48 DISCOVERIES, &c. 1503. 



makes it a real court."' Others say, that it was 

 not on account of his magnificent style of hving, 

 but of his personal prowess on a particular occa- 

 sion. Two strangers having appeared at court, 

 and, accordins: to the manners of the times, chal- 

 lenged any of the courtiers to wrestle or combat, 

 Cortereal immediately accepted the challenge, and 

 civilly shook hands with his antagonist before the 

 contest; but so prodigious was the strength of 

 Cortereal (until then called Costa) that he squeezed 

 the stranger's hand until he cried out, in the greatest 

 pain, that he could not attempt to contend with a 

 man possessed of such extraordinary strength ; on 

 which occasion the king is represented as being so 

 delighted, that he exclaimed, " Truly, Costa, your 

 presence. makes my court a real court. ''"^ 



* Mem. de Litterat. Portug. vol. viii. Lisbon, 1812. 

 An Essay, by Sebastao Francisco Mendez Trigozo. 



