is6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



he had been robbed of every thing, except the clothes up- 

 on his back; that Matthew, who was but a pretended am- 

 bailador, had been much otherwife treated by the king of 

 Portugal ; but for himfclf he defued nothing but a fpeedy 

 difmilTion, having delivered his letters and done his errand: 

 Till that time, he fhould expetft to be treated like a man of 

 honour, above lying or falfehood." To this the king anfwer- 

 ed, " That he believed him to be a man of honour, worth, 

 and veracity, but that Matthew was a liar : at the fame time 

 he wiflied Don Roderigo to know, that he was perfedly in- 

 formed v/hat degree of refpedt and good ufage Matthew had-. 

 met with from the king of Portugal's officers and captains, 

 but that he did not impute this to Don Roderigo." 



There was a rumour at court which very much alarmed 

 the ambalTador ; it was, that the king intended to detain 

 him according to the invariable cuftom and practice of his 

 country. Two Venetians, Nicholas Branca Leon and Tho- 

 mas Gradinego, had been forcibly detained iince the reign 

 of Bazda Mariam. But v/hat terrified Don Roderigo flill 

 more, as a cafe moll funiiar to his, was the fight of Peter 

 Covillan then in court, who had been fent ambalTador by 

 John king of Portugal to Ifcanderj and ever fmce was de- 

 tained without being able to get leave to return, but was 

 obliged to marry and fettle in the country. 



What was the emperor's real intention is impoilible now 

 to know ; but, having refolved to fend an Atjyffinian am- 

 baflador to the king of Portugal, it was necciTary to difmifs 

 Don Roderigo likewife. However, he did not entirely aban- 

 don the whole of his defign, but forcibly detained Mafler 

 John the fccretary, and Lazarus d'Andrad the painter, and 



obliged- . 



