end and then after the conclusion of this Treatise I will satisfie your desire particularly and at good leysure for I doe assure you I would keepe silence concerning many things in this worke were it not most requisite and needfull that they should be spoken of and published for the better attaining to that which I intend and purpose the which I doe perswade my selfe that both you my masters of England and likewise of France and you also my masters the Princes of Europe who are all of you highly interessed in the greatnesse of the Castilian will embrace cheerefully and with open armes if you be not altogether without iudgement and vnderstanding But it is now meet that we pursue the proofe and demonstration of the tyranny of King Philip which calleth himselfe the King Catholike We haue lately shewed how King Philip by vsurpation and tyranny non solum in modo sed in genere as the Ciuilians vse to speake of his predecessors doth possesse the Realmes of Castile of Leon of Galicia of Toledo of Siuill of Cordona of Murcia c. with some other Prouinces contained within the precincts and streights of his Realme Let vs now come to the Realmes of Aragon of Valentia the Counties of Barcelona of Cerdonia and Roussillon and the Isles of Maiorica Minorica and Sardinia Aragon Valentia c tyrannized Fernand the Infant of Castile the graund Father of Fernand aboue named vsurped all these Realmes and seigniories of the which he depriued Isabel Countesse of Vrgell his owne Aunt sister to his Mother which Isabel had also one Daughter named Isabel which maried with Don Peter the Infant of Portugall the younger sonne of John the bastard King of the said Realme Of Peter and Isabel was borne the Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall The Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon poysoned by Iohn which Don Peter by reason of his Mothers right and other auncesters was called and acknowledged by the Catalognians for their King and Lord. And after hee had reigned ouer them for the space of fiue yeeres and more he was poysoned by Iohn the second of that name sonne of the first Ferdinand whom we named to be the successour of Alphonsus King of Arragon his elder brother Charles the 4. the rightfull King of Nauarre empoysoned by his stepmother This Iohn was a notable Tyrant and hee retained the Kingdome of Nauarre tyrannously after the death of the Queen Blaunch his wife the right heire of the said Realme against the rightfull title of Charles his owne sonne vnto whom that Realme ought to haue descended by the death of his mother as it did likewise fall vnto Lewes Hutin by the death of his mother Jane who dyed eight yeeres before her Husband Philip the faire For this cause the said Charles being a most curteous and vertuous Prince had great difference and suite with his Father who caused him to be poysoned by his stepmother Jane the Daughter of Don Federike the second Admirall of Castile The Translator The grandmother of King Philip on Charles his Fathers side was the graund daughter of this Iohn and this Iane from whom principaly hee hath learned and retained the art and science of poysoning so perfectly that not onely to the said Iohn the Graundfather of his Graundmother and to the said Iane his wife but euen to all his predecessors he may giue forty fiue and a fault at that game and yet be no looser were they neuer so cunning in that art and science Of Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon there was no lawfull issue remaining for the line of Jsabel his mother was extinguished in John the second King of Portugall by reason whereof the right of that Realme and all the Seigniories depending thereupon ought to descend and doe appertaine to the most excellent Dukes of Loraine as the true and rightfull heires of Yoland Dutchesse of Anion The Duke of Loraine the right heire of the Kingdome of Arragon the wife of Leweâ— Grandfather in the fift degree of the said excellent Duke of Loraine now liuing the which Yoland was the lawfull Daughter of Iohn King of Aragon the eldest sonne of Peter the ceremonious King of that Realme who was also the Father of Martin which raigned after the said Iohn his elder brother and was the true heire of this Crowne and of all the demaines thereof by the death of her elder sister the wife of the Earle of Foix of whom shee had neither sonne nor daughter The Realme of Nauarre was vsurped as is reported by diuers Historians Nauarre vsuâ—ped euen Spaniards themselues vpon false informations by Fernand the great Grandfather of King Philip which Fernand was one of the Masters of Machiauel Fernand the 5 king of Castile one of the masters of Machiauell In his Booke of the Councels Councellers of Princes Dis 14. par 11. as Bartholmew Philip doth tell vs in that Booke which he caused to be imprinted in the yeere 1585 where he hath these words Those Princes which do fully resolue themselues to preuaile and grow great by force of armes ought to imitate the Catholike Don Fernand the fift of that name King of Castile who held himselfe apart and gaue the looking on to the warres which the Princes of Christendome made one vpon another to see what issue and what forces they should haue to the intent hee might aide and succour those which were weakest and hee would not suffer any to grow great or puissant in Italy who pretended to be Lords and Commaunders there neither would hee at any time enter into any leagues made by the Princes of Christendome vnlesse he might make some profit and benefit thereby vnto himselfe This was Lewes the 12. of that name For this cause he would not make warre vpon Lewes King of France when Pope Iulius the Emperour and the Swissers did warre against him for that hee thought he should not aduantage himselfe by the diminution of that Realme if the aduersaries of the said Lewes should make themselues great by his losses and yet being perswaded that the said French King would augment his estate Let the French King and the Princes and Potentates of Europe consider this well by making warre vpon the Realme of Naples hee entred into league against the King of Fraunce with the Emperour and the King of England The Booke whereof I speake was dedicated by the Authour to Albert Cardinall of Austria when hee was Vice-roy of Portugall who is the third Graundchild of the said Fernand both on the Fathers and Mothers side Portugal and her demaines tyrannized Now how Philip himselfe hath tyrannized and vsurped the Realme of Portugall and the Seigniories which are dependant thereupon raising himselfe into a great and mighty Monarchy and yet ill considered or knowne by strange and forraigne Princes all Bookes in generall doe sound it forth and the Vniuersities of Coimbre of Bologna and
foretold and as it were prophecied as the prinâ—ipall counsellers of estate both in Fraunce in England can well testifie both all this which is come to passe in this behalfe and hath also foreshewed all that which hath beene lost in Fraunce and to what end and issue things will grow at the last if there be not some better order taken in these affaires And I beleeue that if they were demanded the question they will tell you how I haue passed away my time with as great griefe and discontentment as a man possibly might do to see the enemy daily to prosper and to waxe more proud and arrogant by your owne proper sufferance consent and wilfulnesse for this cause I am in a manner wholly resolued to leaue and abandon the conuersation of men to retire withdraw my selfe into some solitary mountaine Notwithstanding because I know and am acquainted with all that hath befalne for these 50 yeeres last past in the greatest part of Europe I doe therefore tell you as one that hath had experience of these matters that as yet you may recouer if you will all that which hitherto you haue lost and both deliuer your friends and bridle your enemies And you may take such order that the time to come shall be more happy and fortunate vnto you then the time already past hath beene And moreouer I doe assure you that sithens the losse of great part of Christendome wonne by the Turke the late losse of the most part of Germany the hereditary possession of the King of Bohemia all Switzerland with the great hazard of losing all the Netherlands who are now striuing for breath against the King of Spaines mighty powers now in the field which I for my part doe thinke to haue proceeded from the very hand of God as of your louing Father who by a fatherly loue doth chastise you to the end you should awaken you out of your security and negligence I haue beene euer since resolued to set downe in writing that which I haue so often pronounced by word of mouth to so many persons of speciall marke and quality before that euer they did entreat me thereunto And this is the cause that if this my writing doe not produce that publike good and that effect which I desire I protest that from henceforth I will for euer hold my peace and be silent Neuerthelesse I most humbly beseech your Christian Maiesties and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe and all the great Lords and Officers of the Crownes of England and of Fraunce that it would please you to descend into your selues and at your leisure according to your accustomed prudence and wisdome to consider that good fortune and felicity doth not consist so much in the conquest and subduing of great Seigniories and large dominions for the time present with an intent to leaue the same to your successors but rather to assure confirme and preserue them for the time to come to your children and posterity to the intent that when it shall please God to call you hence they may quietly and peaceably enioy them in peace and tranquility without any trouble disquiet or hinderance For it is a farre greater vertue to preserue and keepe that which is gotten then to get and purchase new things daily Non minor est virtus quà m quarere parta tuêri The poore Pilgrime beaten by Time and pesecuted by Fortune P. Ol. I am resolued to make warre vpon the Castillian wherein if you also will beare a part assure your selfe you may account me as one of your most faithfull and surest friends But if you once grow to any termes of peace and amity with him then seeke you some other with whom ye may deliberate vpon that matter AN EXPLICATION OF THE PILGRIME VPON THE PROVERB IF THE COCKErell had not come the Cock had not bene taken And of the loyaltie of Auila and Simanchas in Castile and of Celorico and the Castell of Coimbre in Portugall Item What the diuersitie is betweene the King of Castile and of Spaine and who they bee whom wee call Castillians and what is vnderstood by Cities and Townes HEnry the fourth King of Castile of whom wee haue before spoken being at the point of death If the Cockerel had not come the Cock had not beene taken named foure Executors of his Testament to gouerne the Realme after his death and to marrie his daughter the Ladie Iane two of which Executors to wit Don Aluaro de Estugniga Duke de Areualo and Don Diego Lapez Pacheco Marquis de Vâ—llena ioyning with the Archbishop of Toledo named Don Alphonso Carrillo Don Bertrand de la Cueua Duke de Albuquerke the Maister of Calatraua Don Rodrigo Telles Giron Countie de Vâ—egne Don Iohn Telles Giron hif brother Marquisse of Calis Don Alphonso de Aguilar and manie other great Lords with foureteene Cities of Castile sent vnto Don Alphonso the Affrican King of Portugall praying him that he would take to wife the said Queene Dame Iane the which the King of Portugall accepted against the willes and good liking of many of his Realmes who would not by any manner of meanes haue to doe nor meddle with the Castillians By reason of this mariage in the yeere 1475 Don Alphonso went into the Lands and Countrey of his said wife where he had many encounters and combats with Fernand King of Arragon the Husband of Jsabel the pretended Queene of Castile and with his people till such time as they encountered in the battell which was foughten neere the City of Toro The battell of Toro in March 1476 which was ordered in this manner the King Alphonso had made one Campe of the Lords and Nobles of the Realmes of Castile and Leon with some Portugals the Prince Don Juan his sonne who was come to the succours of his Father had made another Campe of his Portugals without any Castillians mingled amongst them The King Fernand made also two campes the one of the Castillians which tooke his part and his wiues and the other of Arragonois the Catalans the Valencians and such other peoples and Nations as were the subiects of his owne Realmes and Seigniories whereof himselfe was Lord and commaunder Fernand encountring with Alphonso defeated and ouercame him and hauing taken his Guidon royall made him forsake the field and to betake himselfe to flight But the Prince Don Iuan gaue in and charged so resolutely vpon the Castillians that he made them to flie and hauing slaine many of them vpon the place he tooke a great number of prisoners and himselfe remaining whole and entire with his Forces did with singular hardinesse and magnanimity assaile Ferdinand also the vanquisher of his Father and making him to flie did recouer againe the Guydon royall which the said Alphonso his Father had lost The History of Portugall saith that the Prince did great honour vnto a Knight which saued the said Guydon and gaue him an yeerely rent or annuity of
fiue thousand Marauedis which was at that time no small reuenue in comparison of that it is at this pay being about 12 duckats and a halfe allowing 400 Marauedis to each duckat and gratified him with sundry other gifts and great honours Fernand wrote vnto Jsabel the successe of this battell giuing her to vnderstand that if the Prince had not come the King his Father had beene taken Whereupon he returned him this answer that if the Cockerell had not come the Cocke had beene taken and hereof came that prouerbe which wee told you Guaribay sâ—tteth downe these last words and confesseth the very truth Neuerthelesse touching the residue of the History he reporteth a thousand vntruths which may be verified by the History which Damian de Goyes hath written of this Prince Don Juan in the which he saith Damianus de Goyes in the life of the Prince Don Iuan. that the Prince would haue kept and remained in the field where the battell was foughten by the space of three dayes if the Archbishop of Toledo had not disswaded him who with great instance and earnest entreaty caused him to retire into the City because the weather was extreame cold and his men were sore trauelled and wearied and had beene ouer-watched for want of sleepe And he said vnto him Sir your Highnesse hath kept the Field long enough these three houres you haue staied here are as good as three dayes and one houre is as much as three Some write that in memory of this victory King Edward the fourth of England sent vnto this Prince the order of the Garter And the Castillians had such ill successe continually against the Portugals that to grace themselues because the King Alphonso was defeated and forsooke the field though his sonne held the field and remained vanquisher yet they shame not to attribute vnto themselues the honour and victory of this battell Alphonsus Raymond the onely sonne of Vrraca the daughter of Alphonsus the sixt surnamed the Emperor was borne in Auila Auila a City of Castile and was nourished and kept by them of the City during the raigne of Alphonsus King of Aragon called the warriour together with his wife Vrraca Queene of Castile Mother of the said Raymond Now there were great reuolts and troubles in Castile in the which they of Auila following the party of Raymond against the said Alphonsus his Father in Law did so much that the Father in Law was dispossessed of the gouernment and the Sonne in Law was installed in the siege royall And for this cause this word hath passed for a common prouerbe The fidelity of Auila and Auila is for the King Simancas Touching Simancas you are to vnderstand that in the yeere 1463 Henry the 4 raigning in Castile at the perswasion of some of the Princes many other Cities and Townes did reuolt from him and grew into a rebellion which they called The league of the Princes and they entituled themselues Princes of the League And in imitation hereof did Philip King of Castile in the yeere 1582 baptize the League which hath beene the occasion of so many mischiefes and afflictions of which Fraunce hath especially tasted and had experience for these nine yeeres last past This is that League which hath wrought so great damage to the Church of Rome and hath so ruinated and pulled it downe as it shall neede many hundreds of yeeres to restore it againe But to our matter in processe of time the Souldiers of the Kings Army being greatly augmented and their puissance much increased they came to the City of Toro and the King hauing aduertisement that they of the League were issued out of Valladolid and that hauing broken downe and razed the walles of Begnafleur they were gone to Simancas he sent presently Iohn Hernandes Galiude his Captaine Generall with 3000 Horses for the succours of the Towne which being entred into Simancas were besieged by them of the League who notwithstanding were more afraid then those whom they had besieged The Lackies within the Towne who shewed themselues to be of a wonderfull good courage hauing assembled themselues one day in a great number and mocking those that had besieged them did make a picture which represented the Archbishop of Toledo whom because he was a Rebell against his King and Lord they called Don Opas the brother of the Count Iulian who caused the Moores to enter into Spaine against the King Rodericke After which one of the Lackies being appointed for a Iudge Iudgement giuen by the Lackies against the Archbishop of Toledo sate himselfe downe on the iudgement seat commanding the prisoner to be brought before him which was the picture of the Archbishop and he gaue iudgement vpon him in this manner For as much as Don Alphonso Carillo Archbishop of Toledo Guar. lib. 17. cap. 14. following the steppes of the Bishop Don Opas the destroyer of Spaine hath beene a Traytor to his King and naturall Lord rebelling against him with his places and Fortresses and with the money which he put into his hands to doe him seruice For these causes hauing seene and considered of his deserts by his triall wherein hath appeared his wicked practises and felonious offences we doe therefore condemne him to be burned and that he be first trayled and drawne through the streetes and publike places of Simancas and that in the execution thereof the common cryer shall cry and proclaime with a loud voice This is the iustice commanded to be done namely that this cruell Don Opas shall be burnt for his offence and trespasse because hauing receiued diuers places fortresses and monies of his King hee hath notwithstanding reuolted and rebelled against him Quien tal haze que tal pague That is to say So doe so haue The iudgement being pronounced another Lackey taking the picture between his armes with an open cry threw it forth of the Towne hauing in his company more then three hundred Lackies and immediately two of their company made a great fire to burne it not farre from the campe of the enemy who looked on whilest they were doing of it and whilest the picture was in burning all the Lackies together with open throat cryed and sang Esta es Simancas Don Opas Trahidor Y no Penaflor Which is to say This is Simancas Don Opas O thou Traitour And not Pegnastor With many other speeches to that purpose Which song of theirs was for a long time after vsed in Castile and was commonly sung both in the Court and throughout all that Realme Celorico After that the Portugals had deposed Don Sancho surnamed Capelo from his Realme and Kingdome Don Alphonso his brother who was then County of Bologne vpon the Sea was chosen Gouernour of Portugall by the same Portugals This election which they made together with the deposition of the said Sancho was approued and confirmed by Pope Innocent the 4 in a Councell held at Lyons which was the cause that the said Alphonso went
all Spaine and France it selfe also and it may be hee would not otherwise haue failed to haue sent a good part of those forces euen for England at the least for Ireland Portugall the principal cause of all the warres By those last words aboue vsed by the King and the former recited examples may be easily discouered not onely the ingratitude of this peruerse and vn pleasing Catholike but wee may also collect and gather that Portugall is the principall cause of so many warres so many murthers and mischaunces and that if the same were wrung out of the hands and power of this tyrant the most Christian King and the other Princes of Christendome should dwell in peace the Potentates and common wealths of Europe should be in rest the Cardinals at Rome should not be at his direction nor the elections of the Popes at his will and pleasure ouer the which he doth so tyrannize that in each of them he maketh himselfe the first person and as the saying is preferreth himselfe before the holy Ghost There is neuer any election of a Pope How Philip doth germandise the elections of the Cardinals and Popes but he nameth some three foure or fiue persons to the end that the Conclaue of Cardinals should choose one of them was there euer seene greater impudency or presumption that a mortall man should dare vsurpe Gods office Ha most Christian King it is the part of your Maiesty to defend and maintaine the soueraigne and chiefe Bishops they are in their possession to be defended and preserued by the most Christian Kings of France and to that end haue they endowed them with so great priuiledges liberties and prerogatiues Banish therefore and driue away Sir this monster breake the head of this Serpent tame this Lyon and deliuer the Church from this so tyrannicall seruitude and hard captiuitie Restore vnto your pupils their wonted peace and liberty to the intent they may with hardinesse chastise the euill and vicious and without feare reward the good and vertuous How often haue the soueraigne Bishops desired to honour and doe good to some persons in recompence of their vertues and merits and to correct others for their vices and haue not beene able to performe either the one or the other Oftentimes against their wils haue the Popes permitted the wicked to triumph and more often haue they consented that the good should endure afflictions Who did better deserue to be made a Cardinall if I may not say Pope then that famous learned man Doctor Martin Aspilcueta of Nauarre Martin Aspilcueta a Nauarrois whose memory shall be eternall both for his doctrine and for his holinesse and vertue Neuerthelesse onely because Philip could not abide him for defending against him the cause of that reuerend Prelate Don. Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Archbishop of Toledo a religious person of the order of S. Dominicke Archbishop of Toledo and for maintaining also with many and strong reasons that the Portugals ought of right to choose their King by election and for prouing by most firme and infallible arguments that his Catholike Maiesty did possesse the Realme of Portugall by vniust and tyrannicall title was therefore thrust out of all and dyed in the estate of a poore and simple Priest Who did euer in all reason deserue better or more worthily to be strangled and burnt then N and yet because Philip would haue it so hee liueth still and triumpheth Wherefore most humbly I beseech both your Maiesties euen for the honour of GOD wherein your selues haue more interest then any other that you would vouchsafe to attend this matter of so great importance and that you would vndertake to leuy and make ready a good Armie to passe into Spaine and to consider withall how great is the prudence the industry and subtilty of this common enemy that your Maiesty would regard his actions his ambition and his tyranny that you would awaken and grow to a resolution knowing that you haue so great a tyrant to your Neighbour as of himselfe alone is greater then all others that euer were or which now are in the World Tyranny as natural to Phâ—lip as is laughter to a man all of them set together and who hath gotten like his predecessors all that which he possesseth by pure and plaine tyranny which is indeede so proper and naturall vnto him and doth belong vnto him as properly and vnseparably as laughter doth to a man Giue me leaue I pâ—ay you to proue that which I speake by most cleere and certaine Histories to the intent I may take away all occasion from those who are addicted to ill speaking and to deceitfull dealing to thinke or take me for a lyar for this that I say may be verified by all the Historiographers of Spaine both ancient and moderne which are worthy to be credited or haue any truth in them some of which doe liue yet at this day and it is no long time since they made their workes and imprinted them with the fauour and at the costs and charges of the said Philip. And this I will endeuour to proue as briefly as I can and I will shew how in all the Realmes and Prouinces which the King Catholike possesseth in Spaine whereof I my selfe being a Spaniard doe know somewhat hee possesseth and holdeth them by tyranny committed many times and often And for as much as to proue that which I intend it shall suffice to touch onely that which hath happened since the 380 yeeres last past I will not speake of any thing that hath befalne before the yeere of Christ 1217. Castile tyrannized â—he first time Henry King of Castile the sonne of Alphonsus the noble dying left his eldest sister Blaunch Queene of France which was the mother of S. Lewes who was then but two yeeres old Garibay lib. 22. cap 41. and his Father who was not yet King of France was occupied in the warres of England whither hee was called by them of that land against their King called King John who was reputed for a tyrant Henrie being dead as is sayd his youngest sister named Berangera the wife of Alphonsus King of Leon with her sonne Fernand encroched vpon the possession of the Realme of Castile and vsurped it against the right of the sayd Blanch her eldest sister and consequently against the sayd S. Lewes her nephew Fernand being dead Alphonsus his eldest sonne called Emperour of the West because some of the Electors of the Empire had elected him whereas the residue had chosen Richard the brother of Henrie the third King of England made an accord with the sayd S. Lewes the cousen German of his father touching the succession of Castile in this manner That Fernand the eldest sonne of Alphonsus should eâ—pouse Blanch the daughter of the sayd S. Lewes with condition that the children borne of that marriage should inherit Castile Of them twaine were issued Alphonsus and Fernand who were
depriued of their right by Sancho their Vncle the yonger brother of their father Fernand Castile tyrannized the 2. time and â—eon the first time who died hauing the gouernment of the Realme of Castile and Leon in the absence of his sayd father Alphonsus which then was gone into Italy there to sollicit his friends and to make meanes for the Empire As soone as Fernand was dead the sayd Sancho tooke vpon him the gouernment Ierom Gudiel in the History of the Girons Garib lib 13. cap. 16. getting the possession of many cities and towns in Castile against the will of Alphonsus his father who dying at Seuill vpon a friday the 2. of Aprill 1284. cursed his sonne Sancho calling him disobedient rebellious vsurper and a tyrant and pronounced and named for the true and right heires of his Realmes and Seigniories his grand-children Alphonsus and Fernand and in case they should die without children then Philip the hardie King of France his cousine German remoued the sonne of the sayd S. Lewes his Vncle. But neither the curses nor denuntiations of the father nor the feare of God could make Sancho to render or restore to the others their right but he still detained it and left for his heire his sonne Fernand the fourth of that name Alphonsus surnamed the Iusticier king of Castile the sonne of the sayd Fernand and the grand-child of Sancho amongst many tyrannous acts by him exercised is reported to haue committed one act most vnworthy not onely of a king but of a man euen of most vile and base condition for that it was an action full of notable treasons and infidelitie Don Iuan le Tuerto Lord of Biscay murthered For hauing inuited Don Iuan le Tuerto that is to say the squint eyed Lord of Biscay to dine with him he caused him most cruelly to be murthered in the yeare 1327. And albeit he had begun to discharge himselfe of this murther for a season yet he could not disguise nor couer his tyranny Gariba lib. 14 cap. 4. Biscay tyrannized for that afterwards hee caused him to bee condemned as a traitor and confifcated his lands and Seigniories and within a short time he seized vpon them all namely about a fourescore townes and castles The same Alphonsus caused Don Aluar Nugnes Osorio his Gouernour to be slaine who had before receiued of him many great honours and fauours and afterwards being as certained of his death which was in the yeare 1328 hee seized vpon all his liuings The Countieâ— de Trastamares vsurped The Countie thereof slaine Garib lib. 14. cap. 5. Castles and great Treasures and vpn the Countie de Trastamara and within a few dayes after he caused him to be condemned at Tordehumos as a traitor and hauing made him to bee digged vp out of his graue hee willed his body should bee burned and his goods confiscated Henrie the 2. a bastard sonne of this Alphonsus Count de Trastamara slue his brother Peter of whom we haue formerly spoken and possessed himselfe of the Realmes of Castile and Leon â—â—â—â—e tyranâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 third 〈◊〉 Leon 〈…〉 disinheriting his Neeces Constance and Jsabel who with a solemne oath had beene acknowledged Princesses and heires of Castile first by the estates assembled at Seuill to that end and purpose and afterwards at Albuberca 1363. And if it had beene true that these two sisters had no right in the said realmes because hee alledged them to be bastards by the same reason had the sayd Henrie much lesse right and interest in them for he was not only a bastard but murtherer also of his owne brother And in such like case was Fernand King of Portugall the great grand child of Sancho aboue named right inheritor to the said realmes as was the king Don Peter his cousine german remoued and cousin german also for Beatrix the mother of Peter was the sister of Peter the father of Fernand. For this cause Samora Toco Cindad-Rodrigo and other citties and townes of the realmes of Castile and Leon did call in the said Fernand and offered to receiue him for their king especially the realme of Galitia which was wholly resolued to render it selfe vnto him And for this reason did Fernand go in person to take possession of the Groigne The History of Fernand king of Portugall anno 1369. and he might as well haue seized vpon the other places and holds if the Portugalls would haue consented thereunto For they did purposely oppose themselues against the desire and will of their King for two reasons the first was because they had good tryall and experience that there wanted much of that valour in Fernand which was in the father and his auncestors the second was The Portugals haue an ill opinion of the Castilians because the Castilian Nation is so maligne and peruerse as the Portugals doe hold it for a maxime among themselues that it is dangerous to haue any thing to doe with them yea to haue any command ouer them as hath beene before touched And I say yet once againe that their nature is so maligne and peruerse that the venome and poyson thereof doth so spread it selfe abroad that they which are their next neighbours and borderers doe feele the reuerberation of their malignitie and malitious disposition insomuth The malignity of the Castilians that some of them when they leaue and abandon their owne countrey and doe withdraw themselues into strange and forraine lands are more wicked and malicious more dangerous and more to bee feared then the very Castilians themselues In the yeare 1474. after the death of Henrie the fourth king of Castile Jsabel the sister the wife of Fernand king of Arragon did most tyrannically get possession of the Realmes of Castile and Leon and of their other Seigniories excluding Jane the daughter of the sayd Henrie her brother who in the yeare 1461. had been acknowledged Princesse and inheritrix of the said Realmes for default of heire males in a full assembly of the three estates which were assembled to that end at Madrill by the commandement of her father And the first persons which tooke the oath of fidelitie and did so acknowledge her were the infant Don Alphoâ—sus and the sayd Isabel the brother and sister of the sayd king after whom all the residue did the like euery one in order according to their degrees And after that shee was againe the second time acknowledged Princesse and heire of the sayd Realmes in Val-de-Loçoia after diligent enquiry made vpon the legittimation of the sayd Princesse which was done by the Cardinall de Alby a Frenchman who to that effect was come into Castile by the commandement of King Lewes the eleuenth of France the which Cardinal in the presence of all the Princes and Lords of the Realme hauing caused the mother to be sworne and take her oath demanded of her if the Princesse Dame Jane her daughter were the daughter of the King her husband whereunto shee answered vpon
all these their exploits and perceiuing that the puissance of the Carthaginians was very great and that they held not onely the greatest and best part of Africke which they had subdued by force of Armes but also many peoples of Spaine with sundry Isles in the Sea round about Sardinia Italy they did very wisely imagine that this neighbourhood of theirs would proue very dangerous perillous vnto them if they should finish and goe through with the conquest of all Sicily For this cause they tooke such good order in prouiding for their affaires as they brought the Carthaginians to this extremitie that they had no more in their possession saue the Towne of Erix the which Amilcar Barcyn the father of Hanniball did defend against them most valiantly for a long time and did therein maruellous deeds of armes Notwithstanding This was about 240 yeres before the birth of Christ the Carthaginians seeing that they could not withstand nor resist the force and puissance of the Romans they sent a messenger vnto Amilcar commanding him to render and deliuer vp the Towne immediately and to make peace with them to the greatest honor profit and aduantage that he could possibly for the state of Carthage Amilcar doing as the Seigniorie had commanded him gaue vp the Towne to the Consul Luctatius and within few dayes after following the course of his affaires returned into Africke where hee had many victories against certaine seditious persons and so he setled the estate of Carthage in rest and quietnesse In the yeere 237. This done hee made a voyage into Spaine taking with him his sonne Hanniball who was not then aboue eight or nine yeeres of age together with his mother who was a Spaniard and three other of his younger sonnes Asdrubal Mago and Hanno of whom Amilcar their father was wont to say A saying of Amilcar touching Hannibal and his other sonnes That hee nourished foure fierce Lyons whelpes who were resolute to worke the destruction of the estate of Rome Amilcar then being in Spaine by his prudence and liberalitie did gayne the hearts and good affections of the Spaniards that he knew well he should be able by their meanes to haue about againe with the Romans to recouer from them both Sicilia and Sardinia which they had also in their puissance and that so in the end he might passe from thence into Italy and there to procure their vtter ruine and destruction But being preuented by death In the yeere 228. he charged his sonne Hannibal whom hee had coniured to be during his life an vtter and vnreconcilable enemie to the Romans to put this his enterprise in execution Hannibal after the death of Asdrubal his brother in law who succeeded his father in law Amilcar in that gouernment being then made gouernour of Spaine In the yeere 223. tooke the Citie of Saguntum which is now called Monvedre after hee had held it besieged the space of eight moneths In the yeere 217. After the taking whereof he began to dispose and prepare himselfe to the voyage of Italy and hauing with great trauailes and many difficulties passed the Alpes In the yeere 216. he obtayned in proces of time so many notable victories against the Romans and did put them in such feare and terror Hannibal passeth into Italy that they did in a manner hold themselues vtterly vndone forlorne And so had they beene indeed if they had not beene aduised to send Scipio into Africke Scipio goeth against Carthage who made such cruell warre so forcibly and so violently vpon the Carthaginians that hee constrayned them to call home Hannibal out of Italy who within short time after with the whole estate of Carthage was ouerthrowne brought to nought as is well knowne vnto all men And so by this meanes were the Romans eased and deliuered enioying peace and quietnesse and the Carthaginians vndone defeated and subdued and their estate which had beene so famous and renowned was vtterly ruinated and brought vnder the power and puissance of their enemies Xerxes King of Persia seeing himselfe in a miserable estate and bethinking how he might deliuer and rayse himselfe vp againe he made choyse of certaine of his seruants fit for the execution of his intended purpose and them hee sent into Europe with store of money to corrupt the Orators of the Townes and Commonwealths of Greece and hauing corrupted them of Athens and of Thebes hee made them to rise in armes and to make warre vpon the Spartans Plutarch in the life of Agesilaus By this meanes Greece being set in trouble and dissention sent for Agesilaus who hauing at that time subdued a great part of the Empire of Persia and being willed to come home was enforced to quit and abandon the same for the relieuing of his Countrey from those troubles wherewith it was entangled And because the Money of Persia had an Archer engrauen on the one side thereof the same Agesilaus had a saying That ten thousand Archers had driuen him out of Asia and had beene the cause to make him loose a most stately and puissant Empire By this pollicie then did Xerxes rid himselfe from the trouble and extremitie wherein he was driuing out his enemie from his Countrey and recouering his estate that was neere ruine and confusion By these examples most excellent Princes was Achaius King of Scotland Achaius King of Scotland the sonne of Elfinis a singular good Prince and of excellent vertue induced in the yeere of Christ 791. to make a perpetuall and irreuocable Peace and League of Amitie with Charlemaâ—â—ne King of France at such time as he saw himselfe hardly bestead by the Saxons English who then possessed the better part of Great Brittaine which within a few yeeres after was called by one onely name England The other Kings the successors of Charlemaigne considering that this peace and amitie was more necessarie for them as being more to their profit and aduantage then it was to the Scots themselues who sought it they haue continued the same euen till this day and by meanes thereof haue oftentimes constrayned the Englishmen when they haue beene in warres enmity with them to retire and withdraw themselues out of France and many times also they haue kept them so busied in their own countrey that they haue had enough to do to defend themselues And they haue taken from them both the desire the means to passe into strange foreine Nations Money giuen to the Scots by the French yea there haue bin some of the French kings who haue giuen to the Scot to this end and purpose more then 500000. Crownes which was as much in those dayes then hauing regard to the change and difference of the times as two millions are at this day I will omit many other Histories which make notably to this our purpose because I know well that these are sufficient to shew how greatly it concerneth and importeth
touching your incredulitie and the opinion which you haue that the loue of a mans countrey doth easily deceiue them and make the remedie of their miseries and seruitude to seeme easie surely wee may with good reason call this incredulitie a blind â—nueiglement and darknesse of vnderstanding and therefore I come once againe to say as I haue sayd and I doe againe and againe aduise you That to send a good and well conducted Armie into Spaine or other parts of his Dominions will be the onely meane to resist and withstand the enemie to breake the course of his designes to beat downe his pride and to destroy his puissance And albeit that this may well be granted to follow by that which hath beene aboue spoken yet I will proue it by one other example onely which being most true maketh very much to our intended purpose Henry Count of Trastamara The Histories of Castise Portugall England c. the bastard sonne of Alphonsus the Iusticier by the aide of the French had slaine the King Don Pedro his lawfull brother Of this Peter there remayned two daughters The youngest Isabel espoused Edmond de Langley the fifth sonne of Edward the third King of England This Edmond hauing gotten sundry victories in fauâ—ur of the Portugals who accompanied him against the Castillians in Spaine did manage those affaires with such prudence and wisdome that he constrayned the sayd Henry King of Castile to accept and receiue of Fernand King of Portugall who was in a manner brought to vtter destruction both he and his whole Realme such conditions of peace as were most ignominious and dishonourable and very preiudiciall both to himselfe his vassalls and subiects In regard of which his notable deedes and deserts the said Edmond was afterwards made Duke of Yorke by Richard the second King of England his Nephew the sonne of Edward the Blacke Prince his eldest brother in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the yere of Christ 1386. Of these two Edmond and Isabell descended the Queene of England likewise named Isabell The other daughter being the eldest of King Peter and called Constance espoused Iohn of Gaunt the fourth brother of the sayd Edmond both by father and mother and Duke of Lancaster by his first wife Blanche who had by him Henry the fourth afterwards King of England and two daughters of which the eldest Philip was Queene of Portugall the wife of Ivan the Bastard Of John of Gaunt and Constance was borne one onely daughter called Katherine of whom we shall hereafter make further mention The said John of Gaunt in regard of his wife Constance did entitle himselfe King of Castile and Leon Guaribay lib. 15. cap. 25. and for the obtayning of his right to that Kingdome hee passed from Gascoigne which was then vnder the Dominion of the English into Spaine with eighteene thousand footmen and two thousand horse where with the aide of the Portugals who were his good friends he tooke the Groigne From thence he went into Portugal out of which he entred into Castile marching euen to the Citie of Burgos which was distant from the place of his departure more then a hundred and twentie Leagues The entry and inuasion of the English with the Portugals into Castile And from the time of his first arriuall he tooke and made himselfe Lord of all the Cities Townes and Castles which hee found in his way besides such as being farther off did come to render and yeeld themselues for very feare and terror And he might easily haue passed on much further if his people had not died who by reason of their disorder which they kept and by their ill rule and demeaning of themselues were oppressed with extreame famine whereof ensued this plague and pestilence amongst them And they were reduced to such necessitie of Victuals The amitie of the French and English out of their owne Countreyes that they were constrayned to haue recourse euen to the Campe of their enemies where then was in fauour of the King Iohn of Castile Lewes Duke of Burbon accompanied with the French forces of whom they demaunded reliefe for the sustentation of their poore and wretched liues The which being perceiued by John the Bastard then elected King of Portugall he complayned to the Duke of Lancaster telling him that he held it not good nor conuenient that his souldiers should goe to entreat with the enemie affirming that these might more endomage him then the others and that therefore he should immediately recall them and forbid them to haue any communication conference or parley with any of the contrary party otherwise that hee would fight against them altogether The valour of Iohn the Bastard King of Portugall Thomas Walsingham and would cause them all to be put to the sword the one for the loue of the other Thomas Walsingham an English Historiographer doth set it downe in these very words and he sayth that the King of Portugall had then with him foure thousand Portugals well armed Some haue esteemed the saying of this Historiographer as very ridiculous or as a meere Brauado onely The valour of the Portugals but they are much deceiued for these foure thousand Portugals hauing their King for their Chiefetaine and Leader had beene sufficient to defeat twentie thousand Castillians The same King with fiue thousand An Historie worthie the marking and so many Portugals and a hundred and fiftie Englishmen did defeat the said Iohn King of Castile both of them being present in person in the battaile of Aljibarot and put him to flight hauing with him foure and thirtie thousand fighting men of the which died vpon the place twelue thousand and there were of prisoners ten thousand taken by foure thousand and so many Portugals and a thousand Englishmen who remained masters of the field for there died in the fight about a thousand Portugals and fiue hundred English who fought as if they had beene Lyons About the same time Don Nunalvres Pereira This Historie is well worthie the marking the battell was called the battel of Valverde Constable of Portugall with three thousand footmen and a thousand horse defeated fiue and twentie thousand Castillians and slew and tooke the principall and chiefe men of Castile The same King before that he came to reigne and afterwards had many victories vpon his enemies no lesse admirable then that other insomuch that a certaine Nobleman of Castile being in speech one day and deuising with his King which was the said John he sayd vnto him Sir I cannot conceiue the cause why the King of Portugall with so few men hath so often vanquished you seeing that you haue alwayes had fiue or six against one of them The King answered him The cause is for that the King of Portugall doth fight against me being accompanied with his children and I combat against him being accompanied with my subiects I am King and Lord of Castile and hee is King and Lord of the
in question for then they will sooner grow to blowes then to words The French Translatour This is a thing most certaine and assured and the Portugals do so regard their hononur and they are so ambitious of the same and it is so recommended vnto them from the father to the sonne that if they should lose but one iot thereof they would grow starke mad as men that had lost all sense and vnderstanding Fernand Magellan his great impatiency and folly Fernand de Magellan a Gentleman of Portugall vpon an opinion that his King had done him much wrong did conceiue such a despight thereof that he fled from Portugall and retired himselfe to the King of Castile purposing to discouer vnto him the enterprise of Peru. Now see the folly or rather madnesse of the man his discontentment proceeded of no other matter but of this for that the King had denied to giue him a pension onely of halfe a Duckat monethly for his sonne for the custome of Portugall is that all the Gentlemen shall take a pension which they call Moradia of the King according to the degrees and qualities of their Nobilities which they doe properly call Fuero and they are to bee enrolled in the bookes of the Kings house which they call the Booke of the Kitchin or the Booke of Matriculation The qualitie of Magellan was to bee one of the Knights of Hidalgo that is to say Feal or one that doth Fealtie his pension was euery moneth three Duckats and hee had a petition to the king that his sonne might be admitted into the same qualitie as himselfe was and that he might haue the like pension Of these demands the King granted the one The reason why Magellan did disco the enterprise of Peru to the king of Castile and refused the other for he accepted his sonne for one of his Knights Feal but hee would not giue any more then two Duckats and a halfe for his pension obseruing therein the custome of his predecessours who did not vse to giue to the children so great a pension as to the fathers saue onely when by the death of their parents they came to succeede them in their inheritance And for as much as in Portugall the manner is that the Nobles haue their place and precedence according to the degree and qualitie of their Nobilitie and they which are of one like degree and qualitie doe take their place each of other according to the quantitie of the ponsion more or lesse which they receiue Magellan did take in so euill part this refusall of the King made vnto his sonne of halfe this duckat onely because by meanes hereof he should lose his precedence that he became most foolishly enraged as a man that had lost all sense and vnderstanding and to shew the extreme griefe and sorrow which he tooke for the losse of so small an honour he purchased to himselfe the name and estimation of a Traitor and for such a one doe all histories recount him because he did not performe that duâ—ie and deuoire to his king which he ought him but did giue it vnto a stranger and he was the occasion that things came to that passe that the two realmes of Portugall and Castile were vpon the point to haue fallen at variance each with other So that it was the extreme and ambitious desire of honour which made Magellan thus mad and will worke the like effect with all true Portugals and it was not the desire of getting a little piece of money as some haue taken it and haue not been ashamed to set downe as much in writing for the matter and subiect incident hereunto doe shew the contrary I speake not this without cause for that S. Goulart de Senlis in his translation imprinted at Paris by N. Bonfons in the yeare 1587. and in the three and twentieth Discourse doth affirme as much The words of Osorius touching this matter Hier. Osorius of the deeds of Emanuel klng of Portugall lib. 11. are these Notwithstanding the Portugals for that they are vnmeasurably desirous of honour and doe thinke that their Nobilitie is greatly increased and augmented by the adding of a little money vnto their liuing that they do oftentimes imagine and are perswaded that they ought stoutly to fight and contend for such a small summe of money as if their whole safetie reputation and dignitie did depend thereupon This being so you will say perhaps that it is greatly to be wondred at how the Castilians should then bee able so easilie to subdue and conquer the realme of Portugall as they haue done the same being so great and so puissant a Monarchie Hereunto I answer that it would be a long and tedious matter to recount all the reasons thereof and in verie trueth it so happened rather for want of resolution then for any defect of colour or courage for the Castilians are not better souldiers then the Portugals as we haue before shewed and it did well appeare how about fiue thousand foot and some thousand horse did defend themselues for the space of foure moneths and twenty dayes against more then twentie thousand old souldiers vnder the Duke de Alua the others being but new souldiers and plaine country peasants The reasons why the Castilians took Portugal so easily and if there had not beene such abundance and store of treasons it may bee that the Duke himselfe had found but bad entertainment and woult haue passed any further But Portugall was altogether vnprouided of Chieftains and leaders all of them being lately slaine in Africa with their king Conestagio li. 1. fol. 45. pa. 2. as Conestagio in the end of his first booke doth sufficiently set downe vnto vs where he hath these words Sebastian went into Afrike leauing his realme quite and cleane without mony without any of the Nobilitie without any to succeed or inherit it and in the hands of such Gouernors as were but badly affected towards him The Translatour In this battell died the Duke de Aueyro great graund-child of Don Iuan the second king of Portugall two Princes his cousine germans one of the sonnes of Theodosius Duke of Bragancia and one other that was heire to the Marquisat of Ferrara and foure Counties as it is reported in the life of the King Don Sebastian by a Jew Duard Nonnes de Leon a Iew his book of Censures c. named Duard Nonnes de Leon who contrary to the lawes of Portugall which excludeth all Iewes and such as are descended of the Iewish nation from al honors dignities yet was made of the Councel of the realme of Portugall by the King Catholike who preferred him to that honour onely in recompence of a Booke which hee made called the Booke of Censures and is not onely most infamous but full of hereticall vnaduised propositions it was written against Frier Ioseph Texere a Portugall of the order of the Friers Preachers who is at this day a personage greatly renowned
her oath that shee was Secondly the King which tooke the same oath and protested that he did fully beleeue and assure himselfe that this infant Dame Jane was his daughter and that in all certaintie hee had continually so taken and reputed her euer since she was borne and therefore he did wil and command that the oath of fidelitie and obeysance which was vsually accustomed to be taken in his Realmes and Dominions as due to the eldest of the Kings children Guarib lib. 17. cap. 2â— should be made vnto her These are the very words of Steuen Guaribay Hierome Surite who is yet liuing doth rehearse this historie very plainely and distinctly in his generall history of Spain and how Henrie being ready to yeeld vp the Ghost Hierome Surite in the generall historie of Spaine did euen then maintaine that the said Iane was his daughter and that he commanded his Confessor openly to reuale it And the said Guaribay affirmeth that Henrie did confesse himselfe the space of a good hower before his soule departed from his body and that he being in good and perfect quietnesse of sense and of a sound and good memory after he had named the executors of his last will and testament and declared them for the Gouernors of this Realm and had giuen commandement that his seruants should be payd out of his treasures and iewels he named the said Princesse Iaene for the vniuersall heire of all his Realmes and dominions calling her by the name of his daughter and recommending her with all his affection to the sayd Gouernours By that which hath beene sayd appeareth clearely that the Realme of Castile in lesse then 258. yeares hath beene tyrannized foure times and that of Leon thrice and all the other Realmes and Seigniories likewise which are dependants of the same the which the king Philip possesseth euen at this present day by a most vniust wrongfull and tyrannicall title This also is one thing worthy to bee marked and which may be seene by the histories both of the same authours and of diuers others namely that when there hath happened any difference or disagreement vpon the sayd succession they which haue beene in possession haue altogether preuayled and made their title euen by the right of those very parties whom they haue dispossessed which is the greatest tyranny that can bee And that this may the better be perceiued I will alledge onely two examples Rodrigo Sanches Bishop of Palance recounteth In the life of Iohn the first king of Castile how Iohn the first King of Castile and Leon of whom wee haue before spoken seeing that John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster pretended the sayd Realmes of Castile and of Leon to appertaine vnto him for the reason heretofore alledged hee said in defence of his claime that the sayd Realmes did of right belong vnto him The cunning of Iohn the first king of Castile as being the sonne of Iane and the Grand-child of Don Iuan Emanuel and of his wife who was the daughter of Fernand de la Cerda the lawfull heire of the sayd Realmes because his brother Alphonsus was deceased without children and that for this cause hee did hold them with a good conscience and that he did not hold them from his father whom himselfe confessed to be a bastard The other example is like vnto the former For in a great assembly of Princes Lords and other principall personages held in the towne of Trogillo for the taking of the oath of fidelitie to Fernand the second king of Arragon The policy of Fernand the â—econd King of Arragon c. and Isabel his wise Queene of Castile the sayd Fernand pretended that hee had more right of himselfe then the sayd Isabel and that hee ought to be acknowledged as the true and principall heire of the sayd Realmes of Castile and Leon not as husband to the said Isabel but as discending in the right and lawfull line male of the kings his predecessors because hee was the sonne of John the grand-child of Fernand and the great grand-child of Iohn the first who on the side of his mother same Iane the grand daughter of Fernand de la Cerda as hath â—eene sayd was the true and rightfull heire of the said Realmes Jsabel knowing the intent and ambition of Fernand her husband resolued to bend and employ all her force and puissance for the maintaining of her right and for a reply to his speech she said That that which hee had spoken was to bee granted if women had not beene vsually admitted to the succession of those Realmes but seeing the custome was to the contrary therefore her said husband ought not to bee preferred and for proofe of that which she sayd she named certaine women which had succeeded to the said crownes amongst others Katherine the daughter of Constance and of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster aboue mentioned where she did assure her selfe had beene admitted and receiued to that inheritance as the grand-daughter of her graund-father Peter and that Henrie the husband of the said Katherine her ancestors had right thereunto onely by meane of the said Katherine his wife For these reasons Jsabel was preferred before Fernand and she was acknowledged as the true heire of the said Realmes of Castile and Leon and he reputed to haue right onely as her husband and companion and not otherwise And this is it which Marin Sicilian speaketh of In this assembly of estates saith he Fernand seeing himselfe king and Lord of the most of two third parts of Spaine Marin Sicilian partly in his owne right and partly in his wiues and hauing there prefent all the Lords and Deputies of citties and townes which were their subiects he did endeuour by all meanes to cause himselfe to be entitled king of Spaine but those of that assembly would in no case yeeld their consent thereunto but to the vttermost of their power did oppose themselues against it and did thereupon giue vnto the kings of Castile a new title which Philip holdeth and retaineth at this day hauing augmented those Realmes and Seigniories which both the said Fernand and Charles the 5. his father did successiuely vsurpe each after other The Translator Philip Caried on with the same winde of ambition as were his great grand father and his father Philip caried away with the ambition of his ancestor causeth himselfe to be called king of Spaine vpon an exceeding desire which hee had to vsurpe this title of King of Spaine and seeing that the Realmes of Spaine would not accord nor agree that he should so entitle himselfe and that in the assembly of estates which he held in Portugall in the yeare 1581. within the towne of Tomaâ— it was expressely defended him and that himselfe had taken a soâ—emne oath neuer more from thenceforth to take it vpon him neuertheles he caused for all that like a notable tyrant certaine monies which he coined in the Indies and in Flanders to