for a year, caused his death. He had no other children but the queen of Spain. The king of Castille received information that the realm of Portugal was now fallen to him, m the rightful fucceffor to the deceafed king. Many councils were holden on • this occafion ; hut, when they fpoke to him on the ftibject, he replied, ' The Portuguefe are an obftinate race: I fhall never gain them but by conqueft/ The Portuguefe, finding themfelves without a king took council together, and refolved to fend a deputation to a baftard-brother of king Fernando, a valiant and wife man called Denis* $ but he was a monk, and mafter of the order of Avis. They declared, they had much rather be under the government of this valiant man, than of the king of Caftiile; for, in the eyes of God* he who acted well was no baftard. The grandmafter was exceedingly rejoiced on hearing the univerfal good will the four principal cities in Portugal bore him; and that the affec- * Froiffart miftakes one brother for another. Peter the fevere had three children by Inès de Caftro : Denis, the eld-eft, was confined at this time in the prifons of Spain. John, the perfon meant in the text, was the fon of Peter by The* tefa Laurezzo, and fur named the Father of his Country. He was grand matter of the order of Avis ; and. after the death of his brother Ferdinand, was chofen king, to the pre-judice of Beatrice, only child of Ferdinand. Pope Urban, by difpenfation, freed him from his religions vows in 1387. He married Philippa, daughter of John of Gaunt duke of Lancafter, by Hanche of Caftiile, by whom he had fevera! children.—MORERI—Art de Verifier les Dates. I 3 - ti«n 117