Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	alexander_n	edward_n	king_n	2,766	5	5.1318	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13572	The strangest aduenture that euer happened: either in the ages passed or present Containing a discourse concerning the successe of the King of Portugall Dom Sebastian, from the time of his voyage into Affricke, when he was lost in the battell against the infidels, in the yeare 1578. vnto the sixt of Ianuary this present 1601. In which discourse, is diuerse curious histories, some auncient prophesies, and other matters, whereby most euidently appeareth: that he whom the Seigneurie of Venice hath held as prisoner for the space of two yeres and twentie two dayes, is the right and true king of Portugall Dom Sebastian. More, a letter that declareth, in what maner he was set at libertie the xv. of December last. And beside, how he parted from Venice and came to Florence. All first done in Spanish, then in French, and novv lastly translated into English.; Adventure admirable, par dessus toutes autres des siecles passez & present. English	Teixeira, José, 1543-1604.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.	1601 (1601)	STC 23864; ESTC S118296	67,947	90

straungers In this citie of Lyons among the Spanish Comedians there is a Portugueze aged about some thirtie yeares a man well born learned and speakes the Latin tongue very well the place of his birth not farre from mine from him I could neuer get one Portugueze word yet speakes he as perfect Castilian as if he had bene borne and brought vp in the Court of Madrill and it is but fiue yeares since he hath bene absent from his owne countrey where be forsooke his kindred some of them being well knowne to me We haue an hundred thousand like examples through all ●s and it is a thing so common as there can neuer want due ●e thereof But I will not spare to speake this as truth if the Dom Sebastian or any other Portugueze whatsoeuer ha●●ost the vse of his Portugall language by being conuersant ●g his countreymen come not againe to the recouerie there● shall pardon me then to be suspitious of him By meanes ●gh a man may easily grow into heate my Lord reprouing ●pinions and restrayning the audacious courses of people ●orted with passions therefore whosoeuer will speake truth 〈◊〉 say that my Lord Dom Sebastian king of Portugall is no ●rois But the very selfe same king who in the yeare 1578. 〈◊〉 his voyage into Affrick in fauour of Muley Mahamet Xa● mooued by the offers which were made vnto him for the ●tage and weale publique of all Christendome This doth ●re plaine to the eye by those things whereon he hath trea●th the Portuguezes and other strangers before he was im●ed in the prison and afterward abroad and verifies it selfe ●l by the markes secret as apparant which he beares on his 〈◊〉 and which I will translate to you at the end of this let● 〈◊〉 the rest to close vp this last answer I cannot chuse but 〈◊〉 my complaint to your reuerend worthinesse of these med●●ssieurs that tearme my Lord and king to be a Calabrois ●w two yeares and more since they haue liued in this error ●e as strong headed in this opinion now as they were the ●ay Turely Sir when I but thinke hereon I can hardly 〈◊〉 my coole bloud from warming for I neuer saw any one of 〈◊〉 Gallants that would say to me He is of such a territorie such 〈◊〉 sonne or kin to such a one he hath liued among such c. ●ering Calabria is in subiection to his Maiestie Catho● who for this reason onely might send through all that ●ey and enquire of his qualitie and originall as being his 〈◊〉 that they will not do so much at one time or other this 〈◊〉 afflicteth me ●w Sir remaines an answer to an obiection of the enemie ●o slubber baffull and annihilate a matter so certaine 〈◊〉 of the true King Dom Sebastian say that this fellowe ●he first deceiuer but in Flaunders there was a Baldwin in Fraunce a Martin Guerre c. I can very well as one that hath read some histories helpe such kind of people to proue their intentions remembring them of the names and deedes of some impostors setting apart the Neroes and others as Smerdis the Mago king of the Persians the false Alexander of Syria sonne to Protarcus a man of base condition Lambert Symnell who named himselfe Edward the fift king of England and sonne to Edward the fourth Peter Warbecke whom the English call Periquin or Perkin who needs would be Richard younger brother to the sayd Edward and others But the fact and proceeding of these differed greatly from the examen and true square of King Dom Sebastian also the meanes and respects whereby they presumed for kings titles caried another habite then this of king Sebastians Concerning Baldwin and Martin Guerre their iuglings were discouered in very few daies so fel it out with Smerdis for Phaedimia the daughter of Otanes disproued him quickly by his short eares and so was he knowne to be Mago brother to Cantizites not for Smerdes the son of Cyrus The false Alexander an Aegyptian by nation was brought in by Ptolomie Euergetes against Demetrius the younger Lambert Symnell was prouoked on by great men of England to terme himselfe a king against Henry the seuenth of whom they could not endure the gouernement Peter Warbecke a natiue of Tournay by the meanes and fauour of Margaret Duchesse of Burgundie second wife to Charles the warriour named himselfe Richard youngest sonne to King Edward the fourth and by her bare himselfe against the sayd king Henrie But King Sebastian is risen in another kind of degree without ayde without fauour not assisted by any Prince poore and miserable armed onely with his truth and the conduct of God and yet we hope he shall not want helpe for the recouerie of his kingdome This is then sufficient to answere those questionarie contriuers As for their demaund to me where he hath had abiding for so many yeares and why he spared to make himselfe manifest himselfe one day when it pleaseth God will therein resolue vs. It is no new thing to heare of a man that haue not bene heard of for many yeares I thinke there is at this day a dozen of men in Fraunce that haue come home againe amongst 〈◊〉 ends after their being abroad for the space of twentie 〈◊〉 nay 30. yeares without any newes once heard of them all their absence If I would number them Sir who haue ●mpeld to verifie themselues for such as they maintained ●lues to be I should make a discourse more ample then ●ich I gaue to my Lord your nephew ●e the decrees of the Parliaments in Fraunce looked ouer ● would be found therein of whom I find it no way in●ient to nominate some As the Lord of Boisgarnier a Gentleman of Maisse and next him his sonne the Lord of ●erre neare ●o Gyan the Lord of Morinuille called Courte● ●ed of the royall house of Dreux and other who haue had ●nd labour enough in making themselues to be knowne ●ng thus answered these obiections I will conclude assu●ur worthinesse that being obliged by so many testimonies ●rkes of truth I thinke that not onely my selfe but euen a ●n should commit a mighty trespasse against the holy ● in not beleeuing this for a verity Our Lord giue accom●ent to my desires and so soone as he shall be arriued I will speedy imparting to your worthy selfe of all the pleasures ●ntentments I receiue This shall be the end of my trauerses ●serable fortunes this shall be the beginning of my glory city where our Lord giue you ample perfection in aeter● ●om Lions the 12. of Ianuary MDCI. Kissing the hands of your reuerend Lordship your deuoted seruant Frier Ioseph Texere Portugueze 〈◊〉 markes and signes which the King of ●ortugall Dom Sebastian beares naturally on his body HE hath the right hand greater then the left The right arme longer then the left 3. The body from the shoulders to the girdle-sted is so short as his doublet can serue none other but himselfe onely 4. From the

vrsum conteret sceptrū e●us possidebit c. In tractatu qui incipit Requiritis à me ô ill●strissima turba Danaûm lib. 2. In English thus The compressing Eagle the name whereof is inestimably written in fiue markes shall destroy the minister of iniquitie bruise the Beare and shall possesse his scepter c. In the Treatise that beginneth You require of me O illustrious company of Grecians The second booke An explication of some pointes contained in this Discourse In the Epistle to the Reader THe cause why the religious persons of Alcobaça sought among their papers some priuiledges and Donations of the Kings of Portugall was because his Maiestie Catholique Dom Philip II. King of Castille pretended to sell the iurisdiction of seuen townes whereof the said Monasterie is Lord. And because this diuine Oracle was imprinted at Lisbone it was made dangerous to declare the said cause Wherefore the father Doctor Sampayo said by way of parenthesis that it was not good to speake of it at that time In the Oath of the King Dom Alphonso The said King commaunded to his successours to come to the field with their shield of armes containing fiue scutchions fashioned like a crosse in each of which should be figured the thirtie pence for which our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was sold c. as more plainly is declared by the Notarie Apostolike Thomas de la Croix in his certificate assuring that they were so figured on the seales It may be that this commandement was obserued at the first beginning of the Realmes of Portugall but whether since then to this present we do not find that it hath bin kept chiefly since the raigne of Alphonso third of that name and fift king of Portugall who was Earle of Bullen in Fraunce He adioyned to the crowne of Portugal the Realmes of Algarbes which were giuen him by Dom Alphonso le sage King of Castille and Emperour of the East in dower of mariage with Domne Beatrix his daughter not to meddle at al with the crosse the first armes of Portugall for first of all Portugall bare for armes a shield argent without any other thing he placed round about the shield which cōtained the fiue that fashioned the said Crosse seuen scutchions of gold in a field Geules which are the armes of the realmes of Algarbes and since then to this present the kings of Portugall haue euermore held the same armes as they do at this day Stephen Garibay in his abridgement of the history of Spaine speaking of the Armes and Colours cals those Castelles of the Realmes of the Algarbes which engirt the Scutchion of the armes of Portugal Orla in French Geule or a border affirming that no other kingdome of Europe beares them but Portugall By which reason we may say that the Geule or border which we see about the armes of Fraunce to wit that of the order of S. Michael and that of the holy Ghost of the Golden Fleece in Burgundie and that of the Garter in England c. are but borrowed thence Now to returne to our armes the King Dom Emanuel seeing himselfe in Europe Lord of the kingdome of Portugall and of the Realme of the Algarbe which is in the prouince of Spaine in Affricke of the other Realme of Algarbe which is in the prouince of Barbarie of all the coast of Guinee euen to the Cape de bonne Esperance and from thence vnto the red sea and of a great number of the Isles situate in the sea of the said Affrica in Asia of the Realme of Goa and of a verie spacious Monarchie considering he held nine Kings his subiects and tributaries and foure Queenes in America of Bresil a prouince of very large extension he bare a Sphere for his deuice which signified the rule that Portugall had in the foure quarters of the world Adioying likewise the Crosse of the Order of the warfare of Iesus Christ because the King of Portugall being graund maister of the said Order is Lord of diuerse lands and townes in Portugal and of all the authoritie which the Portugueses possesse abroad from thence And because sundrie persons haue demaunded of me how they should vnderstand these Scutchions and pence I here tell them that the fiue Scutchions in the Azure field set in one shield the field whereof is Argent each of them figured with fiue white pence do signifie fiue kings Moores vanquished by one Christian king The kings of the Moores subdued are Ismael and his foure confederates the vanquisher is the king Dom Alphonso the first king of Portugall from whom grew this commaundement As for the pence because many haue alleaged to me that in the fiue Scutchions there are but xxv pence and not thirtie as other Authors and my selfe haue written I should be infinitely eased if in remouing their doubt they wold but heare me Would you find thirtie pence Count first of all the three Scutchions aboue and below which containe fifteene pence next them that are trauersed on the right side so that that in the midst be counted twise considering it spreads vnto either hand and there you shall find other fifteene pence which ioyned to the first complete the number of thirtie and thus they may rest satisfied in their demaund To the Testimoniall of vassellage and feoffement And because I haue already rendred my selfe tributary and all such as shall appertaine to me to the blessed S. Peter and his successours c. WE finde in the histories of Portugall that in the yeare 1169. when Pope Alexander the sixt approued the election of the King D. Alphonso and confirmed his kingdome to him the king by the consent of his Portugueses made the said kingdome feudatarie to the holy Church of Rome promising to pay as in tribute euery yeare two pounds of gold In the time since there is no memoriall found at all that this tribute hath bene payd as likewise none of our Historians do shew vnto vs that these fiftie Maruedies of gold haue bene payed to the Monasterie of our Ladie of Clairueaux And me thinks worthy Lord that it were not much from the purpose to make here a digression thereby to acquaint your reuerend worthinesse vpon what reason the king Dom Alphonso had such deuotion to this Monasterie of Nostre dame de Clairuaux The king Dom Alphonso and S. Bernard did both liue at that time and the king being informed of the wisedome learning and reformed life of this holy man and what miracles God wrought by his meanes in fauour and for the benefite of the faithful he began verie quickly to receiue him into good grace and opinion At this verie time the king had sent his sonne Sanche to besiege the Citie of Santeren called by the auncient Tordules S●alabis of Scabelisque the first founder and by the Romanes Presidium Iulium by the Christians Santirenae by reason of the holy Irena a virgin a Martyr who suffred death there for the Christian faith in the yeare

of our Lord 696. Then afterward by the Moores Capelicastrum This was a Parliament and colonie of the Empire and one of the greatest and most important townes of Lusitania whereof the Moores were Lordes The King thinking one while in this siege and of the Fortresse of this cittie because it was built on a high mountaine that it was a matter verie doubtfull and difficult to take and subdue to purchase ayde and help of God by the intercession of our blessed Ladie the virgine concluded in his soule if he might happen to win the said citie to make her great offers and to erect in his kingdome a great and notable monasterie of Monkes of the order of the Cisteaux whereof ensued the said monasterie of Clairuaux which should and did flourish greatly through the world and so doth to this day The King Dom Alphonso soiourned then in the towne of Coimbre which then was the capitall place of all the kingdome within some few dayes after the King departed from the saide towne to be present at the siege with his sonne and traine and as he was vpon the way there came before him two or three religious men of the said order who demaunded of him on the behalfe of Frier Bernard place for beginning the building of the monasterie which he had promised The King considering apart by himselfe and remembring that he had made this promise is his heart and yet had not imparted it to any person whatsoeuer and seeing that Frier Bernard who was distant off from him more then three hundred miles knew therof he took it as a good augurie or presage and began to hold it for certaintie that the heauenly Architect would not slack his grace toward him but that without all doubt he should conquer the said citie Hauing then giuen good and charitable welcome to the religious men he said My brethren you come in a verie apt season let vs iourney on together and I will recount it vnto you as also make accomplishment of my promise so soone as I haue recouered the citie of Santaren frō the Moores which I haue besieged by my son soldiers Three dayes after the arriuall of the King there the citiie was wonne and taken more by the help of heauen then by the valour and strength of the Christians albeit no way to disparage their deseruing they fought like hardie and very valiant men The King doing the dutie of a most braue Prince and Captaine seeing him selfe in extreame great danger at the entrance of a gate which he had wonne wheron is an imag of our Lady and is called the gate of our Lady Alamarma which is as much to say as fasten o● mine Armes the very portugall words which the King vsed then to his Squire because one had vntied the buckles of his armour The King being made Lord of a place of such weighty importance marked out forthwith to the saide religious men a great quantitie of ground whereon they should begin to build their monasterie which afterward increased in such sort as in short time the number amounted to 999. They liued in particuler little celles dispersed among the vallies and mountaines and on feast dayes they would meete together to praise the Lord. The religious men of this monasterie doe hold by tradition that their number shall neuer amount to a thousand because if they giue the habite to one within the church they shall find another to be dead without This hath bene assured to me by persons of good yeares religious men of the said monasterie who call themselues d' Alcobaça among whom are diuers of my kinred A thing which right worthie Lord may verie wel be so For if if we shall giue credite to Camden an English historian who yet liueth at this day and is an author worthie of beleefe he certifies to to vs in his Brittania that in the land which at this day is called England which such as are seene in Cosmography know to be no greater thē the kingdom of Portugal with that of Algarbe in Lusitania a tyrant King put to death twelue thousand religious persons because they followed the part of another who was the true and rightfull King The same Camden doth tell vs that these religious people were of a monasterie which was diuided into three seuerall bands and that the least companie of them contained seuen hundred compleate But to come to our purpose these religious folke of Alcobaça builded by succession of time in the great breadth of ground granted them by the King Dom Alphonso seuen citties so do the Spaniards call them and the Latines oppida siue vrbes because that almost all of them are engirt with walles and haue castels as in France Poissy Meulan Mante Vernon c. Philip II. King of Castille would haue sold the iurisdiction of them as he hath sold others in Spain belonging to the Church This moued the fathers of the said monasterie to turne ouer their papers and was the cause that we saw with our eies a donation so deuout and holy made to the blessed mother of God our Ladie of Clairuaux whereof Saint Bernard hath bin Abbot Now reuerend Lord may it please you licence me to come to the declaration of some words in the prophesies which perhaps may seem difficult to some wheresoeuer Concerning that of S. Cyril the Hermite Tempore annorum 54. c. This proposition hath lately beene declared elsewhere speaking of the King Dom Sebastian who was borne in the yeere 1554. the 20. of Ianuarie betweene eleuen and twelue of the clocke at night as I well remember I lacking bookes here and haue not my memorie so good worthie Lord now as in times past my trauails banishments sicknesses especially the last hath depriued me of the better part so that I cannot now cite some common knowne Psalmes without booke which I had in my yonger yeeres by heart and could say readily Concerning that of S. Isidore Occultus Rex bis piè datus c. This may be verie wel applied to Dom Sebastian my Lord and king because that after the twelfth of Ianuarie the day whereon his father died aged but sixteene yeeres and seuen moneths till the twentie of the said moneth An. 1554. when he was borne at Lisbone throughout all Portugall day and night they made continuall processions fastings and prayers with very much deuotion and great store of tears as the reuerend father doctor Sampaye makes known in his Epistle to the reader The reason was because the Portuguezes feared that the kingdom should fal into the Spaniards hands For that when the King D. Iohn 3. grandfather to to King D. Sebastian gaue his daughter Mary as wife to Philip then prince of Castille it was said by the contract of this mariage that if it happened that the King D. Iohn should deceasse without children he that should be borne of Philip and Mary should be heyre to the kingdome of Portugall whereto the people then consented

make a sole benefite of the honour in this action but to diuide some participation thereof to your friends I had forgot to tell you that the prisoner hath had of the Siegneurie fiue crownes of this mony monethly to dispend which is a little more then foure crownes of the Sunne of which he giues away the most part to the poore for the honour of God I once more intreate you to haste your affaires with what breuitie you may and as you come giue copies of this letter to so manie as shal require it for I will send the same to as manie others as I write vnto You shall doe me a singular pleasure in making my commendations to M. de Tiron and tell him that this is the meruaile whereof I had talke with him so manie yeeres since and let him make account to be as certain of my seruice as his merites do iustly challenge And to Monsieur le Commaundeur de Chastes say that the time is now come wherein I shall make knowne to him how much I rest engaged and am readie at his seruice And so please him to credite me if he desire to purchase supreme glorie and great estate let his employment be intire on this Princes behalfe for thereby he shall gaine more honor and repute then his highest thoughts is able to imagin I kisse the hāds of al our friends according to my dutie and let each one receiue me as effectually his Our Lord giue you vnderstanding of all I haue writ vnto you with happie and prosperous sucesse in your trauaile From Venice the 6. of Nouember 1600. humblie kissing your hands The most affectionate to your seruice Dom Iohn de Castro This Dom Iohn de Castro whom I thinke your reuerend Lordship knowes verie wel hath euer held this opinion that the king Dom Sebastian was still aliue and that Portugall should one day be restored by him He tooke it for a matter so firme and certaine that in the yeere 1596. when I was at Folambray about some affaires belonging to mine order and my selfe the King besieging la Fere he iustified it in the Chapter house of our couent of Iacobines at Paris to diuers Portuguezes perswading them neuer to accord with D. Philip. 2. King of Castille neither euer to goe togither for he knew assuredly that the King Dom Sebastian liued that Portugal would be restored within few yeeres saying moreouer that he esteemed it for a matter so certaine as he durst maintaine it vpon his oath Hereupon so soone as he heard that the King Dom Sebastian was kept prisoner at Venice he could not anie waie remaine in quiet Immediatly he made his voiage for England to intreate the royall Queene to fauour and further this case from England he went to Holland for the selfe same purpose and being returned to Faris he neuer ceased till he came to Venice where he arriued the 28. of Iune last past and his voyage was of such importance as we hope it will serue sufficiciently to get his King at libertie An answere to the fift demand The persons that procured the libertie of my Lord Dom Sebastian king of Portugall are these following The father doctor de Sampayo regent in the facultie of Theologie at Tolossa whom your worthie Lordship doth know verie wel He in the seruice of the said King aduentured his life in verie great hazard passing secretly into Portugall and managed the matter wish such dexteritie as it was possible for anie man whatsoeuer to do A doctor of the order of Saint Bernard named Frier Chrysostome a verie religious man as I haue heard of good credit and authoritie Dom Iohn de Castro before named the sonne to Dom Aluaro de Castro who was one of the 4. gouernours that ruled the kingdome coniointly with the King Dom Sebastian those whom we call in Portugal Veadores de la hazienda grand child to Dom Iohn de Castro hertofore viceroy in the East Indies of whose high prowesses worthie deeds of arms victories our histories giue no mean commendation A Chanon of Lisbon a man of noble lignage and rich who abandonning his countrie and forsaking his goods departed expressely from Portugall on this respect and brought the markes which the said king hath on his bodie approoued by authenticall instruments of a Notarie Apostolique Rodrigo Marques Diego Manoel and Sebastian Figuera which three were seruants to the king Dom Antonio namely companions in the same fortune The last is he of whom we haue made mention in the second answer and the same whom Dom Iohn de Castro saith in his letter to arriue at Venice with letters from the generall States of the vnited Prouinces and the Prince Maurice It hath bene told me that they expect at Venice the Lord Dom Christophero youngest sonne to the king Dom Antonio who is at Rome and with him these Lords Manuel de Brito Pimentel Pantaleon Pessoa de Neyua Frances Antoine and other Gentlemen of Portugall of whom I can say nothing what they are because their names were not written to me The newes that I haue at this present are no other then those contained in the said letters from the Doctor de Sampayo and from Dom Iohn de Castro from each of whom I haue receiued diuerse other which neuerthelesse sort all to one selfe same end There be sundrie other letters here from other Portuguezes that affirme this man to be the true king of Portugall Dom Sebastian and approoue it for truth by many reasons giuing such plaine apparance of veritie that according to humane iudgement cannot be encountred or ratified on any other then himselfe So that I see nothing which may call me into doubt of his not being the same man for otherwise he must questionlesse be a spirit or diuell which cannot be considering his life is so holy and perfect his proceeding most simple and to vse the very same words which one hath written to me it is all meere simplicitie If he were a seductour or an euill spirit he would expresse store of artificiall crafts and frauds in his doings beside a wicked spirit would neuer endure so long and rigorous an imprisonment The aforenamed aduertisements instances and intreates from the specified persons beside reason it selfe bind me most worthie Sir to part thus briefly but I hope to visite you againe to morrow after breakefast and so I close vp mine answer to your fift demaund An answer to the sixt and last demaund For answer to the sixt and last demaund I say right reuerend Lord that it is to me very much displeasing to serue as a Confessour in this businesse and by that meanes stand bound to keepe all vnder seale for this reason I dare not answer categorically because I feare to offend my most inward wel-willers in their trust Notwithstanding that I may induce the king of Portugall Dom Sebastian my Lord into Fraunce I promise to make the mightie truth so apparant that it shall violently breake the

an vnity together rent forth of his hands whatsoeuer he had insulted on and chased him out of the kingdome after they had ouerthrowne him in the battell of Aljibarota albeit he had in his army foure and thirty thousand men and they were but 7. thousand onely afterward they gaue him defiance againe at Valverde at Trancoso and elsewhere as is to be seene in our histories if your reuerend selfe but please to reade you shall there find it agreeing with my words and in pursuite they gaue him law at their owne pleasure as anon we shall tell you more in this answere Thus we may easily perceiue that it consists not in the strengh of the king Catholicke Dom Philip both to guard Portugall and keepe all the kingdome thereof vnder bridle though he assembled all Spaine and all his other commaund Wherefore I am of the mind most worthy Lord that so soone as his Maiesty Catholicke is giuen to vnderstand how that the King Dom Sebastian is come into Fraunce he will immediatly send his Embassadours to him and offer him the reintegration of his realme in quiet swept cleane already of corne and chaffe as much as to say as without pretending any thing to him but loue and kindnesse And I thinke his Councel wil therto aduise him if they haue any feare of God if they be wise discreet or friends to the seruice welfare of their king For if king Sebastian come with strong hand to the restauration of Portugall no way can hinder him the entrance of Portugall then into Castile and from thence through all Sapine whereby he will bring Dom Philip into such distresse as doubtlesse he will go neare to make ruine of all And when he shall come to vrge his agreement Dom Sebastian not onely will bind him to pay all his dispence domages and wrongs endured by occasion of the warre but likewise to restore him those reuenues and profits which the king his father and himselfe haue hald out of Portugall for the space of more then twenty yeares which will amount to more then forty millions Nay that which is more to destroy him and be gratefull to his friends and them that aided him in the recouerie of his kingdome he will constraine him to render the realme of Nauarre to the king most Christian that of Aragon to the Duke of Lorraine those of Naples and Sicilie to his holinesse and likewise to the other Princes of Europe all that he hath held from them perforce for the flower they are in comming to peace and concord the swifter ensues the great losse and mishap of Spaine This which I say reuerend Sir is not in bare and simple words onely nor shall this be the first time that Portugall hath taught law to Castile such as are pleased in reading histories shall find this very true and of many that we might report and set downe in account we will alleadge but onely one Dom Peter King of Castile sirnamed the cruell who was slaine by his bastard brother that came to raigne afterward and named himselfe Henry the II. left two daughters the first called Constance the second Isabel wife to Edmond of Langley brother to Iohn of Gaunt the husband to the elder daughter Constance of whom was borne a daughter named Catharine The sayd Iohn of Gaunt in the regard of his wife Constance qualified the king of Castile and Leon and made his direct passage from Gascoigne which then was in the rule of the English into Spaine with eighteene thousand foote and two thousand horse and tooke the Groigne with the ayde of Iohn the bastard elected King of Portugall receiued sworne confirmed and obeyed by the Portuguezes who were to him very good friends Thence he went on to Portugall whence he entred into Castile and so on to the City of Burgos distant from the place where he parted more then twentie sixe leagues tooke it at his arriuall and made himselfe maister of all the cities townes and castles he came to moreouer they that were further off came and for feare submitted themselues And easily had he attained to a larger aduantage but that his men died who through their neglect in ordering thēselues and small prouidence in good husbandry were ouertaken by famine whereon a pestilence ensued among thē and they were brought to such scarsity of victuals as they were forced to run to the enemies campe which was vnder the guide of Lewes Duke of Bourbon who in fauor of king Iohn of Castile came thither well accōpanied with the Frēch to request wherewithal to saue their liues Which the sayd Iohn of Portugall beholding complained to the Duke saying that it was not good for his souldiers to treate with the enemy affirming that they would cause more preiudice then all the other therefore he should repeale them presently forbid all community of speech with the contrary part Otherwise when they should enter fight all would by the edge of the sword be destroyed the one in regard of loue to the other Thomas Walsingham an English historian deliuers it in the selfe same termes and sayth that the king of Portugall had with him foure thousand Portuguezes and all of them very well armed Within few dayes after certaine Embassadors sent by the king of Castile came to the Duke desiring peace of him in all humility to whom the Duke wold giue no audience Notwithstanding the hunger pestilēce did enforce him to withdraw thēce into Portugall to the towne of Trancoso whither they came againe seeking to him being sent the second time from the said Iohn king of Castile to vrge once more the same request shewing the Duke by many reasons the great profit might be drawne out of a kind peace betweene them The Duke then gaue them the hearing condiscended to their demand although it was greatly against his will chiefly because he heard that the king hf Portugall was willing thereto and then being touched therein by a more effectuall cause namely the intelligēce of the troubles beginning in France among the French and English and some seditions at home in England all which shewed him that he could draw no fresh supplies thence because that there seemed to be greater need and the mortality in his army did most of all require it The accord betweene the King and the Duke was made in this manner That Henrie eldest sonne to King Iohn named Prince of Castile should espouse Catherine the onely daughter of the sayd Duke Iohn of Gaunt and Constance his wife and should succeed in the kingdomes of Castile Leon and other Seigneuries that the king should endowe the mother and daughter and so he did giuing to the mother the citie of Guadalajata Medina del Campo and Olmiedo afterward being with her in the sayd Medina he gaue her likewise Hueta To the daughter he gaue the Esturies creating and naming her Princesse and his sonne Prince thereof So from thence forward the eldest sonne euer bare the

sirname of this principalitie as of Daulphinies in Fraunce of Wales in England of Girona in Aragon of Vienna in Nauarre c. Moreouer he should giue the Duke sixe hundreth thousand Franckes of gold for his returne into England and fortie thousand Franckes in name of rent beside the sayd cities and townes during the liues of him an her Iohn of Castile accepted of all these conditions with right good will yet he had Fraunce and the French on his side and the King of Aragon with whose sister he was maried of whom was borne the sayd Prince Dom Henrie and Fernand that after was king of Aragon against the right of the true heires indeed and Charles the III. king of Nauarre his brother but he knew notwithstanding all these that hauing ciuill wars in Castile and Portugall for an enemy fortune wold forsake him in all his realmes Seigneuries Thus could and can the kingdome of Portugall beare head against the rest of Spaine It is most certaine that at all times and as often as Portugall hath the fauour of Fraunce of England or some other straunge Prince whosoeuer it be it compels the king of Castile to whom that is a bridle to make him yeeld to reason and come at commaund nay to accept of conditions very ignominious and preiudiciall And those of the Duke might haue bene much more aduantageable to this agreement if the king of Portugall had bene willing because hauing the sword in his hand he might haue cut out his partage at his owne pleasure He was the Iudge and it was done with his will Qui habet gladium potest diuidere campos And hence it came that the Duke departed not very well contented with him although he gaue him in mariage his eldest daughter Philippe By this already rehearsed worthy Lord may be vnderstood that they who haue not the pearles of spotted affection in their eyes may discerne and others whose harts are not fatted with hate to this good king may know that my wordes are neither bourdings nor songs For if this King Dom Iohn the bastard hauing all Spaine all Fraunce and some of Castile his allies banding against him for himselfe only foure thousand Portuguezes and some English in weake estate and yet then suspected to being withdrawne from Castile into Portugall could make lawes to his enemies what shall Sebastian do accompanied with a great number of Princes of Europe with his Portuguezes and his owne person which degenerates not a iot from that of his graundfather Dom Iohn the bastard who for his faire deedes was sirnamed Of worthy memory against a young king slenderly experimented and but badly armed It is not to be doubted but he shall restore Portugall seeing God and the prophesies haue so made him promise and that he shall cleanse and purge the Spaniards of their vices and abuses according as S. Isidore hath prophesied who since he florished it is more then a thousand yeres What contentment what ioy shall the world receiue by sight hereof and namely they that are the children of God What felicitie for the Romane Church What good for the weale publike of Christendome Let the enemie iudge this cause and as one said in Portugall let them cracke this nut and know that yet at this daye Portugall is farre stronger then Spaine yea all Spaine in the time of the said Bastard Then all that were souldiers were skilful in handling the sword the launce the halbard and the crosse or long bow now at this day they can not be drawne from the harquebuse or musket for this reason the Portugals haue yet more souldiers then Spaine Because the Castilians yea or the Spaniards that come from the garrisons of the king of Castile do neuer part thence but lame and maimed except it be some of the principal Gentlemen Of the Portugueses sent from Portugall to the East Indies there comes backe commonly the third part of them and of them that are scattered in diuerse places of Affricke the second part This is most certaine for in the beginning of the raigne of our Lord D. Antonio I found a rolle of the souldiers that were to be had in Portugall wherein it was assured me that within the prouince d'Entre Douro and Migno which is called in Latine Interamnis which containes no more then eighteene leagues in length twelue in breadth at the most three thousand old souldiers were to be found To this aunswere it remaines for me yet to satisfie another obiection which your reuered sanctitie may make vnto me to wit Some that haue a mightie opinion of the King of Castilles strength would make the world beleeue that he is infinitely powerfull and can inuade Portugall with huge numbers of souldiers To the first point I aunswere briefely and succinctly That the King of Castille is in no place more weake then in Spaine To the second Whence shall hee gather such supplies of souldiours Shall hee furnish him selfe out of those garrisons and forces which hee hath from Spaine Not so If in case he will cull out of the said garrisons some souldiers to forrage Portugall hee must at the least haue foure moneths time to do it In lesse then foure dayes may men passe frō Brittanie to Lisbone Could he bring fiftie thousand men into Portugall wherewithall wil he feed them I would onely twentie thousand Moreouer what would auaile fiftie thousand soldiers in Portugal All those being there could not impeach the King Don Sebastian from landing for Portugall hath an hundred and fortie leagues on the coast and throughout is landing easily to be had In some parts they that are on land in one place cannot in a day giue succour to the other albeit they are distant but two leagues If king Sebastian did but set foote on land all Portugall would presently run to him by which reason strange souldiers would be forced to yeeld themselues or throw themselues headlong into the sea or die with famine or else by the hands of their enemies Now giue I conclusion to this present discourse humbly beseeching your worthie Lordship to hold excused such slips as are therein because in the writing thereof I haue bene driuen to some nightly houres which could not be verie manie since I receiued your last letter for so long a certification by pen and but that I was enioyned thereto by your expresse commaund I could gladly haue excused my selfe from so tedious a trauel But the honors and graces receiued from so worthie a person haue bene so great and continued in such sort as they bound me to obey without all excuse If my pen haue erred in anie point whereof I doubt not this hope is left me that one day I may giue your Lordship more ample certaine assured satisfaction in all whatsoeuer shall please you to require I write in the Castilian language because your worthie selfe did so commaund me and in regard you take some delight therein as it hath bene often told me

withdrawne to his rest ●ent and fell on his knees before a Crucifix which he ware in ●osome where he so continued till one came to call him on ●ourney ●ome haue written to me that since he hath beene seene ●ng his Portuguezes he hath made good appearance that he is ●ctually of their nation profferring in all perfection the words he pronounced and if any one of them that parleyed with him intermedled any French words among the rest because the most part of them had liued in Fraunce and spake the French language he would tell them of it so that yet he seemes better to vnderstand that tongue then speake it One writes likewise that he saith the armour he ware is hid in a certaine place That the duke de Aueyro the Earles of Redondo and of Sortella D. Fernand de Meneses and D. Iohn de Castro cosin germaine to him whom we haue so often named are all yet aliue that he very wel knowes where they are so soone as he shal haue commodious means he will send to thē Christophero de Tauora was slaine before his eies by certain robbers that set vpō thē as they iourneyed Dom Iohn de Castro writ in a letter to me that his face is now much altered from the forme it had at his parting in Affricke As for the small wrinkles in his face those he knew very perfectly so likewise did Sebastian Figuera the Father de Sampayo Pantaleon Pessoa Frances Antoine and other Portuguezes beside sundrie straungers that had seene him and knew him when he was in Portugall And as for his gate or cariage of his bodie it is the verie same without any altering Moreouer that he departed from Venice in the time assigned him and is comming for Fraunce himselfe with others being on the way with him He praies me to order my businesse in sort that I would be present in the Court of his most Christian Maiestie attending this aduenture so strange and maruellous so farre the letter For this cause worthie Lord and in respect whether he come by sea or land or whether he will passe for Holland from hence I am determined not to be absent till I haue seene him here or vnderstand he hath taken some other course If I should do otherwise I thinke the world would repute me a bad seruant to my King and an enemie to my true and soueraigne Lord. But I find there are some moued by what diuels I know not that labour still to perswade me and would perforce make me to beleeue although these newes are so true publique and certaine yet that this King of Portugall Dom Sebastian is no other then a Calabrois But as that language is engendred and borne from the wombe of a Castillian so I answere such kind of men that it is behoouefull for them to knowe I am more bound to credite ●e noble a●d religious persons who by letters written and 〈◊〉 by their owne hands as also by their oathes haue assured ●hat the prisoner set at libertie by the Lords of Venice is our ●ng of Portugall Dom Sebastian then to be led by any Ca● opinions ●s a terrible thing to see and heare the goodly reasons allea●y these wise maisters to vnderprop their false and depraued ●ions It contenteth vs that he is swart and that the King 〈◊〉 Sebastian was faire that he speakes not Portugueze c. To ●s haue no interest at all in this matter but with a purposed ●e yeeld themselues enemies to this truth what imports it whether a man blacke or white should be King of Portugal ●hether he speakes Portugueze or Italian It sufficeth that a 〈◊〉 as white as snowe passeth the Equinoctiall line on the 〈◊〉 of Guinea that he performes the voyage of Saint Thomas 〈◊〉 any other part wheresoeuer he pleaseth of Aethiopia or 〈◊〉 iournes sundrie yeares in Barbarie may become as blacke ●h for the more white a man is the sooner he becomes the ●er We vnderstand that the king Dom Sebastian hath bene ●thiopia and in Persia where if he haue lost his whitenesse ●oper colour it is not a thing to be wondred at ●osoeuer hath knowne the Lord Dom Christophero reue● Lord youngest sonne to the deceased king Dom Antonio 〈◊〉 his infancie till he came to the age of 18. yeares for so old ●s when he vndertooke his voyage to Barbarie will confesse ●e that he was then as white as milke faire and neately fa●d but little more then three yeares when he liued in Barba●●re sufficient to make him become so black swartie and de●d that at his returne to England whence he had parted be●●uen those that had bene most frequent with him could not 〈◊〉 him He arriued in Barbarie in the beginning of the yeare 〈◊〉 and came againe into England in 1592. at which time I was ●nce Then afterward he came to Paris in the end of the 〈◊〉 1594. on Christmas euen after dinner at what time I was ●g at Chesse with the king his father in the street of S. Hono● ●ere he lodged at the Swan So soone as the newes came to ●er that he was beneath in the court I craued leaue to goe 〈◊〉 and descending the staires I passed by him not knowing him and went to talke with Dom Iohn de Castro and Scipio de Figueredo who had come with him from England demaunding newes of them of the said Lord Dom Christophero they told me that that was he whome I had met and passed by I sweare to your Lordship that hearing those words I stoode as rapt out of my selfe to see him so deformed and chaunged and the others by no meanes could perswade me that it was he I swear● agai● to your worthinesse as a Christian an honest man and 〈◊〉 ●ous as I am that I was so angrie to behold him thus chaunged hauing lost the goodly complexion he had before as I w● 〈…〉 an houre in a roome beneath by my selfe and would neither 〈◊〉 nor speake with him hereof I haue store of good witnesses yet to this day If little more then three yeares had so much power so strangely to alter the Lord Dom Christophero how much more may aboue twentie yeares chaunge the king Dom Sebastian Let this suffice to answer the ignorant and malicious As for his speaking Portugueze who hath examined him not I certainely nor any other Portugueze semblable to me He speakes a mixed kind of Portugueze my good Lord according as Dom Iohn de Castro writes to me in his last letter As for his writing it is the same and the selfe same hand I haue seene many memories and papers written by him which being conferred with the other that he writte before his passage to Affricke the one and other doe truely agree For the rest when the King Dom Sebastian shall be in good estate though he speake not Portugueze I will hold him excused considering it is more then twenty years that he hath bene foorth of his country and still trauelled among