the Marquis de Villa real the Duke de Camigna his son the Count de Armamac and D. Augustin Manuele were led along a Gallery made of purpose to the Scaffold whereupon were built two stories one above another upon the uppermost there were placed two chairs upon the second story one chair and upon the Skaffold it self another First was led forth the Marquiss in a long black baies cloak and his servants in mourning who after he had prayed for a good space upon his knees rose up and having made a long speech demanded if there were no hopes of pardon upon which all the people cryed out let him die let him die for a Traytor then the Executioner according to the manner with a loud voice proclaimed This is the Justice that the King our Soveraign Lord commands to be executed upon the person of Don Lewes de Meneses sometime Marquiss of Villa Real that his throat be cut as a Traytor to his Majesty Nobility and people of this Kingdom that for his crime his goods be confiscated and his memory banished out of the world Whereat all the people cryed Justice which the Marquiss hearing with much gravity demanded pardon of all the spectators desiring them to assist him with their prayers to God for a pardon of this and all his other sins then turning to a father Jesuit his Confessor prayed him that in his behalf he would present himself at his Majesties feet and beseech him out of his goodness that he would vouchsafe to forgive him this hainous offence committed against him and the whole Kingdom after which sitting down in the chair his arms and legs were tied to the arms and legs of the chair then leaning his head over the back of the chair the Executioner with a knife cut his throat after covering him with a black silk In the same manner upon the same Skaffold appeared his son the Duke of Camigna attended with all his servants in mourning passing by his fathers corps he kneeled down and several times kissed his feet begging of the people the suffrage of one Pater noster for his fathers soul then sitting down in the other chair after the proclamation of the Executioner received the same punishment The Judges would have had both their necks to be cut behind but his Majesty would not give way thereunto being a punishment too ignominious in Portugal for persons of their quality After these appeared the Count of Armamac attended with one only servant who in the chair placed in the lower story received the same punishment as also D. Augustin Manuele upon the skaffold below The same day Pietro de Baeza and one Melchior Correa de Franca being drawn at an horse tail to the place of execution were hanged upon a gallowes extraordinary high Upon a lower gallowes in the same place were hanged Diego de Brito Nabo and Antonio Valente the quarters of these four last mentioned were hung up at the gates of the City and their heads set up near the frontiers of the Kingdom In September following for the same crime were likewise executed Antonio Cogamigno and Antonio Correa the later of which all the time of his imprisonment was an example of penitence feeding only upon bread and water and whipping himself every day with continual prayers to God for pardon of that and his other sins The Archbishop of Braga the Bishop of Martiria and the Bishop of Malacca and Fryer Emanuel de Macedo although they were complices in the same conspiracy yet because they were Ecclesiastical persons were not put to death as they deserved but reserved in prison untill the Popes pleasure were known concerning them The Archbishop during his imprisonment did oft acknowledg his offence by Letters to his Majesty desiring that himself might suffer so that the others might be spared in regard that what they had done was rather in obedience to him then ill will to his Majesty Upon his death-bed in prison which happened about three years after the fact committed he gave order that so soon as he was dead his last Will and Testament should be carried to the King wherein he besought his Majesty that he would vouchsafe of his goodness to pardon him the Treason committed by him against his Majesty and his native Country and that he would let his body be buried without the Church of any parish of Lisbon without any inscription or tombe stone that so there might remain no memory of a man that had been a Traytor to his King and to his Country A good example of Christian humility and of admonition to others not to meddle with the like affairs for attempts of this nature are like hot irons which insteed of heating scorch the hands of those that handle them This so exemplary punishment and rigorous justice inflicted upon the forenamed delinquents did not only establish the Kingdom and secure the Family and Person of the King but also strook a terror into all the Kings Enemies if there were any left and excited the Kings friends to love him and watch over him the more diligently The mutual incursions upon the frontiers between the Castillians and Portugals still continued with great animosity and violence About this time although there was a truce concluded between Portugal and Holland as afore expressed and a great Navy sent from Holland to assist the Portugal against the Spaniard yet there passed high acts of hostility between the two Nations in Africa and America beyond the Line for the Hollanders seeing the disunion of Portugal from Castile made all possible haste to finish the conquest of those parts before a perfect peace should be concluded with Portugal that so in the Treaty they might pretend reason that all things should continue in the state they were then found to this end during all quiet and peaceable commerce between the two Nations in the Kingdom of Angola the Hollander surprised the Portugals that were Governors of the place killing divers and robbing all of the great wealth there found of which perfidiousnesse and of the barbarous usage towards the prisoners there taken complaint was made to the States at the Hague but without any satisfaction In the mean time the Catholick King was very sollicitous for the recovery of Portugal for the effecting whereof he did not consult only with his greatest Statists at home but also with those abroad from one of whom he received this ensuing Letter By the Letter which your Majesty was pleased to write unto me on the 6 of March past I am commanded to deliver my advice touching the best expedient for the recovery of Portugal Sir the Clemency used by King Philip the second your Majesties Grandfather towards the Kingdom of Portugal was a fatal presage of the present calamities and future destruct on not only of Spain but the whole Spanish Monarchy because that Kingdom was only in name but never really Conquered remaining rich and aboundant with the same if not greater priviledges then
Michael Molina to be hanged on a gallowes and his goods to be confiscated to the Kings use the execution whereof they leave to the Lord Judge D. John de Quinnoues and this is their will and pleasure This sentence was made known to the prisoner upon the first of August and execution done accordingly in the Plaça Major of Madrid the third day following at which time and place the Proclamation usually made at the execution was thus THis is the Justice which the King our Soveraigne Lord commandeth to be done upon this man for having committed high treason and published falsities forgeries and horrible cheats on the affaires and grave ministers of state for which he commands that he be hanged by the neck till he die to the end that it may be to him for a punishment and to others an example then concludes Quien tal haze tal pague He that thus doeth let him thus pay for the same As he stood upon the ladder ready to be turned off he delivered in writing to father Andrew Emanuel of the Society of Jesus a declaration the contents whereof ensueth word for word LOyall subjects of our soveraigne Lord the King I am Michael de Molina born at Cuenca the grievousnes of my crimes is so great that a punishment can hardly be invented to equalize mine offences against God against our soveraigne Lord the King whom God preserve against the Emperour against my native country against the Lord Duke de Olivarez and Sant Lucar against the most grave faithfull and loyall Ministers of state whom I have discredited with my forgeries and lies The clemency of the King our soveraigne whom God preserve hath been very eminent in sentencing me so mercifully God grant to whom I now goe to render a strict account that there be found mercy for me in the life to come and that I then pay not for the clemency shewed me here I do here declare and confesse upon mine own free will that not having the feare of God nor man before mine eyes I have been the cause of the gretest part of the mischiefes that this Monarchy suffereth and of those calamities and miseryes which you faithfull people yet suffer for which I humbly beg pardon of all those that are absent as well as of you here present For I am the man that feigned that the King our soveraigne Lord whom God preserve and the Emperour instigated thereunto by the Lord Duke of Saint Lucar and fomented by him did plot the death of our most holy father Urban the 8 th Pope head of the Church and vicar of Christ for which purpose I invented and contrived orders of the King our soveraign and of the Emperour letters from the Duke Orders instructions and judgments of the Counsellours of State with letters from Vice Royes and Embassadours with purpose to abuse and deceive the Nuntio and the Embassadours of severall Princes and thereby to get money from them not caring for the dammage might arise and accrue from thence to the world and to this Monarchy and not contented here with I invented that in case the said death could not be effected that then endeavour should be to call a Councell and to depose the Pope or make a schisme in the Church I invented and forged that the Lord Duke did by order from the King the Emperour and the Counsell of state endevour to kill the Cardinal Richelieu Favorit to the most Christian King of France for which purpose and for the death of the Pope I feigned persons that were to have been instruments of the same I gave notice to the Ambassadours hereof shewing them letters and Orders which I feigned as I judged meet I made them believe that I was an Officer of the Counsell of state and that by that means I came to the knowledg of these plots and conspiracies whereby I have disturbed the world caused jealousyes and suspitions amongst all the Princes of Europe and the mischiefs that this Monarchy now suffereth I also advertised the Embassadours and the enemies of this state of letters consults orders and decrees made by the King and Counsell for driving the French out of Piemont the Correspondencies of the Cardinal of Savoy with the subjects of that state for effectuating the same the coming of Prince Thomas from Flanders to Savoy for the same purpose and to lay siege to Casal of an Army to be raysed and maintayned in Alsatia of an intention to kill Duke Bernard de Weimar General of the Swedes the intentions of the King our Soveraign with the states of Venice and Genoa concerning Piemont and Casal the purpose of supplies which both states of Venice and Genoa would send to France and Holland and the intentions of the Pope to assist France against Spain the intent of England to â—â—gue with Spain the purpose that the French and Hollanders had to joyn their fleets to hinder all succours of Flanders and to surprise the plate fleet and infect the coasts of Spain the design that the Hollander had upon Antwerp in the year 1638. the successe of Fontarabie whereupon I feigned letters from the Prince of Conde and from the Duchesse de Cheverâ—use also concerning the imprisonment of Don Gualterio Peni Secretary and Resident for France in this Court with whom I had intimate friendship which was the ground of all these disasters of the secret compliance between the Cardinall Infante and the Prince of Orenge of the conspirarcy by the Prince of Orenge to kill the Cardinal Richelieu the design of Holland that the States of Flanders should be independent of Spain and our King should renounce his right to the Cardinall Infanta to the end the Hollanders should receive him and subject themselves to him of the capitulations and agreement twixt the King our Sov and the Duke of Modena whereby I feigned that the said Duke was to assist with six thousand men at his own charge against France and that the King was to give him the charge of Viceroy of Catalonia and twenty thousand souldiers to enter into France by Catalonia which was the first ground of the warr at Salsas and Perpignian the key of Catalonia of the general resolutions of the year 1639. in order to the affayres of Germany Flanders and Italy of the purpose to take away the Nuntio's Court in these kingdomes for the disorders and excesses of the same of the great resentments of the King our soveraign against the King of France for his leagueing with the Swedes his confederation with the Turks and Protestant Princes of Germany for his protection and league with Holland for his commerce with Venice and Genoa to the great discommodity of Spain for the disunion which he endeavoured to make between Spain and England of the resentment that the King our Soverain had against the Pope for his amity and assisting of France and not his endeavouring rather as a father of the whole Church to pacify the warres by all meanes possible of the
so that Olivarez now was said to bee sole Servant as sole Master of his Catholique Majesty at which time he was in his third Seventh year or grand Climacterical of his Favor for he declined and fell soon after beyond the hopes and expectation but on this side the desires and wishes of the wâ—ole Monarchy Because the Fall of this huge tall Cedar was so late and eminent the manner of his Fall the Ropes and Engines made use of together with the Persons that put their Hands to this work shall bee more particularly related The favour of the Count Olivarez duke of St Lucar which had continued twenty two yeares had cast so deep roots in the heart of the King that all the world believed it to be as immoveable as the old Oak that resists all storms and that it was never to be shaken neither by the Winds of Envie nor the Whirlwinds of persecution nor yet by the Tempests which of ten arise in Kings Courts by the conspiracies and conjurations of those who are ambitious of rule that which upheld this common conceite was the naturall inclination which the King had from his youth to the person and rare endowments of the Lord Duke an inclination which proceeded as some judged rather out of a kinde of respect then bare amity because the affection towards him which upon all ocasions he expressed was not a token of singular love only but of a certain fear to doe any thing that might give the least disgust to him which was no small diminution of his Royal greatnes and seemed to overthrow the very order which Nature and the lawes doth establish twixt King and subject insomuch that some out of respect to his Majesty would not question his prudence but rather believe and publish that this so strong passion could not be effected without some kind of witchcraft but the Dukes known vertues were sufficient to convince such popular slanders The first motives of the disgrace of the Lord Duke were the unfortunate successes of the Monarchy of Spain whilst he had the managing thereof In the losse of Ormus Goa and all those other vast dominions in the East Indies the losse of Brasile and the Terceras Ilands of the Kingdome of Portugal and the Principality of Catalonia the two most populous and fertile parts of all that Continent of Rossillion and a part of Burgundy of Hesdin and Arras in Flanders of divers strong Towns in Luxemburg of that most important Place Brisach The impoverishment and almost ruin of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicily and of the Dutchy of Milan the losse of above two hundred ships at sea the extorting from the subject by First fruits One part whereof was employed towards the raising of Armies that were soon lost and to rigge Navies that were soon destroyed the other part hoarded up in the Coffers of the Vice Royes Governours Generalls and other Ministers of state his creatures â—ll these things laid together made the world desire to see the recovery of these losses built upon his ruins by his fall to see the rise of the Monarchy and by his disgrace and ruin to set up the reputation of the King and reformation of the State But desires effect little there must be vigourous endeavours to remove such a favourit with a resolution to ruin or be ruined no medium there Chi vuoll appicar il sonaglio alla gatta when none other durst venture to hang the bell about the Cats neck it was undertaken by the Queen It happened that the King going in person to his Army in Catalonia the Queen was left Governesse at Madrid where she had opportunity to employ and make known her rare qualities and endowments for abateing the austere gravity of the Spanyard and mixing it with the courtesy of the French she oft visited the souldiery about Madrid discoursed with the Captains took order for their pay encouraged them to serve faithfully the King caused Justice to be administred with integrity gave often audience to all sortes discontented none in the raysing moneyes and in all affaires behaved her selfe with such an heroick discretion that all men esteemed her the most deserving Queen that ever Spain had the fame of her merit that had been buryed so many years arrived to the Kings eare at his return to Madrid where shee took occasion to speake of the Interest of the Monarchy of the losse of Kingdomes and ruin of Armyes the want of money the continuall complaints of subjects and that the King might not imagine she spake in opposition to the Duke shee authorized all with the testimonies of some of the principall Ministers of state who had already agreed to second her so soon as she had broken the ice amongst whom was the Count de Castrillo who was the more forward herein not only because he was a lover of the Publick but also because he was brother to the Marques de Carpio who maried the Dukes sister whereby he had Don Lewes de Haro the present favorit who was the only nephew of the Duke yet disinherited by him to the end he might advance his bastard The King considering their discourse began to be perswaded at length that if the Duke had any longer the Managery of the state all would come to ruin hereupon every day abateing the fervour of his affections towards him he would sometimes reproach the Duke that hee was ill informed and sometimes that hee was a most unfortunate man The Duke fore-seeing his declination demanded leave to retire himself from the Court whereto the King answered coldly my Lord we ought both of us to devise some remedy for these misfortunes In the mean time it was noysed abroad that the favour of the Duke was so shaken that one shock more would down with it to the ground all men blessing and commending the Queen crying that the Isabells were ever fortunat to the Monarchy of Spain Isabell of Portugall wife of King John the 2 d overthrew the insolent favour of Alvares de Luna and discharged her husbands Kingdom of the tyranny of that favorite Isabella de Castile demonstrated to Ferdinand her Husband that in the Kings Court the Kings favourite ought to be none but the Queen that the subjects were born only to obey and the King to command and that the happy removall of this most puissant favourite could bee hoped from no other hand but of Isabella de Burbon When a Tree is falling every one cryes Down with it A Lady that was once the Kings Nurce Donna Anna de Guevara partly out of zeal to the Kings service and partly to be revenged on the Dutchess as the King was to pass by night from his Lodgings to the Queens she put herself in the passage casting herself at the kings feet having protested that she was not there to demand any grace at his Majesties hands but to render to the Crown of Spain the greatest service that it could receive she said that her motherly
formed a Family and Officers for the Prince the Conde Duke alwayes hindred the same because first hee feared that the Prince who was of a most lively spirit would then finde out that abroad whereof the King was kept ignorant at home Secondly to gain an opportunity by prolonging the time for Don Henry his Bastard to fashion himself for the Court and by his Match and Honours conferred upon him be at length reputed fit to bee Governor to the Prince and succeed in the grace and favour of the King At length the King being earnestly sollicited by the Queen formed a List of the Servants that were to serve the Prince in his Court now to be erected because he was of the Age of Fourteen years giving notice to the Duke that provision might be made of al things necessary for a Court The Duke tooke the List and changed a great number in the same which displeased the King extremely having been before for other reasons sufficiently moved after the King spake of the Princes Lodgings desiring to know the Dukes Opinion who answered That his Highness would be very well in the Lodgings of the Infante Cardinal deceased But why my Lord replyed the King will not He be better in those Lodgings you are in at present which are the very Lodgings that my Father and I had being Princes The Duke was with this struck dumbe perceiving well that his disgrace drew neare for certain it is That his extreme insolence hastned as much as possible the Resolution that the King had taken For that very Evening his Majesty wrote him a Billet with his own Hand whereby hee forbad him to meddle any more in the Government and from henceforward hee should retire to Loeches not farre from Madrid untill farther Order should bee given The Duke read this Billet without any disturbance resolving in a matter of that weight not to discharge his minde but to his Wife only to whom he sent the Note by a Post to Loeches Next day she came weeping to her Husband and after two houres discourse went to speak with the King who soon dispatcht her the same day shee cast her self with teares at the Queens feet beseeching her to intercede for them in consideration of the many services and sincere faithfulness of the Duke her husband The Queen gave her a short answer Lo que han hecho Dios los vasallos y los malos sucessos no lo puede deshazer el Rey in ye What God the people and evill successes have done the King nor I can undoe This businesse was not known Friday and Saturday to any but Don Lewis de Haro of whom the King made use to talk with the Duke about some secret affairs This Don Lewis de Haro is Nephew to the Duke but so hated by him that lately his mother dying who was sister to the Duke he would not once send to visit him notwithstanding Don Lewis carried himselfe so Nobly in this occasion that casting himselfe at the kings feet he beseeched him that in regard the Dukes removall was irrevocable yet that it would please his Majesty at least that it should be done with all the mildness and with as little diminution of his Honor as the Justice of his Majesty could permit The King hereupon granted that the Duke should continue three days in his Palace that hee should assist at the Councels and Assemblies and give Audience for his particular affairs Also it was permitted to the Duke that in presence of the chief Notary and of Secretary Carnero hee should review all his Papers and burn what hee pleased which he did Though the King were thought too indulgent therein The same day as some came to have Audience of the Duke he bad let them know That he was a little indisposed and suffred none to enter Saturday morning the King sent to demand the Key wherewith he entred the Kings Lodgings at his pleasure but hee sent to demand Audience of the King which Hee granted him in publick before the Patriarch and divers Gentlemen of his Bedchamber where he spake more then a quarter of an hour and whereas the King was wont to heare with attention those that spoke hee now seemed to be careless of what the Duke said who having made an end went immediatly into a Junta where he shewed himself as rigorous as ever and handled so roughly two of the Secretaries that they said afterwards one to another Que Diablo tiene el Conde en la Cabeâ—a nos ha tratados como trapos viejos What the Devill aileth the Count He hath handled us like Scullions The same day some Ambassadours demanded audience of him but had not admission under pretence that he was not well Finally that evening being St. Anthonies day the disgrace of the Duke began to be noised in the Palace but with such excess of joy as that the next morning was found a paper stuck up at the Palace gate with these verses En el dia de Sant Antonio Hisieronse milagros dos Empeço a reinar Dios Y del Rey se echo el Demonio Upon the day of Saint Anthony God did his reign begin The Divell on the same Saints day Was cast out of the King Next day being Sunday the joy was so universall that had it not been a little curbed by the fear that men had that the Duke by his craft would regain the Kings favour there would have been publick fires of joy however all that day the Fruterers Bakers threw their Wares to those that would have them without taking any money to testifie their excess of joy and contentment Munday the King Queen Prince Infanta and Dutchess of Mantua passing all in one Coach towards the Carmelites a great multitude of people followed crying Viva el Rey por lo que ha hecho viva el Rey y muer a el mal govierno God save the King for what he hath done let the King live and the ill government die There arrived also an infinite number of people to participate of the common joy which was taken for the disgrace of the Duke Tuesday the Dutchess with extraordinary submissiveness attempted again to make an accomodation but all in vain whereat the Duke was so enraged against the Queen whom he looked upon as the sole cause of his disfavour that as soon as the King was departed to goe to the Escuriall he carried himself in the Councels and Junta's in such a manner that he made the world believe he was yet to stay which not onely cooled the generall joy but amazed the Queen so greatly that that night she wrot a most pressing letter to the King concerning him Thursday evening the King returning towards Madrid met on the way ten Grandees of Spain and asked them what was happened at Madrid that made so many come together Don Melchior de Borgia answered him That the time was how come that his Majesty might know the true devotion of the Grandees towards the Crown and that
that the person of Don Duarte should be secured and how much it behoved his Imperial Majesty in this particular to shew his affection to the Catholick King his brother and to the whole house of Austria shewing that this Prince was the main prop of the house of Braganza that God had left this only remedy in the hands of the house of Austria whereby Portugal may be reduced to obedience that it would be a great error not to make use of this opportunity that if he should escape out of their hands he might by his great insight in Warlick affairs assist his brother and thereby much infest the Catholick King The Emperor having heard this discourse of Mello was at first so farr from being perswaded that he answered him he abhorred the breach of publick Faith and the violation of Hospitality that this would be against the Liberties of the Empire and against his own honor to imprison a Prince for no fault but on the contrary that had deserved so well of the Empire and to whom his Majesty confessed himself very much obliged The Arch-Duke Leopold brother to the Emperor did so farr detest the motion that he said he washt his hands of so foule and shamefull an act yet Mello not at all discouraged pursues his design corrupting with sums of money the Count of Tratmansdorff and some other pensioners to the Crown of Spain but they at length ashamed of the imployment Mello resolves upon a more subtil invention which was to perswade the Emperor to hearken to one Father Diego de Quiroga who of a Souldier turned Monk and was now Confessor to the Empress this Father being wont to give his opinion of such actions as these according to the rules of Interest of State would perswade the Emperor not only that with good conscience he might secure the person of Don Duarte but that for divirs reasons of State he ought to do it His Imperial Majesty at first very unsatisfied in the business was resolved not to do it but by the importunity of Mello and the ghostly perswasions of Quiroga he was at length induced to alter his resolution and to give order to D. Lewes Gonzaga that he should go to Leipen the Princes quarters and to summon him to Ratisbon in the mean time to prevent the ill impression that this would cause in the minds of all men of honor and honesty it was reported abroad that D. Duarte was fled for some misdemeanor and thereupon proposal was made of sixteen thousand crowns to any man that could bring him alive or dead of which the Prince being ignorant escaped very narrowly the hands of some of those people that went searching for him in hopes of the proposed reward when he was com to Ratisbon he was cast into a vile prison appointed only for persons of mean quality and all his Servants imprisoned D. de Francisco de Mello not content herewith now sollicites the Emperor afresh that he may be delivered into the Spaniards hands and sent prisoner to Milain whereto his Majesty would not hearken but on the contrary sent a message to D. Duarte promising upon his word not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard but to procure speedily his liberty But his ill usage increasing D. Duarte made all the means possible to get audience of the Emperor which would never be granted nor was it any wonder for there is no face mere ugly or more terrible to the offender tehn the face offended hereupon the Infante made his protestation calling God and man to witness the wrong and injurie done unto him by the Emperor to whom he was neither subject by any obligation or birth that when his brother was made King of Portugal he was in the Emperors service wholly ignorant of any designe of his brothers that if the King of Spain was offended he might revenge himself upon the person offending that that business no way concerned the Emperor All which particulars were acknowledged by his Imperial Majesty by a messenger sent to Don Duarte in prison assuring him again that he should not be delivered into the hands of his enemies yet that his liberty could not be granted for some reasons of State whereupon D. Francisco de Sosa Coutigno Ambassador extraordinary from Portugal to Swethland in the name of the King his Master represented at large to the Diet at Ratisbon the whole proceeding requiring justice and libirty for the Infante But nothing can prevail against Interest the effects of all Manifesto's Petitions and Intercessions were that the Infante was removed from place to place and sent farther off where he had still harder usage only the Emperor seemed yet immutable in his resolution not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard untill the most powerfull means in this world to conquer all difficulties was used which is money for upon promise of forty thousand crowns the Emperor contrary to the immunities of the Empire to the rules of hospitality to the priviledge of free Princes to the Law of Nations and contrary to his word and promise so often reiterated yeilded that the most innocent Prince should be sent whether the Catholick King should think meet so he was hurried away towards the State of Milain to remain prisoner in that Castle by the way as he entred into the Spanish Territories he was received by the Count de Siruela the Governor of that state wherethe Commissary of the Emperor took his leav to return to whom D. Duarte said openly Tell thy Master that I am more sorry that I have served so unworthy a Prince then to see my self a prisoner sold into the hands of my enemies but that the just Judg of the World will one day suffer the like dealing towards his children who are no more privildged for being of the house of Austria then my self that am of the blood royal of Portugal and that posterity will judg of him and of me The Emperor in his instructions to those that convoyed the Infante gave express order that in case their prisoner made any attempt to escape they should kill him upon the place Being arrived at Milain he was clapt up in the prison where all the Rogues and Banditi are to be kept with a guard in the same chamber so rude that he could hardly take any sleep Any man of honor would have been pierced to the very soul with this harsh treaty how much more a Prince of so high blood who knew himself descended from so many glorious Kings and allyed to the greatest Princes of Europe for which cause the Kings ever treated the house of Braganza much different from the Grandees of Spain giving them the respect due to soveraign Princes in so much that Philip the second who desired to a base that Family always received the Duke of Braganza under the same cloth of State within the Royal Curtain in all publick Assemblies allowing him always a chair with a cushion and as oft as
â—e your Majesties subjects have need But to return to the affairs of Portugal which were at this time a little discomposed by the generall discontent and distast taken at the Secretary of State Don Francisco de Lucena who having lived long in the Court of Spain was at length by Olivarez means made Under-Secretary to Vazconcellos and for his readiness to proclaim King John and his abilities in that place his Majesty continned him there relying upon him with so great affection and confidence that although some had advertised his Majesty that he held correspondence with the Court at Madrid yet he would not suspect his integrity untill the whole three Estates being again assembled upon urgent occasions openly fused all Acts that should passe the hands of Secretary Lucena and gave his Majesty to understand That untill Lucena were brought to triall there should be no further proceeding in the Assembly of Estates whereat his Majesty was much moved yet out of his prudency resolved to give satisfaction to his subjects by delivering his Secretary up to justice but that he might have a fair procceding the King sate in person during the examination of witnesses in the mean time by the Post came secret information to his Majesty whereupon were imprisoned the brocher and three servants of the Secretary together with an English Monk and a Cavalier of the habit Not long after Lucena was arraigned and found guilty of betraying his trust intelligence with the enemy negligence of timely advertising the Infante Don Duarte to retire out of Germany c. for which he was condemned and executed in a publick place in Lisbon where he protested to the very last his innocency touching any treachery towards his Majesty With the death of the Secretary the three Estates were satisfied and according to his Majesties command had assembled themselves Septem 18. 1643. taking their places in their wonted manner the Dukes upon velvet Chairs without Armes the Marquesses upon Forms covered with red Cloth the Earls upon Forms covered with ordinary Cloth the Prelats apart upon Forms covered with velvet and all the Deputies of Cities and Towns upon plain forms in order on both sides with a passage in the middle Being all sate Don Emanuel dâ— Acugna Dean of his Majesties Chappell rose up and after reverence made to the King placed upon his Throne delivered an elegant speech the sum whereof was That in the space of 60 years that the Kingdom was under the power of the Kings of Castile there had been but two assemblies of Estates the first to enslave them the next to abuse them But since they were under the obedience of the present King whom God preserve within the space of two years they have had two Assemblies the former to settle their liberties the present to beget a right understanding between the King and his people wherein they had all freedom to demand what ever was necessary that the world might see that they are now no longer slaves but children no longer strangers but natives and that they are under rather a loving father then a severe soveraign In the former Assembly said he his Majesty took all the Customs and left the defence of the kingdom to your hands you ordered what seemed good unto your selves you made choyce of a general assistance by way of contribution but in the levying thereof the first payment was found uneffectuall the second unequal the third unsufficient whence arose some complaints some imagining that the fault procceded from the unequal division of the contribution others from the change of value in money and commodities and others from the disorderly gathering and disbursing the whole I may easily say if there were any error committed yet it might be excusable for that Never had any weighty affair its conception and perfection at once Then shall errors cease to be in Government when men shall cease to be in the world These things are to be endured with the same patience that Drowths Dearths Inundations and such other disorders in Nature for the wit of man cannot hold forth a remedy for all diseases But certainly there will be no ground of reprehension though much of admiration to him that shall consider how his Majesty entred upon a Kingdom exhausted by the Castilians of money and other necessaries for offence or defence and yet how in lesse then one year and a halfe we should want neither shipping nor Artillery nor Horse nor Arms nor Fortifications nor Armies upon the Frontiers Three powerfull Fleets put to Sea divers honorable and extraordinary Ambassages besides many other secret yet necessary expences all which will astonish any understanding man Now toâ— the end that the people may have full satisfaction his Majesty commadded that before farther proceeding it be made appear particularly how all the money received hath been laid out and then it is expected and the present state of affairs requireth that we all contribute liberally considering that these charges are but for a time but our liberties are for ever that we shall never have a better opportunity to destroy our enemy that Nature teacheth to hazard an arm to save the whole body the Merchants at sea cast away one part of their goods sometimes to save the rest we are now on shipboard in a storm our goods our lives our liberties our honour our Countrey are all in danger Moreover the barbarous usage of the King of Castile towards the Infante Don Duarte calls upon this Assembly for revenge that we spend not onely our mony but our bloud in affection to him and that we make our enemies spend theirs in satisfaction for him c. The three Estates encouraged by this Harange took a good order for the redressing of all grievances and advancing his Majesties service that soon after an Army of twenty thousand Foot and three thousand Horse were upon their march with the King in the head thereof resolved to make the feat of war in Castile which was performed with much gallantry and as much success In the mean time news was brought to his Majesty of the birth of his second sonne but first child after he came to the Crown for which cause he was baptized with as great pomp as could be devised and was named Alfonso About the same time there arrived from the Indies some rich Galeons that brought news with what generall applause and excesse of joy his Majesty was proclaimed throughout all those Countries But because all men understand not how considerable the severall dominions belonging to the Crown of Portugal and now in the possession of King John are I thought fit here to make a brief narration thereof The Crown of Portugal at this day enjoys considerable estates in the East Indies that they may be called a mighty Empire for to say nothing of Madera Tercera and St Michael Islands so long time possessed by the Portugal nation they have made themselves masters of many strong places in Africa as in Guinea