CtîAP. XLVIIL THE REASONS WHY THE PORTUGUESE PREFEît THE GRAND MASTER OF AVIS FOR THEIft KING TO DON JOHN, KING OF CASTILLE, WHO HAD MARRIED BEATRICE, DAUGHTER OF DON FERDINAND, LATE KINP OF POR-TUGAL. ' . 'VTOU have before heard how don John, fon of don Pedro, king of Portugal, and baftard-hrother to the late king, had gained pofleffion of the crown, through the boldnefs of four of the principal towns in Portugal ; for the nobles and knights ought not to be inculpated in the matter, as they had ever borne themfelves loyally to don John of Caftille, who had married Beatrice, the daughter and beirefs of don Ferdinand. Many, however, were of opinion fhe was a baftard, be-ing the daughter of a Portuguefe lady, whofe hufband, a knight of Portugal, was ftill living*. The king of Portugal, having feized his wife, married her; and the knight left the country and refided with the king of Caftille : he never returned to Portugal, notwithftanding his noble birth, through fear of the king. * Ferdinand, at the conclufion of the war between him and Henry de Tranftamare, king of Caftille, engaged to marry Henry's daughter. This he did not perform, but married Leonora Telle z, the wife of Lorenzo d'Acunha. A a 3 This 5Bf