ABSTRACT
A l t h o u g h the nature of the subject permits us to finish the work we have begun and our spirit is willing, our scholarship is so poor that we cannot attempt to fully describe the excellence of our Emperor Manuel. For as agriculture promises sustenance to mortal men, even so great deeds promise them an eternity of noble fame. The singular qualities with which he was endowed by nature are universally known; for justice tempered with moderation was given him as a rich garment, and plentiful wisdom to administer it in a manner worthy of praise. He was benevolent towards his subjects, being easy of approach and kindly, yet from his youth he was marvellously fearless withal and he performed great deeds with manly spirit and unstinting generosity. He was a Catholic, living a pure and honest life, keeping strictly the holy vow of matrimony and conjugal chastity; therefore Our Lord blessed him with noble offspring. He was the first King of Portugal to beseech the Holy Father, Pope Alexander VI, to give a dispensation to the Knights Commanders of the Order of Christ and of S. Bento in these realms, to allow those who from that time took the habit in these Orders to marry, which request was granted. (Before this the professed friars were strictly forbidden to marry.) The service rendered to God in this by this most serene prince is worthy of continual praise, for whereas, when they were unable to marry, they kept mistresses and there was much lust and sin, they are now allowed to marry. Portugal must be considered fortunate to possess so great a blessing; for it is certain that this our prince was given us by divine grace for the tranquillity and
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good governance of our country, and this favour was granted at the hand of the supreme Creator, Who sent him from His altars and holy places. The greatness of his excellence is such that it ill befits our poor understanding to undertake the heavy task of recording his praises; rather we must leave the main part of them for the writer of his chronicle. As we have written the three books concerning the other princes who undertook and began, without accomplishing, this navigation and conquest of the route to India, we will proceed to write the fourth and fifth books from the beginning of King Manuel’s conquest and discovery of the new lands in the strange regions of Asia and the shores of India, which the princes of old, his predecessors, and even earlier princes of other nations, with all their wealth, knowledge and courage, were never able to reach. In the second chapter below we will tell how the first fleet was fitted out, which finally discovered the hitherto unknown Ethiopia under Egypt and the distant kingdoms of India, regions and lands which it is pleasanter to hear about than to explore. The device of this prince-a sphere which we set herewas clearly a prophecy of what we have seen in the attainment of his Highness’ ambition. May God increase his glory.
