to surrender when a Castellane who was there a prisoner and under sentence of death for the surrendry of a Fort in Brazile shut out the captain who was gone to parly with the Portugueses and resolved to defend it many days he might have held it out the siege but finding neither ammunition nor provision consumed as was believed on purpose by the Captain who unwilling to have the blot of a Traytor cast upon him for so suddain a delivery thought it fitter to be forced by necessity to open the gates to the Marquess After the surrendry of Fort San Giuliano the Marquess of Ferreira in the name of the King gave the Sacrament of Fidelity or an Oath of Allegiance to all the Orders to wit to the Clergy Nobility and Commons which was received with so much readiness that had not the Marquess seen the necessary orders observed the people had run into certain inconveniences so much they strived to prevent one another in willingness to perform this duty On Thursday the sixth of February His Majesty made his entrance into Lisbon with all these applauses that a beloved King can expect from his most loving Subjects The rich Liveries given by the Nobles the Triumphal Arches the Streets hung with Tapestry the multitudes of the people flocking to see him and the excellent Fire-works which were so many that a Spaniard cryed out Es possible que se quita un Reyno a el Rey D Felippe cun solas Luminarias vivas sinmas exerciâ—â— in Poder Gran senal y efeto sin Duda del Brazo de dios todo Poderoso Is it possible that King Phillip should be deprived of a Kingdom with onely lights and Fire-works without a powerful Army certainly this is an evident token that 't is the Almighty hand of God were the least demonstrations of that Cities love and joy so great was the concourse of those that flocked to see their new king that though his Majesty entred into the City by Noon he could not through the throng arrive at the Palace till two hours after Sun-set curiosity and love which usually have the force to stir up all affections made this people flock so fast to the sight of their Prince And because it is prudence in a publique joy to accomodate ones self to the will of the most even those who either for envy or some other cause hated the house of Braganza did not cease to make some demonstration of reverence and mirth and by how much the more they thought themselves observed by so much the more they strove to seem other then they were His Majesty being arrived at the Palace instead of reposing himself addicted himself wholly to consult about carrying on the war knowing well that onely labour produces true rest The first consultations were concerning the expugnation of the Tower of St. Iohn which of all the Forts in the kingdom only held out for the Catholick King To reduce this Cittadel the Marquess of Ferreira was sent in person with a numerous Army though for the most part tumultuary and ill ordered but what they wanted in discipline they supplyed in affection not refusing to engage themselves in the extreamest dangers for two days the Marquess found strong resistance but on the third day it yeilded as it is supposed forced rather by bullets of Gold then of Iron Don Antonio de Mascarendas with a Portuguese garrison was appointed commander of this Fortress which he very diligently repaired not onely of the dammages now received by Battery but with other necessary fortifications to bring it to greater perfection The Kingdom thus suddenly reduced to the devotion of King Iohn the fourth the several Governors were commanded to their Countries to levy Forces who listed the inhabitants indifferently from the age of Eighteen to Sixty in whom they found so much disposition that many offered their estates and their lives and would follow the Colours although they had licence to depart On the 25 of the same month followed the a Coronation of His Majesty accompanied with all those applauses and demonstrations of joy which could proceed from a people of infinite Riches who weary of the Command of strangers were consequently ambitious of a King of their own Nation In the publique Place before the Palace upon a most sumptuous Theater was erected a great Stage and upon that a less upon the top of which but three steps higher stood a Chair of State under a Canopy all covered over with Cloth of Gold About noon His Majesty came forth of his Palace Royal in a Suite of Chesnut coloured Velvet embroidered with Gold and buttons richly set with Diamonds about his neck was a Collar of great vallue whereunto hung the badge of the chief Order of Knight-hood called El Ordine di Christo. He was girded with a gilt Sword his Robe was Cloth of Gold lined with white wrought with Gold and flowers the Sword was born before him by Don Francisco De Alello Marquis of Ferreira High Constable of the Kingdom and before him was the Kings Banner displayed by Fernando Telles de Meneses Earl Marshal before him went D. Manrique De Silva Marquess of Govea Steward of the Kings Houshold and so in order his Nobles and Grandees of the Realm one before another before all went Portugal King at Arms with the Heralds Pursevants c. His Majesty being ascended the Stage and having placed himself in the Chair of Estate had the Crown set upon his Head and the Scepter delivered to him with the accustomed Ceremonies by the Archbishop of Lisbon which done he spoke to His Majesty to this effect Behold O most Sacred Majesty these your Subjects who do more rejoyce to see this day then of all the days of their lives They rejoyce to see the Crown of Portugal returned into its Ancient stock they rejoyce to have found a Father who will govern them like Children not Tyrannize over them like slaves They here Great SIR offer their estates their lives and oblige themselves to run through all the accidents of fortunes to establish that Crown upon your Head which now with so much devotion with so much readiness they have placed upon it They cannot sufficiently express their affections to Your Majesty could they bring their hearts and lay them down at your Majesties feet they would not refuse to do it so sure are they that they have found a King all goodness all love who will not let slip any means for the Establishing of the Crown for the quiet of His Subjects for augmenting his Dominions and for the conservation of those priviledges which have been written with the blood of our progenitors Be your Majesty graciously pleased to accept this common resentment expressed pressed by my mouth there being nothing that more comforts the mindes of good Subjects than the pleasing of their Prince The good old Prelate spoke these words with so much feeling that the tears of his eyes testified the affection of his heart To
succeeded his father Alfanso was born in Conimbria the eighth day of September 1207. bringing from the womb such mortal infirmities as made most believe he would sooner arrive at the grave then the Crown his mother having tried all humane remedies applied her self to divine making a vow to God that if he lived past his adolescency she would make him pass the hood of the Religion which vow she afterwards inviolably performed whence he was by the vulgar as ridiculous in words as judgement called Sancho Cucullato or the hooded Sancho He took upon him the administration of the Scepter at twenty six years of age not following the footsteps of his Predecessors in studying ways to govern the kingdom but spending all his time either in Hot-house or in a Bath or inventing other ways to recover his health Thus his infirmity having rendred him unapt to command and the weakness of his body having likewise weakned his wit and judgement he left both the rule of the kingdom and of himself to Ministers who governing according to their proper affections let him enjoy no more then the bare name of King He joyned himself in marriage with Messa Lopez who although she were of blood Royal yet was by much too inferior a match for King Sancho so much the rather in that she was widow to Alvaro de Castro a Cavalier of an ancient and Royal family but not to compare with the Kings of Portugal And he himself assented to this match more to satisfie his favorites then to any affection that he had to it which made the new Queen either to show her self grateful to those had wish'd her so well or rather because she nurst in her bosom some dishonest desire applied her self extreamly to favor the favorites of the King And these made proud by the love both of the King and Queen omitted no way to oppress the subjects to the prejudice of justice to the destruction of the State many of the prime Nobility made their complaints to the King representing to him the calamities of the people the oppression of the Nobles and the ruine of the kingdom if he did not with a resolute hand put a stop to the rashness of those wicked men who were bringing a deluge of miseries upon his Dominions The King at these complaints was extreamly moved and overcome by the goodness of his own nature had resolved to chastise to publick a crime with a publique punishment but the Queen with her Artifices easily changed the opinion of her husband and made him believe that those accusations proceeded from envy not from truth whereupon laying the complaints of the other aside these State-mothes onely triumph in his love and in his faith This made several Prelates incontaminated with their own interest but moved out of a real affection to their Country acquaint the Pope with the weakness of the King and the plots of the Queen adjoyning that the marriage was celebrated in a prohibited degree there being between them too near consanguinity and that nevertheless they had not sought to the Apostolick seat for a dispensation Hereupon Gregory the ninth with exhortations and admonitions prefixed a time to king Sancho to free himself from his wife and withall to this purpose sends as his Legat Apostolique the Bishop of Sabina At the appearance of the Bishop the King made show of an humble and ready obedience but he being returned he again receives his Queen into his embraces from whence the simple believed that he was either bewitched or had had some amorous potion administred to him The Queens favorites now again restored gave themselves over to exercise the greatest insolencies imaginable they despoiled the people disposed Offices at pleasure made Justice it self follow their humors nor did there remain any thing either humane or divine which was not contaminated either by their cruelty or avarice Hereupon a great part of the Commonalty no longer able to comport their insolencies led on by Rannondo Viego took Arms and coming in a tumultuous maner to the Palace forced away the Queen carrying her prisoner to a Castle upon the confines of the kingdom where they did not fear neither the authority nor force of the King And because not onely the licentiousness of the Queen but the weakness of the King did concur to the destruction of the kingdom some Prelates had again recourse to the Pope who in a Synod then sitting with the consent of all decreed That Alfonso brother of the King should be called from Bologna to govern the kingdom and to remedy those disorders which had near brought it to utter destruction Alfonso comes and with Arms in his hand possesses himself of the greatest part of the kingdom whilest Sancho seeing himself abandoned of all and hopeless of any help from the Castilian Army cast down in minde he gives leave to those few soldiers which were with him to depart and retires to Toledo where addicting himself wholly to devotion with an admirable patience seems to rejoyce at his private life Being setled in Toledo he dispences with a large hand to the poor those riches he had brought from Portugal he builds a little Temple wherein day and night with uninterrupted supplications he recommends himself to God and implores his mercy there never issuing out of his mouth a word of resentment or grief for his change of condition and although provoked by the insolencies of some who despised Royal Majesty without a kingdom he never expressed himself but in words of mildness and goodness Whilest he in Toledo exercised these actions of true patience many of his Subjects did demonstrate signs of as great fidelity The Governors left by him would never abandon his service nor yield up those places they had received in charge from him neither could the prayers of their fellow-subjects nor the spiritual thundrings of his Holiness the Pope nor the vigorous Arms of Don Alfonso remove them from their resolution with a generous faith they sustained all the Dangers and Disasters of long and tedious Sieges till they received Advice of Sancho's Death The one of these was Ferdinando Paceico who resolved to die before he would render up the Fortress to him consigned The other named Martino Freira who after a years being besieged in Conimbria being advised by Alfonso of his brothers death he desiring a Truce posted to Toledo and causing the Sepulchre of King Sancho to be opened put the key of the Castle into his hand and afterwards returning gives it to Alfonso excusing himself that he could not before show the desires of his heart to serve him he being obliged to what he did by his oath and by his faith Alfonso perceiving this noble generosity in him confirmed him in the Command without seeking any further of him than an inviolable Sacrament Martino returned thanks to the king for his so great love but refused the Government King Sancho the Second died in the year 1245. at 39 years of age
publique thanks to be given and Te Deum to be sung in all Churches Hopes to revenge the late defeat given by the Lord Therimicourt and desire to do some valiant act before he departed from his Government made the Marquess of Leganez governour of the Spanish forces at Estramadura give an Alarum to the Portuguese Frontiers and enter into the Country with two thousand horse and 6000 foot but the valiant Count of St. Laurence assaulting him forced him to retire with shame and excuse himself that he marched out onely to meet the Marquess of Mortare who was appointed to succeed him in the Government Yet this small and worthless Alarum made the King of Portugal who knew that too much care could not be had of the safety of his Kingdom to send Orders to the Governors to look more exactly to the countries committed to their charges then formerly and strictly to give charge to Don Iuan de Menezez Governour of Porto The Viscount Ponte de Lima Governour of the countries between Douro and Mimbo to the Count of Arogna Governor of Trasmontes and Don Roderigo de Castro Governour of Beira to repair with all expedition to their several Commands Nor was his Majesty less careful of his dominions abroad then of those neer home which made him dispatch the Baron of Alviro to be Governour of Tanger and D. Franciso De Norogna to Mazagan both strong Forts in Africa the last of which had been neer surprized by the Moors of Barbary but the Commander of that party which assaulted it being slain by a valorous French-man they were beaten off with loss for which service the King bestowed upon the French-man a pension of six hundred Crowns per annum And whilst His Majesty was distributing his bounties he could not forget the Lady Dona Maria Manuel widdow to the some-time before deceased D. Antonio Coello D. Caravallio who had ever since His Majesties coming to the Crown been one of His Privy-Councellors and was one of the chief persons that went Ambassadors into France to renew the Alliance and conclude a firm League between the King of Portugal and Lewis the thirteenth King of France His Majesty therefore in consideration of his services bestowed a valuable pension on his aforesaid widdow There was almost dayly inroads made upon the Frontiers in some places or other amongst the rest the Baron of Themericourt entred with a strong party into the Spanish Territories surprized the Suburbs of the City of Albuquerque and brought away a very rich booty without the loss of so much as one souldier upon the place and not above twenty wounded The succor of the distressed Subjects of the more distressed King of England about the year 1650. gave occasion to the King of Portugal to manifest his affection to the English Nation which he did by giving assistance to the gallant Prince Rupert who being by His Majesty of England made Admiral of those few ships which in the year 1648. returned to their Allegiance had ever since been pursued by the more poâ—ent Fleets of the English Rebels and was now by them driven to seek the protection of his Portugal Majesty who notwithstanding that the Fleet of the Rebels with threatning Bravado's demanded the said Kings leave either to assault them in his port or to force them to come out bravely protected them under his Castles In revenge of which the Rebels of England who stiled themselves a Parliment proclaimed an open War with the Portugal Nation which His Majesty notwithstanding his great engagement at that present both against the Spaniards at home and the Hollanders on the other side the Line resolved to endure rather then deliver up the faithful Subjects of England into the hands of Murther Tyranny and Treason and therefore in part to cry quittance with the English who had taken Prize several Ships belonging to this Nation he made seizure of all the English Ships and goods within his whole dominions but onely those he had before protected But at length Prince Rupert finding a clear passage from out his ports where he had for many months been blocked up the King by reason of his other large expences in defence of his Kingdom finding himself unable to maintain a War against the English and nature dictating us to the preservation of our selves resolved more moved out of necessity then inclination to send an Agent into England to conclude a peace The person deputed to go on this unpleasant imployment viz to court Rebels was D. Suarez de Gimeraines who had for his assistance and interpreter Mr. Myles and English Merchant these two embarqued upon a Hamburger hired for that purpose by the King of Portugal arrived in England in Ianuary 1650. About the beginning of Feburary D. Suarez had audience before a Committee of the pretended Parliament to whom he made a Speech in Latine to this effect THe Serenissimo King of Portugal my Master sends me hither to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England that on his behalf and in his name having first most friendly saluted you as I now do with the greatest affection of my heart that I am able I may joyntly tender and make known to you the Royal desire which my Master feels within himself to conserve and more and more to knit the knot of that Amity which uninterrupted hath ever been between the Serenissimo Kings of Portugals their Ancestors and this renowned English Nation It being my part to endeavor what lies in me to remove all obstacles that may hinder the most vigorous effect of this hearty union and conjunction of minds so to preserve inviolably the ancient peace between us This I come to continue hoping and wishing all happy success therein this I come to intimate and offer unto the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England with that sincere and pristine affection which hitherto the experience of many ages hath made manifest Nor shall you need to scruple the sincerity of my intention and purpose by reason of the divers past attempts not to say fights between your power and ours since they have not been such as have broken or dissolved our amity nor have had their rise or approbation from the King my Master nor as we believe from the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England but more probably carried on either by the impulse of their own private affections or by the defect of that circumspection which in such cases is ever necessary But as I hope particularly and fully to prove indeed to demonstrate this truth unto the Parliament of the Republique of England so I am assured they will not onely rest satisfied therein but shall also have accruing to them a newer force and sence of mutual friendship between us since the jarrs that happen amongst friends are oftentimes justly accounted as certain redintigrations of love And I do admire our enemies have not made this reflection whilst fed with vain hope they have thought it in their power to sow and
this speech of the Archbishops His Majesty returned answer in expressions equal to his love and greatness That the weight of the Scepter and subjection to the Crown were things always dissonant to his Genius That he had of late years given them sufficient testimony of it whilst they were not more affectionate in offering then he was ready to deny the taking upon him the weight of the Kingdom That his now condescending to their desires was onely to provide for the kingdom which had been acquisted and agrandized with the blood of his Predecessors and to take it from the hands of those who besides their unjustly possessing it had rendred themselves unworthy of it by endeavouring by all means to ruine it in sum he concluded with thanks for their love offering himself ready to adventure his health and life for their preservation the redeeming them from slavery and maintaining of their priviledges This short discourse ended His Majesty went to the great Church in the same order as before where being set in a Chair of Estate raised upon a Stage for that purpose with a Christal Scepter in his right hand at which stood the Lord Constable and behind him the Lord Chamberlain there was placed before him a Table Covered with Cloth of Gold and a Cushion thereon upon the Cushion lay a Gold Crucifix and a Messal Here the Archbishops of Lisbon and Braga administred the ensuing Oath to the King WE swear and promise by the grace of God to rule and govern you well and justly and to administer justice as far as humane frailty will permit to maintain unto you your Customs Priviledges and liberties granted unto you by the Kings our Predecessors So God help us God and this his holy Gospel This Oath being administred the three Estates to wit the Clergy Nobility and Commons took the following Oath of Allegiance to his Majesty one for every one of the Estates pronouncing these words I Swear by this holy Gospel of God touching corporally with my hand That I receive for our King and lawful Soveraign the High and Mighty King Don John the fourth our Soveraign and do homage unto him according to the use and custom of his Kingdoms This and the Ceremonies attendant ended his Majesty accompanied with all his Nobles returned to his Palace whether notwithstanding it was a very great rain all the Grandees went bare-headed where there was a most sumptuous Banquet prepared but his Majesty gave himself wholly to consult of preparations for the War shewing thereby that Kings in their greatest felicity and delights should not forget affairs of State and taking care for the preservation of their Subjects But amongst debates of the War abroad there happened one of an affair neer home concerning the placing or displacing Officers of State and because His Majesty knew that the charge of such Officers must needs be with the resentment of many and that there is nothing more alienates the minds of men then to see themselves undeservedly deprived of their honors he took away onely the places of two to wit that of the Providitore of the Custom-house because he was Son in Law to Diego Soarez and brother in Law to Vasconsellos the late deservedly slain Secretary and that of the Count of Castanhie who was President of the Tribunal or Court of Conscience because he was too much interessed with His Catholick Majesty As for the Infanta Margarita di Mantoua late Vice-Queen and the Marquess Della Puebla kinsman to Olivarez the Castle called Pasos de Angiobregas was assigned them with fourteen thousand Crowns a year for maintenance An honorable prison it was nor could they desire any thing but liberty which show'd a great nobleness of minde in King Iohn but Princes always do like Princes and much it demonstrates the Magnanimity of the mind to honor our enemies though they be our prisoners Nor must we here forget the magnanimous and couragious Carriage of the Dutchess of Mantoua late Vice-Queen during these confusions and distractions for King Iohn sending to ascertain her that she should want none of those civilities that were suitable to a Princess of her high birth provided she would forbear all discourse and practises which might infuse into any an ill opinion of his present Government She returned thanks to the Duke for she would not stile him King for his complement but withal fell into a grave Exhortation to those Nobles that carried the message telling them That they should lay aside all vain hopes and not cozen themselves but return to their old Allegiance according as they were obliged by Oath which if they did she doubted not to finde them all pardon The rest of the Castilians of Authority were confined in the Castle and all the souldiers took the Portuguese pay either because they believed doing so to be most for their interest or else because being most of them linkt in parentage with the Portugusses they believed the Portugal interest to be their own Shortly after Lucia now Queen of Portugal Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia with her Son the Prince Theodosio arrived at Lisbon who were received with all imaginable expressions of joy the Queen was soon after solemnly crowned and the Prince installed at whose installation the Nobles and Grandees of the Realm took to him the following Oath WE acknowledge and receive for our true and natural Prince the high and excellent Prince D. Theodosio as Son Heir and Successor of our Soveraign Lord the King and as his true and natural Subjects we do him homage in the hands of the King and after the death of our true and natural King and Soveraign of these Kingdomes of Portugal and Algarve and beyond Sea in Affrica Lord of Guiana of the Conquests Navigations and Commerce in Ethiopia Arabia Persia India c. we will obey his Commands and Decrees in all and through all both high and low we will make War and maintain Peace with all those that His Highness shall Command us And all this we swear to God upon the holy Cross and the holy Gospel These Ceremonies performed withal fitting solemnity the King to show that the good of His Subjects was his onely care called an Assembly of the three Estates of the Kingdom who being convened and the King seated in His Royal Throne Don Emanuel D' Acugna Bishop of Elvas made a Speech to them to the following purpose THat one of the first laws of nature was the uniting of men together from whence Cities and Kingdoms had their Original and by which they after defended themselves in War and maintained themselves in Peace That for that cause His Majesty had called this assembly to consult for the better service of God defence in War and Government in Peace That there could be no service of God without union of Religion no defence without union amongst men no Regular Government without union of Councils That His Majesty did expect to be informed by his loyal Subjects what was for