Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	father_n	king_n	son_n	7,892	5	5.4436	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33698	An account of the court of Portugal, under the reign of the present king, Dom Pedro II with some discourses on the interests of Portugal, with regard to other sovereigns : containing a relation of the most considerable transactions that have pass'd of late between that court, and those of Rome, Spain, France, Vienna, England, &c.	Colbatch, John, 1664-1748.	1700 (1700)	Wing C4991; ESTC R20800	212,299	370

Countries lying convenient for France he laid claim to them in his Queen 's Right who being a Child of the first Venter ought as 't was said according to the Laws of those Countries to have inherited them from her Father who died the last year in Exclusion to the Male Issue by a second Marriage 'T is true that Princess had at her Marriage made a formal Renunciation of any Right or Title that might accrue to her to her Father's Dominions either in whole or in part But in all other respects the French King found himself in a condition to make good his Claim his Armies after a long breathing time had now recovered new Vigour His brother-in-Brother-in-law the King of Spain was then but an Infant under Government of his Mother and the Widow and the Orphan were like to make but a feeble Resistance for their best Troops had been drawn from Flanders and consumed in this fatal War with Portugal but however for fear lest the Spaniards were not yet humbled enough to be securely trampled upon or if there were none else to fall upon them at the same time might make some dying Efforts to repell so unjust an assailant as they no doubt would take his most Christian Majesty to be It was judged convenient that while he was engaging himself in this hazardous Enterprize the Portugueses should be set on to keep the Spaniards in Play and animated to follow those deadly Blows they had already given them with a more vigorous prosecution of the War And therefore it was that France proposed the League Offensive and Defensive to this Court But to perswade the Portugueses to imbrace the Proposal was thought and with a great deal of Reason to be no easy matter for as much pleas'd and elevated with their Victories as they were they had as great cause as ever to wish for a Peace That poor People had been in Arms for these five and twenty years and were now harass'd out and almost spent in defending their Country a small Country indeed yet but thinly Peopled and stretched out in length with a Frontier of a hundred Leagues which must be continually guarded or lie exposed to the Enemies incursions In this long War their Youth had been destroyed their Lands laid wast their Stocks consumed and their Moneys brought to an end so that should the War continue let their Victories be never so many it must necessarily in a short time compleat their Ruin To a People in such a case all talk of prolonging the War must sound so harsh that it could not be imagin'd they should hear of it with any Patience and that which gave the French greater cause still to despair of gaining their ends on the Portugueses these had now for some time been flattering themselves with hopes that they should see a speedy end of their Miseries The stomachs of the Spaniards were by this time come down and they desired a Peace as much as the Portugueses Sir Richard Fanshaw the English Ambassador at Madrid had wrought so effectually upon them that the Articles were drawing up and all things making ready for a Treaty Sir Richard's Secretary had been in Portugal to give notice to that Court of what he was doing for them at Madrid and he had signified by Letters that he was preparing for his Journey to Lisbon in order to set the last hand to the Treaty These Tidings had been received in Portugal with the welcome they deserv'd and the blessed Messenger of Peace as Sir Richard was then call'd was look'd for with impatience They thought their Condition upon his coming would be a kind of Heaven to what it then was He being as one of the great Ministers express'd it to let them in to the Beatifick Vision The Portugueses being thus disposed the French saw plainly that it would be to no purpose to make any direct motion to them for carrying on the War so that in order to bring the Design about it was thought convenient to take a Compass and all their Talk was of Peace while they were preparing themselves and inciting their Friends to War or if War was mention'd it was only by the bye and as a last reserve in order to procure for Portugal a more firm lasting and honourable Peace But to secure this 't was pretended that a League with France was absolutely necessary for Portugal France being alone able as they said to procure good Conditions from the Spaniards and to see they should be well observ'd To this purpose had Messieurs Turenne and Colbert been several times discoursing with the Portuguese Minister at Paris And that the Portugueses might be sensible that nothing but their Good was aimed at the French Ambassador at Madrid who was there making the most solemn Protestations that the Pirenean Treaty should be kept inviolable had Orders likewise to interpose his Master's good Offices and make a tender of his Mediation to compose all Differences with Portugal and put an end to the War This offer being hearkned to as 't was pretended the Marquess de Sande then at Paris adjusting King Alfonso's Marriage and having the Character of an Ambassador for that business only was sent for to the secret Audience before mention'd and told that the Queen Regent of Spain had accepted of the Mediation and that in case such Proposals were made by that Court as were fit to be accepted the French Ambassador there had Orders to make a Journey to Lisbon and conclude the Peace or if any thing should detain him he was to communicate the Proposals to the Abbè de S. Romain at Lisbon who should impart them to the Portuguese Ministers there being no doubt but that the Peace would be soon adjusted considering to what a miserable condition the Portugueses had reduced the Spanish Monarchy But then his Majesty did not think it adviseable for them to take up with any doubtful or fallacious Truce and in conclusion bid the Marquess assure the King of Portugal that in case a Peace ensued He himself would be the Guarant if a War he would both bear a share in the Expences and become the King of Portugal's Companion in the Field Monsieur de S. Romain had the good fortune to arrive in Portugal and got Audience at the Court which was then at Salva Terra before Sir Richard Fanshaw came there and he displayed all his Eloquence in setting forth that the King his Master had so sincere an Affection for Portugal that understanding the Spaniards were coming to an Accommodation he was very desirous to see the Peace adjusted on condition that the Proposals made by Spain were Advantageous and Honourable but in case they should prove otherwise he was ready to assist the Portugueses with his Troops Fleets and Money at their choice and as their Occasions should require These fine Words as they were not wholly lost yet had not that effect upon the Court as to dispose them for a League with France they were wishing still

the Spanish Court from the most obliging Carriage of the Marquis de Castel dos Rios their late Minister at Lisbon one would think that Spain expected to reap all the advantage from the good amity little would one guess from the Conduct of this Minister that the King of Portugal was not many years ago lookt upon as his Master's Rebel there being scarce a Gentleman in Portugal more intent than he in making his Court or more careful to render himself acceptable He to gain their Majesties Favour hath during the whole time of his Residence that is for about seven years together on every Birth-night of the Eldest Prince entertained the Nobility and Foreign Ministers with a new Opera of his own Composure and acted by his own Family and all to Celebrate the future Glorys of his Highness It would perhaps seem trifling in any other times but ours to draw Consequences from any thing of this kind but in our Age Persons of his Excellencies Character do every thing by Prescription and the lightest matters of Ceremony are exactly weighed It does not yet appear what advances the King of Portugal hath made at Madrid towards the making good his Pretensions to the Succession the publick Relations of the Proceedings at that Court do as yet give but a slender Account of his Success however the frequent Couriers that pass and repass between the two Courts upon every alarm of the King of Spain's Indisposition show that his Agents there are busy in carrying on his Interests and his late Levies raised and maintained at an expence which his Kingdom is so little in a condition to bear are an Argument that he is resolved to make One among the Competitors as indeed it concerns him much to be considering the apparent danger of his own Crown in case he miscarries in his design upon that of Spain for whether a Prince of the House of Austria or of France shall inherit that Crown he 'll be Heir at the same time to Philip the 2d's Title to Portugal which as unjust as it was was strengthen'd by sixty years Possession and the Approbation of several Popes and whosoever reflects upon the Conduct of the House of Austria in the last Age or of the French King in this will find that very slender Pretences have served the turn when either of them hath had a fair opportunity to invade his Neighbour and see cause enough to be afraid for the House of Bragança should it ever have the misfortune to ly at their Mercy as it almost infallibly will do when either of them shall be in quiet Possession of the Spanish Monarchy for Spain upon any change of Government will almost necessarily recover so much of its ancient Vigor as to be overmatch for Portugal This small Kingdom may perhaps have some cause to hope that its destruction will come on more slowly in case it hath to deal with an Austrian Prince but whether it will be therefore the less sure is a question soon decided when we consider what a close Union there hath always been between the two Branches of that House each espousing the Interest and Quarrels of the other and making them its own how great a part the Spaniards had in the German Usurpations in the business of the Palatinate and the Catholick League and how far the German Line interessed it self in behalf of the Spaniards upon the Revolt of Portugal when to revenge their Quarrel the Imperialists contrary to all Faith and Honour the Right of Nations and the Laws of Hospitality seiz'd upon Prince Duarte the King of Portugal's Brother and made him end his days in a Prison Now when a Prince of the same House less Religious than his present Imperial Majesty and one of his Character does not arise in every Age shall come to have Portugal in his power can we think it likely that he will so far forget the Maxims of his Ancestors as to cherish a Race that hath occasion'd so many disgraces to a Family But if the King of Portugal hath little cause to expect security from that House he would have less reason to think himself safe should he fall under the Power of France 't is true indeed if words of Friendship could insure him he would be freest from danger while the French are putting themselves in a Condition to destroy him who till they are ready to give the Blow are always lavish of their kind Promises which such as have trusted in them have found to be the forerunners or the means rather of their Ruin Should a French Prince become possess'd of the Spanish Monarchy if Philip the 2d's Title will not do there are a great many others now dormant that will quickly be started up the Kingdom of Portugal will soon be found to have been a Dependance of Castille and it is but erecting a Chamber of Re-union to annex it thereto again or a Right of Devolution may be pretended by the forfeitures which the Kings have incurr'd they having been formerly Feudatorys to those of Leon or the Great Monarch may think it will be for his Glory or his Convenience to order his Generals to take Possession of this small Kingdom and that as appears from some Presidents may be thought right sufficient It is not to be imagined that the Court of Portugal is at this time of the Day insensible of the Dangers they are threatned with the Agonies that the Ministers were in not long ago during his Catholick Majesty's Sickness could scarce be thought to proceed from any other Cause and a Paper lately published in English shows that they have been setting their Wits at Work to find out means for their Preservation that is to make good their Master's Claim to the Succession which as they seem to be perswaded is the only visible way to secure themselves at this Juncture The Author of that Paper seems to have left nothing unsaid that may make for his Master's Cause and he hath gone a great way to prove him to have a much better Right than any other Pretender if it be true as he intimates that there is such a Fundamental Law in Spain as excludes Forreigners from the Succession and I believe there can be no Instance given of any such that have succeeded in a regular Way except it be Charles the 5th who was yet Son to the immmediate Heiress and possess'd of the Crown in his Mother's life-time As for his Son Philip the 2d and the rest that came after him they were all natural born Spaniards which Privilege must be granted to the Kings of Portugal while Portugal is allowed to be a part of Spain and it is certain that they are descended from Donna Maria Daughter to Ferdinand and Isabella and Sister to her who brought the Crown into the Austrian Family so that if there be any such Law as the aforesaid Author hints at the King of Portugal may have a very fair Title the Dauphin as 't is asserted by