Grenan has prefented a Petition to Dr. Fagon in Hendecafyllabick Verfes, to which Mr. Coffin has oppofed a Decree of the Faculty of Phyfick of the Inle of Cos in Iambick Verfes. Mr. Du Hamel, a Norman, has entered the Lifts in Favour of Cyder. Thofe Pieces are very much approved by the best Judges of Latin Poetry.

A Confiderable Work will be fhortly published by Father Anfelme Banduri, a Benedictin of Ragufa. That Work is entituled:

Imperium Orientale, five Antiquitates Conftantinopo litane, in quatuor partes diftribute, que ex variis Scrip torum Græcorum operibus & præfertim ineditis adorna te Commentaris, ac Geographicis, Topographicis, aliifque quam plurimis monumentorum ac numifmatum tabellis illuftrantur, & ad intelligentiam cùm facre, tùm profane Hiftorie apprimè conducunt. Opera && Studio Domni Anfelmi Banduri, Ragufini Presbyteri ac Mona chi Benedictini è Congregatione Melitenfis. Parifiis Typis & Sumptibus Foannis-Baptifte Coignard.

That State of the Ancient Empire of Conftantinople is divided into Four Parts.

The First contains Two Defcriptions of that Em pire; One of which was written by the Emperor Con ftantinus Porphyrogeneta, and the other by the Grammarian Hierocles. The First Defcription has been corrected from an ancient Manufcript, and tranflated by the Editor, who has added Learned Notes to his Tranflation.

The Second Part relating to the Government of that Empire, comprehends the Inftruction of Con ftantinus Porphyrogeneta to his Son Prince Roman; that of Agapetus to the Emperor Juftinian; that of Bafil the Macedonian to his Son Prince Leo; that of Theophylactus, Archbishop of Bulgaria, to Prince Conftantine, Ff2

revifed

ARTICLE LXXIII.

DE REBUS GESTIS JOANNIS H Lufitanorum Regis, Optimi Principis nuncupati; ad Auguftiffimum Regem PETRUM II. Auctore EMMANU ELE TELLESIO SYLVIO, Marchione Alegretenfi, Regi a Sanctioribus Confiliis, è Primariis Cubiculario, Triumviro fifci moderatore, &c. Juxta Editionem Ulyffiponenfem. Haga Comitum, apud Adrianum Moetjens, MDCC XII.

That is,

THE HISTORY of JOHN II. King of Portugal, dedicated to His Majefty PETER II. By EMMANUEL TELLEZ DE SILVA, Marquis of ALEGRETE, Sc. Reprinted from the Lisbon Edition. Hague 1712 In 4to. pagg 279:

THIS fhort Hiftory-of 30 HN II. King of Pertugal is written in a neat and perfpicuous Stile, and interfperfed with feveral Judicious Reflexions The Matters contained in it are generally Curious

Curious and Entertaining; and therefore this New Edition, printed from that of Lisbon, muft needs be very acceptable to the Readers. I fhall not give a particular Account of the Life of that Prince, being contented to take Notice of fome remarkable Paffages.

1. John II. Son of Alfonfo V. was, born at Lisbon the 11th of May 1435. He had an Excellent Edueation bestowed upon him, and discovered fo many admirable Qualities in his Younger Years, that the King his Father confulted him upon all important Affairs. He proved a very Warlike Prince, a great Politician; and the Illuftrious Author of his Life fays he had all the neceffary Qualifications to wear a Crown.

2. King Alfonfo fet out from Portugal, and went into France, to ask fome Succours of Lewis XI, against Ferdinand King of Caftile; but that Prince being difappointed in his Expectation, grew weary of the World, and refolved to vifit the Holy Places at Jerufalem, and to spend the remaining Part of his Life in a Monaftery. He acquainted his Son with his Defign, and ordered him to get himself proclaimed King. Prince John readily obeyed, and was acknowledged his Father's Succeffor to the Crown of Portugal. Not long after, Alfonfo changed his Mind, and instead of going into the Holy Land, returned into Portugal, and landed there, when no Body expected him. John waited upon his Father, and refigned the Kingdom to him. It was a curious Spectacle to fee thofe Two Princes com pliment one another upon fuch an extraordinary Oc, cafion. The Father defired his Son feveral Times to keep the Crown; but the Son befought his Father to refume it, and at laft prevailed upon him.

I fhall fet down the following Paffage in the Au thor's own Words, to give the Readers a Speci Ff4

men

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men of his Style. Nobilitas Lufitana Regis fui "adventum fummo cum gaudio accepit, publicif que fpectaculis celebravit. Quippe non minus "filium timebat, quám patrem amabat. Pares qui"dem militari virtute, fed moribus diffimiles hos "Principes fuiffe cónftat. Alfonfus clementia nobi"lium amorem conciliabat, Joannes feveritate iif "dem timorem incutiebat; ille fupplicibus parce"bat, hic flagitiofos damnabat; pater miferis refugium, filius ftrenuis patrocinium; alter incuriofus "ac varius, alter pervigil ac conftans; itaque Alfon "fus optimi viri, Joannes optimi principis nomen non "immerito nacti funt ".

3. After the Death of Alfonfo, John was crowned a Second Time; and tho' the Nobility were very much afflicted at the Death of his Father, yet they put on a chearful Countenance: Whereupon the Author makes the following Reflexion: Nulli quippe apud novum Principem jactantius lætantur, quam qui maxime merent. King John expreffed his Efteem upon all Occafions for thofe Military Men, who diftinguished themselves by their Valour. One Day having ask'd one of his Courtiers a Glass of Water, that Gentleman let fall the Glafs accidentally. All the Courtiers fell a laughing; but the King told them: Why do you laugh at a Man for letting fall a Glass, fince he never let fall a Dart. That Prince being very ambitious of immortalizing his Name, writ a Latin Letter to the Famous Politian, whereby he invited him to come into Portugal in order to write the Hiftory of that Kingdom. He ftood Godfather for a Jew, who turned Chriftian; and perceiving the Prieft wanted a Piece of Cloth to wipe off the Oil, with which Neophytes are anointed, he immediately tore off a Piece of his Shirt, and gave it to the Prieft, faying it was an Honourable Thing for a King to have a Share in fuch a Holy Function.

4. The Nobility of Portugal had a Right to con. demn their Vaffals to Death. King John fuppreffed

that

that Privilege, and feveral others: Whereupon the Nobilitygrefolved to maintain their Privileges. The Duke of Braganza, being the moft powerful Lord, ftood up against the King with great Refolution. The King began to fufpect him, and at laft refolved to haven him put to Death. All the Particulars relating to that Affair may be feen in this Book. The Trial of the Duke of Braganza is a curious Piece of Hiftory He was beheaded in the Year 1483That Lord having heard what was objected against him, neither confeffed nor denied it, being contented too implore the King's Mercy in thefe Words of David: Non INTRES in judicium cum fervo tuo, Domine; quia non juftificabitur IN CONSPECTU TUO omnis vivens. That is: ENTER not inte Judgment with your Servant, O Lord; for in your 8IGHT * Spall no Man living be justified.

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It was under the Reign of John I. Grandfa ther of John II that Guinea, and feveral Islands of the Ocean, were firft discovered by the Portuguese. John II. refolved to make himself Mafter of that Country: To that end he caufed a Fleet to be fit ted out, which arrived upon the Coafts of Guines in December 1481. The Portuguese were kindly received by the King, who permitted them to build as Castle in his Country, and to have a free Trade in irguisd sto

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ba16.The Author gives us an Account of a remarka sble Confpicacy against the King's Life. A young Duke was at the Head of the Confpirators. King being informed of it, fent for him upon ano ther Pretence, and asked him this Queftion: Cou Jin, what would you do to a Man, who should defign

-no I must obferve, That the King was prefent at the Trial, notwithstanding the Remonftrances that were made to him to the contrary.

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