silent awe the monarch's wond'ring view
Is fix'd on Vasco's noble mien; the while
His thoughts with wonder weigh the hero's toil.
Esteem and friendship with his wonder rise,
And free to Gama all his kingdom lies.[15]

_Book III._ As Vasco da Gama has solemnly vowed not to leave his ship
until he can set foot upon Indian soil, he refuses to land at Melinda
although cordially invited to do so by the native king. Seeing the
foreign commander will not come ashore, the king visits the Portuguese
vessel, where he is sumptuously entertained and hears from Da Gama's
own lips an enthusiastic outline of the history of Portugal. After
touching upon events which occurred there in mythological ages, Vasco
relates how Portugal, under Viriagus, resisted the Roman conquerors,
and what a long conflict his country later sustained against the
Moors. He also explains by what means Portugal became an independent
kingdom, and enthusiastically describes the patriotism of his
countryman Egas Moniz, who, when his king was captured at the battle
of Guimaraens, advised this prince to purchase his liberty by pledging
himself to do homage to Castile. But, his master once free, Egas Moniz
bade him retract this promise, saying that, since he and his family
were pledged for its execution, they would rather lose their lives
than see Portugal subjected to Castile.

"And now, O king," the kneeling Egas cries,
"Behold my perjured honor's sacrifice:
If such mean victims can atone thine ire,
Here let my wife, my babes, myself expire.
If gen'rous bosoms such revenge can take,
Here let them perish for the father's sake:
The guilty tongue, the guilty hands are these,
Nor let a common death thy wrath appease;
For us let all the rage of torture burn,
But to my prince, thy son, in friendship turn."

Touched by the patriotism and devotion of Moniz, the foe not only
spared his life, but showered favors upon him and even allowed him to
go home.

The king, thus saved from vassalage by the devotion of Moniz, is
considered the first independent ruler of Portugal. Shortly after this
occurrence, he defeated five Moorish rulers in the battle of Ourique,
where the Portuguese claim he was favored with the appearance of a
cross in the sky. Because of this miracle, the Portuguese monarch
incorporated a cross on his shield, surrounding it with five coins,
said to represent the five kings he defeated. Later on, being made a
prisoner at Bada