he may forbeare to specifie much more then I haue done of the humours of the head and principall members of that prouince whereof he writes But if all this sufficeth not to iustimine me I make God iudge of the sinceritie of mine hart and the indifferencie I haue strictly obserued THE GENEALOGIE OF THE Kings of Portugall from the beginning of that Kingdome vnto the ende of the house of Portugall with the pretendants to that Crowne HENRIE issued from Besançon first Earle of Portugall married with Therasie daughter to Alphonse the sixt King of Castile about the yeere of our Lord 1090. by whom he had Alphonse Henrie which was the first king Therasie Henrie and one other daughter married to Ferdinand Mendes 1. Alphonse Henrie first Duke and King of Portugall sonne to the saide Henrie he succeeded his father about the yeere 1112. he tooke vpon him the title of King about the yeere 1139. he raigned in all about 72. yeeres he married with Malfade Manrique de Lara by whom he had issue Sanches who was after King Vrraca Queene of Leon. Therasie Countesse of Flanders Malfade 2. Sanches the first sonne to the said Alphonse about the yeere 1184. he raigned 28. yeeres he married Aldoncia daughter to Count Raimond Berenger of Barcelone by whom he had Alphonse King Ferdinand Earle of Flaunders Peter Earle of Vrgel in Arragon Henrie Therasie wife to Alphonse of Leon. Malfade Queene of Castile Sanches a Nunne Blanche and Berenguela 3. Alphonse the second sonne to Sanches the yeere 1212. he raigned 11. yeeres and married Vrraca of Castile daughter to Alphonse the noble by whom he had Sanche King Alphonse King Ferdinand Leonor Queene of Denmarke 4. Sanche the second called Capello sonne to Alphonse the second the yeere 1223. he raigned in troubles vnto the yeere 1257. he married Mencia Lopez by whom he had no children he died in Castile incapable to rule 5. Alphonse the third called the Braue brother to Sanche the second of a regent he made himselfe King about the yeere 1257. raigned 22. yeeres he married with Matilde Countesse of Boloigne in Picardie by whom he had Ferdinand or Peter Robert in her life time he married with Beatrice bastard daughter to Alphonse the 10. called the wise King of Castile by whom he had Denis King Alphonse Blanche a Nunne Constance 6. Denis sonne to Alphonse the third the yeere 1279. he raigned 48. yeeres and was married to Isabella daughter to Peter King of Arragon by whom he had Constance Queene of Castile Alphonse who was after King Peter Earle of Portalegre 7. Alphonse the fourth sonne to Denis in the yeere 1325. he raigned 32. yeeres and married Beatrice of Castile by whom he had Peter that was King Marie Alphonse Denis Iean Eluira Queene of Aarragon 8. Peter called the cruell sonne to Alphonse the fourth the yeere 1357. hee raigned 10. yeeres and married Blanche daughter to Peter King of Castile whom he put away and after married with Constance daughter to Iean Emanuell by whom he had Lewis who died yoong Ferdinand King Marie wife to Ferdinand of Arragon Beatrice died yoong And of Agnes de Castro a supposed wife he had Alphonse Iean Denis Beatrice Countesse of Albuquerque And by Therasie Gallega his concubine he had Iean who was King 9. Ferdinand sonne to Peter the yeere 1367. he raigned about 17. yeeres and married Leonor Telles de Meneses by whom he had Beatrice Queene of Castile 10. Iean called of good memorie sonne to the said Peter the yeere 1383. he raigned about 49. yeeres and married with Philip daughter to Iean of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by whom he had Blanche Alphonse Edward King Peter Duke of Coimbra who had by Isabell of Arragon his wife Peter that was Constable Iean King of Cypres Isabell Queene of Portugall Philip a Nunne Ieams a Cardinall Beatrice wife to the Lord of Rauestein Henrie Duke of Viseo Isabell Dutchesse of Burgundie Iean master of Saint Iaques Ferdinand master of the order called d' Auis or Saint Benet 11. Edouard sonne to Iean the yeere 1433. he raigned 5. yeeres he married Leonor of Arragon daughter to Ferdinand the 1. by whom he had Alphonse King Ferdinand Duke of Viseo who had by his wife Philip. Leonor wife to Frederike the 3. Emperour Catherine Iean Queene of Castile Beatrice wife to Iean Master of Saint Iaques Leonor Queene Dominique Emanuell King Isabell Dutchesse of Bragance 12. Alphonse the fift called the Affrican soone to Edward the yeere 1438. he raigned 43. yeeres hee married Isabell daughter to Peter Duke of Coimbra his vncle by whom he had Iean who liued but a while Ieanne Iean King 13. Iean the 2. son to Alphonse the 5. the yeere 1481. he raigned 14. yeeres and married Leonor daughter to Ferdinand Duke of Viseo by whom he had Alphonse who died before his father 14. Emanuell soone to Ferdinand Duke of Viseo borne in the yeere 1468. began to raigne in the yeere 1495. and raigned fiue yeeres he died at Lisbone the third of September 1521. he married Isabell the eldest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabell King and Queene of Castile by whom he had Michaell who died yoong and to his second wife he tooke Marie sister of the said Isabell by whom he had Iean who was after King Isabell wife to Charles the 5. Emperor of whom is issued Philip King of Spaine Beatrice wife to Charles the third Duke of Sauoy from whom issued Emanuell Phillibert father to Charles Emanuell now Duke of Sauoy Lewis father to Anthonie the Bastard Henrie Cardinall King Alphonse Cardinall Katherine Ferdinand Edward husband to Isabell daughter to Iean Duke of Bragance by whom he had Marie wife to Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma father to Rainuce now Duke of Parma and Katherine wife to Iean the second Duke of Bragance sonne to Theodose Anthonie who died soone after his birth And of Elenor daughter to Philip Archduke of Austria sister to Charles the fift he had Charles who died yoong Marie who died a maide of the age of 56. yeeres 15. Iean the third sonne to Emanuell and of Marie his wife borne the 7. of Iune 1502. he began to raigne the 15. of December 1521. and raigned 36. yeeres he died the 27. of Iune 1557. and married with Katherine sister to Charles the 5. Emperour the 5. of September 1525. by whom he had Alphonse Marie the first wife to Philip the second King of Spaine of whom issued Charles that is dead Katherine Beatrice Emanuell Philip. Iean Prince of Portugall who had by Ieanne daughter to Charles the fift Emperour Sebastien who was King Anthonie 16. Sebastien sonne to Prince Iean borne the 20. of Ianuarie 1554. he began to raigne the yeere 1557. and raigned 21. yeeres he died in the battell against the Moores the 7. of August 1578. being vnmarried 17. Henrie Cardinall and Primat of Portugall sonne to King Emanuell by Marie his wife borne the 16. of Ianuarie 1512. in the yeere 1578. he raigned
with much people on foote The Cardinall inuironed with a great multitude ascends the staires of the hospitall being entered the Church hauing heard Seruice and ended his praiers he seates himselfe in the chaire prepared on the scaffolde where presently Frauncis de Sada one of those that had bin gouernours put the Scepter in his hand and Michell de Mora Secretarie standing a little off said reading it with a loude voice that King Henrie by the death of King Sebastian did succeede in the Realme and therefore they had deliuered him the Scepter and that he was come to take the accustomed oath to maintaine and obserue vnto his people and to any other all liberties priuiledges and conuentions graunted by his predecessours which done the Secretarie kneeling before him with an open booke the King laide his hande thereon swearing so to do then did the Attabales sounde euery man crying Reale Reale for Henry King of Portugall this done he riseth with the same companie holding alwaies the Scepter in hande he returned to the pallace the Attabales sounding and the Herolds crying from time to time as before THE THIRDE BOOKE The Contents of the third Booke The descent of the Kings of Portugall The pretendants to the succession The resolutions of King Henrie And the peoples demaunds The voyage of the Duke of Ossuna into Portugall and other Embassadors from the Catholique King The imprisonment of the Duke of Alua The Catholique Kings letters to them of Lisbone The States of Portugall The grounds of the pretendants to the succession The sentence of Henry against Anthony Prior of Crato vpon his legitimation by vertue of the Popes Briefe The reasons of the Catholique King to the Realme against euerie one of the pretendants The preparatiues to warre of the Catholique King against the Realme of Portugall The suspension of the briefe The second sentence of Henry against Anthonie The alteration of King Henry his will concerning the succession And the Popes offers to the Catholique king MOst men from all the noted parts of the worlde had their mindes and iudgements turned vpon Portugall both for that hitherto the affaires of Sebastian were worthie attention as to see nowe Henry come to the Crowne who was olde and without successour which made all Princes doubte that the succession of this Realme might trouble the publike quiet for the Pretendants were diuers their actions differing all allied and all with groundes And although their forces were vnequall yet were they made equal by certaine respects But to the ende we may the better vnderstand the groundes of euery one of the pretendants I will make a little digression to report briefly the descent of these Kings And although from the first vnto Henry there raigned seauenteene yet doe I not thinke it necessarie to take their beginning but frō Emanuel forward who was the fourteenth who began his raigne in the yeere of our Lord 1495. for that of his onely progenie is issued the number of Princes that pretended to the Crowne This man had three wiues of the first which was Isabell daughter to Ferdinand King of Castill widow to Alphonse sonne to Iohn the second of Portugall he had no other children for she died in childbed but Michael who died in the cradle who had beene as they say the pillar and corner stone to vnite it and Spaine togither But by his death the Portugals lost the kingdomes of Castill and Arragon whereof Emanuel and Isabell his wife were sworne Princes the issue male of the bloud roiall being extinct in Castill His second wife which was Marie sister to Isabell third daughter of the saide Ferdinand brought him many children vz. sixe sonnes and two daughters Isabel was married to Charles the fifth Emperour Beatrice to Charles the thirde Duke of Sauoy Iohn did inherite the kingdome Lewes died without marrying leauing behinde him Anthony his bastard sonne he who as you shall heare anon was the cause of great miserie to his countrey by reason of his pretention to the Crowne Ferdinand deceased without heires so did Alphons who was Cardinall called by the title of Saint Blaise and Henry of the title of Saint Quatre Coronez this outliued all the rest and it is hee of whom we speake Edward tooke to wife Isabell daughter to Iaime Duke of Bragance by whome he had Marie which afterwardes was married to Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma and Katherine at this present wife to Iohn of Bragance he had likewise a sonne the which being borne after the death of his father who liued but fower yeeres in matrimonie was likewise called Edward This is he who disfauoured by Sebastian died at Euora in the yeere 1576. of his thirde wife which was Leonora daughter to king Philip the first of Castill archduke of Austria who was after married to Frauncis the first king of Fraunce he had none but Charles who died yoong and Marie who being about sixe and fiftie yeeres olde died a maide at Lisbone in the yeere 1578. But returning to Iohn the thirde sonne of the second wife who succeeded Emanuel in the kingdome he contracted marriage with Katherine sister to the Emperour Charles the fifth and had issue Marie who after was the first wife of Philip the second king of Castill now raigning from whom issued Charles who died yoong the which if he had liued without doubt had preceaded the Cardinall Henry in the succession of the crowne The saide Iohn and Katherine had many male children which died yoong one onely outliued the rest named Iohn who as some say died yoong with excessiue loue of his wife sister to the saide Philip leauing her great with childe and after deliuered of Sebastian during his grandfathers life who soone after passed to an other worlde and this is that Sebastian which died in Affrick Let vs now come to the pretentions The Catholique King as it is saide put himselfe foremost being borne of Isabell the eldest daughter of Emanuel And although as a Castillian he was naturally hated of that nation yet he supposed that being mightie compassing in the Realme with his dominions and the Portugals vnexpert he shoulde soone either by loue or force become master thereof Iohn Duke of Bragance challenged the Realme as the right of Katherine his wife alleaging he was neerer to the succession then the Catholique King being although a woman daughter to the said Edward brother to the saide Isabell And forasmuch as the Duke is the greatest personage of the Realme and his subiects most warlike trusting on the fauour of Henry who did then grace him and hauing small experience in the affaires of the worlde he held himselfe halfe in possession Alexander Prince of Parma sonne to Octauius Farnesse did pretend it for his eldest son Rhainucius as male issued from Marie the eldest daughter of the saide Edward sister to the saide Katherine And although his territories were farre off yet besides that some supposed the Church shoulde
easily by the practise and industrie of another For Martin Gonzales de Camera his competitour hauing succeeded him in his offices with some other depending of the Iesuites whom the Cardinall sought to bring in they had no lesse conflict with their enimies then Peter had with his for that Aluaro de Castro fauorite to the king of a contrarie faction with some of his friendes desiring secretly to withdraw the Kings affection from Martin and his partie tooke occasion to effect it when as the King was at Cape Saint Vincent whether he went in Sommer to satisfie the desire he had to go to sea making him beleeue and it may be not without cause that Martin and the fathers as men ignorant in matters of State of the wealth of Princes had wasted the treasure of the Crowne and cut off the meanes for all such enterprizes as he might execute by their lawes made vpon the changes of money the which if they did not reuoke it were impossible to effect his glorious designes This was a deadly blowe yet did they adde one more of greater moment giuing the King to vnderstande being yoong and high minded that he was oppressed by them that they ruled in effect and he in shew and they passed on so farre that they caused a Secretarie of the chamber well fauoured of the King and a great talker presenting him one day with a commandement of small importance to signe to say vnto him that he might boldly subscribe it for that hee was king vntill he shoulde returne to Lisbone so as mingling sport with truth they drew this yoong Prince from the affection he bare to the ministers which had beene giuen him by the Queene and Cardinall and changed the doctrine wherein he had beene nourished But Peter D'Alcasoua reapt the whole fruite thereof for the King being estranged from his enimies and the lawes made by them reuoked Aluaro de Castro the author thereof died none of his faction remaining saue Emanuel Quaresinia who had the office which they call Dispaccio of great importance beeing Controwler of the Kings rewardes who hauing neither experience nor authoritie to maintaine himselfe long in this degree nor yet iudgement to contend with Alcasoua the said Peter laid holde of this occasion to recouer his former place And to effect it the more safely he married Lewes his eldest sonne with the daughter of Christopher de Tauora a great fauorite of Sebastians Being thus returned into fauour with the king he easily maintained it seconding his humours in making the meanes easie to recouer money and vnfolding all doubts for the execution of his enterprise by reason whereof he made him Chamberlaine or rather Veador de Hazenda a place of greater countenance then the other imploying him in most important affaires And although his cunning did somewhat assist the King in his determinations yet was there another occasion presented which made his hopes increase which was this Long time before there died in Affrick Mulei Mahamet Cheriffe he who had vnited the Kingdome of Feez Marroc and Turedant the which he had alwais possessed deuided with his brother Mulei Hamet It seemes that these whiles they liued quietly togither made a law that al the children that suruiued after their decease should succeed in the kingdome before any one of the nephewes should enioy the succession so as to the yongest vncle should succeed the eldest nephew yet after their decease although they left many children the greatest part thereof euen as it hapned vnto their fathers died by the sword or were strangled in prison for the iealousie of State by the commandemēt of Abdala one of the sonnes of Mahamet who succeeded his father raigned xvij yeres the most happie peaceable Prince that euer that countrey enioied This man although he were cruel yet did he refraine from murthering his three brethren it may be for that they were very children when he came to the succession but growing to more yeeres they fell to distrust him so as two of them fled to the Turke the thirde tooke his way by lande and went to liue amongst the Arabians And although the lawe had decreed that the next brother shoulde succeed to the Crowne yet Abdala resolued to sweare his eldest sonne Mahamet his successour which being performed sodainly this newe Prince practised against his vncles sending a Moore to Tremisenne to kill the eldest who was deteined by the Turkes the which he did effect wounding him with a dart in the Mezquita This act did greatly trouble the other brother Mulei Moluc yoong and of great hope who remaining at Algier demaunding succours in vaine from Philip King of Spaine by the meanes of Rodorike Alphonso Pimentel Earle of Benauent then Viceroy of Valencia he resolued to goe seeke it at Constantinople where he attended long with patience exclaiming against his kindred and not obtaining that which he demaunded till in the end hauing giuen an honorable testimonie of himselfe in the last sea fight at Nauarin betwixt the armies of the league and Turke and at the taking of Golette he obtained three thousand souldiers of the Turke for this conquest vpon certaine conditions that were not obserued With these forces and his Moores that followed him which wanted not in Affrick he entred his Nephewes kingdome for his brother was now dead and defeated three armies whereof the last which seemes woonderfull consisted of threescore thousand horse and ten thousand foote and tooke absolute possession of the Realmes liuing with great reputation both of the Moores and Christians Mulei Mahamet being in this manner expelled his countrey he fled to Pignon of Velay a fortresse which the Catholique king holdes in Affrick and from thence by the counsell as they say of a Renegado he sent his ambassadors to the said King letting him vnderstand of his disgrace and crauing aide to be restored to his estate Whereunto the Catholique King hauing made no answere conformable to the desires of the Moore being gone to Ceuta he did the like office with King Sebastian shewing vnto him that by this occasion he shoulde easilie make himselfe Emperour of Marocco The yoong Prince fedde with this vaine hope seemed nowe to haue a lawfull subiect to make warre whereon he resolued and to succour the Moore Mahamet He propounded this to his Counsell laboring to proue that it was both profitable and honorable whereunto although there were some of contrarie aduise laying before him that he was without heires that Christians shoulde rather imploy their armes against heretikes then Infidels that his forces alone were too feeble for so great an action strengthning their reasons with many examples notwithstanding as Princes blinded with their owne desires will not allow the mishaps and disgraces of an other issuing from their ill measured Counsell to serue them as examples of better aduise there was neither reason nor example could preuaile against the Kings opinion but fortified in his resolution by many who either for their owne
if it were not their pleasure he should deale with those causes of the succession he would willingly desist and onely treat of that which did simply concerne the charge of an Ambassadour and after retire himselfe if neede were But this modestie made him more suspect for thereby they might iudge he desired nothing more then once to haue an entrie and after to make himselfe Patrone of the whole cause At that time Christopher de Mora was called to court who treated secretly with the King of many things concerning the Realme he laboured to be sent backe with the Title of Ambassador yet many supposed his commission being ended he should not returne But being accounted as he was indeed confident iudicious and diligent although of no great experience in matters of waight being made gentleman of the chamber he was sent backe with the Title he desired to keepe Sylua from returning into Portugall all his hopes being frustrate they stayed him saying it was conuenient the King should retaine him neere about him to iudge the better of what should be written out of Portugall And hauing reduced the number of twelue coūsellors of the succession to fower he commaunded he should be one the rest being the Cardinall of Toledo Lewis Manriques Marques of Aguilar both of the councell of State and Anthonie of Padiglia President of the councell of millitarie orders The generall discourse concerning the election of the one for Ambassador and the exclusion of the other was diuers but when as the excluded could not preuaile according to the counterfeit show of the court he tooke all for a fauour Whilest these things passed in Castil the pretendents in Portugal both naturall borne and strangers called by citation framed their reasons and euerie man laboured to make the King capable of his right The Duke of Ossuna pleaded for King Philip Charles de la Rouuere for the Duke of Sauoy Ferrant Farnese Bishop of Parma for Rainucius Fernese The Queene of Fraunce was not cited yet did not she desist from her pretention by the meanes of Vrban of Saint Gelais Bishop of Cominges who had some difficultie to be admitted The King seemed long doubtfull in this point for on the one side with the inclination he had to the Dutchesse he would exclude al others with the desire he had to frustrate Philip he labored to admit all that did pretend In this point hatred preuailed before affection Enduring this infamous allegation of the Queen who saide that Henry of whom she demaunded iustice and eleuen other Kings his predecessors had beene all bastards and vnlawfull for that was her plea And although he doubted of the Bishops procuration after some difficulties promising to satisfie him within a limited time by an other commission he was receiued to plead appointing him an aduocate in the cause The principall groundes of the pleaders were these Anthonie at the end of fiftie yeeres would be admitted for lawfull hauing neuer before pretended it and therfore vndoubtedly the succession of the Realme did appertaine vnto him for that as a male issued from a male he saide with the qualitie of his father he did surmount his age wherein Philip did surpasse him that being a male he was before the Dutchesse and did vanquish Rhanucius by his age and neerenes Phillibert Duke of Sauoy did not wholie deceiue himselfe for as he assisted not for any other ende but to shewe that as the neerest of kinne he did preceade the Prince of Castill in case that Henry outliued Philip he was least importune They did pleade vehemently for Rainucius Farnese and in his fauour the Doctors of the Vniuersitie of Padua had written and to confute the reasons of proximitie wherein the other competitors did surmount they alleaged that conformeable to pure and simple lawe so many sonnes as Kings haue so many heires of inheritance they do frame whereof the first line doth inherite whilest it remaines which being extinct the seconde doth succeed it and so consequently in order That Edward the Grandfather by the Mothers side of the saide Ranucius was chiefe of the second race of the children of King Emanuel whereof the first being vtterly extinct in Sebastian the line of the second ought to succeed vntill it were likewise extinct where by descending from braunch to braunch it came directly to the saide Ranucius And although Philip and Phillibert were pretendents male and lawfully issued from an elder feminine stocke whilest there was remaining any heires descending from the elder feminine males as he was they coulde not inherite and that the Dutchesse who was a woman and Anthony vnlawfull ought not to take it from him although he succeeded them all The Dutchesse with more liuely hope both of her iustice and of the Kings fauour had caused to be written in the Vniuersitie of Coimbra a long curious allegation the Doctors who are the learnedst of the Realme hoping to please the King handled the cause with all possible care She laboured to prooue that they succeed in Realmes by the inheritance of the last possessor and that in this kinde of succession the lawes allowe the benefite of representation and in the difficultie which the Doctors mooue in the deciding whether this priuiledge be allowable to the Nephewes when they do not ioine with the Vncle in the inheritance they ought to follow those which holde the affirmatiue and that the women doe not onely represent the degree of the predecessors but also the sexe She therefore representing Edwrad her Father sonne to King Emanuel and brother to king Henrie woulde precead all the other pretendents both the Catholique king for that he issued from a daughter Anthony being a bastard Ranucius as being neerer vnto Henry admitting neither degrees elderships nor representations alleaging for that purpose infinite authorities of Doctors These her allegations were imprinted and sent to the Pope and to all the Princes in Christendome hoping thereby to make a great breach in their harts The Catholique king saide he was the eldest and lawfullest Nephew male of king Emanuel then liuing and that not any one of the others being not able to make themselues equall vnto him they sought to helpe themselues with fixions and representations the which he woulde prooue by some lawes were not to be admitted in this case nor amongst these persons for that going before them all ingeneral by age he did surpasse them in particular one after an other Anthony by legitimation the Duchesse by sexe Ranucius by nearenes the Duke of Sauoy by the age of Isabell Augusta his mother elder then Beatrice Mother to the saide Duke The people alleage that the issue male of their Kings failing in that case the election appertained to them fortifying this reason by the example of the election which was made of their King Iohn the first but of this pretention being generall they made small account The Queene Mother of Fraunce with a
satisfied and to be bound to stand to iudgement They did vrge them to take information by way of Iustice against those that in the cause of succession did suborne with promises of money honours and also such as were suborned hauing knowledge that there were many such Whereunto the gonernors answered that they would presently depart from Almeryn but whither it was not expedient then to say and that it shoulde be conformable to the demaund of the citie of Lisbone They saide that they woulde not discharge the souldiers being leuied by the commandement of King Henry for the guard of his Court and of the pretendents That some hauing refused to carrie this Embassage into Castill yet in the ende they had chosen Gaspard de Casale Bishop of Coimbra and Emanuel de Melo who prepared to go That alreadie they had commaunded al Captaines to remaine in their fortresses where there were none they were prouiding as also of armes both in the fortresses vpon the riuer as in all other prouinces That it seemed not necessarie to send to Rome but if king Philip made shewe to stirre they woulde beseech his holines to doe as he hath beene accustomed and that they woulde proceede with all the rigour against such as shoulde be found culpable in the matter of subornation Now had the Agents of the Catholique king sent newes into Castill of King Henry his death and were remaining still at Almerin fearing some alteration but this people accustomed to a heauie yoke without knowledge of libertie did not stirre The Duke of Bragance saide vnto the Gouernours that he was readie to obey and that they should proceed to sentence for the succession He sent to the Duke of Ossuna and the Catholique Agents willing them not to feare any thing that he woulde assure them from danger offering them his lodging the like did the Gouernors Whilest these things passed in Almerin Anthony Prior of Crato who at the Kings death was not far from thence ran vnto Lisbone lodging himselfe in a garden neere vnto the citie he did write vnto the Magistrate of the chamber and to many of the chiefe signifying vnto them that hee was there and that they shoulde come vnto him The which the Magistrate vnderstanding disdained sending him worde that he shoulde retire but making no reckoning thereof he sent both into the citie and places of pleasure thereabouts some of his followers who both in priuate and in publike gaue out that the king was dead and that the Prior expected them there beleeuing by that meanes for the affection the people bare him they woulde all iointly proclaime him king which being done in that citie which is the principall all the rest of the Realme for he was greatly beloued would follow their example yet he was soone deceiued And this may serue as an example to those which relie too much vpon the vulgar sort for there was not any one that durst come vnto him but in secret and as for gentlemen there were none by reason of the plague As for the new Christians which are there in great number whereof a part was likewise abroad they wanted courage and being rich feared to doe that which might cause the losse of their goods The people most base of themselues had no commander that could mooue them or lead them so as hauing labored by diuers meanes to draw men to his deuotion finding his practise not to succeed hauing spent some time there he went to the Monasterie of Belem from whence he did write to the Councel of States with words more conformable to the qualitie of time then his intention saying That hauing intelligence of the death of the King his Lord vnderstanding likewise that his bodie should be transported to that Monasterie and that not to faile of his dutie he was come thither to attend it seeing he could not be in time to accompanie it the which he had done that perfourming this last office he might doe them the seruice he ought but vnderstanding that he was not brought thither he had assisted the fathers in their sacrifices and deuotions recommending him vnto God And as a true Portugall and mindfull of the bond which as sonne and nephewe to his father and grandfather he had to the quiet and preseruation of these Realmes he thought it good to aduertise them that he was readie to expose for this cause not onely his life and receiue the lawes which they should please to lay vpon him but also in all present occasions to liue in submission due obedience not any way transgressing their commissions He protested to shew the innocencie of those crymes imposed vpon him in the sentences which it had pleased his vncle to pronounce against him togither with the interest hee had to the suceession of the Realme Hee promised to yeeld himselfe into their hands and protection relying vpon those persons who by the special grace of God in so afflicted a season had been chosen as a remedie to restore this Realme referring himselfe for the rest to Lewis de Brito who should deliuer it by mouth To this letter the which was receiued in councell cōtrarie to the aduise of some who said it ought not to be accepted Brito added that the Prior would be there with speede that they should cōmaund where they pleased he should lodge They answered that he might come when he pleased yet they would not intermeddle with his lodging but leaue it to his owne choice But almost all in generall were pleased with his cōming He staied not long but presently vpon his arriuall he presented the Popes Bull contayning the suspension of the Kings sentence he began to renue the pretention of his legitimation without the finall decision wherof they said they could not treat of the succession wanting no hope to obtaine by the councell of States that which before he did expect from the multitude at Lisbone The Deputies of the Realme did assemble daily at Saint Arem without effecting any thing of importance They spent some daies onely in sending to visit the pretendents and their deputies to make vnto them offers of iustice and likewise to receiue from them thanks for their good dispositions wherin all aboured to shew themselues protectors of the libertie of the Realme and most of all such as least desired it And for that the going and comming to Almeryn was very incōmodious being forced to passe the water without a bridge that by this reason in communicating the affaires to the rest of the States that is to the Cleargie and nobilitie by treating with the Gouernours they lost much time it was propounded in councel to reduce all togither yet could they not effect it for manie of the Deputies began to want money for their ordinarie charges desiring rather to be dismissed then vnited They desired to depart saying that they were not furnishèd frō their cities but as they were not discharged so were they not relieued
as eldest sonne to the Duke of Bragance and of Katherine chiefe pretendent to the Realme vntill the cause of the succession were decided so as the sports before shewed vnto the saide Duke in courtesie were now redoubled for this other intent detayning him expresly vntill he might receiue answere from the King so as shewing him first one place and then another this yoong Prince was taken vnawares But the Duke of Medina hauing staied certaine carriages vnder colour to shew him some feastes he then conceiued the cause of his detaining and wrote foorthwith vnto his father in Portugall that he should not then expect him and that his detention should not any way preiudice the rights of the Realme preferring iustice before his owne life This letter being come into Portugall was by the Duke his father sent vnto the assembly of the States shewing on the one side a griefe for the detayning of his sonne and on the other side a contentment that in so yong an age he was so great a louer of his countries good offering if need were to sacrifice him for the seruice of the Realme Yet this feare of the Dukes continued not long for hauing written to his son that he should labour to come away or they should make declaration of his staie he was suffered freelie to depart for so the King had commaunded Some say that Philip had long before this consideration hauing meanes to stay him not onely in Spaine but also in Affrique but fearing to incense the Portugals and desirous to make the Duke his friend he had procured his release in Affrick and suffered him safely to depart from Andoluzia into Portugall yet the said Duke of Barcellos or his father by whose commaundement he was directed was noted of some ingratitude for being inuited by Philip to passe by his court as desirous to see him the iealousie of the State of these Realmes preuayled so much that he did not satisfie his desire but tooke his direct way to Villauizosa fearing perhaps a new detention These things passed in Portugall when as in Castill the Catholique King beeing aduertised by his Agents of the death of King Henrie of the small affection the Portugals bare vnto him of the liuely pretention of Authonie and other pretendents and to what estate the matter was brought was greatly discontented seeming he should be forced to take armes for the obtaining of the conclusion of his interest But desirous to satisfie his conscience in the effecting thereof he had formerly the aduise of Diego de Chiaues of the order of preaching Fryers being his confessor and of some other principall Diuines of that order and yet not well satisfied with their opinions least he should seeme onely to follow the aduise of the dominical Fryers he desired likewise to treat with other orders of religious persons and to that intent he sent one to acquaint the chiefe Deuines in Spaine with the cause and to demaund their aduise This care perfourmed not only with the chiefe prelates and readers in Diuinitie but with the Iesuits and the Fryers of Saint Francis all agreede that the Kings right being so apparant he was not bound to represent it otherwise then out of iudgement to King Henrie as he had done and to make his councell and the rest of the Realme of Portugall capable thereof such as with sinceritie of hart would vnderstand the truth and by the mildest meanes procure as he had done that Henry should declare him successor if these diligent proceedings were not sufficient to perswade the King and the Realme that then Philip had sufficiently iustified his cause and that he might assure himselfe by armes without thrusting the succession which was due vnto him into euident perill his person being as it is saide soueraigne exempt and free from all reprehension and onely bound to iustifie his right before God and to signifie it to the King and the Realme saying that this point was now without all doubt since the death of Henrie no man liuing that could pretend any interest in the decision of the cause It appertained not to the Pope being a matter wholy temporall nor agreeing with the circumstances which may giue him any right ouer temporall matters and lesse to the Emperour beeing no way acknowledged by the Realmes of Castill and Portugall and much lesse to certaine Iudges named by Henrie for besides that he could not choose any after his death they were now become the materiall partie and the thing it selfe whereon they pleaded Besides that all the Realme was become insufficient when as making themselues a partie they pretended power to choose a Prince although all this ceased yet would they prooue that no Portugall but was suspect in this cause to be excepted against for the manifest hatred they bare to the Castillian nation They found likewise that he was not bound to submit himselfe to any compremise for besides the difficultie and impossibilitie to finde a trustie person in so dangerous and iealous a cause as this is the bond of compremise is not incident but in a matter of doubt and the definition of doubt is when as the aduocate and Doctors conclude not for any partie finding equiualent reasons for either but in this all being of one agreement the cause is not doubtfull nor to be compremitted The King being resolued to take armes hauing no possession deliuered vnto him prouided for it for this cause he writ to the gouernors to the three estates and to the fiue principall cities to all of one subiect but in diuerse formes after he had lamented the death of his vncle he required them to receaue and sweare him King as King Henry had resolued and declared him to be he thanked the nobility and clergie for their good affection showne when as Henrie had said that the succession appertained vnto him he made offer to all and threatned cunningly he sent to the gouernors a copie of the priuiledges which King Henry had required in the behalfe of the Realme offering to graunt them more amplie then they had bene demaunded protesting if they would not obey to vse force But all these things were receiued and reiected according to the humors of men The gouernors made aunswere they could not resolue vntill the returne of their Ambassadours which they had sent vnto them At this time there was readie at sea as well in Spaine as in Italie about threescore gallies whereof Aluaro de Bassan Marques of Saint Croix was generall the which should saile towards Portugall as the occasion of the time should serue there was yet no generall named for this enterprise and euerie man greedilie expected who should be chosen for that few were thought fit for so great a burthen The Duke of Alua was generallie held most sufficient yet few beleeued that the King would willingly free him from prison the Marques of Mondegiar who was returned from the gouernment of Naples affected this charge many beleeued