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
say some but repented afterward that they laboured not to contend rather by law or warre which questionlesse had not wanted because the Lord Dom Edward sonne to the infant Dom Edward brother to the said King D. Iohn 3. then liued who was a Lord endued with many singular vertues and as a legitimate Prince borne of Kings by the ligue masculine did euermore claime the succession of his ancestors in the said kingdome which neuer yet fell vnto the distaffe Hereupon the Portuguezes prayed to God so instantly with so many processions fasts prayers and teares that it might please him to giue them a Lord and Prince Thus by diuine grace was Dom Sebastian giuen to the Portuguezes the first time and thus now againe he giues him the second time An answere to the third demand For manie causes right reuerend Lord it was not necessarie for the King Dom Sebastian to discouer himselfe in Barbary of al which we wil alleage but two The first if he had manifested himselfe he had run into great danger of his lifes losse for his enemie could not more easily haue put him to death then in Barbarie There are a great number of officers kept in pay who giue them such morsels which is called the Boccon or poisoned bit as the poore patient cannot by anie meanes escape they limit them to the yeare moneth daies what shall I say to verie houres and moments The second if Muley Hamet had got him into his power the least that he would haue demaunded for his ransome had been the cities and townes which the Portuguezes possesse in Barbarie This had beene a small gift for him Tanger Arzile Mazagan and the other places which the Kings of Portugall do hold in Barbarie Neuerthelesse Septa had bin great losse to Christendom for it is the key of Affricke and Europe And the Moores hauing that in their own power at all times and whensoeuer they were thereto disposed they might passe into Spaine an hundred thousand horse and more and from Spaine post to other parts of Europe as somtimes they did when they were not so well inured to warre nor expert in Armes Our histories of Portugall doe tell vs that the infant Dom Fernand being taken by the Moores in the field of the citie of Tanger as he there held his siege some few daies after they came to demaund for his raunsome onely the citie of Septa which his father the King Dom Iohn of worthie memorie the Bastard had won from the Mores The king that then was Dom Edward for the singular loue he bare to his brother resolued with his people who loued the Prince entirely to giue what they had demaunded The infant Dom Fernand being aduertised of his brothers kind respect and the peoples goodwill to him likewise found the meanes to write secretly vnto them that they should be very carefull what they did saying God forbid that by my occasion Christendome should endure such a damage I had rather be partaker among an hundred thousand martyrs or die in captiuitie in the Infidels custodie then cause such a manifest daunger to all Christendome The Mores following still their motion yet vsing the infant and his companie with extreame crueltie came to the knowledge that it was hindred much more by the said infant then the king his brother whereupon they began to intreate him in farre better manner that he might the gladlier consent to his owne redemption But they could no way worke him to preferre his owne particular benefite before the weale publique of Christendome So that the Moores growing much displeased hereat put him into an iron prison without any bed or seate and so placed him before the gates of the citie of Marocco giuing him daily to eate certaine ounces of bread and a little water to drinke After some few moneths this holy Lord rendred his spirit to his Creator in that rigorous prison suffering a glorious martirdome for the common good of all Christians after the example of his Lord Iesus Christ redeemer of the whole world His bodie is buried in the Couent of our Ladie of victorie which is of mine Order commonly called de la Battaille in the Chappell of king D. Iohn his father where God in regard of him did continually many miracles for aduancement of the Christian faith The religious Fathers of the said Couent on the day of his death do not vse to sing any Masse of Requiem but that of all Saints because he was not canonized nor yet beatified wherin he is contained amongst them Frier Ierome de Ramos a religious man of mine Order writ a booke concerning the life of this glorious Saint in the Portugall language Which booke I beleeue that the king Dom Sebastian hath both seene and read and that in imitation of the said Saint who was brother to his fourth grandfather I am certainely perswaded that he hauing so apt meanes to conceale himselfe would not be discouered for should he haue there bene reuealed to the Mores they might haue come and demaunded for his ransome the townes and cities elsewhere set downe nay the citie of Septa it selfe And doubtlesse the Portuguezes would haue giuen them all nay rather much more for the libertie of a King so good so vertuous and so holy whome they loued with such and so great affection as if he had bene a God and their redeemer The king Dom Sebastian most worthie Lord was naturally so Catholike and christianly addicted that for the adding but of a very pulse breadth of ground to Christendome he would most gladly haue yeelded himselfe captiue And therefore we may well coniecture and credit his good nature that when he could not get away without danger of his life and likewise in respect of Christendomes generall benefite he held it much more glorious for him to die in prison and slauerie in Barbarie then to liue at libertie being Lord and Monarch of the world Thus right reuerend Lord giue we end to the answer of your third demaund An answer to the fourth demaund Some do coniecture that he hath bene amongst the Moores in Barbarie many yeares Which very well be so although such as haue not bene accustomed to frequent that countrey do imagine it impossible and oftentimes it hath so happened to the Portuguezes that they haue liued captiues in Barbarie for the space of 10.12.15.20.25 and 30. yeares without any tidings heard of them all The reason is that al slaues Noble do appertain to the King and such as hold them in their custodie are bound to make like deliuerie to him of them Whereby very often the Lords of the Moores knowing their slaues to be of noble race dissemble with them that they may not lose them and that they may find meanes to be rid of them graunting them for their libertie some reasonable ransome So got out of captiuitie the Prince my Lord Dom Antonio who died at Paris with the title of King of Portugall because he had bene elected
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
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 â—s and it is a thing so common as there can neuer want due â—e thereof But I will not spare to speake this as truth if the Dom Sebastian or any other Portugueze whatsoeuer haâ—â—ost the vse of his Portugall language by being conuersant â—g his countreymen come not againe to the recouerie thereâ— shall pardon me then to be suspitious of him By meanes â—gh a man may easily grow into heate my Lord reprouing â—pinions and restrayning the audacious courses of people â—orted with passions therefore whosoeuer will speake truth 〈◊〉 say that my Lord Dom Sebastian king of Portugall is no â—rois But the very selfe same king who in the yeare 1578. 〈◊〉 his voyage into Affrick in fauour of Muley Mahamet Xaâ— mooued by the offers which were made vnto him for the â—tage and weale publique of all Christendome This doth â—re plaine to the eye by those things whereon he hath treaâ—th the Portuguezes and other strangers before he was imâ—ed in the prison and afterward abroad and verifies it selfe â—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 medâ—â—ssieurs that tearme my Lord and king to be a Calabrois â—w two yeares and more since they haue liued in this error â—e as strong headed in this opinion now as they were the â—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. â—ering Calabria is in subiection to his Maiestie Cathoâ— who for this reason onely might send through all that â—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 â—w Sir remaines an answer to an obiection of the enemie â—o slubber baffull and annihilate a matter so certaine 〈◊〉 of the true King Dom Sebastian say that this fellowe â—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 â—mpeld to verifie themselues for such as they maintained â—lues to be I should make a discourse more ample then â—ich I gaue to my Lord your nephew â—e the decrees of the Parliaments in Fraunce looked ouer â— would be found therein of whom I find it no way inâ—ient to nominate some As the Lord of Boisgarnier a Gentleman of Maisse and next him his sonne the Lord of â—erre neare â—o Gyan the Lord of Morinuille called Courteâ— â—ed of the royall house of Dreux and other who haue had â—nd labour enough in making themselues to be knowne â—ng thus answered these obiections I will conclude assuâ—ur worthinesse that being obliged by so many testimonies â—rkes of truth I thinke that not onely my selfe but euen a â—n should commit a mighty trespasse against the holy â— in not beleeuing this for a verity Our Lord giue accomâ—ent to my desires and so soone as he shall be arriued I will speedy imparting to your worthy selfe of all the pleasures â—ntentments I receiue This shall be the end of my trauerses â—serable fortunes this shall be the beginning of my glory city where our Lord giue you ample perfection in aeterâ— â—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 â—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
dated the fourth and came by the way of Paris For which and for all the honours and graces you haue done me in them I often kisse the hands of your sacred selfe They will me that I should answere as one accused to certaine demaunds set downe therein which in obedience to your worthie commaundement I purpose to do and for my better vnderstanding as also all others whatsoeuer the demaunds shall be set downe in order following The first demaund For what cause the King of Portugall Dom Sebastian without leauing any heire vnto his kingdome would put his life in hazard of losing passing at the age of 24. yeares and a halfe into Affrick a countrie of Infidels and a land extreamely hot and vnfaithfull The second demaund What iudgement I make of his life whether he died in the battell or saued himselfe And what I thinke of the bodie that was buried as his in the church of Bethlehem a couent of Monkes of the order of Saint Ierome a league from Lisbon in the beginning of the yeare 1583. The third demaund Wherefore being aliue he would not discouer himselfe that he might be vsed like a King and freed from so great miserie as is well knowne the slaues in Barbarie do endure The fourth demaund Where he hath bene all this long continuance of time and how chance he came to Venice not to France or some other place where without doubt he might haue receiued better entertainment according as appertained to his condition And whether by my sight of him I know him assuredly The fift demaund What they were that procured his libertie What further tidings I haue of him and whether he determine to passe any further then this citie The sixt demaund Admit that this prisoner be the same king of Portugall Dom Sebastian and that by the helpe of God fauour of his most christian Maiestie as also other Princes and estates of Christendome the Seigneurie of Venice do so acknowledge him what meanes and remedies hath he to recouer his kingdomes and to reestablish himselfe in the possession of them An answere to the first demand For answer to the first demand I say that the principall cause which prouoked king Sebastian to passe into Affricke was as being a very christian Prince honorable and iust his enflamed desire to increase christianitie and to make the name of God knowne through the wide vniuerse And as after he came to the yeares of discretion he alwayes maintained and chearished this â—ope so such an apt occasion instantly offering it selfe he did â—mbrace it with all affection But worthy Lord the better to giue notice of what I intend I must deriue my course from higher â—nstances discoursing of the race and successe of the later Barbaâ—ian kings to wit Muley Mahamet Xarifa and Muley Maâ—uco sirnamed Abdelmelech who would terme himselfe the serâ—ant of the most high this the vncle the other the nephew yet both royall pretenders Muley Mahamet father to Muley Hamet the bastard now raigning in Barbary had three legitimate sonnes Muley Abdela Xarifa Muley Abdelmumen and Muley Abdelmelech otherwise called Maluco of whom we now are come to make mention This was a very wise Prince and of mighty valour he ioyned to his owne inheritance all the kingdomes of Barbary and them he discretly gouerned while he liued At point of death he named for principall heire his eldest sonne Muley Abdela Xarifa conditionally that he should giue to his two brothers part of his kingdomes Muley Abdela succeeding thus his father not onely denied to fulfill his commandement but concluded vpon the death of his brethren Who hearing thereof in the city of Miquines where as then they kept tooke counsell to withdraw themselues into Turky and so trauelling thence after they had dispatched some hindring difficulties within a few dayes they arriued with their mother and sister at Tremessen a city of the Turkes At the same time reigned in the kingdome of Fez the onely sonne to Muley Abdela Xarifa named Muley Mahamet Xarifa who by expresse charge sent a man to Tremessen and there he murthered Muley Abdelmumen as he was at his prayers in the Temple Muley Maluco then being at Constantinople where then bare sway the Sultan Selim Muley Abdela aduertised of this murther although himselfe had before procured it made shew as if it displeased him greatly and with chiding his sonne caused iustice afterward to be done on the murtherer After some few yeares his houre of death approching he left as his only heire the sayd Muley Mahamet his sonne without making any mention of his brother Muley Maluco who still kept himselfe at Constantinople intending to request succour of the great Emperour Muley Maluco being certified of his brothers death made such meanes vnto the Sultan Amurath who reigned then after the death of his father Sultan Selim that he gaue him ten gallies for his passage to the realme of Argell or Argiere and commandement to the king of that countrey to leuie so many men as he could and then to accompany him in his owne person till he had seated him in the kingdomes and lands of Barbary Muley Maluco hauing bene at Argiere departed thence in company of the sayd king and with him three thousand Turkish harquebuziers all arriuing together at Tremessen where with ten peeces of artillery and other munition the inhabitants vnited their forces with them From thence he iourneyed with his power into Barbary and there after diuerse fightes with the king his nephew he tooke possession of Teza which was yeelded to him without any resistance And proceeding onward he came to Fez where then was Muley Mahamet with thirty thousand horse and ten thousand harquebuziers there was likewise an Andalusian Colonnell that came and ioyned eighteene hundreth Andalusians with him The ordinance on either side played very roughly Muley Mahamets part did small dammage but Muley Malucos very much discomfiting almost all his nephewes horsemen and forcing them to a speedy flight On the other side the foote after diuerse hote skirmishes came to handy blowes continuing the fight so long and with such fury as darke night was faine to terminate the battell Muley Mahamet beholding his troupes thus vanquished and considering it was beyond his strength to make any further counter-quarrie against his vnckles forces withdrew himselfe into Morocco and such in his company as bare him best affection His vnckle tooke the way to Fez where he was honorably receiued and few dayes after gaue free liberty to Bacha king of Argiere to depart home againe with his men wherof seuen hundreth remained there still with him Muley Maluco vnderstanding that his nephew prepared to charge him with a fresh encounter went thence to Miquines where continuing his resolution within a while after the two armies began to shew themselues neare to the towne of Halé where the vnckle ouerthrew againe his nephew and his forces which amounted to forty thousand horse and ten thousand harquebuziers Muley Mahamet seeing
himselfe flatly foyled in the field and out of all hope of making head any more fled to Morocco whence he passed to the mountaines called Montes Claros and by this retraite Muley Maluco made himselfe sole Lord of Barbary By this historie is apparantly to be seene with what small helpe a man may game those kingdomes whereto he hath any right In like manner and with much more ease may king Sebastian recouer his because it appertaines to no other but him for he is true Lord and King thereof From the mountaines Muley Mahamet sent his Embassadors to the king Dom Sebastian and desired succour at his hands making him such large offers as were very profitable and greatly for the aduantage of Christendome He gaue him as I haue learned from diuerse credible persons all the shoares which he held on the Ocean sea and sixe leagues into firme land with the townes and cities thereto belonging among which were the cities of Arzile Saphin Larache all very strong places of great importance Some say that he gaue him the abounding Alcacarquibir Tituan and other places more he caused in the field a plaine deliuerie of Arzile to be made by Cid Albequerin brother to his wife who was the gouernour of the sayd city And granted him moreouer that the faith of Iesus Christ should be preached in Barbarie and full power to crowne himselfe Emperour of Morocco This was the reason that made the King Dom Sebastian loâ—ke vp his crowne which the Kings his predecessours and himselfe euen vntill that time had openly worne I saw that Crowne lockt vp into peeces of Artillerie which were newly and purposely made for that voyage in like maner I saw the Banners Standards and the ships vnder saile for that armie And I know that the king Dom Sebastian tooke with him an vnkle of mine my mothers brother who was iudge of the Armories in the kingdomes of Portugall to serue him as maister of those ceremonies which were to be vsed in the act of his coronation as Emperour The king Dom Sebastian seeing so great offers and being a Prince of the loftiest enterprises desirous to winne honour and such reputation as should wait on due merit knowing what vertues consisted in himselfe accompanied with such forces couragious fearelesse hardie actiue â—nd presuming in himselfe that he onely was borne to breake downe and squander the infidelles impieties accepted the conditions that were made vnto him And thus iustly deserued the sinnes of Portugall that he should put his person in daunger of losse his kingdomes and Monarchie in the ballance as a pray to strange nations Hence may your worthinesse gather what you desire to know out of the first demand An answere to the second demaund I answere to the second demaund negatiuely that king Sebastian did not die in the battell and that the body which was buried in Bethlehem was none of his But before by manifest reasons I approue my sayings let me intreate your sacred fatherhood to vnderstand that when he began to make his preparation for this voyage I was then a man of yeares and in some authority which admit as spoken betweene our selues because that which oftentimes contenteth friends displeaseth and raiseth a repining nature in such as are not so When he parted from Lisbone to passe into affricke being the yeare 1578. and in the moneth of Iune I was in the 35. yeare of mine age and had the vse of very honorable charges gouerning some couents of mine order and had preached in diuerse places of Portugall with applause and satisfaction of mine auditors The same yeare I was in Lent called from my couent at Santeren where I then aboade to Lisbone by Dom Alphonso de Chasteaublanâ— chiefe Almoner to the king and Commissary generall of the Bull for the Croisade to preach in the townes of Esbernos Borba Villaricosa Landroal Terena Moncaras Moran Mora and Portel and I was enrolled in the register of them who were appointed to accompany the king in his present voyage which could not by my selfe be performed because my Prelates that had commaund ouer me had consigned me to the gouernement of the Couent of Santeren which is the fourth of our order and the chiefest in Portugall because the Priour there ruling began to find himselfe not well and had accoÌ„plished his three yeares iurisdiction in which respect my Prelates prayed the king to pardon me from bearing him company in his purposed voyage and at their requests it was obtained Thus I stayed at home although against my will in Portugal without passing into Affricke I hold the rather this kind of discoursing with your Lordship because you may the better perceiue that I had yeares and authority as before I declared sufficient to know great men and what belonged to state affaires The king parted from Lisbone taking with him about thirty religious persons of my order to whom he bare very kind affection and reposed trust inough in them for he vsed to call them his brethren One of their number was our Prouinciall of Portugal who commanded the orders through all the gouernement of the kingdome and as well in Europe as in Affricke Asia and America named brother Iohn de Silue graund-child or sonne to the Gouernour of Portugal brother to the Bishop of the city called the Port of Portugall and to Fernand de Silue who at that very time was Embassador into Castile brother Manuell de Bosa brother Vincent Afonseca and other religious men of very good discent There was also mine vnckle Manuell Texere of whom I made mention in my first answere a brother of mine likewise called brother Diego Cardose de Mirande that maried with a sister of mine and diuers others of my kindred King Sebastian hauing ioyned with his army in Affricke at the city of Arzile and leauing Larache was gone toward the city of Alcacarquibir there in the field thereto belonging he put his men in order the fourth of the moneth of August When the heauy newes was brought to Portugal and that I had intelligence therof because of the intrest I had in the iourney I was constrained to go to Lisbone being fourteene leagues distant from Santeren to vnderstand whether they were true or no. Where arriuing the 25. of the sayd moneth I met with mine vnckle who was the selfe same day returned from Affricke He by commandement of the Generall of the army that remained behind as Lieutenant generall for the king had brought thither with him vnto Lisbone Cid Albequerin and his nephew the young Xarifa sonne to his sister and Muley Mahamet Xarifa which young Xarifa is now a Christian and liues in Spaine bearing the title of the Prince of Morocco and is commander of the order of Saint Iames a Prince of many excellent partes and singular hope Being thus with mine vncle he told me that king Sebastian withdrew himselfe from the battell embarqued in his Galliot but for certaintie that he was aliue If I would know
any other newes I should go visite Cid Albequerin and he earnestly intreated me that I would do him so much pleasure because the sayd Cid Albequerin would receiue great contentment by my sight and knowledge for on the way he had much talke with him of me So I went to see Cid Albequerin and after I had long conferred with him I desired him to do me so much kindnesse as to tell me what was become of Dom Sebastian The first word that he gaue me was deliuered with vehement expression of griefe being thus He is not dead and if he be the God of the Christians is vniust This he spake to me very sprightly and in perfect good Spanish which he had the vse of better then my selfe Hereupon I intreated his Excellency to fauour me in such sort as to tell me what he vnderstood of the whole affairese and prayed to be resolued the rin from his owne mouth He lifting his eyes vp to heauen hauing the teares ready to drop downe his cheekes O Ala quoth he which is as much as when we say ô Lord then hauing bene silent an indifferent while he vsed these speeches to me Reuerend father your fatherhood shall know that although I am none of the oldest in the world yet I haue bene seene in some battels where I haue noted men of singular valour and incomparable power but I neuer saw so braue and generous a knight whereat he fetcht a great sigh as the king Dom Sebastian For he exceâ—â—ed all the rest fighting in this sad and disastrous battell and euer I was by his side all the world would haue made him way and by the behauiour of his sword he left the earth couered with his enemies bodies God hauing then giuen deare father to the Christians a Prince so valiant hardie coragious wise good and iust and to take him from them againe in so short a time for he was aged but 24. yeares 7. monethes and 15. dayes he should shew himselfe cruell and very vniust to them and as for my selfe I should so hold and esteeme him A discrete answere out of an infidels mouth considering he was better grounded in good speech then gouerned by the rule of truth because among the attributes which we giue to God one of the most proper is that he is an vpright Iudge and the iudgements of all truth are iustified by himselfe as the kingly Prophet Dauid euidently shewes vs in the 18. Psalme and 10. verse And because quoth he proceeding that I hold it for most certaine that he is aliue know that I came from the battell with him and with the king Muley Mahamet my deare brother and riding along the riuer of Larache to passe on the other side certaine Moores gaue vs the chase some sixe leagues from the field of battell So that we were forced to separate our selues one from another I passed the riuer leauing the king and my brother on the other side He was very sore hurt vpon one arme and the bloud ran forth thereat abundantly so that if he be dead it was vpon that wound otherwise without all doubt he is liuing I sweare to your fatherhood that my words are of truth My selfe hauing discoursed this story to diuerse persons as well in Portugall as some other parts of Spaine whence I departed in the yeare 1581. constrained to leaue my countrey as well for further freedome as to saue my selfe from the menaced danger of mine enemie to passe into Fraunce so to England Holland Zeland and other quarters of Germany and Europe Most worthy Lord this may serue as a true testimony for me before meÌ„ to stop the mouthes of some aduersaries who according to their deprauing custome say that I haue not spoken this vpon mine oath but onely inuented it He further named many to me that were forced to flight whose names I do not now very well remember I thinke I haue remembrance of them at Paris among my papers written by the hand of a Gentleman a Portugueze who was named Sebastian Figuéra which he gaue me three yeares after as I demanded diuers questions of him concerning that day to insert them in a booke which I was then making The same Gentleman parted with the king who about foure leagues from the field of battell commanded him to turne backe againe to vnderstand whether the enemie pursued still oâ— no which he did but comming backe the same way to seeke the king he could not see any of them that he had parted withall And he had not gone far but being grieuously wounded he was taken by the Moores who questioning with him about king Sebastian to the ende they should desist from his further pursuite he told them that he saw his bodie lying among the dead Many yeares since I heard the same storie out of the same Gentlemans mouth In all the speech I had with Cid Albequerin about king Sebastian and in all my conference with mine vncle and this last mentioned gentleman with diuerse others I neuer heard any report of his garments nor of his armes which were much differing from those of other Princes and gentlemen which made me euermore hold it for most certaine that he was still aliue because he could not be found dead in the battell And this beleefe was secretly kept among the Portugals although publikely they agreed with others and spake the contrarie therefore let no bodie blame vs in firmely maintaining that this should appeare to be the true king Dâ— Sebastian I know well that your worthinesse may reply vnto me aâ— I was not aboue three moneths since answered by my Loâ—â—he Pâ—nce which Prince is Henry of Bourbon Prince of Conde câ—efe Prince of the bloud and chief Peete of Fraunce at S. 〈◊〉 des Fossez according to his quicke and iugenuous spirit â—s one of the most rare and apprehensiue spirits in the world who said If you hold this opinion how chaunce you haue written in your booke De ortu Portugalliae regni initijs c. which was printed at Paris in the yeare 1582. that the king Dom Sebastian was dead I say now to your reuerend Lordship as then I answered the selfe same Prince My Lord your argument is very forcible neuerthelesse you must know that when I made that booke which was in the yere 1581. it was no long while after king Sebastian had thus lost himselfe and as then it was a matter extreamely perillous to manifest this truth because that as Latine bookes might passe into Barbarie the king of that countrie gathering knowledge thereby that the king Dom Sebastian was in those parts and causing him by search to be found out I might be iustly taxed with the cause of his losse which had bene very great to all Christendome But would you vouchsafe to see the booke I made De iure quod competie viris Portugallensibus in augurandis suis Regibus aâ— Principibus which I writ in the yeare 1588. you shall there find that when
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
are most dangerous They thinke that they can impeach what God hath ordained ab aeterno as the diuell would haue done the death of Iesus Christ by the meanes of the wife of Pilate That this is very true I sweare to your fatherhood by the passion of Iesus Christ that this man is as truly the King Dom Sebastian as I am knowne to be Frier Stephen de Sampayo And if it be not found to proue accordingly let me not only be condemned as a lyer but for a renegate a blasphemer and an hereticke For this haue I endeuored my very vttermost diligence in my Portugall voyage I haue bene on one side and another and vnderstand secretly that he hath all the markes on his body without failing in any one of them as he had in his infancy onely the wounds excepted which he receiued in the bloudy day at Affricke He giues the reason of his life and yeelds account of all his passages in such sort as there is no vnderstanding so obstinate and blind but must thereby be vtterly vanquished and God be my helper as this is the truth These Lords do expect that Kings and Princes should vndertake this businesse at whose instance they would admit vs to haue sight and knowledge of him because they would not be faulty toward the Spaniard for they say they would not incurre the ill will of any one This is an occasion whereby your reuerend fatherhood may purchase more honour and performe farre greater seruice to God theÌ„ euer any Portugueze did in comming hither bringing such letters of fauor with you as may obtaine for vs the sight of him and by examination to apprehend the very certainty for here you shall find with vs more theÌ„ twelue persons of all the estates of his time to know him by He hath bene so vnfortunate that leauing all his companions scattered through the world he is here arriued without any one of them Dom George de Lancastre Duke of Aâ—eyro whom he left in Aethiopia were sufficicient for his deliuerance if he were here present I humbly pray your fatherhood that vpon sight of this present letter you would speedily iourney hither for your personall being here is very necessary considering withall that a religious man your brother of the order of S. Dominicke vses these perswasions to you one that desires your good honor and quiet with as earnest affection as his owne It is seuenteene monethes since I put hand to this seruice I haue bene in Portugall and returned thence as I haue told you it is impossible for me to be abused as some are who thinke this man not to be the King Dom Sebastian but that the Seigneurie detaines another hidden in stead of him This man here knowne and reknowne for such by the Concierges by the Iudges by the greater part of the Senate and by his owne Confessor yet such is the inuention of this worlds children as they imagine themselues more powerfull then God and would presume to abolish so maruellous a worke of the Lord. I haue written to the Gouernour and to many other I know not what the sinnes are of our Portugezes in Fraunce who were wont to oppose their liues to extreame daungers and hazard losse of their goods with very good zeale for a figure and will they not now with so much honor in an action of truth and glory make their owne aduantage and benefit not for a shadow but for a rightfull King whose life both in the prison and abroad rauisheth all the countrey with admiration by the meanes of his fastings prayers and disciplines notwithstanding all which his strength is not a iot impaired for he is of very maruellous fortitude Whosoeuer will say that this man is a Calabrois and that he speakes not a word of Portugall he lies he is the true King of Portugall Dom Sebastian and speaketh Portugall though somewhat corrupted because it is 22. yeares since he spake the language vsually Whosoeuer sayth that they haue shewne him to vs he lies for to delay and winne time withall these Lords sent me to Portugall to be enformed of the markes of his body telling me that otherwise they would not let me see him and that the Portugals had such forward desire to be free from the Spaniards as they would maintaine if need were that their king Dom Sebastian was but a Negro Now albeit that I haue brought so many authentical markes approued by publicke instruments from a Notary Apostolicke I haue intreated that we may haue sight of him to examine him and make knowne the truth or falshood of the case by the certifications which I brought hither with me as also a Chanon of Lisbone that came along with me It was answered vs from the Senate after diuerse and sundry contestations that it was not a matter belonging to them to know whether he were a king or no without some Kings and Princes moued the same to them on his behalfe I speake so amply to your fatherhood because you may perceiue with what zeale I write at this instant I iustifie againe vnto you and sweare by the eternall God by his only begotten sonne and by all our faith that this prisoner is our true Lord the King Dom Sebastian If your reuerend selfe would come with letters from his most Christian Maiestie I beleeue that without any hinderance they would shew him to vs and vpon acknowledging let vs haue him enlarged We are now going to moue our request to his Holinesse that it might please him to set a helping hand to this businesse considering it is a case so iust and meritable of pitty wherein we doubt not but to haue his furtherance With this present I haue sent you the oath of the holy King to the end that you may make it publicke by impression and by the first conuenient meanes I will send you a letter which his Maiesty wrote to his holinesse with an Elegie wherein he makes the discourse of his life Once more I earnestly intreate your fatherhood as much as possibly remaines in me that by no meanes you will let slip so notable an occasion well worthy to carry his deseruing talent and that in person you would manage a matter of such importance which beside imploring the strong arme of the King and the fauor of all Princes hath necessarily need of the assistance of all loyal Portuguezes For what account of himselfe can the reuerend father Frier Ioseph Texere render to the world so firme and constant a louer of his countrey What excuse can he alleadge though there may be many for not giuing furtherance to this affaire Will he incur the infamie of N. who for his offences should be seene that this king doth liue What hath your fatherhood done against the kingdome that you should not present your selfe before all the world with plaine and open lookes Oh for the loue of God I beseech you consider in your soule with what sincere affection I
vse this language to you I trust God him selfe will illuminate your reuerend vnderstanding to behold how deare an interest you haue in this cause From Venice the xii of October 1600. The seruant and brother to your fatherhood Frier Stephen de Sampayo Another Letter from Dom Iohn de Castro To the worthie Sir Doctoâ— Texere Counsellour and Almoner to the most Christâ—n King chiefe Almoner to my Lord the Prince and Confessour to Madame the Princesse his mother At Paris in the couent of the Iacobius SIR I am extremely astonished being the man that you are and so well knowne for a Portuguese that you should at anie time couet anie thing more then the freedome of Portugall that you make so small account of this incredible maruell concerning the king Dom Sebastian the only prize of all that kingdomes best aduentures considering it is now so manie yeares since that you employed yourselfe in this businesse with no small seruice vnto the said Lord. You haue seene the whole discourse along of this matter by letters as well from my selfe as others and because the former which I writ vnto you were but briefly handled as committing what remained ouerplus to better leisure I am now determined for diuerse good respectes to touch more largely yet as briefly as I can the verie foundation and ground of the whole worke The King Dom Sebastian who in the yeare 1578. lost himselfe in the battell of Affricke he whom the enemie cals a Caâ—aâ—oâ—s is the verie same prisoner which is now detained here euen as certainly as you are Frier Ioseph and my selfe Dom Iohn He departed safe and aliue from the battell but verie sore wouÌ„ded God hauing so deliuered him with some other of his companie among whom was the Duke of Aueyro And hauing gone the better part of the world about the end of his peregrination he resolued to liue priuate in an Hermitage where after some time passed he was inspired by God that he should returne againâ— to Portugall to gouerne his kingdome The selfe same inspiration was likewise giuen to an Hermite in the companie of whom he â—ad liued which Hermite reuealed many things very secret to him touching this matter for which cause he departed from the place where he abode to accomplish what the Spirit of God had inspired and enioyned him to So he arriued in Sicilie in the yeare 1598. where he entertained foure or fiue seruants for he went before without companie with whom he embarked himselfe at Messina in a Galley belonging to his Holinesse to 〈◊〉 for Rome purposing to discouer himselfe to his said Holiâ— When he was come neare Rome those fellowes 〈…〉 entertained for his seruants robbed and despoiled him of 〈◊〉 had leauing him both poore and naked so that he was 〈◊〉 to seeke to needie and verie wretched people who besto◠〈◊〉 â—omewhat on him for the honor of God This mishap made him alter his former purpose and thâ— poore miserable man was glad to trace all Italie in hope to find the theeues that had thus despoiled him In the end hearing no tidings at all of them he retired to this Citie the aboue named yeare in the moneth of Iune hauing about him but one poore Gazete a peece of mony valuing three Liards of France In this maner he lodged at a needie wretched house where he remained some dayes not being knowne Afterward diuerse particularly began to listen after him for they heard that he called himselfe first a Knight of the Crosse and then afterward the King Dom Sebastian As this brute ran abrode Antonio de Brito Pimentel Pantaleon Pessoa and many others came oftentimes to see him at his lodging and by occasion of this rumour which spread it selfe more and more through the Citie chaunging his lodging he fell by misfortune into the hands of vile men which being but verie bare themselues yet gaue him clothes and food at their charges He got verie euill reputation by the companie of such people which was the principal cause or his strange misaduenture He was with those companions at Padoa whereof this Seigneurie being aduertised by the Ambassador of Castille and of some tumults made among them to forestall such inconueniences as might ensue they sent to the Podestat of Padoa that he should by coÌ„mandement cause him to auoid the Towne within certaine houres and by like certaine dayes to depart the places belonging to their Estate Hereupon for some speciall reasons best knowne to himself he returned againe vnto this Citie where the Seigneurs thereof at the instance of the said Ambassadour who assured them that he was but a thiefe and a seductour prouing it by the testimony of Iewish merchants Portugueses and other persons of selfsame honest qualitie who tooke their oathes he was not the King Sebastian because the true King died in the battell of Affricke neither did he resemble him in any degree imputing to him many and verie enormous crimes they sent to apprehend him and as a malefactour committed him to verie close imprisonment notwithstanding there were many persons both before and since his commitment that had knowne him verie well in Portugall and affirmed him to be the true king Dom Sebastian At his first questioning withall he declared to the Lords his mishap in Affrica and in what maner God had deliuered him After to diuerse others he did the like and perceiuing they would search into all his secrets yet vsing him verie hardly being a King and one that had no way preiudiced their estate vpon his naturall and wonted inclination to choler moued in a subiect of such iustice and equitie he refused to make them anie more direct answers but one while said one thing then againe another neuerthelesse he euermore maintained him selfe to be the true king Dom Sebastian desiring the Lords therein to beleeue him and if they approued him not to be the same then to chastise him iustly as a false deceiuer which as yet to this instant they would neuer do nor yet permit him to be seene by any He is in a certaine prison where no man may enter or speake to the prisoners neither may one write vnto him on perill of the saylours life if he should but consent thereto He hath endured verie great pouerties and passed through many hard trauerses being no lesse reproched and misprised then the basest prisoners with him His life is very religious addicted altogether to prayer and fasting feeding but on bread water most dayes in the weeke And yet notwithstanding this austere abstinence he is verie strong as I haue heard by one of the prisoners released out of that prison who departed thence greatly affectionate to him seeming to loue him highly and reported matters maruellous of his strength and other good parts As for the exteriour markes of his bodie he wants not one of them which he had when as he raigned the selfe same lip looke head bodie armes thighes legges and feete not fayling of anie one
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
But should I confesse the truth my loue would much more haue forwarded me rather haue had me to write in my natiue Portuguese Our Lord gard and giue prosperity to a personage of such honor From Lions the 6. of Ianuary 1601. The most humble orator and seruant to your worthy Lordship Frier Ioseph Texere Portuguese The copie of another Letter from the said father Frier Ioseph to the same Bishop MOst worthie Lord habita benedictione being since the 23 of this instant moneth dispatched with pasport from his Maiestie most Christian and the worthie Legaâ—e Aldobrandino for my passage into Italie about affaires of mine Order some of mine owne in particular with sundrie letters of fauor for Venice for Rome and other places furnished with all things needfull for my voyage I departed not till the 24 because it was the euen of Christmas I had receiued the 22. your Lordships letter whereto I made no answer till the 6. and then gaue it to my Lord your nephew who is not hence departed as yet And as I thought to depart on the Sonday after the feasts I could not do it by reason we had intelligence that on the way of Lions were disbanded souldiers of the Swizzers who robbed and ill intreated all passengers Hereupon I made account to depart in the companie of my Lord Monsieur de Sancy who trauelled to the Fort of S. Catherine The said Lord being hindred by his businesses made me to attend from day to day till the Sonday following the 7. of this instant and yet our parting was put off froÌ„ Sonday to Monday It seemes that God had so appointed it to the end I should not throw my selfe into danger nor the incommodities of the season neither vndertake a iourney to no ende For on the same Sonday when we had resolued without faile to depart thence about the seuenth houre of night I receiued letters from Venice wherby I was aduertised that the king of Portugal Don Sebastian my Lord was set at liberty And at the ninth houre of the same night came a Gentleman to my lodging one of my friends and acquaintance with him a Page belonging to a Lord my friend likewise carying a lighted torch which Gentleman told me on the behalfe of the said Lord that he had also receiued letters from Venice wherein were some newes that he desired to acquaint me withall I tooke my cloake and went to see him in his lodging where he confirmed to me the same tydings And parting thence after ten a clock I went to visit another Lord who at the first sight of me said I verie well know â—at you come to tell me Suddenly he againe ratified the forâ— newes discoursing theÌ„ to me by diuerse particularities that said king was so parted thence that he went to embarke him 〈◊〉 at Liuorne for passage to Marseilles and from Marseilles to 〈◊〉 Court that there came in his companie the Lord Christoâ—o youngest sonne to the deceassed King D. Antonio and D. â—n de Castro of whom one had written to him that at the sight â—e king D Sebastian he stood much amazed but comming to â—er consideration threw himselfe suddenly at his feete and â—ed him his Lord and King On the next day came in publike very many letters all grounâ— vpon this subiect onely The ioy and gladnesse was so great â—ng the Princes euery where in the Court with the Prinâ—es Ladies and Gentlewomen great and small noble and vnâ—le Ecclesiasticall and regulars as I cannot expresse to your â—thinesse My Lord your nephew both heard and saw all he 〈◊〉 report it as an eye witnes what ke thinks of the forward wils â—esires which he beheld in the Princes Lords Gentlemen â— coniointly offred their persons their means abilities in the â—ice of this king whoÌ„ the most part of such as had written of 〈◊〉 from Venice Padoa other parts gaue the name of holy â—urely I dare affirme thus much vnto you as a matter certaine 〈◊〉 not to be doubted that if this king my Lord come into this â—gdome as we alreadie are aduertised his Maiestie most Chriâ— with all his power and authoritie can hardly hinder the â—ces Lords Gentlemen Souldiers what should I say the â—sts Monkes Merchants Mecanicks the Pilots and Mariâ— from assisting with their seruice this Prince My Lord I haue euery day hardly passed to and fro from my â—ging for in the streets some call me others meet me some â—y to teare the very cloake off my backe Such as heretofore â—e incredulous made a mockery hereof are those that now â—heir hands highest to heauen and come to make the largest â—s Res miranda Euery day we haue here nothing but false â—mes for so soone as some foure or fiue men are seene to â—e on horsebacke immediatly it is the King Sebastian men â—en and children run out of the Citie to meete him In brief â—oy the contentment and the desire of this Princes arriuall is so great yea in all persons without anie difference as if he were giuen as an onely remedie to the trauailes and miseries of this present age And that it may proue so if auncient prophesies deceiue vs not all Christendome hath reason to hope much of prosperitie and welfare by the meanes of this holy King The newes that I haue how he was set at libertie are these After that the Portuguezes had obtained audience of the Senate which the Lords granted them with benigne and readie will Diego Manuell arriued there from France and Sebastian Figuera from the States of Holland with letters in fauour of this affaire as elsewhere you haue heard before and from Rome the Lord Dom Christophero with Manuel de Brito Pimentel Pantaleon Pessoa de Neyua and Frances Antoine with whom there ioyned manie Portugueses more that came from diuers parts The eleuenth of this moneth past the Lords entred into Councell which they there terme Pregay where commonly you shall haue two hundred Lords of the chiefest of that Seigneurie The Pregay held for the space of foure daies On the last which was the instant about ten of the clock in the night the Lords concluded on their last resolution in this case They caused the prisoner to be brought and commanded a Secretarie to set down this determination following Because he names himselfe to be the King of Portugall Dom Sebastian he is commanded out of this Citie within one day and from the parts belonging to this Seigneurie within three daies more on paine of commitment to the gallies for the space of ten yeeres with yron gyues at his feete But if his indisposition of bodie cannot suffer this paine then he stands condemned to perpetual imprisonment Moreouer for punishment of his disobedience committed in not departing the lands belonging to the State at the time when by commaundement of the podestate of Padoa he was so enioyned they had alreadie giuen him these two yeeres and 22. daies imprisonment since the contempt
The sentence pronounced he was immediatly set at libertie betweene eleuen and twelue of the clocke in the night Some letters from certaine of Italie speaking in this manner say This was but a boxe of coriander comfites to please the Spaniard withall because he is their neigbour the gazetes affirme the same A French Archbishop resident in those quarters a man of â—es great authoritie and vertue writing in his own language â—ne of his friends dwelling in this citie The Portuguezes saith â—hat were here to demand their King in the end had him knew 〈◊〉 saluted him and caried him hence The first signe of acknowâ—ement giuen by them was that he had one hand longer then the â—r The Lords of this Seigneury thinke they dealt wisely in washâ— their hands of him â—he king went from the Senate without anie suffered to keep â— companie and came all alone to the house of one maister â—unces his ancent host a Greeke by birth with whom he found â—ged two gentlemen Portuguezes Rodrigo Marques and Seâ—an Figuera These men hauing well beheld and noted him â—t they found him mightily changed and differing from him â—m they saw in Affrick on the battaile day yet they knew him â—ques ran speedily to the lodgings of the Lord Dom Cristoâ—o and of Dom Iohn de Castro to aduertise them of what had â—ed the king remained in confereÌ„ce of Portugal affaires with â—era It was thoght good to remoue the king out of that house â—o lodge him where D. Iohn lay as being more capable and 〈◊〉 publique Then came the Lord Dom Christophero and the â—e Portuguezes that came with him from Rome to see him all the three knew the king Manuel de Brito hauing seen him â—ortugall Pantaleon Pessoa and Frances Antoine hauing likeâ— seene him in Portugal and since then in the day of Affricke â—e Portugueses being thus come to the lodging of D. Iohn with â—m Diego Manuel abode the king in presence of some stranâ— tooke occasion of speech with them in this manner Portuguezes you haue done a verie great good to your counâ—â—nd a seruice verie signall to me that am your Lord and king â—re my vastalles and subiects and seeing you haue performed â— you ought both in your respect to God and your owne obâ— dutie you shal not find me ingrateful for it I am your father 〈◊〉 you shal be my children Now that I am in your hands I pray 〈◊〉 order your proceedings with discretion because you stand â—d to satisfie such as shalll question you how you know me 〈◊〉 our Lord and king And if you find that I am not he but an â—er chastice me accordingly throw me into the sea There are some amoÌ„g you possessed with writings of the marks which I haue on my bodie as well those secret as the other apparant them the father doctor de Sampayo and the Channon brought from Portugall proued authenticall by publique instruments of credite from the Notaries Apostolique I know those instruments to be made iudicially and witnessed by persons of qualitie that nursed me and manie times saw me naked when I was a child Behold I pray you for your owne satisfying whether it be so that I haue al those markes or no. And as he would haue vnclothed himself to be more perfectly knowne to them the Portugâ—â—zes would not suffer him but desired that he would discourse to them some matter of his aduentures Whereto he replied that he would therein resolue them an other time in meane while he requested them to pleasure him so much as to tell him some newes of his friends and countrie Herevpon he began to enquire of Dom Iohn de Castro concerning his brethren his vncles and other kinred of Dom Christophero for his brother Dom Emanuel And after he had conferred a long while with him well considering and noting his face and countenance You resemble very much Dom Antonio your father quoth he to him but I pray God giue you grace to resemble in deedes your Grandfather the infant Dom Lewes Duke of Beja Here we haue manie things worthie Sir to speake of and let me tell you that this king neuer loued some actions of the Lord Dom Antonio who was cousin germaine to his father the Prince D. Iohn because he was a man addicted to women loftie somewhat vnquiet and he had demaunded of the Queene D. Catharine and of the Cardinal D. Henriques brother to his grandfather the king D. Iohn and to the infant D. Lewes father to Antonio somewhat that they would not giue him as finding they were not so much beholding to him Some few daies before he departed on his Affrick voyage in verie much choler he had some sharp and rough speech with Dom Antonio and thereupon the said Lord was not shipped in the same Gallion with the king but in that of Dom Alphonso de Portugall Earle of Vimieuse father to D. Frances de Portugall who came into France with the title of Constable to whom he was a verie great friend So much for the Lord Dom Antonio and so much likewise for the infant whom D. Sebastian neuer knew for when he died in the end of the â— 1555. Sebastian was but two yeeres olde he was a Prince great in vertue and wisedome of whom Duarte Nunes de â— albeit in the booke he writ against me he speakes euill of al â—of him he saies well enough This infant was a Prince verie â—tie valiant practised in the art militarie addicted to armes â—xcellent horseman loued hunting and the Mathematiques â—y religious And being endued with so manie rare and heroiâ—â—ertues the Princes and councell of the Realme of England â—ested and made choise of him to ioyne in mariage with â—ry their Queene to reigne with her ouer them In summe infant was so wise discreete and skilfull as anie prince â—d not bee accomplished with better partes For this â— Sebastian although he knew him not but by fame only yet â—spected his name greatly loued and made reckening of his â—ns â—ow your Lordship may consider how proper these wordes â—o the King Dom Sebastian After two and twentie yeeres and â—e he discouered in publique what he had kept hidden in his â—e breast and which could not be manifested by anie other 〈◊〉 by himselfe onely because God alone knowes the inward â—ghts of men He hath made knowne to diuers the markes of â—nds receiued on his head in the battaile of Affricke causing 〈◊〉 to put their fingers therein and to them shewed beside the 〈◊〉 signes naturally caractered on his bodie Thus speÌ„t he about â—e houres space wirh the said Portuguezes demanding diuers â—ers of them shewing himselfe so familiar and friendly as he â—cted each of them verie choicely and louingly But yet he â—ot off the cariage of royall maiestie which seemed in him â—esse then if he were sitting in his seate of iustice with the â—ne on his head and scepter in his hand in the citie of Lisâ— Afterward when euerie one was
himselfe because he had not slept in all the night before but in steede of sleeping he fell to prayer Before we left him he offered to pull on his shooes D. Iohn made offer but could not albeit he tooke paines enough nor likewise Diego Manuel after D. Iohn because the insteppe of his foote was so high as it required much better strength to pull them on He seeing that they could not attaine it set his foote vpon a stoole and pluckt it on himselfe verie easily a verie certaine testimonie of his naturall strength and a verifying of that which is saide among the markes of his bodie The father de Sampayo and Frier Chrysostome staid not long before they came who with the King and D. Iohn thought good to haue him out of that house because the people began now to make a murmuring and grumbling euerie one being verie desirous to see him to conuey him to the couent of S. Dominick So did himselfe likewise desire not only to part thence but quite out of Venice and that they would resolue themselues which way were best to take for auoyding the countrie D. Iohn and Dicâ— â—anuell went on with him the said fathers hasting before to â—minickes and leauing him there all foure went to the lodgâ— the Lord D. Christophero where considering that the passaâ— either side for the Grisons and Germanie were stopt vp â—anes of the Ambassadours of Castille and Sauoy whereof â—ad good intelligence by Venetian gentlemen who went 〈◊〉 quest thereof and assisted them with their best counâ—â—ey concluded that they would depart the night following 〈◊〉 the citie in the habites of religious conuerts from S. Domiâ— with an Italian father of the said monasterie and embarâ—â—hemselues in a Gundelot passe thence to Chioazza from â—azza straight to Ferrara where they would stay for more â—anie to goe for Florence and from thence to Liuorne and so â—rseilles As it was said so it was done â—e night being come the King embarked himselfe in a gunâ— with the said Italian father whose courage failed him and â—uing the hardinesse to venture this iourney left his maiestie 〈◊〉 gundelot returned to his monasterie The father de Samâ— â—nd Frier Chrysostome seeing this concluded that of them 〈◊〉 because delaye caused danger the Frier Chrysostome â—d accompanie him So passed they on euen vntil it was night â—e saterday which was the 16. of December the King hauing â—larged the night before being the 15. of the same moneth â—ay following being sunday and the 17. the father doctour â—mpayo came to the lodging of the Lord Dom Christophero â—er Dom Iohn and the other Portuguezes being aduertised â—of came verie soone after They hearing by the father doâ— in what manner the King was departed became extreamly â—ed in mind and verie pensiue suspecting immediatly some â—e to ensue for Frier Chrysostom was a verie bad man of euil â—t and too well knowne in Italie and euerie where bruted â—e was at Venice soliciting the Kings deliuerie All agreed 〈◊〉 should away the verie same houre to accompanie his Maâ— so I embarqued my selfe forthwith and on the monday folâ—g arriued at Chioazza 25. miles from Venice where I â—d newes that the King tooke another way because he had â—gence being refreshing himselfe on land that there was a of warre ariued who made enquirie after two religious persons and had souldiers abord sent from the Ambassadour of Castille and so that they were gone by Padoa Hereupon I shipt my selfe againe in hope to recouer them which was impssible for me by reason of the waters extremitie but was constrained to returne to Venice Here let me tell your Excellencie that the night whereon the king was enlarged there arose in Venice a verie great wind which endured vntil midnight after the next day wherein ensued such a mightie ouerflow of the waters in the citie as it drowned vp great store of houses and did harme to the amounting of aboue three millions For all the cesternes were lost also the wines the spices sugers and merchandises that were in their lower warehouses This inundation began as I said on tuesday at night the 19. of December the day limitted for the Kings departing from the confines of the Siegneurie as likewise notwithstanding he did A thing which bred a verie straunge amazement among the men in those parts who held diuers opinions of this accident and almost all assured themselues that the presence of this holy King was a wonderfull preseruation to the citie All matters concerning this Prince are accommpanied with extraordinarie signes from heauen One told me on the way that the 28. of the moneth past fell two such thunder claps at Florence as haue shiuerd la Copa of the great Church and almost an vnrecouerable losle For it is said the work can neuer be brought to the perfection wherein it was in the iudgement of the best if they would dispend theron foure hundred thousand crownes the first amounted to sixe hundred thousand they that imagine the least speake of two hundred thousand So soone as I was at Venice came the letters of Frier Chrysostome written from Padoa wherein he signified that the King would go thence by Ferrara and from Ferrara to Florence whereon they all put themselues in readinesse to follow And because manie report that the king trauelled continually like a Jacobine I assure your Excellencie they deceiue themselues for he left it off at his parting from Padoa betaking himselfe to his Cape and râ—ier Those letters made me take sea the same day and making to Ferrara with all speede I could at my arriual I heard the king was past Thence I followed and came to Florence the â—â—rst of Ianuarie and going to seeke Frier Chrysostome at the moâ—asterie of the Cisteaux he told me that the great Duke had made â—ay of our Lord the King and as for himselfe he had attended â—wo daies about his deliuerie I gaue notice hereof to the Lord Dom Christophero and the other Portuguezes who were as yet â—n their way thither and arriued there the 4. of the said moneth â—here hauing first done some diligent indeuors towards the great Duke they concluded vpon our separation So the quarter of Holâ—nd being committed to me as I signified to your Excellencie in â—e beginning hereof I returned to Venice where I would not â—ew my selfe but from Venice past to Ausbourg from Ausâ—ourg to Noremberg to gaine Hamborough which possibly I â—ould not do by reason of the snowes The theeues vpoÌ„ the waies â—nd sundrie other discommodities much hindred me which made â—e come to this citie of Heildelberg where I haue visited the â—ountie Palatine and the Countesse your faire sister From hence 〈◊〉 will goe into Lorraine and thence passe into France praying God to guide me with safetie to Paris to the end I may speedily â—ome to your Excellencie whom the Lord prosper and keepe in â—s protection From Heidelberg this twelfth of Februarie 1601. 〈◊〉 leaue manie