forbad him by any means to utter it to any man living, and willed him to go abroad every where to search out and discover what he might possibly; allowing him present money to bear his charges, delivering him a letter to Don Bernardin Mendosa, then his leager-ambassador in France, to give him any money he should have cause to use, not signifying unto him for what cause or intent; and thereupon he shewed me letters, which made the matter evident, that he had been in Spain, as is aforesaid; but for the particularities of the said letters I do not well remember, but that I hold myself satisfied thereby, that he had been in Spain, &c. But, to continue his tale, he told he had travelled so long, that, his money being well wasted, he was forced to go to Mendosa to be supplied in his necessity; to whom when he would not reveal the cause of his coming into those parts, and having letters of intelligence out of Spain from some great man, that he should deliver that Godigno no more money, being but an impostor and a deluder, as they termed him, Mendosa was soon confirmed in that parsimony, intending before to shut up his liberality, and to give him never a denier; at which denial this Godigno began to lament, and burst forth into bitter tears: as I judge, his lamentation was because he was, crossed and prevented for coming to the type of his enterprise.

In the end, protesting before God and his angels, and by vertue of that holy sacrament he had that day received, that all that he had uttered to me was true: in the end, without protestation of believing, or shew of infidelity, I promised him my secrecy, as he desired. Some few days after this conference, he returned unto me, as he used to do, inquiring what news I heard of Father Sampayo; to whom I answered, I understood of him no more than before. Mean while, I was, as it were, distracted in conceit, seeing this gentleman's relation a paradox adverse to the fame and vulgar opinion of Don Sebastian's death: and, weighing this gentleman's integrity, zeal, and communication, with the Jacobin's, could not in my conscience condemn him for a lyar. But, whether it were true or false, according to my promise I concealed it, though it were in some sort an offence so to do. It came to pass in some little space after, in the house of an apothecary, dwelling in the suburbs called St. Germain's, near the gate, whose house was razed at the siege of Paris, that this man died. Here is all that I can say con cerning this subject, which I never opened to any man, saving to Dr. Sampayo, which was a good while after, but the time I do not justly remember: and one cause why I was loth to speak of it, was, for that I was afraid to be thought deluded. And, methinks, this I have written unto you may seem very strange, notwithstanding the common report at this hour is, that Don Sebastian was seen alive two years he was detained in Venice: but I tell you, the greater part of the world suppose that he is a counterfeit, suborned, &c. God knows what he is, who ever send you a happy and long life: so, with my humble recommendations to your reverend self, I leave you. From Annisi, the last of September, anno 1601.

after

I forgot to tell you, that Emanuel Godigno added to that before mentioned, that the Catholick King gave him in especial charge to tell Don Sebastian, that the Catholick King requested him by any means

to hasten his return without delay to him, desiring nothing so much as to render him the possession of his realm and kingdom, and to bestow his eldest daughter upon him in marriage.

I am farther to desire of you so much favour, as to send me these books from Lyons, here mentioned in a catalogue, inclosed in this let ter, and I will faithfully repay whatsoever you shall lay out to that purpose. Here follow the titles: all the works you can find, De Regno Christi temporali. I beseech you salute for me Monsieur le Fevre, recommending my faithful service unto him: of whom, if it please you, you may crave assistance in my business, for he is a man multe lectionis.

Good Lord! I had forgotten my duty to Monsieur de Tyron, to Monsieur Pellejay, to Monsieur de Marnay, and to my loving friends of Amboise, three brethren, reckoning myself much bound to them all: notwithstanding, I fear they little trouble themselves with the thinking upon so mean a man as myself; and this conceit half dismays me to trouble you so far, as to recommend me, in all humility, to my lord bishop of Eureux. Whatsoever you shall think convenient to perform in my behalf, either to add or diminish, I refer to your discretion.

THE King, Don Sebasti, departing from Paris, travelled through France directly into Italy: nd I know not who followed him, or where he forsook his company but most assured I am, he resolved to give over the pomp and glory the world, and to retire himself to live privately; and being in Dalatia, he made choice of an hermitage for his habitation, contenting therewith, in lieu of his former princely palace. This poor herm ge was situated on the top of a mountain, near the city of Lesine, here he abode for the space of three years: in the issue of which t, there arrived a ship of Portu gal, from whence some passengers gol a pilgrimage to that hermitage, seeing the King, knew him incontinen and said aloud: "Behold, yonder is our King Don Sebastian" ; a spread this rumour presently about the city. The King, perceiving that was discovered, grew much displeased therewith, and, upon that dis himself to forsake the place, to the grea rucifying of my soul, for there he lived in great tranquillity of min with no less consolation. Being in a bodily fear, lest the Portugueseould come thither and search for him, he thought good to go: and sine, he distributed all his moveables and ho

tentment, determined with

efore he went from Lehold stuff amongst his

friends: three of the which, coming to Venice, were called before the senate, before whom they confirmed all which the said King confessed upon his first examination, touching his estate, and accidents in those quarters. The senators called them to come before the King face to face, in open view of the whole senate and assistants, and they knew one another very well; and one of them brought a picture with him, which the King had left behind him, upon the which was painted Jesus Christ crucified, with St. Sebastian and St. Anthony of Padua. And this act is so common in Venice, that they talk thereof without con troulment.

The King departed from Lesine, wandering here and there, seeking some convenient place to retire himself into, fit for his design, lodged himself in a mountain near Pisa, where he spent his time as you shall hear. He had hose, and what else I know not, but no hat, nor other necessary thing that might serve instead thereof; by reason whereof you must needs imagine his complexion, of force, must alter, which, from swarthy, became black: his hair grew long, but not unseemly, for he used to cut it: his garments were of coarse cloth, and his food herbs, roots, and fishes, which were given him for God's sake: he fequented the city, where, the first months of his arrival, he gave mory towards the dowries and marriages of poor maidens; and, at his wn charge, delivered many out of prison, discharging their debts. And, having distributed all he had for God-sake, he was fain to receive again for God-sake, and took that in good part which was gien him in the town, only to serve the necessities of his person, which ere few, considering the austerity of his diet, and hard penance which he willingly endured, relieving prisoners with the surplusage of his por fortunes, if he had any, to whom he did many services by his tray and labour, to dispatch their business whensoever they requested hir One reported unto me, that he had many charitable alms at a Porguese's house in the town, who ministered unto him cloaths and othe necessaries, without knowledge what he was, or where he was borr which he, by his own confession, took very thankfully. The likeefell him in St. Alexis, where he afterward arrived; and after in Eda, a city in Syria, he received benevolence of his own servants, tha andered almost through the habitable parts of the world to seek J.

After he had remained certain ars in these mountains, there appeared a vision unto him by night herein he thought God commanded him to repair home into his owningdom, and leave this desolate and solitary life, and abandon both rmitage and mountains: but, afterward misliking his former opir1, he began to suspect the same apparition to be diabolical, or me fantastical, and revoked that purpose for to proceed in his journe desolate place, with whom he lived in a omeward: but a very old man dwelling great league of amity, bese he was a virtuous man, exercising himself wholly in devotion a prayer, made him revoke that unreverent conceit of his vision, sg that it was a good and godly motion, and ed from an ill spirit; and therefore a godly therefore could not pr persuaded him to do his endeavour, to execute and a divine vision: that, which therein given him in charge.

near unto him in the fores

S

The King listened unto this old man's advice, and so much the ra ther, for that he discovered unto him before many strange things, and foretold many matters that he had seen take event according to his pre divination. Whereupon the King wiping away the tears from his cheeks, which his woeful heart had sent outward as messengers of secret sorrow, took his leave of his fellow in affliction, like one deprived (by grief) of ready use both of reason and judgment: so, abruptly leaving his loving friend and religious companion, trotted onwards of his journey from one place to another, until he came to Messina, a city in Sicily. In which place it is supposed he had left (passing that way before) some pieces of gold and jewels of value, which, to recover, to serve his present turn, -and to furnish him in good sort, he was forced to discover himself to his companions, from whom he had stolen long before.

In this voyage he sent Marco Tullio Catizzone into Portugal, with divers letters, to many persons of quality (as is said before in my treatise called Admirable Adventures). And at Messina he shipped himself in a galley belonging to his holiness, bound for Genoa, being fraught with silks, and afterwards came to Civita Vecchia. From whence without any delay he posted to Rome, and was lodged near unto St. Peter's church, where as he was sleeping in his chamber, he was robbed by certain of his servants, whom he had newly entertained into his service, not long after his coming to Rome. And very near as shortly after my departure from thence, hearing of the rumour, I sent to a friend of mine there, to give me intelligence of the certainty of these tidings, and spoke with his hostess, being a widow, and with her chil-dren and servants, which reported all that had passed in that business, saying they well discerned by his behaviour, that he was some honourable personage, or some very great lord, and said they were very much grieved with the unfortunate rumour that was spread there, that he was declared to be Don Sebastian, the true King of Portugal; which, by his gravity and majestical behaviour, assured them no less, than that he was some great prince.

Conferring this I now learned, with these circumstances collected before in this country, and afterwards confirmed at Venice, any man may be assured that this report was true. At Venice one shewed me an inventory, written with his own hand, of those parcels of treasure that had been stolen from him: amongst the rest there was a chain of gold garnished with precious stones, which the great Sophi presented him, with a diamond of great value, and rings with precious stones most exquisitely set, with many other pieces of good estimation and value. And, while he was distempered for the loss of these jewels, he missed certain papers, the purports whereof were of great importance: all which were slipperily conveyed away; which being kept had been direct testimonies to serve his turn, in the doubtful opinions of them that were to try and sift him, whether he were the same Don Sebastian he pretended to be. And, having understanding of some ambushment laid to intrap him by the passage of Umbria, he altered his course and went by Narne; and when he came thither, and heard no news of his enemies in his way, he went forward by Tarne: where he had intelligence that his holiness would go to our Lady's of Loretto. Then he

addressed his journey to that place directly; and, when he came to Neuvaine, he understood his holiness had changed his purpose, and was resolved to go by Bologne, and so to Ferrara: the King, after his devotion ended, bent his travel towards Bologne. Whither when he cane sore wearied and tired miserably, he heard of another alteration, that his holiness, by means of some sickness, that came upon him suddenly, had no intent once to budge from Rome, being forced to keep his chamber. This tossing and reeling to no purpose troubled the poor King exceedingly, having broken the neck of his designs: not knowing then what way to take, thought with himself to go some way at a venture; not resolving upon any one, his fortunes grew so variable, that at last he directly past to a village, which belongs to the Count of Verona, in the midway to Mantua, which some call Nogara. And, when he came to that borough, a strange imaginanion possessed him, that one violently withstood him, for going any further that way. Then he, supposing himself to have day-light enough to guide him to Mantua, was contented to be checked in the other passage; finding his mind assailed with a thousand variable cogitations, which so afflicted him, that he could not utter any one period of his vexations, to him that accompanied him. All this time I had no certain report of the King's being in that place; which is the cause I made no mention of the day, as I used to do of his other passages.

The King being at Mantua told a gentleman of Loretto, that, when he was at our Lady's there, he named himself, Juan Poeta. This gentleman, being entered into very good terms of amity with the King, did him many kind favours and courtesies, entertaining him at his lodg ing in the best sort he could devise: and shortly after accompanied him to Ferrara, where he apparelled the King in silks and velvet. Shortly after this gentleman had performed these offices to the King, his urgent business called him from that place: but, before he went, he conducted the King to his taylor's house; and there took order for supplying of his wants, and gave charge for his special entertainment, willing his host to call him Joanne Baptista Sartori della contrada de Santa Maria la Fratra. This man was of good years, very virtuous and rich, into whose house the King entered the fourth of October, Anno 1597. In which year, the King, understanding the Pope was to make his entry into Fer rara, accompanied with this taylor, about the first of May set forward towards the same city: whither, when the King confessed himself to Friar Alonso, a religious professor of my order, a man of great virtue and sincerity (but very simple) who came, and found not his holiness there, he determined then to attend his coming; in which space the King, thinking to do well, did that which fell out to be very ill, in reporting to divers nobles and gentlemen, that Don Sebastian the King of Portugal was in the city, attending the presence of his holiness: and as it happeneth, that one evil seldom comes alone, the taylor being acquainted with a gentleman of Portugal (whose name I know not, some called him Baron) this gentleman the taylor conducted home to the King's lodging to dinner. This Portuguese, sitting at the table, often beheld the King advisedly as he sat at meat, and observed him in every respect. Soon after dinner was done, the King rose and departed to his chamber. After his retiring the gentleman said to his hostess, and