemy in their terror scatter in flight like timid deer
before the host of tigers
Constantino de Sa started his journey home and the army marched leisurely
on account of the sick and some who remained on the way were beheaded
by the enemy who came harassing the rearguard ,to avoid great danger ,
Constantino de Sa ordered Luis teixeira to go ahead with 100 portuguese
and 1 000 lascarins and lie in ambush at a narrow pass of the forest at
Lellopitiya
and changing the vanguard and rearguard by turns ,Constantino de Sa
pretended great haste in order to bait the enemy ,the cannon bursting on
them in thunder amidst the terrific peals of music ,our host sprang on them
from the ambush shouting their war cries ,thereupon they were charged by
Constantino de Sa with such impetuosity that more than 8 000 heads were
cut off
and piling up their heads like cocoanuts ,slicing off their arms and legs ,
noses and ears ,each striking down 5 and 10
with all the might of Rama in the Ravenna war ,they seized and punished
the foe
unnumbered heads lay scattered through the field
yea ,those teeth of the wicked Barreto ,rebel against God and his king of
Portugal were there dashed out ,thirty-two in all and well were his cheeks
slapped
a defeat so great that of the Modeliars alone 40 were killed
then like Sakraya returning victorious from the Asura war ,our lord
Constantino de Sa set out in triumph for Malvana
May the lord Jesus Christ protect all men
and his mother full of love
may they cherish Constantino de Sa in all prosperity
