receiued sworne and confirmed by the people King of the said Realme who being slaue to a particular man his good fortune fauoured him so much as not to be knowne and he mette with another slaue of his companie an Affricane Gentleman who spake verie well the language of the Coimbre and called himselfe Gaspar de Gran. This man made his maister beleeue that this slaue Dom Antonio was a Priest which would neuer be redeemed thence because his kindred were very glad of his life in imprisonment for thereby they had in meane while the benefite of his goodes and rents wherefore he gaue him counsell that it were much better for him to make some reasonable composition then to be a looser altogether In the end the matter was so concluded that for the raunsome of the Prince and the said Gentleman the summe of sixe hundred Cruzadoes must be paid him which are Crowns valuing fiftie solz or souse Tournois And the Mores parted thence with them neuer trauelling but by night but hiding them selues all the day time and on the fift or sixt day after they arriued in the night at the gates of Arzile where entring masqued they left their slaues receiued their money and then returned backe to their houses If the Lord Dom Antonio had bene knowne for such as he was and had fallen into the power of the king of Barbarie his matter had sorted a quite contrarie way for the slaues to the king are kept in very strong guard and if they hold tenne thousand crownes rent there will be demaunded fiftie thousand for their raunsome which if they will not make promise of they must endure the sharpe bastonnadoes The slaues that are to other particular men are much more nearer their libertie either by getting such a summe of money sauing themselues otherwise or enlarged at length by the meanes of their Mistresses It is a thing verie ordinarie in Barbarie worthie Lord for the women Moores do extremely loue Christians many times they receiue libertie by the meanes of them and likewise get very good gifts frō them In like sort diuerse are freed and scape vnknowne by meanes of the religious Fathers of the most holy Trinitie which are called the Order De Redemptione captiuorum in Fraunce we call them Mathurines There is commonly Monkes of this Order in Barbarie who deale with the Moores for the raunsome of Christians which Monkes do passe through all the Realmes of Barbarie clothed in their habits with verie much libertie and haue great credit with the Moores Among whom if they find some man of qualitie that is not knowne at all they compound immediatly for his raunsome and counting downe the money or promising to pay it in a limited time they set him at libertie I thinke reuerend Sir because I can yet vnderstand no further of matters passed that my Lord the king Dom Sebastian hath neuer bene held as prisoner or if he haue it was his good happe to meete with an honest maister with whome he liued so long as till he could obtaine his libertie or compasse the meanes to make an escape And as we do imagine he hath bene wandring among the Aethiopians as your worthie selfe may gather by the translation of two letters written vnto me the one from the Father doctor Sampayo the other from Dom Iohn de Castro the originals whereof remaine in my custodie with seuen or eight other letters of theirs which they did send to me frō Venice In this demaund likewise your reuerend Lordship praies me to tell you for what reason my Lord the king Dom Sebastian did not come into Fraunce or to any place else where doubtlesse he might haue bene receiued according to his qualitie namely with better entertainment then he had at Venice I answere that being by Gods grace restored to libertie himselfe will deliuer the causes that mooued him to go and present himselfe before the Lords there and those likewise which withheld him from comming into Fraunce or elsewhere according as your selfe haue alleaged As for my knowledge of him it sufficeth me to heare the speech of him I being in one place and he in another But comming to the sight of him I can demaund and know diuerse notable things of him which is impossible for him to haue altogether forgotten for assuredly he can and will resolue me in one or other For since the time I became religious which was at two and twentie yeares and 26. daies of mine age he being then aged 12. yeares one moneth and 28. daies I haue seene him in diuerse quarters of Portugall and conferred with him of very important affaires Before I was religious he being aged seuen or eight yeares I serued as a Page to his Grandmother his fathers mother who was sister to the Emperours Charles the fift and Ferdinand and graund-mother to the most Christian Queene Maria de Medicis and for this reason he is very neare kinsman to the sayd Maiesty cosin germaine remoued by the fathers side Iohn the sonne of Catherine and likewise cosin germaine remoued by his mothers side Iane who was eldest daughter to the sayd Charles the fift brother to Catherine This which hath bene sayd ioyned with the translation of the two missiues ensuing may serue as answer to your fourth demaund The translation of a letter from the father Doctour Sampayo To the Rright reuerend father and Doctor the father Frier Ioseph Texere Portugueze Counceller and Almoner to the most Christian King in our couent of the friers preachers at Paris Most reuerend father and maister I Haue heretofore written to your fatherhood concerning this present matter and because I know not whether my letters haue bene deliuered you or no I determined to send one more after the rest Perswade your selfe holy father and euen as God shall deale with my soule in the article of death that no other motiue stirres me hereunto but onely brotherly affection truth and zealous loue to the liberty of my countrey The King Dom Sebastian our Lord is prisoner here in this city and so hath bene for two and twenty monethes whom God in his iudgements concealed to himselfe hath permitted to come hither transported to this place very poorely and robbed by fiue of his owne seruants which he entertained in Cicilie But so soone as he arriued here in this city where he hoped to find good fauor and support immediatly the Embassadour of Castile persecuted him most cruelly perswading the Seigneurie that he was a Calabrois a theefe c. For this cause the Lords imprisoned him and rigorously proceeded against him here they keepe him close shut vp not suffering him to be seene nor enlarged nor execute any act of iustice vpon him Quia nullam inuenient in eo causam Because they can find no iust cause against him Our sinnes are great great is the strength of Spaine and the malice of the Iewish Portuguezes in this countrey whereof some weare red bonnets and others blacke but the last
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
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
girdle-sted downe to the knees he is very long 5. The right legge is longer then the left 6. The right foote greater then the other 7. The toes almost equall 8. On the little toe of the right foote he hath a wart so increasing as it appeares to be like a sixt toe 9. The instep or necke of the foote very high raised vp 10. On the one shoulder is a seale or marke of the greatnesse of a Vinten of Portugall such a peece of money as a French peece of three blankes the very least and auncientest 11. On the right shoulder toward the chine of the necke he hath a blacke scarre of the largenesse of ones little naile 12. He hath little pimples on his face and hands and very apparant but such as knowes it not cannot discerne them 13. He hath the left side of his body shorter then the right so that he halts a little without any perceiuing 14. He lackes one tooth on the right side in the neather â—aw 15. He hath the fluxe of seed or Gonorrhaea 16. He doth abound in a signall very secret that is to be spoken of when need shall require 17. Besides these secrets and signes he hath many other which my easily be seene as the fingers of the hands long and the nailes likewise 18. The lip of Austriche like his graundfather Charles the fift Emperour father to his mother and of his graundmother Catherine Queene of Portugall mother to his father sister to the sayd Charles the fift 19. His feete little and his legs crooked c. All these markes were borne with him 20. He hath many markes of the harquebuze on his left arme which he receiued in the battell of Affricke 21. Another marke or wound vpon the head 22. Another vpon the right eye-brow â—e copie of a letter written by a Gentleâ— a Portuguese to the most excellent Prince â—he Lord Dom Emanuell sonne to the Lord Dom Antonio elect king of Portugall abiding at Dort in Holland â—e out of Portuguese into Castillian out of Castillian into French and lastly out of French into English â—Ost excellent Lord in the separation which was made at Florence of the Portuguezes who had at Venice procuâ—e deliuerance and freedome of the King of Portugall Dom â—ian our Lord the choise for Fraunce was committed to my â— Dom Christophero your brother Dom Iohn de Castro â— Manuell and Frances Antoine they went by the way of â—ne and from thence intended to go to Marseilles Manuell â—ito and Sebastian Figuera they went for Rome frier Chryâ—e for Parma frier Stephen de Sampayo and Rodrigo Marâ— â—ooke another course as all the others did My direction was â—e States of Holland whither it was not possible for me to â—y Germany in regard of the reasons you shall reade in this â—urse Sebastian Figuera told vs that he had written to you â—e the whole passage touching the King our Lord and vs â—s letters by the ordinary way of Lions Now because it may â— out that those letters are not as yet arriued at you or might â—ps be lost by the way I determined with my selfe in regard may be with you in fewer dayes then I can come to see your â—lency to giue you aduertisement by these letters of all the â—e passages since we arriued at Venice â—he Lord Dom Christophero being at Rome had intelligence â—ters from Doctor Sampayo and other Lords how needfull â—s for him to succor the affaires of our Lord the king Dom Seâ—aâ— For which cause he left Rome bringing in his company â—uell de Brito my selfe Frances Antoine came vnto vs the 18. of NoueÌ„ber the 28. we arriued at Venice where being with other Portuguezes we were enformed of the businesse and what was expedient to be done for him Certaine daies after the Lord Dom Christophero required audience which was giuen him on Monday the 11. of December Before he entred to the Senate he was caused to sit downe without in a chamber richly hung with tapistrie where he attended till he should be called in They gaue him the seate on the right hand of the Prince speaking to him termed him Illustrissime when these courtesies had bin done him he gaue in writing what he desired The same day the Prince with aboue two hundred of the principall Seigneurs of that State entred to Councell touching the matter of the king D. Sebastian our Lord this assembly is called the Pregay there they determine of matters graue and important The Tuesday following the Pregay held againe for the same cause The wednesday being S. Lucies day the Pregay held not at all because they then made election of an Attourney They sate againe the Thurseday and the Friday following the case was concluded At night after ten a clocke the King our Lord was called to the Senate where to him was intimated the selfe intimation which had bene made to him by the Podestate of Padoa the yeare 1598. It is said that when the king entred the Senate and while the decree of his sentence was reading all the Seigneurs were vp on their feete and noted him with very much respect The king being gone from the Senate went presently without admitting the companie of any one though many made offer of themselues to the lodging of his first host maister Frances where I had diuerse times seene him before his imprisonment Thither came Rodrigo Marques and Sebastian Figuera who at first sight of him was much astonished because he found him verie different from him whome he had seene in Portugall and in Barbarie the verie same day of our ouerthrowe flying foure leagues distance from the field of battaile But when he had well considered the forme of his face the dimples the browe the eyes nose and Austrich lippe which is not now so plumpe as when he was in Portugall because then he was in good plight and now verie meagre his speech and the other parts of his bodie he suddenly sent â—o Marques to aduertise the Lord Dom Christophero â—f and the other Portugueses They thought it meete that â—ing should bee brought to the lodging of Don Iohn de â—o and Diego Manuel as being a house more retired from â—oples haunt of the Citie then that belonging to Maister â—es and so it was done Thither resorted all the Portugueâ—â—ccept the father Doctor Sampayo and Frier Chrysostome â—eing ouerlated went to the Monasterie of S. Dominicke â— is of the aduocation as I thinke of S. Iohn and S. Paule â—rs and brethren neither was there the Chanon nor the â—deacon who was gone to Rome 〈◊〉 the King sawe vs all there together he prayed vs that we 〈◊〉 examine him and know if he were the true king of Porâ— Don Sebastian or no and he would haue vnclothed himâ— to shew vs the secret marks of his bodie which we would â—ffer because Dom Iohn de Castro had alreadie known him â—ently and principally by his speech for as he beganne to â—e his voice was
I speake of the king Dom Sebastian I iustifie him not to be dead and that the bodie which was buried in Bethlehem as his was the bodie of a Swizzer In the said yeare because it was so long since the matter had past I held it as no inconuenience to speake the contrarie to what I had said before wherefore I intreat that this may serue as an answere and satisfaction to the alleaged argument As for the bodie worthie sir whether it were his or no I say once again that it was not that the body buried in Bethlehem in the moneth of Ianuarie 1583. I then being prisoner in Lisbon with 40. pound waight of yron on my feete by the commaundement of D. Philip II. king of Castile was the bodie of a Swizzer for so the Portuguezes commonly called him They that visited me in prison the number was but small but they were people of great authoritie mockt such as said it was the bodie of Dom Sebastian and often spake thus to me Oh happie Swizzer to haue thy bodie buried with so much honouâ— faâ—g and solemne pompe King Philip dealt herein very industriously as well by thrusting a dead man into the mouthes of the Portuguezes who â—ustified their king to be liuing as also thereby to deceiue others who knowing litle or nothing herein might the better be emâ—oldened in following his course Our king worthie Lord is liuing according to the newes that we haue of him which are correspondent to sundrie prophecies whereto in times past albeit that I hold it as most assured that my Lord and King could not be dead and that the bodie which king Philip caused to be brought from Affricke and enterred at Bethlehem was the body of a Swizzer though they came neither from a Dauid nor an Esay nor a Daniell or any like Prophet yet no man at all but would giue both faith and credit to them If herein I deceiue my selfe I desire that my infirmitie may be pardoned confessing that much more greaâ— is the desire I haue to see so straunge a maruell in my time then any hope I haue at all of accomplishmeÌ„t of those Prophecies which your holy fatherhood may behold in the discourse annexed to the end of this answere and that discourse the reuerend Father Doctor Sampayo intituled Diuinum Oraculum c. To prooue that that bodie was not the bodie of our king Dom Sebastian 〈◊〉 sufficeth to know that many saw him liuing who at this very day are dwelling foure fiue and sixe leagues distant from the field of battell Moreouer I remember that being by Gods grace escaped from the rigorous imprisonment wherein I was conferring of this matter with some religious persons of my Order who had endured bondage and slauerie they all told me that the king Dom Sebastian was in Barbarie with the Arabes and liued in the mountaines And I call to mind that as the reuerend Father brother Thomas Sequera Superiour of Ebora and my auncient friend came to visite me I saying to him that I was much bound to Father Vincent of Aphonseca who was then Archbishop of Goa for the kind fauours he had done me during my captiuitie he answered me If brother Vincent shewed himselfe courteous to your fatherhoode I beleeue he did it because he was your kinsman as indeed he was but very farre off not in respect he was any good Portugueze Vnderstand my worthie Lord that this man was a very cunning craftie Spaniard and was one of them we sent for Barbarie He was so bad a man and of so vile a conscience that he durst maintaine for certaintie that the bodie of a Swizzer was the very true bodie of our king Dom Sebastian when all other else affirmed the contrarie He lies buried in Bethlehem by commaundement of the King of Castile but I trust in God that one day a king shall come into Portugal who shall disinterre him out of Bethlehem and send him to be buried in the Escuriall This brother Vincent of Afonseca when the king of Castile began to recompence the seruices of some of his partakers but scarce faithfull friends to their owne countrie was made Archbishop of Goa which is Primate of all the East Indies and D. Edward de Meneses Viceroy of the said Indies Moreouer the Portuguezes did so certainly assure themselues of their king Dom Sebastians life that a Portugall Mason was so bold as to publish himselfe to be the said king Dom Sebastian and found in the action very many followers who went with him straight to Lisbon and if he had entred the euen of S. Iohn Baptist he had bene receiued in seate of the same king Dom Sebastian But being badly councelled he lodged that night a league off the citie whither sallied foorth diuerse Castilian souldies and good store of Portuguezes that knew him to be a meere seducer Whereupon being forsaken of his associates that followed him like vnarmed fooles he was taken and hanged and caused diuers others to be hanged likewise of royall authoritie among whom to his owne great ill hap was a President hanged Likewise in a certaine Prouince of Portugall called Beyra a poore Portugueze of meane condition gaue out himselfe to be the King Dom Sebastian and this was deliuered for a matter so true and confident as the Cardinall of Austria who at this day is Archduke and earle of Flaunders being Viceroy in Portugall determined to withdraw himselfe thence into Castile Neuerthelesse following the counsell of the fiue Gouernours of Portugall who gouerned the kingdome conioyntly with him he sent to Captaine Gil de Mesa who now is one of the gentlemen of the chamber to the most christian King that he should go with his companie of two hundred men and to take the man there and bring him thither with all honour and reuerence because if he chaunced to be that man he named himselfe to be he would redeliuer into his hands the scepter and the Crowne belonging to the Portugall Kings and their kingdomes Gil de Mesa went on his iourney and arriuing in the Prouince of Beyra came to the towne of Penamacor and finding the man tooke him very easily and brought him along with him to Lisbon where being knowne for an impostor he was publickely whipped with rods and after sent to the gallies he was liuing still not many yeares since and euerie one called him sober Sebastian He was not hanged because in his triall he could not be charged with any other crime then this which was but of his owne inuention Lastly we know that in Spaine a Cooke or Pye-baker of Madrigall made himselfe to be held for the king Sebastian and in secret caused it so to be giuen foorth but afterward as each of this false opinion had found before he was knowne to be an abuser and for he had committed other very hainous offences was executed according to iustice These examples do witnesse perfectly to our eyes that since the losse of their king
Sebastian in Affâ—icke all the Portuguezes haue euermore taken him to be liuing and hereby appeareth sufficiently that he is not dead neither was that his body which was buried in Bethlehem Moreouer by the same examples your worthy Lordship may easily iudge that this man held as a prisoner at Venice is the King Dom Sebastian himselfe considering that in two yeares and fiue monethes already passed since he first began to manifest himselfe the Seigneurie continually found from day to day more euident appearance still of truth without encountring any thing whatsoeuer to the contrary or could be beleeued for certaine in all the allegations of the Embassadour from Castile against the prisoner The Lords of this honorabble estate warned by the successe of such false impostors may the better excuse themselues that they haue with such extremity and long delay proceeded against the very person of king Dom Sebastian Which being so and the diuine Oracle ensuing added hereto I hope I haue answered reuerend Lord your second demaund A diuine Oracle worthy to be published and knowne through all the world imprinted at Lisbone in Latine with permission of the holy office in the yeare MDC Brother Stephen de Sampayo Portugueze of the order of the Friers Preachers reader of diuinity in the Vniuersitie of Tolossa To the Reader AS the al-good and most mighty God disposeth things with no lesse oportunity then clemency it is come to passe that since the time of some foure yeares past there hath bene found in Portugall two memories or monuments of most venerable antiquity in a very celebrate Monastery of the order of the Cisteaux which we commonly call the Abbay of Alcobaça as the fathers of that couent searched among their papers and registers for certaine priueledges for their warrant for a kind of vexation whereof it shall be needlesse to speake at this time And in short while after they were presented to Philip II. king of Castile by the Priour Prouinciall of the sayd order and read apart each from other before his Catholike Maiesty and then againe redeliuered backe to the Monastery both which for certaine causes haue bene brought to light and the translation of them conferred with the originall The oath of Dom Alphonso first king of Portugall for approbation and assurance of the vision which he saw the yeare MCXL in the Prouince of Campo d'Ourique I Alphonso first King of Portugall sonne to the famous Earle Henry graund child or sonne to the great King Alphonso before you worthy personages the Archbishop of Braga and the Bishop of Coimbre and Theotonio and you other Lords officers and subiects of my kingdome do sweare vpon this Crosse and on this booke of the most holy Euangelists which I touch with my hands that I a miserall sinner haue seene with mine vnworthy eyes my Lord Iesus Christ spread abroad vpon the crosse in manner following I being with mine armie in the land which is neare to the riuer Tagus in the Prouince of Campo d'Ourique to giue battell to Ismael and to foure other kings of the Moores who had with them infinite thousands of men at armes and my people being somewhat sad and fearefull to behold such a numberlesse multitude of warriours came vnto me and sayd that it would be ouer-much boldnesse in vs to bid them battell Whereupon being very much afflicted with what I heard and saw I began to ponder apart by my selfe what I were best to do In my pauillion I had a booke containing both the old Testament and the new of Iesus Christ I opened it and hapning to reade the victorie of Gedeon I began thus to say to my selfe Thou knowest ô Lord Iesus Christ that for the loue of thee I haue vndertaken this warre against thine enemies Lord it is in thy hand to giue me and mine strength to vanquish these blasphemers of thy name And speaking so I fell asleepe vpon the sayd booke and sleeping I saw an olde man come to me saying Alphonse take good courage for thou shalt vanquish and put to repulse all these Kings here and shalt breake their forces and God shall shew himselfe to thee As I was in this vision suddenly came to me Ferdinand de Sousa gentleman of my chamber who awaking me sayd Sir raise your selfe for here is an olde man come to speake with you Let him enter sayd I if he be any of our friends When the man was come in I knew him to be the same good olde man which I had seene in my vision he sayd vnto me Sir be of good cheare you shall vanquish you shall vanquish and you shall not be vanquished God loues you for he hath cast the eyes of his mercy vpon you and on your race euen to the sixteenth generation wherein your ligne shall be weakened and diminished Neuerthelesse in this diminution and feebling there shall be no want of his diuine fauour and succour He hath commaunded me to tell you that when you do heare in the night ensuing the bell of mine hermitage wherein I haue liued sixtie sixe yeares among the infidels and in the protection of the most high you shall come foorth of your campe all alone without company and he will make his great mercy appeare vnto you I obeyed and prostrating my selfe in reuerence to the ground worshipped the messenger and him that sent him And as I attended in prayer the second watch of the night I heard the bell then armed with my sword and shield I went foorth of the campe Then I saw on my right hand toward the East a bright beame in the element the splendour whereof increased more and more And as I held mine eyes respectiuely fixed on that quarter I saw in that beame shining brighter then the Sunne the blessed Crosse and Iesus Christ crucified thereupon likewise both on the one side and other a multitude of young men seeming verie white whom I accounted to be holy Angels When I had beheld this vision I layd by my sword shield and garment put off my shoes and being prostrated along vpon the earth I wept abundantly then going to intreate strength and preseruation for my subiects without any trouble I spake in this manner Lord to what ende dost thou shew thy selfe to me wouldst thou increase the faith of him that only beleeues in thee It were better Lord that these infidels should see thee to the end that they might beleeue as for my selfe from the day of my baptisme I haue knowne and acknowledged thee the true God Sonne of the Virgin and the Father eternall This crosse was of admirable greatnesse and eleuated from the earth about ten Cubites and the Lord with a sweete sound of his voyce which I heard with mine vnworthy eares sayd to me I do not appeare vnto thee in this sort for increase of thy faith but to comfort thy heart against this battell and to fixe the chiefest Princes of this kingdome vpon a firme rocke Courage Alphonso for thou shalt not onely
of our race come to molest the said persons or make rape of their goods and then countenance it that he vsurps on none of our heritage nor of theirs but those belonging to the virgin Marie he shall be held as disloyall to his Lord be exempted from the defence and custodie which we appointed for my kingdome and his seed shall not be seene vpon the earth As for the religious persons which are to serue the Lord in this Monasterie of Clairuaux and the rest of their Order they shall haue care to recommend deuoutly to God the estate of our kingdome and my soule and theirs likewise of my kindred And the Abbot Dom Bernard and his successours perpetually shall celebrate the feast of the dedication of their church euery yeare on the day of the Annunciation of the blessed virgin Marie For which oh Virgin mother of my Lord Iesus Christ in honour and praise of whom this Order is established to shine vpon the earth I Alphonso king of Portugall thy humble seruant doe intreate that thou wouldst defend my kingdome against the Moores enemies to the crosse of thy Son and keepe this crowne free from all straunge domination and permit no one to pay this fee monie and homage but thy loyall seruants and those descended from my selfe That if any one attempt any matter whatsoeuer contrarie to this vassellage and testimoniall of this tribute if he be a subiect let him be expelled out of our kingdome If he be a King which God forefend let him be held as accursed by vs neuer to be mentioned in our lignage but that God who gaue vs this kingdome despoile him of all dignitie I suffer his enemies to vanquish him and himselfe be buried in hell with that traytor Iudas Made in the Church of Lamego the 8. of Apr. MCXLII I Alphonso the King Egaâ— Munis Grandmaister of the houshold Pero Payes Ensigne-bearer to the King Fuas Raupiâ—o Gouernour of Coimbre Polayo de Sousa Certifiers Gonsalo de Sousa Vascho Sanches Mendo Pirez Rodrigo Aluares witnesses Alphonso Egas I Thomas de la Croix Notarie publique Apostolique approued and Secretarie to the Legat in these kingdomes of Portugal haue collationed and corrected this present copie vpon his proper originall which is enabled with the seale Royall and so I certifie by the oath that is enioyned me in regard of mine office In signe whereof I haue vnderwritten and signed this with my seale publique and vsuall At Lisbon the 4. of Nouember MDXCIX THE SVCCESSION AND number of the Kings of Portugall The first generation Alphonso Henriques 1. II. Sanche 1. III. Alphonso 2. IIII. Sanche 2. V. Alphonso 3. VI. Denys 1. VII Alphonso 4. VIII Peter 1. IX Fernand. 1. X. Iohn 1. XI Edward 1. XII Alphonso 5. XIII Iohn 2. XIIII Emmanuel 1. XV. Iohn 3. XVI Sebastian 1. Hereby is vnderstood that Sebastian is the sixteenth in generation whereof king Alphonso Henriques spake in the oath of his reuelation This Sebastian was borne after his fathers decease when were very instant and frequent prayers processions and fastings among the people of Portugall in the yeare 1554. the day of the two holy Martyrs Fabian and Sebastian a matter almost beyond all hope for his father died in nonnage or very young and his mother was but sixteene yeares old This Prince was of an exceeding good nature high in courage accompanied with great bodily strength godly and religious and that in such sort as euen from the cradle his subiects had him in much admiration and they accounted him as another Caesar Augustus according as caries the signification of the name of Sebastian Auncient Prophecies which we cannot more conuenably appropriate to any other then to this selfe same Sebastian S. Cyrille the Hermit in the treatise of the reuelation which was made to him whereof the Abbot Ioachim glozed TEmpore annorum 54. orietur Sol c. Et erit Sol delitescens Pungetur aculeo despectissimo in specu paruo tricamerato vectibus pergrandibus communito ab Scorpionitis mancipabitur Postea ad brauium orbis pertinget c. Reade all this Chapter In English thus In the time of 54. yeares a Sunne shall arise c. And this Sun shall be hidden He shall be pricked with a most despitefull sting he shall be in a little caue of three vaults made strong with verie great barres he shall be thraâ—led by Scorpionites afterward he shall come to triumph ouer the world c. Saint Isidore Occultus Rex bis piè datus in Hispaniam veniet in equo ligneo quem multi videntes illum esse non credent Domabit superbos spurcitias Hispaniarum purgabit In Syriam transfretabit super Sanctum sepulchrum signum Crucifixi ponet erit Monarcha In English thus A hidden King shall twise be holily giuen he shall come into Spaine vpon a horse of wood that is a shippe whom many beholding they will not beleeue that it is he He shall subdue the proud he shall purge the Spaniards of their filthinesses He shall passe into Syria he shall place the Ensigne of the Crucifixe vpon the holy Sepulcher and shall be a Monarch Theophilus the Bishop Dum secundum imperium occupabitur Ciprúsque à Christi hostibus fuerit aggressa Pastor ouium coronis Graecorum nudus erit Rhodia tunc Magistro carebit Hispania potentia virtuâ—éque munita illi tradet Magistrum Romae autem pastor glorio sui ignotus apud homines apud Deum probus iustus erit qui cum vno Rege dictae Prouinciae qui oblitus mortuus non regnaturus putabatur regna deperdita recuperabit Soldanum suae ditioni subiugabit in Christianis domum Dei restituet In English thus While the second Empire shall be troubled and Cyprus inuaded by the enemies of Christ the Pastor of the sheepe of the Grecian troopes shall be left naked Rhodes shall then want a Maister Spaine stored with vertue and power shall giue it a Maister And there shall be at Rome a glorious shepheard vnknowne to men good and iust toward God And this man with a king of the same prouince that shall be forgotten dead and thought neuer more to raigne shal recouer againe his lost kingdomes shall subiugate the Souldan vnder his dominion and shall restore the house of God into Christendome S. Methodus Bishop and Martyr lib. 6. cap. 28. Expergiscetur Rex in furore tanquam homo à somno vini quem existimabant homines tanquam mortuum esse Hic exiet super filios Ismael à mari Aethiopum c. Vide Biblioth Patrum fol. 526. primae Lutet Paris editionis In English thus There shall a king awake in great furie like a man out of a slumber of wine whom men shall repute to haue bene dead He shall goe out against the sonnes of Ismael towards the AEthiopian sea c. Sybilla Erithraea Compressa aquila cuius nomen quinque apicibus inaestimabiliter scriptum ministrum iniquitatis destruet
vrsum conteret sceptruÌ„ eâ—us possidebit c. In tractatu qui incipit Requiritis à me ô illâ—strissima turba Danaûm lib. 2. In English thus The compressing Eagle the name whereof is inestimably written in fiue markes shall destroy the minister of iniquitie bruise the Beare and shall possesse his scepter c. In the Treatise that beginneth You require of me O illustrious company of Grecians The second booke An explication of some pointes contained in this Discourse In the Epistle to the Reader THe cause why the religious persons of Alcobaça sought among their papers some priuiledges and Donations of the Kings of Portugall was because his Maiestie Catholique Dom Philip II. King of Castille pretended to sell the iurisdiction of seuen townes whereof the said Monasterie is Lord. And because this diuine Oracle was imprinted at Lisbone it was made dangerous to declare the said cause Wherefore the father Doctor Sampayo said by way of parenthesis that it was not good to speake of it at that time In the Oath of the King Dom Alphonso The said King commaunded to his successours to come to the field with their shield of armes containing fiue scutchions fashioned like a crosse in each of which should be figured the thirtie pence for which our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was sold c. as more plainly is declared by the Notarie Apostolike Thomas de la Croix in his certificate assuring that they were so figured on the seales It may be that this commandement was obserued at the first beginning of the Realmes of Portugall but whether since then to this present we do not find that it hath bin kept chiefly since the raigne of Alphonso third of that name and fift king of Portugall who was Earle of Bullen in Fraunce He adioyned to the crowne of Portugal the Realmes of Algarbes which were giuen him by Dom Alphonso le sage King of Castille and Emperour of the East in dower of mariage with Domne Beatrix his daughter not to meddle at al with the crosse the first armes of Portugall for first of all Portugall bare for armes a shield argent without any other thing he placed round about the shield which coÌ„tained the fiue that fashioned the said Crosse seuen scutchions of gold in a field Geules which are the armes of the realmes of Algarbes and since then to this present the kings of Portugall haue euermore held the same armes as they do at this day Stephen Garibay in his abridgement of the history of Spaine speaking of the Armes and Colours cals those Castelles of the Realmes of the Algarbes which engirt the Scutchion of the armes of Portugal Orla in French Geule or a border affirming that no other kingdome of Europe beares them but Portugall By which reason we may say that the Geule or border which we see about the armes of Fraunce to wit that of the order of S. Michael and that of the holy Ghost of the Golden Fleece in Burgundie and that of the Garter in England c. are but borrowed thence Now to returne to our armes the King Dom Emanuel seeing himselfe in Europe Lord of the kingdome of Portugall and of the Realme of the Algarbe which is in the prouince of Spaine in Affricke of the other Realme of Algarbe which is in the prouince of Barbarie of all the coast of Guinee euen to the Cape de bonne Esperance and from thence vnto the red sea and of a great number of the Isles situate in the sea of the said Affrica in Asia of the Realme of Goa and of a verie spacious Monarchie considering he held nine Kings his subiects and tributaries and foure Queenes in America of Bresil a prouince of very large extension he bare a Sphere for his deuice which signified the rule that Portugall had in the foure quarters of the world Adioying likewise the Crosse of the Order of the warfare of Iesus Christ because the King of Portugall being graund maister of the said Order is Lord of diuerse lands and townes in Portugal and of all the authoritie which the Portugueses possesse abroad from thence And because sundrie persons haue demaunded of me how they should vnderstand these Scutchions and pence I here tell them that the fiue Scutchions in the Azure field set in one shield the field whereof is Argent each of them figured with fiue white pence do signifie fiue kings Moores vanquished by one Christian king The kings of the Moores subdued are Ismael and his foure confederates the vanquisher is the king Dom Alphonso the first king of Portugall from whom grew this commaundement As for the pence because many haue alleaged to me that in the fiue Scutchions there are but xxv pence and not thirtie as other Authors and my selfe haue written I should be infinitely eased if in remouing their doubt they wold but heare me Would you find thirtie pence Count first of all the three Scutchions aboue and below which containe fifteene pence next them that are trauersed on the right side so that that in the midst be counted twise considering it spreads vnto either hand and there you shall find other fifteene pence which ioyned to the first complete the number of thirtie and thus they may rest satisfied in their demaund To the Testimoniall of vassellage and feoffement And because I haue already rendred my selfe tributary and all such as shall appertaine to me to the blessed S. Peter and his successours c. WE finde in the histories of Portugall that in the yeare 1169. when Pope Alexander the sixt approued the election of the King D. Alphonso and confirmed his kingdome to him the king by the consent of his Portugueses made the said kingdome feudatarie to the holy Church of Rome promising to pay as in tribute euery yeare two pounds of gold In the time since there is no memoriall found at all that this tribute hath bene payd as likewise none of our Historians do shew vnto vs that these fiftie Maruedies of gold haue bene payed to the Monasterie of our Ladie of Clairueaux And me thinks worthy Lord that it were not much from the purpose to make here a digression thereby to acquaint your reuerend worthinesse vpon what reason the king Dom Alphonso had such deuotion to this Monasterie of Nostre dame de Clairuaux The king Dom Alphonso and S. Bernard did both liue at that time and the king being informed of the wisedome learning and reformed life of this holy man and what miracles God wrought by his meanes in fauour and for the benefite of the faithful he began verie quickly to receiue him into good grace and opinion At this verie time the king had sent his sonne Sanche to besiege the Citie of Santeren called by the auncient Tordules Sâ—alabis of Scabelisque the first founder and by the Romanes Presidium Iulium by the Christians Santirenae by reason of the holy Irena a virgin a Martyr who suffred death there for the Christian faith in the yeare
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
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
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
withdrawne to his rest â—ent and fell on his knees before a Crucifix which he ware in â—osome where he so continued till one came to call him on â—ourney â—ome haue written to me that since he hath beene seene â—ng his Portuguezes he hath made good appearance that he is â—ctually of their nation profferring in all perfection the words he pronounced and if any one of them that parleyed with him intermedled any French words among the rest because the most part of them had liued in Fraunce and spake the French language he would tell them of it so that yet he seemes better to vnderstand that tongue then speake it One writes likewise that he saith the armour he ware is hid in a certaine place That the duke de Aueyro the Earles of Redondo and of Sortella D. Fernand de Meneses and D. Iohn de Castro cosin germaine to him whom we haue so often named are all yet aliue that he very wel knowes where they are so soone as he shal haue commodious means he will send to theÌ„ Christophero de Tauora was slaine before his eies by certain robbers that set vpoÌ„ theÌ„ as they iourneyed Dom Iohn de Castro writ in a letter to me that his face is now much altered from the forme it had at his parting in Affricke As for the small wrinkles in his face those he knew very perfectly so likewise did Sebastian Figuera the Father de Sampayo Pantaleon Pessoa Frances Antoine and other Portuguezes beside sundrie straungers that had seene him and knew him when he was in Portugall And as for his gate or cariage of his bodie it is the verie same without any altering Moreouer that he departed from Venice in the time assigned him and is comming for Fraunce himselfe with others being on the way with him He praies me to order my businesse in sort that I would be present in the Court of his most Christian Maiestie attending this aduenture so strange and maruellous so farre the letter For this cause worthie Lord and in respect whether he come by sea or land or whether he will passe for Holland from hence I am determined not to be absent till I haue seene him here or vnderstand he hath taken some other course If I should do otherwise I thinke the world would repute me a bad seruant to my King and an enemie to my true and soueraigne Lord. But I find there are some moued by what diuels I know not that labour still to perswade me and would perforce make me to beleeue although these newes are so true publique and certaine yet that this King of Portugall Dom Sebastian is no other then a Calabrois But as that language is engendred and borne from the wombe of a Castillian so I answere such kind of men that it is behoouefull for them to knowe I am more bound to credite â—e noble aâ—d religious persons who by letters written and 〈◊〉 by their owne hands as also by their oathes haue assured â—hat the prisoner set at libertie by the Lords of Venice is our â—ng of Portugall Dom Sebastian then to be led by any Caâ— opinions â—s a terrible thing to see and heare the goodly reasons alleaâ—y these wise maisters to vnderprop their false and depraued â—ions It contenteth vs that he is swart and that the King 〈◊〉 Sebastian was faire that he speakes not Portugueze c. To â—s haue no interest at all in this matter but with a purposed â—e yeeld themselues enemies to this truth what imports it whether a man blacke or white should be King of Portugal â—hether he speakes Portugueze or Italian It sufficeth that a 〈◊〉 as white as snowe passeth the Equinoctiall line on the 〈◊〉 of Guinea that he performes the voyage of Saint Thomas 〈◊〉 any other part wheresoeuer he pleaseth of Aethiopia or 〈◊〉 iournes sundrie yeares in Barbarie may become as blacke â—h for the more white a man is the sooner he becomes the â—er We vnderstand that the king Dom Sebastian hath bene â—thiopia and in Persia where if he haue lost his whitenesse â—oper colour it is not a thing to be wondred at â—osoeuer hath knowne the Lord Dom Christophero reueâ— Lord youngest sonne to the deceased king Dom Antonio 〈◊〉 his infancie till he came to the age of 18. yeares for so old â—s when he vndertooke his voyage to Barbarie will confesse â—e that he was then as white as milke faire and neately faâ—d but little more then three yeares when he liued in Barbaâ—â—re sufficient to make him become so black swartie and deâ—d that at his returne to England whence he had parted beâ—â—uen those that had bene most frequent with him could not 〈◊〉 him He arriued in Barbarie in the beginning of the yeare 〈◊〉 and came againe into England in 1592. at which time I was â—nce Then afterward he came to Paris in the end of the 〈◊〉 1594. on Christmas euen after dinner at what time I was â—g at Chesse with the king his father in the street of S. Honoâ— â—ere he lodged at the Swan So soone as the newes came to â—er that he was beneath in the court I craued leaue to goe 〈◊〉 and descending the staires I passed by him not knowing him and went to talke with Dom Iohn de Castro and Scipio de Figueredo who had come with him from England demaunding newes of them of the said Lord Dom Christophero they told me that that was he whome I had met and passed by I sweare to your Lordship that hearing those words I stoode as rapt out of my selfe to see him so deformed and chaunged and the others by no meanes could perswade me that it was he I swearâ— agaiâ— to your worthinesse as a Christian an honest man and 〈◊〉 â—ous as I am that I was so angrie to behold him thus chaunged hauing lost the goodly complexion he had before as I w◠〈…〉 an houre in a roome beneath by my selfe and would neither 〈◊〉 nor speake with him hereof I haue store of good witnesses yet to this day If little more then three yeares had so much power so strangely to alter the Lord Dom Christophero how much more may aboue twentie yeares chaunge the king Dom Sebastian Let this suffice to answer the ignorant and malicious As for his speaking Portugueze who hath examined him not I certainely nor any other Portugueze semblable to me He speakes a mixed kind of Portugueze my good Lord according as Dom Iohn de Castro writes to me in his last letter As for his writing it is the same and the selfe same hand I haue seene many memories and papers written by him which being conferred with the other that he writte before his passage to Affricke the one and other doe truely agree For the rest when the King Dom Sebastian shall be in good estate though he speake not Portugueze I will hold him excused considering it is more then twenty years that he hath bene foorth of his country and still trauelled among
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