till he had a Son Born nor should wear a Crown on his Head nor take the Right-hand of his Wife 5. That it should be a binding Law for ever among the Portugals That the Crown might not descend to Forreigners if the Kings Eldest Daughter should Marry a Forreign Prince she should be be excluded from her right of Succession for that they would not have the Kingdom which they had obtained by their own Valour go out of the Race of the Portugals First Thus Alphonso the First obtained the Crown of the Kingdom of Porugal and within a while he added to his rown by Conquest after a five months iege the Rich and Populous City of Lisbon which ever since became the Capital City of his Kingdom and Place of Residence for him and his Successors He made divers other Acquists to the enlargment of his Dominions and being 90 years of Age in the year 1185 he Died leaving behind him Sancho his Son who succeeded in his Kingdom and two Daughters Uracca married to Ferdinand King of Leon and Therasia by some called Matiida Married to Philip the first Earl of Flanders These he had with Henry who dyed young by a second Wife for he had no Issue by Uracca the Daughter of Count Trastamarense Mafalda Sister to Amadeo Earl of Morenna Secondly Sancho the First and Second King of Portugal Son of Alphonso his only Legitimate Son that he had living born at Conimbra the 12th of November 1154 Succeeded his Father being Crowned the 12th of December 1185 three dayes after his Fathers Death He applyed himself much to the Setling of his Kingdom and to Tillage and Planting his Country therefore called the King of Husbandmen He by help of some Christian Souldiers put into Lisbon in their Voyage to the Holy Land Invaded Algarve and took the Chief City Sylva although he did not very long enjoy his Conquest but was driven thence by the Moors and had like to have lost his Kingdom of Portugal being furiously assaulted by the Moores He took to Wife the Daughter of Raymond Berengurio Count of Brachinona called Aldonsa by her he had 8 Children 3 Sons and 5 Daughters The Sons were Alphonso who succeeded in his Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Virtue and Parts Married to Joanna Countess of Flanders and Pietro Count of Irgelense The Daughters were Therasia Married to Alphonso King of Leon Mafalda to Henry the first King of Castile both after their Marriages turning Nuns Sancha became a Nun of the Order of Saint Francis who lived about this time Biancha and Beringilla who dyed young This King at 57 years of Age and in the 26th of his Reign dyed being accounted for his Virtue and Goodness among the best of the Portugal Kings Thirdly His Son Alphonso the second succeeded Born at Conimbra 1185 was about 27 years Old when Crowned King between whom and his Brothers and Sisters there were great Jarrs He was a Man of an high and very willful Spirit and in his latter dayes grew so unweldy and fat that he could not prosecute the Wars He Married Uracca the Daughter of Alphonso the Eighth King of Castile and Elenor Daughter of Henry King of England by her he had divers Children First Sancho who succeâ—ed him in his Kingdom Alphonso by Right of his Wife Duke of Bologna afterward also King of Portugal Ferdin and Count of Serpia Vincenzo dyed young Leonora a Daughter Married to the King of Dacia Alphonso in the 48 year of his Age and 21th of his Reign dyed Anno 1233. Fourthly Sancho the Second succeeded his Father and was Born in Conimbra the first of September 1207 being very sickly and unlikely to live but came to the Crown at twenty six years of Age spending most of his time in Baths and Hot-houses for the recovery of his Health He Married with Messa Lopez the Widdow of Alvaro de Castro She was accounted but an inferiour Match tho of Blood Royal being made by his Favourites who with the Assistance of the Queen by reason of the Kings weakness and indisposition made a Prey of the People and mightily oppressed them so that they were enforced to call to their Assistance Alphonsus the Kings Brother who coming from Bologna possest himself of the Kingdom Sancho being forced to retire to Toledo where addicting himself wholly to Devotion he dyed in the Year 1245 at 39 Years of his Age having reigned 13 Years Fifthly Alphonso the Third who succeeded his Brother was Born in Conimbra May 5. 1210 Educated with great Care and Diligence by his Father because of his Brothers Sickness He married Matilda Countess of Bologne Widow of Philipo Crispo and Daughter of Philipo Augustino He was a Man of great Parts but they were over shadowed by his Lusts For after he was setled in the Kingdom he repudiated his Wife and contracted a wicked Marriage with Beatrice the illegitimate Daughter of Alphonso the King of Castile and his Concubine Maria Villenia And notwithstanding the Threats of the Pope Alexander the 4th at the Tears and Complaints of the Dutchess of Bologne he caused her to be Crowned Queen and confirmed his Succession by the Birth of three Children Dionysio his eldest Son succeeded in the Kingdom Alphonso who married the Daughter of Prince Emanuel Son of Ferdinand King of Castile and Ferdinand who dyed young He very much infested the Moors increasing his Kingdom with the full Conquest of Algarve with much Glory and Reputation He died at Lisbon Anno 1279 at 69 Years of Age and 32 of his Reign accompting from his Brothers Death Sixthly Dionysius or Dennys his Son succeeded his Father He was born on the day of the Great Areopagite for whose sake they imposed that Name Anno 1260. He was a great and famous Poet. He was about 20 Years of Age when he came to the Crown and would by no means admit his Mother to the Administration of the Government He never oppressed his Subjects neither with Tribute or Taxes yet left to his Heir a full Exchequer He made many good Laws which are to this day observed The Order of the Templers was extinct in his Time and he first instituted the University at Conimbra He took to Wife Elizabeth Daughter to Peter King of Arragon who was most remarkable for her Sanctity by her he had Alphonso who succeeded him and Constance who was married to Ferdinand King of Castile After he had reigned 46 Years he dyed at the Age of 84 Years Anno 1235. Seventhly Alphonso the Fourth and the Seventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father and was born in Conimbria Anno 1290. He married with Beatrice Daughter to Sancho the Fourth King of Castile A Man given to hunting and disports to the neglect of his People but being at last made sensible of it he took the Reins into his hands and proved a good King About the Year 1340 Alboacen the potent Miramamolin of Morocco and Granada set himself against all Spain with an Army of 470000 Men but
was overthrown at the River Saledo by the Kings of Castile and Portugal where they obtained a great Victory with much Treasure and many Ensigns of Glory He had by his Queen Beatrice six Children Three Sons dyed in their Infancy the Fourth Don Pedro succeeded his Father in the Throne the other two were Daughters Mary who was Married to Alphonso King of Castile and Elenora espoused to Piedro the fourth King of Arragon King Alphonso being overloaded with the Burthen of 77 Years departed this Life Anno 1356 and was buried at Lisbon Eighthly Pedro the First of that Name the Eighth King of Portugal succeeded his Father Alphonso He was born at Lisbon Anno 1325 and was a-about 33 Years of Age when he came to the Government He was married to Constance Daughter to D. Juan Emanuel Son to Prince Emanuel Nephew to Ferdinand surnamed the Holy by whom he had one onely Son named Ferdinand who succeeded him in his Kingdom After the death of his Wife he fell in Love with Agnesa de Castro a most beautiful Woman descended of the Blood Royal by whom he had many Children among whom â—â— is John who was afterwards King of Portugal This Lady was put to death by his Father very unjustly but he brought those to condigne Punishment who had wrongfully accused her assoon as he came to the Crown It having caused long Wars between him and his Father But in the tenth Year of his Reign and about the 43d of his Age Anno 1367 he paid his Debt to Nature and was buried between the Bodies of his Wife and his Beloved Agnesia Ninthly Ferdinand the First of that Name and the ninth King of Portugal succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Portugal and Algarve He was born at Lisbon Anno 1347 the onely Son of Constance the Daughter of D. Emanuel he came to the Crown at the Age of 22 Years in the Year 1369. He wholly drove the Moors from the Confines of Algarve and addicted himself much to the planting the Wast Lands he erected a Monastery for Franciscan Friars in Sylva the chief City of that Territory About his time it was that Pedro King of Castile being thrust out of his Kingdom by his Bastard Brother Henry for his many tyrannical Outrages done upon his Subjects sued in vain to Ferdinand not being willing to assist him but was re-established in his Throne by the Valiant Prince Edward commonly called the Black Prince Ferdinand had but one Daughter onely that survived him who was married to Henry King of Castile and thereby excluded from the Right of Succession according to that Law made at Samego by the General Assembly of the Estates so that in this King ended the Legitimate Line of Henry Duke of Lorrain This King having now reigned 18 Years and lived 40 being seised by a violent Sickness gave up the Ghost Anno 1387 and was buried in the Cathedral Church of Lisbon Tenthly John the First Bastard Son to Pedro the First after the death of Ferdinand his Brother and Neece Beatrice uncapable of Succession by reason of her Marriage with a forreign Prince claimed the Crown as next of Blood but was for a while debarred by reason of his Illegitimation when afterwards considering that they might choose one less deserving they conferred the Crown upon him yet so as he should receive it not as his indubitable Right by Birth but as given him by Election Thus he obtained the Crown by the Name of John the First and was the Tenth King of Portugal He was born in Lisbon in the Year 1356 and entered into the Government in the 32 Year of his Age in the Year 1388 with very great Applause of the whole Kingdom Soon after his Coronation he married Philippa Daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster which he did to oppose Henry of Castile who claimed Portugal in Right of his Wife Beatrice by matching into that Family which had an equal if not greater Right to the Kingdom of Castile for that John Duke of Lancaster married the Eldest Daughter of Peter the murthered King of Castile and Leon. By Philippa he had a numerous Issue First Edward so named of his God-father Edward th Third of England who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Abstinency and Devotion John Pedro and the most Renowned Henry who was the First of the Portugal Nation that made any forreign Voyages he discovered the Azores Anno 1425 also the Islands of the Madera and sailing along the Coasts of Africa found the Way to Guiana King John reigned 47 Years being made Knight of the Garter as also his Sons the Infants Edward and Henry and dyed in the Year 1436 leaving the World full of his Glory Eleventhly Edward the First of that Name the Eleventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father he was Born at Braga Anno 1392 and came to the Crown about the Age of 44 Years or thereabouts He was married long before he came to the Crown and had four Children Ferdinand who dyed young Alphonso who succeeded him in the Kingdom Joane married to the King of Castile and Leon and Leonora married to the Emperor Ferdinand and was the Mother of the Emperor Maximilian He had but a short Reign of 5 Years and those with bad Success Twelfthly Alphonso the Fifth and the Twelfth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born at Lisbon about the Year 1420 and came to the Crown at the One and Twentieth Year of his Age in the Year 1441. He made Wars against the Moors in Barbary and took from them Tangier Alcazar and Arzilla which he fortified and kept He made Traffick famous encouraging Navigation which began to flourish with them exceedingly He left behind him several Children two of which succeeded him in the Kingdom John his eldest Son and Emanuel who reigned after his Brother He was a very affable and courteous Prince of a mild and gentle Disposition He dyed at Lisbon in the 43 Year of his Reign and 64 of his Life in the Year 1484. Thirteenthly John tho Second and Thirteenth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born about the Year 1456 and entred into the Government of the Kingdom at the Age of about 28 Years He made an Expedition into Barbary against the Moors with Success He sent out two Fleets for Discoveries one of which steered its Course along the Coast of Africa as far as Guinny where they made a Conquest of the Kingdom of Congo After he had reigned 14 Years with happy Success in all his Enterprises he dyed by a Fall from his Horse in Hunting leaving no Legitimate Issue Fourteenthly Emanuel the First and Fourteenth King of Portugal Brother to King John and Son to Alphonso succeeded He was born about the Year 1462 and took possession of the Crown about the Age of 32 Years He was bred up in all Sorts â—f Learning and was very Pious and Religious He was also a Lover of Navigation and set
out three great Fleets for Discoveries in the year 1500 one steered its Course to the East and was the first Christian Fleet that ever passed the Cape of Good Hope he found out the Passage by Sea to the East-Indies After which he sent another and possessed himself of the Island Ormus in the Persian Gulph The second Fleet went Southwards adding to their former Conquests of Congo and Angelo The third Fleet steered Westward and made Discovery and took possession of Brazile in America which they yet possess He was a brave Prince endued with many Virtues and Excellencys as well of body as of mind ruling in great Prosperity and Peace He dyed at Lisbon in the 73 year of his Life and 41 of his Reign in the year 1535 and left behind him a numerous Issue six Sons and two Daughters The Sons were John who succeeded him D. Lewis D. Alphonso who was Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Lisbon D. Henry Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Braga who came afterwards to be King Don Ferdinand Don Edward whose Daughter Katherine marrying into the House of Braganza brought the Right of the Crown to that House The Daughters were Isabella married to the Emperor Charles the Fifth and King of Spain and Beatrice married to Emanuel Duke of Savoy Fifteenthly John the Third the Fifteenth King of Portugal succeeded his father in the Kingdom He was born in the year 1504 and arrived at the Crown at the age of one and thirty years He prosecuted those Discoveries made by the Fleets of his Father in the East and West Indies where he took many Islands and Towns he overthrew the Potent Kingdom of Bengala Pegu and Siam and also obtained many signal Victories over the Moors of Malacca Sumatra and Molucco He married Catherine Sister to the Emperor Charles the fifth and King of Spain by whom he had Issue Prince John who dyed during the Reign of his Father but left behind him a Son named Sebastian who succeeded his Grand-father in the Throne King John having reigned with great Glory the space of 38. years and having made many excellent Laws for the Increasing and Incouragement of Traffick and Navigation he dyed in the 69th year of his Age Anno Dom. 1573 and was buried in the Cathedral Church at Lisbon Sixteenthly Sebastian the first and the sixteenth King of Portugal succeeded his Grand-father King John the Third in the Throne which he entered upon about the 23 year of his Age. Upon the Entreaty of Muly Mahomet and great Promises of setling on him the Kingdom of Morocco he went over in Person with an Army against Abdemelech to restore Muly Mahomet to the Throne where with the Assistance of one â—tewkly an English Man whom he had perswaded to help him in this Voyage with some Souldiers he was going with into Ireland from the Pope to assist the Rebels there against Queen Elizabeth he arrived at Tangier with their forces and joyning with Muly Mahomet in the Plains of Alcazar they fought with Abdemelech in August 1578 where they were discomfited and utterly overthrown both Sebastian Muly Mahomet and Stewkly were all slain and also Abdemelech So that he thus ended his Life and Reign after he had sat in the Thrâ—â— scarce a year and a half he left behind his no Issue There went a Report that he escâ—ped from the Batâ—el and was found aâ— known in Venice â—nd thence was carried 〈◊〉 Naples and so into Spain where he misrably dyed in Prison but it is an uncertainty though believed among the Portugals Seventeenthly Henry the Cardinal Third Son of Emanuel the first succeeded Sebastian in the Kingdom but being ageâ— 67 years and a Church-man they had nâ— hopes of Issue and his Reign not likely to be long there were many Pretenders to thâ— Crown and it was all the Discourse whâ— ought of Right to succeed It will not therefore be amiss that I give you here a Soheme which will shew clearly the several Titles to your View Emanuel the First had 8 Children 1. John King of Portugal who had Issue John Prince of Portugal who had Issue Sebastian King of Portugal 2. Lewes Infant who had Issue Don Alphonso Bastard who had Issue Christopher and others 3. D. Alphonso who died without Issue 4. Henry Cardinal King of Portugal died without Issue 5. Ferdinand who died without Issue 6. The Infant Edward who had Issue 1. Mary wedded to Alexan. Farnest Prince of Parma a forreigner had Issue Reinuce Prince of Parma 2. Katherine married to John Duke of Bragance 7. Mary married to Charles the 5 King of Castile and Emperor had Issue Philip the 2d King of Spain 8. Beatrix married to Charles Duke of Savoy who had Issue Philibert Duke of Savoy There were 8 several Pretenders to the Crown The first were the people who jure Regni pretended a Priviledge to elect their own Kings but that was soon answered for that they could claim no Right of Election till the Royal Line were wholly extinct The next was the Pope who challenged jure divino to be Arbitrator if not Donor in all Controversies of Crowns but that was slighted The Third was of Antonio Bastard Son to Don Lewis the Infant but he could not clear his Illegitimation though he made some strugling for the Crown he would not be admitted The fourth Pretender was Katherine de Medices Widow of Henry the second King of France as being descended legitimately from Alphonso the third King of Portugal but that would not be admitted about 300 years prescription being against her The fifth that pretended was Philibert Duke of Savoy as Son to Beatrice the younger Daughter of Emanuel but he had little hopes though he laid claim with the rest The sixth was Reinuce the young Prince of Parma who demanded it in right of his Mother the eldest Daughter to the Infant Don Edward alledging jure primo-geniturae the Male Line is to be served before the Female but forreign marriage lay against him as also against the seventh Pretender and the most potent Philip the second King of Spain who employed the best wits in Christendom to make his pretences good saying That the Infant Don Edward being deceased before his Brother Henry was King he could have no Right in himself and therefore could derive none to his posterity for Nemo dat quod in se non habet With these and many other niceties the Lawyers troubled themselves to give a colour able Right to Philip who was resolv'd to carry it against them all and against the last and indubitable pretender Katherine Dutchess of Braganza the youngest Daughter to the Infant Don Edward who besides jure haereditatis being of the better Line had the fundamental Law on her side which excluded the other Daughters and was formerly put in execution against Beatrice Daughter of Ferdinand the ninth and indeed no Arguments could confute or annull her indubitable Right which was clear to the whole world both by her descent and the fundamental Laws of
should have the power to break it off Since there was not any Realm in the World but could shew Examples of the same thing That in Portugal the King Emanuel had Espoused Madam Leonora whom his Son John had thought to have Married that the Infanta Donna Beatrice Daughter to the King Don Fernand after she had agreed with Frederick Duke de Benevent as also with Duarte son of D' Aimond Count de Cambridg and promised to the Infanta John her Unkle after that to Ferdinand Son of John the First King of Castile was notwithstanding all this Espoused to the last That all the World knew that Mary Dutchess of Bourgoyn who had been promised to John and to Nicholas Father and Son Dukes of Anjou to Charles Duke of Guinne to the Duke of Savoy to Frederick Prince of Tarente Espoused Maximilian Arch-Duke of Austria and Emperor That they could not after all maintain with any Reason that to Consummate the Marriage of the King he must necessarily be Espoused to Madomoiselle de Bouillen But the Favourites seeing they were not able to change the mind of the Prince they made him be spoken to about it by the King determining with him the time and place for him to do it They two being together in their Seat on Good Friday though it was no place convenient nor which they had pitched on the King after he had entertained the Infante of many Indifferent things spake to him of this Marriage and reproached him that he had been willing the King should make the Match and that the Queen also had used her endeavours for it but the Infante lookt upon this Accusation but as a Calumny and justified both himself and the Queen As to that of his Marriage since it was not pleasing to God he should Marry contrary to his Affection his Majesty could not constrain him to it without offending him but the King not being able to suffer this resistance of the Prince told him that he would put him in the Tower To which he told him As he was King he might do it but yet although he had an absolute power over him ought not to make use of it to force his will or to do him out-rage On the next morning the Infante being returned to the Seat the King made new Efforts to perswade him But seeing he endeavoured it in vain he made the Secretary of State to tell Rodrigue de Meneses Simon de Vasconsellos and Rodrigue de Acunha that their Services should be no longer acceptable to him if they did not make his Brother change his Mind Rodrigue de Meneses would have made a Tryal on the Infante and rendred him an Accompt of what had passed but instead of hearing him he told him That the King might cut off his Head as well as of the meanest of his Subjects but he had not power enough to change his Heart That they should never make him to resolve upon that Marriage that not being the way to do it for in matters of Love the whole Soul becomes firm against Violence and the most sweet Spirits are provoked when they go about to force their Inclinations The Marquess de Sande before he went back into France to conclude the Marriage of the King spake to the Count de Castlemelhor about the report of his Inability but the Count told him it was an Imposture whether he was so perswaded indeed or whether he spake for his Interest against his Conscience is uncertain Whilst every one expected the good success of this Marriage that was negotiated and began before hand to tast the Joy of it there chanced a Subject of Affliction which troubled that Joy by the death of the Queen Every one was preparing their Habits to celebrate the Reception of the new Queen but were forced to turn them into mourning to honour the Funerals of the old She fell sick the 25th of February 1666 of a Disease that at first put her into extream Danger taking from her the liberty of Breathing She no sooner knew the estate she was in but she disposed like a most Christian and most Pious Princess of all things that concerned her after which she wrote to her two Children who were at Salvater in these Terms For the King My Son I am in such a Condition the Physicians doubt of my Life and I my self am very sensible that I have not long to live I have therefore resolved to give advice to your Majesty not knowing that time will permit me to do any thing else in a moment in which I ought to think on nothing but the health of my Soul and because I find it almost impossible to discharge it of that which presses it it is from you alone I expect this Comfort I believe I shall say all in saying I am your Mother and I hope all things of you if you would but remember your self of the duties of your Birth I attend Death amidst the Tears of those who have always followed me and as the loss which they will have by it is one of my greatest Greifs I demand of you that after you have acquitted your self of that which you owe to my Soul you will for my sake recompence the good Services which they rendred me and that you finish those Foundations which I have begun for God would have it so If I dy without seeing you I leave you my Blessing which is the only thing I have left me to give you assuring you that God will not require an Accompt of me for not at all times treating your Majesty as my Son From Xabregas the 26 of Feb. 1666 For the Infante My Son the Time I have to live is so short that every moment I am ready to expire I am your Mother and seeing I am upon the point of appearing before God I would not leave you without my Blessing I recommend to you always the Fear of God and the Obedience which you owe to your Brother in whom are all your hopes and in the end after my death be mindful of my Soul since you ow all things to my Love From Xabregas c. When the Infante heard these sad tidings he could not but by tears express his Greif but the King was very far from being touched with it and rallied his Brother for his tenderness and opposed his design of going away post Both of them answered the Letters of the Queen and sent her Word that they would come speedily to kiss her hand The Grand Master of the Kings House and the Super-Intendant of the Infante's carried their Answers The King made this Voyage with a great deal of delay going in his Brigantine he made many turns and returns upon the Water to speak words of Railery to the Boats and Barques he met with so that he arrived at the Quinte not till Saturday the 28th of February 1666 about eight a clock and it was not to be doubted but that this delay was a thing designed The King and
signifying a Gosh hawk in the Spanish Tongue They are Nine in Number the chief of them is the Tercera the place of Residence of Alphonso the sixth since his Resignation of the Crown The rest are St. Maries St. Michaels Fayal Gratiosa St. Georges Duo Flores Corvo from the abundance of Crows therein In Asia the Kings of Portugal have very large Possessions with many Forts and Places of Strength The chief and richest is the City of Goa in the Kingdom of Decan one of the Keys of the East-Indies Here the Portugals have their Arsenals with an Harbour for their Fleet. Then they have Diu a Peninsula in the Province of Guzarate in the Kingdom of Cambaia Here they have an impregnable Cittadel Over against this Place upon the Sea-side they are possessed of Daman a beautiful and a pleasant Town Also Chial a Sea-Town Solsette with a Peninsula of twenty miles in Compass containing about thirty Villages and 80000 Inhabitants with many other considerable places In Africa they have many large Possessions in the Kingdoms of Gongo and Angola till dispossessed thereof by the Hollandar But they are still in the Possession of the Islands of Cape Verd so called because scituated opposite to that Promontory of which there are nine of them the chief of which is St. Jago In the West Indies they are possessed of Brazile from whence we have plenty of Wood and Sugars at least every year 150000 Arrobes every Arrobe containing 25 Bushels of our measure They have here thirteen Captainships or Governments the Chief of which is St. Vincents The rest are Rio de Janeiro del Spiritu Sancto or of the Holy Ghost Porto Sepurio des Ileos or the Isles Todos les Sanctos or All Saints Penambuccio Tamaraca Paraiba Riogrande Siarra Maragnon and Para. Having thus given you an account of the Dominion of the Kings of Portugal I shall succinctly give you a Relation of their Kings even to Alphonso the sixth the Subject of the following Discourse but little more than naming them it being not my Intention to write their History but only as a preparative to what I shall more fully relate that you may not be altogether in the Dark as to the Succession of that Kingdom Lusitan a being under the Empire of the Romans followed the Fortune of the rest of Spain and was subject to the various turns and changes which often hapned in those days till the declining of the Roman Greatness when the Alans were the first that preyed upon it and endeavoured to Plant it but they were soon driven out by the Swemans and sent to seek for other places of Habitation These made Braga their Imperial City and enjoyed it for so he time till the great inundation of the Goths and Vandals who overrunning the whole Continent of Spain made all become Vassals to them and put this under their Power and Dominion These continued here for a lorg time and at last embrac't the Christian Religion till the Moors again like an irresistable Flood coming out of Africa fell in upon them and possessed themselves both of it and the greatest part of Spain But at last after much Strugling many Battels and much Bloodshed this Kingdom was in part Recovered from them by the Kings of Castile and by them enjoyed till they got a King of their own Henry the Second Duke of Lorraine whom some affirm to be Nephew to Godfry Duke of Bolloigne flying from the fuâ—â—y of the Emperor Henry the Fifth came into Spain where moved by the generous Emulation of his Uncle Godfry who was gon to the Conquest of Jerusalem be offered his service against the Moores and by his many valourous Atchievements against the Enemies of the Christian Religion he in a short time arrived at so great and consider able Repute with Alphonso the Sixth King of Castile that he gave him his Base Daughter Teresa to Wife with all those Lands he had Conquered from the Moores in Lusitania for her Dower the chief of which being the Country about Portus Gallorum mentioned in the Description before called then Porto he gave him the the Title of Count or Earl of Portugal And so he called the Lands he had Conquered from the Moores in Lusitania by that Name as did also his Successors and from thence proceeded the Name Portugal This Henry Earl of Portugal having been a Terror to the Moores and having enlarged his Territories being 77 years old lied leaving behind him by his Wife Teresa a Son who was born in the Year â—094 being 18 years Old at the Death of â—is Father and succeeded him in his Earlâ—om and came to be The Frst King of Portugal called Alphonso the First after his Grandfathers Name For being bred up in Military Discipline by his Father he prosecuted his 〈◊〉 against the Moors and all the Kings his Neighbours The Count of Trastamarense despising his Youth Married his Mother Teresia upon which there fell Wars between them but Alphonso behaved himself so well that he forced the Count to give him his Sister Uracca to Wife with an addition of Lands for her Dower He then made War with his Grandfather Alphonso the Sixth King of Castile and took him Prisoner but upon his Release he had conferred on him the Title of Duke of Portugal After that he turned his Forces against the Saracens and took from them Leirida and Torre da Ova and several other places Whereupon Ismaurus King of the Moores with four other Kings â—â—s Neighbours invaded Duke Alphonso with 400000 Men but were by him utterly Overthrown and Discomfited up on which memorable Battel he placed the five Escutchions which are now born in the Arms of Portugal in remembrance of the Overthorow of those five Moorish Kings His Souldiers grown proud with this Success thinking the Title of Duke too low for his great Merit saluted him by the Name of King which he accepting of the Estates of the People and all the Nobility and Gentry being Convocated in the City of Lamego and in the Church of Saint Almacave they conferred on him the Grown and Scepter and other Ensigns of Royalty by the hands of the Archbishop of Braga and confirmed by the Popes Letters they with joynt consent made him then King And at the same time they made several Fundamental Laws as a mutual Obligation between the King and his People Among the rest were 1. That Alphonso should be their King and his Children and Childrens Children after him for ever 2. That the Eldest Son should succeed but if he dye before his Father the next Brother should succeed 3. That if the King should dye without Issue having a Brother he should succeed but not his Sons without the consent of the Estates 4. That if the King should have only Daughters the Eldest should succeed after her Father upon condition she be Married to a Native of the Kingdom and that he be a Nobleman who should not have the Power to take the Name of King
Family with the Infante Don Alphonso Five years after it was further augmented by the birth of Infante Don Pedro. The Birth of these two Infants filled the whole Court and all the Realm with Joy but this Joy was soon troubled for the Infant Don Alphonso who had been taken at the age of three years with a malignant Feaver and with a Palsie which had caused a weakness on his right side in spite of all Remedies even that of the Baths themselves having made use of them twice at Obidos had hardly attained to the age of 7 years but they perceived his Malady had not only taken away the Vigour of his Body but also of his Mind The King who was sensibly touched with this Accident believing that there was no Remedy better than that of a good Education gave him to the Tutelage of Nicholas Monteyro a person endued with all the qualities requisite for that Employment A little time after the Prince Theodosius falling sick dies His good Inclinations made him be lamented by all the Portugals Don Alphonso was the only person who was not touched with this loss which was the less wondred at because he was heard to say the first day of his Brothers falling sick That he should not be much troubled for his Death if it should happen since he should thereby get a Crown Ambition having already filled his young heart with Sentiments of that Nature Having according to the Laws of the Realm called together the States General to declare the Infante Don Alphonso Prince some of them had thoughts of preferring to him Don Pedro but that motion was not followed either because they feared lest they might fall into the like disorders as happened in the time of the Infante's Don Alphonso and Don Dennis or else that the Custom of the Realm carryed it against all other reason Don Alphonso was no sooner declared Prince and presumptive Heir to the Realm of the King his Father but he began to regard no more the advice of his Tutor nor the Remonstrances of the King and the Queen The death of Theodosius was followed a little time after with that of of the Infanta Jane Those tears which they had poured out for them were not yet dry when there happened a new occasion to shed them through the sickness of the King who dyed in November a Month fatal to the House of Bragansa As in the Minority of the Alphonso's they had always had troubles in Portugal this happening augmented the publick Consternation In this Conjuncture they reflect on the death of Theodosius with regret as one capable to have filled the Throne They consider that the Prince Don Alphonso was without experience without understanding and uncapable to govern the State But the King in these last moments of his Life made appear his Piety by his religious thoughts and his Wisdom by the good Order which he took in the Affairs of the Realm in choosing the Queen Tutoress of her Children and Regent of the State for he perswaded himself with very much reason that she who had excited him with so much courage to take the Scepter would be capable to maintain it during the minority of the Prince The Ceremonies of the Funeral being over and the Royal Escutchions being broken in a thousand publick places according to the ancient Custom the Prince Don Alphonso was shown to the People and declared King in the ordinary forms The same day the Queen took the quality of Regent She had no sooner ordered the Affairs of the State which she did with so much prudence as if she had all her life time governed Kingdoms but she named according to the will of the late King for Governour of Alphonso Don Francisco de Faro Count of Odemira But this Prince abusing the authority which the Crown gave him quickly scorn'd the advice of his Governour as he had also before that of his Tutor since when no Remonstrance no Address was able to restrain the Impetuosity of his Desires The King having always the most Liberty in the Time of the Siesta used to pass his time in the Galleries whose Windows looked into the Court of the Chappel where according to the custom certain little Boys assembled to fight together with boughs He took a very great pleasure in seeing this Exercise especially when the party he favoured had the better Among these petty Merchants who were lodged in the Porches there was one whose name was Antony de Conti Vintimiglia a Native of Lisbon and originally of Vintimiglia a Town in the Country of Gennes The King perceiving this Youth ordinarily to take the party for which he had the most Inclination he let him know how much it pleased him so that oftentimes he came down to the Door to entertain him This favour rendred Conti hardy enough to make presents to the King of silken Slings gilded Knives and other Toys proportionable to his Age. The Queen seeing that this familiarity passed too far and that there might follow some trouble therefrom ordered Conti to come no more to the Palace however he did not obey but did it more cautiously The King vexed at this endeavoured to see Conti with more earnestness than ever so that they were fain to permit him to see him thinking that their endeavours to hinder it did but the more provoke him to desire it and that this permission would weaken his desire But this Condescention cost the Realm of Portugal very dear and was a Spark which afterwards produced a great Flame The King being now of Age to ride the Great Horse the weakness of his Arm not being so much as to hinder him from managing the Bridle nor that of his Leg but that he could stay himself in his Stirrops they resolved then to put the Reins into his hands which they did with the aid of Don Francisco de Sousa Count de Prado Master of the Horse and of Antony Galvao D' Andrade the chief Querry but this exercise instead of putting him off from Conti did but tye him closer to him There was in the Court of Lion which they had chosen for him to ride the great Horse in a Gate in a low Gallery through which they brought the Horses for him to ride The King was accustomed that way to let in at those extraordinary hours not only Antony de Conti but also John de Conti his Brother with other young Boys both Moors and Negroes who in his presence used all sorts of violent exercises He was not content with this but he mingled himself among them sometimes among those who flung the Bar and sometimes among those who flung Dirt and sometimes among those who fell to fisty Cuffs without considering that Princes ought not to receive for Companions in their sports any but such persons who are illustrious either by their Birth or by their Merit These Testimonies which the King gave of a mean spirit and of a violent
King that it was necessary whereupon it follow'd that the Confessor of these two Princes went to the Infante and told him as from the King that although God might give him Children yet it was most profitable to increase as much as was possible the Royal Family that for this reason he would act with him as a Father and as a King and desired ardently therefore to see him married That if he had not hitherto been able to accomplish that desire he believed that from his prudence and his inclination to the good of the Kingdom this proposition would be very agreeable to him that therefore he should inform himself of the Princesses of Europe and fix his choice upon her for whom he found the greatest inclination and also that he should cast his eyes upon those persons which he should judg most capable of that Negotiation and as for his part that all which depended upon him to advance the Conclusion of such a Treaty should be perform'd The Infante having consider'd this Affair according to the importance of it sent his answer in writing by the same Confessor to the King in which he thank'd him for the proposition his Goodness had made unto him submitting himself intirely to his will to follow the order which his Majesty had thereupon made known to him he should declare his mind not as a Rule that he should follow but only as a mark of that Obedience which he would testifie on all occasions He then made mention of all the Princesses of Europe representing to him all the circumstances both of Alliance and Love telling him also that the Confidence and Veneration which had united his Majesty with the King and Queen of England required that first of all he should send to their Majesties some person to ask their Advice and Consent thereupon and having received all necessary instructions he should pass into France or Italy to negotiate that Affair adding since his Majesty among the cares of his publick Affairs would be pleased to think of his own particular he was obliged to let him know it was impossible after a proposition of that nature but he would appoint him some Revenues whereby he might be able to maintain the Expences which that condition would charge him with hoping his Majesty without prejudicing the Publick which ought to be preferr'd to all things would act with him according to his ordinary Generosity which he had made proof of so often In the end proposing John de Roxas d' Azevedo his Secretary as a person who was most capable of managing that affair the King approved of all these sentiments of the Infante giving him hope that he would satisfy all his desires But the day being appointed for his Majesty's Secretary and that of the Infante to confer about this business there hapned in the mean time accidents which hindred this Conference and embroiled all the Court. A French-man an Officer of the Queens returning from the Province of Alemtejo was killed by a Carrier who was pursued and taken in the City of Canimbre and carried to the Limoriro in Lisbon but being he was taken out of a Church which are Sanctuaries in Portugal for all Criminals it was for a while disputed whether it should be a Sanctuary for his life which was the occasion that his Process was delayed and the solitude of the place where the Murther was committed rendred the proofs difficult At the same time there hapned between the Count de St. Croix grand Master of the Queen's House and Pedro d' Almeyda her Secretary a difference about their Charges both of them wrot their Reasons and put them into the hands of the Queen who ordered the Secretary of State to have them examined by two Masters of Requests but he waving that order after he had shewed them to all the Parliament carried them to the Council of State without rendring any account of it to her Some time after the Queen ask'd the Secretary what was done in those two Affairs he replied that as to the first there must be some clearer proof before the accused could be condemned and to the other it was before the Council of State advising her to speak with the Count de Castlemelhor about it The Queen surprized with this answer told him he had not executed her Orders and that she did not approve of his councel to speak to the Count de Castle-melhor having made a resolution by Oath never in her life to speak to him about any Affair That he was always against her and had reduc'd her to so miserable a condition that it might be called poverty that for this eight months past she had not so much as to give an Alms and notwithstanding all this he had the credit of acting for her Interests That they had not consign'd to her the fifty thousand Livres which the King had granted her That besides being she was not willing by reason of the necessity of the Realm to require presently all those things which she might lay claim to by the Contract of Marriage they ought not at least to fail of paying her that Sum. That this Refusal would not so sensibly move her if it were done for the good of the State and the ease of the People it not being just that whilst many persons at the Court overflowed with Riches they should refuse her the Money of that Consignation and yet they paid not the Souldiers retaining unjustly from the Religious the Orphans the Widows and the Nobles their dues feoadal Rents and Pensions hiding from her all that passed in the State as if she had not the most interest next the King adding further that they could not but know very well she should have had joy in the Re-establishment of the Duke of Cadaval at the Court since they had seen her solicit it but they acted in secret so that her speaking in the favour of any although it were with the greatest Justice in the World was sufficient cause to beget obstacles and oppositions against them That if she testified a desire to any thing they made it presently seem a thing impossible to be obtained though before that it had been very easy that likewise it seem'd as if they endeavoured to let all the World know she had no part in the Government That although good manners should teach them otherwise they had neither respect or regard as they ought to have for her and that it was so far from being so that some persons were so forgetful of themselves as not to forbear the giving her affronts and treating her with so much contempt as she could not but think by their actions they would have her to understand she came to Portugal rather to be their Slave than Queen The Secretary to excuse his boldness for shewing the Consultation to the Grand Chamber and carrying it to the Council of State urged that the Count of Castlemelhor and his Friends had no other design than to serve
and that of the Ecclesiasticks of the Bishops and Prelates of the Realm And in default of those who fail at such a time of the Procurators or Deputies of their Chapters The Decree of the Prince was read in all the Chambers of the States In that of the People almost all the Deputies declar'd him King in that of the Nobility and that of the Ecclesiasticks there was nothing Concluded But when these two last were assembled a second time after they had examined the Conclusion of the People which had been carried to them by the Marquess of Marialva and Pedro Monteiro Fernandes Proctors for the City of Lisbon they approved of the Regency in the Chamber Ecclesiastick conformable to the Decree and they demurred upon it in that of the Nobility for that they would consider it and it being not only an Affair of State but also a Matter of Right they would first of all hear the Opinion of those that were better vers'd in the Law before they should be capable to resolve That which was carried to the other two Chambers by the Duke of Cadaval and the Count de Prado were both cast out but it being done at first tumultuarily by that of the People they presently proclaimed Don Pedro King The Prince having understood the Conclusion of the Assembly of the Nobles and that the Learned Persons who were to be Consulted with about it were Father Nuno de Acunha the Jesuit Father Valerius de St. Raymond of the Order of the Preaching Friars Father Francis Ferdinand Sueiro of the same Order Friar John de Mello of the Order of the Hermites of St. Augustin Provincial of that Order John Vello Baretto Grand Chancellor of the Realm Emanuel Delgado de Matos Doctor in Law Lewis Gomes de Basto and Duarte vas a'orta Osorio Councellors of the Finances and Christopher Pinto de Paira He sent to tell them by Francisco Correa de la Cerda his Tutor That it was not his Intention to be King but only that he might give some Comfort to the Realm which he did believe he might do with the Title only of Regent that they should give their Opinions upon that Question with all the Liberty that an Affair of that Consequence demanded All but Emanuel de Matos and Duarte d'Osorio who could not be there to give their Opinions because they were sick and the Great Chancellor whose Opinion was that Don Pedro should be declared King gave their Opinions that he should let alone the Title of King to Don Alphonso so long as he should Live After that these Learned Persons had declared their Opinions the three Estates deliberated apart and it was Concluded in the Assembly of the Ecclesiasticks in that of the Nobility that the Prince should not take the Quality of King But that of the People Concluded that he should take it not only for the Honour of it but also for the Security of the State The Prince was equally satisfied with them Both and witnessed to them his Acknowledgments But the Answer of the Prince was not enough to make them silent who adjudg'd to him the Crown and they maintained their Sentiments so much and opposed that of the others with so strong Reasons that the Question became very difficult to be decided by those who should Judg of it without passion The Contestation pass'd so far that the Prince fearing lest they should Declare him King by a publick Proclamation was forced to hinder the acclamations of the People when he went abroad to imploy all the Persons of Authority who accompanied him Most Princes use to solicit the People to be Kings but this Prince on the contrary solicits them that he may not be one which is a moderation which made him be yet more worthy of that Title In the beginning of the Summer 1667. there was made a League offensive and defensive between France and Portugal against Spain The French by their means assuring them of a diversion in their Favour enterprising a War against Spain in Flanders whose progress was very surprising and it had been very advantagious if the Prince's Allies to either Crown had not put a stop to the swiftness of their Arms. Monsieur de St. Romain Abbot of Corbigny who had been Envoy in Portugal for the negotiating that League having had Order to let the Prince Regent know of the Accommodation that was proposed and that he should send some one to assist therein he consulted his Ministers of State what was best to be done in this Business They were ready to name for that purpose a Plenipotentiary when the Count d'Olivares who had been Prisoner ever since the Battle of Canal in the Castle of St. George gave notice That he had power from the Queen of Spain to accommodate the differences between Spain and Portugal This was a great Obstacle to that Negotiation of the League which was concluded betwixt Portugal and France If Monsieur de St. Romain turn'd all his thoughts to endeavour to perswade the Portugals to entertain a new Alliance against Spain the Ministers of Spain on the other side forgot nothing that might hinder it to the end not to lose so fair an occasion of making one Peace that might produce another and render the Conditions more advantagious So that having obtained by their Importunities and the new Advantages which they offer'd the Portugals so much that they brought it about that the King of England offer'd his Mediation and Edward Montague Earl of Sandwich his Embassadour Extraordinary in the Court of Spain passed thence into Portugal But as in this Incounter there was a necessity of one of these two things either to content France at the Charge of Portugal or to manage the Interests of Portugal to the prejudice of France the Portugals chose the last The consideration of their repose was more strongly pressing on their minds than any other thing and the more for that the Realm had need of rest after a disturbance of five and twenty years The Three States the Common Council of the City of Lisbon and that of the Four and Twenty made their Remonstrances to the Prince so pressing that he could not resist them He named then for to act in this Negotiation the Duke of Cadaval Vasco Lewis de Gama Marquis de Nisa the Marquesses of Gonrea and Marialva Henry de Sousa de Tavares de Sylva Count de Miranda all of them Councellours of State and Pedro Vieira de Sylva Secretary of State All these Plenipotentiaries being assembled with the Marquess d'Eliche and the Earl of Sandwich who had power one of them to make the Treaty and the other to be the Mediator after many Conferences it was at last concluded the 13 Febr. 1668 and published the 10th of March following Although this Peace so glorious for the Prince had encreased the love that the Portugals had for him yet he was not seen to grow proud with these Advantages nor would use this occasion to get the
the Prince made once more an attempt upon him but he was no more to be shaken now than he was at other times he only let the Three States know that on the 9th of June 1668 He would take his Oath to maintain the Laws of the Realm and he would then receive from them theirs of Fidelity This day being come they all Assembled in the Great Hall of the Guards where that Ceremony was done with all the Pomp requisite thereunto and the Prince took his Oath in these Terms I do swear and promise the Grace of God assisting to rule and govern well and Equitably and to administer to you Justice in all Cases as far as the frailty of Humane Nature will permit and to keep and preserve your good Customes Priviledges Graces Recompenses Liberties and Franchises which hath been given granted and Confirmed by the Kings my Predecessors And the Three States of the Realm took theirs in these Terms We swear upon the holy Evangelists which we touch with our hands that we do acknowledge and receive for our Governour and Regent of these Realms because of the perpetual Impuissance of his Majesty as we have adjudg'd the most High and most Excellent Prince Don Pedro Legitimate Son of the King Don John the Fourth and of the Queen Dona Lewysa his Wife Brother and Curator of the most high and most excellent King Don Alphonso the sixth and his True and Natural Successor to these Realms And as the True and Natural Subjects as we are of the Prince Don Pedro we make to him Faith and Homage in the same manner as we have made to the King Don John the Fourth his Father and to the King Don Alphonso the Sixth his Brother whom we do at this present deprive of his Government because of his Incapacity with the same Jurisdiction Power and Authority that any of the Kings and Lords of this Crown have ever had and wee will obey fully and wholly all his Orders and Judgments be they high or be they low Jurisdictions and we will make War with his Enemies for him and entertain Peace with his Allies as it shall please him without obeying any other King but him All this abovesaid we swear to before God by this Cross and by the Holy Evangelists which we touch with our Hands to observe on our parts fully and wholly And as a Mark of our Submission and Obedience and of our acknowledging his Royal Soveraign Jurisdiction we kiss the Hand of his Highness here present These Oaths being made all the Dispatches began to be expedited in the Name of the Prince as Governour Regent of the Realm in the same form as had been formerly done when the Infante Don Alphonso Count de Bologn was made Governour of this same Realm because of the Incapacity of his Brother having been acknowledg'd for such by the Kings of France Spain and England at whose Courts his Embassadors and Envoys had been received with all the prerogatives which they had given to Kings After this Act the Three States continued to deliberate about the Affairs of the Realm until the First day of August 1668. when they separated This change was approved of by all the People excepting some persons who had no reason to approve of it because of their Interest In truth the deposing the King Don Alphonso was maintained not only by those Reasons which have been rehearsed but for many others which they were willing to have Concealed besides the same thing hath happened heretofore in Portugal in the Person of Don Sanche the Second In France in that of Childerick Philip and Theoderick In England in that of King Edward In Germany in that of Charles le Gross In Denmark in that of Christian In the Realm of Naples in that of Charles and in many other Kingdoms As soon as the Prince and the Princess had Consummated their Marriage in good earnest which they had made by Virtue of the Dispensation which they had obtained of Monsieur the Cardinal of Vendosme Legat a Latere in France to the end that there might remain no scruple they sent Father Francis de Ville Jesuit to Clement the 9th to supplicate on their part that he would Confirm this Dispensation His Holiness having received this Request as a Testimony of respect render'd to the Holy Sea he ordained with his Paternal Love That they should expedite this Brief with this Superscription To Our Well-Beloved Sons Deigo de Sousa Chief Inquisitor in the Inquisition against the Hereticks in the Realms of Portugal and Algarves Antony de Mendosa Commissary-General of the Bull of the Croisaide and Deputy of the Inquisition Martin Alphonso de Mello Dean of the Metropolitan Church of Evora also Deputy of the Inquisition Lewis de Sousa Dean of the Church of Porto and Emanuel de Meneses Arch-deacon of the Metropolitan of Evora Clement the 9th Pope Sends Health and Apostolick Benediction to Our Well-beloved Sons The Charge of Pastor which God hath given to us Commands us that according to the understanding which he hath granted us we should provide according to the Laws of Justice and Prudence repose to all the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ and chiefly to the Great Ones And because we have understood by the tenour of a Request which hath been presented to us a little while since on the part of our Son in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Don Pedro Prince of Portugal and of our Daughter in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Maria Isabella de Savoy Dutchess of Nemours That the said Princess after she had contracted a Marriage with our most Dear Son in Jesus Christ Alphonso the Illustrious King of Portugal and Algarves and lived with him about the space of six months as his Wife during which time she perceived his perpetual inability to consummâ—â— the said Marriage being pressed in her Conscience she hath been obliged to cause the said Marriage to be adjudged Null beginning her Process the Sea of the Archbishoprick being vacant before our Well beloved Sons the Vicar of the Chapter of the Metropolitan Church of Lisbon lawfully deputed and the Chapter and the Cannons of the same Church who hold by reason of the said vacancy an ordinary Jurisdiction and before several other Judges named by the same Chapter joyntly with the said Grand Vicar of the Chapter to the end that they might be the better instructed in that Affair and that they might deliberate thereon more maturely by whom there was given a Sentence that declared the said Marriage Nul because of the aforesaid Impotence which Sentence having been read and shewed to the King Alphonso was approved by him by word of Mouth and by Writing Moreover the aforesaid Princes Mary Isabel and the aforesaid Don Pedro Brother of the aforesaid King Alphonso being willing to Contract a Marriage together at the Requests of the States of the Realm who were at that time assembled at Lisbon to the end that
Imprimatur Hic Liber cui Titulus The Portugal History c. Ab. Campion Reverendissimo Domino Gilb. Arch. Cant. Ã Sac. Domest Ex Aedibus Lambeth Nov. 8. 1676. THE Portugal History OR A RELATION of the TROUBLES that happened in the COURT of PORTUGAL In the Years 1667 and 1668. In which is to be seen that great Transaction of the Renunciation of the Crown by Alphonso the Sixth the Dissolution of his Marriage with the Princess Maria Frances Isabella of Savoy The Marriage of the same Princess to the Prince Don Pedro Regent of the Realm of Portugal and the Reasons alledged at Rome for the Dispensation thereof By S. P. Esq LONDON Printed for Richard Tonson at his Shop under Grays-Inn-Gate next Grays-Inn-Lane 1677. THE Introduction To the Ensuing HISTORY HISTORY or the true Relation of the Actions of Publick Persons the great Business and Affaires of Kingdoms Cities Commonwealths hath been evermore accounted not only Delightfull but Profitable and indeed to be preferred before all other Humane Learning it giving men a true knowledge of themselves Among the many Remarkable Stories Revolutions and Trâ—nsactions which this Age or former hath produced in the World I think this which shâ—â—l be related to you in the following Pages to be none of the least Notable and Remarkable and worthy your Note and Observation and the more being of so late a date and among those whom we may call our Neighbours The Fame of it no doubt hath formerly come to your Eares if you are not a Recluse and quite banished from Converse in the World you cannot but have heard something of the Story from Reports or publick Gazets but here is more amply and ruly made known thâ— whole Transaction of it even to the least Circumstances wherein is seen a great part of the Wisdome and Policy of the Portugal Nation But for the sake of those who are not well acquainted with the History of the Portuguise I thought it not amiss as an Introduction to the following History to give you some little Description of that Country and also a short Cronicle of their Kings from their Original to King John the 4th the Father of Alphonso the 6th the Subject of this present History and that with all the brevity that can be being only to prepare the way for the History of King Alphonso's Resignation of his Crown and the Advancement of the Prince Don Pedro to the Regency of the Kingdom being never till now published or made known among our Country men Portugal then is part of the Continent of Europe being the most Westerly part of it wash'd with the Atlantick or Western-Ocean The atmost Bounds of the known World till the famous Discoveries of the West Indies It was formerly accounted a third part of Spain and called Lusitania as the Ancients would have it from Luso and Lysa the fabulous Companions of Bacchus now called Portugal from Portus Gallorum a great Fishing place of the Gauls called Cale now Caja being scituate at the Mouth of the River Durius It is in Length from North to South four hundred miles The Breadth from East to West is in the broadest place not exceeding one hundred miles and in the narrowest about eighty The whole Circumference about eight hundred seventy nine miles conteining about fourteen hundred and sixty odd Parishes It is Bounded on the North with the Rivers Antinio and Avia which part it from Galicia On the South with the Kingdom of Algarve On the West with the Atlantick Ocean and on the East with the two Castiles and Estramadura As for the Country it self it is Hilly and not very Fruitful yet what Corn and other things of the growth thereof they have are very excellent and good especially Fruits which they have in abundance and those very delicious It hath enough to maintain it self and to supply others with Hony Salt Wine Oyl Alumn Fish Fruits Marble It hath also several Mines The Air is wholsome subject to Heats yet tollerable especially to the Natives who are of a plain and simple behaviour to the rest of the Spaniards and have a great Antipathy to them for their Oppression but have of late years bore up bravely They have been and still are great Navigators by reason of their Vicinity to the Sea and have thereby encreased the Dominion and Riches of the Nation by Conquest and Traffick abroad exceeding much being famous for their Discoveries and Acquists in the East and West Indies It s chief Rivers are the Tagus famous for its Golden Sands Minius full of Red-Lead whence it had the Name of Minium Lethes or Lavada Muliadas or Mundego The Duero and Anas None of them Navigable but for a little space being generally Swift and Narrow The chief Cities are Lisbon the Kings Chamber a great Mart of Old called Osisippo or Ulisippo Built as they then held by Ulysses in his Peregrinations It is in 10 Degrees of Longitude 38 Latitude North about seven miles Compass and contains about 20000 Houses divided into 30 odd Parishes Santaren or Sancta Irene scituate also on the Tagus Conimbra seated on the River Mondeso a Bishops See and University Braga an Archbishops See Porto or Portaport at the mouth of the Duero Miranda a Bishops Sea Braganza whose Dukes are now Kings of Portugal Eubora an Archbishops See Portolegre a Bishops See Olivenza a City seated on the Guadiana Beja anciently Paxtulia now Mean an ancient Colony of the Romans As for the Language 't is a Subdialect of the Latine mixed with Morisco the Moores having setled in Spain 700 Years A time sufficient to implant their Language But more immediately a Dialect of the Spanish Tongue Being Spanish more curtly and quicker pronounced The Castilians affecting long trained words agreeing with their superb Gravity But besides this Dominion there belongs to the Kings of Portugal many other large Territories won to the Crown by Warlike and renowned Princes of that Nation both in Asia Africa and America But South of Portugal lyes the Kingdom of Algarve won from the Moores and annexed to the Crown by Alphonso the Third This Regnum Algarbiorum had its Name as its supposed from its Westerly scituation for so Algarve signifies in the Arabick It reaches as far as St. Vincents Cape or the Southern Cape as the Mariners call it The chiefest places in it are Niebla once the Seat of their Kings Sylvia an In-land City a Bishops Seat Villa Maona scituate beyond the Cape Tavila Faro Lagos all Haven Towns Besides this there belongs to the Dominions of the Kings of Portugal certain Islands called the Azores seated in the Atlantick Ocean directly opposite to Portugal and distant from the Land about 250 Leagues found out and subdued by Prince Henry Son of King John the first From hence they reckon the first Longitude as formerly from the Canaries being accounted more exact They are called Azores from the multitude of Gosh-hawks found in them when they were first discovered Azor
the Nation But however upon the death of Henry which was in the year 1510 and in whom ended the male Line of the House of Lorrain Eighteenthly Philip the 2d K. of Spain obtained the Kingdom of Portugal and was the eighteenth King thereof For he had no sooner heard the news of Henry's death but he sent an Army having one ready for that purpose under Ferdinand de Toledo Duke D' Alva who were at the Walls of Lisbon before they were aware and so surprized them that they were not able to make any great resistance But they were forced to receive him for their King who coming hither himself in person was sworn to several Articles which seemed pleasing and beneficial to the Portugals and which it is thought he never intended to keep neither did he First That he should observe all Laws Liberties Priviledges and Customs granted to the People by the former Kings of Portugal Secondly That the Vice-King should be either a Son Brother Uncle or Nephew of the King or else a Native of Portugal Thirdly That all Offices of the Church and State and the Government of Towns and Places should be conferred on the Natives of Portugal and not upon Strangers Fourthly That all Countries now belonging to Portugal should so continue to the Commodity and Benefit of the Nation Fifthly That the Portugals should be admitted to the Offices of the Kings House as well as the Castilians Sixthly That he should send the Prince always to be bred up amongst them And thus he obtained the Crown of Portugal making the Emperors Son Albertus Arch-Duke of Austria and his Nephew Viceroy keeping it in quiet possession till he dyed Nineteenthly Philip the 3d K. of Spain succeeded his Father to that Crown and also to this of Portugal being the 18th King of Portugal In his Reign Antonio the Bastard being entertained by Q. Elizabeth of England and bountifully releived acknowledging him her Kinsman descended of the Blood Royal of England and House of Lancaster he remained here till the Wars broke out between King Philip and Q. Elizabeth when she sent Antonio with a Fleet under the Command of Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake with whom also went the Earl of Essex into Portugal where they landed and came before Lisbon but finding none ready to joyn with them as Antonio had made them believe after some exploits they were forced to return re infecta Thus he kept his Grown making the Portugals for fear and awe of his Power more than out of good will to subject and submit themselves to his yoak which they of tentimes discovered by their murmurings and repinings As soon as he was dead Twentiethly Philip the 4th his Son K. of Spain succeeded and was the 20th King of Portugal he committing all to the Government of his great Favourite Olivares by his way of policy different from his Father by seeking to establish the yoak more firm by tyranny and oppression at last lost the whole for the Portugals were very sensible of their slavery and hated the Spanish yoak to the death they perceived that the Kings of Spain had broke their words with them in all things and had now set over them a Woman to be their Governess Margaret di Mantona who had no relation at all to the Kings of Castile and though she of her self was a prudent woman yet she was swayed too much by the Secretary of State Vasconsellos a Spaniard one of mean extraction a proud fellow and one who sought by all ways the utter ruine of the Portugals and wholly to enslave them that the Portugals conspired together and were resolved to have a King of their own they were also encouraged to this by the revolt of the Catalonians from the Spaniard At last therefore finding the Government insufferable and their Grievances no longer to be born the smother'd fire broke forth into a flame upon the 1 of Feb. An. 1640 and all on a sudden the chief of the Nobility and Gentry and a world of the Commonalty led on by the Marquess of Ferrer and the Count of Vimiosa took Arms and coming to the Castle of Lisbon surprised the Guards being two Companies of Spaniards and two of Germans who affrighted at the suddenness of the Tumult and the Multitude made no resistance They soon entred securing the Governess and killing the Secretary Vasconsellos with some few more that made resistance shewing a great despight to the Secretary whom the common people cut all to pieces using his body in a most vile manner to satisfie their implacable rage This done they proclaim the Duke of Braganza King And thus the Kings of Spain lost the whole Dominion of Portugal all the rest of the Territories both abroad and at home in a few months returned wholly into the King of Portugal's hands and so have continu'd to this day the Spaniards keeping only the Town of Cexta in Affrica of all that justly belonged to the Portugal so great so full and so quick a change was hardly to be paralleld in past Ages and all through the natural hatred the Portuguize bore to the Spaniards Twenty one John the 4th Duke of Braganza thus came to the Crown who was the Grandson of John Duke of Bragance and Katherine the right and indubitable Heir of the House of Lorrain He was married to Lonysa Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia a Woman of a noble heroick and masculine Spirit and whose prudence and courage was no small furtherance of the Dukes obtaining his Right saying That 't was better nobly to dy in adventuring for the Crown than to be made a slave by the Spanish Tyranny and to live always in fear of his Enemies They were both Crowned at Lisbon with great pomp and splendor and as they had obtained the Crown with much prudence and magnanimity so they kept it with courage and policy God blessing their Armys with victory and success all their days Thus I have given you a brief Accompt of the History of Portugal from the beginning to make way for the better understanding the following Relation of the Actions of the Son of King John Alphonso the sixth being the 22d King of that Nation and as they were remarkable and notorious I have given you a full and ample Relation thereof which you may find in the following Narrative A RELATION OF THE Troubles that happened in the Court OF PORTUGAL In the Years 1667 and 1668. AFTER the Re-establishment of Don John the Eighth Duke of Bragansa in the Throne of his Ancestors which the Castilians had taken from them the Portugals being glad that they had shaken off the yoak of their Dominion began to find the sweetness which they used to have when they lived under the Power of their own natural Princes This new King had then by his Wife Donna Lonysa Frances de Gusman but three Children the Prince Theodosius and the Infantas Joan and Catherine Three years after he increased his
it and there one was heard to say That he should have been of the same mind with others if they had asked his Advice but since they had no Confidence in him he should not approve of this Novelty This day being the last of Count Castelmelhors waiting Week the King ordered him to wait another On Monday the King went as he was wont to Alcantara but with more Pomp and Attendants than ordinary being accompanied with the Infante and the greatest part of the nobility this day every one stood upon his Guard at the Palace for they saw the Count to wait two Weeks one after another and because he Wrote to the Secretary of State in impeperious terms the King would know if they had given order that Conti should be put to Death assoon as he was out of the Haven or that Emanuel Autunes should be Imprisoned The King was no sooner returned but he went to see the Queen without shewing any discontent either in word or actions Tuesday passed without any extraordinary thing happening On Wednesday about Noon the King in his Litter with the Count de Castlemelhor went together secretly to Alcantara without letting any Body know of it but Don Hieronimo de Ataide Count de Arouguia whom they found there from whence all three sent to find out Sebastine Cesar de Meneses Councellor of State not long since released out of Prison where he had been put by King John and to fetch the Guard of Archers The King Wrote at the same time to those Persons in whom he had the most Confidence to call together the Nobility and to give Advice to the Governours of Places and Provinces that he had taken the Possession of the Government of the State The Queen being advertised of what had passed called her Ministers of State for their Counsel where it was resolved she should write to the King to pray him to return to Lisbon to the end she might put the Government into his Hands and the Bishop of Targu should carry this Letter but before it was sent it was Ordered for some particular Reasons that Emanuel Pacheco de Mello Lieutenant to the Camp-Master General should go and Post himself near to La Croix by which place they must pass who would go to the King at Alcantara to tell them from the Queen that for the good of the State they should come first to receive her Orders All they who were advertised of it exactly obeyed her except Alvaro Pires de Castro Marquess of Cascaes and Antony de Sonsa de Macedo The first said he would go thither to give the Queen an account of all things that passed there which he did the othe stay'd with the King in recompence of which he held him in the Quality of Minister When Night approached and the King saw he was less Accompanied than his Favourites thought having no other Militia but the Guard of Archers some of them were of opinion the King should retire to the Fortress of St. Julian Situate at the Mouth of the Tagus where he might be in Security but this Counsel was not followed because there came a great many Gentlemen to waite on the King besides those who attended him which reassured the Favourites The Queen judging if she should go in this condition she was in without Troops to the King she should expose her Authority and if she should carry them with her they would accuse her that she had a mind to Retain the Government She considered of it and Wrote to the King this Letter which was carried by the Bishop of Targu Most High and most Puissant Prince I the Queen send to Salute your Majesty as one whom I Love and Esteem above all my Children I understand you are gone to Alcantara with a Design to continue there and that you have Commanded the Gentlemen and Officers of your House to come to you thither As you have done this without Advertising me some do believe that you have a desire to Separate your self from me but I not having failed even to this present time of doing the Devoirs of a Mother cannot be perswaded you will fail of those of a Son I then Conjure you to put an end to these Reports which run among the People that you will presently return to me assuring you that not one of those who follow you hath so tender a Love for you as I nor desire more your Conservation and Aggrandisement than I do If you have no other Design but to take the Government of the Realm God is my Witness I desire it as much or more than you As for those things that are past and of which you have had a Resentment it is with me that you should Treat of them without Bustle or Noise it is with me that you should be plain and clear at least if you would testifie the Obedience which you owe to God and to your Father and Mother The Kingdom is yours and I Govern not but in your Name if it were mine it should be only for you that I would keep it Let us then call together the Realm as we ought to do to the end they may put the Government into your Hands as they put it into mine before any Disunion put us into the Power of our Enemies who have on foot three puissant Armies which if there be any Insurrection in the Realm a thing much more to be feared than the Enemy will infallibly destroy it Be pleased then in the Name of God for the Love you bear your People and which I ought to hope from you Consider this Affair which merits it so much and take care to recommend it to God whom I pray to Conserve your Majesty most High and most Puissant Prince and above all my Children the most beloved and most esteemed Son and Conduct you according to my wishes From Lisbon June 21. 1662. Your Loving Mother the Queen The Bishop of Targu presenting to the King this Letter assured him in few words that the Resolution of the Queen was to give him full Satisfaction The King told him he would return Answer the next Day at which time he sent Thomas de Noronha Count de Areos with a Letter conceived in these Terms Most High and most Puissant Princess Queen of Portugal and Algarves on this side and beyond the Sea in Affrica Soveraign of Guinny and of the Conquests made by Navigations and Commerce in Ethiopia Arabia Persia and the Indies whom I Esteem above all others Most beloved and most dear Lady and Mother I the King salute your Majesty Having regard to the Condition in which the Realm now is by the Neighbourhood of the Enemies Armies and having a design to bring a Remedy thereunto as an obedient Son to your Majesty being touched with the continual Trouble which since the Death of my Lord and Father you have had in Governing the Realm which owes its Conservation to the Cares and to the Prudence of your Majesty I have resolved
Accomodate himself but that of Escrivaon de Puridade which had not been exercised by any Persons of Quality since Pedro de Alcacova Carneiro Count de Idayna He then would have this Office and having gotten a grant of it perswading the King it was necessary for his Ease and to maintain his Authority and all things ready to the sealing of his Patent the King ordered the Secretary to Expedite those Letters for that Charge to the Count but the Secretary seeing the thing regarded the Publick Interest more than his own particular he represented to his Majesty That the King his Father had united that Charge to that of the Secretary of State and that he had the Letters Patents for it That his Majesty ought not at the entrance into his Government destroy that which the late King his Father had done a most Wise and most Experienced Prince but rather should follow his Examples and Ways that he might not fall into those Wandrings and Novelties which ordinarily fling down young Princes and particularly such who deceive through their fair appearances and that his Majesty ought not with Justice to augment the Fortune of one particular Man to the prejudice of another The King having none of his Council about him answered nothing to the Secretary On the Morrow he ordered him again to hasten the Counts Patent which was made ready according to his Command and therein all those Emoluments and Prerogatives he would have Some time after they publickly discoursed on this Charge and would have it thought that in this was comprised all others and it was ever possessed by Favorites There yet was wanting to the Count the Title of Councellor of State but so soon as they had told the King it was Essential to his new Employment he gave it him Almost at the same time the King gave to Henry Auriquez de Miranda the Charge of Lieutenant General of the Artillery vacant by the Death of Ruy Correa Lucas his Father in Law to which he united that of Intendant of the Magazine of the Realm which Lewis Cesar de Meneses possessed The King granted besides many other Graces to the Friends of these three Favorites to Christopher de Mello who was Governour and Captain General of the Magazine in Africa the Reversion of Captain of the Port and to Emanuel de Mello his Brother the Reversion of Captain of the Guards which was then possessed by Lewis de Mello their Father As it was for their Interest that none but their Creatures should come near the King they cast out and banished from his Person the Gentlemen of his Chamber They were dispenced with at first from the Service of their Charge without being hindred the entrance into the Palace which they did the better to hide their Design which they insensibly brought about They ordered it in such a manner that they could not entertain the King nor give him any Advice Also by little and little they took away the Communication which the King had with the Officers of his House bringing him to Eat in his Chamber he was served by those whom they met with by chance wholly Abrogating those Ancient Ceremonies with which the King of Portugal used to be served and confounded the Order they used to keep in all things for no Body exercised his Charge but every Body exercised all Charges The Favourites perswaded themselves it was for their Interest that those who were not their Friends should be Banished the Court so when they wanted a pretext they made no scruple to awaken those things which should not have been spoken of imputing Crimes to those People on whom the King bestowed any Favours they accounting it nothing to have taken the Government from the Queen if they did not give the King an Aversion to all those who had been of her Party For this end they maintained that the Remonstrance which they had made was Insolent and brought it under a sentence of Condemnation as if it had not been the Custom of all Nations to make Remonstrances to Kings when they let themselves be carried away with their Passions As it was done to Don Alphonso the Fourth King of Portugal because he loved Hunting with so great Ardor that he quite neglected all Affairs of State He at first grew into Choler but being come to himself afterwards praised that for Zeal which he would have punished as a Crime and moderated thereupon the Passion that he had for the Chase They began the Exilement with that of Father Antony Vicira which was followed by that of the Secretary of State the Duke of Cadaval the Grand Veneur Emanuel de Mello the Count de Soure and the Count de Pomlerio and they sent word to the Captain of the Port that he should abstain from coming to the Palace See the Crimes they imputed to them That Father Antony Vieria had wrote that Remonstrance that had offended the King that the Secretary had promoted it and that the rest had Dictated it and Executed it These only were Banished as Culpable though there were many others besides them Some of them did avoid their Exilement by Reconciling themselves to the Favourites and none durst speak to another because they were afraid one of another Somtime after the Marquess de Gouvea Grand Master of the Kings House demanded Leave to retire himself to Gouvea the Reason was because they had made him lose a great part of the Rights and Preheminences belonging to his Charge as much by the Revocations they had made therein as by the too great Authority of these Favourites But when inspite of all the Oppositions of the Court he would Prosecute his design they ordered him to keep himself at Gouvea with a Prohibition not to return to Court without an especial Order from the King so his Retreat which he would have made voluntary became forc'd Nicholas Monteiro Tutor to the King retired himself also to his Priory of Cedofeila under pretext of the Indisposition of his great Age but in truth it was because he was not able to endure their manner of Acting at Court A little after the Count de Castlemelhor proposed for Confessor to the King and the Infante Don Pedro de Sousa his Unkle by the Fathers side a Religious of St. Bennet nominated Bishop of Angra which was agreed to They named for Secretary of State in the place of Pedro Vieira de Silva who was Banished Antony de Sousa de Macedo So soon as the King had got the Government into his own Hands he shewed to the Queen an unequal and capricious Air in all his Actings Every time he came from Alcantara he went to render her a Visit and acquitted himself of all other Devoires which consisted in appearance he did also the like to the Prince but he Communicated no part of his Affairs neither to the one nor the other These Favourites having it in their Heads to bring the Prince to the Palace they alledged for
Reasons that the King and the presumptive Heir to the Crown should not live apart That there was nothing more proper to cause their Amity a thing so necessary for the State than the Union of their Persons That if he Lived in his Palace with little Satisfaction he would have much Content in the King Besides That it was too great a Charge to the State which wanted Money to maintain the War As this Motion was opposite to those which they had made formerly to appear it was not very difficult to penetrate into the thoughts of the Favourites which was that by this means they might render themselves Masters of the mind of the Infante as well as they had of the Kings but the Infante who discovered their Cunning answered That he was well enough in his Palace as deserted as it was So that despairing to be able to make him change his Lodging they treated the Prince ruggedly and accused him that he did not love the King as he ought But that which troubled them most was That he would not be loosed from the Queens Interests who was every day preparing her self to retire and that she would prevent their Dis-union which these Favourites so passionately desired Although they had received several repulses from the Infante they did not leave to continue their endeavours to draw him to their Party hoping they should be able to do that by Importunity which they could not do with their Reasons Whilst they were at Alcantara the freedom of the Country served them to make some progress on his Spirit chiefly by Henry Auriques But as much as they gained the Favour of the Infante they took away from the King the evil Impressions they had given him concerning him in so much that the King began to make him dine with him and to take him abroad with him in his Coach and to give him the divertisement of Fishing in his Pleasure-Boat which they made by night with lighted Torches they went together to Alcantara to see the Coursing of the Bulls and the King obliged him to lye at his Country-House to see these Divertisements All these things gave birth to a Hope in the Breasts of the Favourites that he should not be able to escape them any more for the time to come They vaunting already that they had made peace between the two Brothers every one of them attributing to himself the Glory to have been the Mediator particularly Henry Anriques de Miranda for which Consideration he pretended to have the greatest part in his Favour and testified the most zeal for his Service above all others At this Time most of the Officers which the Queen had given him had left him The Count of St. Laurence had quitted him to exercise his Charge of Superintendant of the Finances The Count de Soure was banished to the Algarves Ruy de Moura Telles had retired himself John Nunes de Acuna was with the Army in the Province between Douro and Minho whither he was sent the handsomer to hide his Exilement In the place of these Officers they had put Don Fernando de Meneses Count de Ericeira Pedro Gesar de Meneses Ruy Fernando de Almada Ruy de Figueredo D' Alarcaon Antonio de Miranda Anriquez and Don Diego de Meneses As all these new Officers about the Infante were of Kin to the three Favourites this Change was a very grand help to them but this would not suffice unless they could be able to break the Union which was between the Infante and the Queen which was very difficult for them to do They were willing the Queen should have retired of her self and after that manner the Separation should have been because then none could have imputed it to them but their impatience was too great to stay for that But among the Artifices which they used to advance this Separation there was one which would scarce be credited if the Writing had not been found in the hands of one of those Ministers at that time of which this is a most faithful Copy It shewed That there were two ways to oblige the Queen to quit the Court. The First is to cause her Displeasure in all those things of which she would be most sensible As to order Donna Isabella de Castro to go into her Covent of the Incarnation and to cause Donna Maria Francisca to go home to the Countess her Mother and to prohibit all those Officers of her House in whom she had most Confidence to enter the Palace The Discontent she will receive thereby will oblige her to retire of her self or else cause her to make her Complaints to our Master with more heat this will oblige him to declare to her that a voluntary Retreat will be most handsom for her to the end she might not be constrained to do it after another manner This way hath more than one Step because if she shall shew her self obstinate and shall not be willing to follow the Councel of the King she then will render her self worthy of Chastisement The Second way is to have it told her by her Confessor or by some other Person of Authority That it is necessary for her Glory she should retire her self to the Town of Allenquer or into that of Cintra because of the Report she had caused to be spread abroad of her Retiring and for other Reasons that may be made known to her and they judged that our Master desired the thing might be executed with all possible sweetness that other ways might be avoided which might any ways give him a Vexation That if she should answer as I believe she will that she had changed her Mind and would know the Reasons which had obliged the King to take that Resolution they should in that case put presently into her hands a Billet which should let her understand that it was to revenge himself of that insolent Remonstrance which she had caused to be made to him in which we may under a Colour bring some Reasons for our particular Justification Below this Memorial there was the Billet for the Queen wrote in the same hand in which were these Words You shall say to the Queen my Mother that having regard to the Intention she hath had of retiring into a Covent and to the Reasons she hath given for it I find my self obliged to tell her maugre the satisfaction which I have to see you neer me in the Palace that for the Interest of her Repose and of her Piety she ought to execute that Design If she will then follow the Example of many other Princesses who have done the same thing she might chuse what Covent she pleased out of the City where she may live only for her self and for the memory of the late King my Lord and Father who is with God I do promise my self from her great Wisdom that she will take care that the World believe this Resolution comes from herself and not from me This Discourse
Tenderness towards her which did extraordinarily surprise every Body Nevertheless the Infante is not to be accused of it but the King only or rather his Favourites After that the Queen had taken her place under a Canopy all those about her came to kiss her Hand some of them being sensibly touched with her Retreat and the other feigning to be so As for the King he returned that Night on Horse-back with a great deal of Gaity approaching the Litters and Coaches which he met speaking to the Ladies dishonest and licentious Speeches which let the People know that he had accompanied the Queen rather to Secure her Person than to do her Honour and that his Favourites had taken these Precautions for fear the People should Mutiny And indeed although she had Retired voluntarily yet every one was perswaded she was a Prisoner for Sir Richard Fanshaw the English Embassador before he returned for London the Marquess of Sande who was going to conclude the Marriage between the King and the most Serene Marie Frances Isabelle de Savoy Dutchess de Aumel and Princess de Nemoars and Mounsieur Fouche Envoy of the Duke of Vendosme did not dare to go see her without the permission of the King As the Presence of the Queen did a little restrain the King assoon as she was Retired he took no more regard to his Carriage He had first made two Troops one of Foot the other of Horse which he called his high and low Watchmen which were composed of the most wicked Persons of the Realm which passed with him for the most brave With these Troops he went out every Night and set upon indifferently all those they met the Peril being equal for the King as for them because they would not have him to be known amongst them he very freely exposed himself with the rest Those who accompanied him ordinarily carried their Swords without Scabbards that they might be the more ready to execute his Orders and that they might the better Surprise the People they found in the Dark they blacked them lest their Glittering should discover their Intentions Those who brought theirs back the most Bloody received the greatest praises from the King The Watch which made the Round in the City were not exempt from the Assaults of these People which troubled the whole Tranquility of the City and the more for the Judges durst not make Search after those who were Culpable Nay they were forced having for this Business drawn so much Hatred on themselves not only to abstain for a long time from the Execution of their Charges but also to hide the very Marks of their Magistracy The King being perswaded one Day that the Marquess de Fontes his great Chamberlain had offended him he sought all about to kill him but not finding him any where he gave order to his Braves to do it They having met him in his Litter shot thorow it in several places with their Musquets the marks they found in divers places shewed the danger he had been in Another time he made them fall upon the Coach of the Count of Ericeira where were with him his Wife his Daughter and his Brother but it was without effect because they to whom he had given the execution of that Commission had no mind to execute it One of his Diversions was to go in the Night to the Gibbet to see those that were executed and having taken them down to observe what wry mouths they made when they expired The Night on which every year they made a solemn Procession from our Lady de Grace to Saint Roch and in which they represented the Passion the King was resolved to go thither in his Coach with his Braves Some of his Gentlemen indeavoured to divert him from it telling him the Place and the Ceremony would render the Action too remarkable but he despised this Advice He went thither and ordered two of his Braves to box some of the men as they passed along with their Wives but they did but justle them the King observing they did not follow his Orders commanded them so often that one of them drew his Sword to fall upon them they did the like to defend themselves Assoon as the King saw that desiring no better he went out of his Coach his presence put all into disorder and so much troubled the Procession that it was broken and the sacred Images which represented the Passion flung down This Hurly burly being appeased the King perceiving that he wanted a pair of his Pistols and thinking it a point of dishonour to leave his Arms behind him gave order they should search among the Croud for them and in the Confusion of the people but his Braves demanding briskly the news of them of the first they incountred the Combat was renewed and the people were driven tumultuously as far as the Gate of the Court belonging to the Marquess de Nisa and even into his Hall if the Noblemen who were within had not opposed them because the King was present who at last retired himself leaving very many wounded This Action which was against all Humane and Divine Laws cast all the Court into an extraordinary consternation The night following Pedro Severim Norogna Secretary of the Grants passing under the Vaut called the Golden Arch incountring the Kings Litter which was invironed with his low Patrovils he prayed them to make him way a little but these people being thereat offended they fell upon him and beat him off his horse in such a manner that they left him mortally wounded As this was not far from the Palace the Count de Castlemelhor hearing the noise ran thither where he found him wounded and in so ill a condition that he was not able to be carried to his House so that he was fain to be put into one of the Chambers of the Kings Apartment where he died within a few days after The King was so little concerned at it that instead of chastising these murtherers he hindred any from informing against them About this time there appeared a Comet the King having heard say that it presaged the death of Kings or a change in their States he got above in his Tarrass and there used to it a thousand injurious speeches and called it a thousand infamous names and shot off his Pistols at it His Favourites knew not any better Remedy for this passion of his than to assure him he was a greater King than his Father or any of his Predecessors His Debauches kept the same pace with his Emportments for he did not only haunt the Houses of Women of ill Life but they brought them also to an House in the Country neer to Alcantara and his Favourites humoured this Inclination in him thereby to endeavour to dissipate the Report which ran of his inability But when they saw this would not sufficiently convince the people they thought of a thing in the mean time which deceived very many persons They bred up in the
Palace a little Girl under the name of Infanta publishing the King to be her Father And to render the thing more likely they made the Mother of the Child to be cruelly whipt under pretext of infidelity and a man to be assassinated as one that had caused a Jealousy in the King He did not leave in the mean time going to her house or else causing her to be brought to the Palace and carried her into publick Assemblies and indeed in appearance he seemed to be desperately in love with her This Intrigue had deceived the most wary if the Woman who knew the Truth better than any body had not spoyl'd all by Confessing That all that which the King shewed towards her was but feigned and that he was not the Father of that Infant He began also to make his Gallantries to the Religious and to bring about more easily his wicked Design he made them open their Churches that he might represent Comedies in them making the Quire serve for the Theatre and the Vestry the place for the Tyring Room but when he saw all these Attempts were in vain he Scandalised them in his Discourses He had so little respect for Religion that when there was no need for it she made Mass to be said at the ordinary times in his Chamber whilst that he was in Bed or all Undressed He would never go likewise on Feastival Days into his Seat in the Chappel till after Dinner which was the cause that Mass was not finished there till the Hour that Vespers were said in other Churches Since he was not able absolutely to forbear hearing of Sermons he ordered the Preachers that they should shorten their Sermons and some of them were Banished because they did not obey this Order and others forbore to Preach at all There were nevertheless some who had the boldness to Cry out against these Disorders but without any effect for others by the Flatteries with which they composed their Sermons rendred their Zeal unprofitable Hitherto the three Favourites by the means of the Subordination between them had Liv'd with good Intelligence but the Count Castlemelhor perceiving that it was easie for him to Ruine the Favour of the two others he sought for an occasion to facilitate his Enterprise he employ'd against them the same Artificers which all three had used against those they had in Suspition He chased first all their Friends from the Palace and afterwards themselves For they had no sooner lost his Amity than they had lost the Favour of the King It happened one Day that the Count de Atouguya drew his Sword at the back Stairs of the Palace for which the Count de Castlemelhor sought with all diligence possible to Arrest him and to have made him suffer the Punishment that is ordained in that Case Some time after the same Count de Atouguya went to answer a Challenge that was sent him which the Count of Castlemelhor made a matter of very ill Consequence although it was in a time wherein if Duels were not permitted at least they were not Punished The King at the perswasion of some Body or of his own mind for it was sometimes very difficult to penetrate into the secret of his Heart wrote a Letter to Conti with an Order for his being brought back from Brazile the Count de Castlemelhor quickly suspected Sebastine Cesar de Meneses to have writ it Upon this he reviv'd against him the ancient Businesses and stirred up new ones insomuch that he received Orders to withdraw himself two Leagues from the Court. As none knew the true Causes of these Disgraces the Publick Good and Justice being made only the pretext these things rendred the Count extremely odious especially that of the Count de Atouguya by whom he had made his Fortune But at Court the sentiment of Ambition easily blots out those of Acknowledgment A little time after Antony and John de Conti arrived from Brazile and were received with the Noise of the Artillery and the Sound of Trumpets But they had Order sent them to retire to a House they had in the Country at the Mouth of the Tagus with a Prohibition not to go from thence There was something surprising in this Order for at the same time there was sent them Presents from the King to the one a very considerable Charge in his House and five and twenty hundred Livers of Rent and to the other the Treasureship of St. Michael de Freixo It was not without Reason that the Count who knew the first impressions of Friendship as well as those of Love are never to be altogether Effaced neither by Time nor Absence should be afraid of the Interview of the King and Conti and that he should oppose it as much as possibly he could but in spite of all his care he could not hinder him from doing it If Conti did not come to the King the King did not fail to go to find him out He saw him one Day in an Hermitage and at another time in the middle of a Field Some would have perswaded Conti to have followed the King and to have come back to Court but he would not or else he durst not do it These secret Interviews gave a suspition to the Count that they were Hatching something against him and as it is the custome of Favourites to interest their Masters in their Conservation he made the King believe they went about to take from him his Crown And at the same time there went a Report that he had discovered this Conspiracy by a Divine Revelation He accused the Queen who was in her Retirement the Duke de Cadaval who was at Tentugal the Count de Atouguia who was disgraced Sebastine Cesar de Meneses who was absent and Antony de Conti who was Banished It was then resolved that they should take the Informations of this pretended Conspiracy and a Commission was given to John Gabriel de Barros and to the Register Francisco de Fonseca Sinel Councellor of the Chamber Criminal it was Lewis Correa de Torres who gave in the first Deposition being Interrogated by the King who had his naked Sword in his Hand After this they extended it to very many other Persons of great Quality The Register was charged with a private Consultation to give to the Secretary Belchior de Andrade with a Superscription to the Queen 〈…〉 King to carry 〈…〉 her Answer the 〈…〉 the Queen would not see the Consentration and the 〈…〉 brought it to carry it back to those who sent can 〈◊〉 out taking any other notice of 〈…〉 then ordered 〈…〉 â—â—â—ther to the Duke o◠〈…〉 should retire 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 Court and that 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—neses should go into the 〈…〉 â—â—â—taile until he 〈…〉 to go to the Algarves and an Order from to 〈…〉 Conti to go to 〈◊〉 After 〈…〉 went to kiss the Kings Hand 〈…〉 Deliverance 〈…〉 This Inquest lasteâ— a long 〈…〉 because they would 〈…〉 in Passion or else 〈…〉 the Terror of the Accused
without being able to shun to go seek for a Retreat seeing well that this is the only means to restore tranquillity to the publick for which I would sacrifice all my Interests and my own Life if need be this way the State will be deliver'd from the noise of War and the Count enjoy in repose without apprehending the disturbance of that felicity which makes him so insolent The Infante had no sooner sent this Letter to the King but he began to think he should execute the design of his Retreat being desirous to serve the State and the Realm in giving proof of his Courage even when he was constrained to abandon it wholly he disposed himself to depart for the Province of Tras os montes which he judged most proper to his design because the Count de St. John first Gentleman of his Chamber was Governour there and his two brothers Michael Carlo de Tavora and Francisco de Tavora were the one of them General of the Artillery and the other Serjeant Major of the Field But fearing equally least the violence of the King and the zeal of the People should bring any obstacle to his Voyage he resolved to go away secretly The King let pass two days without making any answer to the Infante and then sent him this My most honoured and most beloved Brother I the King send to salute you as him whom I very much love and esteem I have seen the Letter which which you have wrought to me the 9 th of this Month which lets me know that I am obliged to you for confirming your sentiments to mine this informs me that you are not ignorant that all the Resolutions I take are advantagious both for me and you I love you as my son and if I should have no other reason that were enough to oblige me to a thousand good wishes for you as to the particular business concerning which you wrote I have already sent to let you know that I was ready to do you Justice so soon as I shall be instructed which way to do it as to your design of retiring I would have you change it and come to me I shall always have my Arms open to receive you with that love which I ought to have for a Brother upon whom I look as upon my Friend my Son and my Successor in the Realm so long as it shall please God to give me no other in which case I shall take much Consolation if God permit you to succeed to my Crown and that when-ever it shall please his Divine Majesty This Letter as full of dissimulation as of tenderness increased the Infante's distrust and the more because it was not the Kings manner to act thus with him and obliged him to make this Answer Not having the power to obtain of your Majesty that they should examine my complaint anew and that upon better informations than the former although it be of such consequence that it is not unknown to your Majesty or to any in the Realm I conclude from that Resolution of your Majesty that you would bury in forgetfulness the demand which I have made to you taking from me by this means the liberty of ever parting from it Therefore I render my most humble thanks to your Majesty for the Goodness which you have expressed towards me in the last Letter which you were pleased to write me If I do not go in person to do it I have for it an excuse so lawful that I hope your Majesty doth judg it so since your Majesty hath given such Authority in your Palace to a man who is not only accused to have endeavoured the taking away my Life but who hath made himself guilty in opposing the clearing himself from that accusation After this can there be any security for me although I am the only Infante and your Majesty's Brother But I conjure your Majesty to give credit to the sincerity of my heart when I assure you that in whatever place I go I shall always respect your Majesty as my Father and serve you as my King and Lord. God conserve your Royal Person and give to you long and happy years Many of the Ministers among whom some were Friends to the Favourite resolved to try all their force to keep the Infante The Queen desiring the same thing sent to know of him by her Confessor Father Francis de Ville if he desired she should be a Mediatrix between the King and him and if he thought good to defer his departure whilst they should labour for some accommodation The Infante accepted her offer and sent to thank her for the Favour she had done him saying he would not depart since she had order'd it so After this answer of the Infante which was but by word of mouth the Queen sent a Billet by Pedro Fernandes Monteiro which was That she was very much obliged to him for accepting her Mediation and deferring his Voyage In case the King yeilded the Count should go away from the Court after what manner his Higeness would have it done what place of retreat and what security should be given to him And as the Infante said that after the retreat of the Count he would remit his interests into their hands she desired that he would better explain himself upon that point To which the Infante answer'd That he hop'd by the respect was due to Royal Authority she would obtain what he had so often aim'd at that he asked to come only to that point she was arrived at That his Majesty might chuse a place for retreat of the Count where he pleased provided it were at a distance as it ought to be on such occasions and that he was wholly ready to execute all that which her Majesty should ordain in respect of assuring to them the person of the Count submitting himself also so soon as he shall be gone from the Court to all that it shall please her Majesty As the Queen desired to accommodate this business she had no sooner received the Answer of the Infante but she wrot to him That the Resolution of his conforming himself to hâ—â— sentiments was very agreeable to her that she demanded of him an assurance signed by him for the person and for the honour of the Count so soon as he shall be removed from Court and that he would never more speak of his complaint They promising him on their side that the Count should go away as soon as they should have this assurance for he desired nothing more than his Favour And besides that he might quit the Court with the less embroilemen the would of himself lay down the charge of Escrivaon de Puridade To this Billet which they judged to be dictated by the Favourite the Infante made this Answer That prostrate at the feet of her Majesty he rendred her a Thousand most humble Thanks for the Honour and the Favour which she had done him in employing her Royal Authority for the
him know that he should come to the Councel but as they came not from the King nor with the ordinary Formalities he would not go The Favourites seeing this Artifice was unprofitable to them they made use of another they made the King write a Letter to the Infante which they sent him by Antony de Mendosa Archbishop of Lisbon containing these words Most honoured Infante my most beloved and most esteemed Brother I the King wish you health c. I have judg'd it convenient to order you by this Letter to come to speak with me this day and I shall be glad that it be presently because I would testifie to you publickly as being a thing that is but just that all the world should know that I have your person in that esteem which I ought as your King your Brother and your Father whose place I hold Also you may act near me after the manner that you have demanded by the intercession of the Queen whom I honour above all Queens as my most beloved and most esteemed Wife The Infante having reflected on this Letter doubted yet whether he should go to the Palace although the King had so order'd him but having conder'd that after he had declared he did not go to the Council because he was forbid if he should not now go at this time when he was recall'd with honour they would say it was his mind to be separated from the King To hinder this he went thither but was received with the same coldness as formerly But even in the middle of the Tempest that was raised against the Infante there was stirr'd up another more furious against the Queen Antoniy de Sousa de Macedo Secretary of State solicited his re-establishment demanding at least that he might be permitted to appear in the Palace where all the world knew he was hid The King having already made for that some instances the Queen let him know that it stood not with her Honour he should return so soon upon this they would not at this time press the matter any further Sometime after he spake again of it to the Queen which made her to answer him that he might by his absolute power cause him to return but it should never be by her consent so that they were obliged to approve of the Repeal of the Secretary by the same Council of State who had order'd his Exile This was no sooner done but they sent this Conclusion to the Queen which seem'd to have been dictated by the Secretary the discourse being the same with that of the contestation he had with her And as all that which hapned afterwards in the State drew its original from the Complaint of the Queen it is very convenient to render publick the Conclusion which was in these terms The contestation that the Secretary Antony de Sousa de Macedo hath had with the Queen our Soveraign having been proposed to the under-subscribing Ministers conforming to that which he hath represented and the Princess remonstiated to us in that he did forget the Respect he owed to her it hath seemed to us altho the Secretary hath justified himself that he had no ill intention to the Queen our Soveraign and that his intention was but to perswade her Majesty that the Portugal Nation had no other intention than to honour her Majesty and not to treat her as she had complain'd that the King our Lord ought to order the Secretary of State to retire himself from Court for ten or twelve days and that during that time Antonio de Cavide exercise his charge and remonstrate to the Queen our Soveraign that he doth this only to content her on condition however that she henceforward never engage her self in the like contestations because of the evil sequels which may happen thereupon in the State as affairs stand and that this advice may serve as well for the present as for the time to come At Lisbon Aug. 31. 1667. This Decree was no sooner seen by the Queen but for answer she sent this Letter to the King who was at the Council by Emanuel de Sousa de Silva Superintendant of her House I have not been able to represent to your Majesty and the Council of State the just subject of my resentment no more than the strange motive of my complaint because that even to this present they have maliciously concealed from me the Conclusion that had been made upon this subject but having in the end seen it that which it contains hath cast me into an extraordinary astonishment had I had sooner notice of it I had at first represented to your Majesty the injury my Honour hath thereby received in remonstrating the justice of my Complaint But assoon as I knew what the Councel has determined notwithstanding all the assurance that I may have as Queen I complain to your Majesty with all the humility of a Subject demanding of you that Justice which might be expected by any particular person against the temerity which Anthony de Sousa de Macedo hath calumniated me with in assuring most maliciously the Councellors of State that in the Contestation which he had with me I should speak against the whole Nation of the Portugues although he knows very well as I do also declare unto your Majesty who ought to believe the Faith and Word of a Queen that I did never speak to him but most obligeingly of the Sentiments and Interests of the Nation and that it was only against the proceeding of Anthony de Sousa and two or three of his Friends who had treated me unworthily that I shewed any resentment For in fine can any one behold a thing more astonishing than the boldness of this man who dares upon a supposition that has not the least likelihood of Truth and upon a gross lie fill'd with Calumny solicit and obtain secretly a conclusion of the Councel of State so injurious to a Queen since it is manifest that my Heart hath not been touch'd with any thing more than with the marks of Love Respect and Compassion which on all occasions have been paid to me by all the Portugals whom I esteem and love as my Children and that it is only the malice and cruelty of two or three who oblige me by their Insolencies to treat them as my Capital Enemies After all this my Lord after I have declared and protested as I do again that I shall never for the time to come be able to see a man who hath by artifice and under colour of a false report obtained against me a determination so odious and from which they have framed an Act so scandalous full of reprehensions and menaces humbly prostrate at the feet of your Majesty I do demand of you reparation and satisfaction upon my Complaint and that you will be pleased to ordain Anthony de Sousa de Macedo adjudg'd and punish'd according to the Rigour of the Laws established against those guilty of High-Treason and that above all things