was overthrown at the River Saledo by the Kings of Castile and Portugal where they obtained a great Victory with much Treasure and many Ensigns of Glory He had by his Queen Beatrice six Children Three Sons dyed in their Infancy the Fourth Don Pedro succeeded his Father in the Throne the other two were Daughters Mary who was Married to Alphonso King of Castile and Elenora espoused to Piedro the fourth King of Arragon King Alphonso being overloaded with the Burthen of 77 Years departed this Life Anno 1356 and was buried at Lisbon Eighthly Pedro the First of that Name the Eighth King of Portugal succeeded his Father Alphonso He was born at Lisbon Anno 1325 and was a-about 33 Years of Age when he came to the Government He was married to Constance Daughter to D. Juan Emanuel Son to Prince Emanuel Nephew to Ferdinand surnamed the Holy by whom he had one onely Son named Ferdinand who succeeded him in his Kingdom After the death of his Wife he fell in Love with Agnesa de Castro a most beautiful Woman descended of the Blood Royal by whom he had many Children among whom â—â— is John who was afterwards King of Portugal This Lady was put to death by his Father very unjustly but he brought those to condigne Punishment who had wrongfully accused her assoon as he came to the Crown It having caused long Wars between him and his Father But in the tenth Year of his Reign and about the 43d of his Age Anno 1367 he paid his Debt to Nature and was buried between the Bodies of his Wife and his Beloved Agnesia Ninthly Ferdinand the First of that Name and the ninth King of Portugal succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Portugal and Algarve He was born at Lisbon Anno 1347 the onely Son of Constance the Daughter of D. Emanuel he came to the Crown at the Age of 22 Years in the Year 1369. He wholly drove the Moors from the Confines of Algarve and addicted himself much to the planting the Wast Lands he erected a Monastery for Franciscan Friars in Sylva the chief City of that Territory About his time it was that Pedro King of Castile being thrust out of his Kingdom by his Bastard Brother Henry for his many tyrannical Outrages done upon his Subjects sued in vain to Ferdinand not being willing to assist him but was re-established in his Throne by the Valiant Prince Edward commonly called the Black Prince Ferdinand had but one Daughter onely that survived him who was married to Henry King of Castile and thereby excluded from the Right of Succession according to that Law made at Samego by the General Assembly of the Estates so that in this King ended the Legitimate Line of Henry Duke of Lorrain This King having now reigned 18 Years and lived 40 being seised by a violent Sickness gave up the Ghost Anno 1387 and was buried in the Cathedral Church of Lisbon Tenthly John the First Bastard Son to Pedro the First after the death of Ferdinand his Brother and Neece Beatrice uncapable of Succession by reason of her Marriage with a forreign Prince claimed the Crown as next of Blood but was for a while debarred by reason of his Illegitimation when afterwards considering that they might choose one less deserving they conferred the Crown upon him yet so as he should receive it not as his indubitable Right by Birth but as given him by Election Thus he obtained the Crown by the Name of John the First and was the Tenth King of Portugal He was born in Lisbon in the Year 1356 and entered into the Government in the 32 Year of his Age in the Year 1388 with very great Applause of the whole Kingdom Soon after his Coronation he married Philippa Daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster which he did to oppose Henry of Castile who claimed Portugal in Right of his Wife Beatrice by matching into that Family which had an equal if not greater Right to the Kingdom of Castile for that John Duke of Lancaster married the Eldest Daughter of Peter the murthered King of Castile and Leon. By Philippa he had a numerous Issue First Edward so named of his God-father Edward th Third of England who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Abstinency and Devotion John Pedro and the most Renowned Henry who was the First of the Portugal Nation that made any forreign Voyages he discovered the Azores Anno 1425 also the Islands of the Madera and sailing along the Coasts of Africa found the Way to Guiana King John reigned 47 Years being made Knight of the Garter as also his Sons the Infants Edward and Henry and dyed in the Year 1436 leaving the World full of his Glory Eleventhly Edward the First of that Name the Eleventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father he was Born at Braga Anno 1392 and came to the Crown about the Age of 44 Years or thereabouts He was married long before he came to the Crown and had four Children Ferdinand who dyed young Alphonso who succeeded him in the Kingdom Joane married to the King of Castile and Leon and Leonora married to the Emperor Ferdinand and was the Mother of the Emperor Maximilian He had but a short Reign of 5 Years and those with bad Success Twelfthly Alphonso the Fifth and the Twelfth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born at Lisbon about the Year 1420 and came to the Crown at the One and Twentieth Year of his Age in the Year 1441. He made Wars against the Moors in Barbary and took from them Tangier Alcazar and Arzilla which he fortified and kept He made Traffick famous encouraging Navigation which began to flourish with them exceedingly He left behind him several Children two of which succeeded him in the Kingdom John his eldest Son and Emanuel who reigned after his Brother He was a very affable and courteous Prince of a mild and gentle Disposition He dyed at Lisbon in the 43 Year of his Reign and 64 of his Life in the Year 1484. Thirteenthly John tho Second and Thirteenth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born about the Year 1456 and entred into the Government of the Kingdom at the Age of about 28 Years He made an Expedition into Barbary against the Moors with Success He sent out two Fleets for Discoveries one of which steered its Course along the Coast of Africa as far as Guinny where they made a Conquest of the Kingdom of Congo After he had reigned 14 Years with happy Success in all his Enterprises he dyed by a Fall from his Horse in Hunting leaving no Legitimate Issue Fourteenthly Emanuel the First and Fourteenth King of Portugal Brother to King John and Son to Alphonso succeeded He was born about the Year 1462 and took possession of the Crown about the Age of 32 Years He was bred up in all Sorts â—f Learning and was very Pious and Religious He was also a Lover of Navigation and set
till he had a Son Born nor should wear a Crown on his Head nor take the Right-hand of his Wife 5. That it should be a binding Law for ever among the Portugals That the Crown might not descend to Forreigners if the Kings Eldest Daughter should Marry a Forreign Prince she should be be excluded from her right of Succession for that they would not have the Kingdom which they had obtained by their own Valour go out of the Race of the Portugals First Thus Alphonso the First obtained the Crown of the Kingdom of Porugal and within a while he added to his rown by Conquest after a five months iege the Rich and Populous City of Lisbon which ever since became the Capital City of his Kingdom and Place of Residence for him and his Successors He made divers other Acquists to the enlargment of his Dominions and being 90 years of Age in the year 1185 he Died leaving behind him Sancho his Son who succeeded in his Kingdom and two Daughters Uracca married to Ferdinand King of Leon and Therasia by some called Matiida Married to Philip the first Earl of Flanders These he had with Henry who dyed young by a second Wife for he had no Issue by Uracca the Daughter of Count Trastamarense Mafalda Sister to Amadeo Earl of Morenna Secondly Sancho the First and Second King of Portugal Son of Alphonso his only Legitimate Son that he had living born at Conimbra the 12th of November 1154 Succeeded his Father being Crowned the 12th of December 1185 three dayes after his Fathers Death He applyed himself much to the Setling of his Kingdom and to Tillage and Planting his Country therefore called the King of Husbandmen He by help of some Christian Souldiers put into Lisbon in their Voyage to the Holy Land Invaded Algarve and took the Chief City Sylva although he did not very long enjoy his Conquest but was driven thence by the Moors and had like to have lost his Kingdom of Portugal being furiously assaulted by the Moores He took to Wife the Daughter of Raymond Berengurio Count of Brachinona called Aldonsa by her he had 8 Children 3 Sons and 5 Daughters The Sons were Alphonso who succeeded in his Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Virtue and Parts Married to Joanna Countess of Flanders and Pietro Count of Irgelense The Daughters were Therasia Married to Alphonso King of Leon Mafalda to Henry the first King of Castile both after their Marriages turning Nuns Sancha became a Nun of the Order of Saint Francis who lived about this time Biancha and Beringilla who dyed young This King at 57 years of Age and in the 26th of his Reign dyed being accounted for his Virtue and Goodness among the best of the Portugal Kings Thirdly His Son Alphonso the second succeeded Born at Conimbra 1185 was about 27 years Old when Crowned King between whom and his Brothers and Sisters there were great Jarrs He was a Man of an high and very willful Spirit and in his latter dayes grew so unweldy and fat that he could not prosecute the Wars He Married Uracca the Daughter of Alphonso the Eighth King of Castile and Elenor Daughter of Henry King of England by her he had divers Children First Sancho who succeâ—ed him in his Kingdom Alphonso by Right of his Wife Duke of Bologna afterward also King of Portugal Ferdin and Count of Serpia Vincenzo dyed young Leonora a Daughter Married to the King of Dacia Alphonso in the 48 year of his Age and 21th of his Reign dyed Anno 1233. Fourthly Sancho the Second succeeded his Father and was Born in Conimbra the first of September 1207 being very sickly and unlikely to live but came to the Crown at twenty six years of Age spending most of his time in Baths and Hot-houses for the recovery of his Health He Married with Messa Lopez the Widdow of Alvaro de Castro She was accounted but an inferiour Match tho of Blood Royal being made by his Favourites who with the Assistance of the Queen by reason of the Kings weakness and indisposition made a Prey of the People and mightily oppressed them so that they were enforced to call to their Assistance Alphonsus the Kings Brother who coming from Bologna possest himself of the Kingdom Sancho being forced to retire to Toledo where addicting himself wholly to Devotion he dyed in the Year 1245 at 39 Years of his Age having reigned 13 Years Fifthly Alphonso the Third who succeeded his Brother was Born in Conimbra May 5. 1210 Educated with great Care and Diligence by his Father because of his Brothers Sickness He married Matilda Countess of Bologne Widow of Philipo Crispo and Daughter of Philipo Augustino He was a Man of great Parts but they were over shadowed by his Lusts For after he was setled in the Kingdom he repudiated his Wife and contracted a wicked Marriage with Beatrice the illegitimate Daughter of Alphonso the King of Castile and his Concubine Maria Villenia And notwithstanding the Threats of the Pope Alexander the 4th at the Tears and Complaints of the Dutchess of Bologne he caused her to be Crowned Queen and confirmed his Succession by the Birth of three Children Dionysio his eldest Son succeeded in the Kingdom Alphonso who married the Daughter of Prince Emanuel Son of Ferdinand King of Castile and Ferdinand who dyed young He very much infested the Moors increasing his Kingdom with the full Conquest of Algarve with much Glory and Reputation He died at Lisbon Anno 1279 at 69 Years of Age and 32 of his Reign accompting from his Brothers Death Sixthly Dionysius or Dennys his Son succeeded his Father He was born on the day of the Great Areopagite for whose sake they imposed that Name Anno 1260. He was a great and famous Poet. He was about 20 Years of Age when he came to the Crown and would by no means admit his Mother to the Administration of the Government He never oppressed his Subjects neither with Tribute or Taxes yet left to his Heir a full Exchequer He made many good Laws which are to this day observed The Order of the Templers was extinct in his Time and he first instituted the University at Conimbra He took to Wife Elizabeth Daughter to Peter King of Arragon who was most remarkable for her Sanctity by her he had Alphonso who succeeded him and Constance who was married to Ferdinand King of Castile After he had reigned 46 Years he dyed at the Age of 84 Years Anno 1235. Seventhly Alphonso the Fourth and the Seventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father and was born in Conimbria Anno 1290. He married with Beatrice Daughter to Sancho the Fourth King of Castile A Man given to hunting and disports to the neglect of his People but being at last made sensible of it he took the Reins into his hands and proved a good King About the Year 1340 Alboacen the potent Miramamolin of Morocco and Granada set himself against all Spain with an Army of 470000 Men but
out three great Fleets for Discoveries in the year 1500 one steered its Course to the East and was the first Christian Fleet that ever passed the Cape of Good Hope he found out the Passage by Sea to the East-Indies After which he sent another and possessed himself of the Island Ormus in the Persian Gulph The second Fleet went Southwards adding to their former Conquests of Congo and Angelo The third Fleet steered Westward and made Discovery and took possession of Brazile in America which they yet possess He was a brave Prince endued with many Virtues and Excellencys as well of body as of mind ruling in great Prosperity and Peace He dyed at Lisbon in the 73 year of his Life and 41 of his Reign in the year 1535 and left behind him a numerous Issue six Sons and two Daughters The Sons were John who succeeded him D. Lewis D. Alphonso who was Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Lisbon D. Henry Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Braga who came afterwards to be King Don Ferdinand Don Edward whose Daughter Katherine marrying into the House of Braganza brought the Right of the Crown to that House The Daughters were Isabella married to the Emperor Charles the Fifth and King of Spain and Beatrice married to Emanuel Duke of Savoy Fifteenthly John the Third the Fifteenth King of Portugal succeeded his father in the Kingdom He was born in the year 1504 and arrived at the Crown at the age of one and thirty years He prosecuted those Discoveries made by the Fleets of his Father in the East and West Indies where he took many Islands and Towns he overthrew the Potent Kingdom of Bengala Pegu and Siam and also obtained many signal Victories over the Moors of Malacca Sumatra and Molucco He married Catherine Sister to the Emperor Charles the fifth and King of Spain by whom he had Issue Prince John who dyed during the Reign of his Father but left behind him a Son named Sebastian who succeeded his Grand-father in the Throne King John having reigned with great Glory the space of 38. years and having made many excellent Laws for the Increasing and Incouragement of Traffick and Navigation he dyed in the 69th year of his Age Anno Dom. 1573 and was buried in the Cathedral Church at Lisbon Sixteenthly Sebastian the first and the sixteenth King of Portugal succeeded his Grand-father King John the Third in the Throne which he entered upon about the 23 year of his Age. Upon the Entreaty of Muly Mahomet and great Promises of setling on him the Kingdom of Morocco he went over in Person with an Army against Abdemelech to restore Muly Mahomet to the Throne where with the Assistance of one â—tewkly an English Man whom he had perswaded to help him in this Voyage with some Souldiers he was going with into Ireland from the Pope to assist the Rebels there against Queen Elizabeth he arrived at Tangier with their forces and joyning with Muly Mahomet in the Plains of Alcazar they fought with Abdemelech in August 1578 where they were discomfited and utterly overthrown both Sebastian Muly Mahomet and Stewkly were all slain and also Abdemelech So that he thus ended his Life and Reign after he had sat in the Thrâ—â— scarce a year and a half he left behind his no Issue There went a Report that he escâ—ped from the Batâ—el and was found aâ— known in Venice â—nd thence was carried 〈◊〉 Naples and so into Spain where he misrably dyed in Prison but it is an uncertainty though believed among the Portugals Seventeenthly Henry the Cardinal Third Son of Emanuel the first succeeded Sebastian in the Kingdom but being ageâ— 67 years and a Church-man they had nâ— hopes of Issue and his Reign not likely to be long there were many Pretenders to thâ— Crown and it was all the Discourse whâ— ought of Right to succeed It will not therefore be amiss that I give you here a Soheme which will shew clearly the several Titles to your View Emanuel the First had 8 Children 1. John King of Portugal who had Issue John Prince of Portugal who had Issue Sebastian King of Portugal 2. Lewes Infant who had Issue Don Alphonso Bastard who had Issue Christopher and others 3. D. Alphonso who died without Issue 4. Henry Cardinal King of Portugal died without Issue 5. Ferdinand who died without Issue 6. The Infant Edward who had Issue 1. Mary wedded to Alexan. Farnest Prince of Parma a forreigner had Issue Reinuce Prince of Parma 2. Katherine married to John Duke of Bragance 7. Mary married to Charles the 5 King of Castile and Emperor had Issue Philip the 2d King of Spain 8. Beatrix married to Charles Duke of Savoy who had Issue Philibert Duke of Savoy There were 8 several Pretenders to the Crown The first were the people who jure Regni pretended a Priviledge to elect their own Kings but that was soon answered for that they could claim no Right of Election till the Royal Line were wholly extinct The next was the Pope who challenged jure divino to be Arbitrator if not Donor in all Controversies of Crowns but that was slighted The Third was of Antonio Bastard Son to Don Lewis the Infant but he could not clear his Illegitimation though he made some strugling for the Crown he would not be admitted The fourth Pretender was Katherine de Medices Widow of Henry the second King of France as being descended legitimately from Alphonso the third King of Portugal but that would not be admitted about 300 years prescription being against her The fifth that pretended was Philibert Duke of Savoy as Son to Beatrice the younger Daughter of Emanuel but he had little hopes though he laid claim with the rest The sixth was Reinuce the young Prince of Parma who demanded it in right of his Mother the eldest Daughter to the Infant Don Edward alledging jure primo-geniturae the Male Line is to be served before the Female but forreign marriage lay against him as also against the seventh Pretender and the most potent Philip the second King of Spain who employed the best wits in Christendom to make his pretences good saying That the Infant Don Edward being deceased before his Brother Henry was King he could have no Right in himself and therefore could derive none to his posterity for Nemo dat quod in se non habet With these and many other niceties the Lawyers troubled themselves to give a colour able Right to Philip who was resolv'd to carry it against them all and against the last and indubitable pretender Katherine Dutchess of Braganza the youngest Daughter to the Infant Don Edward who besides jure haereditatis being of the better Line had the fundamental Law on her side which excluded the other Daughters and was formerly put in execution against Beatrice Daughter of Ferdinand the ninth and indeed no Arguments could confute or annull her indubitable Right which was clear to the whole world both by her descent and the fundamental Laws of
Imprimatur Hic Liber cui Titulus The Portugal History c. Ab. Campion Reverendissimo Domino Gilb. Arch. Cant. Ã Sac. Domest Ex Aedibus Lambeth Nov. 8. 1676. THE Portugal History OR A RELATION of the TROUBLES that happened in the COURT of PORTUGAL In the Years 1667 and 1668. In which is to be seen that great Transaction of the Renunciation of the Crown by Alphonso the Sixth the Dissolution of his Marriage with the Princess Maria Frances Isabella of Savoy The Marriage of the same Princess to the Prince Don Pedro Regent of the Realm of Portugal and the Reasons alledged at Rome for the Dispensation thereof By S. P. Esq LONDON Printed for Richard Tonson at his Shop under Grays-Inn-Gate next Grays-Inn-Lane 1677. THE Introduction To the Ensuing HISTORY HISTORY or the true Relation of the Actions of Publick Persons the great Business and Affaires of Kingdoms Cities Commonwealths hath been evermore accounted not only Delightfull but Profitable and indeed to be preferred before all other Humane Learning it giving men a true knowledge of themselves Among the many Remarkable Stories Revolutions and Trâ—nsactions which this Age or former hath produced in the World I think this which shâ—â—l be related to you in the following Pages to be none of the least Notable and Remarkable and worthy your Note and Observation and the more being of so late a date and among those whom we may call our Neighbours The Fame of it no doubt hath formerly come to your Eares if you are not a Recluse and quite banished from Converse in the World you cannot but have heard something of the Story from Reports or publick Gazets but here is more amply and ruly made known thâ— whole Transaction of it even to the least Circumstances wherein is seen a great part of the Wisdome and Policy of the Portugal Nation But for the sake of those who are not well acquainted with the History of the Portuguise I thought it not amiss as an Introduction to the following History to give you some little Description of that Country and also a short Cronicle of their Kings from their Original to King John the 4th the Father of Alphonso the 6th the Subject of this present History and that with all the brevity that can be being only to prepare the way for the History of King Alphonso's Resignation of his Crown and the Advancement of the Prince Don Pedro to the Regency of the Kingdom being never till now published or made known among our Country men Portugal then is part of the Continent of Europe being the most Westerly part of it wash'd with the Atlantick or Western-Ocean The atmost Bounds of the known World till the famous Discoveries of the West Indies It was formerly accounted a third part of Spain and called Lusitania as the Ancients would have it from Luso and Lysa the fabulous Companions of Bacchus now called Portugal from Portus Gallorum a great Fishing place of the Gauls called Cale now Caja being scituate at the Mouth of the River Durius It is in Length from North to South four hundred miles The Breadth from East to West is in the broadest place not exceeding one hundred miles and in the narrowest about eighty The whole Circumference about eight hundred seventy nine miles conteining about fourteen hundred and sixty odd Parishes It is Bounded on the North with the Rivers Antinio and Avia which part it from Galicia On the South with the Kingdom of Algarve On the West with the Atlantick Ocean and on the East with the two Castiles and Estramadura As for the Country it self it is Hilly and not very Fruitful yet what Corn and other things of the growth thereof they have are very excellent and good especially Fruits which they have in abundance and those very delicious It hath enough to maintain it self and to supply others with Hony Salt Wine Oyl Alumn Fish Fruits Marble It hath also several Mines The Air is wholsome subject to Heats yet tollerable especially to the Natives who are of a plain and simple behaviour to the rest of the Spaniards and have a great Antipathy to them for their Oppression but have of late years bore up bravely They have been and still are great Navigators by reason of their Vicinity to the Sea and have thereby encreased the Dominion and Riches of the Nation by Conquest and Traffick abroad exceeding much being famous for their Discoveries and Acquists in the East and West Indies It s chief Rivers are the Tagus famous for its Golden Sands Minius full of Red-Lead whence it had the Name of Minium Lethes or Lavada Muliadas or Mundego The Duero and Anas None of them Navigable but for a little space being generally Swift and Narrow The chief Cities are Lisbon the Kings Chamber a great Mart of Old called Osisippo or Ulisippo Built as they then held by Ulysses in his Peregrinations It is in 10 Degrees of Longitude 38 Latitude North about seven miles Compass and contains about 20000 Houses divided into 30 odd Parishes Santaren or Sancta Irene scituate also on the Tagus Conimbra seated on the River Mondeso a Bishops See and University Braga an Archbishops See Porto or Portaport at the mouth of the Duero Miranda a Bishops Sea Braganza whose Dukes are now Kings of Portugal Eubora an Archbishops See Portolegre a Bishops See Olivenza a City seated on the Guadiana Beja anciently Paxtulia now Mean an ancient Colony of the Romans As for the Language 't is a Subdialect of the Latine mixed with Morisco the Moores having setled in Spain 700 Years A time sufficient to implant their Language But more immediately a Dialect of the Spanish Tongue Being Spanish more curtly and quicker pronounced The Castilians affecting long trained words agreeing with their superb Gravity But besides this Dominion there belongs to the Kings of Portugal many other large Territories won to the Crown by Warlike and renowned Princes of that Nation both in Asia Africa and America But South of Portugal lyes the Kingdom of Algarve won from the Moores and annexed to the Crown by Alphonso the Third This Regnum Algarbiorum had its Name as its supposed from its Westerly scituation for so Algarve signifies in the Arabick It reaches as far as St. Vincents Cape or the Southern Cape as the Mariners call it The chiefest places in it are Niebla once the Seat of their Kings Sylvia an In-land City a Bishops Seat Villa Maona scituate beyond the Cape Tavila Faro Lagos all Haven Towns Besides this there belongs to the Dominions of the Kings of Portugal certain Islands called the Azores seated in the Atlantick Ocean directly opposite to Portugal and distant from the Land about 250 Leagues found out and subdued by Prince Henry Son of King John the first From hence they reckon the first Longitude as formerly from the Canaries being accounted more exact They are called Azores from the multitude of Gosh-hawks found in them when they were first discovered Azor
signifying a Gosh hawk in the Spanish Tongue They are Nine in Number the chief of them is the Tercera the place of Residence of Alphonso the sixth since his Resignation of the Crown The rest are St. Maries St. Michaels Fayal Gratiosa St. Georges Duo Flores Corvo from the abundance of Crows therein In Asia the Kings of Portugal have very large Possessions with many Forts and Places of Strength The chief and richest is the City of Goa in the Kingdom of Decan one of the Keys of the East-Indies Here the Portugals have their Arsenals with an Harbour for their Fleet. Then they have Diu a Peninsula in the Province of Guzarate in the Kingdom of Cambaia Here they have an impregnable Cittadel Over against this Place upon the Sea-side they are possessed of Daman a beautiful and a pleasant Town Also Chial a Sea-Town Solsette with a Peninsula of twenty miles in Compass containing about thirty Villages and 80000 Inhabitants with many other considerable places In Africa they have many large Possessions in the Kingdoms of Gongo and Angola till dispossessed thereof by the Hollandar But they are still in the Possession of the Islands of Cape Verd so called because scituated opposite to that Promontory of which there are nine of them the chief of which is St. Jago In the West Indies they are possessed of Brazile from whence we have plenty of Wood and Sugars at least every year 150000 Arrobes every Arrobe containing 25 Bushels of our measure They have here thirteen Captainships or Governments the Chief of which is St. Vincents The rest are Rio de Janeiro del Spiritu Sancto or of the Holy Ghost Porto Sepurio des Ileos or the Isles Todos les Sanctos or All Saints Penambuccio Tamaraca Paraiba Riogrande Siarra Maragnon and Para. Having thus given you an account of the Dominion of the Kings of Portugal I shall succinctly give you a Relation of their Kings even to Alphonso the sixth the Subject of the following Discourse but little more than naming them it being not my Intention to write their History but only as a preparative to what I shall more fully relate that you may not be altogether in the Dark as to the Succession of that Kingdom Lusitan a being under the Empire of the Romans followed the Fortune of the rest of Spain and was subject to the various turns and changes which often hapned in those days till the declining of the Roman Greatness when the Alans were the first that preyed upon it and endeavoured to Plant it but they were soon driven out by the Swemans and sent to seek for other places of Habitation These made Braga their Imperial City and enjoyed it for so he time till the great inundation of the Goths and Vandals who overrunning the whole Continent of Spain made all become Vassals to them and put this under their Power and Dominion These continued here for a lorg time and at last embrac't the Christian Religion till the Moors again like an irresistable Flood coming out of Africa fell in upon them and possessed themselves both of it and the greatest part of Spain But at last after much Strugling many Battels and much Bloodshed this Kingdom was in part Recovered from them by the Kings of Castile and by them enjoyed till they got a King of their own Henry the Second Duke of Lorraine whom some affirm to be Nephew to Godfry Duke of Bolloigne flying from the fuâ—â—y of the Emperor Henry the Fifth came into Spain where moved by the generous Emulation of his Uncle Godfry who was gon to the Conquest of Jerusalem be offered his service against the Moores and by his many valourous Atchievements against the Enemies of the Christian Religion he in a short time arrived at so great and consider able Repute with Alphonso the Sixth King of Castile that he gave him his Base Daughter Teresa to Wife with all those Lands he had Conquered from the Moores in Lusitania for her Dower the chief of which being the Country about Portus Gallorum mentioned in the Description before called then Porto he gave him the the Title of Count or Earl of Portugal And so he called the Lands he had Conquered from the Moores in Lusitania by that Name as did also his Successors and from thence proceeded the Name Portugal This Henry Earl of Portugal having been a Terror to the Moores and having enlarged his Territories being 77 years old lied leaving behind him by his Wife Teresa a Son who was born in the Year â—094 being 18 years Old at the Death of â—is Father and succeeded him in his Earlâ—om and came to be The Frst King of Portugal called Alphonso the First after his Grandfathers Name For being bred up in Military Discipline by his Father he prosecuted his 〈◊〉 against the Moors and all the Kings his Neighbours The Count of Trastamarense despising his Youth Married his Mother Teresia upon which there fell Wars between them but Alphonso behaved himself so well that he forced the Count to give him his Sister Uracca to Wife with an addition of Lands for her Dower He then made War with his Grandfather Alphonso the Sixth King of Castile and took him Prisoner but upon his Release he had conferred on him the Title of Duke of Portugal After that he turned his Forces against the Saracens and took from them Leirida and Torre da Ova and several other places Whereupon Ismaurus King of the Moores with four other Kings â—â—s Neighbours invaded Duke Alphonso with 400000 Men but were by him utterly Overthrown and Discomfited up on which memorable Battel he placed the five Escutchions which are now born in the Arms of Portugal in remembrance of the Overthorow of those five Moorish Kings His Souldiers grown proud with this Success thinking the Title of Duke too low for his great Merit saluted him by the Name of King which he accepting of the Estates of the People and all the Nobility and Gentry being Convocated in the City of Lamego and in the Church of Saint Almacave they conferred on him the Grown and Scepter and other Ensigns of Royalty by the hands of the Archbishop of Braga and confirmed by the Popes Letters they with joynt consent made him then King And at the same time they made several Fundamental Laws as a mutual Obligation between the King and his People Among the rest were 1. That Alphonso should be their King and his Children and Childrens Children after him for ever 2. That the Eldest Son should succeed but if he dye before his Father the next Brother should succeed 3. That if the King should dye without Issue having a Brother he should succeed but not his Sons without the consent of the Estates 4. That if the King should have only Daughters the Eldest should succeed after her Father upon condition she be Married to a Native of the Kingdom and that he be a Nobleman who should not have the Power to take the Name of King
Family with the Infante Don Alphonso Five years after it was further augmented by the birth of Infante Don Pedro. The Birth of these two Infants filled the whole Court and all the Realm with Joy but this Joy was soon troubled for the Infant Don Alphonso who had been taken at the age of three years with a malignant Feaver and with a Palsie which had caused a weakness on his right side in spite of all Remedies even that of the Baths themselves having made use of them twice at Obidos had hardly attained to the age of 7 years but they perceived his Malady had not only taken away the Vigour of his Body but also of his Mind The King who was sensibly touched with this Accident believing that there was no Remedy better than that of a good Education gave him to the Tutelage of Nicholas Monteyro a person endued with all the qualities requisite for that Employment A little time after the Prince Theodosius falling sick dies His good Inclinations made him be lamented by all the Portugals Don Alphonso was the only person who was not touched with this loss which was the less wondred at because he was heard to say the first day of his Brothers falling sick That he should not be much troubled for his Death if it should happen since he should thereby get a Crown Ambition having already filled his young heart with Sentiments of that Nature Having according to the Laws of the Realm called together the States General to declare the Infante Don Alphonso Prince some of them had thoughts of preferring to him Don Pedro but that motion was not followed either because they feared lest they might fall into the like disorders as happened in the time of the Infante's Don Alphonso and Don Dennis or else that the Custom of the Realm carryed it against all other reason Don Alphonso was no sooner declared Prince and presumptive Heir to the Realm of the King his Father but he began to regard no more the advice of his Tutor nor the Remonstrances of the King and the Queen The death of Theodosius was followed a little time after with that of of the Infanta Jane Those tears which they had poured out for them were not yet dry when there happened a new occasion to shed them through the sickness of the King who dyed in November a Month fatal to the House of Bragansa As in the Minority of the Alphonso's they had always had troubles in Portugal this happening augmented the publick Consternation In this Conjuncture they reflect on the death of Theodosius with regret as one capable to have filled the Throne They consider that the Prince Don Alphonso was without experience without understanding and uncapable to govern the State But the King in these last moments of his Life made appear his Piety by his religious thoughts and his Wisdom by the good Order which he took in the Affairs of the Realm in choosing the Queen Tutoress of her Children and Regent of the State for he perswaded himself with very much reason that she who had excited him with so much courage to take the Scepter would be capable to maintain it during the minority of the Prince The Ceremonies of the Funeral being over and the Royal Escutchions being broken in a thousand publick places according to the ancient Custom the Prince Don Alphonso was shown to the People and declared King in the ordinary forms The same day the Queen took the quality of Regent She had no sooner ordered the Affairs of the State which she did with so much prudence as if she had all her life time governed Kingdoms but she named according to the will of the late King for Governour of Alphonso Don Francisco de Faro Count of Odemira But this Prince abusing the authority which the Crown gave him quickly scorn'd the advice of his Governour as he had also before that of his Tutor since when no Remonstrance no Address was able to restrain the Impetuosity of his Desires The King having always the most Liberty in the Time of the Siesta used to pass his time in the Galleries whose Windows looked into the Court of the Chappel where according to the custom certain little Boys assembled to fight together with boughs He took a very great pleasure in seeing this Exercise especially when the party he favoured had the better Among these petty Merchants who were lodged in the Porches there was one whose name was Antony de Conti Vintimiglia a Native of Lisbon and originally of Vintimiglia a Town in the Country of Gennes The King perceiving this Youth ordinarily to take the party for which he had the most Inclination he let him know how much it pleased him so that oftentimes he came down to the Door to entertain him This favour rendred Conti hardy enough to make presents to the King of silken Slings gilded Knives and other Toys proportionable to his Age. The Queen seeing that this familiarity passed too far and that there might follow some trouble therefrom ordered Conti to come no more to the Palace however he did not obey but did it more cautiously The King vexed at this endeavoured to see Conti with more earnestness than ever so that they were fain to permit him to see him thinking that their endeavours to hinder it did but the more provoke him to desire it and that this permission would weaken his desire But this Condescention cost the Realm of Portugal very dear and was a Spark which afterwards produced a great Flame The King being now of Age to ride the Great Horse the weakness of his Arm not being so much as to hinder him from managing the Bridle nor that of his Leg but that he could stay himself in his Stirrops they resolved then to put the Reins into his hands which they did with the aid of Don Francisco de Sousa Count de Prado Master of the Horse and of Antony Galvao D' Andrade the chief Querry but this exercise instead of putting him off from Conti did but tye him closer to him There was in the Court of Lion which they had chosen for him to ride the great Horse in a Gate in a low Gallery through which they brought the Horses for him to ride The King was accustomed that way to let in at those extraordinary hours not only Antony de Conti but also John de Conti his Brother with other young Boys both Moors and Negroes who in his presence used all sorts of violent exercises He was not content with this but he mingled himself among them sometimes among those who flung the Bar and sometimes among those who flung Dirt and sometimes among those who fell to fisty Cuffs without considering that Princes ought not to receive for Companions in their sports any but such persons who are illustrious either by their Birth or by their Merit These Testimonies which the King gave of a mean spirit and of a violent
The Queen desired ardently to see this Marriage accomplished the Infante declared Prince and the Government of the State in the hands of the King to the end that she might loose her self from all Affairs of the World and to retire her self to a Covent that she might there be at leisure to give her self up to Prayer and Contemplation For this end she wrote with her own hand in her Natural Language the Reasons which made her take this Resolution This she shewed to one of her Ministers to know his Opinion of her Design And for that this Writing refutes the Calumnies which the Enemies of that Princess made use of to sullie her Reputation in publishing she would have taken away the Crown from the King to have given it to the Infante I have judged it necessary to Report it here By reason of the Uncertainty of Life every one being Obliged to endeavour his Health I have wished I might be able to find out a way to overcome the great Difficulties which have hindred me from Acquitting my self of that Duty and have filled my Mind with trouble There is nothing more troublesome nor hard than this Life of mine in which I may say there is something Extraordinary since contrary to the Order and Nature of Monarchy we are two that Reign But to say better I do not Reign but in Appearance whilst the King Reigns in Effect for I am Obliged to consent to all his Desires because he is more than an Infant and the Kingdom is his Besides this I am perswaded he would loose the Respects which he owes to me if â— should contradict his Desires So though I would have Justice rendred to every one it is not done because the King doth oppose it or they who Govern him After this what can I do to defend my self from such an Unhappiness but to withdraw my self from his presence and demand that after having made a serious Reflection on my Design they would give me such Councel as is most proper in the Condition I am in My Inclination carrys me to enter into a Religious House not out of Design because I can bear it no longer to free my self from a Slavery so long and troublesome as my Regency hath been I would have nothing to do and while I should be there I would not desire many Attendants only some few necessary and I would the Abbess should take care of my Revenue and she her self should Sign all things for me though I have no design to dismiss my Officers nor my Domesticks The Reason that makes me desire that the Abbess should have the Administration of my Revenue without my Officers intermedling proceeds from the great desire that I have to live in great Retiredness If I would not at first become a Religious it is because I fear to be engaged to follow the Rules of a Superiour in all Obedience though they are more sweet than those I have prescribed to my self And if it happen that the King would write to me or desire to see me though it would Combat the Resolution of my Retreat what should I then do that I might not offend on this occasion against Decency I well know the Inclination that I have for a Covent of the Order of St. Teresa but Donna Maria is an Obstacle to my entering into that of Carnide It is not that I could not live in the House where she is without any Repugnancy but as the manner of Life I would choose will not suffer me to have Communication with any Body if I should be in the House where she is I could not civily dispence with my self from answering the Respects which she would pay me If by chance I should be Melancholy as it may very well happen she might be perswaded she was the cause of it at least I should do to my self some Violence to dissemble it which would render me unhappy So that it is easie to judg by this I should not live in this House with all the Freedom I would As to that of the Carmelites of St. Albert I there find this difficulty the fewness of the Lodgings which they have for it seems to me to make a good choice of a Retreat in which one intends to end their days or wholly to shut themselves up within the Walls of the Palace according to the Custome of the Country one should make Election of a spacious and pleasant Place and one that had a Prospect towards the Sea would please me extreamly If instead of St. Teresa I should have recourse to St. Dominie whom I revere as an unfortunate Relation I find the Covent of Good Success of that Order which is most Commodious both because of its fair Situation and large Extent Nevertheless it hath an Inconvenience for as it stands at the Mouth of a River it will be the first Covent that will be exposed to the Violences of War All things well considered I think that I had better be at Lisborn than in any other place because it is a City in which there is no want of any Commodity without speaking of the great number of the Religious Virtuous and Learned Men which are there to be found for the ease of ones Conscience In the Lands of my Apanage there is no Place proper for my Design And as for my Building a Covent I have not patience enough for such an Enterprise besides as I hope that my Retreat will be happy and finding my strength decaying I would very suddenly execute my Resolution Having therefore no further care than about the manner of executing my Design I ask not Counsel about it because I am assured that it will not be Approved and that very many will desire me not to Abandon the State and the King though the most part of them will wish the contrary in their Souls Being certain that they are capable of such Disguisements I may fear every day lest they should order me to withdraw and in this fear I think it would be much better for me to do it by my own Motion There is nothing but the Infancy of my Children could have kept me in the World which now will be well enough my Daughter being Married it remains that I see the Infante declared Prince which is a thing I have long desired it being necessary to Assemble the States for that Cause But I must yet wait nevertheless maugre my Impatience till the departure of the Queen of England then I shall give Order about it As for the Peace with Spain I have no hope I shall be able to conclude it before my Retirement however I shall do all my endeavours to bring it to pass Besides after the departure of the Queen of England there will be Speech of nothing but War the report of which will not penetrate my Retirement but if I should defer any long time to quit the World they would have Reason to reproach me for leaving the State embroiled They may
Tribunals assembled with the Ministers of State the Titulares Councellors Governors of Castles the Lords of the Realm Gentlemen the Ecclesiasticks and the chief of the Orders which being done the Grand Master of the Wardrobe placed before the King a little Table of Crimson Velvet with a Cushion of the same and the Secretary of State put upon the Cushion a Purse in which were the Seals some time after having taken them up he put them into the Queens Hands and she into the Kings saying to him these Words See here the Seals with which I have been Charged by the States of the Realm by virtue of the Testament of the King my Lord who is now with God I remit them into the Hands of your Majesty and at the same time the Government which I have received with them of the same States God grant that all things may be Prosperous under the Government as I desire The King taking them put them at the same time into the hands of the Secretary after which all the People came to kiss the Hands of these three Royal Persons and so the Assembly broke up The Queen seeing her self Discharged of the Burthen of the Monarchy had now no other thought but to execute the Resolution she had taken to Retire and her self to found a Religious Covent of the Order of St. Augustine Being willing to begin to Build she ordered Doctor Belchoir de Andrade in the time he was her Secretary to visit divers Places but they raised a thousand difficulties to hinder her so that she found no fit Place Whereupon her Enemies published she had hidden Designs and feigning to seek for a place to Build a Covent she had no mind the leave the Palace She had no sooner begun to make a passage of Communication from the Quinte to the Covent of Religious of the Order of St. Dominic being situated near it but they said the Queen had chosen this House that she might flie away when she pleased These malicious Reports pressed the Queen to execute her Enterprise Having remembred her self one day that the Marquess of Sandy had offered her aâ— House which he had at Grillo she spake of it to Garcia de Mello Son to the Marquess who having also offered it to her she accepted it and presently began to Build there When the Queen had rendred the Government to the King the Courtiers began to change their Discourse and many of them who before were still speaking oâ— the Incapacity of the King now extolled the quickness of his Wit and made him seem more worthy of a greater Kingdom than his own To hide their Inconâ—â—â—stancy they protested the King was become another Man and spake of his Change as of a Miracle but this added nothing of belief in the Case for his Reason being hurt by his Maladies it rendred him incapable to conceive either that which they made him say or that which they said to him When he was to say something in Publick they instructed him before hand as well as they were able what he should say but as they could not instruct him to answer to things that would be spoke on the sudden he was then mute or else answered far from the purpose and if on these occasions it happened that he spake something of good sense these Flatterers would say more by half than the King had said But in his good Intervals if he had made some liberal Discourse his Favourites would be sure to Preach on it but this did but serve to render him Ridiculous for they would render those things which came from him by chance to appear otherwise and that his ordinary Discourse was not the same Before the King had taken Possession of the Government the Earls of Atouguia and Castlemelhor and Sebastian Cesar de Menesses had taken possession of him As in policy these three Favourites did praise one another before the King he was perswaded they were filled with rare Qualities so that he Reposed on them all the Affairs of State But at the first they judged it best for the King to assist in all Publick Affairs and though there was nothing more contrary to his Inclinations yet they so brought it about that he gave Audience went to Councel dispatched Businesses but this Application lasted not long whether it were that the King was weary of it or some of them had perswaded him otherwise by the Counsel of those who Governed him But it is thus that Favourites inspiring Idleness into Princes invade their Authority under the pretext of discharging them of the Care of their Affairs There is yet another ordinary Artifice of such Favourites to maintain their Credit and to hinder any from doing any thing against them to Banish from Court all those who were not tied to their Interests and to introduce in their places either their Creatures or their Friends The Count de Castlemelhor and his two favoured Companions very admirably practised this Maxim as we shall see in a little time Henry Auriquez de Miranda began about this time to put himself near the King by the Services which he had rendred him in his Pleasures and within a while entred into so much Trust and had so great a share in his most secret Thoughts that if the Count de Castlemelhor had more of Authority about the King than Don Henry Auriquez yet it might be said that Don Henry Auriquez de Miranda had more of his Heart than the Count Castlemelhor This new Favourite according to appearances ought to have given some trouble to the favour of the Count however it happened quite contrary and he so well â—anaged the Spirit of that Gentleman and of the Kings that he made that a support to his Fortune which it was thought might have ruin'd him And indeed after this he became the most Puissant of the three Favourites by the consent of his Competitors having more Facility than the Count de Atouguia who did not profit by the occasion which was presented him either by Moderation or otherwise The Count de Castlemelhor being in Italy whither he had withdrawn himself because of the death of Don Lewis of Portugal Count de Vimioso who was there vaunted that one Day he would return into that Realm as its Governour From these happy beginnings he conceived so much hope that his Prophesie should not be in vain he was therefore resolved to push on his Fortune as far as he was able So soon as he had found he was Master of the Kings Affections he took the liberty to Lodg in the Apartment of the late Prince Theodosius as he enterprised to have himself the whole Favour this was not ill aimed at to find a means to render himself inseparable to the Person of the King But it was not enough to establish himself near the King he must have some Charge which might serve to make his Credit seen and valued There was then nothing at Court with which he could
King that it was necessary whereupon it follow'd that the Confessor of these two Princes went to the Infante and told him as from the King that although God might give him Children yet it was most profitable to increase as much as was possible the Royal Family that for this reason he would act with him as a Father and as a King and desired ardently therefore to see him married That if he had not hitherto been able to accomplish that desire he believed that from his prudence and his inclination to the good of the Kingdom this proposition would be very agreeable to him that therefore he should inform himself of the Princesses of Europe and fix his choice upon her for whom he found the greatest inclination and also that he should cast his eyes upon those persons which he should judg most capable of that Negotiation and as for his part that all which depended upon him to advance the Conclusion of such a Treaty should be perform'd The Infante having consider'd this Affair according to the importance of it sent his answer in writing by the same Confessor to the King in which he thank'd him for the proposition his Goodness had made unto him submitting himself intirely to his will to follow the order which his Majesty had thereupon made known to him he should declare his mind not as a Rule that he should follow but only as a mark of that Obedience which he would testifie on all occasions He then made mention of all the Princesses of Europe representing to him all the circumstances both of Alliance and Love telling him also that the Confidence and Veneration which had united his Majesty with the King and Queen of England required that first of all he should send to their Majesties some person to ask their Advice and Consent thereupon and having received all necessary instructions he should pass into France or Italy to negotiate that Affair adding since his Majesty among the cares of his publick Affairs would be pleased to think of his own particular he was obliged to let him know it was impossible after a proposition of that nature but he would appoint him some Revenues whereby he might be able to maintain the Expences which that condition would charge him with hoping his Majesty without prejudicing the Publick which ought to be preferr'd to all things would act with him according to his ordinary Generosity which he had made proof of so often In the end proposing John de Roxas d' Azevedo his Secretary as a person who was most capable of managing that affair the King approved of all these sentiments of the Infante giving him hope that he would satisfy all his desires But the day being appointed for his Majesty's Secretary and that of the Infante to confer about this business there hapned in the mean time accidents which hindred this Conference and embroiled all the Court. A French-man an Officer of the Queens returning from the Province of Alemtejo was killed by a Carrier who was pursued and taken in the City of Canimbre and carried to the Limoriro in Lisbon but being he was taken out of a Church which are Sanctuaries in Portugal for all Criminals it was for a while disputed whether it should be a Sanctuary for his life which was the occasion that his Process was delayed and the solitude of the place where the Murther was committed rendred the proofs difficult At the same time there hapned between the Count de St. Croix grand Master of the Queen's House and Pedro d' Almeyda her Secretary a difference about their Charges both of them wrot their Reasons and put them into the hands of the Queen who ordered the Secretary of State to have them examined by two Masters of Requests but he waving that order after he had shewed them to all the Parliament carried them to the Council of State without rendring any account of it to her Some time after the Queen ask'd the Secretary what was done in those two Affairs he replied that as to the first there must be some clearer proof before the accused could be condemned and to the other it was before the Council of State advising her to speak with the Count de Castlemelhor about it The Queen surprized with this answer told him he had not executed her Orders and that she did not approve of his councel to speak to the Count de Castle-melhor having made a resolution by Oath never in her life to speak to him about any Affair That he was always against her and had reduc'd her to so miserable a condition that it might be called poverty that for this eight months past she had not so much as to give an Alms and notwithstanding all this he had the credit of acting for her Interests That they had not consign'd to her the fifty thousand Livres which the King had granted her That besides being she was not willing by reason of the necessity of the Realm to require presently all those things which she might lay claim to by the Contract of Marriage they ought not at least to fail of paying her that Sum. That this Refusal would not so sensibly move her if it were done for the good of the State and the ease of the People it not being just that whilst many persons at the Court overflowed with Riches they should refuse her the Money of that Consignation and yet they paid not the Souldiers retaining unjustly from the Religious the Orphans the Widows and the Nobles their dues feoadal Rents and Pensions hiding from her all that passed in the State as if she had not the most interest next the King adding further that they could not but know very well she should have had joy in the Re-establishment of the Duke of Cadaval at the Court since they had seen her solicit it but they acted in secret so that her speaking in the favour of any although it were with the greatest Justice in the World was sufficient cause to beget obstacles and oppositions against them That if she testified a desire to any thing they made it presently seem a thing impossible to be obtained though before that it had been very easy that likewise it seem'd as if they endeavoured to let all the World know she had no part in the Government That although good manners should teach them otherwise they had neither respect or regard as they ought to have for her and that it was so far from being so that some persons were so forgetful of themselves as not to forbear the giving her affronts and treating her with so much contempt as she could not but think by their actions they would have her to understand she came to Portugal rather to be their Slave than Queen The Secretary to excuse his boldness for shewing the Consultation to the Grand Chamber and carrying it to the Council of State urged that the Count of Castlemelhor and his Friends had no other design than to serve
the effect rather of his cowardice than modesty for they already began to murmur against him as if he were not touch'd either with the publick Interest the Kings or his own since he suffered every one to groan under the tyranny of the Favourites who had usurp'd the Sovereign Authority In this perplexity the Infante knew not which way to take but being desirous to try all fair means he was contented to put himself upon his guard somewhat more than he was accustomed having had advice a little before that they would imprison him besides the Count de Castelmelhors Partisans had said publickly that if they believed any thing that was violent would be acted against the person of the Count it would do well to prevent it on any one that should entertain such a design The day following the Count went forth in his Coach accompanied with some Gentlemen to a Garden which he had at the Calcada de Gloria a place where he often recreated himself from the fatigues which were already very great upon him by reason he charged himself with all affairs This assurance of the Count 's confirmed the Infante in that resolution which he had taken of writing to the King this Letter which he sent to him by his Secretary John de Roxas about ten of the Clock It is not without extreme regret that prostrate at the feet of the Majesty whom I revere as my King and Lord I find my self obliged to inform you of the Count de Castelmelhor's endeavouring for some time since all manner of ways to destroy me I cannot doubt of his intention because I have advised of it by the Ministers of the first Rank and those who are the most zealous for your service and the publick good nor can I say that I should have escaped the dangers of those violent enterprises which they cast me into but by my own foresight and that of my friends His insolence is gone so far as to put the Palace of your Majesty into Arms under a pretence of my violating a place so sacred As by his actions past it cannot but be judged that he is capable to attempt upon my person so I hope that your Majesty's Justice will chastise a person so audacious by removing from about your person so dangerous a subject that I may not be reduced to the necessity of seeking in the Realms of Strangers for a security which I cannot find in yours I shall prove without doubt on this occasion the love which I have always found and which I shall eternally deserve from your Majesty in whatever place I shall go God preserve your Royal Person as I have always desired and as I have ever taken my care From Lisbon Sept. 2. 1667. The Secretary had no sooner put this Letter into the King's hands but it was by him put into those of the Count who upon reading it put all the Palace once again into Arms not only enforcing the ordinary Guard adding to them some of the Citizens causing all those in whom he had most confidence to repair to him The Council of State was likewise assembled by the King's Order who assisted there himself and after the Infante's Letter had been read the Councellors of State were of two contrary opinions how to find out an expedient to satisfy both the Princes but they were not able to do it Justice being altogether on the one side and Authority on the other The Infante's Gentlemen whom he had sent home to their Houses being advertised of what passed at the Palace came back in haste to him just as he had understood that the Council of State were separated without having concluded any thing but he had so much confidence in the justice of his Cause and Courage that he dismissed them home again except the Count de Vilarmayor whose week it was In the mean time the Favourite wrote to the King desiring his permission to retire but afterwards having made reflexion on the greatness of his Credit and on the number of his Friends and considered that this Affair might be decided by his advice he changed his mind and resolved to try all ways to maintain himself with the King The Tuesday following past without any answer from the King only at night he sent the Marquess de Marialva to tell his Brother that for very just reasons he had caused the Guards of the Palace to be redoubled with order to ask him as from himself if it would please him that the Count should come to cast himself at his feet and kiss his hands As the Infante made no answer all that day his remisness raised in the Favourite a belief that he was satisfied divers reflections were made on this Business Some said that upon the King 's avowing the action of the Favourite the Infante was obliged not to take notice of the offence he had received that nothing was more true than that the King made but little reckoning of the Life of his Brother since he would have him contented to take for satisfaction only a simple disowning and slight submission from him who would have quite destroyed him but notwithstanding this he ought to content himself with that accommodation the King had proposed to him since it would disengage him from a perplexity out of which he could never get without putting the Kingdom into a combustion Others were of the opinion that the Infante could not forego his pretention which seemed lawful to all the World that is the Retreat of the Favourite it being the Proposition he had first made he should stand to it to the end lest otherwise the Favourite should draw an advantage from such an impunity and all the people an evil consequence of his little stoutness against him and that they might perhaps believe he himself had complained without cause which would much diminish his Reputation and Honour The Infante then not being able to resist the motion of his Courage sent word to the King that the Count had put in Arms all the Palace under a seigned pretence of his coming to kill him in his Apartment which he hoped from his justice he would not let himself be perswaded that he ever had such a thought that he would proceed against the Count as an Impostor of that Quality deserved and would repair the injury he had done to his Honour They took time to answer this second Complaint as they had done the former The Favourite grown Insolent to see the King took his part so highly against the Infante resolved in a Conference which he had with his Friends to oblige the King to go in Person at the Head of all his Councellors of State Gentlemen and Officers of the Army to Arrest him in his Palace with all those of his House and to declare that they were more guilty than he was that upon this pretence they might make the Process against them to the end that the Infante seeing himself without Followers might quickly
the Secretary nor Emanuel Autunes judged well that they were gone away upon which he demanded to have them chastised for going away without his consent sending an Order to all the Superiors of the Covents in the City to let him know if they were retired into any of them and making all the places near to be search'd by Gonsalo de Costa de Menose and Joseph de Sousa Cid but they could be no where found But at last having heard that Emanuel Autunes was gone into Alemtejo he sent Diego Lewis Ribeira Soares with an Order to Dennis de Mello de Castro Master of the Camp General of that Province that he should find him out and having found him to remit him into his hands So soon as Soares was return'd the King briskly ordered him back again to search again saying he was resolved to put off the Feast of the Bulls until he returned so that those Animals staid many days and the Barridos stood many Months in the great Place of the Palace not without considerable loss the Souldiers that Emcamp'd there either burning or breaking them as they had need of them or as their fancy took them The King was not only in a rage against the Secretary and Emanuel Autunes for going away but also against all those who contributed to their retreat and particularly against the Infante upon which having advice he abstained from going to the Palace In the mean time the Infante and the most zealous for the publick good seeing the King's Exchequer emptied by so many profusions and excessive expences and that the raising of Contributions were very difficult and that through all this expedition of the Wat was hindred they were afraid the return of these Favourites which the King so obstinately desired would expose the Realm a Prey to their Enemies To avoid this therefore they resolved to call together the three Estates of the Realm The Winter-season being best for this purpose because of the ceasing of the War they judged it not amiss forthwith to cause the Councels of the Cities to act it That of Lisbon as it was the most considerable of all others presented to the King the first Remonstrance in which after they had most amply shown their Reasons for assembling the States they demanded of him their Convocation As the Name of the States gave an offence to the King he took this Remonstrance without communicating it to the Councel publishing that he would not have them called together for he knew very well wherefore they would have them called for all along they had perswaded him that the Assembly of the People was some lessening the Authority of Kings and if the three Estates should joyn with his Brother against him how could he be able to help himself And if they should enterprize any thing against his person how could he avoid it Foreseeing this he would give no answer to the Common Council of the City however pressing they were and for the most part he would not so much as hear them And if he had appointed them a time to come to receive his resolution he would very unhandsomly hold his peace Sometimes he would have the States called and sometimes he would not so that the Common Council of the City of Lisbon dispairing to obtain any answer from the King wrote to all the others and to all the Chapters of the Realm to give them an account of that which had passed and represented to them that it was very convenient for the publick good to demand from the King the Convocation of the States But they could do no more with him than they and the more pressing they were in perswading the more inflexible he became The Council of State being assembled the King Queen and Infante being there it was unanimously agreed that without assembling the States General the disorders of the Kingdom could not be remedied But the King took this for a Conspiracy against him and would not yeild to a Remedy that should give him so much fear and gave ill words and injurious speeches to those who would have given him that Council which diminish'd very much of his Authority The Marquess of Sande presented a Memorial to the Council of State in which he did remonstrate to the King that he ought to treat with more love and respect than he had hitherto done so illustrious a Princess as his Queen was and the Infante with that civility and regard which the Quality of an only Brother to a King required That he should suffer them to be near him who might jointly govern the State with him and not as he had hitherto done put it into the hands of a Favourite That it would be more glorious for him and all the Portugals that he gouern with the help of Royal Persons who had as well as his Majesty all qualities necessary for it than to suffer a Subject to do it who had not only rais'd himself above all other Subjects but who would yet raise himself above him That by consequence there was an indispensable necessity the Estates of the Realm be Convocated since they were obliged to give some remedy how violent soever it might be being he would not give them any other The Councellors of State approv'd this Remonstrance and having sign'd it to authorize it they carried it to the King but he instead of taking notice of their good will condemn'd it as criminal and conceiv'd a mortal hate against the Author But the Ministers of the State sacrificing all their resentments to their Countries good they had so much patience that they brought it about notwithstanding the wilfulness of the King who consented at last to assemble the States on condition it should not be till his return from Salvaterre whither he was resolved to go according to custom on the 19 th of January the year following and to return on the 14 th of February Without this they had lost the opportunity of remedying an evil that would admit of no delay At the same time it was reported the King design'd to leave the City with his Braves of his Pratroville and to join himself with his Favourites and their Partisans This was confirmed by the advice they had that he had distributed Horses to his Querries and stop'd many Barques which were in the Harbour before the great place of the Palace and at a place called Grilo which gave a suspicion that he had a design to pass into the Province of Alemteijo But all these projects vanish'd either through the care of the Infante or by the negligence of the King As they had been forc'd to come to a kind of Battel with the King to make him consent to the Convocation of the States so it was not without much trouble the Ministers had obtained from him it should begin on the first of January 1668. But then when the Commissioners were expedited for the Council of the City he would not sign them although he had solemnly promised
circumstances in this business worthy of examination that we demand permission of your Majesty before we enter upon this examination to recommend it and to cause it to be recommended to God that he may be pleased to guide us according to those pious intentions which shall be for the universal good of the State and for the conservation of your Majesty whom we pray the same God to keep and to whom we all wish long and happy Years The Queen sent into France to give notice of the estate of Affairs by Monsicur Verjus Envoy in the Court of Portugal on the part of the Princes of the House of Vendosme a Gentleman very much esteemed for his Worth and for his rare Accomplishments So soon as this Process was begun to be framed and the King's inability became to be publickly talk'd on and of which no body doubted the people began to wish that the Infante might Espouse the Queen And this desire was grounded vpon very many Reasons but chiefly on the Virtue and the prudent Conduct of this Princess which had gained her the Esteem of all the People And moreover this Marriage was not without example since that in Poland John Casimir had succeeded to the Crown and to the Wife of Sigismond Casimir his Brother and the City of Lisbon heretofore desired that the Queen Dona Eleanor Widdow of the King Don Emanuel should be Married to King Joh. the 13 th his Son so that after the dissolution of the Marriage of the King and Queen there might be a Marriage between the Infante and the same Queen Monsieur Verjus having made known the Estate of this Affair to Monsieur the Cardinal of Vendosm â—ogat in France for Clement the 9 th he obtained a Dispensation for the Prince Don Pedro and the Queen in case the first Marriage was adjudged null Although the King had knowledg of all these Negotiations they were not able to make him consider with himself But on the contrary he acted and spake with so much indiscretion that there was no body who did not believe they ought to employ these last remedies against his ill Conduct This so urgent a necessity obliged the Councellors of Estate the Nobility and People of Lisbon to conjure the Infante that he would take upon him the Regency because the Kingdom was in War and full of Troubles the King incapable to govern and the Queen retired into a Nunnery and therefore there was great reason to substitute the Infante in the place of the King The Common Council of the City and of the Four and twenty having sent their Deputies to the Infante to demand of him permission to proclaim him Regent in the Palace and if he would not yield to it they would do it against his mind he answered them that they should deliberate whether it would be convenient they should accompany him to the Palace The Marquess of Cascars thrust on by his Zeal and his Age went the next morning to the King when he was in his Antichamber the Grooms of the Wardrobe told him he was yet in Bed but approaching to him told him it was time for him to awake and if he didnot leave that Lethargy out of which he had awaked him he would in a very little time lose a Kingdom which he had already ruined by his negligence and incapacity that it were better to do that of his own motion which he would be made to do by force That he should send to seek for the Infante his Brother and to put into his hands the Government which was the only way he had to conserve the Crown This Remonstrance was immediately followed by that of the Counsellors of State who made theirs publickly to him and represented to him that after he had left the Government of the State to his Favourites who had ruin'd it he at present had abandoned it altogether there being none that would intermeddle with it unless he himself would act in it But he was nothing moved neither with the one nor the other which obliged the Duke de Cadaval to press the Infante on the part of the Counsellors of State to go to the Palace to begin his Regency Novemb. 23. 1667 the Infante accompanied with the Common Council of the City the Chamber of the Four and Twenty the Nobility and an innumerable company of people entred into the Gallery of the Palace and from thence he entred with the Counsellors of State into the Antichamber of the King where after a short Conference had together they Arrested the King in his Chamber by making fast the doors without touching him any other way The Infante presently named for Secretary of State Dr. Pedro Vieira de Sylva who had been Secretary to the King Don John and to the Queen Mother who having taken his place the Motives of this change were read and approv'd of in the first Assembly of the Council of State The next thing agitated was in what place they should put the King and after what manner he should be served It was then concluded he should be kept in his Apartment and serv'd by those persons who should be most agreeable to him and that he should want nothing either for his necessity or pleasure or the Dignity of his Character But he treated with so much cruelty those who serv'd him that divers Gentlemen came to excuse themselves from the Employment But whilst the Infante was yet in the Council of State Antonio Cavide brought to him this which was wrote in his own hand and signed by the King Our Lord the King having regard to the Estate in which now the Kingdom is and to what hath been represented to him by his Ministers and also to divers other things and reasons of his own proper motion and by his Absolute and Royal Authority and for the advantage of his Realm doth dismiss himself and resign in favour of the Infante that he may possess the Realms in the same manner as he did and his Legitimate Descendants after him declaring that of all the Revenue belonging to his Crown he reserves to himself two hundred and seventy thousand Livres of yearly Rent of which he may also dispose for ten years after his death and moreover he doth reserve to himself the House at Bragansa with all its dependances In the Faith of which and in assurance that what his Majesty hath Ordained shall be executed and observed he hath enjoyned me to draw up this present Act which he hath signed Antony Cavide done at Lisbon this 23d November 1667. The King The Infant having granted to the King all that he demanded they expedited the Dispatches necessary for it but he would not accept the Crown of which the King would have made a Cession As they had judg'd it convenient that the King should not go out of the Palace the Infante resolved to stay there also with those Councellors of State and a great part of the Nobility and People who would not
Kingdom as he might have done But on the contrary it was at this time that his modesty more apparently shew'd it self for seeing that the People redoubled their importunity to make him accept of the Scepter he redoubled his resolution to refuse it And indeed if under the Reign of the King Alphonso the Portugals had gained a Battle at Elvas another at Mount Elaros a third at Canal a fourth at Castle Rodrigo all the part that he had in it was under the Fortune of his Generals for the Marquess of Marialva the Count de Villaflor and Pedro Jaques de Magellanes had all that Glory But the Peace which was better than all these Victories since that it rendred to the Realm that Calm it had so long breath'd after was the work of the Prince Don Pedro more than of any of his Ministers In the mean time they went about to make the Marriage void before Francisco de Soto Major Bishop of Targa Coadjutor of the Arch-bishoprick of Lisbon the Doctors Valentine Fejo de Motta Vicar-General of the same Arch-bishoprick Pantaleon Rodrigue Pacheco nominated to the Bishoprick of Elvas in whose place after his decease they subrogated Antanio de Faria de Sylva Canon of the same Metropolitain Sebastian Denis Velho being Register to this Assembly After that upon the Report of the Coadjutor they had examined this Business according to the Laws they took the Voyces of those we have named publickly with those of Emanuel de Saldunha nominated to the Bishoprick of Visen Francisco Baretto nominated to that of the Algarves Pedro de Alaide de Castro Inquisitor of Conimbra Nuno de Acunha d'Eca Canon of the Metropolitan of Lisbon Gonzalo Peixoto de Sylva Canon of the said Cathedral Gaspar Barata de Mendosa Prior of the Church of St. Gracia John de Pasos Magelhans Prior of that of St. Julian and John Seraon Prior of that of St. Thomas all of them Judges named by the Chapter the Affair having been examined before them in private with much care and mature deliberation they pronounc'd this Sentence the 24th of Morch 1668. Upon the Report which hath been made in the presence of the Chapter in which there assisted besides the ordinary Ministers who compose it the Judges named by them to deliberate of the cause c. Having view'd the Acts and the Request of the Queen our Soveraign Mary Frances of Savoy which hath been here received and the Contestation by the Negotiation of the Promotor in default of the party in Form and stile the proofs having been verified the said Princess hath let us know that she was Contracted in Marriage in the Face of the Church with the most SerenePrince Don Alphonso the Sixth King of Portugal on the 27th of June 1668. in the City of Rochel in the Kingdom of France from whence the said Princess being come into this City she hath here lived in the Palace Royal with the King her Spouse for the space of six Months leading with him a Conjugal life but dureing this time it appear'd they two having tryed to Consummate the Marriage they could not effect it although they had used all their Care and diligence requisite thereto and this because of the Inability of the Prince which proceeded from an Infirmity which he had in his Infancy and which is at present altogether incurable Which doth more than sufficiently justifie them by those means approved of by the Canon Law so that the Impediment is held at least to be morally assured after which there is no need of Inspection nor of greater proofs as that of three years or of any other Arbitrary Term. All this having been examined by all the Acts Conformable to the Laws it is Judged That the Marriage between the said most Serene Prince and Princess was Contracted in Fact and not in Law and that it is declared Nul and that the said Prince and Princess may dispose of their persons as to them shall seem good and make a division of their goods according to the form of their Contracts This Sentence having been pronounced the Saturday before Palm-Sunday the Queen sent to declare to the 3 States the Resolution she had taken to return into France demanding at the same time that they would restore to her the dowry she had brought with her The 3 States having understood this News with much trouble and considered that this Princess for the Rare perfections of Mind and Body which Heaven had bestow'd upon her and for other considerations was most worthy of the Prince Don Pedro each of the States made a Memorial which they sent to him representing the Reasons which made them desire this Marriage The Common Councel of the City of Lisbon having done the same thing the Prince answer'd to them all That he was ready to do what should be Judg'd best for the Interest of the Realm After that the ThreeStates had received this Answer they and the Common Councel of the City went to make the same Petition to the Queen that since the Nullity of her Marriage the Portugals did desire she would espouse the Prince and they hop'd the felicity of this second Marriage would repair the misfortune of the first in giving them Successors to the Crown This Princess being touch'd with the violent passion of the People of the Realm and not being able to resist their pressing desires was willing to Content them by renouncing her own Country After this the Prince gave Notice of this Proposition to the Councel of State who not onely approv'd of the Marriage but they besought him that he would instantly accomplish it For this end the Marquess of Nisa and Don Rodrigo de Meneses were named Proctors for the Prince and the Duke of Cadaval and the Marques of Marialva for the Princess who drew up the Articles of Contract between them But when this Marriage was divulged there began to arise a doubt if with Reputation this Contract might be lawfully and effectually made and consummated without a dispensation But as they had chosen a great many Learned persons to resolve this Question Monsieur Verjus arrived from France with the Brief of Dispense which took away all doubt and scruple that they might have about it So that the Marquess de Marialva as Proctor for the Prince and the Duke de Cadaval as Proctor for the Princess were by vertue of the Brief and their Procurations espoused by the Bishop of Targa in the Oratory of the Palace and on the second of April which was the next day after Easter a little after Noon the Prince accompanied with his Grandees and all the Lords and Noblemen of the Court went to the Queen in the Covent of Esperance from whence they went to the Quinte of Alcantara followed by innumerable multitude of People who witnessed their good Will to this Marriage where they received the Nuptial Benediction by the hand of the same Bishop After this those who had been of the Opinion for the Crowning
the Prince made once more an attempt upon him but he was no more to be shaken now than he was at other times he only let the Three States know that on the 9th of June 1668 He would take his Oath to maintain the Laws of the Realm and he would then receive from them theirs of Fidelity This day being come they all Assembled in the Great Hall of the Guards where that Ceremony was done with all the Pomp requisite thereunto and the Prince took his Oath in these Terms I do swear and promise the Grace of God assisting to rule and govern well and Equitably and to administer to you Justice in all Cases as far as the frailty of Humane Nature will permit and to keep and preserve your good Customes Priviledges Graces Recompenses Liberties and Franchises which hath been given granted and Confirmed by the Kings my Predecessors And the Three States of the Realm took theirs in these Terms We swear upon the holy Evangelists which we touch with our hands that we do acknowledge and receive for our Governour and Regent of these Realms because of the perpetual Impuissance of his Majesty as we have adjudg'd the most High and most Excellent Prince Don Pedro Legitimate Son of the King Don John the Fourth and of the Queen Dona Lewysa his Wife Brother and Curator of the most high and most excellent King Don Alphonso the sixth and his True and Natural Successor to these Realms And as the True and Natural Subjects as we are of the Prince Don Pedro we make to him Faith and Homage in the same manner as we have made to the King Don John the Fourth his Father and to the King Don Alphonso the Sixth his Brother whom we do at this present deprive of his Government because of his Incapacity with the same Jurisdiction Power and Authority that any of the Kings and Lords of this Crown have ever had and wee will obey fully and wholly all his Orders and Judgments be they high or be they low Jurisdictions and we will make War with his Enemies for him and entertain Peace with his Allies as it shall please him without obeying any other King but him All this abovesaid we swear to before God by this Cross and by the Holy Evangelists which we touch with our Hands to observe on our parts fully and wholly And as a Mark of our Submission and Obedience and of our acknowledging his Royal Soveraign Jurisdiction we kiss the Hand of his Highness here present These Oaths being made all the Dispatches began to be expedited in the Name of the Prince as Governour Regent of the Realm in the same form as had been formerly done when the Infante Don Alphonso Count de Bologn was made Governour of this same Realm because of the Incapacity of his Brother having been acknowledg'd for such by the Kings of France Spain and England at whose Courts his Embassadors and Envoys had been received with all the prerogatives which they had given to Kings After this Act the Three States continued to deliberate about the Affairs of the Realm until the First day of August 1668. when they separated This change was approved of by all the People excepting some persons who had no reason to approve of it because of their Interest In truth the deposing the King Don Alphonso was maintained not only by those Reasons which have been rehearsed but for many others which they were willing to have Concealed besides the same thing hath happened heretofore in Portugal in the Person of Don Sanche the Second In France in that of Childerick Philip and Theoderick In England in that of King Edward In Germany in that of Charles le Gross In Denmark in that of Christian In the Realm of Naples in that of Charles and in many other Kingdoms As soon as the Prince and the Princess had Consummated their Marriage in good earnest which they had made by Virtue of the Dispensation which they had obtained of Monsieur the Cardinal of Vendosme Legat a Latere in France to the end that there might remain no scruple they sent Father Francis de Ville Jesuit to Clement the 9th to supplicate on their part that he would Confirm this Dispensation His Holiness having received this Request as a Testimony of respect render'd to the Holy Sea he ordained with his Paternal Love That they should expedite this Brief with this Superscription To Our Well-Beloved Sons Deigo de Sousa Chief Inquisitor in the Inquisition against the Hereticks in the Realms of Portugal and Algarves Antony de Mendosa Commissary-General of the Bull of the Croisaide and Deputy of the Inquisition Martin Alphonso de Mello Dean of the Metropolitan Church of Evora also Deputy of the Inquisition Lewis de Sousa Dean of the Church of Porto and Emanuel de Meneses Arch-deacon of the Metropolitan of Evora Clement the 9th Pope Sends Health and Apostolick Benediction to Our Well-beloved Sons The Charge of Pastor which God hath given to us Commands us that according to the understanding which he hath granted us we should provide according to the Laws of Justice and Prudence repose to all the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ and chiefly to the Great Ones And because we have understood by the tenour of a Request which hath been presented to us a little while since on the part of our Son in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Don Pedro Prince of Portugal and of our Daughter in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Maria Isabella de Savoy Dutchess of Nemours That the said Princess after she had contracted a Marriage with our most Dear Son in Jesus Christ Alphonso the Illustrious King of Portugal and Algarves and lived with him about the space of six months as his Wife during which time she perceived his perpetual inability to consummâ—â— the said Marriage being pressed in her Conscience she hath been obliged to cause the said Marriage to be adjudged Null beginning her Process the Sea of the Archbishoprick being vacant before our Well beloved Sons the Vicar of the Chapter of the Metropolitan Church of Lisbon lawfully deputed and the Chapter and the Cannons of the same Church who hold by reason of the said vacancy an ordinary Jurisdiction and before several other Judges named by the same Chapter joyntly with the said Grand Vicar of the Chapter to the end that they might be the better instructed in that Affair and that they might deliberate thereon more maturely by whom there was given a Sentence that declared the said Marriage Nul because of the aforesaid Impotence which Sentence having been read and shewed to the King Alphonso was approved by him by word of Mouth and by Writing Moreover the aforesaid Princes Mary Isabel and the aforesaid Don Pedro Brother of the aforesaid King Alphonso being willing to Contract a Marriage together at the Requests of the States of the Realm who were at that time assembled at Lisbon to the end that
particular Power thereto from the Holy Sea Given at Paris in the Year of our Lord 1667 the 17th of the Calends of April in the First Year of the Papacy of our Father the Pope Lewis Cardinal de Vendosm Legat. De Lione Protonotary and Datary Apostolique The Reasons of the Nullity of the Marriage of Don Alphonso the VI. King of Portugal and the Validity of that of Don Pedro's Prince of the Realm presented to Pope Clement the IX THere are Three things to be Considered in this Business of the King and the Queen of Portugal I. That which passed in the first Marriage with the King Alphonso II. The Nullity of that Marriage III. The Queens second Marriage with the Prince Don Pedro. In the First it is to be Considered as follows 1. That the Marquess of Sande who was sent Ambassador into France to Treat of the Marriage of the King Don Alphonso his Master having before he went from Portugal told the Count de Castlemelhor the Chief Minister of State the scruple of his Conscience and the Politique Consideration that he had to go Treat of a Marriage for a Prince who was commonly said through all the Kingdom not to be capable ever of having any Children unless that he should have before-hand some assurance to the contrary that he might deceive said he neither his own Conscience nor the Kingdom nor the Princess who should take his word The Count answered him rudely in these Terms as the Marquess declared since and as it appears by the Depositions I am astonished Sir said he at the Doubt that you make and I am surprised that you do not know that the Girl which is bred up at my House is the Natural Daughter of the King Which the Marquess believed but it was found to be false since by the Deposition of the Mother of the Girl who being called to declare upon Oath in Court though the same Count had done all that he could possibly to oblige her to say that she had that Child by the King Yet moved by the Truth and by the remorse of Conscience she declared that it was false and that the Girl was one of his Cousins whom she named to the Judges And besides in all the Conversation she had with the King she never found that he was capable of doing the Venereal Act and that by Consequence he was unable for Marriage and uncapable ever of having Children 2. That seeing the Incapacity and Inability of the King Alphonso the Queen his Mother who knew the thing well enough having made a secret Consultation with his Physitians as may be seen by the Papers and Depositions was resolved to let the Scepter fall into the hands of the Infante her second Son at this time Prince Regent to the end lest in default of a Successor it should fall again a second time into the power of the Spaniards but this she had not been able to Execute 3. That the King Alphonso himself when they went about to Treat secretly of his Marriage and to send for that end an Ambassador into France he was very hardly brought to resolve upon it and avowed to his most intimate Friends that he never had any intention to Marry and should never consent to it but because the Count and his Friends had represented to him that the People seeing themselves deprived of the Hope of seeing him ever to have any Lawful Successor would not suffer him any long time upon the Throne and that they would soon make the Prince his Brother to Marry and to Reign in his Place But although they might attribute this Aversion which the King had for Marriage to the Liberty in which he had been brought up and to the continual Practises which he had with the most loose and debauched Women from whom one might say he would not be obliged to separate by Espousing so Chast and Honest a Princess as the Queen It is however much more probable that it should be attributed to the knowledg he had of his own Impuissance and Inability for Marriage which would make him pass the rest of his Days in a continual Repentance as he hath since said to one of his Domesticks blaming the Count and his Friends for having forced him contrary to his Will to Marry and by consequence to be exposed to the Affront which he hath received by the Sentence of the Nullity of his Marriage 4. That the first time the King lay with the Queen which was three or four Days after she arrived in Portugal his Impotence was well known to that Princess notwithstanding her Innocency and although she was Ignorant of things of that nature so that her Confessor who saw her extremly Melancholly and who feared with reason the truth of that which they had talkt of having taken the liberty to ask her in the time of Confession with all the Modesty and Honesty and Trust which his Charge permitted him if that which had been reported had any Ground or Appearance of truth or if she had any hopes to see soon any Fruits of her Marriage She gave him such an Answer as may be seen in those Papers but it was after such a manner that she let him know she judged already of the Condition of her Marriage and of the Inability of the King to get Children 5. That although the Queen since her Arrival in Portugal had been continually Reproached by the King and his chief Ministers and that she had always received very ill Treatments as all the World knows and which is not necessary to be put here in Writing Her Majesty nevertheless had never made any Complaint and had never witnessed any Resentment being on the contrary resolved to Live with the King her Spouse as if he had been the most Accomplished and the best Husband in the World if that she had not believed for three sorts of indispensible Necessities that she ought to make a Declaration of it and to separate her self from his Company To wit 1. For her Conscience sake which without ceasing strongly perswaded her Majesty and urged her that after an Experience of Sixteen Months which was long enough and troublesome enough she might separate from the King without making any greater Trial her self knowing very well in this time his incurable Inability And having divers times consulted with her Confessor that she might Act with the more security in an Affair of so great Importance The same Confessor after he had maturely thought upon it and considered what she should do to satisfie her Duty declared before God That he knew nothing more but that her Majesty seeing that which had passed should no longer do Violence to her Consclence in Inhabiting any longer time with the King 2. For the necessity of the State and safety of the Realm which otherways was absolutely Lost and which her Conscience as well as the Affection that the Kingdom bore to her and which she ought to have for the Kingdom obliged her to