from my friends at Venice and Padua by which I vnderstand the Agent of that signiorie being resident in the Catholicke Kings Court hath written a letter to that State which hath bin opēly read at Pregay part of the contents whereof are That the Count Lemos Viceroy of Naples before his death wrote a letter to the King his maister wherein he did assure him that that prisoner which he caused to be sent him from the Duke of Tuscane vnder the name and title of a Calabrian was Dom Sebastian the very true King of Portugale which in the yeare 1578. lost the battell in Africke which he affirmed with many assured reasons and trials as hauing throughly examined him of diuers things wherein he had dealt with him both in Portugale and Castile This Viceroy neuer receiued answer of this letter in his life and therefore being then almost at the last gaspe for the disburdening of his soule he detected this secret to his sonne that succeeds in his place in the presence of his wife his confessour and diuers other persons of good account giuing him also a letter for the King wherein is ratified the same he spake before The new Viceroy sent to the Catholike king a noble man of the house of Manriques of whose house proceeded the Dukes of Najara This Siegnior he sent with his fathers letter it is reported that the King returned answer of the same letter to the Count Lemos commaunding him to intreate that prisoner well and take especial care that no disaster chanced vnto him These news inforced me to inlarge this treatise I would to God they were like to be true and that the Catholike King would answer his title with due correspondēcy to Christianitie according to his Christian stile by yeelding libertie to his Cosin-germaine and restoring all that to him belongeth which were an excellēt branch of honour and magnanimitie and an assured meane to settle Christendome in peace and to auoide the daunger of present warre which now the lowring heauens and malicious inclination of starres do assure vs to fall vpon vs. I confesse that so many extraordinary accidents do perswade me to expect a good issue out of all these troubles that may be both happie and profitable to the whole common-weale of Christendome Pleaseth it your Lordship to remember that about the infancie of our amitie I said that if the Portugals and the Castilians be not separated it will be impossible to maintaine a generall peace in Europe iustifying my opinion with many euident demonstrations and yet to this day I hold the same resolution in which many noble men both of the counsell and others of great calling do accord saying They from day to day see more apparant reasons so to iudge To that end do I dayly offer vp my sacrifices and earnest prayers to intreate the Almightie God that it may please him of his diuine mercie to inspire the hearts of all Christian Princes to combine in one knot to set this cause aright before the increase of more mischiefe for so much the longer as they deferre this good worke so much the greater will be the ruine of Portugale and perill of our vniuersall destruction Your noble Lordships humble seruant Fr. IOSEPH TEXERE Portugueze A NARRATION OF THINGS DONE BY DOM SEBASTIAN KING OF PORTVGAL since the battell he lost in the fields of Alquiber in Africke fighting against Muley Maluco an Infidell anno 1578. vntill this present time Written by Fr. Ioseph Texere Portugueze The Preface GEntle Reader forasmuch as I haue done you the fauour by my trauell to discouer in writing vnto you a Peregrination so much desired I shall intreate the like of you againe in giuing credite to that I will most faithfully deliuer vnto you concerning the naturall inclination of the Portugals and the disposition of the King The Portugals haue two especiall qualities happily differing from other nations which are as familiar to them as to laugh is proper to all men The first is they are extremely scrupulous of conscience the second they are exceeding constant in their resolutions especially when they are assured that they are warranted by the law of God and concerne his glorie for the first I will recommend vnto your iudgements two examples The first after the death of D. Henry supposed King of Portugale the succession of that kingdome being left to the inheritance of women came directly to D. Katherine Duchesse of Bragance daughter to the sonne of D. Duarte brother germaine to the said Henry who caused her title to be disputed of in the Vniuersitie of Coimbre which disputation was published in print and compiled in a booke confirmed by the hands of foureteene Doctours subscribing thereunto all whose sentences were pronounced in the fauour of the said Katherine The like censure was exhibited by the Doctors of Bologne Pisa other vniuersities in that part of Europe the succession of the said Realme of Portugale being adiudged to the same Katherine D. Iohn Duke of Bragance her husbād cosin germaine by reason whereof while the Cardinal liued being induced or rather informed by the Agents of D. Philip the second King of Castile not to publish the said D. Katherine to be his heire did respite the publication pretending that D. Katherine D. Anthonie and D. Philippo being all at once with other competitours to the crowne might set some variance among the people about the title leauing it to be censured after his death by certaine Iudges that he had appoined and named he sware to stand to the sentence of those Iudges and would not pronounce him King of Portugale himselfe but said it might be a meanes for him to come to the best assurance of the enterprise before any other for that he had on his part not onely the most of the Princes of Portugale descending from that line but also many cities and townes in that Realme whereof he was owner and Lord being aboue fifty with castles beside the citie of Bragance and had vnder his gouernement aboue two hundred thousand subiects of account by reason whereof he was the greatest and the richest Prince subiect among the Christian Princes of Europe Considering withall that out of the citie of Bragance and two other townes called Chaues which the Romaines termed AEquas Flauas he was able to make and bring into the field thirtie thousand men betweene the age of fiue and twentie and fiftie yeares And it is to be noted that the men bred in those parts be hard and valiant souldiers and haue bene so approued in the battels and victories which the Portugals haue had against the Spaniards by whom they haue bene often vanquished in ranged battels This Princes nice conscience was the cause why he extended not his force to defend his right but withdrew himselfe into a corner without purpose or intent to marrie either one or the other by which means he left the crowne to him in the right of his late wife and
by my returne this by-way I gathered some certaintie of much that happened to Dom Sobastian the King since his slight out of Africke vntill he was discharged out of this common-weale and now I begin to make your Lordship a true relation certaine and without controlement When it was spread at Rome that I remained in this town and that by reason of my hurt I could not sodainly depart from hence a friend of mine certified me by letteers the sixth of August in what maner Paula Catizzone with her daughter arriued at Naples being shipped from Messina by the Catholike Kings agents to come and acknowledge this prisoner for her husbād and the said Paula meeting in the ship with a religious man of the order of S. Francis of her acquaintance she dicouering the cause of her trauel vnto him assuring him she knew vndoubtedly that that prisoner was not Marco Tullio Catizzone her husband saying that same prisoner that they cal D. Sebastiā king of Portugale had sent him into Portugal which she trusted would make wel for that prisoner and do him no hurt at al and that she came rather to iustifie then to condemne him The same man my friend promised me of particular aduertisements of whatsoeuer shal be effected in this businesse I beseech you consider the cunning the Castilians vse in the expedition of their enterprises who are both terrible and warie in all their practises Although they know that Marco Tullio Catizzone died in Portugale yet notwithstanding they continue their indirect and false course with inuentions and sleights colouring their proiects to seduce and blind the world This woman a subiect of the Spanish Kings was threatned vpon paine of death not to hinder any of the Kings proceedings therefore she must take vpon her to know this man and iustifie him to be her husband Marco Tullio c. though she had neuer seene him before be the matter neuer so false as it is most vntrue and so proued by many reasons and letters whereof I made mention to your Lordship in my letters from Florence I haue sent a copie to my friend in Rome to be deliuered to his Holinesse and another to your Lordship with these presents to controle all those that shall belye this action Beside this testimonie there newly arriued a graue Portugal a man of good authoritie and credit that vnderstāding at Rome which way I was departed tooke post horses came after me Beside that he was one of my old acquaintance he brought letters in his bosome of recommendation to induce me to trust him and that he might open his secrets vnto me which certaine Lords of Portugale that sent him charged him to doe This man named the house in which Marco Tullio Catizzone died to the owner whereof he brought and deliuered certaine letters from the King and there were counter letters written which were neuer as yet deliuered to the King In such sort that this falsitie that this prisoner is Marco Tullio Catizzone can by no meanes be prooued in fauour of the inuenters thereof Now forasmuch as from time to time I am in more liklihood to recouer this mishap I trust I shall not haue cause to stay in this towne to write any more letters vnto you but purpose by Gods helpe to make small delay to come my selfe to your Lorship and excuse all other messengers Beseeching the heauenly King to blesse your excellent lordship From Venice the thirteenth of August 1601. Most humbly at your excellent Lordships seruice father Fr. IOSEPH TEXERE The copie of a Letter written by D. Raimond Marqueti with this inscription To Dom Sebastian calling himselfe King of Portugal being at Venice I Receiued letters from your lordship the sift of September last past wherein I perceiue the resolution your Lordship hath taken to commit your care and trust to Marco Tullio Catizzone a man as worthie as able to manage such a businesse Further I render your Lordship a thousand thankes for the good opinion and confidence you haue reposed in my person in discharge of which trust I will repaire my diligence to learne newes of that Marco Tullio who as yet is not returned into these quarters But so soone as he shall I will giue him to vnderstand how sore your Lordship longeth for his returne and will also aduise him to execute your commaundements in all points with exceeding care diligence and secrecie and by him I will not faile to giue your Lordship to vnderstand that when it pleaseth your Lordship to satisfie your desire to see this countrey haiung alreadie runne through the greatest part of the world I shal procure your conference with these noble men companions to your aduentures which you so earnestly wish to behold viz. the Duke of Aueyro Christopher de Tauora and the rest If you please to send me some priuie markes or tokens that they may repose as much confidence in me as is necessarie for the dispatch of your Lordships dissignes in this seruice and any other I intend to performe to your Lordship both diligence and secrecie As for the letter to Donna Paula Catizzone I hold it no policie to deliuer it her considering it is a loose aduenture in such daungers to trust a woman Neither will I neglect to be carefull for the honour of the said Paula Catizzones house as your Lordship required me and in the end the effects shall shew To conclude I desire your Lordship to excuse me for not vsing so reuerent a stile to your Lordship as I could wish which I hope you conceiue I refraine to do because I would not be discouered in your weightier affaires holding this the best and safest course to do your seruice wherein I beseech the Almightie God to prosper your Lordship and grant you due successe to whose tuition with reuerend kissing your hands a thousand times I commit your Lordship From Messina the eighth of October 1598. Dom Raimond Marquetl The copie of a Letter written by Dom Sebastian King of Portugale while he was prisoner in Venice sent to Padua to the most reuerend D. Prospero Baracco Amner to the Cathedrall Church in that towne the originall remaining in the hands of Sr Georgio Bustarelli MOst reuerend D. Prospero I am to signifie vnto your Lordship how much I haue bene grieued for your meritlesse afflictions hauing suffered imprisonment for my sake by the poursuite of the Castilians mine enemies But seeing things past are irreuocable and are onely to be ouercome with patience considering you are not ignorant of the whole complotment And forasmuch as I am so restrained from writing at large that I cannot expresse vnto you my secret meaning I onely request you to send some trustie messenger to Messina diligently to enquire and search whether Marco Tullio Catizzone be returned thither with any directions or not And to that end purpose your reuerend Lordship may vse my name to D. Raimond Marqueti to whom I wrote heretofore being at Moran if you forget
and vse all the diligence you can in these things I haue giuen you in charge The father being dead the sonne respected the prisoner with much more reuerence then he did before but allowed him lesse libertie then he had in the old Counts life I haue also two letters from Doctor Sampayo the one bearing date the 18 of Nouember the other the fourth of December which confirme the same contents before mentioned There be many other letters here lately sent from Portugals to the same purpose reinforcing the truth and here lately past a Portugall by this towne that protesteth he spake with Dom Sebastian declaring markes and tokens of his apparell chamber and bed and other appertenances The same Portugall said further the King inquired of him for certaine persons which this partie being then but yong could not remember and therefore gaue him no direct answer We haue here many rumours from diuers places neare about One wrote out of Portugale which diuers other comming from thence confirme that vpon S. Anthonies day of Padua the last yeare they rong the great bell at Villila in Arragone in the city of Coimbre an vniuersity of Portugale where befell a very admirable and rare wonder In the same towne there is a couent of Canons regulars of the order of S. Augustine sincerely reformed great and rich in the which is interred the bodie of D. Alphonse Henriques the first King of Portugale whom they adore for a Saint In whose behalfe they say God hath shewed some miracles vnto men to cōfirme their opinion of him that they beleeue not amisse Many religious men for this foure hundred yeares space successiuely continuing this Saint for their intercessor to God vt ferunt haue obtained much release and consolation in their afflictions aswel strangers as the naturall countrimen and to this effect they haue a booke written recording all the benefits receiued thereby so that this house neuer harboured any other then those that were deuoted to this holy King The last yeare an old man whom age had made feeble and decrepit vsed euer to kneele down and pray at the sepulcher of the said King and vpon S. Anthonies day the last yeare he there in happie time offered his solemne prayers and continued a long time in meditation before the sepulcher where he remained vntill he was stiffe and not able of him selfe to rise but by the assistance of his iuniors and religious brethren who beholding all his face bedeawed with teares demaunded of him how it came to passe This old man answered I am very much displeased and grieued at the negligence of our Kings and Princes of Portugale aswell dead as liuing I meane descending from this holy King that being assured by infinite miracles that he is in heauen in eternall glorie and liues in the presence of God and we neuer yet knew any man that trauelled to canonize him To whō one or two answered That houre shal come And father seeing your deuotion and loue is so great to this holy King beseech him to be a mediator for the libertie of Dom Sebastian descending of his masculine line that he may be restored to his former dignities and Realmes and that good deed will cause him to be canonized We haue heard lately more reports by the passengers from Italy and France that he whom the Venetians imprisoned and released the last yeare is Dom Sebastian our true King and Lord and that he seemes no whit to degenerate from the steps and traces of his auncestors As those religious men were aduising and contemplating vpon the vision of this Alphonse which was mentioned in the Admirable aduenture c. and considering the promise God made vnto him whē he appeared vnto him in the field Orique the sepulcher resounded vnto them three strokes hearing the eccho with abilitie to iudge frō whence the noise came The sound being past they approched nearer vnto the tombe continuing their discourse and sodainly againe the tombe gaue three other great blows so terrible that they were forced to recule for feare and the eccho continued so long that they all were amazed and became as pale and wan as men vse to be in the horror of death When afterward they came to themselues recouering their senses and perfect vnderstanding and conceiued that it came by the old mans praier they went and reuealed this accident to the Bishop of that citie who in all the time of treatie betweene Portugale and the King of Castile approoued himselfe as ranke a traitor to his countrey as he proued true seruant to the King of Spaine who for his recompence was established in that sea and created Bishop of Coimbre Count of Arganill c. with 50000 duckets of yearely annuitie This Bishop aduertised of the noise came to the Couent and made inquisition and finding it a thing so extraordinary said You Portugals that wonder at these toies and giue credite to bables know that the soule of this Saint being aloft in glory is so sore offended with you that God suffereth these senslesse monuments to giue testimonie of your fopperies These words were so ill taken by the people of the town assembled about that strange noise that the Bishop was constrained to vnsay that he had said and to confesse it was very wonderfull Furthermore there are many letters come of late from Portugale that testifie that at Lisbone the last of October in the yeare 1601. the Church and hospitall of the King called all Saints sodainly fell on fire by night and flamed so furiously that the roofe was burnt and all the images of the Kings of Portugal that were painted vpon the wall only the pourtrait of D. Sebastian was left vndefaced The selfe same ruine happened to the armes of the Kings and Princes of Portugal which were drawn in scutchions vpō the wall The day following being the feast of all Saints in the forenoone fell an infinite number of hailstones as big as small egges red of colour which bred as great cause of wonder as the raine that fell the day following which was so extreme that as I haue heard credibly reported by many the people of that towne durst not go out of their doores all that day for seare of drowning These things to me aswell as to others I assure your Lordship seeme maruellous and can find no reason of their rarenesse God of his diuine mercie turne them to good I could haue written to your Lordship more newes of great consequence if my paper had not bin iniurious But now to returne to our first subiect which I wil intirely deliuer vnto your Lordship seeing I haue recouered my strength I will proceed to declare vnto you the successe of D. Sebastian King of Portugale since his escape from the battell in Afrike which I intreat your Lordship to cause to be imprinted that all Princes may haue free knowledge of the historie Paris the twelfth of Ianuarie 1602. Immediatly after my last writing I receiued letters
me from being adiudged to the gallies and also preuented me from being stretched vpon the racke and further obtained pardon of his Maiestie for Emanuel Texere my vnkle that was condemned to loose his head and caused all his goods to be restored that were confiscate for being in employment with D. Antonio against the king and when he could not obtaine a graunt at my hands of that which he demaunded himself he incited my friends and acquaintance to do their vttermost to win me from my constant resolution hoping in regard of the great distance and separation from my countrey and what by the want and necessitie I endured in France with my aged constitution of bodie I would retire from that place and end my age in Portugal where I began my youth attempting afterward by rating reuiling to make me recant when other prouocations would not preuaile All which inticements mixt with bitter taunts moued me nothing at all and at this instant if I would vouchsafe acceptance I might receiue the same entertainement before offered It is not yet two yeares past sithence a very deare friend of mine in this towne prest me with vehement perswasions to returne into Portugale assuring me of as much aduancement there as I would defire but God forbid that euer I should accept it for I had rather be a poore religious beggar in France then a great discontented Bishop in Castile or in Portugale considering the countrey is not it selfe but in bondage most seruilly subiect to Castilian tyrannie In this towne a nobleman of France in the presence of diuers Princes of the Bloud accompanied with some religious men of mine owne order often perswaded me to leaue the habit of S. Dominicke and betake me to another assuring me in liew therof an Abbey which he had in his power at that time to giue afterward a couēt of 8 or 9 thousand liuers annuall rent and to make me capable thereof he promised to procure me a dispensation from his Holinesse to allow the exchange of my present habite All which bountifull proffers could not once moue me to change my shape like a mutable weather-cocke or an airie Camelion For if the spirit of God forsake me not I will die as I haue liued a religious votarie to S. Dominicke and a naturall Portugal and the same blessed stabilitie possesse all those that seeke and spred my reproch and defamation and to those that make a scorne of me I answer nothing but that I am a true religious Portugale of the same disposition that other my countrimen be I meane the godly vertuous and loyall Portugals Neither wil I admit any for my associates in this case but such as be most intirely sincere and constant So I end my present narration in the name of God and purpose to proceed to the handling of my promised discourse which albeit I cannot so exacty relate as I desire not being an eye-witnes of all that hath bene done and suffered by this miserable king my Lord and master I haue gathered out of the greatest probabilities and assertions of the iustest and honestest that I could possibly learne or vnderstand that were able to giue me the best intelligence which diligence I was bound in dutie and conscience to exercise and am withall inforced by the importunitie of many meeting me in the towne and field at euery corner to discourse vnto them my maisters aduentures Therefore to satisfie them and all the world and to meete with their tedious inquisitions I haue effected this collection to rid my selfe of trouble and to quench their inordinate thirst after the truth referring all that can reade to this and my former discourse of Admirable aduentures Farewell The Narration AT my being in Venice gentle Reader I vnderstood by diuerse that the opinion conceiued of many and the rumor commonly spred concerning the death of Dom Sebastian the king of Portugal my Lord and Maister was false and beleeued rather that their reports were more like to be true that maintained the contrarie For that it was confidently iustified by credible persons that he was seene aliue and safe since the battell in Africke namely by Cid Albequerine Emanuell Texer my Vncle N. Murselo Higuera and many other Gentlemen and personages of great qualitie and account He escaped by flight among the route being sore hurt in his head and in one arme and passed as a priuate man to his ships and was embarqued amongst the remnant of his armie that saued themselues by flight as he was forced to do After a few daies he arriued in Portugale in a towne called Neu feu de mille fuentes neare vnto S. Vincents Cape where he refreshed himselfe and sent for a Chirurgian from Faro his name I haue forgotten but well I remember he was reckened excellent in his Art There the king soiourned accompanied with the Duke of Aneiro and Christopher Tauora and diuerse other Lords vntill he was perfectly healed The tidings of his being at the Cape were sodainly spred at Lisbon and was soon published generally throughout all Portugal And it was affirmed that he was seene at the Couent of Capuchins built vpon the point of S. Vincent amongst his companions This rumor was soone quailed by the policie and authoritie of Petro de Alcaçoua great Secretarie of Portugal in the behalfe of Dom Philip king of Spaine with whom he had before-hand concluded when Dom Sebastian the king employed him in Embassage into Spaine before his departure into Africke And for that cause this Petro Alcaçoua a damnable Politician and a monstrous traitour as soone as the first newes came that the Christians had lost the day and his King and Maister slaine this Iew gaue secret intelligence to the king of Castill of all that happened signifying vnto him that nowe were a fit time to surprise the kingdome of Portugall and bid him make readie for the purpose I respected the handling of the second establishment of vnion betweene the king my maister before his departure and the king of Castile which is expressed by one Connestay at large who being a man of good respect in Portugal came post to seeke me from Rome to Venice and amongst many other newes he reported vnto me that as soone as euer it was bruted abroad in Portugall that Dom Sebastian the king was liuing and prisoner in Venice there were many deuises reuiued concerning this brute that long time before lay buried And withall you must note that Dom Diego de Sosa the Admirall which conducted the king into Africke re-embarqued him from thence into Portugall againe and gaue continual intelligence vnto his kindred and assured friends that their king was liuing and that he had secretly receiued him a boord among the scattered troupes and gaue them an especial charge that they should conceale it And further that he gaue him a secret signe whereby he might know him hereafter if need required which priuitie Dom Diego discouered vnawares when a counterfeit