heard oî the coronation of king John, in oppo-fition to his claim on Portugal in right of his queen, and was advifed to fend every where for fiett at arms, efpccially to France, as the French had before been their allies in the wars of his father the late king. His council faid ; My lord, you only want one fuccefsful battle over the Portuguefe to have them under your fubjection; for that kingdom is, as you know, much di-vided in regard to the perfon to whom the crown belongs. You have now with you its principal nobles, who have acknowledged your right, which is affujedly of great importance to your war. If you march to combat this baftard of Portugal, whom the commonalty have crowned king, before he be reinforced by the Englifh,' you will conquer him, and the country bé pour own, for it is not of that extent but we can foon overrun it. 4 The king of Caftille "fent envoys to France, Poitou, Brittany, Normandy and many other places where he thought it probable men at arms Would come to ferve him, but more parti-cularly into Béarn, whence indeed numbers of gallant knights and fquires did come. From that country there were more than from any etheis and the army amounted, when at San-taren, to Upwards of feven hundred lances and thirty thoufand Spaniards, all well mounted, and eager to do us mifchief. c News was foon carried- to Portugal of the great power the king of Caftillé h ad collected, and tfcathe intended to renew again thefiègeofLifbon. . - • - m * f • ^ -The 400 •