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A40886 The history of Portugal from the first ages of the world, to the late great revolution, under King John IV, in the year MDCXL written in Spanish, by Emanuel de Faria y Sousa, Knight of the Order of Christ ; translated, and continued down to this present year, 1698, by Capt. John Stevens.; Europa Portuguesa. English Faria e Sousa, Manuel de, 1590-1649.; Stevens, John, d. 1726. 1698 (1698) Wing F427; ESTC R2659 486,393 616

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Fifth and Elizabeth Prince John Marries Joanna Daughter to Charles the Fifth the Prince's Aunt and her Portion settled at 360000 Ducats the Duke of Aveyro and the Bishop of Coimbra went with a numerous and splendid Retinue to receive her upon the Frontiers She came to Elvas about the end of November At Barreyro the King met and conducted her thence to Lisbon where a few days after she was marryed to the Prince to the general Joy of all the Kingdom hoping a numerous Issue from them But all Humane hopes are vain for the Prince died the Second of January following 1554. His Distemper was an inward consuming Fever Prince John dies which being supposed to proceed from too much use of his Wife she was removed from him to the Queen's Apartment There the Prince's Death was kept from her knowledge the King visiting her without Mourning The Princess was left with Child and on the 19th of January brought forth a Son The Princess delivered of a Son who was called Sebastian The Princess being out of danger was acquainted with the Death of the Prince and went into strict Mourning She would have cut off her Hair in token of Sorrow but the King would not permit it Being one Night in Bed with her Husband there appeared to her a Woman in Mourning who giving one blast vanished as if she had foretold all her Delights would vanish into Air. Other Nights she perceived the Lights in her Chamber put out without seeing any Body to do it Twice being at a Window with her Ladies she saw many Men cloathed after the Moorish Fashion with Torches in their Hands cast themselves into the River All these were looked upon as unhappy Omens of the Prince's Death and other Calamities that ensued 4. Prince Philip of Spain Brother to the Widow Princess being upon his Departure for England to marry Mary the Heiress of that Crown by his Embassadors desired of King John that he would suffer the Princess to return to Spain to Govern that Kingdom In May the Princess set forward from Lisbon The Princess Governs Spain attended by Prince Lewis as far as Arroyolos where he delivered her to the Duke of Bragança who conducted her to the Borders of the Kingdom and there gave her up to the Bishops of Osma and Badajoz and to D. Garcia de Toledo who was Lord Steward She Governed Spain with Discretion and Founded a Monastery and Hospital in Madrid This Summer sailed from Lisbon D. Peter da Cunha with Five Ships and Four Galleys to Guard the ●●ast of Algarve Being in the Bay of Tavira An Engagement he discovered the famous Turkish Pirate Xaramet Arraez with Eight Galleys D. Peter gave orders to engage them but the Ships not being able to come up for want of Wind he engaged with only his Four Galleys The Admiral Galleys attacked one another and at first the Portuguese had the worst whereupon the Turks boarder her but were beaten out and Fortune changing D. Peter took the Turk The other Three Christian Galleys boarded as many of the Infidels whereof they took two and sunk the Third The remaining Turkish Galleys seeing these lost fled Of the the Turks 150 were killed and 100 taken 230 Christian Slaves were released and 40 Portuguese perished Two Portuguese left ashoar when the Galleys went out to meet the Enemy swam aboard with their Swords in their Mouths D. Peter returned Victorious to Lisbon where he maintained the Turk his Prisoner till he was exchanged for a Turk who turning Christian was called Peter Paul and had behaved himself so well that the Command of the Galley was given him but he being taken by the Infidels and carried to Mazagam had certainly been put to Death but was spared only upon Account of Xaramet for whom he was exchanged 5. On the the 27th of November 1555 1555. died Prince Lewis the Delight of Portugal Prince Lewis dies and a Person of singular Learning Judgment Courage Generosity and Piety He went twice into Castile once to agree with the Emperor about reducing the King of France to forbear trading in the Portuguese Conquests which he effected The Second time to Conclude a Peace betwixt the Emperor and King of France He built a stately Palace at Salvaterra but lived not to finish it The following Year the King settled the Rules of Precedency 1556. about which there had been great Contests ordering that all Titles should take place according to Seniority Now the Misfortunes of this Crown seem to be Compleat 1557. for the King died aged 55 Years The King dies when he was ripest for Government and left the Crown to Prince Sebastian then unfit for Rule as being but Three Years old He was suddenly snatched away yet not so but he had time to end his Life like a Christian He was of a mean Stature rather inclined to Fat than Leanness his Complexion ruddy his Eyes dark Blew but lively In matters of Justice he always inclined most to Mercy was a great lover of Peace made an excellent choice of Ministers and loved not to heap many Employments upon one Man In the Year 1553 he founded the University at Coimbra and afterwards with great charge brought Professors to it from Paris The Ancient Aqueduct built by Sertorius at Evora was by him repaired much was added by him to the Building of the Monastery of Belem by him also the Custome-House and Arsenals were erected as also the Churches of our Lady of Grace S. Francis and S. Rocque besides many other publick Works All the religious Orders were by him reduced to live up to the rigor of their Rules and Houses founded for all sorts of Women to retire to He instituted the Council of Conscience and that of the Military Orders No want ever prevailed with him to lay heavy Taxes on his Subjects Tho' he heard the Advice of many he always followed his own Opinion which was the Cause he often erred 6. To conclude King John proved an excellent Prince and singular Champion of the Catholick Religion His Children were as follows First Alonso who died a Child Secondly Mary First Wife to Philip the Second of Spain Thirdly Elizabeth Fourthly Beatrix Fifthly Emanuel Sixthly Philip. Seventhly Denis all which died young Eighthly John who married the Princess Joanna Daughter to the Emperor Charles the Fifth and died soon after Ninthly Antony who lived not out a Year His Bastard Issue was First Emanuel who died a Child Secondly Edward Archbishop of Braga a Prelate of Piety and Learning 7. In India Nunho da Cunha overthrew the King of Monbaça Actions abroad duing his Reign and slew him of Cambaya D. John de Castro with such wonderful Courage as rather seemed Rashness Engaging a vast Multitude at the Second Siege of Diu obtained one of the most wonderful Victories that raised the Renown of the Portuguese Valour Hector de Silveyra besides many other remarkable Actions subdued the King of
Cardinal tho' old and a Priest should Marry Many Pamphlets were spread abroad some of them against King Philip and others for him which last were so well penned that they seem to have inclined King Henry to his Interest as they did many others throughout the Kingdom But the City of Lisbon openly declared its aversion to him offering to raise 20000 Men and threatning to burn the Houses of those that favoured him Antony Grand Prior of Crato that is of the Knights of Malta in Portugal laboured in vain to prove himself Legitimate and King Henry seeing him persist obstinately in that Design banished him the Court. The City of Lisbon now again pressed King Henry to obtain a Dispensation of the Pope to Marry he excused himself on account of his Ecclesiastical Dignity rather than his Age or Infirmities No Excuses availing D. Duarte de Castello-Branco and Dr. Ruy de Castanheda were appointed to go Embassadors to Rome but they went not for the King still urging his Inability and his Infirmities being apparent his Excuses were at last received 5. Since there were no hopes of Issue in King Henry Five Persons appointed to Govern after the King's Death he was pressed to declare who ought to Succeed him which he refused leaving it to Governours and Judges to determine after his Death For appointing of them he presently summoned the Cortes or Parliament who named Fifteen Persons for Governours of whom the King chose five which were D. George de Almeyda Archbishop of Lisbon D. John Mascarenhas Francis de Sa James Lopez de Sousa and D. John Tello de Meneses Also 24 Lawyers were nominated and of them 11 elected to be Judges and the Names of them all to be kept close till the Death of the King All swore to stand by these Decrees The substance of the Oath was The same appointed to decide the Controversie concerning the Succession That the King dying they would obey the Governours appointed and would acknowledge him for their Lawful Sovereign that should be declared such by them The Duke of Bragança as one of the Candidates swore to stand to their Determination the same did Antony the Grand Prior yet afterwards he recanted before the Pope's Nuncio alledging he had sworn for fear of his Unkle King Philip's Embassadors refused to take the Oath for their Master pleading he was Lawful Heir of the Crown and therefore not obliged to allow of that Decision The Cortes being broke up each of the Candidates which were now but three viz. King Philip the Duke of Bragança and the Grand Prior began to speak their Thoughts more boldly The two latter were soon banished the Court by King Henry who perceiving that Antony grew haughty having obtained a surreptitious Judgment of his Legitimacy got leave of Pope Gregory XIII to inspect into and determine that Affair After some time spent in enquiring into it he at length positively declared him Illegitimate The Grand Prior dismayed at this Sentence and the great Power of his Adversary proposed to King Philip's Embassadors that he would be content with the Kingdom of Algarve and Title of King or else that he might have the Government of the Kingdom for Life with a Revenue of 300000 Ducats half of them to remain to his Heirs King Philip answered That Kingdom was too small for so many Kings 6. King Henry ceased not to prosecute the Grand Prior and sent Orders to Apprehend him at Coimbra where he then was but he made his Escape and lurked about in the Province between the Rivers Duero and Minho Next he issued out his Proclamation Summoning him to Surrender himself but he obeyed not The King was now at Almeyrin The Plague at Lisbon whither he fled from the Plague that raged at Lisbon and spread it self throughout the Kingdom There he summoned before him the Principal Members of the Cortes or Parliament and the Embassadors before whom he declared himself for King Philip ordering them to Capitulate with him The Lords Spiritual and Temporal were easily brought to approve of the King's Proposition but the Commons opposed it Soon after the King Assembles the Cortes intending to put an end to this Controversie but all he or the Nobility could do availed not so that the Division ran as high as ever it had been The King's Death now drawing on apace Katherine Dutchess of Bragança came from Villa Viciosa 1580 to try if she could prevail with him to declare her his Heiress K. Henry dies He heard her and soon after without returning any Answer gave up the Ghost 7. King Henry was of a middle Stature His 〈◊〉 in shape like his Father of a lively Spirit patient of Labour and in his Youth trained in all the Exercises that belong to a Prince Damianus de Goes says he understood Latin Greek and Hebrew and was well read in Mathematicks Philosophy and Divinity He says further of him That he had an absolute Command over his Passions was temperate in Speech a great lover of Truth a notable keeper of Secrets an Enemy to Detraction an admirer of Justice free in giving Advice averse to Favourites and inclinable to all Vertue Notwithstanding all these Qualities he was a better Priest than King His first Spiritual Promotion was to the Priorship of Sancta Cruz which Monastery he reformed and increased its Revenue Next he had the Archbishoprick of Braga where he spent his Revenue relieving the Poor in time of Famine The same he did at Evora He maintained many Foundlings gave Portions to Young Maids redeemed Captives and performed himself all the Duties of a private Priest At Braga he assembled a Synod endowed Schools in that City repaired the Monastery of S. Fructuosus punished severely all Crimes in the Clergy especially Incontinency The See of Evora being added to his other of Braga he did the same good Offices there and founded the University under the Jurisdiction of the Jesuits Many other notable Works he performed and being created Cardinal and Legate to the Pope still increased in Works of Piety 8. In this Henry expired the Kingdom Observations on the Rise and Fail of Portugal erected by another of the same Name the first died in the Year 1112. and the latter was born in 1512. So that the Name of Henry and Number 12 were the beginning and end of this Monarchy Thus the Seventeenth was the last Native King of Portugal The Moon laboured under a great Eclipse when he died 15●● in the 68th Year of his Age and second of his Reign His Body was deposited at Almeyrin where he died till King Philip translated it to the Monastery of Belem CHAP. III. The short Administration of the Five Governours Antony Grand Prior of Crato or the Order of Malta proclaimed King by the Multitude the short time of his Vsurpation 1. NO sooner was King Henry dead at Almeyr●● but the Five Governours began to exercise 〈…〉 Power 〈…〉 The Commons held their
whilst others acknowledged the true King so that this difference came to be decided by the Sword 7. The Dominicans and Franciscans were appointed to put in Execution this unjust decree and one Giles a Dominican durst notify it to the King King Sancho flies into Castile He seeing himself deprived of his Wife and Government and the People in Rebellion fled to Toledo then the Court of Ferdinand the Holy King of Castile By the way King Sancho reposing himself at Moreira certain Gentlemen came to him offering to stand by him and support his cause provided he would put away his Favourite The King disapproving of this conditional Loyalty no better then open Rebellion continued his Journey At Toledo he spent the remainder of his life in works of Grandeur and Piety He expended a great Treasure in Alms and Building the Royal Chappel in the Cathedral having done extraordinary Pennance for his Sins and given singular marks of great Piety His Death he departed this life the Thirty Ninth Year of his Age and the Thirteenth of his Reign reckoning in those that his Brother Governed for him He is said to have had a special Devotion to S. Lazarus and also that he appeared twice to him in his life-time and was present at his Death In the beginning of his Reign he peopled the City Idanha which had been destroyed by his Grand-father King Sancho when he took it from the Moors He maintained the City Aleazer against the Infidels who Besieged it who after much loss sustained begged a Truce He not only preserved his Kingdom but recovered many places that had been lost and may be accounted amongst the best of our Princes 8. In this King ended the direct line of the Kings of Portugal His Person described he being the Fourth King and Second of the Name His Countenance was Beautiful his Hair fair and long his Forehead high his Eyes green and cheerful his Nose large and his Complexion inclined to pale In his Antient Pictures he is represented in Scarlet Robes a Crown on his Head a Book in one Hand and in the other a Scepter with a Pigeon on the top of it as the commonalty would have it or else it might be a Stork as many Antient Kings used denoting by the care that Bird has of its young ones the love of a Prince towards his Subjects He built from the ground the Monasteries of St. Dominick in the Cities of Lisbon and Porto Some say his Queen accompanied him at Toledo and others affirm she was never heard of more after being taken from him He had no Issue and consequently his Brother suceeded him CHAP. VII The Life and Reign of Alonso the third of the Name and Fifth King of Portugal his Actions and Death from the Year 1210. till 1279. 1. D. Alonso the Third of the Name Alonso III. his Birth and Actions till his assumption to the Crown and Fifth King was Brother to King Sancho whose lot it was to have a Crown without the power of the Government and a Wife without Issue He was Born in the City of Coimbra on the 5th of May was the second Son of King Alonso II. and Married Maud Countess of Bolen in France 1210. then Widdow of Phillip the curled Son of Philip Augustus King of France and Grand-son to the Duke of Maravia whose Daughter Queen Mary was 1245. His thoughts were employed upon the Holy War when he was called to the Crown of Portugal The Kingdom being in confusion the Nobles made suite to Pope Innocent the III. that Alonso might ascend the Throne instead of his Brother Sancho The Pope not to deprive the King of his right and being informed he was not of Ability to Govern consented that Alonso should have the Authority of Regent but Sancho should still have the regal stile and preheminence and his Children if he had any should inherit At Paris Alonso took Solemn Oath as Regent which was to this Effect That he would preserve the Priviledges of the Clergy Nobility and Commonalty That he would constitute upright Judges without Favour or Affection That such as had committed Crimes against Priests should be punished That their Estates should be restored That all Buildings erected to the prejudice of Prelates should be Demolished and nothing for the future should be taken from them This was the promise made and consequently such were the miscarriages then in the Government so that the King suffered for some miscarriages in his Ministers 2. Alonso having taken upon him the Title of Regent Alonso received as Regent set out from Paris and returned to his Country where he was received by most places yet several having more regard to their Loyalty than the present Danger held out long after and some till King Sancho died at Toledo Alonso possessed of the Kingdom He puts away his Wife and Marries another like an ungrateful Man put away his Wife Maud the Countess who Married him when he had nothing and took in her place Beatrix Bastard Daughter to King Alonso the Tenth of Castile Some Authors say the Countess was contrary to all Human and Divine Laws put away on account of Barrenness but that is a mistake for it will appear she had Children Pope Alexander the Fourth thundered out Censures against this second Marriage as unlawful but all to no purpose the King continuing obstinate till the Death of Maud put an end to the dispute Alonso with the ambition of rule pressed all Governours to deliver up their Forts into his hands and yet they that did so were accounted no better than Traitors and such as held out against him were afterwards most esteemed even by him Obidos was the first Town Besieged by Alonso but what the event was 1247. is not known Ferdinand Rodriguez Pacheco valiantly defended Cerolico de los Bebados or Bebado and being reduced to great want one Morning a Bird of Pray dropped a large Trout before him taken out of the River Mondego The Governour sent it as a present to Alonso who judging thereby there was plenty in the Town raised the Siege and departed Thus the Besieged were left at liberty to look abroad for Sustenance so that the Trout may be said to have fed them all 3. The Regent removed to Coimbra A notable example of Loyalty where he met with no better success being opposed by the invincible Loyalty of D. Martin de Freitas Both Parties resolved not to give way to one another The Siege lasted long and the Defendants wavering their noble Governour performed more than Man to retain them in their Duty insomuch that one day he brought out to the Parade his Daughter telling the Soldiers That if want of Women obliged them to think of a Surrender they might make use of that one This act wholly confirmed the minds of the Garrison to him insomuch that they resolved to live and die with him Such was the posture of affairs when News was
Constance Daughter to King Peter from whom Henry the Bastard had usurped that Kingdom The Duke having this Right to the Crown of Castile set Sail from Plymouth with a numerous Fleet and arrived at Coruna in Galicia on the 25th of July where he landed 2000 Horse and 3000 Archers besides some other Forces and several Persons of Note The Duke was Sixty Years of Age without any grey hairs was tall and well shaped affable modest in Discourse of an excellent Deportment and in all respects answerable to his Royal Extraction With him came his Wife Constance and his two Daughters Philippa by his first Wife and Katherine by the second Scarce was he landed at Coruna when that Place owned him for its Lawful Sovereign as did the City Santiago and the greatest part of this Kingdom of Galicia Our King was at Lamego when the Duke landed in Spain The New King John and Duke of Lancaster meet Thence he removed to Porto and having agreed to meet the Duke at Ponte-Mauro set forward with a numerous Retinue They met upon the First of November in a Plain near Melgazo There it was agreed That if the Duke succeeded he should give the Towns of Ledesma Montilla Melgazo Plazenzia Grimal Canaveral Caceres Mendao Fuente del Maestre Zafra Torres de-Medina Fegenal and other Places with their Territories to the King of Portugal as Dower with his Daughter Philippa The Pope's Dispensation being come whereby the King was loosed from his Vow of Chastity made as Master of the Military Order of Avis and the Princess Philippa being conducted to him they were solemnly married upon Candlemas-Day Immediately the Queen's Household was settled and a plentiful Revenue assigned her 1387. which afterwards some other Queens of Portugal enjoyed 8. The King having spent Two Months with his Queen at Porto went with her to see her Father at Bragança and thence sent her back to Coimbra Many of the English were dead of Diseases With the King were 3000 Lances 2000 Cross-Bow Men and 5000 Foot They entred the Dominions of Castile and took Castro Calvo M●●tila R●sales Valderas and Villalobos Tho' Galicia had received the Duke as lawful King yet no Place in Castile admitted him but by Constraint Hereupon the King told him That to make an absolute Conquest it was requisite he should return to England for greater Forces The Duke approved of his Advice and they returned to Cuidad Rodrigo By the way they defeated a Party of the Enemies consisting of 500 Horse and some Foot Another Skirmish happened near the City upon the Passage of a Brook with the same Success The Duke being now in Portugal Embassadors came to him from the King of Castile Prince Henry of Castile marries the Daughter of the Duke of Lancaster Peace is concluded offering that Prince Henry Heir to the Crown should marry Katherine the Duke's Daughter that so all Pretensions to the Kingdom might cease The Duke assented and Articles being agreed upon and performed the War betwixt him and Castile ended He being with the King at Coimbra a Castilian was there burnt for contriving to Poyson him Soon after he returned to England 9. The King having held the Cortes or Parliament at Braga 1388. set out to recover some Places which still held for Castile Melgazo having held out to the last was then delivered up the Defendants having only leave to depart without Arms. It was remarkable at this Siege that Two Women A combat betwixt two Women one of the Town and the other of the Camp challenged each other and fought the latter was Victorious Hence the King marched to Lisbon and in September to the Province of Alentejo where about the middle of October after a stout Defence the Town and Castle of Campo-Major were taken by force At the beginning of the following Year 1389. the King being at Lisbon one of the Queens Ladies called Beatrix was found to have admitted Ferdinand Alonso one of the King's Bed-Chamber and his Favourite to her Bed Hereupon he was apprehended and having made his Escape from the Officer took Sanctuary in the Church Thence the King himself went to drag him and tho' he urged he was married caused him to be burnt The Lady went away to Castile to her Mother Embassadors came to the King being then in the Province between the Rivers Duero and Minho proposing a Truce for some Months and so Commissioners were appointed to treat with him and in the mean while the King to lose no time Besieged and took the City Tuy in Galicia 139● At length a Cessation was concluded for Three Years A Cessation of Arms betwixt Spain and Portugal for three Years and some Places restored on both sides but more to the Portuguese Nevertheless the King of Castile ceased not to make mighty preparations for War but his Designs were prevented by Death which happened to him by a fall from his Horse After the expiration of the Three Years the Nobles of Castile 1393. and the Governours to King Henry Son to the late King John by his First Wife the Lady Ellenor advised him to desist from his Pretensions to Portugal since he was not Born of Queen Beatrix on whom that Title was grounded Embassadors were sent to this Effect to Portugal where a Peace was concluded for Fifteen Years all Prisoners on both sides to be released and all Dammages done during the late Cessation to be made good and then Hostages for performance were given on both sides 10. But these Articles were not faithfully performed on the Part of Castile The Truce not duly observed neither as to restitution of Dammages nor releasement of Prisoners wherefore the Portuguese resolved to do himself Justice by taking some Towns and accordingly surprized Badajoz and Albuquerque Embassadors sent from Castile promised performance of Articles upon Restitution of those Places and it was only done to amuse the King for at the same time Vessels were fitting out in Biscay against Portugal and two Portuguese Ships laden with Warlike Stores were taken off of Cape S. Vincent At the same time the Castilians made Incursions wasting all the open Country But the Constable defeated a Party of 400 of them that was returning home with a rich Booty Campo-Mayor was soon after taken by the King Having thus secured themselves against their Enemy the King and Constable gave themselves some Repose The latter distributed most of what the King had bestowed on him for his Services on such Gentlemen as had always adhered to him On the contrary the King now established on the Throne took back to himself much of what he had bestowed on many great Men for their good Service in the War As the Constable had received most this fell heaviest upon him and therefore he resolved to depart the Kingdom but the King returning part of what he had taken from him with difficulty perswaded him to stay The taking of Badajoz and Albuquerque before mentioned
up the Ghost on the 25th of October 〈…〉 Being sensible he must die he commanded the Plate furnished by the Churches for the late Wars to be restored He ordered Duke Emanuel should Succeed him having first used all possible means to leave the Crown to his Bastard-Son George which was the greatest Act of Injustice he was 〈…〉 indeed that could be Having 〈◊〉 the Queen Princess Beatrix and the Clergy in his Life time he now begged Pardon of them 4. Tho' the King earnestly desired to see Duke Emanuel before his Death he could not compass it some Persons perswading that Prince his Design was to kill him There was a small Box whereof he always kept the Key which was generally supposed to contain nothing but Poison 〈…〉 Saint But this Box being opened after his Death there was found in it a Book of Instructions for to make a good Confession a Hair-cloath and a Discipline stained with Blood Hence the People took occasion 〈◊〉 call him a Saint as many before accounted him a Tyrant In his Will the King ordered 3000 Masses should be said for his Soul that 41 Orphans should be marryed that the like number of Captives should be redeemed that the great ●ospital of Lisbon should be finished that half the Plate taken from Churches by his Father for the War against Castile should be restored that Duke Emanuel should Succeed him in the Throne that his Bastard-Son George should have the City Coimbra with all the Royalties wherewith Prince Peter had it before that in case Duke Emanuel died without Issue the aforesaid George should Inherit the Crown and that none of the Persons banished the Kingdom by him should be restored After his Death he had the Commendations of his very Enemies His Body was conducted with great State from the Cathedral of Silves to the Monastery of Batalla where it is said to have been found long after uncorrupted which increased the Opinion of his Sanctity He marryed his Cousin-German Ellenor Daughter to Prince Ferdinand Duke of Viseo and the Lady Beatrix Daughter to Prince John She was a Princess endued with singular Beauty Wit and Vertue and lies buried in the Monastery of the Mother of God at Lisbon founded by her self in the Cloister among the Nuns is her Grave without any distinction 5. Let us now give some Specimen of the many Vertues that adorned this King 〈◊〉 Vertues First for his great Zeal in Matters of Religion Pope Innocent VII publickly called him The Eldest Son of the Church Daily he performed several Devotions upon his bare Knees and in the Holy Week spent whole Nights in mourning before the Sepulchre He forbid the use of Mules and because the Clergy said they would have recourse to the Pope on that account he made it Death for any Body to 〈◊〉 them and so that Dispute 〈…〉 Justice was such that he rewarded some Judges before whom he was Cast in Law Suits and hearing a Man was condemned to Death who had been Fourteen Years in Prison he pardoned him saying They better deserved to die who had kept him so long to Condemn him at last Few ever exceeded him in Liberality and Gratitude for having borrowed 1500 Ducats of Peter Pantoja and kept them but five days he then sent him his Money and 250 Ducats for the Use of it Pantoja complaining that the Interest was too great he ordered him as much more and said He would do so as often as he complained James Fernandez Correa his Factor in Flanders having lent Maximilian the King of the Romans 30000 Ducats without his Order he sent him Thanks for so doing and gave him 1000 Crowns Edward del Casal a Man of Worth having employed another to beg some Favour for him the King seeing him said Since you have Hands to serve me with why have not you a Tongue to speak to me 6. There was nothing that daunted him More of his good Qualities in so much that others fearing to go aboard the Fleet because of the Plague he went himself and is said to have spoke unconcerned with the Ghost of a Gentleman that was dead and came to warn him of the Conspiracy of the Duke of Viseo Favourites he never had any and was such an Enemy to those sort of Ministers that the Cardinal George da Costa who had entire influence over his Father fled to Rome before his Accession to the Crown None that deserved well passed unrewarded for he carryed about him a Table-Book in which were the Names and Services of all those that merited of him All Men had access to him their Business was heard and answered Truth was so much admired by him that he made D. John de Meneses his Lord Steward only because he said He always spoke the Truth 〈◊〉 it were displeasing to him As for Learning he understood Philosophy was skilled in Mathematicks well versed in History and a great admirer of Poetry Tho' his Countenance represented much of Gravity and his Carriage had much of Majesty yet at times he was pleasant and facetious To conclude his Government was inferiour to none of the best Kings that preceded him and may be a Pattern to all those that come after him Scarce any excelled him in all sorts of Vertues and fo● his Zeal to Religion he was the first that propagated it in the Torrid Zone In short he was a Father of his People Bountiful Just Merciful Generous Brave a lover of Truth and sure rewarder of Merit 7. King John had only one Lawfully Begotten Son His Issue which was Prince Alonso born at Lisbon in the Year 1475. and who died as has been said unfortunately by a Fall off his Horse in the Year 1491. being newly married to the Princess Elizabeth Daughter to King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth of Castile This King had also One Bastard-Son called George created Duke of Coimbra Marquis of Torres Novas Master of the Military Orders of Santiago and Avis and Lord of the Lands that had belonged to Prince Peter He had also the Town of Aveiro and of him are descended the Dukes of that Title who keep the sirname of Lancaster taken by them in Memory of Queen Philippa Daughter to the Duke of Lancaster King John at length fixed the Arms of the Kingdom in the manner they are used at this Day reducing the Castles in the Orle to the certain Number of Seven and set●ing the Five middle Escutcheons upright 8. Discoveries in the Reign of King John were as follow 〈…〉 James Cano sailed to the River and Kingdom of Manicongo James Alonso de Aveiro to that of Beni and brought thence the first Pepper that came from those Parts Bart●●●●mew Diaz to the Cape of Good Hope and passed beyond it to the River called Del Infante Peter Covillam and Alonso de Paiva Men versed in many Languages went to Grand Cairo in Egypt then embarking on the Red Sea saw the City Adem where parting Paiva went into Ethiopia
Covillan to Cananor Calicut Goa Sofala Mozambique Quiloa Mombara and Melinde then returned to Adem and Grand Caire where his Companion and he had appointed to meet but the other being dead he returned again to Adem thence to Ormus and then traversed Abissinia being the first Man that ever performed those Travels Christopher Columbus offer'd his Service to King John but not being encouraged by him he discovered the West Indies for King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth of Castile and Aragon CHAP. IX The first Part of the Life and Reign of Emanuel the First of the Name and Fourteenth King of Portugal from the Year of our Lord 1469 till 1509. 1. THough the late King John laboured all that in him was to have left the Crown to his Bastard-Son George yet neither the Queen nor the Subjects would consent because Duke Emanuel had a most undoubted Title to it King Emanuel his Birth and Descent This Emanuel was Son to Prince Ferdinand Grandson to King Edward and Great Grandson to King Alonso V. and Cousen German to his Predecessor King John whose undoubted Heir he was that King leaving no lawful Issue He was born in the Town of Alconchete 1469. in the Province of Riba Tejo upon Thursday the last Day of May being the Feast of Corpus Christi His Mother being in Labour was delivered of him just at the time that the Blessed Sacrament passed by her Door and therefore she called him Emanuel the proper Name of Christ which signifies God is with us During his Infancy Emanuel was one of the Hostages between the King of Castile and King John the Second The very Day King John killed James Brother to this Emanuel 1●●4 he gave him all the other's Estate only changing the Title from Duke of Viseo to that of Beja He also constituted him Master of the Order of Christ Constable of the Kingdom and General of the Frontiers betwixt the Rivers Tagus and Guadiana so that his Revenue amounted to above 70000 Crowns per Annum which was very great in that Age and that Kingdom 〈◊〉 His Family was encreased when he went the second time into Castile to conduct the Princess Elizabeth Wife to Prince Alonso into Portugal King John as is said King Emanuel 〈…〉 dying without any lawful Issue and not able to prevail for his Bastard-Son George Emanuel was proclaimed King with the usual Solemnity upon 〈◊〉 the 27th of October 1495 and in the 26th Year of his Age. 2. The New King went away to 〈…〉 ●uevo where James 〈…〉 Prior of Crato presented to him George King John's Bastard-Son whom he received favourably and treated as if he had been his own Here the Cortes or Parliament met but did little Business as well by reason of the Plague as for that King John had left all Things in good Order After sending Embassadors to Rome and Castile the King gave the Tenth of all his Revenues in Africk to the Churches there and reinforced those Garrisons At Setuval came to him the Sons of the late Duke of Bragança 1496. executed by King John their Unkle D. Alvaro and D. Sancho Son to Alonso another of that Duke's Brothers who were all restored to their Estates He now sent another Embassador to Rome to obtain the Pope's Dispensation for Knights of the Military Orders to marry which was granted At Torres Vedras whither he fled from the Plague he received Embassadors from the State of Venice Jew● banished the Kingdom The Jews whom King John had made Slaves in great Numbers had now Liberty to depart the Kingdom and though they offer'd the King a Present of a considerable Summ of Money he would not accept it A time was set for them all to depart and it was order'd that they should leave behind them all their Children that were under Fourteen Years of Age. Many of them rather than deliver their Children to be bred up Christians 14●7 murdered them and some there were that killed themselves as well as their Children The time of their Departure being put off they offer'd if their Children were restor'd them and Twenty Years allowed them in which they could not be punished for Offences against Religion that they would become Christians This granted the greatest part of them was Baptized the rest were sent over into Africk together with the Moors then also expelled but these were allowed to carry their Children with them Those that remained in Portugal committed many Enormities in contempt of the Christian Religion and becoming Rich had the Opportunity of corrupting all the Nobility of the Kingdom by mixing their Families 3. At 〈◊〉 the King had it debated in Council 〈…〉 whether the Discovery of India ought to be prosecuted or not and after much contesting it was resolv'd in the Affirmative Vasco de Gama was thereupon pi●ched upon to command Four Ships designed for that Voyage The Particulars of his Success may be seen in the first Vol. of the Portuguese Asia The King by his Embassadors having concluded a Match for himself with Elizabeth Emanuel marries Elizabeth Widow of the late Prince Alonso Princess of Castile Widdow of the Late Prince Alonso of Portugal in the Month of October she was brought to Valencia de Alcantara where King Emanuel waited for her Presently after the King and Queen were married came the News of the Death of John Prince of Castile Brother to the new Queen and Heir of that Kingdom New Charters were now given to all the Cities and Towns of Portugal which were all contained in Five Books One of each Province About the end of the Year the Queen being with Child Embassadors came from Castile to induce the King and her to go into Castile to be sworn Heirs to that Crown The King took the Advice of the Cortes or Parliament therein 1498. and it was resolved he should go On the 29th of March they set forwards with a small Retinue not exceeding 300 Horse All this Company was in Mourning for the Prince of Castile The Duke of Medina Sidonia met them at Badajoz with a Retinue somewhat less Soon after the Duke of Alva and Count de Feria with a like Number King Ferdinand came out of Toledo to receive them and they were entertained with extraordinary Magnificence On the 28th of April King Emanuel and his Queen were sworn Heirs of Castile in the Cathedral Church This Ceremony being over they travelled towards Zaragosa to be there sworn to the Succession of Aragon They entred that City on the first of June where many Disputes arose concerning the Privileges of that Kingdom On the 24th of August the Queen of Portugal was delivered of a Son and died before she could be laid in her Bed She was buried in the Church of St. Hierome without any Pomp because she had so ordered it in her Will 4. King Emanuel returned to Portugal 〈…〉 Aragon● and Portugal and was received at Lisbon with great Joy in
〈◊〉 H● now understanding that his Son Michael born of 〈…〉 Queen had been sworn Heir of the Crowns of 〈◊〉 and Aragon resolv●d to have him sworn in like manner in Portugal To this purpose he assembled the 〈◊〉 or Parliament at Lisbon on the 7th of March where all the Representatives took an Oath to him as lawful Successor 〈◊〉 the King confirming his former Grant that no Castilians should at any time be admitted to Places of Honour and Trust in Portugal About the end of this Year which was the 4th of his Reign the King resolved to translate the Body of King John his Predecessor from Silves where he was buried to the stately Church of Batalla the burial Place of the Portuguese Princes He went in Person to Silves and found the Body whole as it was seen Fifteen Years after by the Cardinal Henry and others which confirmed the Opinion of Sanctity that was conceiv'd of him The Body was honourably conducted to the Church of Batalla and there laid in a Marble Tomb. This Year also the King dispersed several sorts of new Coins of Silver and Gold as he did again in the Years 1504 and 1517. He had before given large Revenues to George the late King's Bastard-Son and this Year 1500 gave him the City Coimbra with the Title of Duke made him Lord of Montemayor ●l Viejo and bestowed on him the Mastership of the Military Orders of Santiago and Avis Next he married him to the Lady Beatrix de Villena Daughter to D. Alvaro the Brother of Ferdinand Duke of Bragança Beheaded by King John 5. Now came the News that Prince Michael 〈…〉 King Emanuel's Son and sworn Heir of all the Kingdoms of Spain had departed this Life at Granada being not yet Two Years of Age. It was requisite the King should marry again 〈…〉 and a Match was accordingly concluded with Mary Daughter to King Ferdinand and Sister to King Emanuel's late Queen Her Portion was 200000 Crowns down and 10000 a Year settled upon the Revenue of Sevil. The Archbishop D. James Hurtado de M●ra●za conducted her to the Borders where the Duke of Bragança attended by several of the Nobility 〈◊〉 her The Marriage was solemnized at Alcacer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the 30th of October No sooner was the King married but he resolved to make an Expedition into 〈◊〉 in Person 〈…〉 and to that effect had assembled an Army of 26000 Men. The Venetians at this time hard 〈◊〉 by the Turks made use of the Pope's Mediation to obtain of our King to desist from the Enterpize he had in Hand and to employ his Forces in their Assistance The King consented and sent them Thirty Sa●l under the Command of D. John de Meneses Son to the Earl 〈…〉 and for his Encouragement before his Departure he was created Earl of ●●rouça In this Squadron were 3500 fighting Men. Another Squadron followed being designed for the Coast of Oran in order to attempt taking the Fort of Mazalquivir They sailed from Lisbon about the middle of June and having assaulted that Place in July with the loss of 20 Men and no prospect of Success the Squadron provided for that Expedition returned to Lisbon D. John de Meneses with his 30 Sail off of Tunez took 3 Genoese Ships full of Turks Moors and Jews the Genoese he set at liberty Near Corfu he was met by Twenty five Venetian Galleys and five Galleons where both Fleets saluted each other with great Joy The Turks understanding the Fleets were joyned retired to their Ports and the Portuguese Squadron returned home 6. The King had yet reaped no Advantage from India 〈…〉 but the bare Discovery of it by Vasco de Gama and yet as if the Treasures of that Empire had been brought him he in Thanksgiving laid the Foundation of that wonderful Structure of the Church and Monastery called B●●e● or Bet●lem on the Banks of Tagus about a League from Lisbon This Fabrick is Magnificent for its Greatness and Workmanship but above all for the largeness of the Arch above the Chancel where after the manner of all Cathedrals it opens into a Cross which Arch tho vastly spacious has no Pillar to support it This Monastery was given to the Fryars of the Order of S. Hierome and is plentifully endowed Opposite to the Monastery in the very River the King erected a Fort which tho not large is Beautiful and Commands the River serving at the same time for a Rampart to the Church it is called the Fort of S. Vincent D. Jayme or James Duke of Bragança who was restored to that Honour by King Emanuel laboured under such a deep melancholy that he sometimes forbore taking his natural Sustenance Nevertheless through the King's Perswasions he married the Lady 〈◊〉 Daughter to D. John de Guzman third Duke of M●di●● Sidonia But no sooner was he married than he absented himself with only one Servant leaving a Letter for the King in which he begged of him to bestow all his Possessions upon his Brother Denis because he was resolved to spend his days at the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem Messengers were sent several ways with orders to bring him back Some of them found him at Calatayud in the Kingdom of Aragon and prevailed upon him to return Being brought back he had by his Wife a Son called Theodosius who succeeded him and a Daughter named Elizabeth married to Prince Edward Son to King Emanuel His first Wife dying he fell in Love with the Lady Joanna de Mendoza Daughter to the Governour of Mouram and having obtained leave of the King married her and by her had Four Sons and as many Daughters 7. Queen Mary 1502. second Wife to King Emanuel was delivered of her first Son on the 6th of June 1502. The Queen delivered of a Son At the time of his Birth happened a violent Storm of Rain and when he was Baptized a Fire broke out in the Palace we shall see in his Life what these Prodigies portended A Fleet sailed from Lisbon under the Command of George de Melo and Gaspar de Aguilar designing to take the City Targa on the Coast of Africk but returned having sustained Loss and effected nothing The King for the Success of his Fleet undertook a Pilgrimage to Santiago in Galicia presented that Church with a rich Silver Lamp made in the Form of a Castle and gave Bountiful Alms. In his return at Coimbra he resolved to erect a stately Tomb for Alonso the first King of Portugal whose Body lay there in a very mean Sepulchre At Porto he finished the Silver Shrine of S. Pantaleo 1503. Patron of that City The King had now a second time resolved to pass over into Africk A Famine in Portugal and had all things in readiness for the Expedition when he was again prevented being obliged to attend to the Relief of his own Kingdom labouring under a Famine He remedied this Evil by bringing in Plenty of Corn from all the
where they gave their definitive Sentence in Favour of King Philip. Antony hasted to Setuval and having secured the City returned to Lisbon where the Forts of S. Julian and 〈…〉 The Duke of 〈◊〉 who had retired to his Town of Portel sent thence to King Philip offering to come to Composition but it was now too late for that Prince was too far advanced The Duke a● Alva had passed the River Caya in June which parts the two Kingdoms with 20000 Men 6000 Carts and 25 pieces of Cannon He marched peaceably as if it had been through a Country subject to his Master all Places submitting themselves as far as Estremoz This Town was soon perswaded by D. Christopher de Moura to surrender but D. John de Azevedo held out in the Castle till seeing the Cannon planted against him he endeavoured to escape and being taken was sent Prisoner to Villa Viciosa the Duke of Alva declaring he spared his Life in regard to his want of Experience Hence the Army moved and took in Evora and Monte-Mayor and so proceeded to Setuval without committing any was● in all the Country 6. The grand Prior provided for his Defence but wanting Men and no Succours coming from France he sent the French Consul residing at Lisbon to hasten them and he went to spend the Money he carried The Spanish Forces 〈◊〉 Duke 〈◊〉 Alva 〈◊〉 near to Lisbon Now perceiving the Duke approached having taken Alcaçer do sal near Setuval and being wholly unprovided to oppose him he suffered his Officers to commit many Extortions to raise Money Slaves had their Freedom given them to take Arms Money was coined of less Weight than usual all the Jewels of the Crown were sold the Money designed for Redemption of Captives seized Convents were searched for Money deposited in them and the Plate of the Churches was seized The Fryars took Arms and went about the Streets exciting others to do the like Setuval was soon surrendred to the Duke of Alva and only a Tower held out that secures the Haven under which lay Three Galleons D. Alvaro Bazan Marquess of Santa Cruz coming up now with 60 Galleys and 25 Ships and some Cannon being planted on an Eminency at the first shot the Galeons surrendred and soon after the Tower The Grand Prior seeing the best Part of the Kingdom in the Power of King Philip and the Nobility daily resort to him began now to suspect his own Followers Duke de Alva pass●● the River Tagus The Duke of Alva after long consulting where to pass the River Tagus at length took the Advice of the Portuguese that adhered to him which was to go over in the Galleys to Cascais D. James de M●●●es lying with some Men behind a Mountain did not hinder the landing and was therefore accused of Cowardize The Grand Prior marched out to Belem with some few ill armed Troops but soon retired The Duke took and plundered Cascais where D. James de Meneses being taken had his Head cut off This put Lisbon and the Grand Prior into a great Consternation and he gathered about 8000 undisciplined Men with which he marched towards Belem on the 5th of August On the 4th Day after he removed and posted himself on an Advantageous rising Ground over against the Bridge of Alcantara In the mean while the Duke advanced to batter the Fort of S. Julian 7. D. James de Cazamo a Spaniard who had served the Grand Prior came now to him and prevailed with him to submit himself to King Philip but the King remitted the whole Affair to the Duke of Alva who broke off that Negotiation The F●●ts upon the River taken by the Spaniards The Castle of S. Julian after being Two Days battered was delivered up to him The Wooden Fort at the Bar was abandoned by the Defendants and the Spaniards possessed themselves of it King Philip now published his general Pardon to all Persons whatsoever concerned in these Broiles except the Grand Prior and some other of the Heads conditionally that they submitted by a Day appointed Lisbon was willing enough to embrace this offer but feared as much to be plundered by its armed Rabble as by the Enemy Eight Days the Two Armies lay close by each other without doing any thing At length the Duke sent Sanch● de Avila with 15 Horse and some Foot to discover which way the Tower of Bel●m might be attacked A greater number of Portuguese met them and a Skirmish 〈◊〉 tho not considerable the Spaniards retiring That 〈◊〉 they planted their Cannon and the next Day the Tower was delivered to them The Duke perceiving the Ground Prior kept his Ground which prevented the City 〈◊〉 from surrendring he went in Person to take a view 〈◊〉 his Camp and found it well seated but not fortifyed He resolved to attack it at Midnight and have strict Ordere that the City should not be plundred King Philip having given it him particularly in Charge At the t●m● appointed he marched the Spanish Sh●ps and 〈◊〉 then riding in the River The Grand Prior encourage● his M●n which were now but a small number and 〈…〉 disciplined The Spanish Army consisted of 20000 Men the Portuguese were not above 4000. The Cannon having played on both sides Antony's Army routted the Spaniards assaulted the Bridge where was a sharp dispute but that once gained the Portuguese soon fled to the City where Antony opened the Prisons and then with some few that would follow him shifted for himself 8. Notwithstanding the contrary Orders the Spaniards during Three Days plundered Lisbon Lisbon plundered by the Spaniards which so displeased King Philip that he threatned to punish all the Officers and so severely reproved the Duke that he is thought to have died of Grief Antony having staied at Sacavem near Lisbon removed to Santarem which Place tho the first that declared him King refused now to admit him Thence he fled to Coimbra where he fortifyed himself and having gathered 5000 Men sent Orders to the Province betwixt Duero and Minho to own him King and entered Aveyro by force The Towns in Africk immediately submitted Antony forced to fly 〈◊〉 abscond but the Tercera Islands stood by Antony Sancho de Avila set out from Lisbon with 400 Horse and 6000 Foot to pursue Antony Coimbra opened her Gates to him and Antony removed to Porto which Place refusing him admittance he began to batter and thereupon it was surrendred to him Sancho de Avila followed the Grand Prior close and coming to Porto battered it from the same Place the other had done and entring plundered it Antony escaping thence and being forsaken of all Men absoncded for a long time in the Mountains Being close pursued at the River Lima he had certainly been taken but that one Thomas Cacheyro who still followed him Swam over the River with him on his Back In this manner he fled from Place to Place narrowly escaping in several Disguises King Philip offered 80000
so others too tedious to relate Sir Francis Drake had the Command of the Fleet and Sir John Norris of the Land Forces which were 22000 Men. They sailed from Plimouth and arrived at Coruna the 4th of May where they landed and having spent Five Days before the Place without any success returned to their Ships with loss In the mean while King Philip sent Advice to Lisbon That the Cardin●● Alvertus who was Governour and the Count de 〈◊〉 who was General might be in readiness The English landed some Horse and 12000 Foot at Peniche which Place they took and thence coasting along entered th● River of Li●b●● The Count de Fuentes with some Troops of Horse endeavoured to secure the Country ●et Norris marched with a great Body of Troops 〈◊〉 wards Lisbon and fortyfied himself close to the City There he lay some time but still finding that not one Portuguese came over to him nor that Drake did not come up the River he marched back and embarked his Forces Many of his Men died by the way of the Plague which was got among them in Portugal and the rest arriving at Plimouth spread it through all England 12. Antony seemed now only to have come to take his last Farewel of his Country for ever after he resided in France He dies in France tho' never quitting his claim to this Crown till he died at Paris in great Poverty and the 64th Year of his Age. His Body was buried in the Church of the Nuns of Ave Maria and the Inscription on his Tomb calls him King He was endued with several good Qualities his Person was comly and his Countenance pleasing He was not unlearned especially in Divinity and wrote a Paraphrase upon the Penitential Psalms He could not marry as being of the Military Order of Malta but by several Women had the following Bastard Children First D. Emanuel de Portugal who married Emilia Daughter to William Prince of Orange Secondly Christopher who died in France Thirdly Peter who became a Franciscan Friar and was called of the Desart remarkable for Piety and Learning Fourthly Denis who took the Habit of S. Bernard in the Monastery of Valbuena Fifthly Alonso who served in the Galleys of Naples where he died Sixthly John who died very Young Seventhly Philippa a Bernardin Nun. Eightly Luisa a Franciscan Nun. Ninthly and Tenthly Two Daughters whose Names are not extant but they were both kept in the Monastery of Huelgas near Burgos by King Philip the Second CHAP. VII The Reign of Philip the Second of Spain and First of Portugal and Eigthteenth King from the Year 1580 till 1598. 1. PHilip the Second of Spain Birth of King Philip and First of Portugal Son to the Emperor Charles the Fifth and the Empress Elizabeth Daughter of King Emanuel of Portugal was born at Valladolid on the 23th of March 1527. After the loss of King Sebastian in Africk he sent Don Christopher de Moura to condole with the New King and Cardinal Henry offering his assistance in reestablishing the Kingdom in its former Splendor and Money for the redemption of Captives The First he ransomed was the Duke of Barcelos Son to him of Bragança and with him several Gentlemen King Henry dying and the Kingdom being in a Confusion for that the Governours feared to declare who was the next Heir and the Multitude began to declare for Antony the Grand Prior King Philip came to Badajoz hoping his approach would induce the Portuguese to declare for him but being deceived of his Expectation he sent the Duke of Alva who reduced all the Country with much ease as we have seen in the foregoing Chapter At the time the King intended to enter the Kingdom in Person he fell so dangerously Sick that he was given over He suddenly recovered and Ann his Queen who was with him died Being restored to his Health he was received at Elvas He enters Portugal D. Christopher de Moura and Nunho Alvarez Pereyra attending upon him as Ministers of State for this Kingdom Lisbon was not yet quite clear of the Plague and therefore he ordered the Cortes or Parliament to meet at Tomar on the 15th of April In his way thither he met the Dutchess of Bragança and they were long together tho' their Discourse was not over pleasant for the King treated her not with all the Complement she expected and she never gave him the stile of Majesty Being come to Tomar before the opening of the Parliament he caused himself to be Sworn King according to the Portuguese manner and his Son Prince James Heir of the Crown An Amn●sty Next he granted a general Pardon to all that had sided with Antony the Grand Prior only excepting Fifty two Persons and excluding all religious Men that espoused his Quarrel from Spiritual Promotions 2. The Parliament was opened the 19th of April He holds a Parliament the King sitting on his Throne The King bountifully bestowed his Favours upon all there and yet there were more discontented than pleased It was proposed to suppress the University of Coimbra because it had supported the Grand Prior but the King would not suffer it to be done What the King granted of his own will to the Kingdom in general Priviledges granted to Portugal was as follows That he will keep all their Ancient Priviledges and Immunities That the Parliament shall always meet within the Kingdom That none shall be Governour of Portugal but a Native unless it be a Prince of the Blood That all Places of Trust and Honour shall be given to Natives That all the Officers of the Houshould shall be kept up and none but Natives shall be such That the same be observed in India and America and none but Portuguese Ships shall be allowed to Trade thither That all the Money coined in the Kingdom shall be stamped with only the Portuguese Arms. That all Church Preferments and Commendaries of Military Orders shall be given to Natives That no New Imposition shall be laid upon the Church That there shall be always a Portuguese Council with his Majesty for the Affairs of the Kingdom These are the Principal Heads the others being much of the same Purport or less Material I omit for brevity sake They were in all Twenty five Articles King Philip bound himself by Oath to perform them left his Blessing to such of his Heirs as preserved and his Curse to those that violated them 3. The Cortes being broke up Philip's publick Entry into Lisbon King Philip resolved to make his solemn Entry into Lisbon but because the City had not yet finished the Works designed for his Reception he staid some Days at Almada a Town on the opposite side of the River On the 29th of June he entered the City attended by all the Nobility with the greatest Splendor and Majesty imaginable Thus ended the Calamities of this Kingdom which had lasted Two Years during which short time there may be reckoned Five several
Citadel whence they might Canonade the City and whilst it held out the King of Spain had always an inlet at Command Therefore thinking they had done nothing till they were Masters of that Place they went to the Vice-Queen The Citadel taken from the Spaniards demanding of her an Order for the Governour to deliver it up to them She rejected them with scorn but Almada swearing if she persisted he would instantly Murder all the Spaniards that were taken For fear of Sacrificing so many Persons of Quality she signed the Order believing the Governour knew his Duty too well to obey an Order he could not but be convinced was extorted from her It fell not out as 〈◊〉 expected for the Spanish Governour D. Lewis del Campo a Man of no Resolution seeing all the Conspirators in Arms before the Citadel vowing they would put the Garrison to the Sword unless they instantly surrendred was glad to depart with so good a Pretence to hide his Cowardize The Citadel being surrendred and the Conspirators now secure on all sides they immediately dispatched Mendoza and the Great Master of the Game to carry the Happy News to the Duke of Braganza and assure him there wanted nothing to compleat the People's Happiness but the Presence of their King Yet was not his Presence equally desired by all Men. The Nobility looked upon his Exaltation with an envious Eye The Gentry who had no hand in the Conspiracy stood dubious Some said they knew not whether he would justifie those proceedings The Creatures of Spain were in a Consternation and only took care to save themselves from the Fury of the Multitude The Duke's Friends knowing his Intention prosecuted their Business They met at the Palace to settle Affairs till the Arrival of the King and unanimously chose the Archbishop of Lisbon President of the Council and Lieutenant of the Kingdom He refused at first saying there was more need of a General than a Person of his Character but soon complyed upon Condition the Archbishop of Braga should be joyned in Commission with him This subtil Prelate's Design was to make the other as guilty in respect of the Spaniards as himself if he accepted or if he refused to render him odious to the new King and People He of Braga perceived the Snare but being wholly devoted to the Spaniards positively refused to have any share in the Government Thus the whole Power fell into the Hands of the Archbishop of Lisbon D. Michael de Almeida Peter de Mendoza and D. Antony de Almada were appointed his Counsellors 17. The Governour 's first care was to make himself Master of three great Spanish Galeons that were in the Port. Three Spanish Galeons seized in the River of Lisbon Several Barks were fitted out and manned with the choice Youth of the City each endeavouring to signalize himself but they met with no Opposition the Officers and most of the Soldiers having been secured ashore at such time as the Conspiracy took effect Expresses were sent the same Evening to all the Provinces to excite the People to give Thanks to Heaven for the Recovery of their Liberty and Commanding all Magistrates to cause the Duke of Braganza to be proclaimed King and to secure all the Spaniards The next care was to dispose all things for the Reception of the new King The Archbishop acquainted the Vice-Queen she must withdraw to make room for the King and his Family He caused an Apartment to be furnished for her in the Royal Mansion-House of Xabregas which is in the Suburbs The Vice-Queen upon the first Order left the Palace but with a Countenance full of Indignation and without speaking one Word Only a few of her own Servants and the Archbishop of Braga though with the hazard of his Life attended her Still the Duke of Braganza was in suspense not knowing how Affairs had succeeded at Lisbon till Melo and Mendoza arriv'd at Villaviciosa By the joy of their Countenances and their casting themselves at his Feet more then by their Words he understood he was King of Portugal He conducted them to the Dutchess to relate what had happened and they gave her the Title of Majesty whereas the former Kings and Queens of Portugal had only the Stile of Highness given them The Duke proclaimed King in the Towns of his Dependance That same Day D. John was proclaimed King in all the Towns that depended of him Alfonso de Melo did the same at Elvas The new King set forward for Lisbon with the same Equipage he had provided to go to the Court of Spain He was attended by the Marquess de Ferreira his Kinsman the Count de Vimioso and many other Persons of Quality The Queen was left at Villaviciosa to confirm that Province in its Obedience by her Presence All the ways as he went were thronged with People that ran to see him pouring Blessings on him and Curses on the Spaniards All the Nobility Officers of the Crown and principal Magistrates went out to receive him far from Lisbon where he made his Entry amidst the joyful Acclamations of the Multitude on the 6th of December All that Night the City was enlightned with Bonfires and Illuminations which gave occasion to a Spaniard to say That he was a happy Prince since all that Kingdom had cost him but one Bonfire 18. The whole Kingdom followed the Example of Lisbon The whole Kingdom follows the Example of Lisbon as if there had been a particular Conspiracy in every Town Expresses arriv'd at Court daily bringing the King Advice of Towns and whole Provinces that had expelled the Spaniards and submitted themselves to him The Governours of other strong Places had no more Courage than he of Lisbon most of them shamefully marching away without so much as firing a Musket Thus within Fifteen Days the Spaniards were drove out of all the Kingdom of Portugal Only D. Ferdinand de la Cu●va 〈◊〉 St. Julian at the Mouth of the River taken Governour of the Castle of St. Julian at the Mouth of the River 〈◊〉 appeared resolutely set down to keep that Fortress for the King his Master The Garrison consisted only of Spaniards commanded by brave Officers who made a vigorous Resistance at the first Approaches of the Portuguese There was no remedy but to besiege the Place in form Heavy Cannon was brought from Lisbon the Trenches opened and carried on to the Counterscarp notwithstanding the continual Fire and frequent Sallies of the besieged But Treaty being the surest and often the shortest way the King made such Advantagious Proposals to the Governour as he had not the Power to withstand The great Summs the King offered him together with a Commendary of the Order of Christ prevailed with him The Treaty was concluded and the Fortress surrendred upon pretence he had not a sufficient Garrison to defend it notwithstanding the principal Officers refused to sign the Capitulation and principally D. Roderick Chalon a young Gentleman of
Andaluzia of great Courage and Colonel of a Regiment who offered to hold out three Weeks longer to expect the Succours from Spain which they heard to be at Sea under the Conduct of the Duke of Maqueda The King thought it not fit longer to delay his Coronation that his Royal Authority might become the more Sacred and his Person more respected among the People This Ceremony was performed on the 15th of December with all possible Magnificence The Duke of Aveiro the Marquess of Villareal the Duke de Caminha his Son the Count de Monsanto and all the Nobility of the Kingdom assisted at the Ceremony The Archbishop of Lisbon at the head of his Clergy and attended by several other Bishops received the King at the Gate of the Cathedral and there all the Three Estates took the Oath of Fidelity to him A few Days after the Queen came to Lisbon having been received at a distance by the whole Court and the King himself 19. The News of this Revolution being soon carried to the Court of Spain How the News of his revolt● was received in Spain struck to the Heart of the Prime-Minister yet making the best of that Disaster he accosted the King with a Countenance chearful and full of Assurance saying Sir I bring you happy News your Majesty has just now gained a great Dutchy and a considerable par●el of Lands The King in a surprize asked in what manner Sir replied the Minister the Duke of Braganza is run mad he has suffered himself to be deluded by the Multitude who have proclaimed him King of Portugal now all his Lands are forfeited to the Crown and that Family being extirpated your Majesty will for the future possess that Kingdom in Peace The King was not much taken with these plausible Words and only told him That Care must be taken to suppress a Rebellion that might prove of dangerous Consequence Anno 1641. 1. THE new King of Portugal omitted nothing that might conduce to his Establishment on the Throne After his Arrival at Lisbon New Governours placed in the Frontiers he presently appointed Governours for all the Frontier Towns choosing for that purpose Men of Fidelity Valour and Experience who immediately went away to their Posts with what Forces they could gather and used all possible diligence to put the places committed to them into a posture of defence Commissions were given out to raise Forces and immediately after the Coronation the Cortes or Parliament was Summon'd They met the 28th of January and by a solemn Act acknowledg'd King John to be their lawful and rightful Soveraign as descended by the Princess his Mother from Prince Edward Son to King Emanuel In this Assembly of the three Estates the King declared that for the support of his Houshold he would content himself with his own private Revenue and would lay apart all those of the Crown to supply the necessities of the Kingdom and that the people might relish the sweetness of his Government he abolished all new Taxes imposed by the Spaniards The most considerable employments he gave to such of the Conspirators as had best deserved yet Pinto had no share in this promotion but nevertheless had so great an influence over the King that though he had not the Title of a Minister of State nothing of moment was done without him Having settled all things at home the King next bent his thoughts towards Foreign Princes Ambassadors sent to all the Courts of Europe He dispatched Ambassadors to all the Courts of Europe to move them to own him and at the same time to gain Allies and raise new Enemies to the House of Austria A League offensive and defensive was concluded with the Hollanders and Catalonians both at that time in Rebellion against the King of Spain That Monarch nor being in a condition to use immediate force for the reducing of Portugal still hop'd he might by fair means or threats work upon the new King and to that end writ a Letter to him in the Stile of a Sovereign but in most affectionate terms The Answer was such as no less touched the King of Spain than the News of the Revolt had done before He had his hands full in Flanders Italy Roussillon and Catalonia and yet rather than seem to abate any thing of his Royal Grandeur resolved to hazard all rather than suffer this Affront to pass unrevenged The Duke of Medina Sidonia was order'd to raise Forces in Andaluzia the Count de Monterey in the two Castiles and the Marquess de Valparaiso in Leon and Galicia And because a Fleet was the most absolutely necessary the Duke de Maqueda Admiral of the Ocean had Orders to gather all the Vessels that were fit for Service and to infest the Coast whilst the others acted by Land 2. Of all the Ambassadors sent by the King of Portugal to the Christian Princes The Bish●p of Lamego going Ambassador● to Rome 〈◊〉 by the Spaniards only the Bishop of Lamego designed for Rome miscarried The Master of the Vessel that carried him put into Cartagena a Port of the Kingdom of Murcia and delivered him up to the Spaniards for which Treachery he received a Reward of 2000 Crowns That Prelate's Life was in great danger for he had certainly been Executed but that the King was put in mind that the Marquess de la Puebl● and five or six other persons of Quality were Prisoners at Lisbon This Consideration mov'd him to order the Bishop should be civilly Treated least the Prisoners at Lisbon might suffer for his sake Fortune which the Year before had so highly favoured the new King still seemed wholly devoted to his Party All the Forts on the Coast of Africk except Ceuta and Tangier which at last afterwards submitted upon the first News of what had hapned in Portugal withdrew themselves from their Obedience to the Spaniards and sent to acknowledge King John and assure him of their utmost Fidelity Nor was this all for the Vice-Roy of Brasil having Intelligence of the Revolution sent his Son to Lisbon to take the Oath of Allegiance to the new King in his Name and in the Name of all the Inhabitants o● that Coast who testified an extraordinary satisfaction for that Change The Islands Azores resolved not to be the last that declared for the King and to give him some proof of their Fidelity at the very beginning of his Reign they seized 10 Ships coming from India that knew nothing of the Revolution and sent them to Lisbon after having taken off all the Soldiers that were aboard them In May also this Year a 〈◊〉 dispatched Express from India by John de Sylva Tello the Vice-Roy brought the News that the King had been Proclaimed in all his Dominions in Asia King John Proclaimed in India and as far as the Coast of China The Hollanders at this time were very powerful in those Seas and being at War with Spain did all the harm they could in the
any Age. The greatest Fury was King Sancho overthrows his Brother Garcia and takes him Prisoner when the Portuguese strove to gain the Standard of the Castilians King Sancho came thither in Person to defend it and being unhorsed by D. Egas Gomez de Sousa was taken Prisoner by D. Roderick Frojaz who delivered him up to King Garcia No sooner had he delivered his Prisoner but he fell down dead of the Wounds he had before received King Garcia put his Brother into the Custody of certain Gentlemen whilst he pursued the flying Enemy But King Sancho making his Escape from them made his Way to join Roderick Diaz de Bivar called Cid who was then coming up with fresh Troops that had not been engaged These charging the Portuguese before tired and now dispersed in the Pursuit changed the Fortune of the Day However the Fight thus renewed lasted till Night D. Peter and D. Vermui Brothers to D. Roderick Frojas were killed and King Garcia was taken by his Brother who not long before had been his Prisoner and who now knew better how to secure him than he had been kept himself Thus the Castilians recovered the Day and the Portuguese before victorious were put to the Rout. King Garcia continued in Prison 10 Years when he was released by Death There are Authors who write that King Sancho enlarged his Brother Garcia contenting himself that he should be Tributary to him and that D. Alonso Brother to both returned him to Prison in the Castle of Luna where he died with Irons on his Legs With those very Fetters at his own Request he was buried in the Church of St. Isidorus at Leon. 7. King Sancho having obtained the Victory over his Brother Garcia all the Kingdom of Portugal and Galicia submitted to him This Kingdom being subdued he turned his victorious Arms against King Alonso of Leon Sancho after subduing Portugal ●onquers Leon and becomes sole Monarch who well deserved it for consenting to the Destruction of his Brother The War continued bloody for some time with various Success till at length King Alonso overthrown was taken Prisoner To deliver himself from that Misery he retired to Sahagun pretending to become a Religious Man Soon after finding a fit Opportunity 1072. by the Advice of Count Peter Anzures King Alonso of Leon flies to the Protection of the Moors he fled to Toledo where the Moorish King Alimaimon entertained him with Royal Magnificence Nothing now remained to disturb King Sancho's ambitious Thoughts but his Sister Vrraca's possessing Zamora He laid Siege to that City and had now reduced it to Extremity but here in this last Act God permitted the Curses of his Father to reach him for in the Height of his Confidence a Traytor called Vellido Dolphes coming out of the City upon pretence of revealing some Secret to him took his Opportunity to strike him through the Body with a Spear whereof he fell down dead King Sancho reigned six Years and was murder'd in 1073. 1073. He was called The Brave and was married to the Lady Blanch Daughter to his Uncle Garcia Sanchez King of Navarre or according to others to Alberta of France His Body lies in the Church of our Blessed Saviour at Onna 8. King Alonso being generously protected by the Moor Alimaimon King of Toledo lived in hopes of better Fortune when Advice was brought him from Zamora by Order of his Sister Vrraca of the Death of his Brother Alonso after his Brother's Death returne and is received by the People a● their King King Sancho He immediately came to take Possession of his Kingdoms and was received with general Applause Only Roderick Diaz de Bivar called Cid would not take the Oath of Allegiance to him till he swore he had no Hand in the Death of King Sancho It is strange amidst the universal Satisfaction the King should have need of one Man But he resented this Affront so heinously that he afterwards banished him in which Exile Roderick gained much Honour King Alonso the 6th of that Name being settled in quiet Possession of his Kingdoms approved himself worthy of greater Dominions being one of the most victorious Princes of Spain and that farthest extended his Conquests He seemed rather to have fled to Toledo as a Spy than for Protection for he took that City from the Infidels and valued himself so much upon it that from thenceforwards he stiled himself Emperor 1085. and was the Honour of the Spanish Monarchy 9. King Alonso had six Wives Alonso's W●ves and Issue The First was Agnes her Parentage unknown and she left no Issue The Second was Constance Daughter to Duke Robert II. of Burgundy She had a Daughter called Vrraca afterwards married to Count Raymund of Burgundy and her Portion was the Kin●●●om of Galicia Her Husband came to Spain with her Mother and they had Issue Sancha and Alonso the Emperor King Alonso's Third Wife was Berta Daughter to Philip I King of France By her he had the Ladies Sancha and Elvira the First married to Count Roderick Gonzalez Giron the Latter to Roger I King of Naples and Sicily The Fourth Wife was Elizabeth Daughter to the Emperor The Fifth Beatrix a French Lady Neither of them had any Children The Sixth was Zaida her Christian-Name Elizabeth Daughter of Almucamuz Aben Hamet King of Sevil She bore him a Son called Sancho killed at Twelve Years of Age in the Battel of Velez in the Year 1100. The King in his Youth had to do with the Lady Ximena Nunez de Gusman Daughter to King Garcia VI of Navarre By her he had three Daughters The First Elvira married to Count Raymund of Toulouse her Portion was a great Summ of Money with which he returned to France The Second Daughter was Teresa Wife to Count Henry the Progenitor of the Kings of Portugal Grandson to Robert I. Duke of Burgundy being the Fourth Son to Henry Eldest Son to the Duke Of the Third Daughter we have no Account unless it was one that was married to Ferdinand Mendez the Elder Son to M●m Alao Lord of Braganza Some Authors would make the Lady Ximena to be lawful Wife to King Alonso but there are undeniable Proofs to the contrary in old Records specifying the Time when each Wife was married to the King wherein none is left for this Lady who doubtless was no other than a Mistress 10. Count Henry Count Henry marries the Bastard Daughter of King Alonso after he had married the Bastard-Daughter of King Alonso served the King in his Wars and was some Times sent Governor into Portugal as were several others from the Year 1072 till 1098. For tho' the Count was married in the Year 1072 the Kingdom of Portugal was not absolutely assigned over to him till after the Birth of his Son Alonso which was in the Year 1094 And we find that from the Year 1099 the Count continued settled in Portugal as absolute Lord and Proprietor thereof whereas
concluded a Truce for Eleven Years conditionally That both Kings should be obliged if they designed to make War at the expiration thereof to notify the same to the other Party Eighteen Months before Several discoveries had been of late Years attempted through the industry of Prince Henry 1420. and now this Year 1420 the Islands of Puerto Santo and Madera were First found such were the beginnings that gave Encouragment to the Discovery of India and America But of these Discoveries we have writ particular Books 1422. In the Year 1422 the King changed the computation of time till then used in Portugal which was from the Reign of Augustus to that of the Year of our Lord in imitation of King John the First of Castile who had made the like Reformation there before 5. This same Year the Constable Nunho Alvarez Pereyra being 62 Years of Age took upon him the religious Order of the Carmelites 1423. in the Monastery of Lisbon built by himself Peace ratified betwixt Castile and Portugal There he lived a very exemplary Life the space of 9 Years and died aged 71 Years To secure the Peace with Castile the King sent his Embassadors thither but one of them being overthrown and almost killed at the exercise of Tilting the Castilian sent an Embassador to Portugal who exchanged the Ratifications War now ceasing 1424. Prince Peter the Kings Second Son resolved to Travel and setting out with a Train sutable to his Quality he ran through a great Part of Europe Asia and Africk Four Years he spent in this imployment having been nobly entertained in the Courts of all Princes These Travels being then rare especially in such Persons gave occasion to many fabulous Relations thereof afterwards spread abroad which rendred the Truth it self suspected The King in the mean while applying himself to the Civil Government Enacted many good Laws 1428. Prince Edward was now 26 Years of Age and yet unmarried Prince Edward contracted to Ellenor Sister to Alonso King of Aragon therefore a Match was at this time concluded for him with the Princess Ellenor Sister to Alonso King of Aragon and Naples Her Dower was 200000 Florins At the same time also the Lady Elizabeth Daughter to the Earl of Vrgel and Grand-Child to Peter the Fourth King of Aragon was contracted to Prince Peter coming home after his Travels and the following Year she was Conducted to Portugal This same Year Philip of Burgundy 1429. Earl of Flanders being the second time a Widower sent to ask the Princess Elizabeth in Marriage which was granted and she sent into Flanders with a Portion of 150000 Crowns 6. The King sent two Embassadors to mediate a Peace betwixt the Crowns of Castile 1430. Arragon and Navarre the two latter whereof were hard pressed by the other The Castilian also that he might not seem to proceed upon unjust Grounds dispatched an Embassador to the Portuguese to acquaint him with the righteousness of his Proceedings 1431. Now at last came the final Conclusion of the long-desired perpetual Peace with Castile for the ratifying whereof Peter Gonzalez Malafaya being sent thither he accompanied that King in his Expedition against the Moors of Granada At their return from that War the Peace was proclaimed in Castile and an Embassador came thence into Portugal to see the same performed there This was the end of those Pretensions which had alarmed these two Kingdoms for the space of almost Fifty Years The victorious King John at length overcome with Age King John falls sick fell sick of his last Malady He was removed to Alcouchete to try whether the Air would do him good but perceiving his Death draw on he caused himself to be carried back to Lisbon There on the Fourteenth of August 1433. 1433. having performed all the Parts of a good Christian His Death he gave up his Ghost Yet with the Authors leave I cannot conceive with what Piety an Usurper can die not having made Restitution The News of his Death being spread through the City it is impossible to express the Sorrow the City was filled with His Body was carried to the Cathedral on the Shoulders of his Sons the Nobility the whole Multitude of both Sexes and all Ages following 7. He had a pleasing Aspect His Character his Stature large and his Strength proportionable for his Helmet kept to this Day is too large for any Head and his Battle-Ax too weighty for any Arm. Prosperity and Adversity he bore equally was Constant Magnanimous Merciful Bountiful and Religious His Buildings were fair and sumptuous as appears by the Monasteries of Pe●●longa and Carnota and the Palaces of Lisbon and Santarem and above all the prodigious Structure of the Church of our Blessed Lady of Batalla or of the Battle erected in Memory of the famous Victory obtained at Aljubarrota To describe this wonderful Pile would take up too much room in the small compass of this short History therefore we shall pas● it by To this Place was the deceased King with mighty Pomp translated by his Son King Edward just the Day 12 Months after his Death that is on the 14th of August 1434. 8. King John had Eight Children by his Wife Philippa His Wife and Issue● Daughter to John Duke of Lancaster 1st Blanch who died in her Infancy 2dly Alonso Born at Santarem and lived but 10 Years 3dly Edward who succeeded him in the Throne 4thly Peter Duke of Coimbra a Man so learned that he wrote several Books he also travelled a great Part of the then known World as was said before and married Elizabeth the Daughter of the Earl of Vrgel which also has been above intimated Being Governour of the Kingdom during the Minority of his Nephew King Alonso he gained many Enemies and was at their instigation put to Death by that King 5thly Henry Duke of Viseo and Master of the Order of Christ who being studious in the Mathematicks fitted out Ships at his own cost to discover the Coasts of Africk wherein he made a great Progress and occasioned the Discovery of India To the end he might wholly addict himself to these Affairs he settled his abode at Sagres near C●pe S. Vincent in the Kingdom of Algarve where he died 6thly John Master of the Order of Santiago in Portugal and Constable 7thly Ferdinand Master of the Order of Avis accounted a Martyr for his great Sufferings and Death in slavery among the Moors of Africk 8thly Elizabeth married to Philip the third Earl of Flanders and Duke of Burgundy This King's Bastard-Children were Alonso Earl of Barcelos and first Duke of Bragança and Beatrix married to Thomas Earl of Arundel in England 9. This King reduced the ten Bezants His Arms. before used in each of the five Scutcheons of the Arms of Portugal to five the Cross of Avis appearing underneath in Memory that he had been Master of that Order and because he received the
refuses to go into Castile who was upon his Guard against all Artifices of the Court answered He was not in a Condition to defray the Expence he must be at in that Expedition to support the Grandeur of his Family These repeated Denyals gave the Prime Minister ground to fear the Duke notwithstanding his Natural Propension to Ease had still some thoughts of a Crown Considering therefore of what Importance it was to the King his Master to secure his Person he omitted nothing that might conduce to the compassing his Design But it being dangerous to use Force because of the great Affection the Portuguese always bore to the House of Bragança he resolved to bring him to his beck by all imaginable exterior marks of Affection and of an entire Confidence in him 5. There was War at that time betwixt France and Spain The Duke made General and the French Fleet having appeared on the Coast of Portugal furnished the Prime Minister with a fair Pretence for carrying on his Designs It was requisite there should be a General to Command the Forces that were to Guard the Coast This Commission was sent to the Duke with such an Absolute Power as seemed to put the whole Kingdom into his hands Yet this served only the better to hide the Bait. For at the same time D. Lope de Ossorio Admiral of the Spanish Fleet had Orders to put into the nearest Port to the Duke as if he were drove in by stress of Weather or on some other Pretence and having drawn him aboard as to an Entertainment to carry him away to Spain But Fortune ordered it otherwise for the Spanish Admiral lost several Ships in a Storm and the rest being dispersed he could not gain the Coast of Portugal This no way discouraged the Count Duke who looked upon the Disappointment as meerly accidental and therefore he laid his Project another away writing to D. John in such terms as expressed the greatest Confidence lamenting the loss of the Fleet which left the Coast open to be insulted by the Enemy and advising him to visit and strengthen those Places that were most exposed At the same time he sent him 40000 Ducats to raise new Forces if requisite and to defray the Charge of his Progress In the mean while the Governours of all Strong Holds being for the most part Spaniards had private Instructions to secure him if a favourable Opportunity were offered and send him into Spain D. John suspecting these extraordinary marks of Kindness made the Minister fall into the Snare he had laid for him Tho' he returned Thanks for the Trust reposed in him and gave special Assurances of Fidelity yet he made use of this Opportunity to prefer his Friends to such Posts as might be most for his own Interest He made use of the Money to Purchase new Creatures and always visited the Forts so well attended that there was no hopes of seizing his Person 6. All the Court of Spain The Duke in his Progress lays the Foundation of his future Greatness being ignorant of the Design it was grounded upon loudly exclaimed against the Prime Minister for putting such Power into the hands of a Person so suspitious 〈◊〉 the King liked the Project the better because no Body could dive to the bottom of it Thus the Duke of Bragança under colour of executing his Employment freely traversed all Portugal laying at the same time the Foundation of his future Greatness He had a Magnificent Retinue which drew the Eyes of the People after him he heard all Men with extraordinary Courtesie he curbed the Insolency of the Soldiers and at the same time commended the Officers and used all possible mean● to oblige them His Behaviour charmed the Nobility for he received them with obliging marks of Distinction according to every Man's Merit and Quality To be short he bestowed Favours where-ever he came and yet gained more Friends upon the hopes of what they might promise themselves from him than what at present they received So that those who saw him thought they prayed for their own Interest when they offered up their Vows for his exaltation to the Throne His Partisans did not neglect at the same time to do all things that might be for the establishing of his Reputation John Pi●●to Ribeiro the Comptroller of his Houshold was the Man that laboured most to reduce to an exact Method the hopes of his Master's Exaltation which were yet but in Prospect This was a vigilant active Man expert in Business and passionately zealous for his Master's Promotion as hoping to have no small hand in the Government if the Duke ascended the Throne His Master had owned to him that he would willingly embrace a fair Opportunity of seizing the Crown but would not do it like one who had nothing to lose that therefore he gave him leave to manage that Affair yet so as it should never appear that he was any ways concerned 7. Pinto had long applyed himself to discover what discontented Persons there were at Lisbon Pinto the Duke's Agent Conspires with some of the Nobility and to increase their number He spread Complaints against the present Government He put the Nobility in mind of the Honourable Employments their Families enjoyed under their Natural Princes and represented their being summoned to the War in Catalonia as an Honourable Banishment Among the Merchants and Shop-keepers he complained of the loss of their Trade discoursed of the Tyranny they lay under and extolled the Dutch and Catalonians who had asserted their Liberties The Clergy he stirred up by shewing how the Priviledges of the Church were infringed and benefices given to Strangers which ought to be the Reward of Merit and Learning among the Natives Such as he knew to be Malecontents he discoursed about his Master's Qualities to sound their Inclinations So cunningly did he manage their several Humours that after having secured many in private he at last gathered a Number of the Nobility and among them was the Archbishop of Lisbon This Prelate was of the Family of the Cunhas which is one of the best in the Kingdom a Man of ●arts beloved by the People but hateful to the Spaniards for whom he had no less aversion because they had through the Interest of the Vice-Queen given the Archbishoprick of Braga to D. Sebastian de Matos de Noronha and made him President of the Council called d'O Paço The rest that made up this Assembly were D. Michael de Almeida so great an Enemy to the Spaniards that he could never be perswaded to appear at Court D. Antony de Almada and his Son D. Lewis D. Lewis da Cunha Nephew to the Archbishop Melo the great Master of the Game D. George his Brother Peter de Mendoza D. Roderick de S●a the Great Chamberlain and many Officers of the Houshold whose Employments were become only Titular since Portugal had lost its Native Kings To these the Archbishop who was naturally a well-spoken Man
made a Speech representing the state of the Kingdom since it fell into the hands of the Spaniards in its most hideous form He shewed them how Philip the Second to secure his Conquest had put to Death many of the Nobility not sparing even the Clergy having to that effect obtained a Bull from the Pope How the Spaniards had ever since followed the same Maxims of Government That no Man's Life or Estate was safe That the Nobility was slighted Benefices given to unworthy Persons the People consumed with Taxes the Country lay waste and Towns desart the Men being carryed away by force to the War in Catalonia That the last Orders from Court for Summoning the Arrier-Ban served only to draw away all the Nobility that they might end their days in Exile whilst their Estates were given away to Strangers In fine that he would rather wish to die than survive the utter Ruin of his Country and hoped so many Worthy Persons were not met there to no purpose 8. This Discourse renewed the Memory of every man's private Grievances The Conspirators incensed resolve to put their Designs in execution but above all they resented the Summons for Catalonia as designed for their utter Ruin These Considerations and the desire of Revenge made them resolve to take the necessary Measures for shaking off so heavy a Yoke They blamed themselves for having suffered patiently so long and concluded it was absolutely necessary to expel the Spaniards but were divided upon what Form of Government to choose Some were for a Commonwealth like that of Holland The others were for a King but differed about the Person some proposing the Duke of 〈◊〉 others the Marquess of Villarcal and others the Duke of 〈◊〉 all three Princes of the Blood-Royal of Portugal every Man speaking according to his private Affection or prospect of Advantage The Archbishop who was entirely devoted to the House or Bragança making use of the Authority of his Character declared to them that the choice of a Governour was not Arbitrary since they could not in Conscience break the Oath of Fidelity they had taken to Spain unless it were to enthrone the Rightful Heir to the Crown which was the Duke of Bragança Besides that his Power and Interest was such that without him they could hope for no Success tho' he were not as indeed he was the first Prince of the Blood Then he descanted upon the Duke 's good Qualities and so managed the Assembly that they all resolved to make him their King and that every Man should use the utmost of his Endeavours for carrying on that Design Thus the Assembly broke up having first fixed the Time and Place for another Meeting wherein they should take the necessary Measures to secure a speedy and happy Success to their Enterprize Pinto seeing all well disposed in favour of his Master writ privately to him to draw near to Lisbon as well to encourage the Conspirators by his Presence as to take Order with them about putting the Design in execution Upon this Advice the Duke some days after set forward from Villaviciosa and came to Almada a Village opposite to Lisbon on the other side the River as if he had fallen in there accidentally in his Progress through the Kingdom He had so splendid an Equipage and was followed by such a Numerous Train of Persons of Quality and Officers that he looked more like a King going to take Possession of his Crown than a General that was visiting the Posts under his Charge The Duke visits the Vice-Queen Being so near Lisbon he could not omit paying his Respects to the Vice-Queen When he entred the Great Court before the Palace all the Avenues were thronged with People flocking to see him and all the Nobility came to Conduct him before the Vice-Queen Such was the Joy throughout the City at the first sight of him that he seemed either to want only a Herald to Proclaim his King then or else courage to seize the Crown But he was too wise to commit his Fortune to the wild Sallies of the giddy Multitude and therefore having visited the Vice-Queen he instantly retired to Almada without so much as entring the House of Bragança for fear of heightning the Jealousie of the Spaniards who were already too much alarmed 9. Pinto having made the Conspirators observe his Master 's fearful Cautiousness The Conspirators Deputies confer with the Duke at Almada said they must make their Advantage of his stay at Almada and use a sort of Violence to oblige him to accept of the Crown His Advice being approved of they gave him in charge to know of his Master when they might wait upon him with their Proposals which he did upon Condition only three of the Conspirators should come to him Michael de Almeida Antony de Almada and Mendoza were accordingly privately conducted into the Duke's Closet at Almada Antony de Almada represented to him the miserable state of the Kingdom the little Security any Man had of his Life or Estate and that even he himself had no other Refuge to fly to but the Crown He shewed him the low Condition the Spaniards were reduced to the Assistance he might expect from Foreign Princes who were Enemies to the House of Austria and particularly from France the Conveniency of the Sea for bringing of Succours and lastly the small Number of Spaniards that were left in Portugal the Garrisons being drained to supply the Army in Catalonia This Discourse was pleasing enough to the Duke yet nevertheless keeping himself within the Bounds of his Natural Timidity he answered so as they might not have cause to despair of him nor to hope much more than they did before telling them He was sensible of the deplorable Condition of the Kingdom and of his own Danger that he commended their Zeal for their Country and was beholding to them for their good Wishes towards him but that it was not as yet time to think of applying such violent Remedies which might prove of Fatal Consequence To this dubious Answer he added such Caresses and particular Thanks that they could no longer doubt but that their Proposals were acceptable and yet they found he would make no advances till the Success of their Enterprize was past all danger After some private Conference with Pinto he returned to Villaviciosa but not with that inward quiet which he used to enjoy as a private Man and therefore immediately communicated the whole Affair to the Dutchess This Lady was by Birth a Spaniard and Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia a Grandee of Spain and Governour of Andaluzia She was naturally ambitious and her Father had endeavoured to improve that Inclination in her Besides her Knowledge in other Languages she was so perfect in her own and had such an insinuating way that she drew all mens hearts All the Customs of Portugal she had made Natural to her self and had by her extraordinary Application and Carriage gained an
absolute Ascendant over her Husband who never undertook any thing of moment without her Advice and therefore could not proceed farther in this Affair without consulting her To her he revealed the whole Conspiracy the Parties concerned their Zeal in carrying it on and all that had happened to him at Lisbon and at Almada in the Conference He told her how much the Nobility were offended at the Expedition against Catalonia That nevertheless the greatness of the Danger discouraged him as did the fear that the Great Ones out of Envy would oppose him that the Power of the King of Spain was formidable and little Confidence to be reposed in Foreign Princes These Considerations weighed more with the Duke than the desire he had of a Crown But the Dutches whose A●●●ion was more rooted presently embraced the hor●● of a Crown and used all the Arguments her Rhetorick could furnish her with to perswade him yet so as that he should see a greater Number of Conspirators engag●● and never openly espouse the Cause till the moment it should be put in execution 10. The Court at this time was not free from Care The Prime Minister of Spain resolves to draw the Duke out of Portugal The extraordinary Joy the People express'd at Lisbon at the sight of the Duke alarmed the Prime Minister He suspected there were Private Cabals held at Lisbon and certain groundless Reports which are commonly the fore-runners of great Revolutions increased his Jealousie Several Councils were held hereupon and it was finally resolved to call the Duke of Bragança to Madrid that so the Portuguese wanting a Head might have no hopes left of succeeding in their intended Revolt On the 20th of October 1640. the Count Duke de Olivares sent an Express to the Duke of Bragança 1640. to acquaint him the King expected him at Court to be informed by him of the Posture of Affairs in Portugal assuring him he should receive all marks of Honour that were due to his Birth and Quality This Positive Command strangly surprized him as knowing should he refuse to Obey the next Orders would be for carrying him away by force and thinking he was betrayed concluded himself fallen into the depth of all Misfortunes The Duke's Arts in refusing Nevertheless that he might gain time and advertise the Conspirators of his Danger by the Advice of his Dutchess he sent a Gentleman to Madrid to assure the Prime Minister of his Resolution to appear suddenly before the King This Gentleman had private Instructions to find some counterfeit Excuses for his delay from time to time Being come to Madrid he assured the King that his Master followed him He hired a great House bought Rich Furniture hired Servants and lay'd out much Money as if he daily expected his Master Soon after he pretended he had received Advice that his Master was sick and finding this Fraud would not last long presented a Memorial to the Prime Minister desiring that the King would ascertain in what manner his Master should be received at Court This was done in hopes that the Grandees opposing him the Dispute might be held on foot some considerable time But the Count Duke to avoid all delays perswaded the King to decide the Controversie in favour of the Duke of Bragança so that he could 〈◊〉 longer doubt of as Honourable a Reception as he cou 〈◊〉 himself desire 11. As soon as the Conspirators understood what Orders the Duke had received from Court they sent Mendoza to assure him of their stedfastness and to perswade him openly to joyn with them They met a Hunting and being withdrawn into a Wood Mendoza made use of the most pre●ing Arguments to engage him to espouse his own Quarrel The Duke answered He approved of their Proceedings and was fully resolved to Head them Mendoza returning to Lisbon informed the Conspirators how he had sped and that the Duke would have Pinto repair to him He was sent and with him the whole Scheme of their intended Proceedings Pinto acquainted his Master how great a Misunderstanding there was betwixt the Vice-Queen and the Secretary Vasconcellos and withal told him nothing could have fallen out more advantageously for advancing his Affairs The Duke who was fully convinced of the force of his Reasons found himself more pressed forward by the Gentleman he had sent to Madrid for he writ that the Prime Minister would admit of no longer delays This made him resolve to lose no time However he writ to that Gentleman that he should acquaint the Count Duke de Olivares that he would have been at Madrid long since but for want of Money to support his Dignity● which as soon as it could be raised he would set out towards the Court. The Duke carryed Pinto to the Dutchess's Apartment where several Methods were proposed about the Execution of their Design At length the Duke concluded that Lisbon should be secured for that being the Capital City would shake the whole Kingdom and that the same day it was done he would cause himself to be proclaimed King in all the Towns that depended on him That such of his Friends as were Governours of Towns should do the like where they commanded and that the People should be made to rise even in the Villages that were subject to any of the Conspirators to the end that the Conflagration being general throughout the Kingdom those few Spaniards that were in it might not know which part to have recourse to first That he would march his own Regiment into Elvas the Governour of which Place was wholly at his Devotion That as to the securing of Lisbon he must leave it to them to Act as Opportunity should offer Nevertheless his Advice was that their first ●●●rts should be made against the Palace that having seized the Vice-Queen and all the Spaniards they might serve as Hostages to oblige the Citadel to Surrender which might otherwise incommode the City He gave Pinto two Letters of Credence directed to Almeida and Mendoza only requiring them to give entire Credit to the Bearer and to be faithful and couragious in putting what they had promised in execution 12. Being come to Lisbon Pinto delivered his Credentials to Almeida and Mendoza Then they sent for Lemos and Correa The Conspirators contrive how to incense the Citizens of Lisbon against the Spaniards two Citizens of the Duke's Faction who employing many Workmen and having gone through all the Offices of the City were in great Reputation among the People They had before made it their business to incense the Citizens against the Spaniards by spreading Reports of new Taxes to be raised and had designedly discharged many of their Workmen pretending that the Trade being lost they had no Business for them but in truth that Want might make them the readier to rise and yet from time to time they relieved them that they might be entirely at their Devotion Besides they held Intelligence with the chief Men of every Quarter so
out some time but there being no hopes of Relief at last it surrendred The City Braga mutinying drove their Governour into the Castle and sending to the new King offered to receive him He ordered Nunho Alvarez the Constable to take Possession of the City and force the Castle which was accordingly performed The same happened at Ponte de Lima. The King of Castile now at Cordova having twice sent his Fleet against Lisbon ordered a strong Party to enter Portugal by the way of Cuidad Rodrigo They plundered all the Territory of Trancoso and the City of Viseu but as they returned laden with a Rich Booty they were charged by a Portuguese Body much inferiour to them in Number yet with such Resolution that of all the Castilians only 200 escaped not one Portuguese being lost in the Action if Credit may be given to such a Relation after affirming the Fight was obstinately maintained In the mean while the Fleet of Castile consisting of Forty Ships Ten Galeons The Castilians enter Portugal some Galleys Twelve Barks and other small Vessels rode in the Harbour of Lisbon That King also marched from Cordova with a numerous Army and appeared before Elvas which was resolutely defended and now finding the general Aversion of the Portuguese to him it was debated whether Portugal ought to be invaded at all but at last it was resolved to enter it by the way of the Province of Beyra 4. The new Portuguese King understanding the approach of the Castilians marched out of Guimaraens to give them Battle having drawn together his Forces from Coimbra Porto and other Places On the 14th of August in the Morning he entred the Plain of Aljubarrota where he Knighted several Gentlemen The Castilians designed not to fight intending to march directly to Lisbon T●● Fam●●● B●●●●●● A●jubar●●● yet after some Consultation they resolved to Engage There was a great disproportion in Numbers for the Castilians are reported to have been 33000 strong and the Portuguese but 6500 besides which Disadvantage they had the Sun and Dust in their Eyes The Sun was going down when these two unequal Armies engaged The Castilians at the first Charge broke through our Vanguard but the new King then coming up not only with Words but with his Example so animated his Men that in less than an hour that multitude of Enemies was put to the rout The King of Castile who began the Fight on a Mule being then troubled with an Ague was forced to take a Horse to save himself Most of the Portuguese who sided with Castile and were in the Front of the Army were put to the Sword for no Quarter was given to them The Royal Standard of Castile was taken but many pretending to the Honour it could not be decided by whom The full Number of the slain is not known but it was very great on the part of Castile of whom about 3000 Horse are reckoned to have perished and very many Men of great Account This is the Famous Battle of Aljubarrota so called for that it was fought near the Village of that Name The Booty was vastly Rich. 5. The Victorious King continued three days in the Field of Battle erecting Trophies it being then the Custom so long to expect the return of the Enemy The King of Castile fled with speed from Aljubarrota to Santarem which is Twelve Leagues and having rested there a short time went down the River to his Fleet then Riding before Lisbon where he continued two days and on the 17th of August left that Port attended by Seventeen Galleys He arrived at Sevil and tired there with the Clamours of the People went away to Carmona Now we have heard what the Portuguese Authors write of this Battle The Account given of this Battle by the Spanish Historians which seems altogether incredible but let us give an hint of what those of Castile write which is much more probable They say the King of Castile advancing towards his Enemy found him posted in an Advantageous Ground betwixt two Morasses out of which Place he could not be drawn because much inferiour in Number That he was above 12000 strong and before the Engagement made Overtures of Peace That the Castilians would not be disswaded from giving Battle in that Place so disadvantageous to them because they exceeded their Enemies in Number and in fine that they lost the Day through their own Pride and Rashness in assailing an Enemy so well posted when they might have ranged all the Country at their own pleasure This I believe to all Impartial Men will appear nearer to the Truth for we must allow all Authors to magnifie the Exploits of their own Country and so let us return to our History The new King coming to Santarem had it delivered to him and finding there many Ladies whose Husbands were in the Service of Castile he gave them all Liberty to go to them which they gladly embraced 6. The Portuguese King 's next care was to Reward those who had signalized themselves in the Battle The Constable of Portugal upon the Frontiers of Castile the chief whereof was the Constable to whom he gave large Possessions and the Title of Count of Ourem He encouraged by this Honour resolved to invade Castile Having gathered 4000 Men he met and defeated the Master of Calatrava D. Martin Yanez de Barbuda who had entred Portugal with a strong Party and pursuing his Success took the strong Town of Villa Garcia Thence he marched to the Plain betwixt Magaçela and Villa Nueva de la Serena where he had a terrible and long as well as doubtful Battle with D. Peter Moniz Master of the Order of Santiago Three several times the Fight was renewed and lasted almost two days with incredible Obstinacy but in the Conclusion the Portuguese obtained a most Glorious Victory This done he went away to aid the King then lying at the Siege of Chaves which was surrendred to him Moving thence they laid Siege to Coria but after having battered it some days with great Fury were forced to rise and depart the Constable to the Province of Alentejo and the King on foot in Pilgrimage to Our Lady's Church at Guimaraens as he had promised before the Battle of Aljubarrota Most of them that held any Fortresses for Castile surrendred themselves now to the new King He laid Siege to the Town of Chaves whereof Martin Gonzalez de Atayde was Governour who held it out till he had no Water left 1386. and then articled to Surrender in Forty days if not relieved from Castile and by consent of that King he at length delivered up the Place 7. The Portuguese Embassadors in England stirred up the Duke of Lancaster to lay hold of this Opportunity to assert his Right to the Crown of Castile The Duke of Lancaster invited by the Portuguese Lands in Galicia with 2000 Horse and 3000 Archers to which he had a most Legal Title by his Wife the Lady