ABSTRACT
W r i t e r s who allow things worthy of remembrance to fall into oblivion deserve great blame; it is right therefore that we should record the high deserts of that prince whose glory deserves to be eternal. For among men bom of women singularly endowed with divine virtue there arose no man so excellent in his time as the late most serene prince, King John II of Portugal; and since the end of blessedness consists in virtues, his noble virtues of which he had his full share secured a glorious immortality for his excellent fame. Since our second book concerning King Afonso V is ended, we must now in this Prologue begin our third book, telling of the discoveries of the most serene King John. It is a heavy task, owing to the greatness of the prince whose deeds we hope to relate; his famous achievements, known and spread throughout the globe, should be related by those ancient fathers of eloquence and learning whose disciples all of us have been. But since I have been emboldened to undertake the task, I should not be censured by the learned, much less by mischievous back-biters and grumblers who in their malice habitually write books against books slandering and criticising things well done such as they could never have done themselves. But what can I say of this prince except that he was a Catholic after the divine pattern? He excelled in love both towards men of the highest and lowest estate, and his heart was continually with God and in him was fulfilled the saying of the most wise King Solomon that “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom1.” In understanding and singular talent he excelled all the men of our time. He was the soul and essence of truth, so
1 Proverbs ix, 10.
