other claimers whatsoever in regard of her both being born and married within the kingdom But Phillip the second King of Spain who was the eight pretender having employed all the best wits in Christendom to confute and disprove all other claimes and prove and maintain his wanted not some objections against this alledging That the successions of Crowns were to be decided by the Law of Nations not of the Empire upon which onely her jus representandi Patrem was grounded that the nearest male in degree to the late possessor ought to succeed that the Infante Don Edward being deceased before his brother Henry was King could have no right in himself and therefore could derive none to his posterity for nemâ— dat quod in se non habet that it was very unreasonable that Catharine should be less prejudiced in her self for her sex then King Phillip should be for his mother PHILLIP the II. II. III. IV. of that Name KINGS OF SPAIN And 18. 19. 20. KINGS of PORTVGAL BUt it was no Arguments could confute or annul the certain and indubitable right of the Dutchess of Braganza which was clear to the World both by her descent and by the fundamental Laws of the Nation and this King Phillip knew well and therefore though he carried on his affairs very candidly to the eyes of men and seemed unbyassed with proper Interest by offering to submit his Title to a disputation â—â—ofessing that the Laws of Portugal were more favorable to him then the Law of Castile and openly acknowledging that if he should chance to die before King Henry his eldest Son being a degree farther off would come behinde some of the pretenders of whom himself had the precedence Though I say he carried himself thus fair to the world yet he clandestinely wrought with Father Leon Henriques a Jesuite and Confessor to king Henry and Ferdinando Castillo a Dominican and of the Kings bosom Councel to endeavor by all means possible to divert all Designs in prejudice of his Claims and especially that Catherine Dutchess of Braganza might not by Henry be declared to be the next Heir apparent which he conscious of the justice of the Title was very willing to have done And whilest these two Fathers prosecuted his interest there with the old and almost doting King Henry the vigilant Phillip provided an Army in readiness with which he resolved to enter into Portugal and with his sword make good his disputable Title as soon as that old Kings death should give him the Warning piece to fall on Yet when that was given and Phillip ready to march with an Army of twenty thousand men into Portugal he had like to have been prevented for Pope Gregory the Thirteenth pretending still his right to Dispose or at least to Arbitrate all Difference concerning that Crown had sent Cardinal Riario Legat Apostolique with Order to disswade the Catholick King from raising Arms and that done to pass intâ— â—ortugal and in his Holiness name and behalf to Arbitrate the Right between all Pretenders which designs of the Popes this crafty Spanish Fox circumvented for having pre-advice of it and resolving to pursue his own intentions of assuring to himself the kingdom of Portugal and yet approve himself an obedient Son of the Church he gave order in all places where the Legat was to pass he should be most magnificently entertained so that by such sumptuous Treatments the time might be dexterously protracted and he possessed of that kingdom before the Legat arrived at Court which was accordingly done and the Legat returned thanks for his magnificent Entertainments though he was displeased at the ill success of his Negotiation But to proceed to the maner of his possessing himself of this kingdom No sooner did the News arrive at the Spanish Court of the death of King Henry but Ferdinand de Teledo Duke D' Alva was commanded with an Army of twenty thousand men to march toward Lisbon and in the Name and Right of his Catholick Majesty to make Conquest of the kingdom if he found opposition But all the appearance of opposition which he found was made by Don Antonio the Bastard Son of Lewis the Infante who having got into Lisbon in the Head of a tumultuary Rabble rather than a well-formed Army endeavored at first to make some resistance but was soon discomfited and the suburbs of Lisbon being sacked to satisfie the soldiers the City was surrendred to him whither soon after the King came and so by a mixt Title of Descent and Arms took possession of the kingdom Anno 1510. Katherine Dutchess of Braganza being enforced to surrender to him all her interest and pretensions The Nobility and People of Portugal were without doubt extreamly amazed to see themselves so suddenly surprized and made subject to a Forein Prince and especially to a Prince of that Nation against whom they had a natural Antipathy but finding themselves in a condition not able to make any resistance they thought they should gain more by submitting freely to that King than by being forced to it and therefore they made their humble submission which Phillip met as it were half way and condescended in the General Assembly of Estates to be sworn to these Articles or Capitulations following I. That the said Phillip King of Spain c. should observe all the Laws Liberties Priviledges and Customs granted to the People by the former Kings of Portugal II. That the Vice-king or Governor should be always the Son Brother Uncle or Nephew of the King or else a Native of Portugal III. That all chief Offices of the Church or State should be bestowed upon the Natives of Portugal and not upon strangers likewise the Governments of all Towns and Places IV. That all Countries now belonging to the Portugal should so continue to the comodity and benefit of the Nation V. That the Portugal Nation should be admitted to all Offices in the Kings House as well as the Castilians VI. That because the King could not conveniently be always in Portugal he should send the Prince to be bred up amongst them These Articles were shut up or concluded with a blessing upon such kings as should observe and keep them and a curse on those who should break or violate them And some Authors likewise affirm that there was another Clause added to them signifying That in case which God forbid that the King which then was or his Successors should not observe this Agreement or should procure a Dispensation for this Oath the three States of the kingdom might freely deny subjection and obedience to the King without being guilty either of Perjury or Treason Though these Articles were thus sworn to and the Cardinal Albertus Archduke of Austria son to the Emperor and Nephew to the King of Spain appointed Vice-king of Portugal Phillip the second durst not inperson yet leave the kingdom for he perceived by their murmurs and visible discontents that their submission to him proceeded more out of fear then love
their souls He was equally strong and valiant nor was it ever known that the greatest danger 〈◊〉 strike terror into his undaunted minde he observed with a strict punctuality the rules of hoâ—nesty and justice and towards God he with 〈◊〉 ordinary piety was both zealous and reverâ—â—â— he made several Laws for the benefit 〈…〉 kingdom which are still continued among the Statutes of that Realm If he had not taken Arms against his father or if he had moderated his hatred to his 〈◊〉 or if he had not imbrued his hands in the 〈◊〉 blood of Agnesa envy it self coul◠〈◊〉 have found out any subject of blame in the 〈◊〉 course of his life he resembled his 〈…〉 many vertues but was much inferior to him in liberality his death happened to him in that condition when he had little reason to desire longer life for it was when he saw his actions of glory forgotten though he was yet alive for his subjects began onely to remember his faults which being fresh in memory made his loss the less lamented PEDRO The Eighth KING of PORTVGAL PEdro the first of that Name who succeeded his father Alfonso in the kingdom of Portugal was born at Lisbon in the year 1325. two years before his father came to sit at the heâ—m of government at the time of his being Crowned he was about the age of three and thirty years He was the onely male-childe that lived of four and some danger there was of him in his youth he being very sickly till he arrived to about eighteen years of age which made his father to be assured of a Successor for his Crown to defer the marriage of Leonora his youngest daughter to Pedro King of Arragon till he perceived him in a perfect measure of health He was about the age of one and twenty years married to Constance daughter to D. Iuan Emanuel by whom he had onely one son named Ferdinand who succeeded him in the kingdom and she as if she had onely come into the world to bear him and having performed that task died After the death of the Infante D. Pedro fell in love with Agnesa de Castro a most beautiful woman and descended of the blood Royal by her he had many children amongst whom one was Iohn who afterward was the first of that name King of Portugal this Lady being accused to King Alphonso at his return from his great Victory over the Moors nigh the River Saledo was by him for what crimes is unknown put to death which so incensed Pedro that he took up those Arms against his father which he laid not down till his death As soon as he was come to the Crown he brought to condigne punishment those who had wrongfully accused and counselled the Lady Agnesas death he afterwards renewed the old War betwixt his father and the King of Castile about the stopping of his espoused wife Constance But because the Pope had before made up this breach he by his Letters commands Piedro to desist from further prosecuting the War which he for the present obeys but soon after upon a slight pretence again enters into Castile with his Army whereupon an excommunication was thundred out against him which forced him to retire and to gain his Pardon turn his Army upon the Moors from whom he took the strong Port Town of Pharo in the kingdom of Algarve At his return home he fell sick and in the tenth year of his kingdom and about the three and fortieth of his age in September 1367. he died he was buried in the Cathedral of Lisbon not far distant from his father having caused before his death three Tombs to be erected on each side he caused the bodies of his wife Constance and the Lady Agnesa to be laid reserving the middle one for himself where he was accordingly buried He was a man of as comely a personage as any whatsoever of the Kings of Portugal of a sweet and affable disposition nor did he want any of his fathers vertues but one vice they both had which overshadowed all their vertues warring against their fathers FERDINAND The ninth KING of PORTVGAL FErdinand the first of that Name succeeded his father Pedro in the kingdoms of Portugal and Algarve he was born at Lisbon in the year one thousand three hundred forty seven and was the onely childe of Constance daughter of D. Iuan Emanuel He arrived at the Crown at the age of about two and twenty years in the year 1369. as soon as he had fininished the Ceremonies of his Coronation he prosecuted the War his father had begun against the Moors and in several battels drove them quite out of Algarve he built a Monastery upon a Promontory of Land called Cape St. Vincent now by us the Southern Cape which stretcheth it self out into the Atlantique sea He addicted himself to the planting and peopling of that kingdom distributing the waste Lands among the Inhabitants he repaired many Cities Towns and Castles which had been destroyed by the fury of the War he built several Churches and Monasteries in that kingdom all which he enriched with great Revenues but particularly a Monastery for Franciscan Friers erected in Silva the chief City of that Territory About this time it was that Pedro son of Alphonso the eleventh king of Castile having committed several tyrannical outrages intollerable to his subjects oppressing and destroying his subjects putting away and after murdering his wife daughter to Peter Duke of Burbon was by his bastard brother Henry chased out of his kingdom and forced to live an exile He at first seeks for aid to Ferdinand King of Portugal but in vain he next addresses himself to Edward the black Prince of Wales who was then at Burdeaux with an Army of thirty thousand men he consents to assist him and encountring Henry on the borders of Castile with near one hundred thousand men utterly discomfits him and establisht Pedro in the Throne who shortly after falling again to his former tyrannical courses is deserted by his subjects taken by his brother Henry and put to death Ferdinand had but one only daughter that survived named Beatrice who was married to Henry King of Castile and thereby excluded from the right of succession according to the Law made in the first Assembly Estates held at Lamâ—go in the reign of Alfonso the first King so that in this King ended the legitimate Line of Henry Duke of Lorrein This King had now reigned 18. years and lived forty when seized by a violent sickness he gave up the ghost in the year of our Lord God 1387. and was buried by his Ancestors in the Cathedral Church of Lisbon JOHN the 1. Tenth KING OF PORTVGAL JOhn the first bastard son to Pedro the first by Agnesa de Castro who succeeded Ferdinand in the kingdom was born in Lisbon in the year 1356. he was in his minority educated in the famous Conimbricense University where he addicted himself to all those studies which became a Prince
on his knees very earnestly begged a boon of him the King demanded what it was He answered that his Majesty would be pleased for some days to defer his Coronation The King wondring at â—o strange a request demanded what it did conâ—ern him To which he answered that it did â—ot onely concern him but all his Majesties â—aithful subjects and the whole kingdom of Portugal for that by his skill in Astrology he â—ad found that if he then proceeded to the Ceremony his reign would be both short and â—nfortunate At this the King was somewhat â—â—artled at first and seemed as if he would conâ—â—der of it but after very little deliberation â—ither out of magnanimity or mis-belief of that Art he commanded the Ceremony to proceed Whether this were true or no that he was â—hus forewarned cannot be confidently affirmed but most certain it is that in that short time of five years reign he was very unfortunate loosing several battels to the Moors in Africa and was in very great probability to â—ave utterly lost what ever his father had gained â—pon that Coast. He was married long before he came to the Crown and had four children to wit two males Ferdinand who died an Infant Alfonso who succeeded him in the kingdom and two â—emales Ioane married to the King of Castile â—nd Leon and Leonâ—ra married to the Empeâ—or Ferdinand and mother to the Emperor Maximilian He died after he had reigned five years and those with such bad success that it was thought â—y many to have accellerated his end He was â—ndifferent tale of stature of a reserved countenance and as reserved in his minde very wâ—lful in his resolves and refusing any counsel but most extreamly outragious when he was thwarted in any thing he had designed though with never so apparent symptomes of reason which many have attributed to be the cause of all his disasters ALFONSO the V. The Twelfth KING of PORTVGAL ALfonso the fifth his son and the twelfth King of Portugal who succeeded was born at Lisbon in or about the year of our Lord 1420. a Prince in whom appeared evident tokens of courage greatness and magnanimity even in his youngest years he came to the Crown about the age of one and twenty years in the year of our Lord 1441. and was no sooner setled in his kingdom but rigging out a Potent Fleet with an Army of about Thirty thousand men he passed into Barbary to prove if by his better fortune he could regain that hoâ—nor which his father most unfortunately had lost Nor was his success less then his desires oâ— then what his valor merited for having in several battels overthrown the Moors he aâ— â—ength per force took from them the strong Towns of Tanger Alcazar and Arzilla which he strongly fortified and engarisoned with Porâ—uguese Forces During his reign several Voyages were made to the new Islands or Azores where the Porâ—ugals now began to fortifie and inhabit as they did likewise in the Islands of the Madera Holy Port and Capo Verdâ— thus began this Nation by degrees to grow famous at sea by reason of their new discoveries and of the great Traffique they began to have King Alfonso left behind him several children two of which came to be Kings after him to wit Iohn his eldest son who succeeded him and Emanuel his second who reigned after his brother He was a Prince of a very affable and courteous disposition milde to all men and if he were not too merciful a man scarce guilty of any fault yet in the Wars he was as magnanimous as a Lion and fierce as a Tyger being often observed to hazard his own person somewhat too desperately He died at Lisbon in the forty third year of his reign and sixty fourth of his life in the year of our Lord 1484. JOHN the II. The Thirteenth KING of PORTVGAL JOhn the second succeeding to his father Alfonso the fifth was born about the year 1456. and entred into the Government of his kingdom at the age of about twenty eight years a Prince who being educated under his fathers arms could not but be partaker of some of his vertues an honorable emulation of which he showed in his first coming to the Crown by a prosperous expedition against the Moors At his return from Barbary Crowned with Victory he set out two Armata's to sea the gallantest and best accounted that ever Portugal had before that day seen the one directed his course to the Azores which Islands were now indifferently well peopled and began to afford a Traffique to the Portugal Nation from thence this fleet was to go and touch at the other Islands discovered by the Infante D. Henry in the Atlantique sea and supply them with necessaries The other fleet more Warlickly fitted and supplied with all sorts of necessaries both for War and Peace as designed both for a Conquest and Plantation steered its course along the Coast of Africa to Guiny where landing its Soldiers and Planters they soon drove away the heathenish Inhabitants fortified themselves and made an absolute Conquest of the Realms of Congo The fleet afterwards made discovery of that Coast as far as the Cape of Good-hope planting and fortifying as they went King Iohn having now reigned fourteen years with happy success in all the enterprises he undertook by an unfortunate accident came by his end for very much delighting in hunting which sport he was very eager at pursuing a Stag his horse leaping over a ditch gave him a violent fall of which in three days he died in the forty second year of his age and fourteenth of his reign leaving his kingdom by reason of his dying without any legitimate Issue to Emanuel his brother He was of a very swarthy complexion but withall of a pleasant countenance affable and courteous a great lover of Justice and more inclinâ—ble to severity then mercy he was especially careful in seeing the Laws against murder rigorously put in execution being often used to say that he who pardoned a murther did commit 〈◊〉 his great love to hunting made him not altogether so diligent in State-affairs as he ought to have been EMANUEL the I. Fourteenth KING of PORTVGAL EManuel who succeeded him was born in or about the year 1462. he took possession of the Crown of Portugal at the age of about thirty and two years a Prince who had been bred up in all sorts of learning that might make him either a Divine or a States-man At his first entrance in the Government he addicted himself so wholly to Religion that he took little care of the management of the kingdom affairs so that whilest he was never from Churches-duties both Church and State was likely to go to ruine by the evil administration of those Ministers whom he had entrusted The Arch Bishop of Lisbon who foresaw the ruine which approached to the kingdom by the Tyranny of the Officers of State presumed freely to tell the King that though 〈◊〉 could not blame his