if you do any thing unbecoming the rank I place you in I shall employ the little strength I have left to strangle you with my own Hands And for the rest Brother I order you if I die before the Success of this Battel to conceal my death with great care from all the World and to put in my Litter any one of our men who shall most resemble me to the end that feigning to give Orders and acting my part the Enemies may not take advantage of the Consternation that such an accident usually brings into an Army Having ended these Words he embraced Hamet and caused him to be owned by all his Forces After which he went out of Alcazar and retired into the Plain for to draw on the Enemies He was persuaded that having better Officers more Troops and better Disciplined than the Portugals he ought not to fear the Issue of a Battel But prudent as he was he was loth to commit his Crown to the uncertainty of a fight knowing that we ought not to expose our selves to the Fortune of War till after all the efforts of Prudence have not been able to produce any advantage he let the Enemies March without going to meet 'em and fancied that by still permitting them to advance into his Territories he had nothing more to do than to cut off their passage to see them afterwards perish by Famine without costing him so much as one Man He was not able however to bring this Design to perfection as well because his illness reduced him to extremity as by reason he was informed the same day in the Evening that the Enemies were very near and the two Camps might see one another if the obscurity of the night had not hindered it He sent as soon as it was day his Master of the Horse at the Head of two or three hundred Men to observe the Countenance of the Enemies and it happened that some Battalians of the Portugal Army that had passed a little River repassed it in that moment by order from the King who judged it more convenient to be left between the two Armies These Troops which Filed off made the Morish party believe that the sight of them put the Christians to flight and they carried with all diligence this News to Moluc The Barbarians animated by this flight cried out aloud that they ought to pursue them and they might cut them to pieces But Moluc ever wise and ever prudent appeased this too pert Ardor and said he demanded no more than their retreat and if they fled he should vanquish according to his desires without his Army running any danger or losing one drop of Blood While the Moors were deliberating upon this Affair Don Sebastian caused his Council to Assemble to know of his Chief Officers if he should give Battel that same day The most part of them seeing Moluc had three times more Forces than the King of Portugal were unwilling to run the risque of a Battel But the King fancying that as at the Head of six hundred Men he had put to flight two thousand of the Enemies a Christian would ever beat five or six Moors went boldly out of his Camp ranged his Troops in Battel array and divided them into three Battalions The first was Composed of Strangers who had their Officers at the Head of them and of five hundred Portuguez Voluntiers Commanded by Don Henry the second and third were Composed of Portugal Troops The Cavalry was at the two Wings in the form of a Triangle The Duke d'Avero Commanded the Right where Mahumet was Ranged with the Troops that followed him the Kings Standard was at the left with the Duke de Barcellos and the Baggage was betwixt the Infantry and the Cavalry Though Moluc felt the pangs of Death he had still the same Valour and the same Conduct he ranged his Army in Battel with as much presence of Mind as if he had been in perfect health He had forty thousand Horse eight thousand Foot and thirty four pieces of Artillery He kept to himself the charge of Generalissimo and placed his Brother at the Head of the Cavalry He caused immediately all his Infantry to March in the form of a Half-moon at the two points of which he placed two Bodies of Cavalry each of ten thousand Horse the rest of the Horsemen were divided into little Squadrons and followed in equal distance being ordered to March still on and surround the Portugal Army for the Engaging it on all sides When it was in presence it appeared so Weak to Moluc that he thought himself sure of the Victory and thought of nothing but rendring it Compleat He would have made a Speech to his Souldiers but his extream weakness would not permit him to say four words He caused himself to be put again into his Litter and placed himself in the middle of his Troops that he might be able to give Orders on all sides and see all that the two Armies should do Don Sebastian seeing the Enemies make some Motion to advance sent one of his Querries to Almeida for the assuring her that the Battel was going to begin that he would lose his life therein or re-establish her in her State and after having given some moments to the most tender reflections a Lover was ever capable of he set all his thoughts to the Execution of that Enterpize Moluc on his side caused his Cavalry to March and extend in such order that being within a Canon-shot of the Portuguez's the two points of that Half-moon came and joyned behind the King's Arrier-Guard and that great Circle filling by little and little became still more thick as it approached the Portugals insomuch as the Christian Army was environed on all parts by the Moorish Cavalry and took from the most faint hearted all means of running away The Portuguez's were daunted at the doleful aspect of this danger their fears were redoubled at the noise of the Fire of the Moors Artillery which making frequent shots by degrees broke the Files of the Christians and made great breaches in their Squadrons Don Sebastian as ready as the Enemies shot went to every rank to fill it and also causing his Cannon to fire upon the Moors he gave 'em Bullet for Bullet disorder and fear for fear But the Moors being stronger in Artillery than the Christians did much more Execution and the Portugez's were so terrified that the King gave the Signal of the Battel to stop this disorder The Moors made a vigorous attacque upon the Vangard the Christians opposed them Courageously Don Henry at the Head of his Voluntiers made all bend under his blows that opposed his passage and relieved such of the Portugez's as were most pressed so that notwithstanding the numbers of the Moors which were greater than the Portugals those Barbarians could hardly keep for some time things in Equality But the King who impatient to see the Victory so long in suspence would constrain it to declare
is not to be undertaken without all possible sureties or in the greatest extremity offered him ten Miles of Land round each Fortress he had in Asrica if he would consent to retire but he was resolved to fight he only breathed Victory and all other things seemed to him unworthy of his Valour and Love He caused his Army to be Fortified on one side with high Ramparts of Earth and with Waggons and the Sea and the City served him for Trenches on the other sides The Moors who Border upon the Maritime Cities were so alarm'd by this Army that they sled into the Mountains The Cities of Tituan Alarache and some others were all desert Moluc without being astonished at this disorder and equally divided between Prudence and Vallour did all his Experience could teach him for his defence And though he was seized with a very violent Fever he departed from Sale where he had given a Rendezvouz to some Troops His Natural Brother who was Governour of Fez and whom he had given the Command of the Cavalrey of that Province joyned him near Alcazar with twenty thousand Horse and five or six thousand Foot Moluc extreamly weakned by his Sickness was constrained to put himself in a Litter to Visit the Quarters of his Troops and to see what condition his Cavalry was in He caused himself to be carryed through all his Army and fearing among his Troops he should meet with several Partizans of Mahumet and judging that ill-intentioned Souldiers would be more dangerous in the day of Battel in his Party than amongst his Enemies he declared before all his Army that he would permit all those who had more inclination for Mahumet than for him to retire to his Enemies And besides this Declaration being willing to make known to all the World that he despised the Enemies Forces so much as to send 'em Succours without being in any fear and thinking fit to upbraid the Honour of the Malecontents and favour a Depart he could not hinder he chose all those whose fidelity was suspected by him of whom he made a flying Camp of three thousand Horse he placed at their Head Mulei-Cheique a famous Captain of that Nation who having been infinitely in love with Almeida gave reason to fear that he was for her Interests and Commanded him to go view the Christian Army to keep it ever in play by frequent Courses and continually to Skirmish the Enemies Though Mulei-Cheique had still a great Passion for Almeida and could ardently have wished to serve her this Artifice produced a quite contrary effect to what was expected and this Generous Captain considering this Order of Moluc as an effect of the extream confidence he had in him would not belie an Opinion that was advantageous to him and rather renouncing his Love than his Duty he did all that the severest Honour and greatest Courage could demand on that occasion All the others animated with so brave an Example joyfully followed the Vallour of so Generous a Leader and as he had an extream desire to see Almeida his Love and Vallour carrying him farther than his Forces ought to have led him he did things that surprized and alarmed the Portugals He knew the Quarter where Almeida was he used a thousand efforts to break through 'em that he might go lay his Arms at her Feet and made Don Sebaslian and Mahumet so much afraid of losing her that they caused her to be securely conducted into one of their Galleys that was the properest to save her in case of need The King seeing that the Enemies Skirmishes caused a dread in his Troops and having no longer any that might retain him in the City went out to be sooner ready to oppose the Assaults that were made upon his Men. The day after two thousand Horse Commanded by Mulei-Cheicque advancing in good order towards the Christians and the King having learnt how his Rival was at their Head went to meet them only with six hundred Men. But what happy Successes does not the presence of a King produce amongst his Troops Don Sebastian at the Head of this handful of Men Attacked the two thousand Moors cut them to pieces and pursued the Runaways with so much violence that he found himself above ten miles from his Army accompanied only by Edward of Menezes his Marshal de Camp and without having near him any Troops that might relieve him from this danger Moluc was sensibly vexed when he learnt this defeat but did not judge it convenient to go out of Alcazar being he expected there some Forces that were to come from the Sea-coasts from the Cities of Tituan and Mechines and was desirous too that the Enemies would come and attack him upon the main Land which they seemed willing to do to the end he might engage 'em very far into the Country and afterwards cut off their Correspondence with the Sea and he was resolved to go find them out at length when this reinforcement was come that he might fall upon their Rear and reduce them into a pressing necessity of all manner of Ammunition without giving Battel but with extream advantage and at the last push The King resolved to attack the Enemies upon the main Land as Moluc desired it he prepared all things towards a Battel he Commanded the Count de Souza whom he had made Admiral and whose Prudence he had tryed to attend him at Alarache with his Fleet and advance his Conquests upon the Sea as much as the small Forces he had left in that Fleet would permit he Confided Almeida to the Cares of this Count and quitted her with less grief than hopes after having assured her that he would suddainly bring Moluc to her Feet He Commanded his Troops to quit the Sea side and at length took the Field with all his Army to go towards Alcazar to meet the Enemies The End of the Second Part. Don Sebastian KING OF PORTUGAL SO soon as Moluc had notice of the Christians March he was overjoy'd to see them engaged on the main Land and though he was extreamly ill and perceived that he could not live but a very few days he gave order for all that was necessary with an admirable Courage and Prudence He regulated his Camp caused himself to be carried in a Chair from Rank to Rank through all his Army for the animating his Troops to sight and seeing his Forces were ever diminishing and the Enemies approached he sent for Mulei Hamet his Natural Brother who was still young and of little Experience and told him I know the great Art of War demands a thousand high Qualities which you have not yet and which you will likewise sind difficult to acquire however I place you now at the Head of above forty thousand men and make you General of all the African Cavalry But I Command you at the same time to vanquish or die So long as I shall have one moment of life left me I will not let you want an Example and
neglected by her King abandoned by her Lover returned into the Convent the Duke d' Avero had caused her to come out of and there gave her self up so to grief that a lingring Feaver took her that was not judged dangerous at first but in a short time made a considerable change in her Person Though the King had neither Forces nor Ships enough to undertake a great War against the Moors who were in their own Country and had beaten an Army much more numerous he did things that surpassed all hopes and expectations He gave in all Places Testimonies of his Valour he was in Person in the least Attacks He went into the very Ports of the Enemies to burn their Ships He Attacqued all that he found without being daunted at the number of the Moors Coming near Arsilla he immediately resolv'd to Besiege it That City is Situated upon the Sea side its Out-works and In works being Fortified with all things necessary for its desence it had been taken formerly by the Portuguez The King had not Troops enough to undertake that Siege But the vexation he was in when he considered how the Moors had gained from him that Conquest and when he made reflexion upon the Glory which would follow that enterprize made him pass over all difficulties he caused with a great deal of Expedition to be prepared all things necessary for the Execution of that attempt he surpriz'd the Garrison entred the City by Scaling the Walls and was in the midst of its Inhabitants with two hundred Men at most of his Attendants The Arsilians somewhat recovered from their first surprize sold their Liberty very dear and Defended themselves veey vigorously This Fight was Bloody several were killed on both sides upon the spot and the King having at length made himself a passage thro all his Enemies and got to the Castle of the City which vielded without fighting upon Condition all the Moorish Women should be left at Liberty that had taken Refuge there and no outrage should be done them the King willingly granted them this Condition and entred the Castle followed only by his Principal Officers He went to see the Ladies who were retired thither and offered safe Conduct for what way soever they would take One amongst others by an Air of greatness and Majesty made him desirous to consider her more nearly He found that the Charms of her Face were answerable to the Beauty of her Shape She was brown and her Features were so fine her Complexion so delicate and her Eyes so piercing that Don Sebastian was amazed He forgot Elvira in that moment and afterwards Comparing the Idea he had of her Beauty with hers he saw he found that African a thousand times more Charming he asked her Pardon for appearing with Arms in his Hands before her and offered her all the Succours she should have occasion for But she received his Compliments with so haughty an Air and retired with so much Maiesty that Don Schastian inquired who she was They told him that she was a Princess called Almeida Sister of Mahumet that this King having already lost two considerable Battels against Moluc his Uncle had sent her to that City where he believed her in more safety than in the midst of his Kingdom which Moluc furiously ravaged He had no sooner learnt the Name and Quality of that African than he remembred that the Cardinal his Uncle had spoke to him of her formerly He was vexed he had not shew'd her more respects He asked to see her but she let him know by the Governour of that City that the greatest mark of goodness he could give was to consent to her retreat without seeing her and she prayed him not to make use of the Rights of Victory against her Liberty The King made known to this Governour that he impatiently longed to pay her the Devoirs he could not acquit himself of before he knew her but this Envoy told him so plainly that his Visit would be so extream a violence to the Princess that this King consented at that instant to her departure notwithstanding all the desire be had to see her again She departed immediately and retired towards her Brother Don Sebastian could not lose the Idea of her Beauty he thought of her night and day and sometimes repented he had let her depart if there had been no more required than Besieging of Placea and Taking of Cities for the having her again he would have undertook the most difficult Sieges but he could not learn to what Place she was retired He feared he should displease her if he pusht his Conquests farther and his Council of War was not willing to let him engage farther in an Enemies Country His Principal Officers remonstrated to him how the Troops he had left were not sufficient to keep and defend the Places he might Conquer and if he went on at this rate he must employ all his Army in Garrisons He was obliged to return to Lisbon Crowned with Honour and full of the Idea of Almeida The other Lovers put on their Chains again and Souza not being able to see without grief the happiness of Don Henry and being evermore in fear of being disgraced at Court retired to one of his Country Houses where he became so much in Love with solitude that there was no less requisite than an Order from the King to make him leave it Notice was given to the Duke d'Avero that his Daughter was dangerously Sick in the Convent where she made her abode He went to see her but did not find her in a Condition to be brought to Lisbon She died four days after Her Father was a long time in the deepest affection having passionately loved her and not quite lost all the hopes he had conceived from her Charms The King was sensibly grieved at her Death but as his Mind was possessed with another Idea his grief was not so violent as 't would have been at another time The Duke d'Avero seeing that Love had not been Assistant to his Ambition was willing to see if War would make it more successful He did all he could to enflame the Passion Don Sebastian had for Arms. The King had given him Orders to cause Forces to be raised in all Parts he zealously seconded his Designs how troubled and averse soever Queen Katherine and Cardinal Henry seemed to be to them The Duke was perpetually representing to this Young King the Glorious Success he had in Africa and the Conquests he had made with a little handful of Men. He assured him that if he would return thither with a considerable Army he would render himself Master of all Tituan and Alarache in a little time Don Sebastian's Courage needed not to be raised and never Man loved Arms so much as he but he could not resolve to make War upon Almeida's Countrey She still returned into his Mind with that Majestick Air with which she had received him in Africa he feared her Indignation
in his favour quitted the left Wing where there was not yet any danger to run to the Vanguard where the Enemies fell on with the greatest sury He advanced at the Head of his Troops The Kings ardour made him be every where he Sacrified a thousand lives to the Beauty he had Consecrated his to Victory durst not remain longer doubtful at the coming up of Don Sebastian the Moors not being able to support the Valour of the Christians animated with the Example of their General gave ground at the first Shock and notwithstanding the endeavours and threatnings of their Leaders who used their utmost endeavours to make them stand to it and put incessantly new Men in the places of those who fell These Barbarians were broken three several times and put to flight to the loss of all their Colours The Duke d'Avero who Commanded the Right Wing charged the Moors Cavalry that came to Attacque him and his heart greedy of Glory made him fly to the greatest dangers and triumph in all places His Squadron in the form of a Triangle was so close and Attacqued so vigorously the Enemies Cavalry that he constrained it to retreat in disorder Mahumet who had likewise ranged himself in in this Body Attacqued Fought and Pursued his Enemies like a desperate King who chose rather to lose his life than his Crown The Duke d' Avero fought with a great deal of Valour and the desire of Conquering carried him very far amongst the Barbarians A Body of Horse coming up to Succour them he judged it convenient not to suffer himself to be environed by those Squadrons and to retire in good order with his advantage hoping these Troops would divide themselves in pursuing him and he might return to the Charge with yet more vigour and success than before Whereupon he turned back upon those who pursued him but he found them all so firm and so well united that his Squadron being weakned with its losses and wounds could no longer bear the Enemies Assaults but were constrained to retire in haste and not finding a sase place in the Army they cast themselves amongst the Cavalry and Infantry with so much disorder that it put those Troops into a Confusion which the Africans made great advantage of On the other side the Body of the Army where the Kings Standard and the Duke de Barcellos were placed made a horrible slaughter of the Moors pursued them to their Canon and those Barbarians finding the King every where fancied that all the Army was composed of Hero's or that this Hero alone composed all the Army The Duke of Barcellos accompanied the King in all places and did a hundred things worthy of his Birth and great Courage The Moors terrified and flying took refuge even in the Quarters where Moluc was who falling into an extream fury at this disorder and being resolved to repair it or die he rose from his Litter without considering that he was half dead and caused himself to be set on Horseback with a great deal of pain resolved to stay the flight of his Men by his Example or to put them to Death himself Those who were about him used all their endeavours to retain him and even seized the Reins of his Horses Bridle but his Courage making him forget his weakness the Crowd of the Runnaways and Fugitives still augmenting and the King at the Head of his Men coming pretty near that Quarter he put his hand to his Sword to disperse those who stopped him and this Effort quite consuming his Strength and Forces he fainted away and fell into the Arms of his Men and died some moments after putting his Finger between his Lips whether it was for vexation that his Men run away or to make them remember they were to conceal his Death And the Prudence of this Barbarous King so well compassed his Designs in the last moment of his Life that dying it self could not ravish from him Victory and he appeared brave and prudent even in the Arms of Death However the Renegado's who were about Moluc concealed his Death with a great deal of care insomuch as the Army of the Barbarians weakned by this accident was so far from flying after having been vigorously repulsed it recovered Forces out of its own shame The Moors Rallied with fresh Troops and returned to the Charge with more Valour than before The Vanguard where Don Sebastian made his Courage be admired gave ground at its turn and though the Christians who were in that Body had killed above two thousand of the Moors there came again fresh ones in so great multitudes that they were forced at length to yield to the numbers in that place and all the Christians who remained there having used all their Arms against the Enemies and being at length come to Ponyards lost their lives appea ring to be rather weary with Killing than Conquered All the Brave Voluntiers that Don Henry led there being dead this General was encompassed by the Moors of Andalousia and fell at length under their numbers and their fury The King received there a Musquet shot in his Right-Shoulder but not ceasing to Act for this wound tho dangerous and seeing his Vanguard was defeated without recovery he run to the Left-Wing where the Duke d' Avero after having rallied several times his Men changed Horses and Succoured those whom the Enemies pressed the most was at length killed by a Musquet shot As he was the Soul of that Body his fall put the Portuguez's to a rout Mahumet endeavoured in vain to retain them by his Example and his Voice They no longer knew any Body but the Conquerours they fell upon their Knees to the Moors instead of standing up in their own defence The King running to this disorder and being acquainted with the Dukes death who was dear to him revenged it upon all those he met with he fought amongst the Souldiers and engaged himself amongst the Moors he animated the Christians with few Words and a great many Examples and cast admiration fear and surprize amongst his Enemies by his Valour He had three Horses killed under him without being daunted and though he was already wounded he did not cease to Attacque Strike and Relieve but he could not vanquish the fury and number of his Enemies nor communicate his Courage to his Troops At length hazard conspiring with the Moors against the Portugals Fire seized the Christians Ammunition for the Compleating their Defeat and put so great disorder in all their Army that Horses Souldiers Waggons Ammunitions Arms Tents Pavillions and all the rest of the Baggage being confusedly heaped one upon another some were stifled others burnt and others cut to pieces by the Enemies The young Duke de Barcellos being fallen from his Horse in that Confusion was taken Prisoner almost all the Chief Officers were killed or put out of condition to fight by reason of their wounds The Portugals who in their flight would have taken the way of Arsilla were