IT is so fatall to the Spaniard to be beaten by th [...] Portuguesses, that not content to be overcome b [...] force of Armes, they invent new wayes to aug [...] ment their own overthrowes: and this appeareth evident by their late publishing a mighty victory which they (forsooth) had newly obtained over the Portuguesses in the skirts of Spaine; whereas within very few dayes after this lowd lyes publication, there arrived here most certain newes of the selfesame defeat given in the same time and place, unto the Spaniards, by the Portuguesses, which they had vapoured to have bin given by them unto the Portuguesses, so that by this we see the Spaniards are not content to be quelled by the sword of the Portu­gall, but they must needs also be confounded by their own lyes, to make their shame the greater.

Whence it may be hoped the world in time will be disabused to see this si [...]king Nation endeavour to subsist by couching all her weake affaires, under the masque of impudent lyes: For to what other end could she else (knowing her self actually beaten) vaunt of a victory at the same instant over her greatest Enemie? so to redouble her own overthrow, and make suspected the reality of the Victors glory, if yet we may call that a victory which was obtained over a Nation that hath even annihilated her self, by lay­ing her best foundations upon the empty nothing of meer chy­meraes and lyes.

Behold the true State of this affaire: Matthias de Alberquer­que Generall of the Principall Army which the King of Portugall [...] now on foot against the King of Castile, whilest hee was re­crewting his forces, to put in execution some notable designe (in continuation of his Conquest of all the Extremadura joyning upon the borders of Portugall, where in his last yeers Expeditions, his Excellence had wrested from the Spaniards 9. Townes of importance, besides many other places of consequence) made an advance into Castilia, with the forces he had then together, so to keep both his own, and his Enemies forces from being idle, whilest his greater powers were assembling to a body. And as he was retreating from some place in the said Province of Castile, after he had there burned the Town of Montigo. Loe, the Count de Montigo, Generall of the Castilian powers, finding his Ene­mie at an advantage, upon the 26. of May stilo novo bids him battell, the Spanish Army then consisting of 2600. horse, and of 12000. foote; what with those their said Generall had himself in pay, and what with some others that were joyned unto him, un­der the conduct of the Marques de Teracuza, Generall of the Spanish Forces in Badayoz, which were drawn then out of the Province of Andalusia, to make a reinforcement, thereby to pre­vent the daily losses they sustained by the Portugals. In which said Army the Castilians had 12. peeces of Artillery, each carrying bullet of 15. pound weigth: whilest yet the Armie of the Portuguesses at that instant consisted onely of 1100, horse, and little more then 11000. foot, not having any Cannon of conse­quence at all, because they went out of Portugall with a light fly­ing Army purposely to burne the said Town and so to retreat againe.

Neverthelesse the Portuguesses being accustomed to overcome greater odds than these, accepted cheerfully of the battell bidden by the Spaniards, and instantly drew themselves into a brave squa­dron with two winges thereupon attending, placing in the right wing their Generall of the Horse, Francisco de Mello, Master of the Game unto his Majestie of Portugall, with 600. of their horse. And in the left wing the Commissary of the horse (Don [Page 3]Rodrigo de Castro their Lievetenant Generall being at that time absent and sick in Portugall) with 500. Horse of the Hollanders and other Forrainers, which were all the troops of Forrainers that are actually in the King of Portugals service.

The Castilians also squadraning themselves in like Battalia putting in one of their wings 1000. and in the other 1600. Horse.

Which done, the 1000. Spanish horse did instantly inviron the 500. horse of the Forrainers, on the adverse partee, who giving ground to the greater number of their Enemies, after a ve­ry short skirmish, retyred so impetuously to their Portugall Infantery, as they put them into much disorder, so as the 1000. Castilian horse rushed in amongst them with a mighty fury, which being perceived by the two Masters of the Campe, Don Nunio Mascharenhas and Ayres de Saldanha, who led up the van­gard of the Portuguesses, they instantly set upon the Castilian vangard, with such dexterity and valour together, as it was hard to say, whethers valour at that time was the greater, the resisting Portugals, or the assailing Spaniards, puffed up with his pride of having broken the rankes of his Enemie, and placed himselfe in the midst of their Squadrons.

This irruption of the Spanish horse, into the squadrons of the Portuguesses, did somewhat affright their Right wing of Horse, and made them retreat to the body of their owne army, yet so, as still in their retreating, to make a brave resistance unto the Spanish horse, pursuing them with that great oddes above men­tioned of 1600. against 600. only.

In this disasterous circumstance the Generall of the Portugues­ses Army (whose horse was slain as his Excellence was moun­ting on him) drew his sword, and with an undaunted resolu­tion marches up on foot to the face of his Enemie, crying out with a lowde voyce unto his owne souldiers, Eae, Come on my sons, for your Countrey, for your King, and for the reputation of the Portuguesses; whose brave example, joyned to the naturall fervour of the Portugals, put new mettle into them all, in so much that instantly Don Iohn de Costa, Master Generall of the Cam [...]e se­conded [Page 4]by Lewis de Silva, Francisco de Mello de Castro, and Pedro de Albuquerque all Masters of the Campe (who amidst this confusion never lost the lively and sensible presence to them­selves of Military Discipline) come up so bravely that they did not only inviron the said 1000. Spanish horse, but in short time also cut them all in peeces with their swords, not leaving a man of the Enemie alive, who indeed fought it out so gallantly, as they rather chose to dye fighting, than to live by flying. But above all, the vangard did most presse the Enemie, and after a long encounter with the single sword, put the Spaniards van to flight, yet this was not done, till all the Spanish Officers were slaine before their faces. Meane while the Generall of the Portugall horse so charged the standing wing of the Enemie, that finally he made them run to the rest of their van, that before had fled away.

This battell lasted from ten a clock in the morning untill three a clock in the after-noon, at which time the Spanyard betook him­selfe to the upon the speed, being pursued by the Portuguesses a­bout a league.

There remained dead in the place of the said battell, the said 1000 Spanish horse, and above 100 of their other horse in the right wing, as also 2500 Spanish foot, amongst whom one was their owne Generall, the Count de Montigo, and their Master of the Camp Generall, and the Marquis de Barca Rota, with above 150 Knights of the holy habit and militarie orders, as also all the chiefe Officers of their whole Army. In fine, many more were slaine, of whom we know not as yet the just number though it be esteemed to be above 500; besides many others that were drow­ned in their flight over a river, the number whereof is yet un­knowne; as also it is uncertaine what number of the Spanyards were wounded. Besides, there were taken prisoners 2000 Casti­lians, amongst whom were many persons of verie great qualitie: and that which makes this victorie yet more accomplished, was, that the Spanyards left behind them all their Artillerie, and their baggage, many of their horse, and a great quantitie of Armes, wherof their muskets only amount to the number of 4000.

There were only slaine of the Portuguesses 300 foot, or there­abouts, amongst whom were the two said Masters of the Camp in their Vangards, Don Nunio Mascarenhas, and Aires de Saldanha, who had both the greatest shares in this victorie before they lost their lives; besides one Captain of foot, one Sargeant Major, and a­bout 200 that were hurt, but not dangerously. Of their horse they lost above 100, and one Captaine of horse was flaine, besides 150 horse-men-wounded, though none of them mortally.

In further remonstrance of this victorie the Portuguesses kept the field untill the next day, in which they sent their prisoners into Portugall, together with the spoyles taken from their enemies, and with their owne dead bodies to be buried with honour. And at the same instant that this newes went to Portugall, the conque­ring Army continued their happie progresse into the enemies countrey without finding so much as one Spanyard to appeare, more than those that were retired into their Garrisons: and it is conceived, that while the rest of the intended forces of Portugall were gathering together, (who had not then reached their advan­cing Generall) the Portuguesses had laid a siege to some towne of consequence in the enemies countrey.

This was one of the best fought battels that ever was fought in Spaine, as having lasted five houres in a continuall fight at single sword; wherein the glorie of the Portuguesses was the greater, because they fought upon great disadvantage against the Spani­ards, and yet made so great a slaughter on their enemie with so little losse of their owne bloud, how ever the losse of the two re­nowned Masters of the field before-mentioned is much lamented by them; by reason they were both young men, of verie great ex­pectation.

In Lisboa upon newes of this victorie, were made fires of joy, the King at the same time accompanied with the Prince, and all his Nobilitie then in Court going to the Cathedrall Church to give thanks with all due solemnitie unto A mightie God for this victorie: and creating the Generall of this victorious Armie Matthias de Alberqucrque Count of Alegre [...], gave him a revenue of 4000 Ducats a yeare: as also his Majestie gave many royall re­wards [Page 6]unto the heires of those Portuguesses who lost their lives in this said battell.

There are also newes of other victories which the powers of Portugall have obtained against the Castilians upon the divers frontiers of the two Kingdomes: as that of Don Sancho Manual Master of the Camp, Generall of another Army of Portuguesses in the province of Beira having taken the towne of Yava, which consisteth of 3000 houses, where hee found about the value of 200000 Ducats in spoyles, and where 600 Spanyards retyring themselves into a certaine Church (where they had all their pow­der,) were all blowne up by a casuall fire that lighted on their pow­der.

In like manner the Count of Castello Melior, Generall of another Army of Portuguesses, in the towne of Salvatierra in Gallicia, which he took the last summer from the Spanyards, con­tinueth his conquest in that Kingdome.

Other incursions upon the Spanyards are also made by Don Iohn de Sousa Generall of the Portugall Forces beyond the Moun­taines, whereof here is made no particular mention, because they are not matters so remarkable as these above rehearsed.

And this said battell is the more punctually here related be­cause the Spaniards in this City had given it out last week the cleane contrary way, as if the victory had been theirs. Whence the world may understand that from this time forward, there shall never need any other relation of what passeth between the Spaniard and his Enemies but onely to take the selfe same story, which the Spaniard tels of his proceedings, and relate it quite contrary, for that will ever prove to be the truth of the businesse, as it doth in this battell above, betweene the two said Nations.