Church These vsurers beleeuing this to be true and desirous to make gaine of any thing beganne to enter into the course of laying wagers as the Castilians had aduised them The witnesses hearing they offered so franckly a thousand for one if the prisoner were iudged to be Dom Sebastian c. knowing certainly that it was he beleeuing that the Senate in regard of such especiall markes tokens and proofes would not refuse to publish him what they had found him were easily drawne to bargaine with these bankers to some of the which the simple and honest men gaue out twentie some thirtie some fiftie some ten some fiue crownes in hope to be paid a thousand for one so that they had giuen out some three hundred crownes or more and shortly after they found out the wrong and hindrance they had done to the poore Kings cause by their mony they begun to repent themselues exceedingly of their folly the account was cast that the repaiment would amount to three hundred thousand crownes And the bankers seeing themselues ingaged for so great a sum of monie and if the Senate should chance to publish that which they knew to be true that they were like to be stripped of the greatest part of their substance began to complot and oppose themselues to counterchecke the truth which fell out to be a great preiudice and barre to the King my maisters cause for that many chiefe men and the factors of many principall houses were interested in this hazard of indemnitie as those of the house of Astroci Caponi Baglioni Labia Iacobo Begia Antonio Simone Pietro Tobon Bastian Garinoni and many others of their parents and allies for their sakes among which were diuers that bare office in the common-weale as Iacobo Fuscurini a proctor in S. Marke that was euer enemie to the King my maister In the end this diuellish inuention and Castilian pernicious pollicie wrought vs much woe and multiplied our enemies infinitely for it was so commonly knowne and spoken that litle children as they went for mustard could say that this was the principall cause why the Senators would haue had Dom Sebastian say he was not Dom Sebastian but a Calabrian and they promised straight to set him at libertie and not that fauour alone but they would do what else for him he could or would require Whereupon he wrote a letter to the Pope complaining iustly vpon the Senators of Venice for requiring at his hands so vnlawfull a thing to whom he declared in his letter that he answered them that he had rather die a tortured death then confesse so palpable an vntruth to gaine an ignominious life and libertie O that it were possible for me to speake all that is true in this case but I must let passe infinite iniuries least the reuealing all might rather aggraute then relieue my maisters miserie If I durst this discourse should haue bene more ample and better vnderstood if it were lawful that I might say what I could say that the Monarks and Princes of Christendome haue done the King my Lord secretly and openly much good and ill and are vnwilling either of both should be manifested to the world in writing Notwithstanding I will neuer burie in silence an answer that a grand Sabio of this commonwealth made to a magnificent Prince in Europe of great vnderstanding but of no great antiquitie This Sabio going to visite this Prince was intreated by him to tell him what ground the Seigniorie of Venice had to proceed vpon the prisoner in that forme which called himselfe Dom Sebastian King of Portugale for said he if they found him to be a Calabrian why did they set him at libertie without chastisement And if it were verified vnto them by good proofes and euidence that he was Dom Sebastian King of Portugal why did they vse him in that maner The grand Sabio publikely made this answer in the presence of many Sir forasmuch as the affaires concerned the estate of Spaine the Seigniorie would not presume to iudge whether it was he or not This man was committed for disobeying a commaundement the Seigniorie laid vpon him and therefore restrained two yeares of his libertie to the end he might repent him of his fault and after the expiration of two yeares againe dismissed him vpon the like commaundement And to be plaine with your Excellencie the man would follow no good aduice but was wilfull turbulent and of ill gouernement by which meanes much ill is come vnto him That word ill aduised might haue bene well interpreted for that he would not denie himselfe to be that which vndoubtedly he was It was not my fortune to be present at this act being elsewhere employed out of those parts but at my returne it was related to me by a learned person that was there in present which afterward the same Prince himselfe did ratifie vnto me assuring me that the answer of that Sabio grand did verily induce him to beleeue that that prisoner was Dom Sebastian the very true King of Portugale for if the Seigniorie had held this man to be a Calabrian said this Prince to what purpose did the Sabio hold me with such a long discourse publickely considering he knew the priuitie of the affaires if he had bene proued a Calabrian it had bene sufficient to haue said in a word Sir he was a Calabrian an impostor and a cosiner without any more ado But you see how the world fares and how it swayes abruptly and so ends my pitifull narration aduising intreating and coniuring you gentle Reader to shun the snares and trips of these subtill enemies for I can assure you by the testimonie of a good conscience that they be those that S. Chrysostome terme the Pharises Qui portabant mel in ore fel in corde they will flap you in the mouth with honie which when you begin to chew perhaps you shall taste sweete but in the digestion you shall find it most bitter in operation Farewell FINIS
by my returne this by-way I gathered some certaintie of much that happened to Dom Sobastian the King since his slight out of Africke vntill he was discharged out of this common-weale and now I begin to make your Lordship a true relation certaine and without controlement When it was spread at Rome that I remained in this town and that by reason of my hurt I could not sodainly depart from hence a friend of mine certified me by letteers the sixth of August in what maner Paula Catizzone with her daughter arriued at Naples being shipped from Messina by the Catholike Kings agents to come and acknowledge this prisoner for her husbād and the said Paula meeting in the ship with a religious man of the order of S. Francis of her acquaintance she dicouering the cause of her trauel vnto him assuring him she knew vndoubtedly that that prisoner was not Marco Tullio Catizzone her husband saying that same prisoner that they cal D. Sebastiā king of Portugale had sent him into Portugal which she trusted would make wel for that prisoner and do him no hurt at al and that she came rather to iustifie then to condemne him The same man my friend promised me of particular aduertisements of whatsoeuer shal be effected in this businesse I beseech you consider the cunning the Castilians vse in the expedition of their enterprises who are both terrible and warie in all their practises Although they know that Marco Tullio Catizzone died in Portugale yet notwithstanding they continue their indirect and false course with inuentions and sleights colouring their proiects to seduce and blind the world This woman a subiect of the Spanish Kings was threatned vpon paine of death not to hinder any of the Kings proceedings therefore she must take vpon her to know this man and iustifie him to be her husband Marco Tullio c. though she had neuer seene him before be the matter neuer so false as it is most vntrue and so proued by many reasons and letters whereof I made mention to your Lordship in my letters from Florence I haue sent a copie to my friend in Rome to be deliuered to his Holinesse and another to your Lordship with these presents to controle all those that shall belye this action Beside this testimonie there newly arriued a graue Portugal a man of good authoritie and credit that vnderstāding at Rome which way I was departed tooke post horses came after me Beside that he was one of my old acquaintance he brought letters in his bosome of recommendation to induce me to trust him and that he might open his secrets vnto me which certaine Lords of Portugale that sent him charged him to doe This man named the house in which Marco Tullio Catizzone died to the owner whereof he brought and deliuered certaine letters from the King and there were counter letters written which were neuer as yet deliuered to the King In such sort that this falsitie that this prisoner is Marco Tullio Catizzone can by no meanes be prooued in fauour of the inuenters thereof Now forasmuch as from time to time I am in more liklihood to recouer this mishap I trust I shall not haue cause to stay in this towne to write any more letters vnto you but purpose by Gods helpe to make small delay to come my selfe to your Lorship and excuse all other messengers Beseeching the heauenly King to blesse your excellent lordship From Venice the thirteenth of August 1601. Most humbly at your excellent Lordships seruice father Fr. IOSEPH TEXERE The copie of a Letter written by D. Raimond Marqueti with this inscription To Dom Sebastian calling himselfe King of Portugal being at Venice I Receiued letters from your lordship the sift of September last past wherein I perceiue the resolution your Lordship hath taken to commit your care and trust to Marco Tullio Catizzone a man as worthie as able to manage such a businesse Further I render your Lordship a thousand thankes for the good opinion and confidence you haue reposed in my person in discharge of which trust I will repaire my diligence to learne newes of that Marco Tullio who as yet is not returned into these quarters But so soone as he shall I will giue him to vnderstand how sore your Lordship longeth for his returne and will also aduise him to execute your commaundements in all points with exceeding care diligence and secrecie and by him I will not faile to giue your Lordship to vnderstand that when it pleaseth your Lordship to satisfie your desire to see this countrey haiung alreadie runne through the greatest part of the world I shal procure your conference with these noble men companions to your aduentures which you so earnestly wish to behold viz. the Duke of Aueyro Christopher de Tauora and the rest If you please to send me some priuie markes or tokens that they may repose as much confidence in me as is necessarie for the dispatch of your Lordships dissignes in this seruice and any other I intend to performe to your Lordship both diligence and secrecie As for the letter to Donna Paula Catizzone I hold it no policie to deliuer it her considering it is a loose aduenture in such daungers to trust a woman Neither will I neglect to be carefull for the honour of the said Paula Catizzones house as your Lordship required me and in the end the effects shall shew To conclude I desire your Lordship to excuse me for not vsing so reuerent a stile to your Lordship as I could wish which I hope you conceiue I refraine to do because I would not be discouered in your weightier affaires holding this the best and safest course to do your seruice wherein I beseech the Almightie God to prosper your Lordship and grant you due successe to whose tuition with reuerend kissing your hands a thousand times I commit your Lordship From Messina the eighth of October 1598. Dom Raimond Marquetl The copie of a Letter written by Dom Sebastian King of Portugale while he was prisoner in Venice sent to Padua to the most reuerend D. Prospero Baracco Amner to the Cathedrall Church in that towne the originall remaining in the hands of Sr Georgio Bustarelli MOst reuerend D. Prospero I am to signifie vnto your Lordship how much I haue bene grieued for your meritlesse afflictions hauing suffered imprisonment for my sake by the poursuite of the Castilians mine enemies But seeing things past are irreuocable and are onely to be ouercome with patience considering you are not ignorant of the whole complotment And forasmuch as I am so restrained from writing at large that I cannot expresse vnto you my secret meaning I onely request you to send some trustie messenger to Messina diligently to enquire and search whether Marco Tullio Catizzone be returned thither with any directions or not And to that end purpose your reuerend Lordship may vse my name to D. Raimond Marqueti to whom I wrote heretofore being at Moran if you forget
me from being adiudged to the gallies and also preuented me from being stretched vpon the racke and further obtained pardon of his Maiestie for Emanuel Texere my vnkle that was condemned to loose his head and caused all his goods to be restored that were confiscate for being in employment with D. Antonio against the king and when he could not obtaine a graunt at my hands of that which he demaunded himself he incited my friends and acquaintance to do their vttermost to win me from my constant resolution hoping in regard of the great distance and separation from my countrey and what by the want and necessitie I endured in France with my aged constitution of bodie I would retire from that place and end my age in Portugal where I began my youth attempting afterward by rating reuiling to make me recant when other prouocations would not preuaile All which inticements mixt with bitter taunts moued me nothing at all and at this instant if I would vouchsafe acceptance I might receiue the same entertainement before offered It is not yet two yeares past sithence a very deare friend of mine in this towne prest me with vehement perswasions to returne into Portugale assuring me of as much aduancement there as I would defire but God forbid that euer I should accept it for I had rather be a poore religious beggar in France then a great discontented Bishop in Castile or in Portugale considering the countrey is not it selfe but in bondage most seruilly subiect to Castilian tyrannie In this towne a nobleman of France in the presence of diuers Princes of the Bloud accompanied with some religious men of mine owne order often perswaded me to leaue the habit of S. Dominicke and betake me to another assuring me in liew therof an Abbey which he had in his power at that time to giue afterward a couēt of 8 or 9 thousand liuers annuall rent and to make me capable thereof he promised to procure me a dispensation from his Holinesse to allow the exchange of my present habite All which bountifull proffers could not once moue me to change my shape like a mutable weather-cocke or an airie Camelion For if the spirit of God forsake me not I will die as I haue liued a religious votarie to S. Dominicke and a naturall Portugal and the same blessed stabilitie possesse all those that seeke and spred my reproch and defamation and to those that make a scorne of me I answer nothing but that I am a true religious Portugale of the same disposition that other my countrimen be I meane the godly vertuous and loyall Portugals Neither wil I admit any for my associates in this case but such as be most intirely sincere and constant So I end my present narration in the name of God and purpose to proceed to the handling of my promised discourse which albeit I cannot so exacty relate as I desire not being an eye-witnes of all that hath bene done and suffered by this miserable king my Lord and master I haue gathered out of the greatest probabilities and assertions of the iustest and honestest that I could possibly learne or vnderstand that were able to giue me the best intelligence which diligence I was bound in dutie and conscience to exercise and am withall inforced by the importunitie of many meeting me in the towne and field at euery corner to discourse vnto them my maisters aduentures Therefore to satisfie them and all the world and to meete with their tedious inquisitions I haue effected this collection to rid my selfe of trouble and to quench their inordinate thirst after the truth referring all that can reade to this and my former discourse of Admirable aduentures Farewell The Narration AT my being in Venice gentle Reader I vnderstood by diuerse that the opinion conceiued of many and the rumor commonly spred concerning the death of Dom Sebastian the king of Portugal my Lord and Maister was false and beleeued rather that their reports were more like to be true that maintained the contrarie For that it was confidently iustified by credible persons that he was seene aliue and safe since the battell in Africke namely by Cid Albequerine Emanuell Texer my Vncle N. Murselo Higuera and many other Gentlemen and personages of great qualitie and account He escaped by flight among the route being sore hurt in his head and in one arme and passed as a priuate man to his ships and was embarqued amongst the remnant of his armie that saued themselues by flight as he was forced to do After a few daies he arriued in Portugale in a towne called Neu feu de mille fuentes neare vnto S. Vincents Cape where he refreshed himselfe and sent for a Chirurgian from Faro his name I haue forgotten but well I remember he was reckened excellent in his Art There the king soiourned accompanied with the Duke of Aneiro and Christopher Tauora and diuerse other Lords vntill he was perfectly healed The tidings of his being at the Cape were sodainly spred at Lisbon and was soon published generally throughout all Portugal And it was affirmed that he was seene at the Couent of Capuchins built vpon the point of S. Vincent amongst his companions This rumor was soone quailed by the policie and authoritie of Petro de Alcaçoua great Secretarie of Portugal in the behalfe of Dom Philip king of Spaine with whom he had before-hand concluded when Dom Sebastian the king employed him in Embassage into Spaine before his departure into Africke And for that cause this Petro Alcaçoua a damnable Politician and a monstrous traitour as soone as the first newes came that the Christians had lost the day and his King and Maister slaine this Iew gaue secret intelligence to the king of Castill of all that happened signifying vnto him that nowe were a fit time to surprise the kingdome of Portugall and bid him make readie for the purpose I respected the handling of the second establishment of vnion betweene the king my maister before his departure and the king of Castile which is expressed by one Connestay at large who being a man of good respect in Portugal came post to seeke me from Rome to Venice and amongst many other newes he reported vnto me that as soone as euer it was bruted abroad in Portugall that Dom Sebastian the king was liuing and prisoner in Venice there were many deuises reuiued concerning this brute that long time before lay buried And withall you must note that Dom Diego de Sosa the Admirall which conducted the king into Africke re-embarqued him from thence into Portugall againe and gaue continual intelligence vnto his kindred and assured friends that their king was liuing and that he had secretly receiued him a boord among the scattered troupes and gaue them an especial charge that they should conceale it And further that he gaue him a secret signe whereby he might know him hereafter if need required which priuitie Dom Diego discouered vnawares when a counterfeit
proofes that might easily confute his allegations this one shall serue to satisfie all men that haue any sparke of discretion or iudgement It is impossible that any man should by art force or skil make a mans right arme and leg bigger in all proportions then the left that is only reserued to God that made him And further this reuerend Lord would haue perswaded me that the religious man that so marked him was D. Sampayo which was impossible to be true for the said father neuer once saw the King since he departed from Lisbone to go into Afrike vntill the eleuenth of December last past when he was set at libertie by the Venetians Beside this D. Sampayo neuer knew any priuie marks of the Kings bodie vntil the yeare of our Lord 1599. that he went into Portugale to inquire of them Hearing so many reports so much differing and knowing how hardly this Archbishop could hide his owne errour and considering that to answer him peremptorily might rather hurt then further my purpose and to saue my selfe from perill being within his iurisdiction I was faine to suppresse my inward passions but said vnto him My Lord seeing you vnderstand that the imprisonment of this man was the chiefe cause of my arriual in these parts and as I vnderstand the honourable Knight came from thence being foure times sent for by letters frō Paris to the great Duke sithence I was in Loraine whatsoeuer is or shall become of his persō or affaires I resolue herafter to take litle care but meane to follow the other employment I recounted to your lordship Notwithstanding as one that hath some interest in the cause I will render your Lordship my censure and resolution in a word and make you partaker of my inward and secret contemplations Forasmuch as your lordship hath acquainted with this impostor and deluders confession dissimulation and trumperies I can do no lesse thē grieue thereat very much and the rather that he escaped without punishmēt being as your lordship assures me he is so vile and so notorious an offender maruelling you would suffer so pestilent and damnable a wretch to liue that hath bene the cause of so many mens disasters confiscation of goods ruines and extinguishments by vndertaking misaduentures by sea land and what not indemnities for his sake abandoning countrie father mother wife children house and home rest and safetie and I wonder it pleased God to suffer such a one to be borne that his mother in his conception before her deliuerance had not bene transformed into a stone or presently bin dissolued into smoke or aire What vnhappie man could haue caused me to forsake my place in Paris where I was well and quietly seated to thrust my life into perill but onely he that wicked and vngodly man I haue twise in this vnluckie iorney bene afflicted with the gout diuers times almost ouerwhelmed with snow drenched in waters tormented with clambring rocks and hils sustaining all hazards that sea and land might present me with thunder and lightning from clouds and is it iustice thinke you my good Lord that a man occasioning so many troubles should liue vnpunished This man hath troubled me much and grieued my very soule This noble Duke might by the aprouemēt of many haue caused him to haue bene indited arraigned and condemned and haue ministred to him some extraordinarie death to the terrible example of all others and haue manifested the same to all the world In my conceit my noble Lord this execution had bin most expedient conuenient to the commendation of equitie and iustice The Archbishop hearing these words pronounced with such vehement passion as though my soule had giuen franke consent to my passionate vtterance in lamentation of my hard successe said I am much grieued for your vexation notwithstanding I cānot so hainously accuse nor condemne the man but only for his folly to call himselfe Dom Sebastian king of Portugal for surely he was a reuerend man for vertue and sinceritie of life I could rather agree to accuse that Religious traitor by whom he was first perswaded and suborned to take the name of King vpon him These many such like words he vsed aswell to iustifie himselfe as to recouer me out of that affliction which he perceiued his speeches had thrust me into but in the end I took my leaue of his lordship and returned to my cloister of S. Mark where the religious fathers receiued with many curtesies and kind welcomes The like entertainment I found in all other couents as I went specially at Mantua where I was importuned to remaine many daies God giue me abilitie grace to requite them that I may not be found vnthankfull for I assure your Lordship I cannot expresse the merites and fauours I found at their hands much lesse see which way I may yeeld them due recompence From Mantua I thought best to go to Rome in hope by the friendship of the Cardinals and other noble Lords and Gentlemen to find some furtherance in my affaires to the bettering of my vnhappie Princes fortunes That he should be my very king and lord I am greatly fortified in hope find many good signes and apparant arguments amongst the most serious and religious men of estimation Princes Lords and others finding it not expedient to nominate all the fauorers of this enterprise desiring your Lordship to pardon me for not satisfying you in euery particular concerning my successe at this time according to your request which defects I will repaire in my intelligence from Rome from whence I hope to send your lordship more exact aduertisemēts concerning the life and successe of this Prince since the battell in Africke from whence he hardly escaped by flight with al that past here in the time of his imprisonmēt how in what maner what day houre he departed herehēce Fa. Seraphin Banchi hath hitherto much assisted me in the businesse was very ioyfull of the honourable greetings from your Lordship desiring his continuance in your honourable fauours By his meanes I am so much furthered as I trust to morrow morning to be dispatched hence The Almightie blesse your honourable person in all you desire Florence the third of Iuly 1601. Your noble Lordships humble seruant father Fr. IOSEPH TEXERE Portugueze c. A Letter written by the said Fr. Texere to the Bishop before saluted IN my last Letter written to your excellent Lordship from Florence I promised to performe as much or rather more at my arriuall at Rome wherein I feare I shall faile for many causes checking my will and endeuour to keepe touch with your Lordship First because I came not hither so soone as I intended being hindred by reason of my sicknesse which lengthned my iorney for being in Viterbe I soiourned seuen or eight dayes in the house of our Ladie De la Quercia a Monasterie of our order distant some halfe league from the towne where God by the intercession of the Virgin
Auiz Which being ouer-heard by some of his followers whom she tooke no heed of hearing and seeing what the wench had both said and done came no sooner into their Lords lodging but they reported vnto him what they had heard a young frolike wench say and seene her do Wherewithall this noble gallant being stirred sent for her presently and finding meanes to haue her secretly vpon her begot a sonne And this maide was a shoomakers daughter of that town very rich and of good account who vnderstanding that his daughter was sent for to such a noble man and being informed that her owne speech and light behauior was the first cause and being assured she was defloured by her owne franke consent took it so hainously that at her return home he reuiled her with most opprobrious and despitefull words and beate her out of his doores openly and to manifest vnto the world how much he was inwardly vexed with the spoile of his daughter he neuer after would eate at any table nor sleepe in a bed nor put on any shirt neuer pared his nails pol'd his haire nor cut his beard which grew so long that the people called him Barbadon for it continued vncut till it reached beneath his knees This malcontent liued so long that his grand child called D. Alphonse grew to be a man and Duke of Bragance created by the great Auize maister his father who by the election of the people afterward became King of Portugale and for his worthie acts was surnamed memorable and Barcelos by the right of his wife the sole daughter and inheritor to the Constable of Portugale This towne of Veyros stāds betweene 7 or 8 other towns belonging to the said Duke and is distant but foure leagues from Villa Vicosa where his pallace is This vicinitie was the cause that he had perfect intelligence of the shoomaker his grandfather the reports he heard of him made him so desirous to see him that he determined to go seeke him out himself in his owne town where meeting him in the streets he alighted frō his horse and kneeled downe before him bare-headed and desired him to giue him his hand and his blessing withall The shoomaker hauing an eye to the Dukes traine that attended vpon him and seeing his base humblenesse and hearing his speeches amazedly conceiued him to be some great personage vnknowne to him said Sir do you mocke me The Duke answered So God help me I do not but in earnest I craue I may kisse your hand and receiue your blessing for I am your grand child and sonne to Ines your daughter conceiued by the King my Lord and father Assoone as the shoomaker heard these sayings he clapped his hand before his eyes and said God blesse me from euer beholding the soone of so wicked a daughter as mine was Yet forasmuch as you are not guiltie of her offence hold take my hand and my blessing In the name of the father c. But neither the Duke nor his followers could perswade him to pull away the hand that couered his eyes so confident this old man was in his discontentment neither would he talke any longer with the Duke Shortly after this old man died and before his death he tooke order for a tombe to couer him whereupon he communded to be ingrauen all manner of tooles that belonged to a shoomaker with this Epitaph This sepulcher Barbadon caused to be made Being of Veyros a shoomaker by his trade For himselfe and the rest of his race Excepting his daughter Ines in any case I haue heard it reported by the ancientest persons that the fourth Duke of Bragance D. Iames soone to Donna Isabel sister to the king D. Emmanuel caused that tombe to be defaced being the sepulcher of his fourth grandfather As for the daughter after she was deliuered of that son continued a very chast and vertuous woman all her life and the king made her Commandresse of Santos a most honorable place and very plentiful to the which none but Princesses are admitted liuing as it were Abbesses and Princesses of a Monastery builded without the walles of Lisbone called Santos that is Saints founded by reason of some Martyrs that were there martyred And the religious women of that place haue libertie to marrie with the Knights of their order before they enter into that holy profession the order is called S. Iames bearing the same Crosse In this Monasterie the same Donna Ines died leauing behind her a glorious reputation for her vertue and holinesse Obserue gentle Reader the constancie that this Portugale a shoomaker continued in lothing to behold the honourable estate of his grand child nor would any more acknowledge his daughter hauing bene a leud woman so purchasing aduancement with dishonour This considered you will not wonder at the Count Iulian that plagued Spaine and executed the King Rodrico for forcing his daughter la Caua The example of this shoomaker is especially worthie the noting and deeply to be considered for beside that it makes good our assertion it teaches the higher not to disdaine the lower as long as they be vertuous and louers of honour It may be that this old man for his integritie rising from a vertuous zeale merited that a daughter comming by descent from his grand child should be made Queene of Castile and the mother of great Isabell grandmother to two Emperours Charles the fifth and Ferdinando and confute the prouerbe in Spaine De cien en cien an̄os los Reyes villanos Y de ciento en seyes los villanos Reyes which is From a hundred to a hundred yeares Kings become villains and from a hundred to sixe villaines become Kings so here the plough was conuerted into the Scepter in lesse then three score and ten yeares For the proofe of my second proposition I must necessarily referre you to the historie expressed in the discourse of the twelfth letter intituled Admirable aduentures c. concerning Dom Sebastian the true and lawfull King of Portugale where it is reported of D. Alphonse the African King of Portugale that seeing King Lewis the sixt deluded him in not giuing him aid according to his promise made at the beginning when he first arriued in France by which meanes for two yeares space he left Portugal not being able for want of power to bring his purpose to any good passe for his rteurne being ashamed to be seene of the Portugals for that he lost a battell against the Castilians determined with himselfe to steale as vnknowne out of France secretly and place himselfe in a Monastery neare vnto Rome And to effect that dissigne he disguised himselfe in a strange habite taking with him but two of his people to accompanie him but he and they were intercepted and taken by the way by Robinet termed the Oxe of Normandy which Philippus Comineus also confirmeth with this addition that king Lewis was much offended with Robinet for that peece of seruice forcing him to supply him with