_Olivarez_ answer'd him, that this was not a time for Scruples of Conscience, but that he must now think of satisfying both the King and People of the Sincerity of his Repentance; that in short it was no matter whether he would fight or not, provided he would not disown a Challenge, which he would publish in his Name. The Duke, who now plainly saw that _Olivarez_'s Intent was only to amuse the People, consented to it, and the Minister drew up one himself. Several of them were sent into _Portugal_, as well as into most Courts of _Europe_. A Copy of it may probably not be displeasing to the Reader, who will be surpriz'd to see a Challenge, which by its Length, Formality, and Stile, would better have became a Knight-Errant of old, than such a Prince as the Duke of _Medina Sidonia_ was. [Illustration] Don _GASPAR ALONCO Perez de Gusman_, Duke of _Medina Sidonia_, Marquiss, Earl, and Baron of _Saint Lucar de Barameda_, Captain General of the Ocean, of the Coasts of _Andalusia_, and of the Armies of _Portugal_, Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to his Catholick Majesty; Whom God Preserve. _Whereas nothing has been more conspicuous to the whole World, than the treasonable Practices of ~John~ late Duke of ~Braganza~; Be also_ _his damnable Intentions known, of seducing and tainting with Disloyalty the faithful Family of the ~Gusmans~, which ever has been, and for the future ever shall be most true and loyal to the King their Master, in whose Service so many of them have shed their Blood. This Usurper has endeavour'd to insinuate into the Minds of Foreign Princes, as well as of his own Rebel ~Portuguese~, that I would aid and assist him, and enter into his Measures; hoping thereby to keep up the Spirits of those who have join'd with him, and to put me out of favour with the King my Master, (whom God preserve) thinking that by these means he should alienate my Duty and Affection from my Master, and then I should consent to his cursed Designs, without that Repugnance_ _which he has found in me. And the better to accomplish his Design, he has made use of a Monk, who was sent by the Town of ~Daiamonti~ to ~Castro-Marino~ in ~Portugal~, to treat about the Ransom of a prisoner: which Monk being carried to ~Lisbon~, was suborn'd, and persuaded to give out that I was engag'd in the Conspiracy, and that I would permit any Foreign Army to land in ~Andalusia~, to favour their Designs: and to give the better colour to his Story, he shew'd some forg'd Letters, and which he pretended to have receiv'd from me._ _All this was done with a Design to persuade several Princes to send him some Forces, and would to God they had, that I might have shewn my Loyalty, by destroying them and their_ _Ships; which will easily appear to have been my Intent, by the Orders which I left on all the Coasts._