Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/225

 A L V A R E S. 189 hitnfelf matter of the date in general ; ami that, having raifal himfelf above the condition ot a private man, he a<5tcd with the utmoft haughtinefs, and by a fbameful pcrverfion of jultice had committed innumerable crimes, nnkhiefs, and tyrannies, &c. His execution was attended with all the circumftances of infamy imaginable : after Condemnation, he was removed to Valladolid ; and, having confclled himfelf, and received the tacrament, he was carried upon a mule to the market- place, in the middle of which a large fcafFold was erected. Mounting the fcaffold, he paid reverence to the crofs, and prefently gave his hat and fignet to his page, faying, " The:e " are the laft gifts you will ever receive from me." Barrafa, who belonged to prince Henry's ftables, being there, he called him to him, and defired him to tell the prince from him, that he " {hould not follow the example of the king, in rewarding he afked the executioner, what the ufe of that was ? who told him, that it was to fix his head upon, after it {hould be fevered from his body. <{ Oh !" fays Alvares, " after I am dead, " you may do with my body what you pleafe : death cannot " poffibly be difgraceful to a man of courage, or immature " to one who hath pafied through fo many honours." Hai> ino; faid this, he fubmitted himfelf to the axe with the utmoft O * intrepidity : Dr. Geddes relates, that he was executed the 4th of June, others the 5th of July, 1453. Such is often the conclufion of favouritifm, fuch the fate and end of favourites* ALVARES (FRANCIS), a Portugue r e prieft, who chaplain to Emanuel king of Portugal, and embafFador from that prince to David king of Ethiopia or Abyffinia. David had fent an embafiador to Emanuel, who in return thought proper to fcnd Alvares and Galvanus to David, but the latter died before he arrived in ./Ethiopia. Alvares continued fix years in this country; and, when he returned, brought letters to king John, who fucceeded Etnanuel, and to nnpe! 1 ': Anto. Clement VII. to whom he gave an account of his embafly at ' ' ' 3| ' ., r. i - T / r L Script. Hif Bologna in Jannary 1533, in the pretence of the emperor pilr. IP) ft Charles V. Alvares died in 154.0; and left behind hi.n an account of his embaiTy, with a defcription of the manners and cuftoms of the ./Ethiopians. It was printed at Lifbon the fame year in which the author died, tranflated into French, and publifhcd at Antwerp in 1558. The work was abridged by Ra iiufius. Bodinus fays, that Alvares was the firft who gave a true and accurate account of /Ethiopia ; ^ r ; it
 * ' his fervants." Obferving an iron hook upon an high pole,