MS Mrs Clare Roels
My dear Christabel
Pretty well all I could pick up about those four Portuguese brothers is in a cameo. They must have been splendid people particularly Enrique and they had a curious resemblance to their first cousins – Henry IV’s sons –1 You know ‘The Constant Prince’ is the name of a play of Calderon’s about him but I don’t think that would help you much. There is a translation either by Abp Trench or Archdn Churton I can’t remember which.2 Dr Neale’s little history of Portugal was the place where I first knew him- and there is the reign of Duarte told in a stupid sort of way in the Universal history, but I am afraid one must know Portuguese to get to the bottom of it all. However as in the case of that little rebellion of yours in Lady Betty nobody else knows anything so you can use your discretion.3
5th – This morning I have a note from Dr Littledale which observes that the Crescent is only the badge of Constantinople itself, not of all Islam- and that the treating it as a Crusading emblem against the Cross, when dealing with Moors & Saracens is a mistake. He is a man who knows all sorts of odd things so I shall ask if he can help us to anything about Dom Fernando
your affectionate
C M Yonge
I have a note from F Wilford this morning- I think she must be somewhat better