The Real VICTORY OF PORTUGAL, Against The Powers of Spain AND Her verity, confronting the Castilian Lies.  
Copied out of the relations that came from Lisboa by Baltazar Oliveras.  
Printed at LONDON in the year. 1644.   

The real Victory of Portugal, Against the Powers of Spain. And her verity, Confronting the Castilian lies.  
IT is so fatal to the Spaniard to be beaten by th● Portuguesses, that not content to be overcome b● force of Arms, they invent new ways to aug● meant their own overthrows: and this appeareth evident by their late publishing a mighty victory which they (forsooth) had newly obtained over the Portuguesses in the skirts of Spain; whereas within very few days after this loud lies publication, there arrived here most certain news of the selfsame defeat given in the same time and place, unto the Spaniards, by the Portuguesses, which they had vapoured to have been given by them unto the Portuguesses, so that by this we see the Spaniards are not content to be quelled by the sword of the Portugal, but they must needs also be confounded by their own lies, to make their shame the greater.  
Whence it may be hoped the world in time will be disabused to see this sinking Nation endeavour to subsist by couching all her weak affairs, under the mask of impudent lies: For to what other end could she else (knowing herself actually beaten) vaunt of a victory at the same instant over her greatest Enemy? so to redouble her own overthrow, and make suspected the reality of the Victor's glory, if yet we may call that a victory which was obtained over a Nation that hath even annihilated herself, by laying her best foundations upon the empty nothing of mere chimeras and lies.  
Behold the true State of this affair: Mathias de Alberquerque General of the Principal Army which the King of Portugal 〈◊〉 now on foot against the King of Castille, whilst he was recrewting his forces, to put in execution some notable design (in continuation of his Conquest of all the Extremadura joining upon the borders of Portugal, where in his last years Expeditions, his Excellence had wrested from the Spaniards 9 Towns of importance, besides many other places of consequence) made an advance into Castilia, with the forces he had then together, so to keep both his own, and his Enemy's forces from being idle, whilst his greater powers were assembling to a body. And as he was retreating from some place in the said Province of Castille, after he had there burned the Town of Montigo. Lo, the Count de Montigo, General of the Castilian powers, finding his Enemy at an advantage, upon the 26. of May stilo novo bids him battle, the Spanish Army then consisting of 2600. horse, and of 12000. foot; what with those their said General had himself in pay, and what with some others that were joined unto him, under the conduct of the Marquis de Teracuza, General of the Spanish Forces in Badayoz, which were drawn then out of the Province of Andalusia, to make a reinforcement, thereby to prevent the daily losses they sustained by the Portugals. In which said Army the Castilians had 12. pieces of Artillery, each carrying bullet of 15. pound weigth: whilst yet the Army of the Portuguesses at that instant consisted only of 1100, horse, and little more than 11000. foot, not having any Cannon of consequence at all, because they went out of Portugal with a light flying Army purposely to burn the said Town and so to retreat again.  
Nevertheless the Portuguesses being accustomed to overcome greater odds than these, accepted cheerfully of the battle bidden by the Spaniards, and instantly drew themselves into a brave squadron with two wings thereupon attending, placing in the right wing their General of the Horse, Francisco de melo, Master of the Game unto his Majesty of Portugal, with 600. of their horse. And in the left wing the Commissary of the horse (Don Rodrigo de Castro their Lieutenant General being at that time absent and sick in Portugal) with 500 Horse of the Hollanders and other Foreigners, which were all the troops of Foreigners that are actually in the King of Portugal's service.  
The Castilians also squadraning themselves in like Battalia putting in one of their wings 1000 and in the other 1600. Horse.  
Which done, the 1000 Spanish horse did instantly environ the 500 horse of the Foreigners, on the adverse partee, who giving ground to the greater number of their Enemies, after a very short skirmish, retired so impetuously to their Portugal Infantry, as they put them into much disorder, so as the 1000 Castilian horse rushed in amongst them with a mighty fury, which being perceived by the two Masters of the Camp, Don Nunio Mascharenhas and Ayres de Saldanha, who led up the vanguard of the Portuguesses, they instantly set upon the Castilian vanguard, with such dexterity and valour together, as it was hard to say, whethers valour at that time was the greater, the resisting Portugals, or the assailing Spaniards, puffed up with his pride of having broken the ranks of his Enemy, and placed himself in the midst of their Squadrons.  
This irruption of the Spanish horse, into the squadrons of the Portuguesses, did somewhat affright their Right wing of Horse, and made them retreat to the body of their own army, yet so, as still in their retreating, to make a brave resistance unto the Spanish horse, pursuing them with that great odds above mentioned of 1600. against 600. only.  
In this disastrous circumstance the General of the Portuguesses' Army (whose horse was slain as his Excellence was mounting on him) drew his sword, and with an undaunted resolution marches up on foot to the face of his Enemy, crying out with a loud voice unto his own soldiers, Eae, Come on my sons, for your Country, for your King, and for the reputation of the Portuguesses; whose brave example, joined to the natural fervour of the Portugals, put new mettle into them all, in so much that instantly Don john de Costa, Master General of the Cam●e seconded by Lewis de Silua, Francisco de Mello de Castro, and Pedro de Albuquerque all Masters of the Camp (who amidst this confusion never lost the lively and sensible presence to themselves of Military Discipline) come up so bravely that they did not only environ the said 1000 Spanish horse, but in short time also cut them all in pieces with their swords, not leaving a man of the Enemy alive, who indeed fought it out so gallantly, as they rather chose to die fight, than to live by flying. But above all, the vanguard did most press the Enemy, and after a long encounter with the single sword, put the Spaniards van to flight, yet this was not done, till all the Spanish Officers were slain before their faces. Mean while the General of the Portugal horse so charged the standing wing of the Enemy, that finally he made them run to the rest of their van, that before had fled away.  
This battle lasted from ten a clock in the morning until three a clock in the afternoon, at which time the Spaniard betook himself to the upon the speed, being pursued by the Portuguesses about a league.  
There remained dead in the place of the said battle, the said 1000 Spanish horse, and above 100 of their other horse in the right wing, as also 2500 Spanish foot, amongst whom one was their own General, the Count de Montigo, and their Master of the Camp General, and the Marquis de Barca Rota, with above 150 Knights of the holy habit and military orders, as also all the chief Officers of their whole Army. In fine, many more were slain, of whom we know not as yet the just number though it be esteemed to be above 500; besides many others that were drowned in their flight over a river, the number whereof is yet unknown; as also it is uncertain what number of the Spaniards were wounded. Besides, there were taken prisoners 2000 Castilians, amongst whom were many persons of very great quality: and that which makes this victory yet more accomplished, was, that the Spaniards left behind them all their Artillery, and their baggage, many of their horse, and a great quantity of Arms, whereof their muskets only amount to the number of 4000  
There were only slain of the Portuguesses 300 foot, or thereabouts, amongst whom were the two said Masters of the Camp in their Vangards, Don Nunio Mascarenhas, and Airs the Saldanha, who had both the greatest shares in this victory before they lost their lives; besides one Captain of foot, one Sergeant Major, and about 200 that were hurt, but not dangerously. Of their horse they lost above 100, and one Captain of horse was slain, besides 150 horse-men-wounded, though none of them mortally.  
In further remonstrance of this victory the Portuguesses kept the field until the next day, in which they sent their prisoners into Portugal, together with the spoils taken from their enemies, and with their own dead bodies to be buried with honour. And at the same instant that this news went to Portugal, the conquering Army continued their happy progress into the enemy's country without finding so much as one Spaniard to appear, more than those that were retired into their Garrisons: and it is conceived, that while the rest of the intended forces of Portugal were gathering together, (who had not then reached their advancing General) the Portuguesses had laid a siege to some town of consequence in the enemy's country.  
This was one of the best fought battles that ever was fought in Spain, as having lasted five hours in a continual fight at single sword; wherein the glory of the Portuguesses was the greater, because they fought upon great disadvantage against the Spaniards, and yet made so great a slaughter on their enemy with so little loss of their own blood, how ever the loss of the two renowned Masters of the field  is much lamented by them; by reason they were both young men, of very great expectation.  
In Lisboa upon news of this victory, were made fires of joy, the King at the same time accompanied with the Prince, and all his Nobility then in Court going to the Cathedral Church to give thanks with all due solemnity unto A mighty God for this victory: and creating the General of this victorious Army Mathias de Alberqucrque Count of Alegre●●, gave him a revenue of 4000 Ducats a year: as also his Majesty gave many royal rewards unto the heirs of those Portuguesses who lost their lives in this said battle.  
There are also news of other victories which the powers of Portugal have obtained against the Castilians upon the divers frontiers of the two Kingdoms: as that of Don Sancho Manual Master of the Camp, General of another Army of Portuguesses in the province of Beira having taken the town of Yava, which consisteth of 3000 houses, where he found about the value of 200000 Ducats in spoils, and where 600 Spaniards retiring themselves into a certain Church (where they had all their powder,) were all blown up by a casual fire that lighted on their powder.  
In like manner the Count of Castello Melior, General of another Army of Portuguesses, in the town of Salvatierra in Gallicia, which he took the last summer from the Spaniards, continueth his conquest in that Kingdom.  
Other incursions upon the Spaniards are also made by Don john de Sousa General of the Portugal Forces beyond the Mountains, whereof here is made no particular mention, because they are not matters so remarkable as these above rehearsed.  
And this said battle is the more punctually here related because the Spaniards in this City had given it out last week the clean contrary way, as if the victory had been theirs. Whence the world may understand that from this time forward, there shall never need any other relation of what passeth between the Spaniard and his Enemies but only to take the self same story, which the Spaniard tells of his proceed, and relate it quite contrary, for that will ever prove to be the truth of the business, as it doth in this battle above, between the two said Nations.  
FINIS.