stow on you again; yea, my own properties I account yours, to be expended for your good, and your eyes shall see the bestowing of it for your welfare.

Mr. Speaker, I would wish you, and the rest to stand up, for, I shall yet trouble you with longer Speech. Mr. Speaker, you give Me thanks, but I am more to thank you, and I charge you, thank them of the Lower House from Me, for, had I not received knowledge from you, I might have fallen into the lapse of an error, only for want of true information. Since I was Queen, yet did I never put my pen to any grant, but upon pretext and semblance* made Me, that it was for the good and avail of My subjects generally, though a private profit to some of My antient servants, who have deserved well; but that My grants shall be made grievances to My people, and oppressions, to be privileged under colour of our patents, our princely dignity shall not suffer it. When I heard it, I could give no rest unto my thoughts until I had reformed it, and those varlets, lewd persons, abusers of My bounty, shall know that I will not suffer it. And, Mr. Speaker, tell the House from Me, I take it exceeding grateful that the knowledge of these things are come unto Me from them. And though, amongst them the principal members are such as are not touched in private, and therefore need not speak from any feeling of the grief, yet We have heard that other gentlemen also of the House, who stand as free, have spoken as freely in it; which gives Us to know, that no respects or interests have moved them, other than the minds they bear to suffer no diminution of our honour, and our subjects love unto Us. The zeal of which affection tending to ease my people, and knit their hearts unto Us, I embrace with a princely care, far above all earthly treasures. I esteem my people's love, more than which I desire not to merit; and God, that gave Me here to sit, and placed me over you, knows that I never respected myself, but as your good was concerned in Me; yet what dangers, what practices, and what perils I have passed, some, if not all of you know, but none of these things do move Me, or ever made Me fear, but it is God that hath delivered Me. And, in My governing this land, I have ever set the last judgment-day before My eyes, and so to rule, as I shall be judged and answer before a higher judge, to whose judgment-seat I do appeal, in that never thought was cherished in My heart that tended not to My people's good. And if My princely bounty have been abused, and My grants turned to the hurt of My people, contrary to my will and meaning, or if any in authority under Me have neglected, or converted what I have committed unto them, I hope God will not lay their culpst to my charge. To be a King, and wear a crown, is a thing more glorious to them that see it, than it is pleasant to them that bear it; for Myself, I never was so much enticed with the glorious name of a king, or the royal authority of a queen, as delighted that God hath made Me his instrument to maintain his truth and glory, and to defend this kingdom from dishonour, damage, tyranny, and oppression. But should I ascribe any of these things unto Myself, or My sexly weakness, I were not worthy to

live, and of all most unworthy of the mercies I have received at God's hands; but to God only and wholly all is given and ascribed. The cares and trouble of a Crown I cannot more fitly resemble, than to the drugs of a learned physician, perfumed with some aromatical savour, or to bitter pills gilded over, by which they are made more acceptable, or less offensive, which indeed are bitter and unpleasant to take; and, for My own part, were it not for conscience-sake, to discharge the duty that God hath laid upon Me, and to maintain his glory, and keep you in safety, in My own disposition I should be willing to resign the place I hold to any other, and glad to be freed of the glory with the labours; for it is not My desire to live or reign longer, than My life and reign shall be for your good." And, though you have had, and may have, many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat, yet you never had, nor shall have any, that will love you better.

Thus, Mr. Speaker, I commend Me to your loyal loves, and yours to My best care, and your further counsels; I pray you, Mr. Comptroller, and Mr. Secretary, and you of My council, that, before these gentlemen depart into their countries, you bring them all to kiss My

hand.

THE TRUE HISTORY*

OF THE LATE AND LAMENTABLE ADVENTURES

or

DON SEBASTIAN, KING OF PORTUGAL,

After his Imprisonment in Spain, until this present Day,

Being now in SPAIN, at ST. LUCAR DE BARRAMEda.

There is no power but from God. Rom. xii.

London, printed by Simon Stafford and James Shaw, 1602. Quarto, containing twenty-eight Pages.

HIS unfortunate King, Don Sebastian, having been brought from

ber, without any other furniture in it, than a halter, and a long knife of the length of half the arm; where, for the space of three days, they neither gave him aught to drink, or to eat, nor whercon to lie; which space he spent in continual prayers, enduring his crosses with incredible

This is the 79th number in the Catalogue of Pamphlets in the Harleian Library.

patience. On the fourth day after, the auditor-general, accompanied with two notaries, came to visit him, and found him, for his life, of good disposition, and marvelled exceedingly at him, (for all of them did verily believe, that, seeing himself so ill treated, he would, in despair, have hanged himself, or, with one of those two instruments, have ended his days; which for that purpose were prepared, and placed in that room; or, at least, incur thereby some grievous malady) and said unto him, That, if he would not deny, and cease to maintain what he had avouched and maintained, in reporting himself to be Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, he should never have either drink, meat, or lodging. To whom the King made answer:

Do what you will, for I shall never sing any other song; and I beseech God Omnipotent, of his infinite goodness and divine mercy, that he will stretch out his powerful hand, and assist me in these my troubles; and that he will not suffer me to commit so foul a fault, or to fall into so great a mischief, and so contrary to my own soul, that, for fear and terror of men, I should come to deny the truth, and to confess a falshood. God defend me from it. I am that self-same Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, who, in the year 1578, passed into Africa against the Infidels; and the very same, who, to augment the name and power of the Christians, put my life in hazard; and am that unfortunate Prince, who, for the punishment of his sins, lost a battle; which loss begat so many misadventures, and occasioned so many changes in Christendom. This is the very truth, neither can I say any other.'

With this answer, the auditor, and his notaries, went their way. After this, they began to give him, for his nourishment, some bread and water; and, some few days after, he was allowed five crowns a month, and a man to wait upon him. The viceroy of Naples, last deceased, came to visit him, and there passed between them that which hath been published by so many hands, and set forth in so many languages. Now, as soon as it was bruited abroad, and that fame had run and told it through the world, that he remained prisoner, and that all men had leave to see him, many persons, of divers, both qualities, and nations, made a voyage unto Naples, only to see him, and to speak unto him: And, amongst the rest, many Portuguese, some out of Portugal, and some from other places of their being, past into Italy, that they might, with their own proper eyes, behold so admirable, and so rare a wonder. Many of the Portuguese, especially the elder sort, who had seen him, and knew him; and some also of Castile, and other strangers besides, having seen him, and discoursed with him, confessed and maintained, That he was Don Sebastian, the true King of Portugal. During the life of the said viceroy, his imprisonment was not so austere, nor so strict, as it was afterwards, when his son succeeded in the said government; who kept him exceeding close, and double-guarded, suffering him, notwithstanding, to go abroad on the Sundays, and other festivaldays, for to hear mass in a chapel within the said castle. He lived in. perpetual prayers and fastings. Every Friday and Saturday, he fasted with bread and water. He did the like, sometimes, also on other days,

as on Mondays and Wednesdays. He often frequented the sacraments, and used much confession; and, all the Lent long, fed nor eat of any thing, save only herbs and pulse.

The seventeenth of April last past, within a year after that he was delivered to the Castilians, the said viceroy, who also is Count of Lemos, son to him that was deceased, married with the daughter of the Duke of Lerma, who now, at this day, is a governor in Spain: At that time it was demanded of him, that he should suddenly make answer, without any other proceedings, or diligence, in his cause, unto that which, on the fourth day, was proposed by the auditor-general, accompanied, as before we mentioned. To whom he replied:

That it was no lawful, nor direct course, to take upon them to examine, and judge him, without process; but rather, that they should present him to the Portuguese, who had both nourished him, knew him, and served him. For, on their relation, and their testimony, ought to depend the true proof and approbation of his business: Affirming, that, if it were possible for him to live a thousand years longer, he would never answer otherwise: And, that if they should determine to do justice on him, without any other order or proof, he must take God for his only judge, who knows the truth of this matter, and that he is the proper and true King of Portugal, Don Sebastian. Wherefore, if you are so disposed, take your course in effecting that, upon which, heretofore, you purposed.'

The officers, appointed for this affair, being gone from him with this answer, he went immediately, and threw himself down on his knees before the crucifix, and began to dispose and prepare himself for death. He fasted the space of three days with bread and water, He made his general confession, and received the holy sacraments. As he thus attended his latest hour, before the said month of April was ended, they sent again unto him for his final answer. To which message he made the like answer, as before. And, upon these his last words, he was judged and condemned, by the Castilians, to be led, in ignominy, through the streets of Naples, and from thence to labour in the gallies all the rest of his life,

The last day of the said month, they brought him out of the castle, and mounted him on an ass, and led him openly through the streets of the city, three trumpets marching before him, with a crier, who cried with a loud voice, This is the justice which his Catholick Majesty hath commanded to be executed. He hath commanded this man should be thus shamefully led up and down, and that he should perpetually be doomed to the gallies, for naming himself to be Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, being no other than a Calabrian. And still, before the crier began, the trumpets sounded, and so continued to the end. And, when they named King, he would cry aloud, Why, so I am, And when they said, Being no other than a Calabrian, he would answer, That is false. Yet, notwithstanding, in the repetition of these words, all the while that they were pronounced by the crier, he no wise hindered the course of justice, nor once moved himself against it,

Now must you note, that the Castilians not knowing how to verify, that he was the said Marcus Tullius Cartizzone, as they endowed him with at the first, when he was delivered unto them, they proclaimed him at that hour, by the indefinite name of a Calabrian.

This act bringeth an extreme amazement to all the whole city, and ingenders a great sorrow, and causeth much compunction in the hearts of all men; insomuch that they went away struck with wonder, and full of astonishment. They looked one upon another with a silent strangeness, and were unable to utter so much as one word to another, the greatness of their grief stopping the passage of their speech. And if any, amongst them, were heretofore persuaded, that he was a Calabrian, after they had now beheld his own proper person, and this so strange a spectacle, they were confirmed in this belief, and did certainly assure themselves, that he, whom they thus reproachfully led up and down upon an ass, was the very right and true Don Sebastian, King of Portugal; and they were touched with such great compassion, and remorseful fellow-feeling, in beholding this his miserable state, and the injustice wherewith they did treat him, that they were not able to refrain from tears: The sighs and lamentations of one inciting the rest to the same, who mourned, and bewailed his misery, whilst the King himself cried out in this pitiful manner;

"I am in the hands of my enemies, who work what themselves will upon this my body; but my soul I recommend unto God, who hath created it, and knows the truth, and can witness for me, that I am the same, whom I profess and say I am,'

After they had carried him thus throughout the city, they brought him to the King's royal gallies; whereunto he was no sooner entered, but they presently pulled off his own apparel, and put upon him a slavish attire, and placed him at the prow of the galley, where he remained a whole day; and, the next day following, they put him, with a guard, in a little barque, that was linked to the galley, whither there repaired a great concourse of people, of divers nations. Amongst the which, were peresent a great number of noble personages, and of very honourable houses, who steadily viewing his visage, and marking him with an especial attention, and a most searching eye, Without doubt, said they, this is that true Don Sebastian, King of Portugal.

The fifth day they ranked him in the galljes, and shaved off the hairs both of his head and beard, the which were gathered up, and kept by those that stood by, as a most precious thing, and of great

esteem.

This being done, they fettered him with chains, signifying unto him, that he should not be bound to row. Some French lords were present at most of these proceedings; and, among the rest, a son of Monsieur de Berault, who is, now at this day, nominated for to be ambassador of Castile, and a gentleman, who is a follower of his, with some others of the same suit,

In these days of so great affliction, the King ceased not to continue in his daily prayers and fastings, with such admiration of those that beheld