The true historie of the late and lamentable aduentures of Don Sebastian king of Portugall after his imprisonment in Naples, vntill this present day, being now in Spaine at Saint Lucar de Barrameda.

THE TRVE HISTORIE of the late and lamentable aduentures of Don Sebastian King of Portugall, after his imprisonment in Naples, vntill this present day, being now in Spaine at Saint Lucar de Barrameda.

THis vnfortunate King, Don Sebasti∣an, hauing bene brought from Flo∣rence to Naples, was put in the castle of Oeuf, in a chamber, without any other furniture in it, then a halter & a long knife of the length of halfe the arme: Where for the space of three dayes, they neither gaue him ought to drinke or to eate, nor whereon to lie: Which space, hee spent in continuall prayers, induring his crosses with an incre∣dible patience. On the fourth day after, the Auditor Generall, accompanied with two Notaries, came to visite him, and found him, for his life, of good disposition, & maruailed exceedingly at him (for all of them did veri∣ly beleeue, that seeing himselfe so ill intreated, he would

in despaire haue hanged himselfe, or with one of those two instruments haue ended his dayes, which for that purpose were prepared and placed in that roome, or at least incurre thereby some grieuous maladie) and said vnto him, that if he would not deny, and cease to main∣taine, what he had auouched and maintained, in repor∣ting himselfe to be Don Sebastian King of Portugall, hee should neuer haue either drinke, meat, or lodging. To whom the king made answere:

Doe what you will; for I shall neuer sing any other song: and I beseech God omnipotent, of his infinite goodnes and diuine mercy, that he will stretch out his powerfull hand, and assist me in these my troubles, and that hee will not suffer me to commit so foule a fault, or to fall into so great a mischiefe, and so con∣trarie to mine owne soule, that for feare and terrour of men, I should come to denie the truth, and to confesse a falshood. God defend me from it. I am that selfe same Don Sebastian, king of Portugall, which in the yeare 1578. passed into Affricke against the Infidels, and the very same, who, to augment the name & power of the Christians, put my life in hazard: and am that vnfortunate Prince, who for the punishment of his sinnes lost a battaile, which losse begat so many misaduentures, and oc∣casioned so many changes in Christendome. This is the verie truth, neyther can I say any other. With this answere, the Auditor & his Notaries went their way. After this they began to giue him for his nourishment some bread and water: and some few dayes after, hee was allowed fiue crownes a moneth, and a man to wayte vpon him. The Viceroy of Naples last deceased, came to visite him, and there passed betweene them that which hath bin publi∣shed by so many hands, & set forth in so many langua∣ges. Now, as soone as it was bruted abroad, and that

fame had runne and told it through the world, that hee remained prisoner, & that all men had leaue to see him, many persons, of diuers, both qualities, and nations, made a voyage vnto Naples, onely to see him, and to speake vnto him: And amongst the rest, many Por∣tugals, some out of Portugal, and some from other pla∣ces of their being, past into Italy, that they might with their owne proper eyes behold so admirable, and so rare a wonder. Many of the Portugals, especially the elder sort, who had seene him, and knew him; and some also of Castile, and other strangers besides, hauing seene him, and discoursed with him, confessed and maintay∣ned, that he was Don Sebastian, the true King of Portu∣gal. During the life of the said Viceroy, his imprison∣mēt was not so austere nor so strict as it was afterwards, when his sonne succeeded in the said gouernment, who kept him exceeding close, and double garded, suffring him notwithstanding to goe abroad on the Sundayes, and other festiuall dayes, for to heare masse in a Chap∣pel within the said Castle. He liued in perpetual pray∣ers and fastings. Euery Friday and Saturday, he fasted with bread and water. He did the like sometimes also on other dayes, as on Mundayes, and Wednesdayes. Hee often frequented the Sacraments, and vsed much con∣fession; and all the Lent long fed nor ate of any thing saue only herbes and pulse.

The seuenteenth of Aprill last past, within a yeere after that he was deliuered to the Castilians, the said Viceroy, who also is County of Lemos, sonne to him that was deceased, married with the daughter of the Duke of Lerma, who now at this day is a gouernour in Spaine: At that time it was demaunded of him, that hee

should suddenly make answere, without any other pro∣ceedings or diligence in his cause, vnto that which on the fourth day was proposed by the Auditor general, ac∣companied, as before we mētioned. To whō he replied.

That it was no lawful nor direct course, to take vpon them to examine and iudge him without proces: but rather that they should present him to the Portugals, who had both nouri∣shed him, knowne him, and serued him. For on their relation and their testimonie, ought to depend the true proofe and ap∣probation of his businesse: Affirming, that if it were possible for him to liue a thousand yeeres longer, he would neuer answer otherwise: And that if they should determine to doe iustice on him, without any other order or proofe, hee must take God for his only Iudge, who knowes the truth of this matter, and that he is the proper and true King of Portugall, Don Sebastian. Wherefore, if you are so disposed, take your course in effecting that, vpon which heretofore you purposed.

The officers appointed for this affaire, being gone from him with this answere, he went incontinently and threw himselfe downe on his knees before the Crucifix, and began to dispose and prepare himselfe for death. He fasted the space of three dayes with bread & water: He made his generall confession, and receiued the holy Sacraments. As he thus attended his latest houre, before the said month of Aprill was ended, they sent againe vn∣to him for his finall answere. To which message hee made the like answere as before. And vpon these his last words, hee was iudged and condemned by the Ca∣stilians, to be led in ignominy through the streets of Na∣ples, and from thence to labour in the Gallies all the rest of his life.

The last day of the said moneth, they brought him

out of the Castle, and mounted him on an Asse, & led him openly thorow the streetes of the City, three Trumpets marching afore him, with a Cryer, who cryed with a lowd voyce, This is the iustice which his Catholike Maiestie hath commaunded to bee executed. Hee hath commaunded this man should be thus shamefully led vp and downe, and that be should perpetually be doom'd to the Galleys, for naming himselfe to be Don Sebastian King of Portugall, being no other then a Calabrian. And still before the Cryer beganne, the Trumpets sounded, and so continued to the end. And when they named King, he would cry alowd, Why, so I am. And when they sayd, Being no other then a Calabrian: hee would answere, That is false. Yet notwithstan∣ding in the repetition of these wordes, all the while that they were pronounced by the Cryer, hee no whit hindred the course of iustice, nor once moued himselfe against it.

Now must you note, that the Castilians not kno∣wing how to verifie that he was the said Marcus Tul∣lius Cartizzone, as they indowed him withall at the first, when he was deliuered vnto them, they pro∣claymed him at that howre, by the indefinite name of a Calabrian.

This act bringeth an extreme amazement to al the whole city, and ingenders a great sorrow, & causeth much compunction in the hearts of all men; inso∣much, that they went away stroken with wonder, and full of astonishment. They looked one vpon another with a silent strangenesse, and were vnable to vtter so much as one word one to another, the

greatnesse of their griefe stopping the passage of their speach. And if any amongst them were heretofore perswaded, that he was a Calabrian, after they had now beheld his owne proper person, & this so strange a spectacle, they were confirmed in this beleefe, and did certainely assure themselues, that he whom they thus reprochefully led vp and downe vpon an Asse, was the very right & true Don Sebastian, King of Por∣tugall; and they were touched with such great com∣passion and remorsefull fellow-feeling, in beholding this his miserable estate; and the iniustice wherewith they did intreate him, that they were not able to re∣fraine from teares: the sighes and lamentations of one, inciting the rest to the same, who mourned and bewayled his miserie, whilest the King himselfe cry∣ed out in this pitifull maner:

I am in the hands of mine enemies, who worke what themselues will vpon this my body, but my soule I recom∣mend vnto God, who hath created it, and knowes the truth, and can witnes for me, that I am the same, whom I professe and say I am.

After they had carried him thus throughout the Citie, they brought him to the Kings royall Gallies, whereinto he was no sooner entred, but they present∣ly pulled off his owne apparrell, and put vpon him a flauish attire, and placed him at the prow of the Gal∣ley, where hee remained a whole day: and the next day following, they put him with a gard, in a little Barke that was linked to the Galley, whither there re∣paired a great concourse of people of diuers nations: Amongst the which, were present, a great number of

noble personages, and of very honourable houses, who steadily viewing his visage, and marking him with an especiall attention, and a most searching eye, Without doubt (said they) this is that true D. Sebastian, King of Portugall.

The sift day, they rankt him in the Galleyes, and shaued off the haires both of his head and beard, the which were gathered vp, & kept by those that stood by, as a most precious thing, and of great esteeme.

This being done, they fettred him with chaynes, signifying vnto him, that he should not be bound to rowe. Some French Lords were present at most of these proceedings: and amongst the rest, a sonne of Monsieur de Berault (who is now at this day nomina∣ted for to be Ambassadour of Castile) and a Gentle∣man, who is a follower of his, with some others of the same sute.

In these dayes of so great affliction, the King ceased not to continue in his dayly prayers and fa∣stings, with such admiration of those that beheld it, that they held him for a Saint: and by the meanes of his patience, modestie, and other apparant de∣monstrations of his vertues, he gained so much repu∣tation amongst those with whom he liued, that they were inforced to confesse, that the truth of this mat∣ter was couered and hidden, by the inuentions and subtilties of his enemies, and maintained, that he was the rightfull Don Sebastian King of Portugall.

Many of verie good qualities haue writ out of Naples into diuers partes of Europe, touching the successe of this affayre, according to the trueth

thereof, and in such forcible maner, that as many as are either in the Court of Rome, or in Italy, are perswa∣ded to beleeue, & doe hold most constantly for true, that this miserable Prince, is the same person hee pro∣fesseth himselfe to be.

But some will happely say, that he doth deserue farre more grieuous chastisement, because hee esca∣ping aliue from the battell of Affricke, so much fa∣moused in the world, and comming afterwards vn∣knowne into his owne kingdome of Portugall, hee did not demaund it againe, leauing it as a prey to his enemies; which hath occasioned so many mens deathes, so many and so diuers misaduentures, so ma∣ny mischiefes, afflictions, and miseries, as haue hap∣ned thereby, and haue crossed those Christian peo∣ple these 22. yeeres: as one, who should haue pre∣ferd the publike good, before his owne particular imaginations, and priuate fantasies. But whosoeuer shall take knowledge of his pure vertue, pietie, feare of God, wisdome, and vnderstanding, will sing ano∣ther song, and onely say this: Sic erat in fatis: and that God would haue it so, to the intent, that in the law of grace, there should be found another Iob, like vnto him in the law of nature.

These Galleyes passed from Naples into Spayne, where some do report, that they saw him at Barcelon∣ne, in one of the Kings royall Galleyes, and that hee sat on the third seat, and that they vsed him very wel, and serued him with verie much honour, and with great respects.

We beleeue well the former, but not the latter, as

it shall appeare by that we shal manifest hereafter: for they are but tales and fables, divulged by his ene∣mies, who haue publisht it so abroad, for to cloake their malicious wickednesse, and their treasonable intents, and to conserue the good loue and fauour of such as loue him with all their hearts, and who with all the arte they can, with all their soule, and with all their power seeke to regaine him, & to acknowledge him for their Lord and Master: whereas the other, preferring their owne particular interest, and forget∣ting wholy the common good, haue quite lost both the remembrance of their loyaltie, and the Obliga∣tion, wherein they stand bound to their Coun∣trey.

From Bercelonne, the Gallies entred into the Ocean sea, where they remayned till the beginning of the month of August, at the port of Saint Lucar de Bar∣rameda.

A Currier from his Catholike Maiestie recounted to the thrice Christian King, the cause why the fore∣sayd vessels past forth of the Mediterranean sea into the Ocean, which was a rebellion in Angra, a City in the Ile of Tergere, which is the chiefest of the Iles, which they call by the name of Assores, which is the key of all the Ocean sea: for those that come out of Affricke, out of Asia and America, are constrayned to passe that way, as to the principal But of their na∣uigation. The Ile is situated in 39. degrees, and some minutes, betweene the Septentrion, and the Me∣ridian.

The certainty of this insurrection, is not yet to

this day made fully knowne. Some say, that the Por∣tugals did rise against the Catholike King, a Noble man of Spayne being a party with them. Others, that the Gouernour of the Ile, being by nation a Castilian, did mightily bastenado a Captaine of his regiment; who weighing with himself, that he could not challenge his superior the field, & that he remai∣ned in an Ile inuironed round about with the sea, & 300. leagues from Lisborne, he resolued to take some other course to satisfie his vengeance vpon him. For effecting of which reuenge, he discouered his inten∣tion to his souldiours, and especially to the Portugals of the said Ile: whome hee finding propitious, and fully bent to yeeld him their best assistance, for to make himselfe satisfaction for the wrong he was of∣fred, hee determined to kill the Gouernour, and to rise with the whole Ile, in fauour of the Portugals: which was effected after the same maner, as it was re∣solued on.

This reuolt was the cause that his Catholike Ma∣iestie caused his Galleyes to come from Naples in∣to the Ocean.

Yet for all this, will I not deliuer neither the one nor the other cause for currāt: for they are but fables, framed out of the forge of the enemy, whose custome it is to sow such false tales, to see how the world will stand affected with it, and to discouer the heartes, as well of the nobler, as the vulgar sort. It is rather to be thought, that his Maiestie commaunded the sayd Galleyes to come out of Naples into the Ocean, vp∣on the rumour of those forces that were raysed in

England, being designed (as some say) to enter Por∣tugall.

But whatsoeuer they say, so it was, that his Galleyes came downe thither: and it shall suffice vs for our purpose, to knowe for certayne, that the Royall Galley of Naples, in which Don Sebasti∣an, King of Portugall was put, rides at Saint Lucar de Barrameda, and that the said Don Sebastian is within her in the maner aforesaid.

On the twelfth or thirteenth day of the said mo∣neth, there arriued in Fraunce in a Shippe of the Ro∣chelers, two French marchants, well knowne to bee men of credit and of trueth, who did assure, as well by word of mouth, as by letters written to persons of Honour in Paris,

That they haue seene the foresayd prisoner at Saint Lucar de Barrameda, within the Royall Galley of Naples: And that they spake vnto him: And that they sawe him in chaynes poore and miserable: And that they offered him Lynnen, and Siluer, and other commodities, which hee would by no meanes take, but refused their kindnesse, and re∣turned them thankes: And that hee brooked his affliction with wonderfull patience: And that all they of the Galleyes did acknowledge him to bee the same that himselfe had sayd he was, and did ge∣nerally call him King: And that he is serued by two Galley-slaues that are Turkes: That hee labours not at the Oare; But in all things else is vsed like the rest of the slaues: And that the Duke of Medina Sidonia and his wife, had a desire to see him; who hauing

talked a long time with him, the King demaunded of him, if hee had that sword still which hee gaue him, when he embarked himselfe for Barbarie.

The Duke made answere, that indeed Don Sebastian King of Portugall presented him with a sword, which he bestowed vpon him before his imbarking, which he had caused to be kept in his Armory amongst the rest.

Since that you haue it then (replied the King) I pray you let mee intreate that it may bee brought hither: for although it be now foure and twenty yeres since I gaue it you, I doubt not but I shall know it full well. The Duke had commanded some douzen to be brought: the which the King hauing seuerally viewed, told him, Mine is not amongst any of these. Then the Duke willed they should bring all the rest. And the King espying it in the hands of him that brought them, Loe, Duke (sayd he) behold the sword which I gaue you, when I past into Affricke.

There was in the company of the Duchesse, a Ne∣gro, whom the King knew, & said, that he had serued him for the washing of his lynnen, being one of his Launderers, when hee raigned in Portugall. The Duke seeing these things to bee so apparant, and so probably true, that they seemed miraculous vnto him, blest himselfe with many a crosse, and was seene to goe from him with a heauy and a sorrowfull coun∣tenance, and weeping, as it were, through compas∣sion and meere pitty, to see so miserable a Prince, in so wretched and vnhappy an estate. And the most part of the Castilians themselues, subiects to King

Philip, amazed with these so many signes and testi∣monies of trueth, (howbeit they dare not speake it openly, yet notwithstanding in their priuate discour∣ses) they wil not stick to say, That it is impossible, that this man should be any other, thē the true Don Sebasti∣an; And that it is to be feared, that God will swallow them all in hell, if the Catholike King restore not all that vnto him, which of right appertayneth vnto him. But those, who doe not looke on these great miracles, with the eyes of pitty, say that he is posses∣sed with a deuill.

This Duke (if I am not deceyued) was called D. Alphonse de Guzman le Bon, the tenth County of Niebla, and the seuenth Duke of Medina Sidonia, who in the yeere 1578. the King Don Sebastian arriuing at Cales, for to goe into Affricke, receyued him with great royaltie, magnificent feastings, vvith Tilting, & Tourning, vvith Bul-bayting, and other sportes and pastimes, such as the Ile could afford.

The sayd King continued eight dayes with the Duke, who (they say) tooke much trauaile with him, to disswade him from passing into Barbary in his owne person.

This considered, men need not to think it strange if the Duke had a desire to see him, and also to speake with him: Nor that likewise which the Rochelers report, touching the sword, and the Negro, since that the wife and Ladie of the sayd Duke, is Dame Anne de Silua, daughter to K. Gomes de Silua, a Portugall, and Prince of Eboli, who gouerned the kingdome of Castile for many yeres, who might verie well retaine

the sayd Negro in her service, by reason he had beene brought vp in the Princes house of Portugail.

Wee haue diuers letters written from Cales, into many places round about, which wee finde to be as followeth:

There arriued out of Spaine, sixe or seuen Mar∣chants, Inhabitants of this towne, men of the most credit & wealth amongst them, who reported they had seene Don Sebastian, King of Portugall, in the Kings Galley of Naples, at Saint Lucar de Barrameda; and that they saw him chayned as a prisoner, and in∣treated as the rest of the slaues, but serued with more respect, and free from the oare: which fauour, it is thought, was obtayned for him by the Popes fauour.

They added moreouer, that many old men, Portu∣gals of diuers sorts, in great abundance, came thither to see him, and that all of them did confesse and main∣tayne, that this was the true Don Sebastian King of Portugall; and that the Castilians cryed with alowd voyce, in these termes, which we haue here aboue mentioned, touching the wrath of God hanging o∣uer Spayne.

And if wee shall but weigh all the successes of this King, his peregrinations thorow the world, his im∣prisonments, his deliuerance out of Venice, the ma∣ner of his comming from Florence vnto Naples, his sentence, and execution vpon it, it makes the case appeare in our sight, miraculous and full of wonder: But aboue all, his imbarking and arriuall at Saint Lu∣car de Barrameda. And yet beside all these, this is a rare and extraordinary thing, that the Gallies, comming

downe from Naples into the Ocean sea, did sute in such conformity, and correspondencie with the anci∣ent old prophecies, which touch these aduentures.

The reuer end father, Dvctor Eampayo, a religious & holy man, of the order of Preachers, being at Paris the last yeere, hath assured many men, that hee had seene in the Library of S. Victor, in a certayne booke, a prophecy, which we wil openly deliuer vnto you: to wit, That the King, Don Sebastian, should come out of Naples, vpon a horse of wood, which out of the Mediter∣ranean sea, should enter into the Ocean, and that his horse should rest at Saint Lucar de Barrameda.

See, what father Sampayo hath trucly recounted to these persons touching this Prophecie: the same is confessed and confirmed anew, by the religious men of that Monastery: For it hath bene communicated and declared to diuers of them. Also, they haue writ the verie same, to some of his friends. And within the selfe same Library they haue shewed the prophe∣cy to some such secular Gentlemen, as stand well af∣fected to the liberty of this vnfortunate King. And for as much as the said father Sampayo is far frō hence, we cannot cite the very words of the prophecy, nor the Author of it. Yet notwithstanding, it shall make very well for that we haue in hand, if wee shall but know that which is found written touching the ad∣uerse, & prosperous haps of this vnhappy Prince, by men of great learning, & holines of life: which if we do, we may the more easily be excused. Saint Isioore, a very wise and learned man, and of the bloud royall, as being the sonne of Thtodora, and of Seuerian, sonne to Thierry, King of the Ostrogothes and of Italy,

who flourished about the yeere 580. hath left vnto vs in writing: Occultus Rex, bis piè datus, in Hispaniam veniet in equo ligneo, quem multi videntes, illum esse non credent, &c. Which is as much to say, A secret and vnknowne King, exceeding deuoutly giuen, shall come into Spayne vpon a woodden horse, which many men seeing, shall not beleeue it is he, &c.

This here, is found to be published in a strange ad∣uenture lately imprinted:

A Shooe-maker of Portugall, named Bandarra, borne in the towne of Trancoso, who liued heere a∣bout some 300. yeeres since, hath left vnto vs in wri∣ting in Portugall verse, very many Prophecies vpon diuers and sundry subiects: Amongst the which, there are found some, which intreat Del Incubierto: vi∣delicet, Of the concealed and hidden Prince; in one part whereof, we haue obserued the accomplishment in the person of King Don Sebastian. And if those which remaine behinde, shall proue but so true as those that are past, doubtlesse wee shall see this King seated in his Royall throne.

The poore labouring people of Portugall retaine this as an old tradition:

That a time shall come, wherein a King, whose name shall be as it were De Bestia, shall disappeare for a time; and that after that hee and his Realme shall haue suffred many afflictions and calamities, the verie selfe same King, whom all the world holdeth for dead, shall rise againe, and gayne his throne with incredible happinesse. In which tradi∣tion, we are to note one thing, concerning the name of Bestia: For the Pesants of Portugall, in stead of

saying, Sebastian, pronounce Bestiam: so that, taking a∣way the last letter of the word, there remaines Bestia. Moreouer, we may also perswade ourselues, that this tradition of those base, rusticke, and barbarous men, shall haue his full accomplishment in the per∣son of this Prince, hitherto so vnfortunate. It is no such strange & vnvsuall thing, to see God permit, that we behold his secrets in the mouth of ignorant per∣sons, since that his Sonne hath taught vs, Abscondisti ea a sapientibus, & reuelasti ea parvulis. And we may as well, by the permission of God, see this rusticke pro∣phecie fulfilled, as they did that, which runneth tho∣rough the mouthes of the laborers of Beaulse, in these latter yeeres of the King that was, which was by tradition deliuered still from the father to the sonne.

The yeere one thousand, fiue hundred, eightie nine, Anew King vnto the throne of Portugall shall clime. The yeere one thousand, fiue hundred and ninety, Farre more hares, then sheepe shall you see.

We haue also elsewhere, an other old fellow, who hath composed a booke in Castilian verse, which serues as an explication of those prophecies of Saint Isidore, and of some other, who haue writ of the Incu∣bierto. In which booke I haue read some 45. yeres since, many curious things, which if I could remem∣ber them, would at this time stand me in good stead. But because I read them in my youth, without any notice of things to come, or imagining of any chan∣ges or reuolutions to happen in the world these 24.

yeeres past: and besides, being then vncapable of vn∣derstanding them, made me the more negligent in the apprehension of them: onely my memory hath in a confused maner, furnished me with a Poeme of seuen lines, very fit for our present purpose. And not long since, a Gentleman of Portugall, a faithfull ser∣uant to his King, and very desirous of his countries liberty, gaue it me in writing.

Vendra & Incubierto, Vendra cierto. Entrera en el huerto, Por el puerto. Qu'esta mas a ca del muro. Y lo que paresce escuro, Se vra claro, yabierto.

Which is as much to say:

The vnknowne shall come: He shall come for certaine, and shall enter at the garden, By the gate, which is neerest to the wall. And that which seemeth darke and obseure, Shall appeare full cleare, and be discouered.

For the better vnderstanding of these verses, wee are to vnderstand what this garden, and what this wall is: for the exposition and vnderstanding of these two words, shall giue vs light to the rest, and shall lay open to our view, those admirable things, which a simple Poeme prophecieth vnto vs.

We are then to vnderstand, that this garden may

bee taken for the countrey, which extends it selfe be∣yond the Mount Calpe, which is in Spaine, at the mouth of the Streight of Gibraltar, fronting on Mount Abyla, which is situated on the other side of the sayd Streight, in Affricke, which are the two Mountaynes, which are named by the Ancient, Her∣cules Pillers, as farre as the riuer, which the Latines call Baetis, and is named now at this day, by the Inha∣bitants, Guadal quiber, a name, imposed by the Moores, after they had made themselues Lords of Spaine, which signisieth in our language, Great-wa∣ter: for Guad, in the Arabian tongue, is as much as water, and Quiber signifieth great.

The Ile of Cales is in that countrey, and was once farre greater, then now it is. All this countrey is very sertill, plentifull, and delightsome.

Ancient Authors doe report of it, that if their sheepe should goe but thirty dayes without letting of bloud, they would die with fatnesse.

In this countrey did Homer dwell before he grew blind, which was in the yeere 1;07. after the flood, and 255. before the foundation of Rome, and a thou∣sand before the incarnatiou of Christ. In those daies they called it Melesegines. They that haue seene the fruitfulnesse and good temperature thereof, affirme, that these were the Elisian fieldes, whither the gods sent the soules of the blessed. Whence we see cleare∣ly, that this countrey is the garden of Spatne, and so we likewise call it.

Yet there are some Authors, notwithstanding, who maintaine & approue with very strong and euident

reasons, that Lisborne is the garden of Spaine, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging: For as much as it is a very pleasant Territorie, large, fertill, plentifull, fayre, and delectable, wherein grow great abundance of all fruits, the most excellent, and the most perfit that Europe affordeth.

Your elder writers affirme, that the mares that liue thereabout, will be impregned by the wind, and that the coltes which come of them, seeme rather to flye then runne, so swift they are of foot.

Vlisses (whom writers allot vnto vs, as sounder of the sayd Citie) and his companions, arriued after his shipwracke, in these quarters, and entring into the O∣cean sea by Tagus, moued by the fertilnesse of the Territorie, with the waters, & the abundance of fish, that were bred in the sayd riuer, being so deepe, and so marueilous fit for all kind of commodities, besides the great store of Gold, which seemed to be in those sands, he named it Theodora, which in the Greeke tongue, signifieth Gods gift. So that the garden of Spaine is that countrey, which we affirme to bee be∣tweene the mount Calpe, and the riuer of Guadiana: Or else the towne of Lisborne, with her Terri∣tories.

The King Don Sebastian hauing entred some of these parts with prosperity, it importeth vs a little for the verification of this Prophecie, whether the one or the other be the garden of Spaine.

Touching the wall, all they that are well seene and practised in the ancient Histories of Spayne, con∣fesse, that it is the Ile of Cales, which they call Gades,

and by reason of the affinity of the G. with the C. is conuerted into the name of Cades.

And for the better declaring from whence this name came, it is necessarie that wee heere alleage some ancient Histories, who teach vs, that there are sixe men that beare the name of Hercules: whereof, two of them haue stifled eche others reputation. One was sonne vnto Iupiter & Alcmena: the other, sonne of the same father, and of Asteria sister to La∣tona. And this Hercules is adored with great reuerēce at Tyr.

The Histories doe report, that hee commaunded the Gaditanes by a dreame, who were the Inhabitants of that Citie, that they should passe into Spayne, and build a Temple vnto him in Cales, where his name should be held in veneration.

For to accomplish this commaundement, the Gaditanes imbarked themselues in the yeere two hundred thirty fiue, after the foundation of Rome; and sayling by the Mediterranean sea, they entred the Ocean: and not farre from the mouth of the Streight, they landed at Cales.

There beganne they to build a towne, obseruing the customes and Ceremonies of the Hetruscians, who did (as M. Varro mentioneth) couple a Bull and a Cowe vnder one yoke, and so made a deepe furrowe with their plovv-share, in a circular or round figure, whose circuit they drew as large as the City should bee, which they intended to build. The plowe share made the furrow, and the earth they threw vp, formed their vvalles. So did Romulus,

when he vndertooke the foundation of Rome: as it is storied by Dionisius Halicarnesseus. So did Aeneas also, according to the testimony of Virgil.

Interea Aeneas orbem designat aratro.

And thus in this maner, was the sayd place held afterwards for a thing holy, and religious.

As soone as the building of this towne and temple was bruted in the world, great multitudes out of Eu∣rope, Affricke, and Asia, came to see it. And in after yeeres, the Garthaginians, considering that the inha∣bitants thereof, as being all of one countrie, (for they and the Gaditanes came both out of Tyr) would con∣tinue still friends vnto them, determined to vnder∣take the conquest of Spaine.

And for the better effecting their designe, they cloaked their ambition, with pietie and religion, as I shall shew you: giuing the Spaniards to vnderstand, that it was not fit, since so many out of all parts of the world came to visit this Citie, and the temple belon∣ging vnto it, and to doe sacrifice vnto the God there∣of, of whom they had receiued such exceeding bene∣fits, that the said God should bee worshipped in so poore a temple, and of so base a structure, the walles thereof being no better then durt and earth: And therefore would intreat them, that they might haue leaue to build a greater, a richer, and more sumptuous temple.

The Spaniards, not suspecting any ill that might succeed, nor any way being ielous of the Carthagini∣ans

at that time, did easily condescend to their re∣quest, suffering them to obtaine whatsoeuer they de∣sired.

Presently hereupon, the Carthaginians began, with incredible haste to build a mightie huge temple of squared stone, and so strong, that it might serue them in stead of a castle, for the effecting of this their inten∣tion.

There were also all along the temple some strong buildings, saying they were to scrue for the Priests, the officers, and the seruants of the sayd temple.

Not content with this, acquainting the Spaniards with the bad entertainment, which those receiued which came with such great deuotion, and vnder∣tooke such long iournies for to visite the house of this their God, that they might haue where to retire themselues, and to shelter themselues for all seasons, that they would permit them to build a greater nū∣ber of houses, for to lodge and receiue these poore pilgrimes.

In a word, the Carthaginians obtayned all that they would: and ioyning one house to another, they made a very strong place, by meanes whereof, they grew great Lords in Spaine. And the same report is now at this day very common also in the mouthes of many. When the Earle of Essex tooke the said towne by force, the Inhabitants trembled, and cried out, Is it possible that the walles of Spayne should bee taken by the enemie? O God, what shall we doe?

Out of this, which hath bin said, you may clearely see, that this is that wall, and that garden, which the

Author of these Prophecies hath spokē of in his ver∣ses. So that in knowing this, wee may easily haue knowledge of the gate which is on the hither side of the wall, which must be that of Saint Lucar de Barra∣meda, which is on the other side in the Ocean sea, some fiue leagues distant from Cales.

God graunt that this vertuous and holy Prince, Don Sebastian, King of Portugall, fulfilling all that which is prophecied of him, may enter into the pos∣session of his kingdome, for the peace and tranquilli∣ty of his countries, & the common good of all Chri∣stendome. Amen. Farewell, the last of August. 1602.