3n . ' CHAP. LI. LAWRENCE FONGASSE, ONE OF THE AMBASSA-DORS FROM PORTUGAL TO ENGLAND, RE-LATES TO THE DUKE OF LANCASTER THE ' EVENTS WHICH HAD HAPPENED m PORTU-GAL SINCE THE EARL OF CAMBRIDGE HAD LEFT IT. ^T^HE kingdom of Portugal has been in great •* trouble fince the departure of the earl of Cambridge ; but, x thanks to God, all has turned out well, and affairs are now on a fteady footing. If the Lord had not interfered, matters muft have ended badly, and all frop the fault of don Fernando our lajt king, as was generally report-ed and believed by the more fenflble part of the nation. ' . . € King Fernando felt dçfperately in love with the wife of one of his knights* called Lorenzo d'Acunha, and was fo much enamoured he would have her by force ; the lady made the beft defence fhe could, but at length he fuceeeded, and told her he would make her queen of Portugal, for that, if he was fmitten with her charms, it was not to lower her, but on the contrary to exalt and marry her. ' Ah, my lord !' replied the lady with tears and on her knees, « I beg your grace's pardon: