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A62158 The civil wars of Spain in the beginning of the reign of Charls [sic] the 5t, Emperor of Germanie and King of that nation written originally in the Spanish-tongue by Prudencio de Sandoval ... ; never yet translated, now put into English by Captain J.W.; Historia de la vida y hechos del Emperador Carlos V. English. Selections Sandoval, Prudencio de, ca. 1560-1620.; Wadsworth, James, 1604-1656?; Howell, James, 1594?-1666. 1652 (1652) Wing S664; ESTC R30544 277,685 398

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two whole daies they kept him besieged and Don Diego Sarmiento the Earl of Salinas with the Dutchess and the Countess their wives After this seeing himself the object of the people's malice and every hour in danger to lose his life hee conditioned with the people to let him go freely with all his familie out of the Citie Which beeing granted hee went to a Town of his called Briviesca This example of the People of Burgos made other places commit the like audacities against their Lords as Haro against the Earl of Haro Son to the Lord high Constable Duenias against the Earl of Buendia and also Naxara against the Duke although that Citie doth allege and prove that they rose not for the Commonaltie but for the King whose subjects and tenants they saie they are The Lord high Constable beeing at Briviesca very full of care and sorrow to see the Kingdom in so great distempers and so little probabilitie of any remedie about the middle of September arrived Lope Hurtado de Mendoça with dispatches and orders from the Emperor importing that hee should bee Governor of Castilla and Navarra joyntly with the Cardinal and the Admiral of Castilla Which having read hee presently accepted the Government of the Kingdoms But becaus the Commission was for them all three hee could not so suddenly execute the Command For the Cardinal was as yet at Valladolid and the Admiral in Catalunia in the Countie of Cabra whither the dispatches were sent to him who was of opinion to defer the acceptance of that Charge until his return into Castilla and to use som means in the interim to agree and accommodate the differences of the Commonalties as you have already heard Which difficultie beeing related to the Emperor beeing on the waie to Aquisgran where hee was Crowned hee sent other Letters dated the 17 October following with special command to the Lord High Constable that having assembled som of the Council hee should alone with them execute the charge of Governor of the Kingdoms provide for the remedying of the present disorders until such time as the Cardinal and the Admiral could com to join with him which hee did as shall appear hereafter SECT VII THe Lord High Constable seeing the remedie of the Kingdoms to lie upon his account although hee was much offended with those of Burgos without seeking any reparation of honor prudently endeavored by fair means and treatments full of courtesie to appeas that people and reduce them into the Roial waie of doing their Prince service for it was of no small importance for him at the beginning of his Government to gain that Citie and settle himself in it beeing the chief of Castilla and a place of such greatness and esteem Hee kept intelligence with som principal Gentlemen of Burgos by whose industrie the Citie was so well disposed and ordered that within a short time after hee became master of it This was the first symptom of the Countrie 's health and an Antidote against the desperate poison which had so infected the whole Kingdom The Lord High Constable together with the Citie committed to the Charge of Don Diego Lopez de Castro the government of the Castle of Lara with the territories thereof hee having first taken the Oath of Fealtie as hee was a Gentleman according to the order and manner of Castilla to keep it for the Emperor From this time forwards Burgos began to have an ill conceit of the Iunta disliking more and more their proceedings especially their ill treating of the Cardinal and those of the Council and sent to their Commissioners to com away from Tordesillas After which they wrote to Valladolid in testimonie of their Loialtie encouraging and persuading those of that Citie to do the like in order to their due obedience to his Majestie and the pacification of the Kingdoms SECT VIII THose of Valladolid beeing ill satisfied with the letters which they received from Burgos returned them no answer esteeming them people of small resolution or constancie and not fit to bee trusted Those of Burgos sent letters likewise to those of the Junta telling them manie things by way of exhortation and advice amongst the rest That they should leav the Queen in her free libertie to do what shee pleased and to let things remain in the same condition the Emperor had left them with other circumstances which were contradicto●ie to what formerly they seemed to desire Whereby it appeared that they declined the Interest of the Junta and favored the Lord High Constable's Partie Som other places of the Kingdom also began to bee more moderate by the Letters and promises which they received from the Cardinal and other Gentlemen of note SECT IX IN the Citie of Valladolid the people were still divided by several factions some transported with a blind zeal pres●ed for obedience to those of the Iunta thinking whatsoever they ordained was good and holie others desired with no less earnestness that the Lord high Constable with those of the Council might bee re-admitted into the Citie deeming whatsoever was enacted without them to bee wicked and unjust And hereupon they spoiled and murthered one another like people without sense or reason Whereupon they wrote to the Lord Admiral who was their Countrie-man and neer neighbor giving him account of the troubles of the Kingdom and especially of the mischiefs which they feared would befall that Citie in particular Whereunto hee sent an answer with an extraordinarie sens of sorrow to see the danger whereunto the whole Kingdom was brought counselling and admonishing them to have a care left they lost themselvs Moreover in regard that Citie had been noted particularly for their Loyaltie to their King and for the relation hee had to it by his birth it grieved him to the soul to see it in such extream distraction which hee feared would not bee so easily remedied with several other expressions of affection and tenderness for their welfare But Valladolid did not set much by his admonitions at that time But afterwards though late they were better advised and they found in the Admiral the mercie which they did expect as shall bee set down hereafter SECT X. THe Letters from Burgos with the sedulous and prudent endeavors of the Lord high Constable made those of Valladolid to bethink themselvs a little and with a kinde of remors for what was past to begin to understand reason although the greatest part but not the best stickled hard to keep the Citie in obedience to the Iunta to the end they might compass their own ill designes After this the Lord high Constable sent to notifie his Commission to bee Vice-Roy and Governor together with the Cardinal and Lord Admiral to all the Cities of the Kingdom where it might conveniently bee done which beeing proclaimed in most places was obeyed Whereupon hee sent to all his kindred and friends ordering them to rais what forces they could possibly and dispatched messengers to all the Grandees
the Earl of Aranda answered the Earl of Venavente in such harsh and bitter tearms that all the Palace and the Grandees of the Court were com almost to daggers drawing So that the King had much to do to pacifie them commanding everie one of them to repair to their own houses and not to stir abroad upon pain of death But his Commands were not fully obeied that time for night beeing com divers of both parties met in the streets and manie of them were sore wounded and questionless the dispute had been more bloudie if the Arch-Bishop had not left his supper and com out with other Noblemen to part them The next daie the King made the Earls of Venavente and Aranda friends which don the Aragoneses were brought to reason and beeing willing to conform themselvs with the Castillians they took the same Oath and acknowleged the King to bee their King and Lord jointly with Donnia Iuana the Queen his mother as had been don in Castillia SECT VIII IN the beginning of the year 1519 the Parlament of Aragon beeing ended the King went to visite his Dominions of Barcelona and would have don the like in the Kingdom of Valencia if his occasions had permitted Beeing at Barcelona news was brought him that Maximilian the ●mperor his Grandfather died at Belsis the 12th of Januarie 1519 whereat hee was not a little troubled all the Court was forthwith put into mourning and his Obsequies celebrated with very great solemnitie according to the honor and greatness of his person who was one of the most virtuous and wel-deserving Emperors that ever had command in Germanie hee was of a most noble and generous disposition pious and valiant The ten first years of his age hee could make no use at all of his tongue insomuch that the Emperor Frederick his father thought hee would bee dumb or a fool But coming to mature years hee gave great evidences of very rich endowments of his soul. Hee died of a Flux in the sixtie third year of his age having governed the Empire twentie five years after his Father 's deceas Francis the First of France stood in competition with Don Carles for the succession to the Imperial Crown and left no waie unattempted to corrupt the El●ctors and make them of his partie But the major part after manie long and serious debates thinking it more fit to continue that Dignitie to the Hous of Austria who were Natives of that Countrie then to transfer it upon a strange Prince made the election in favor of Don Carles King of Spain to the great contentment of all Princes and people of Germamie The Electors of the sacred Empire at that time were Alberto Archbishop of Maguncia or M●ntz Hertnao Archbishop of Colonia Ricardo Archbishop of Tr●ues Frederico Duke of Saxonia Lewis King of Bohemia and Hungaria Ioachim Marquis of Brandeburg Lewis Count Palatine of the Rhyne The Election beeing past in Franckfort and published all over Germanie the Electors sent Frederick Duke of Baviers into Spain to his Majestie in mean time they ordered all matters concerning the Empire and made Casimire of Brandeburg Captain General of the Imperial forces until the new Emperor should com to receiv his Crown Whilst these things passed in Germanie the King celebrated in Barcelona the feast of the Order of the golden Fleece there the Lord high Counstable of Castillia Don Innigo de Velasco Don Iadrique de Toledo Duke of Alva Don Alvaro de Zunniga Duke of Vejar Don Fadrique Enriquez Lord Admiral of Castilla Don Estavan Alvarez Cesorio Marquis of Astorga received the Order But the Earl of Venavente refused it saying that hee was a right Castillian and cared not for anie badges of foreign honor those of his own Count●ie beeing as good and in his opinion far better The Duke of Cordona in the Kingdom of A●agon and the Prince of Bis●●gnano a Neapolit●ne stood not upon those nice tearms but accepted the Order as a particular favor from his Majestie About the same time the Queen Germana finding more contentment in the Companie of a Husband then in the solitarie condition of a widow was married with great solemnitie to the Marquis of Brandeburg brother to the Elector who though of a very illustrious extraction was so incomparably inferior to the Majestie and greatness of her former husband Don Fernando that her judgment was much censured for her chois and the Courtiers thought so slightly of her that divers would not give her the style of Highness until his Majestie commanded it who assisted personally at the solemnitie thinking thereby to endeer th● Elector of Brandenburg the more to vote in his behalf At the beginning of Julie in the same year arrived at Barcelona Frederick Duke of Baviers brother to Lewis Duke of Baviers Elector and Count Palatine with the dispatches from the Electors and having delivered his embassage the Chancellor Mercurino de Gatinara answered that his Majestie did receiv very willingly the ●lection of the Empire which the seven Princes Electors had conferred upon him that hee would take that weightie and honorable care upon himself out of the great affection which hee bore his native Countrie and that hee would endeavor with all convenient speed to settle his affairs in Spain and make a voiage into Germanie Thus the Empire beeing setled upon Don Carles of Spain and the King of France deprived of all his hopes notwithstanding the vast summs of monie and presents wherewith hee thought to purchase the Elector's Votes his envie and choler grew beyond the bounds of moderation and hee resolved forthwith to act what mischief hee could and interess the power of all other Princes his Allies against the Emperor Elect. SECT IX WHilest the King or Emperor Elect was at Barcelona hee demanded the Catalanes to receiv and acknowledg him their King which they refused for a while neither would they consent that hee should call anie Parlamemt in their Countrie but at last they were perswaded to reason and swore Alleageance to him as Castillia and Aragon had don The Emperor upon notice of his Election and solicitation of the Princes of Germanie for his going hither had not the leisure to visit the Kingdom of Valencia as hee intended therefore hee desired that those of that Kingdom would swear and acknowledg him King without obliging him to bee personally present in regard it was imposslble for him to perform that journie at that time by reason of his new and unexspected occasions which called him another waie But they would not hearken to anie such motion and scornfully made answer that they were as good as Aragoneses or Catalanes and since hee had spent two years time in those Countries why could not hee staie two moneths at Valencia The Emperor beeing readie to depart from Barcelona sent Cardinal Adriano to Valencia to pacifie that Kingdom and gave Commission to the Infante Don Enrique and the Arch-Bishop of
as hee had alreadie begged it before as honorable persons as those that were then present but could not obtain it Speaking these words hee fell upon his knees and kissed his Majestie 's hand The Emperor somwhat moved at Don Pedro's more then bold speeches made this grave replie Don Pedro you are a discreet man I do not think that you would do anie thing that shall oblige mee● to punish you for if you should my Justice must answer your offence Don Pedro replied Sir in doing what I saie I do nothing but what I ought and what is just if I do it not my self your Majestie will not see mee righted Those from whom I descended never imbraced the thought of doing anie thing that ought not to be don neither do I intend it That which I said Sir I would do was to seek som remedie for my grievances according to the Laws instituted in this Kingdom and if your meaning is Sir to have me punished for doing what I ought you will see if you do so what you ought to do to your self The Emperor presently answered I think to do you Justice Don Pedro as I told you and I have performed my promise to you You are my King Sir said Don Pedro and I will not answer you That which you promised mee is herein written under your own hand and may soon bee seen and what you concluded in your Council yesterdaie this daie is known sufficiently that said hee produced his paper for evidence Upon these words the Marquis of Villena bid Don Pedro forbear and void the Chamber so Don Pedro went out and the Earl of Venavente and the Lord High Constable with him who came in after this discours began all the other Gentlemen presently followed them and gathering themselvs in a knot together in the Anti-chamber they descanted upon these passages and Don Pedro Giron continued still his fuming with exp●essions of much discontent and sens of injurie becaus the King had not made good to him what hee had promised him with so much assurance SECT XIII DOn Pedro Giron was no sooner gon out of the Presence but Don Pedro Lasso Don Alonso Suarez advanced to speak to his Majestie beseeching hee would bee pleased to give them audience for they had divers things to impart to his Majestie which did much conduce to his Service The Emperor answered them that hee was upon going as they saw and that hee had not then the time to hear them They replied but chiefly Don Pedro Lasso That it was of so much concernment to his Majestie to hear them that hee would not repent the deferring of his departure for a little while especially the weather beeing as it was very rainie For they would inform his Majestie of manie things wherein were interessed in an extraordinarie manner both His service and the good of the Kingdom The Emperor knowing alreadie the substance of what they came to ask and nothing pleased with their manner of petitioning answered That there was no man in the world more careful and desirous of that which might bee most expedient for the good of his Kingdoms then himself That they should meet him at the next town to Tordesillas in the waie to Santjago and there hee would hear them So they departed his Presence The Emperor beeing very angrie at the importunitie and sauciness of the Toledians and Don Pedro Giron sent presently to call som of his Privie Council to advise touching the apprehending of Don Pedro Giron The Lord High Constable beeing advertised of the Emperor's pleasure came presently to the Palace and with the rest of the Nobles there beeing hee sent to desire Xeures that hee would join with them in taking som cours for the composing of the matter While things were thus in agitation a rumor began to spread amongst the People that their Magistrates had granted what the Emperor did desire that hee was going away and that hee would carrie his Mother out of the Kingdom with him and as the People are apt to believ all they hear this report much troubled them and beeing drunk with passion they ran madding through the streets and here and there making stands after that Countrie fashion they assembled divers circuler consultations saying that it would bee fitting to petition the King not to depart Beeing all up in this confusion without understanding each other's meaning a certain Rope-maker by Nation a Portuguez inhabitant of that Citie seeing that the King was readie to depart and that no bodie would petition him to staie hee got into the steeple of St Michael which is a very ancient Parish in that Citie where hung a great bell commonly called the Counsel-Bell which used to bee rung onely in times of war uproars or upon anie Alarum this bell hee begin's to ring with as much speed as hee could which assoon as the People heard without knowing or examining wherefore all except those that were assembled in the Monasterie of St Paul presently took up arms to the number of about five or six thousand Common People 'T is said their determination was to kill Xeures and all the Flemings and to hinder the Emperor's departure Don Alonso Enriquez Bishop of Osma gave Xeures notice hereof yet hee would not believ him thinking that hee told him so onely to ingratiate himself with him But soon after hearing a great hurlieburlie and the clashing of weapons and asking what the matter was Don Pedro Porto Carero told him Sir it is now no time for you to sit in Council but indeavor to secure your Person for the Common crie of the People is Let Charls the King live but let his ill Counsellors perish neither ought you to think it strange if in their rage they murther you since they consider you as one that carrie's their King from them The People seeing themselvs so numerous manie of them as it appeared would have stop't the Emperor's Journie And this disorder fell out just as the Emperor was in Consultation about the apprehending of Don Pedro Giron but Xeures and the Flemings beeing too well assured of the People's tumultuous furie hastened the Emperor all they could out of Valladolid so hee departed from his Palace in the cruellest rain and thickest skie that had been seen in the memorie of man Which it seeme's was a presage and ill Omen of the miseries and disasters which were afterwards poured upon Castillia and his other Kingdoms The Emperor coming to the gate of the Citie found there som of the rabble they could not all bee so soon there becaus of the extraordinarie foul weather who having seiz'd upon the gates began to shut them and to barricado up the waie but the Emperor's Guards made them suddenly quit their Poste and hee continued on his journie leaving Valladolid full of disorder Som were troubled for what they had don others perplexed that they had seen and suffered such insolencies to bee committed And in regard there was
Gentrie opposed it saying it was a great diss●rvice to the King and contrarie to Justice Manie distastfull words passed amongst them but at last the Commons prevailed and turned all those Gentlemen out of Salamanca One stately hous that belonged to the Archbishop of Santjago's Steward they burned down to the ground Neither did those Gentlemen hold themselvs secure until they were got into Valladolid where they gave a full account of all these passages This was the beginning of the rising publickly in Salamanca After which they kept their Rounds and Guards in the Citie and sent Hors to the relief of Segovia but before they departed Salamanca with other Cities sent two men to the Cardinal and Council beseeching them to forbear from chastising Segovia for if they did not the Citie of Salamanca could not refrain from sending them succor Their chief Captain in this uproar was Don Pedro Maldonado Nephew to the Doctor Talavera who drove the rest of the Gentlemen that were not of his faction out of the Citie and made the Corregidor go away also leaving the administration of Justice more out of fear then otherwise which done the Citie ordered the Justice and did what you shall see hereafter SECT XVI THe Cardinal Governor seeing these troubles and disorders increas daily without anie hope of remedie notwithstanding all the endeavors and gentle means hee and those of the Council had used to procure it The President and the rest agreed to give his Majestie an exact account of all the Commotions and particular exigencies of the Kingdom of Castillia and in what danger they themselvs were by reason of the people's furie desiring his Majestie to take som speedie order for the rectifying of so great disorders SECT XVII THe Emperor had already received som intelligence of these troubles in Spain by means of Flemish Merchants and other particular letters But when those from the Cardinal and Council came to his hands at Lovain Hee was seized with unexpressible sadness The necessitie of his going to bee crowned in Germanie was very urgent and his returning into Spain seemed yet of more importance The Letter 's sad Contents br●d divers discontents and no less different opinions as the custom is amongst the Courtiers of the nearest relation about the Emperor The Flemings condemned the Spaniards for raising these tumults ond commotions in their King's absence The Spaniards retorted the blame upon the Flemings saying That their ill Government had been the occasion of the ruine and loss of Spain and that they had robbed it and indeed to saie the truth They were both in fault for the Flemings were as short of discretion and prudence to Govern as they abounded with a too insatiable Covetousness And the Spaniards although they had som reason to complain could not bee excused for rising up in Arms. Monsieur de Xeures grew much discontented and ashamed upon the report of this breaking out of Spain partly becaus hee knew what opinion went of him in the Court but chiefly becaus hee thought as justly hee might the Emperor would derive the fault upon him who whil'st hee was in Spain commanded with so absolute a power that it was commonly said The Emperor Don Carlos is King by right and Monsieur de Xeures in effect The Emperor beeing thus disquieted called a Council and desiring to have their advices hee propounded That they would consider what means was to bee vsed that Hee might go into Germanie and receiv that Crown which Hee so much desired and provide som remedie to settle the disturbances of Spain which was of no less importance to him for his Coronation could bee no longer suspended and the remedying of Spain ought not to bee differred Hee had of his Council in this occurrence Germanes Flemings Italians Aragoneses and Castillans and their opinions were as different as their Nations For the Germanes urged that it was repuisite his Majestie should continue his journie into Germanie The Italians said it was necessarie that hee should make● a progress into Italie The Flemings were very importunate for him to staie in their Countrie The Aragoneses pleaded that Valencia was also risen up in Arms. And the Castillans used all means possible to persuade him to re●urn into Castill● The case beeing so general and nearly concerning so manie Kingdoms the Emperor did wisely to take the advice of manie But at last the resolution of the business was given by few as great Princes use to do in like occurrences The result of this Consultation was That the Emperor should continue his journie into Germanie and having received the Imperial Crown there to remain until hee had fully settled the affairs of that Countrie not being everie daie to return thither It was likewise resolved That his Majestie should send amiable and gracious Letters to all the Cities and Towns of Castilla requiring som of them to return unto themselvs and his service and expressing his thankfulness to others for their good intentions towards him That hee should desire and encharge the Nobles and Gentrie to favor and assist those of his Roial Council promising to all upon the faith of his Roial word that with all possible expedition hee would return into Castilla for the thought of the Emperor 's never returning into Spain bred in the Common people the boldness to commit such outrages and exorbitances Moreover it was determined That the Emperor should write unto the President and Council condoling their troubles and persecution commanding them withall that in one place or other six of them should alwaies bee about the Cardinal and hold Council To the end they might serv as a Refuge for the good people to appeal unto and bee a terror to the evil for if the Council omitted the doing of Justice the Roial Autoritie must needs fall And also That the Emperor should appoint two other Governors to bee joined in Commission with the Cardinal and those to bee men of noble extractions well experienced and advanced in years of generous dispositions powerful in estates but chiefly Natives of that Kingdom This advice seemed very sound and pertinent to the Emperor whereupon hee gave order it should bee put in execution accordingly and those whom they Voted to bee joined in Commission with the Cardinal were Don Fadrique Enriquez Lord High Admiral of Castilla and Don Inigo de Velasco Lord High Constable who were both antient Gentlemen of great generositie and gallantrie Which Election gave no small satisfaction to the Castillan partie for they had shewen themselvs in their commands not onely wise but valiant and were alwaies fortunate in their undertakings These Noblemen governed with such valour and prudence that the Emperor in his Letters to the Lord High Constable give 's him thanks for his services acknowledging that by his means hee was King of Castilla And indeed the Emperor said but what was true Besides all this his Majestie sent an especial Command That the subsidie which was granted him at the
with a Notarie publick to require him with great protestations that hee should not permit the mischiefs and dammages which might bee occasioned by the Iunta and the Armies of the Advers Partie They sent others also with trumpets to require the Lord High Constable and the Earl of Alva not to levie anie Souldiers becaus that would bee prejudicial to the Roial Crown and hurtful to the Kingdoms The Lord High Constable received those that brought him this message very courteously and commanded a dinner to bee prepared for them After which hee sent them to the Earl of Alva with twelv of his own men on hors-back The Earl apprehended the chief man of them commanding him to bee clapt in prison and afterwards they saie hee caused him to bee strangled and gave no other Answer to the Iunta whereat they were very much displeas'd others said The Earl did like a worthie Gentleman for no Law or Word is to be observ'd or kept with Traitors The unfortunate man whom the Earl thus put to death had been not long before preferred by those of the Commonaltie to the Office of Chamberlain to the Queen Donia Iuana In revenge of which crueltie as they termed it those of the Iunta commanded the Lord Constable and the Earl of Alva to bee proclaimed in manie Cities and places of Castilla Traitors and capital enemies of the Kingdom alledging That they raised forces against the Roial Crown and to the prejudice of the Kingdom That they had made a new Broad-Seal contrarie to the Laws of the Kingdom wherewith they did seal Orders against his Majesties Subjects and contrarie to all right and Justice That they did favor and uphold those of the evil Counsel and that they had apprehended her Majesties Chamberlain all which was in dis-respect or contempt of her Majestie and to the prejudice of the publick good And therefore those of the Iunta in order to the service of God and the Kingdom did finde themselvs obliged to declare them Capital Enemies and accordingly that their Estates and Land should bee seized and forfeited to the Roial Crown SECT V. THose of the Iunta beeing possessed of Tordesillas and having the Queen with her familie and the whole Kingdom in their own hands manie people believed that shee was recovered and that shee was well-pleased with the proceedings of those of the Iunta The increasing of this opinion and their credit with the people raised their thoughts to things of higher consequence and the novelties which everie daie did produce were already swoln to so great a number and spred into so manie parts that it is impossible to relate them so cleerly fully and distinctly as I would The pretence of the Iunta was so plausible bearing the sugared name which they gave it of Libertie and exemption from unjust taxes and evil government that divers other places were likewise in Arms for them And it was a miracle that anie place stood out For they favored and countenanced them that followed their faction and those of the contrarie Partie were perpetually under the lash of their persecution In Palencia the people mutinied and would have killed the brother to their Bishop Mota with divers Canons and other Priests of the Citie becaus they had given possession of the Bishoprick to the said Mota whom they extreamly hated In Alcala de Henares they turned the Governor and the Vicar-General to the Arch-Bishop out of the Citie becaus they hated the Arch-Bishop for beeing a kinsman to Xeures and a stranger Medina prepared to make open War against Coca and Alaejos in revenge of the mischiefs and losses which they had susteined by Antonio de Fonseca It would bee an endless task to undertake to give a particular relation of their outrages what persecutions robberies and murthers were committed in each place Those of Segovia did not lie still either but were perpetually making new attempts against the Earl of Chinchon and the Town of Espinar which they assaulted and sacked as if they had been Infidels carrying away their wives and daughters some of whose husbands following after the Segovians said That if their wives went with them beyond a certain limit they should keep them for ever SECT VI. I Mentioned in the rising of Burgos the prudence and courage which the Lord high Counstable to detain and suppress the furie of that disorderly people had shewed in taking upon himself the Autoritie and care of administring Justice to the great contentment and rejoicing of the Citizens But the inconstant Vulgar upon no occasion lost the respect which was due to so honorable a person never considering how advantageous it would have been for them to have suff●red themselvs to bee governed by him in such troublesom times That which they pretended to bee the caus of their respectless audacitie was That when Medina del Campo did besiege Alaejos Segovia Salamanca Avila and other Cities having assisted them with men to destroie that Town out of the exceeding hatred which they bore Antonio de Fonseca Burgos would do the like out of revenge of the Merchandise which they lost in Medina by Fonseca's burning it But the Lord High Constable satisfied them otherwise And becaus his son offered himself to bee their Captain which the people imagined hee did onely out of subtiltie and cunning to amuse them or for som other by-respect they began to bee jealous of him this suspicion ingendred a mortal hatred insomuch that their furie grew beyond the bounds of moderation and obedience The Lord high Counstable had privately conveyed into his hous four hundred Lances Which beeing known in the Citie the Regidores and Gentlemen assembled and sent two of their companie to summon him Hee excused himself saying hee was very ill and could not go to them But they told him that they could not bee satisfied with that answer hee must rise and go with them At last hee went and was civilly received beeing com amongst them two of the Assemblie in the names of all the rest rose up and thus bespake him Wee are very sorrie and grieved that the honor and affection wherewith this Citie hath alwaies served your Lordship and your Ancestors beeing Persons of so great qualitie natives and in a maner Lords of all this Citie which is the chief of Castilla should bee so ill requited as that you should keep secretly in your hous four hundred Lances to destroie the people wee require you forthwith to dismiss them and reserv onely twentie servants about you if not the Citie will take their remedie This was not very pleasing to the Lord Constable but it behoved him to satisfie their desires Yet notwithstanding hee condescended to their wills the suspicions ceased not neither were the people pacified Upon our Ladie 's daie of September their furie broke out and all the Commonaltie rose up in Arms against him in such a raging manner that they had killed him if hee had not retired to his hous where almost
and Gentlemen of note in the Kingdom encouraging and enjoyning them to assemble and bee assistant to him And he●ring that the President with others of the Council were fled from Valladolid in the manner before mentioned hee sent for them to com to him which the President and some of them did Afterwards the Letter coming to his hands wherein the Emperor Commanded until the Lord Admiral could joyn with them That hee and the Cardinal should govern Hee presently began to put his Majestie 's orders in execution using means to rais monie for the levying and paying of Souldiers For without the force of Arms it seemed impossible to do any good and therefore hee sent to borrow fiftie thousand Duckets of the King of Portugal which hee lent him freely With which monie and what hee had of his own or could procure any other waie hee raised some Infantrie Which done hee wrote to the Duke of Naxara Don Antonio Manrique Vice-Roy of Navarra for more men who sent him five hundred foot Souldiers and some Artillerie which hee also desired very earnestly Hee sent likewise for those of the Guards who came from that expedition which was called De les Gelues Some of which were readie to put themselvs in the King's service others took up Arms for the Junta by the persuasion and means of Don Pedro Giron who was upon tearms of beeing their Captain General and of the Bishop Don Antonio de Acunia a great stickler for the Commonaltie Also hee carried the business with those of Burgos in such manner that they all should bee ingaged in the Emperor's service promising them very fair conditions and delivering into their hands Don Iuan de Tovar Marquis of Berlanga his second Son and Don Bernardino de Velasco his yongest Son as hostages until such time as his Majestie should allow and confirm his agreement vvith them SECT XI WHilest the Lord High Constable was making all these diligences the Cardinal stole secretly out of Valladolid as you heard already upon the 20 of October 1520 with one single Page and thence hee went to Rioseco whence hee gave notice to the Lord High Constable and other Grandees of the Kingdom desiring them to send him men and to repair thither in his favor which they did The first that came to him were the Marquis of Astorga who brought with him the 26 October eight hundred Cross-bow-men two hundred musketiers four hundred men Armed with Targets and head-pieces two hundred Lances and one hundred Light-horsmen The Earl of Venaivente came the next daie following into Medina with two thousand five hundred Foot and two hundred and fiftie Lances The Earl of Lemos brought fifteen hundred men The Earl of Valencia a thousand All which Noblemen with some of the Council staied in Rioseco with the Cardinal exspecting more forces Don Hernando de Vega Lord of Grajal brought three hundred and fiftie men and the Admiral Lord of that Town wrote hee would speedily bee there also The Lord High Constable was very glad to hear of the Cardinal's escape And according to his Agreement with those of Burgos hee entred into the Citie the first daie of November and notwithstanding some opposition hee possessed himself of it Whence communicating by Letters with the Cardinal and other Nobles at Rioseco they concluded since there was no other remedie that they should carrie on their business by force of Arms That the Rande-vous should bee there at Rioseco that beeing the most convenient place becaus nearest to Tordesillas where the Iunta was likewise making their Armie Hee resolved it beeing generally so agreed upon to staie at Burgos with such force as hee thought convenient to oppose and suppress the Merindades which were risen of whom the Earl of Salvatierra with small discretion had made himself Captain and sent his son Don Pedro de Velasco Earl of Haro as Captain General of the Souldiers and Artillerie that were sent him out of Navarra and those Hors Foot that were at Medina de Rioseco The Earl of Haro departed from Burgos about the middle of November and went to Melgar eight leagues from thence Where hee staied to gather more Forces Don Pedro Veloz de Guevaro Earl of Oniate Don Garcia Manrique Earl of Osorno the Martial of Fromesta Don Alonso de Peralta and other Gentlemen met him there everie one bringing as many men as they could rais thence they continued their march to Rioseco whither every daie came Gentlemen with other Forces Of all which the Lord High Constable gave a particular relation to the Emperor SECT XII FRom the very daie that those of the Iunta were informed of the naming of the two Governors they thought it was time for them to provide more forces then what they yet had raised To which effect they presently dispatched Letters to all the Cities of their League advertising them of the great preparations the Governors were making and that they must furnish both men and monie They wrote also to Don Manuel King of Portugal thinking to gain him to their Partie but what Answer hee returned I could never learn SECT XIII THose of the Iunta seeing so great a confluence of Souldiers com daily to Rioseco they dispatch'd messengers presently to their several Cities desiring they would speedily send thither what forces they could make Salamanca with the territories t●erof furnished two hundred Lances and six thousand Foot which with those from Toledo Madrid and Segovia made a reasonable good Armie Thus both sides prepared what forces they could to destroie one another Those of Valladolid seeing themselvs in the middle of these two Parties and both very near them beeing not determined which side to take resolved to send to them both Their Messengers Don Pedro Vaçan Lord of Van̄eça Doctor Francisco de Espinosa Pulgar and Diego de Zamora Batchellors at Law in the name of their Citie said to those of the Iunta That if they did continue in doing that which was just and good for the Commonalties as they had begun the Citie of Valladolid with all their Armie and power would assist them but if otherwise they would decline their Interest and resist them Thence they went to Rioseco and said as much to the Cardinal and those of the Council adding moreover that they should not intermeddle or hinder anie thing which the Iunta had done in favor of the Commonaltie of the Kingdom upon which condition they would obey them in all things and if they pleased receiv them into their Citie with honor and respect And they did require them in the names and behalf of the Infante Gentlemen and Commonaltie of Valladolid That they would not rais any Souldiers nor make any scandals or offence to the Countrie by gathering together Armies otherwise that they did protest against them A brave resolution of those of Valladolid to stand out against them both SECT XIV NOtwithstanding the different factions which divided Valladolid they were all generally well affected to the Lord
Admiral and desired hee should com amongst them hoping his presence would conduce much to the remedying of those mischiefs hee beeing a very noble Gentleman and no waie addicted to passion or partialitie The Lord Admiral having intelligence of all that passed in Valladolid wrote them a Letter saying That although hee did not desire to bee pestered with those troubles and confusions yet his coming thither should not bee deferred much longer That his intention was to do good to them all generally being very much grieved for what had passed amongst them That he could not choos but admire at the tumultuous risings of the Kingdom That if they had but written twice or thrice to his Majestie he would have remedied all those disorders by granting what they desir'd That their keeping Guards and going their Rounds about the Citie tended to nothing but the consuming of their Estates destroying of their Trade the undoing of the Husbandmen and Common People for which hee was very sorrie That the whole world took notice heretofore of the nobleness and loialtie of these Kingdoms And now their inconstancie divisions and factious insurrections afforded matter of discours to all other Nations That they should take notice that the great Turk was com with a mightie Armie against Rodes ravaging and spoiling Christendom both by Sea and Land and that by reason of these dissentions animosities and confusion amongst the people it were no hard matter for him to gain footing in these Kingdoms Therefore hee affectionately desired them all to bee pacified and to believ that his Majestie was very much troubled and aggrieved at these sad occurrences And that at his return hee would procure the good of the Kingdoms This Letter beeing read in the publick Assemblie of Valladolid did sufficiently startle som of them but they hoped for a ●emedie from heaven After this the Lord Admiral beeing at Zerbera wrote another Letter to them in a manner to the same effect Which beeing heard and seen by those of Valladolid t●ey were astonished at the words and counsel wh●ch hee gave them therein not knowing how to answer his reasons nor to what they should attribute his counsels Som that were of opinion that the Iunta was wicked and unlawful would have it bee dissolved others extolling it to the skie● urged that every bodie ought to conform themselvs thereunto The Nobles and Gentrie at Rioseco were very desirous to re-unite and pacifie Valladolid it beeing so considerable a place thinking besides that if they were but Masters thereof they should with more facilitie compass their design upon the other Cities To this effect they used all the policie and subtil inventions possible sending messengers and holding private intelligence with those of the Citie who were well affected and desired the King's service The Citie was in this season more strictly watched then before they making secret Rounds and placing strong Guards at all the Gates for the contrarie parti● which was the most powerful was jealous and afraid of som double dealing SECT XV. AT the same time that Valladolid received the Lord Admiral 's Letters others were brought to them from Burgos which were likewise read in the publick Assemblie of the Citie The Reader may imagine what various humors what speeches what factions what passions were engendred by the Contents of those Letters finally what confusion they might breed in so noble and spatious a Citie the seat of the Kings of Spain and what judgments and censures might there-hence take their rise and fill the malicious heads of the Common people not knowing well which hand they had best to use they resolved to plaie with both and sent again to the Cardinal Governor and those of the Junta also their Embassadors Don Pedro Vaçan and the others before mentioned with certain Articles which they thought were convenient for the pacification of the Kingdoms The Cardinal with those of the Council gave them a fair reception and a satisfactorie answer Those of the Junta did no less desiring to make them of their pack and moreover they wrote a Letter to those of the Commonaltie in Valladolid with some expressions of zeal and affection mingled with reprehensions for their luke-warmness and indifferencie SECT XVI ON Sundaie the eleventh of October one Al●nso de Vera got up into the Pulpit of the Cathedral Church of Valladolid and read to the people two Letters one from those of the Iunta wherein they desired that Valladolid would assist and stand to them as they had promissed and fulfil what they had commanded them The other was from Don Pedro Giron in which hee offered them his service desiring that as hee had alwaies shewed a particular affection to that Citie and been tender of their welfare they would receiv him in regard hee was Captain General of the Junta's forces and desired nothing but the good of the Kingdom and his Majestie 's service neither would hee act any thing but with the good liking and consent of Valladolid The people were exceedingly taken with these Letters and said they would do whatsoever therein was required and that Don Pedro should bee welcom into the Citie And the next daie hee made his entrie all the people of Valladolid going forth to receiv him with great applause This War beeing betwixt kindred friends and Countrie men there was as much diligence used to gain places and good wills by Letters as by force of Arms. The Earl of Venavente and the Lord Admiral of Castilla were in a manner Natives and Citizens of Valladolid their families from many generations having had their principal mansions there and the Citie bare them great respect as they had reason These Noble-men shewing their affection to Valladolid as their Native soil and seeing it so far plunged in these distractions either out of hope to reduce it by fair means or meerly out of their love and desire of its good and preservation they both endeavored by Letters to make them sensible of their errors The Lord Admiral chiefly desired that they would let him com into their Citie promising that hee would bee as vigilant and careful of their general good as of any particular persons That hee would imploy in their defens his own life and fortune If that could not bee granted that they would send any three whom they thought fittest to meet and confer with him two or three leagues thence where they pleased But Valladolid would accept of none of these conditions alledging that such enter-views would bee ill taken and that people would bee apt thereupon to saie Burgos having Articled and agreed with the Lord high Constable that Valladolid would do the lik● So they returned the Lord Admiral no other Answer then that for the present they could not condescend to any of those things which his Lordship desired To the Earl of Venavente's Letter they briefly thus replied That since his Lordship was so Noble as to offer them his own person and men they desired that hee would keep
his promise in letting them have the said men to send to Tordesillas in the Iunta's service and upon that condition they should carrie the Colours and Arms of Valladolid These Letters were dispatched in the name of the Citie by the Prior of the great Church who was a grand Commoner These answers beeing sent to the two Noble-men the Citie gave order for the raising of more men to send to the Iunta becaus there were many wanting of the thousand which they had sent Moreover Command was given for the gathering of one hundred Duckets out of every Ward which amounted to one thousand four hundred Duckets Which was forthwith done and the thousand men compleated After this they caused a Proclamation to bee made throughout the Citie commanding all and everie of the Commonaltie to appear under pain of beeing accused for Malignants or Ill-affected to the Iunta Who beeing all assembled they made them swear by the Holie Evangelists and upon the Cross in forma that under pain of beeing infamous perjurers and faith-breakers they should bee readie to serv favor and assist in whatsoever those of the Iunta should do in order to the service of God the King Queen and Commonaltie of the Citie of Valladolid and that they should not do or saie directly or indirectly any thing to the contrarie or suffer anie thing to bee said or done by their children servants or housholds And if they should know or hear any thing said or done to the contrarie that they should forthwith inform the Assemblie of the Citie of Valladolid thereof to the end the offenders might receiv condigne punishment The Oath beeing thus pronounced they all cried with one voice This wee swear SECT XVII I Have already declared how the Citie of Segovia was divided by several factions insomuch that they seemed to bee in Civil War amongst themselvs The Earl of Chinchon defended the Forts Within the Citie there were several houses of strength wherein som of the Roial partie fortified themselvs others did the like in the Cathedral Church The Fort beeing but slenderly mann'd the Earl of Chinchon went to Burgos to desire succour from the Lord High Constable who sent ten Musketiers valiant and resolute men with order to get into the Fort ●s they could They arrived at Pedraça on Fridaie morning 23 of November where they took abou● one hundred weight of powder and kept themselvs private until the Evening Night beeing com they marched with a guide who led them by-waies to Parral where hee left them and the Moon beeing down they went into the Fort without any one's taking notice of them which was the better effected becaus that very daie those of Segovia had assaulted the Church and were wearie having found strong resistance The next daie it beeing noised in the Citie that the Fort had received succour in the night they were much scandalized and troubled at it thinking it more considerable then it was and feared that they were sold by som within the Citie Things beeing in the condition before-mentioned disposed for an absolute breach the Cities of the League prepared arms and men with all expedition and those of the Iunta sent certain instructions which their Captains and Souldiers were to observ to Valladolid where Don Pedro Giron whom they all looked upon as Captain General remained to make and order the Armie as shall bee more at large declared in the following Book Finis Libri Quarti THE CIVIL WARS OF SPAIN THE FIFTH BOOK SECT I. THe Passions of the people in Castilla grew to such mortal animosities that pens and tongues beeing wearied they fell to preparing arms and munition of war as when an Impostume fester's no cure can bee exspected but by the applying of hot burning Iron Those Gentlemen who were the chief sticklers for the Commonalties beeing lanch'd forth into the deepest of the sea of passion knowing how ill a name they had acquired which exceedingly offended their presumption were already grown so desperate that they cared not to lose their Countries Estates Wives Children or their own Lives desiring to hazard all in the Lotterie of Arms and make or destroie their fortunes in one Battle wherein if their designs had been crowned with success doubtless they would have changed their styles and beeing victorious remained with the glorious attribute of Redeemers and Defenders of their Countrie for humane judgments determine by the Event not by the middle or beginning of any Enterprise Though it hath been the ordinarie defect of other Commonalties to have but slender forces this was so powerful that had there been the least good Conduct ●mongst them and som experienced Captains Don Carlos hardly ever would have recovered the Crown of Spain The Common people were to blame and the Gentrie not to bee excused for opposing and rising against their Sovereign's Ministers yet wee must of necessitie confess that they were valiant That there were divers exorbitancies outrages and insolencies committed What wonder is it amongst the respectless and libertine People and that the Gentlemen depended more upon them then they upon the Nobles who assisted them If wee see an Armie well disciplined the Souldiers subject and obedient to their Captains shall wee saie absolutely all those in that Armie are Traitors for my part I would not neither is it any such great marvel that children rise up against their own fathers for if wee look back to som passages of our Countrie of Spain what shall wee see but the like unnatural actions the factions of Princes the sidings of Grandees and private Gentlemen who were so audacious as to rise in arms against their lawful Kings and yet they are not so spotted and foul as som would make those of the latter times appear to bee I do not saie this in justification of these Commonalties but onely to excuse in what I may my own Nation and the Gentrie thereof But to return to the purpose Nothing was left unattempted on either side that might conduce to the increasing or securitie of their Partie You have seen in the precedent Book that the Iunta sent their Instructions to Valladolid where Don Pedro Giron and other Captains of the Commonaltie were assembled The time beeing com although the season was very sharp and unfit for an Armie to keep the field beeing almost in the depth of Winter they all put themselvs in a readiness and in the name of the Iunta they wrote fresh Letters to the Cities and Towns of their Combination to send immediately all the forces they could possibly rais which they did Those of the Iunta according to agreement Voted Don Pedro Giron Captain General of their Forces and sent him a Commission from the Queen and the Kingdom Thinking that hee beeing a person of so noble extraction and allied to so many Grandees of Castilla would gain a great reputation to their Partie And most men were of opinion that Don Pedro Giron accepted thereof and wedded the Interest
moved with a good zeal and affection to their Countries good came with all expedition to Rioseco to treat with the Lord Admiral and other Noblemen about some fair accommodation whereby the Kingdom might avoid the imminent perdition which through that unnatural war in all probabilitie it was like to suffer They found amongst the Nobles very courteous entertainment and expression of a desire to condescend to anie reasonable propositions all the difficultie and obstacle laie in those of the Iunta's Partie and especially in the Bishop of Zamora From Rioseco the President with the other Judges went to Villabraxima where the Bishop with his five thousand men was quartered The President beeing admitted entreated him with great earnestness and humilitie the tears standing in his eies to consider and leav off in time the evil and wrong cours they had taken and no● to give waie to much less to bee the occasion of so great mischiefs murthers and scandals which inevitably must fall upon the Kingdom if they continued inexorable alleging That it would bee much more advantageous for their Countrie 's good which they so much pretended to accept of an honorable peace and accommodation whereby with the help of God the Kingdoms might bee preserved from the present ruine and restored to their former flourishing condition for admit the Commoner meet with the success which they desire vanquish the Cavaliers reduce his Majestie to such streights that hee will bee glad to grant them more immunities then formerly they did desire yet they must live under him and when hee find's an occasion hee will put the yoke again about their necks and load them with taxes at his pleasure That these violent uproars and mutinies of the Commonalties in disrespect or disobedience to their Princes were fickle and very unsecure That those Gentlemen and Commanders which then engaged with them if fortune gave them victorie over their enemies would Lord it over them no less insupportably then the others neither did those Gentlemen Defendors of the Commonalties shew any great discretion setting themselvs in opposition to all the Grandees and Nobles of the Kingdom especially in a matter of so much prejudice and disservice to his Majestie That it would bee an act of greater wisdom to accept of any fair propositions of agreement to remain in peace with a due respect obedience to their Princes whereby to gain their loves and not to expose themselvs to the various uncertain Chance of War The Bishop answered Lord President Since in the condition and estate our business now stand's we have moved advanced hitherto I know what is convenientest for us to do and therefore I will not flinch nor recede one step but rather persevere in my enterprise and pursue to destruction those wicked disturbers of the Kingdoms The President seeing the Bishop would not hearken to what hee desired of him hee required him in their Majestie 's names by virtue of the Roial Seal which hee brought with him not to stir from thence until hee had been to confer about the same business with the Lord Admiral and other Noblemen at Rioseco but the Bishop gave him no answer thereunto neither did hee make any more account of him then if hee had been his servant this was the perfection of this great Prelate successor of the Apostles So the President the Judges leaving him went to Medina where by reason of the pervers Cross-grainedness of those of the Iunta they could effect nothing to any purpose and the Bishop's Conscience was pricked with such remors at the President 's discours and his tender heart so moved with his tears that hee scarce had turned his back but his Reverend Lordship called for his Armor for the head-piece and pouldrons were the Pontificial robes wherein hee most delighted And having commanded his Artillerie to bee secured in the Rear-guard hee marched forth with his men to encounter a great partie of Foot and th●ee hundred hors which hee had notice was advancing towards his quarters But they having intelligence that the Bishop was com forth in quest of them with a stronger Partie retreated to Rioseco By this time were com into the Armie of the Iunta three thousand souldiers more from the Citie of Leon besides great numbers from Valladolid and other places but chiefly Iohn de Padilla was exspected with a supplie from Toledo and Madrid SECT V. THose of the Council proceeded against those of the Iunta and all the Cities of their League according to Law and having erected a Scaffold they caused them publickly to bee proclaimed Traitors and Rebels to the Roial Crown Whereat they were so incensed that thenceforwards they fought not so much for the ●nterest of the Kingdom as for reputation and to revenge particular quarrels the off-spring of those troubles and dissentions or for ancient grudges betwixt particular persons or places The Bishop swore that hee would keep the field with his men onely until hee were either dead or crowned with Victorie The Cavaliers were as resolute on the other side insomuch that although the President of the Chancerie insisted for peace hee prevailed nothing The Cavaliers had manie skirmishes with the Bishop's men At last hee and Don Pedro Giron seeing that the Cavaliers would not com out to give them battle they sent a Trumpeter to them with this message That they should meet them in the field to the end they might in one battle set a period to all their Contentions which caused so great disturbances in the Kingdom That Winter was coming on apace and it was to no purpose to stand dallying in that manner and ruine one another by delaies That if they refused to fight they would go to their Towns and Lordships and having plundered them burn their houses to the ground But the Lord Admiral could not resolv to put all to so great a venture In Valladolid besides the men which they sent to the Armie as is said having mustered again they found seven thousand more Cross-bow-men Pike-men and Musketiers which they could well spare leaving moreover enough to guard the Citie whereupon they sent to the Iunta that shortly they should receiv another supplie from them and that if occasion served they would go everie man in person with their general Standard to serv them for they esteemed the Caus which they defended to bee Just and Holie SECT VI. THe Countess of Modica wife to the Lord Admiral beeing a very virtuous and devout Ladie was grieved at the Soul to see these disorders and miserable condition of the Kingdoms wherein so many innocent persons suffered and desiring to compose the sad differences shee spake to the Lord Admiral her husband and the Earl of Venavente earnestly desiring them to stop the current of those miseries which would proceed from that unnatural War The good Ladie prevailed so much that the Lord Admiral the Earl of Venavente Don Pedro Giron who called himself Duke of Medina
Earl of Haro spent all the night in placing his Guards and taking order for securing of the place Nine or ten of the Commissioners of the Cities were taken and imprisoned the rest fled som to Medina others to Valladolid where they arrived so mangled and stript that 't was a pitie to see them The Doctor Zun̄iga of Salamanca Suero del Aguila and Gomez de Avila Commissioners of Avila were released at the request of som Grandees who engaged for them In this manner was taken the Town of Tordesillas but not the Iunta nor the good will of the revolted Cities whose furie was hereby more enflamed Amongst the dead in the field were found divers dangerously wounded and som Gentlemen as Don Diego Osorio son to the Marquis of Astorga who was shot through the arm Don Francisco de la Cueva hurt in the face with a stone the Earl of Venavente wounded in the Arm with an arrow the Earl of Alva had his hors killed under him and divers Commanders and other persons of account The King's Standard was shot and tattered with two musket bullets the Earl of Cisuentes holding it in his hand However that daie's work was of exceeding great importance and was the means of giving a glorious end to these miserable distempers although not so suddenly For hereby the Common people were disabused the allegations and excuses of those of the Iunta appearing to bee no less fals then malitious for to give a more specious lustre to their forgeries and gain credit with the People they cunningly gave out that the Queen was perfectly well and in her right senses and that all they did was by her order which was nothing so whereby the blinde ignorant Commonaltie ran themselvs headlong into the precipice of those disasters which I have and hereafter shall relate The glorie of this memorable exploit was properly to bee attributed to the Earl of Haro's valor who contrarie to the Votes of divers others would assault Tordesillas in stead of following their Armie to seek satisfaction for having been out-dared by them to fight and blocked up in Rioseco according to the others opinions and propositions SECT VIII THose of Valladolid were in great fear when they heard that Tordesillas was taken lest the enemie should fall next upon them in regard they had disobliged the Cardinal the Council the Lord Admiral the Earl of Venavente and other Nobles in not admitting them and favoring so much those of the Iunta that it was generally reported that Valladolid alone did maintain them Few men able to bear Arms were left in the Citie for they had sent all to the Armie in a manner but those that were left stood upon their guard Whilest Valladolid was in this fright came a Post from Don Pedro Giron and the Bishop of Zamora with letters wherein they said That they knew not neither did they think that the Cavaliers in Rioseco would have attempted to take Tordesillas nor have offred that affront or disrespect to the Queen beeing there That they could have no intelligence of their design becaus they had stopt and taken all the Messengers and Travellers that might give notice of their march thither and that when they did know it and were prepared to go succor the Town news was brought them that the Cavaliers were carrying the Queen away to Burgos which made them turn towards Valladolid thinking that waie to intercept them And that now beeing at Villagarzia they thought good to acquaint them with their motion to the end they might receiv provision and orders thence to prosecute their design Promising since that the Cavaliers had taken Tordesillas and begun the War with fire and sword that they would do the like if Valladolid was so contented These Letters confirmed the Peoples jealousies of Don Pedro Giron insomuch that they cursed him in private and in publick saying hee was a Traytor and had sold them Moreover they wrote to this effect to Don Pedro That in regard hee had clouded his reputation by not succoring Tordesillas to vindicate his honor hee should forth with go and laie siege to it and shew himself what hee was That his Armie on one side and those of Valladolid on the other besides the rest of their Associates might joyntly take their full revenge for so insupportable an affront They wrote in like manner to the Bishop and other Captains but Don Pedro took no great notice thereof neither did hee make any other shew then that hee would go to Valladolid himself Divers disorderly Captains like sheep without a shepherd with their Companies came and took up their Quarters at Villanubla two leagues from Valladolid Others went to Valladolid with their plunder 'mongst others two horsmen brought in a thousand Sheep others fiftie others two hundred Mules Mares and Carts loaden with linnen and all manner of housholdstuff taken from the poor Countrie-men to the value of above three Millions of Maravediz which they sold in the Citie for little or nothing a Wether was sold for two Ryalls an Ewe for one and a Cow for two Duckets But the mischief was the greater in that the poor shepherds and husbandmen having ransomed their cattle and goods before they had gon half a league the Souldiers would plunder them again spoiling and robbing friend and foe as much as they could By which exorbitancies they began to see how much better it would have been to have satisfied their King's demands although the tax was somwhat heavie But so great acts of disobedience never passed long without such just punishments Their outrageous impudence grew to such a height that without any reverence or respect they robb'd and spoiled the very Churches as if they had been Infidels Women were not secure in their houses nor men by the high waies Valladolid to prevent further disorder in this kinde Commanded that those straggling Souldiers which were to the number of six hundred should return to their Colours at Villanubla where their Captains were and there they gave them ten daies paie more to endear them to go before Tordesillas whither also marched with all expedition men from Salamanca Toro and Zamora in great numbers thinking to catch the Cavaliers in the Climm But they lost no time in fortifying themselvs repairing the Walls as was but need scouring and clearing their ditches and laying in provisions of Victuals and Ammunition SECT IX FAme soon carried the taking of Tordesillas through the whole Kingdom which was diversly resented according to the disposition and inclination of the hearers as is usual amongst a divided people Assoon as notice thereof was brought to Quintanilla who commanded before Alaejos hee raised his siege and returned in all haste with his men to Medina del Campo fearing lest that might also bee surprised The Nobles in Tordesillas sent for the Cardinal who remained in Rioseco with those of the Garrison Don Rodrigo de Mendoça Earl of Castro who came to Medina de Rioseco with
his men too late for the expedition of Tordesillas attended upon the Cardinal thither where his Eminence beeing arrived the Lord Admiral solemnly accepted the Joint-government of the Kingdoms with the Cardinal and the Lord High Constable having first tried all means possible to reduce the people fairly to the obedience of his Majestie for after the taking of Tordesillas hee sent Gomez de Avila who was there made prisoner making him first swear to return to treat with Don Pedro Giron and the rest of the Iunta offering them very honorable Conditions if they would laie down their Arms and com in But Gomez beeing returned without concluding any thing there was no apparent hope of any accommodation besides seeing that the Iunta and the forces of the Commoners were retired to Valladolid which was but five leagues from Tordesillas and that it was no time of year to keep the field or besiege any other Citie leaving the enemies to themselvs the Governors with consent of the rest of the Nobles put all their Souldiers in Garrison in the adjacent Towns For divers of their men were gon away having enriched themselvs with the plunder which they took at Tordesillas The Earl of Haro with som chois companies remained in Tordesillas for the Guard of her Majestie 's person and defence of the Town Don Pedro Velez Earl of On̄ate with som Hors and Foot Companies was placed in Simancas though the Government thereof belonged to Don Hernando de Vega but hee beeing of the Emperor's Council of State it was thought more convenient hee should reside at Tordesillas yet hee went thither somtimes himself as occasion served In Portillo a place of strength belonging to the Earl of Venavente was put another Garrison under the Command of Don In̄igo de Padilla cosen-german to the Earl of Venavente To Torrelobaton a Town of the Lord Admiral 's betwixt Tordesillas and Rioseco by which all their provisions were to pass were sent other companies of souldiers besides those which Don Hernando Enriquez the Lord Admiral 's brother had there in regard that was the waie to Burgos where the Lord High Constable was with the Council with whom they were to keep continual correspondence Betwixt the Towns which were for the Commoners and those wherein were Garrisons for his Majestie was such killing robbing and spoiling as if they had been the most mortal enemies in the world as shall bee declared hereafter Artificers could get no emploiment Husbandmen could not till their grounds Merchants had no traffick Cities lost their correspondence with each other becaus the waies were unsecure Justice was quite out of date Excise Tributes Levies Impositions increased daily by reason of the excessive charges of the Armie the Revenue of the Roial Crown which they had usurped not beeing sufficient to defraie them These and such like were the fruits and profit which Castilla reaped by their disobedience And yet for all their miserable condition they did not humble nor submit themselvs neither would they accept of the honorable and advantageous Conditions which were offered them But everie daie they were sending fresh men to maintein and foment the War from Valladolid where those who cast the Kingdom into this precipice had taken up their seat Although they were so jealous and displeased at their Captain General DON PEDRO GIRON especially the Common people that they did neither obey nor respect him neither did hee hold himself secure amongst them and therefore hee left them soon after as you shall see SECT IX THe Bishop of Zamora and Don Pedro Giron thinking themselvs not secure in Zaratan which was but a smal open Village marched with their Armie to Valladolid although their coming was not very acceptable to most of the Citie Beeing there they quartered themselvs in the houses of those that were affected to the King's Partie making abominable havock and spoil their souldiers pulled down t●e houses of Francisco de la Serna and Don Alonso Nin̄o de Castro they plundered the hous of the Comendador Santistevan robb'd and spoiled all they could laie hands on in the Earl of Miranda's hous and divers other mischiefs they did within the Citie whereof the Bishop beeing informed hee caused many things to bee restored and som souldiers to bee punished whereby hee gained much good opinion and affection Two daies after their coming thither they marched both Hors and Foot in goodly order out of the Citie with intent to go to break down the Bridg of Simancas but hearing by the waie that the Earl On̄ate and those of the Town had saved them that labor for the Earl had intelligence that they intended to surprise him there and pass thence to Tordesillas they wheeled about to take the Fort of Fuensaldan̄a which they entred without any contradiction and having left som souldiers with a Commander in it they returned to Valladolid the same night giving orders to their men to bee ready the next morning before daie which was obeied and they gave out they would gain the pass at Simancas proclaiming war with fire and sword against the Cavaliers at Tordesillas But Simancas beeing scituate upon the descent of an hill the river on one side and a strong Fort on the other which the Earl of On̄ate had been very careful and vigilant in poviding with all necessaries they feared no attempts from those of Valladolid Most of those that marched out of Valladolid that time were from Salamanca Toro and Zamora many of them sillie ignorant fellows and their Captains not much more knowing in Martial affairs they were so long fitting themselvs that they made it three a clock in the Afternoon before they were all out of Valladolid which was ten hours after the time appointed so that they were forced to quarter that night at Laguna one league from the Citie som in the Monasterie of Abrojo others in the field with the Artillerie There fell such a difference betwixt Don Pedro Giron and the Bishop of Zamora that Don Pedro with his Lanciers marched to Tudela but there hee was refused quarters so hee was enforced to go on to Villavan̄ez Next 〈◊〉 the Bishop gave orders to march to Simancas but som told him that 't was better to return to Valladolid and there take further advice The people of Toro Zamora and Valladolid had likewise som bickerings amongst themselvs insomuch that every one would carrie their Artillerie home to their own Cities but those of Valladolid beeing the strongest partie carried it to their Citie without any more ado which bred much discontent and heart-burning and all exclaimed against Don Pedro Giron saying all the ill their discontented mindes could imagine of him for leaving them in that manner which confirmed all the jealousies and suspicions which they had formerly conceived of him One daie twelv Foot souldiers of Valladolid went out upon a partie towards Simancas and about one league from Valladolid they met with fourscore Hors of that Garrison which made them flie to secure themselvs
High Constable out of the Citie But hee seeing fair words and gentleness prevailed nothing at all with them determined to carrie it with an high hand and make them to submit per force having taken the Command of the Fort from them To bring this resolution to effect one daie hee drew up his souldiers and servants all in Arms in a broad place before his own hous thither repaired to him forthvvith Don Iohn de la Cerda Duke of Medina Cely Don Luis de la Cerda Marquis of Cogolludo his son Don Alonso de Arellano Earl of Aguilar Don Antonio de Velasco Earl of Nieva with his two sons Don Hernando de Bobadilla Earl of Chinchon Don Bernardino de Cardenas Marquis of Elche eldest son to the Duke of Maqueda and son in Law to the Lord High Constable besides divers other persons of honor with their kindred and servants who were all resolved to venture their lives with him in this design which the people perceiving they all assembled likewise intending to fight with these Noblemen and they were so near engaging that som Arrows were interchanged from each partie and the bullets began to flie also but the chief of the Citie seeing the advantage the Nobles had over the People they speedily sent to require and command the Commoners to bee quiet and peaceably laying down their Arms to obey the Commands of the Lord High Constable as their Vice-King and Governor which they did without much contestation and followed very submissively and quietly the Lord High Constable who went directly to the Fort requiring the Governor to deliver it him presently otherwise hee protested hee would enter it by force and execute Justice upon him and all the rest with him Som disputes and controversie there was thereupon but before night it was surrendered and the Lord High Constable put in another Governor for his Majestie placed a Corregidor in the Citie and re-established the government in the same manner it had been formerly Thus Burgos not beeing able to resist was pacified and reduced to the obedience of his Majestie wherein that Citie continued ever after SECT XVI THis done the Lord High Constable sent Don Iuan Manrique the Duke of Naxara's eldest son to suppress those of the Merindades and by reason hee was very young Martin Ruiz de Avendan̄● and Gomez de Butron Gentlemen of great account in those parts and in Biscaya were appointed to go along with him beeing arrived there those Gentlemen carried the business so discreetly that there was a peace concluded betwixt the Lord High Constable and those of the Merindades But it lasted not long for Gonsalo de Barabona the Abbat of Rueda Garcia de Arce but chiefly Don Pedro de Ayala Earl of Salvatierra infringed it who was grown very powerful in those mountainous parts and so besotted with that inconsiderate passion that by his obstinacie hee brought himself to a miserable end to the utter ruine and destruction of one of the most honorable and most antient families of Castilla and the Mountains SECT XVII AT the time that most of the Cities of Castilla declared for the Commonaltie in the province of Alava and Citie of Vitoria that opinion was not generally received nor allowed although som did take the libertie to speak over lavishly especially against those of the Council In this season was brought to the said province and Citie of Vitoria a Letter from Burgos wherein that Citie as the chief of Castilla desired those of that province to send two persons whom they pleased to confer with them at Burgos At the same time were brought other Letters from the province of Guipuzcoa and the Countie of Biscaya desiring that they might all unite together The Citie of Naxara and Town of Haro desired that they would assist them against the Lord high Constable and the Duke of Naxara who they said did tyrannize too much over them Vitoria returned civil answers to all Burgos onely excepted to whom they would not write becaus they made themselvs their Superiors in styling that the Metropolitan Citie of Castilla for the Citie of Vitoria did presume that they and their province of Alava were absolute of themselvs without any dependencie or relation to Burgos as their Head But they sent Iohn de Alava who at that time was Merino Mayor that is Chief Judg of Vitoria to let their Embassadors understand by word of mouth the preheminence of that Countrie and that they could not condescend to the Union which they desired for they understood that Burgos had shaken hands with their obedience to his Majestie and they would not bee participant of their disloialtie This answer was no less unexpected then unwelcom to those of Burgos About the same time some Towns of the Province of Guipu●coa infected with the Common Contagion fell foul upon the Citie of San Sebastian becaus they would not approve of their extravagant opinions cutting down and spoiling their Orchards for they have no Vineyards and doing them divers other mischiefs But prevailing not there they wrote and held correspondence with divers other places by means of Pedro Ochoa de Santa Maria de Mondragon a subtil fellow who was their Mercurie At length Vitoria tainted with the same diseas had joyned in confederacie with them but that Diego Martinez de Alava Deputie-General of that province with others his allies and kinsmen endeavored to restrain them from a design so wicked and prejudicial to his Majestie SECT XVIII THe Earl of Salvatierra beeing at difference with Madama Margarita his Ladie insomuch that hee would not live with her shee addressed her complaints to his Majestie of her grievances and of the indignities which through his cross and unworthie disposition shee was enforced to suffer Whereupon it was ordered by his Majestie that the said Countess with her Children should remain in Vitoria and that the Earl should allow them maintenance according to their qualities and an expr●ss Command from his Majestie was sent to Diego Martinez de Alava Deputie general of that Province to see the said order punctually observed who desiring to execute this Command by the Autoritie and means of the Council the Earl thought to counterpois that power by making the Commonaltie of his side who did him little good in this particular although those of the Iunta sent to that Province and to the Citie of Vitoria a Judg called Antonio Gomez de Ayala who afterwards was executed for a notorious Commoner at Valladolid with orders and power to give sentence in favor or against any that should bee brought before him his addresses were particularly to the Earl of Salvatierra to the end that hee might assist and support him The Ea●l gave him fiftie men who attended on him at his coming into Vitoria which the Deputie Diego Martinez de Alava and Pedro Martinez his brother with others of their kindred seeing and knowing that hee brought particular orders against them from the Iunta at Tordesillas
where the Deputie and his kinsmen had been proclaimed Traitors they thought it a thing much conducing to his Majestie 's service and their own securitie to apprehend this Judg which to effect the sons of Don Fernando de Alava Governor of Bernedo and Iohn de Alava his cosen germane with twentie men besides other friends and servants went to the Judge's lodging took him and his servants out of their beds clap't irons upon them and carried them to the Fort of Bernedo and took away the Orders which hee brought from the Iunta wherein they gave the charge of Governor and Captain General to Don Pedro de Ayala Earl of Salvatierra from the Citie of Burgos to Fuente Ravia The Judg remained under safe custodie in the Fort in mean time the Gentlemen who carried him thither returned to Vitoria where they found the People much distempered and murmuring at those men's imprisonment SECT XIX 'MOngst these Occurrences came an Express from the Lord High Constable with Letters notifying to those of Vitoria and the Province of Alava the Orders which his majestie had sent him encharging him with the Government of the Kingdoms and commanding all his Subjects to obey him as their Vice-Roy and Governor But those of Alava beeing much inclined to the Earl of Salvatierra said That they were upon a certain agreement with those of the Province of Guipuzcoa which beeing concluded they would obey as far as they were obliged But the Deputie Diego Martinez and all his friends received the said notification with due respect The Citie of Vitoria returned an answer to the Lord High Constable but would not give him the title of Governor whereupon som words passed between Iohn de Alava the rest who bade him in scurvie terms go out of the Assemblie but he boldly answered Get you gon like Traitors and Rebels for which words they caused him to bee apprehended In this interim a Priest from the Earl of Salvatierra desired to have conference with those of the Assemblie which the Deputie Diego Martinez knowing privately stole out from the rest and laid hands upon this Priest clapt him in prison and having opened his packet hee found several Letters to Friers and other particular men desiring them to induce the people to denie their obedience to the Governors This bred a main disorder and libels were scattered about by the people yet Martinez Pedro de Alava with all those of their kindred and alliance resolutely determined to maintein his Majestie 's Interest pressing and requiring all the rest to subscribe also to his Commands if not they protested against them styling them no otherwise then Rebellious and disloial Traitors Of all which proceedings they sent information to the Lord High Constable and hee to the Council Roial who then resided at Castroxeriz Those of Vitoria seeing their fidelitie brought into question resolved to submit and sent their Letters to that effect promising all obedience to the Lord High Constable beseeching him to pardon their former extravagancies and inconsidtrateness and that hee would give order to burn those Informations which Diego Martinez de Alava had sent to him against them which hee did So by the diligence and resolution of Diego Martinez de Alava and other Gentlemen of his name and familie the Citie of Vitoria was reduced and continued afterwards their Loialtie and obedience to his Majestie All these passages were in the year 1520 and the beginning of 1521 The Lord High Constable seeing that no reason would sati●fie the Earl of Salvatierra endeavored to do him what mischief hee could Hee took from him the Town and Castle of Empudia and put a Garrison of his own therein who as you have heard were again forced to quit that and other places by Iohn de Padilla In which time the Earl of Salvatierra having picked up a number of people out of the Merindades besides his own servants and souldiers hee led them as far as the Monasterie of San ●an Salvador de On̄a wit● intent to go recover Empudia but beeing informed there that the Bishop of Zamora had already taken it hee changed his resolution and turned his Forces towards Vitoria threatning to burn it to the ground if they did not renounce their obedience to the Lord High Constable and deliver the Deputie Diego Martinez and his brother into his hands The Citie beeing not a little stagger'd and affrighted at these high menaces sent messengers to the Earl with great submissions which so much abated his furie that all the month of Ianuarie 1521 they remained unmolested SECT XX. HIs Majestie 's Royal Council beeing at Briviesca and hearing what notable service Don Pedro Xuarez de Velasco Lord of Cuscurrita and Dean of Burgos had done his Majestie in that Citie and how couragiously hee had behaved himself they sent for him Don Pedro not knowing what danger might befall took about twentie Gentlemen and servants on horsback with him all well armed with green Coates over their Armor that no bodie could discern any thing besides the hounds and hawks they carried with them made no creature suspect any other then that hee went out to take his pleasure Beeing arrived at Briviesca the Council gave him order to subdue the seven Merindades of old Castilla who were up in Arms. Whereof Don Pedro would have excused himself saying That it was not suitable with his Coat to command Souldiers for hee went in the habit of a Priest by reason of his Deanry But those of the Council answered that although hee were effectively a Priest much more having onely the habit of one hee ought to change his surplice into a suit of Armor especially in cases wherein the service of God and the King was so much concerned Don Pedro seeing it was in vain to expostulate any further resolved to put their Commands in execution and considering hee was the Lord high Constable's Son discreetly valiant and beloved of every bodie many Gentlemen and persons of qualitie offered themselvs to venture their fortunes with him Beeing arrived within a league of Medina de Pumar which was hard by those Commoners whom hee went to suppress they had intelligence of his approach and forthwith disposed themselvs to give him battle Don Pedro though hee had nothing neer so many men resolved however to conquer them or die in the combat So having passed over a wooden Bridg hee gave them so hot and furious a charge that they quickly shewed their backsides and scattering themselvs in a disorderly manner they sought their securitie amongst the Craggie mountains hee pursued them as far as hee could and staid some time thinking they might rallie but hee heard no more of them So hee returned Victorious and lost not one of his men SECT XXI IN the month of March of the same year the Lord High Constable seeing that they exceedingly wanted Artillerie in regard the Commoners possessed all that which was in Medina del Campo hee gave order to fetch
away that which the Catholick Kings had in store at Fuente Ravia Don Sancho de Velasco was presently dispatched thither with Commission to bring the Munition over land and the Artillerie by sea to Bilbao thence to Vitoria and so to Burgos The Iunta then at Tordesillas having intelligence hereof presently sent to advertise the Earl of Salvatierra that hee might prepare forces and intercept the Artillerie Who used such diligence that in short time hee had raised amongst his friends and tenants above ten thousand men And a Gentleman named Gonçalo de Varahona Captain of the said Earl's forces went to the Merindades and of those men which Don Pedro Xuarez de Velasco had routed and dissipated hee rallied so many as made up the number of almost fourteen thousand the like Armie was never known to bee raised in those parts in so short a time with these men hee took the Munition that came by land and hearing that the Artillerie which was seven great pieces of Ordnance was coming from Bilbao to Vitoria convoied by seventeen hundred men whereof many were Gentlemen of note of Biscaya besides the Alcalde Leguizama and the Corregidor of Vitoria the third of March hee marched with his whole Armie nine leagues that daie and night the next morning by break of daie hee came into the Vallie of Arretia where the Artillerie was Don Sancho de Velasco and his men giving all for lost dis-mounted their Cannon and taking away the Carriages and their Mules shifted for themselvs The Earl seized on the Artillerie but not beeing able to carrie it away hee caused it to bee broke in pieces This done the Earl returned with his Armie to the Vallie of Ayala having som intelligence and encouragement from som of his friends within the Citie to fall upon Vitoria which was very pleasing to his Captain Gonçalo de Varahona and other Officers The report flying about that hee intended to sack Vitoria made a number of rabbling people join which swelled his Armie to fifteen or sixteen thousand but most of them were ill armed and wors disciplined Hee pitched his camp in the plain of Arriaga one quarter of a league from Vitoria SECT XXII THe Abbat of Santa Pia and Fray Diego de Arna a Dominican Frier beeing persons whom the Earl particularly esteemed and effected went to him in his Camp desiring and conjuring him not to enter into the Citie So falling upon a Treatie of agreement hee demanded that they should denie their obedience to the Lord High Constable and that they would deliver unto him the Deputie Diego Martinez de Alava with his brother and certain others of his kindred The Cit●zens believing that if those Gentlemen were out of the Citie the Earl's furie might bee the better appeased earnestly desired them to absent themselvs which they did and carried their wives and families with them to Trevin̄o a Town belonging to the Duke of Naxara where they exspected Don Manrique his son with som forces from Navarra The Citie beeing in this perplexitie som who had relation to Don Alvaro de Mendoça Lord of Mendoça de Arriva who was an intimate friend with the Earl of Salvatierra beseeched him for Alvaro's sake not to use any violence to that Citie But hee briskly answered That they had not performed their promises to him At last to satisfie him they concluded That hee should enter with his colors flying at the gate of Arriaga and march out again at the gate of Santa Clara. Whil'st this was arguing com's El Licenciado Aguirre who was one of the Council saying That they ought not to open the gates to the Earl of Salvatierra and that whosoever should do it were Traitors Those that were present gave him a very rude answer and had laien violent hands on him if Lope de Xuaço and som others had not suddenly conveied him out of the Citie from whence hee went to staie with Diego Martinez de Alava and the rest at Trevin̄o The Earl came not into Vitoria himself but sent his Captain Gonçalo de Varahona mean time hee went to a place called Ondagoya in the Vallie of Quartango Those of the Iunta sent the Earl of Salvatierra thanks for the favor hee had done them in taking that Artillerie which the Lord High Constable they said intended to carrie against ●alencia and afterwards join with the rest of the Cavaliers SECT XXIII THis Earl of Salvatierra who was also Earl of the Vallies of Ayala Quartango and San Milan was a man of a monstrous hautie and terrible disposition It happened when those of the Iunta sent to him desiring him to wage War with the Lord high Constable and intercept his Artillerie that hee then was with his Armie before Briviesca and without returning any answer to their Letters hee presently raised his siege The Messengers of the Iunta thought thereby that hee had no intent to act according to the contents of the Letters which they delivered him and were very angrie saying That hee did onely make a shew of favor and friendship to them for now the Common●ltie having need of him hee would do nothing for them These words were brought to his ears whereupon hee wrote to the Iunta and to Valladolid expressing much distaste and anger that they should harbor any such thought of him saying that hee came not of the race of any pedling mercenarie fellows nor of Traitors but lineally was descended from the sto●k of the Loyall Nobilitie of the Gottish King 's of Spain This murmuring against him by those of the Iunta did so distemper him that the blood gushed out at his nose and mouth for meer anger and cast him into a sickness which had like to have cost him his life After this hee sent to the Iunta and Valladolid desiring them to have a care that his Town and Castle of Empudia should not bee destroied nor spoiled in the re-taking although hee knew the King would not suffer him to enjoy it SECT XXIV THe Gentlemen of Vitoria who were retired at Trevin̄o sent to the Lord high Constable and Duke of Naxara for succor The Lord high Constable sent them four hundred Foot Souldiers and one hundred hors The same night they arrived at la Puebla de Argançon the Deputie Diego Martinez went with them to suppress the Earl of Salvatierra at Andagoya but hee having notice of their design shewed them a pair of nimble heels Beeing entred into the Town they went presently to his hous which having throughly ransacked they burned to the ground which done they returned to la Puebla The next daie arrived at Trevin̄o Don Manrique de Lara the Duke of Naxara's eldest son with two thousand Foot and fourtie hors Hee and the Deputie with the rest of the Gentlemen there resolved to go to Vitoria and inflict condigne punishment upon some of the factious and encourage those of the Loyal Partie The Inhabitants of Vitoria beeing unwilling to receiv so many souldiers into
the Citie sent messengers to Trevin̄o desiring Don Manrique not to bring his souldiers thither but they could not prevail So those men which Don Manrique brought and the Lord high Constable's entred all into Vitoria as also the Deputie with all his kindred The next daie beeing Fridaie Don Manrique marched to the Town of Salvatierra which was the Earl's and took it with the Castle also both which hee gave the Deputie Diego Martinez charge to keep for his Majestie leaving him two hundred souldiers with the which Diego Martinez marched from Salvatierra to a place called Gauna where the ●arl had another strong hous which having burnt hee returned to Salvatierra and Don Manrique the Sundaie following went back to Vitoria The Earl seeing they had taken his Town of Salvatierra and burnt his other houses went to the Valley of Quartango and raised four thousand eight hundred men with his servants Hurtado Diez de Mendoça hearing this came to Vitoria and advertised Don Manrique of all particulars Whereupon hee presently marched with his men to Quartango The Earl staied not to make him welcom but fled with all his men to the mountains So Don Manrique's men pillaged all the Valley burned down the Towers of Andagoya and Morillas Thence hee marched towards the Merindades where hee did no great harm the people submitting themselvs to him onely hee burned some houses of Gonçalo Varahona's thence hee went to Burgos where hee joyned his forces with the Lord high Constable who was then preparing for the battle of Villalar Gonçalo Varahona and one Captain Brizuela after Don Manrique's departure out of the Merindades did a world of mischief in the houses of those that had agreed and made their peace with the Lord high Constable at the Town of Valpuesta hee killed one Salazar a Batchellor at Law and burnt his hous from thence hee went to the Valley of Ayala where the Earl of Salvatierra was Where they remained until April next following raising men as fast as they could to go against Vitoria and Salvatierra Whereof the Citie beeing advertised they put themselvs in a posture to resist him got munition from the Sea-side made readie their ordnance mustred their ●en which were but six hundred fit to bear Arms besides two hundred Souldiers The Lord high Constable sent them from his Towns of Haro la Puebla and San Vicente two hundred and fiftie men more besides two troops of light hors-men Hee sent moreover Commissions of Captains General of the Mountains and those parts to Martyn Ruyz de Avendan̄o y de Gamboa and to Gomez Gonçalez de Butron y de Mugica Upon receipt whereof Martyn Ruyz de Avendan̄o came to Vitoria and with the men of the Citie and those that came from other places resolved to give the Earl battle Hereupon the Deputie Diego Martinez de Alava repaired speedily to Salvatierra to defend that in case the Earl should make any attempt upon it Beeing arrived there hee would have sent his Son to the Castle of Bernedo whereof hee was Governor but the Towns-men would not suffer him and offred to apprehend him whereupon there arose great disorder and hee was enforced to retire into the Fort. Divers of the Towns-men having relation to the Earl were very desirous that hee should repossess it and therefore sent him intelligence privately that Diego Martinez and his Sons were in a manner prisoners and that now was the onely time for him to fall upon the Town Whereof hee beeing very well pleased made all the haste he could from Quartango to Salvatierra but was met in the waie by the hors of Vitoria who took some of his men prisoners however hee marched on and Gonçalo Varahona staied behïnde The next daie about midnight ●ee arrived at one of the Gates of Salvatierra called San Iuan and his men cried Ayala Ayala Which the Deputie's men who were upon the guard hearing put themselvs in a posture of defence and discharged some of their Ordnance which killed and hurt some of his Souldiers The Earl himself beeing very neer the Gate they flung down a great squar'd stone which raked his shoulders as it fell and quite spoiled his hors that made him retreat further off till daie-break by which time Gonçalo Varahona had brought the rest of his men so they marched all in a bodie to a place called Vicun̄a where they burned five houses belonging to Diego Martinez de Alava And the Earl having intelligence that the Town of Salvatierra and the Deputie were reconciled and stood upon the defensive having no Artillerie with him nor finding any refreshment for his men the people beeing all fled to the Mountains hee relinquished his design But upon his retreat a Partie of hors with some Foot sallied out of Vitoria and took divers of his men at Alegria with whom returning to the Citie and giving notice of the order or rather disorder of the Earl's Armie they concluded to fight them To which purpose all the hors and Foot marched out and Captain Ochoa de Asua was sent before to hinder him from passing the bridg of Durana But his hors beeing already passed they made it good till the Foot was all over by which time the whole bodie of the Vitorians was come up The Earl at first made as if hee would fight but they plaied so hot upon him with their muskets that seeing his men drop so fast hee rod awaie with onely one Page which seeing his men began to follow him Gonçalo Varahona valiantly staied behind crying to his men to stand Captain Valenzuela encountred him and took him prisoner who with six hundred of his men much pillage and divers Colours were all carried to Vitoria Martin Ruyz de Avendan̄● who was present at the sight committed Gonçalo Varahona to Pedro de Alava's hous for the present and few daies after hee was beheaded in the great market place whereof an express was sent to give the Lord high Constable notice who was then upon going to Villalar where a short time after the battle was given which was the ruine and break-neck of the Commoners SECT XXV TO relate all the troubles which the Lord High Constable had with those of Burgos and the Earl of Salvatierra would fill whole Volumes I shall now onely cursarily mention what was done in order to the conclusion of the Treatie and Articles which the Bishop of Laodicea brought concerning the reducing of Don Pedro Lasso Four daies Ortiz remained in Tordesillas exspecting until the Lord Admiral had consulted of those Articles with the Cardinal and given him the result of their determination But in daie time hee durst not go abroad so that his negotiation was onely in the night for there is no War so dangerous as that betwixt kindred and people of the same Nation and Language At last hee was dispatch't but hee was fain to carrie their Answer in his memorie not daring to have any writing about him ●o hee went coasting and crossing the Countrie
grieved them to the souls that any man should die in that quarrel yet nothing would do SECT XXXIX ON Thursdaie the 21 of Februarie Iohn de Padilla marched out of Zaratan with his whole Camp which consisted of seven thousand Foot and five hundred Lances at two of the clock after midnight going very silently in good order and taking Guides along with them to shew them the waie to Torrelobaton in the very Suburbs whereof hee took up his quarters robbing and plundering all they could lay hands on but the people had carried all their best goods into the Town which was very strong The next daie Iohn de Padilla commanded his great Ordnance to bee planted in convenient places to batter ●he Town which hee did very smartly but all his shots were to little purpose for the rampires were extraordinarie After this hee gave them a brisk assault with great clamors of men and bouncing of Guns but hee got nothing by that for the besieged defended themselvs with much resolution In this Conflict which lasted all daie were divers slain and hurt but the most part were of Iohn de Padilla's men who fought at disadvantage having no defence nor rampires to shelter them so that seeing the great loss hee received and the little good hee did mos● of their ladders beeing too short and those that ventured to mount up were either knock'd down dead or shrewdly wounded hee thought it his best waie to fall off and sound a Retreat so the combate ceased for that time All that night Iohn de Padilla labored to entrench himself and rais a batterie in another place that hee might give them another fresh assault the next daie The Lord Admiral and the others at Tordesillas beeing advertised of Iohn de Padilla's beeing advanced to Torrelabaton sent presently to draw the Garrisons out of Simancas and Portillo with intent to reliev Torrelobaton if possible although they were but weak in Foot and the enemie had great store and very good First they sent out two Troops of Hors to discover the order and strength of the enemie's Camp with whom they had som slight skirmishes This daie Iohn de Padilla wasted in raising a new batterie and planting his Artillerie but hee found that p●rt of the Town no less strong then the former so that hee could do no execution but on the morrow which was the third daie of his beeing there hee removed his Ordnance to another part of the wall which was weaker where hee made som breaches which those of Valladolid and Toledo spying ran presently hurrying without order to enter the dispute continued very hot a great while but the Besieged behaved themselvs so gallantly that they were forced to retreat with no smal loss The same daie the Earl of Haro Captain General having left a sufficient Guard in Tordesillas marched out to face the enemie with a matter of a thousand Lances intending to give the Alarm on one side of the Town whil'st the Governor Don Francisco Ossorio Lord of Valdonquillo carried in a fresh suppli● of souldiers on the other Hee desired of the Lord Admiral that they might bee Horsmen but the Earl of Haro thought that not so convenient hee having more need of the Cavalrie for the field-battle Beeing com within sight of the Town in the Evening they staied upon the top of a hill whence the Earl sent a partie of his Hors to skirmish with som Arcabusiers who beeing betwixt the besieged and the mud-walls stood much to their advantage but seeing his men cruelly galled and able to do no good there hee commanded they should retreat to the bodie which was still upon the hill expecting Don Francisco Ossorio to put in execution their intended design but whil'st they were thus staying arrived a Gentleman with a Letter from the Lord Admiral to the Earl of Haro saying That hee might return again for hee had notice since that there was no such need of putting any succor into Torrelobaton for there was already strength sufficient to defend it notwithstanding this countermand divers Gentlemen offered to go into the Town but it could not bee attempted the Lord Admiral having forbidden the Ladders to bee brought which were agreed upon So it behoved the Earl to go back again that night to Tordesillas without bringing his purpose to effect to satisfie the Lord Admiral who as it afterwards proved was very much over-seen therein But som say hee was angrie becaus the Earl of Haro did not follow his advice in the prosecution of that design Iohn de Padilla beeing alarmed by these thousand Hors and finding that hee had not force enough for the offensive and defensive both sent presently to Valladolid for more Upon receipt of his Letter three thousand Foot and four hundred Hors were ordered to march to the Armie at Torrelobaton vvho vvent vvith as good a will to fight as if they had gon to gain the Iubilee On Saturday 28 Febr. they arrived in the suburbs to the no less rejoicing and encouragement of the Besiegers then the dis-heartening and terror of the Besieged who sent to the Lord Admiral complaining very much of Valladolid saying That onely that Citie ●id them all the mischief Sunday Munday and Tuesday they battered incessantly with all their Ordnance and very many were killed on both sides A man could not peep above the wall but hee had presently a bullet or an arrow in his head yet the Cavaliers stood out manfully but beeing not above four hundred Foot and som few Hors they were not able to defend themselvs and w●thstand the continual assaults of the Enemie having no intermission nor time to take any rest besides provisions began to fail them Iohn de Padilla having raised several batteries against the Town at last one of them made a breach where whil'st the besieged were defending themselvs in another part of the Town those of Valladolid entred with their Colors they sacked the Town with the greatest crueltie in the world they killed the poor laboring men becaus they could not give them what they demanded spilled all their Wines breaking the tubs in pieces they plundered the Churches stript the Altars and broke open the Tombs thinking to finde som hidden treasure therein Finally they did such things that the most savage bruits who have not the use of reason could not do wors respecting neither humane things nor divine Next daie beeing Wednesdaie they fell to battering of the Tower which defended it self stoutly but beeing full of women and children that had retired themselvs thither for securitie who feeling it shake at everie shot that hit it cried out fearing it would fall upon their heads and having nothing to eat it was surrendered upon condition to secure all their lives and half their goods Thus Iohn d● Padilla took Torrelobaton which was no inconsiderable piece of service Hereby hee gained himself much reputation amongst the Common-people it beeing but three leagues from Tordesillas where the Governors
without bloodshed to peace and due obedience to his Majestie should pass without mentioning for the eternal memorie of so noble a person and the honor of his generous familie who as it is well known was of the blood Roial Having advertisment that Don̄a Maria Pacheco Mendoça wife to Iohn de Padilla had a great hand with her husband and might contribute much to the withdrawing him from that imployment nay that hee had done the more by her instigation and spurring him on And that Pedro Lopez de Padilla his father was yet living in Toledo but very old and decrepit the Lord Admiral sent a Gentleman one of the Emperor's servants to them with instructions full of prudent and sage counsels and advice and strong arguments to convince and persuade them to induce Iohn de Padilla to moderate his over-violent passion and admit of a Treatie with him advising him not to bee so extreme careful and earnest in advancing the affairs of Valladolid as to forget his own assuring him that if hee would as then it was in his power but contribute his consent to the concluding of a Peace hee would not onely procure a pardon from his Majestie of all past-offencers but set him highly in his esteem and obtein divers favors and Mercedes to bee confirmed upon him and his children These and divers other good remonstrances hee gave Alonso de Quin̄ones to urge at Toledo to the above-named persons but hee might gave saved that labor SECT VI. THose of the Iunta hearing of the great Power which the Earl of Salvatierra had assembled in the Mountains wherewith hee had possessed himself of the Artillerie which was coming from Navarra to the Cavaliers and of the Forces which the Bishop of Zamora had in the Kingdom of Toledo besides those which were with Iohn de Padilla had their hearts at eas thinking their game cock-sure Moreover divers of the Kingdom who had look'd on till then seeing the Grandees so hard bestead took up Arms to make good the Caus of the Commonaltie And had things been as those of the Commonaltie could have wished they would have had partakers and abettors enough But there is no Law in this life for the good or the evil to overcom or bee overcom for favorable or an advers fortune Yet seeing themselvs in so good a condition and highly resenting the Proclamation which was published by the Governors against them and the Cities they resolved to paie them in the same coin They fulminated a Process as they pleased themselvs and having commanded a great Scaffold to bee erected in the chief market-place of Valladolid adorning it with hangings of rich cloth of gold and silk and steps and seats placed in good order on Sundaie the 17 of March 1521 all the Commissioners of the Iunta and Deputies with a great number of Attendants and sound of trumpets drums and other musick came and seated themselvs upon it Before them went the Kings at Arms with the Maces and Coats of the Kingdom and beeing placed in their throne their Attornie general read with a loud voice That they had made a process against the Admiral and Constable of Castilla the Earl of Venavente Earl of Haro Earl of Alva de Lista Earl of Salinas Ma●quis of Astorga the Bishop of Astorga against the Secretaries and other Officers of the evil Council for so they termed his Majestie 's Council and against the High Treasurers and under Treasurers the Merchants and other Inhabitants of Burgos Tordesillas ●imancas and other places declaring them Traitors and breakers of the Truce expressing divers reasons especially the burning of Medina del Campo with the cruel and inhumane sacking of Tordesillas wherein they alleged the Cavaliers shewed neither respect to God nor his Saints nor the person of the Queen who was present and that two Souldiers without fear of God or their own consciences broke into a Church and stript the image of our Ladie and cut off one of her arms for greediness of som gold which there was upon it That som others took away the Custodia whereof one eat up the consecrated Hostia They ripped up a thousand more such like things which I shall now omit to rehears Thus our Spaniards treat●d each other beeing all of the same Nation and language and yet all this was for their King's service as they pretended and to free the Kingdom from Tyrants SECT VII AFter this the War grew very hot and their passions on both sides implacable and no daie passed without some sallying out of the Garrisons to robb and spoil each other Som Companies of musketiers having notice of provisions and munition that was carrying to Tordesillas marched out of Torrelobaton to intercept them Whereof the Earl of Haro beeing informed took a stout partie of hors with him and gave such a hot charge to Iohn de Padilla's men that hee left divers of them dead upon the place and took one hundred and fiftie prisoners which so scared the rest that they never durst quatch afterwards nor make any incursions upon his Territories as when they came first thither they boasted they would do Those of Medina del Campo roving in like manner on the other side the Earl of Haro with all the Nobles and Gentrie in Tordesillas except the Lord Admiral whom in respect of his age and charge of Governor they desired to staie with the Queen went one daie purposely to face it and scour the whole Countrie about it at whose appearing those of the Town sallied forth and skermished with them in which encounter some of them were sorely wounded others taken prisoners amongst whom was Alonso Luys de Quintanilla their Captain Son to Don Luys Quintanilla to whom as is alreadie said those of the Iunta committed the charge of her Majestie when they took Tordesillas Iohn de Padilla having intelligence from some Inhabitants of Tordesillas of the Earl of Haro's grand sallie Determined with his Armie to assault it in his absence and put the Governors to a rout and some report that hee had a promiss from those inhabitants to make one of the Gates for him Which beeing told the Lord Admiral and that Iohn de Padilla was alreadie upon his march hee sent word immediately to the Earl of Haro who lost no time after this notice but with all his gallant partie came thundring back to Tordesillas which Iohn de Padilla perceiving hee durst not prosecute his design but wheeled back to his Garrison of Torrelobaton After this they remained some daies prettie quiet without any encounter or action considerable For by reason of Iohn de Padilla's obstinate resolution of staying in Torrelobaton his Armie was so diminished that hee had not men enough left to make a sallie of any consequence Wherefore hee sent to Salamanca Toro Zamora and other Cities demanding fresh supplies On the other side the Governors agreed to put in effect what they had discussed amongst themselvs which was That the Lord high Constable coming
from Burgos with his forces they should all joyn in one bodie and make up an Armie sufficient to encounter Iohn de Padilla in case hee should take the field the succors which hee exspected beeing arrived or to besiege him where hee was for beeing divided they could not attempt either of those enterprises without danger and a doubtfulness of the success neither indeed had they strength enough to perform either design considering they must leav a competent Garrison in Tordesillas According to this resolution the Lord High Constable other Noblemen with the forces they brought w th them to Burgos prepared themselvs for the journie The Duke of Naxara then Vice-roy of Navarra sent him a thousand old souldiers and som Artillerie which with his own men and those other Noblemen's with him made three thousand choice Foot and five hundred gallant Hors well Armed besides som Gentlemen and Light Horsmen and besides those which hee sent before with Don Diego de Sarmiento Earl of Salinas and those which his Nephew Don Pedro Xuarez de Velasco carried to subdue the Merindades With these forces marched the Lord High Constable from Burgos leaving the Citie under the government and guard of Don Antonio de Velasco Earl of Nieva with a competent number of men to that purpose Iohn de Padilla and the other Captains of the Commonaltie having notice hereof sent presently to the town of Vezerril which is in Campos where he was to pass advertising and requiring Don Iohn de Figueroa brother to the Duke of Arcos who still followed the Commonaltie with som Cuirassiers and Light Horsmen then beeing at Vezerril to defend the pass and do the Lord High Constable what disturbance and mischief hee could but hee beeing arrived commanded his men to storm the Town which was done and hee entred without any great difficultie it beeing a place of no considerable strength Don Iohn de Figueroa and another Gentleman with him called Don Iohn de Luna were sent prisoners to the Castle of Burgos which done the Lord High Constable continued on his march to Rioseco where hee arrived with four thousand Foot six hundred Hors three or four great Pieces of Ordnance about five hundred Gascones and six hundred Moors of the Kingdom of Aragon Vassals to the Earl of Almenara wherewith hee served the Cavaliers SECT VIII THe Cavaliers had so plaied their Cards in the Kingdom of Aragon that two thousand souldiers were raised in the Citie of Saragosa and paied at the Kingdom 's charge who beeing mustered and ready to depart the Common people of the Citie hearing that they were levyed in favor of the Cavaliers against the Commonalties of Castilla There was such a hubbub and uproar of a sudden in the Citie that all the people fell unawars upon those souldiers disarmed and routed them quite saying that Aragon had nothing to do to meddle or contradict any thing concerning the liberties of Castilla Don Pedro Giron who was retired to a Town of his named Pen̄afiel gave intelligence of the raising of these men to those of the Commonaltie and that a great part of them after they were disarmed marched to the Lord high Constable at Burgos whom upon this notice they saie the Earl of Salvatierra did cut off by the waie which was a thing of no great difficultie considering in what ill equipage and condition they then were Don Pedro said moreover that hee sent them this advertisement meerly out of a desire to express his readiness to serv the Commonalties and the Citie of Valladolid telling them that it would not bee amiss to send their acknowledgments and thanks to Saragosa for doing them so great a favor without beeing desired Hee wrote another letter to Valladolid immediately after hee had deserted them and relinquished the office of Captain General vindicating himself of the suspitions and fault wherewith they charged him offering to return unto his Command and desiring them to bee favorable in their censure until they knew further Whereupon som gave their Votes for his returning to his Charge alleging that although hee had committed an error and in probabilitie not unwillingly in marching to Villapando and leaving the waie clear for the Cavaliers to go from Rioseco to Tordesillas the fault was chiefly to bee derived upon Don Pedro Lasso But Iohn de Padilla had gained so much repute amongst them and the Common People that most of the Iunta disliked that proposition And it was better for Don Pedro Giron they did so for it was a stain to the greatness of his birth to bee Captain of such people SECT IX BEfore I com to relate the end which befell Iohn de Padilla and the Iunta's Armie the several passages and exploits of the Bishop of Zamora present themselvs unto my pen. When hee marched from Valladolid by the Iunta's order hee gave out that hee went to take possession of the Arch-Bishoprick of of Toledo then vacant by the death of Guillermo de Crouij nephew to Monsieur de Xeures Hee carried with him an hand●om Armie of both Foot and Hors with five field-pieces In Toledo hee was very well received and the Citie furnished him with more men and Artillerie from Alcala de Henares hee took six Pieces more so that hee had in all fifteen Pieces of Ordnance Don Antonio de Zun̄iga his adversarie was likewise very strong having at least six thousand Foot and proportionable number of Hors besides divers Gentlemen that were com to assist him Amongst whom Don Pedro de Guzman a valiant young Gentleman whom his Majestie made the first Earl of Olivares was chiefly taken notice of for his good service I have already mentioned how the Dutchess of Medina Sidonia Don̄a Leonora de Zun̄iga by her masculine courage and resolution appeased the disorders and insurrection which Don Iohn de Figueroa attempted to rais in Sevilla since which hearing of the Commotions in the Kingdom of Toledo and that her brother Don Antonio de Zun̄iga Prior of San Iuan was engaged in the suppressing of them shee pick'd out a thousand of her choicest Foot and an hundred Hors with six field-pieces all at the Duke her eldest son's charges and sent Don Pedro de Guzman her third son with them to the end in Don Antonio de Zuniga his unkle's companie hee should give testimonie of his valor and fidelitie to the Emperor against those revolters Don Diego de Caravajal Lord of Todar and his brother Don Alonso came likewise to assist Don Antonio in this expedition with a reasonable number of men With all which forces the Prior marched out of Almaguer toward Ocan̄a thinking to reduce it to his Majesties subjection either by force or composition The Bishop of Zamora who had no less forces with him put his Armie in a posture to encounter him and both came into the field with a full determination to fight which som devout religious men grieving for the loss that both parties were like to sustein endeavored by
in his hand a Lance all plated with iron wherewith meeting Don Pedro Baçan who was a corpulent heavie man and but slightly armed him hee gave so rude a salutation that hee was soon unhors't Iohn de Padilla still charged on crying Santjago Libertad which was the Commoner's word and the Cavalier's word was Santa Maria y Carlos at last hee broke his Lan●e to the cost of som of his enemies after which Don Alonso de la Cueva singled him out and having wounded him bade him deliver his Arms which hee did Beeing thus a prisoner Don Iohn de Ulloa a Gentleman of Toro came riding up and asking who that was som told him that 't was Iohn de Padilla whereupon hee gave him a cut over the Bever and hurt his nose but not much for which hee was mightily condemned by all that saw or heard of that ungentleman-like action So John de Padilla was dismounted and remained Prisoner John Bravo Captain of the Segovians who would also signalize himself was likewise taken and Francisco Maldonado Captain of the Salamanca forces had the like destinie but his men having all forsaken him hee was catch't running after them as hard as hee could The Cavaliers spent all the rest of that daie in wounding killing and taking having the pursuit of their enemies two long leagues and a half Many dying men desired to make their confessions but there was no bodie would assist them nor take any compalsion of their condition which was a lamentable spectacle beeing all Christians friends and kindred The Cavaliers beeing masters of the field stript all both living and dead sharing the spoil equally amongst themselvs John de Padilla vvould oft bemoan his sad misfortune saying If after the taking of Torrelobaton hee had followed on his victorie hee should never have been reduced to so deplorable a condition vvhich vvas very true for by his staying tvvo months there the Cavaliers cunningly delaied the time vvith Cessations until they had so strengthened their Partie that they over-povvered him But the All-seeing Providence disposed it othervvise At first the Commonalties hearing that their Armie vvas routed and John de Padilla taken gave out that it vvas som plot or treacherie of his to lose the battle laying many other things of this nature to his charge but they vvere better satisfied of his realitie to their Caus vvhen they savv hee lost his head for it SECT XIX THe next morning betimes the Governors commanded Don Pedro de la Cueva to convoy the prisoners Iohn de Padilla Don Pedro Maldonado Francisco Maldonado Iohn Bravo to the Castle of Villalva While they were preparing to go Iohn de Padilla asked Don Pedro whither hee was commanded to carrie them who answered him That for the present they were to go to Villalva whither afterwards hee knew not Soon after they were sent for thence to Villalar and put into a hous with a good guard upon them The Governors beeing infomed of their arrival there gave order that Iohn de Padilla Iohn Bravo and Don Pedro Maldonado should bee beheaded and Francisco Maldonado carried to the Castle of Tordesillas But as hee was on the waie thither a messenger overtook him from the Governors who told Malbaseda Lievtenant to Don Diego Hurtado de Mendoça who had the charge of him that hee should bring Francisco Maldonado back again to execution for the Earl of Venavente had desired them not to behead Don Pedro Maldonado in his presence beeing his Nephew And becaus it had been divulged that Don Pedro Maldonado should bee beheaded which at the Earl's entreatie was countermanded the Lords had Voted that Francisco Maldonado should bee executed in his place So hee beeing returned the Governors sent for the Alcalde of the Chancerie of Valladolid Commanding him to execute Justice upon the persons of Iohn de Padella Iohn Bravo and Francisco Maldonado The Alcalde presently went to the hous where they were prisoners and bade them prepare themselvs for the Governors had given order for their executions Iohn de Padilla desired him to send him a learned Priest to confess him and a Notarie to make his Will and som witnesses The Alcalde replied That in the place where they then were hee could not exspect to finde any men of extraordinarie learning yet hee would enquire and if hee could finde one hee would satisfie his desire therein but as for a Notarie to make his Will hee need not trouble himself for all his goods and estate were Confiscate In the condemnation of these Gentlemen there was no process nor formal proceeding made as used to bee in other criminal causes by reason of the evidence of the fact and the qualitie of the offence At last a Priest was sent to them and Iohn de Padilla beeing at Confession a Franciscan Frier came who was thought an abler man so Iohn de Padilla and the rest made use of him Their Confessions beeing ended they were brought forth and carried upon Mules to the place of Execution Before them went a Crier saying This is the Justice which his Majestie and the Lord High Constable with the other Governors do command in his name to bee executed upon the persons of these Gentl●men Their command is that they shall bee beheaded as Traitors disturbers of the Kingdom and usurpers of the Roial Crown c. The said Alcalde Zarate and the Licenciado Cornejo Alcalde de Corte went along with them to autorise the execution of the Justice John Bravo hearing the Crier saie that they were to suffer for beeing Traitors hee replied Hangman thou liest and those that bid thee saie so we are no Traitors but zealous for the publick good and defendors of the Kingdom 's liberties Hereupon the Alcalde Cornejo bid John Bravo hold his peace whereunto John Bravo answered I know not what and the Alcalde gave him a punch in the breast with his staff wishing him to consider his present condition and not affect such vanities And John de Padilla said moreover to him Sen̄or John Bravo yesterday was the time to fight and shew your self a valiant Gentleman this daie to die like a Christian. So the Crier continued his lesson until they came to the place of execution where being arrived they all alighted from their Mules to receiv the fatal blow John Bravo beeing first called to execution they bid him bend and settle himself in a fit posture hee replied That they might force him if they would and so they did seizing on him and stretching him upon a carpet which done the Hangman cut his throat and would do no more until the Alcalde Cornejo commanded him to cut his head quite off saying Traitors were so to bee used and their heads to bee set upon the gallows which was done accordingly The next beeing Padilla's turn hee very willingly prepared himself and having taken of certain Reliques which hee wore about his neck hee gave them to Don Enrique de Sandoval y Rojas
forces beeing all discomfited as wee have seen and their three principal Captains executed those of the Iunta who were in Valladolid fled away and all was of a sudden blown up like smoke in the aër Within three daies after the Cavalier's whole Armie marched to Simancas and quartered in Towns all about Valladolid intending to fall upon that Citie and treat them as such open enemies did deserv But first beeing numerous enough they possessed all the Towns and Villages thereabouts and stopt up all the Avenues suffering no provisions to bee carried in to them Whereupon the most valiant and violent of all the people began to bee crest-fallen Others that had as much as they durst opposed those past Commotions seeing the Governors victorious and powerful declared themselvs There was no Captain nor Commander left in the Citie Whereupon to make short and prevent a Summons they thought their onely way was to yield themselvs upon good conditions which they hoped the Lord Admiral though much offended out of compassion and affection to that Citie would grant them In which resolution they sent som religious men and persons of respect with much submission and humble acknowledgment of their faults to desire mercie and pardon of the Lord Admiral Who at first shewed himself very much displeased and unwilling to hearken to their desires saying Hee ought and would make an example aswel of the principal offendors as of the Common people The Souldiers who exspected notable plunder their fingers itching to measure out the silks and velvets with their Pikes as they bragg'd they would were mad becaus the word of command To fall on and enter the Citie was so long a giving out which the Inhabitants knowing every one secured their commodities the best they could But by God's help and the indulgence of the Governors a Peace and pardon was concluded and proclaimed in the market places and streets of Valladolid with great acclamations of joie and sound of Trumpets Drums and other musical instruments All the Inhabitans beeing exempted from personal punishment confiscation or loss of offices excepting twelv whom the Lord Admiral should nominate appoint to bee left out of the Articles to bee disposed of as the Governors should think fitting that they might all take notice that they had a King and Lord to whom they ovved obedience and service and such a King as did not seek after vengeance or desire the destruction of his Subjects but to pardon them with clemencie and chastise them with mercie SECT XXII THe Citie of Valladolid which had shewn so much stubbornness and obstinacie not long before proclaimed the Pardon with great contentment and thought they had obteined no smal favor to preserv their Town from beeing sacked the Souldiers beeing so ready to make the on-set The ●arl of Venavente and the Bishop of Osma were great instruments of hindring the destruction of that Citie and the Lord High Constable with all the rest of the Grandees were very glad of it esteeming that the pacification of the whole Kingdom depended upon the surrendering of Valladolid The same daie April 27 all the Cavaliers entred in great state with their Squadrons in Martial order the Hors all in Armor covered with rich scarlet coats the first that marched in were the Earl of Venavente and Earl of Haro Captain General the Earl of Castro the Earl of On̄ate with their Troops their Armor was covered with scarlet embroidered with gold After them followed the Lord Admiral with the Adelantado his brother and the Earl of Osorno all in green with their troops in Armor covered with the same Liverie Next them marched the Captains and Camp masters of the Armie with their Colors flying and the Gentlemen all clad in cloth of silver and gold Then came the Bishop of Osma with those of the Council Roial the Alcaldes and Alguaziles And last of all the Lord High Constable with the Earl of Alva de Lista the Earl of Salinas the Earl of Aguilar and the Marquis of Astorga with all their men splendidly accoutred besides divers Gentlemen and Foot souldiers all in such stately manner that Valladolid was worth the seeing that daie yet it was observed that the people were so stomackful that neither man nor woman did so much as look ou● or open a window as if they disdained or abhorred to see them who four daies before were their mo●tal enemies Such are the Comedies and Tragedies of this life How often did the Cavaliers desire Valladolid to make a ●eace what advantageous conditions they offered them how often did they slight their favors how many scornful answers did they return them and at last it came to this that they were constreined though with heavie hearts and hanging down their h●ads to receiv and treat in their houses thos● whom they so ill affected And those of Valladolid must a●knowledg a particular obligation to the Nobilitie of Castilla whom they alwaies found ready to receiv them with open arms and do them all the good offices and favor possible aswel for this daie's favor as others which by their mediation the Kings of Spain have granted them notwithstanding so great uproars and disorders as have been committed in that Citie All the rigor that was don at this time in Valladolid was the executing of an Alcalde and an Alquazil of the Iunta whom the Governors commanded to bee hanged the rest fled though no bodie prosecuted them SECT XXIII THe rout of the Junta's Armie at Villalor and the Justice ●hat was executed upon the Gentlemen there with the surrendring of Valladolid and the favor which the Governors shewed them beeing noised through the Kingdom the other Cities began to bee more submissive who before carried their heads so high Duen̄as courted their Earl again whom they had forced to leav the town rising up in Arms against him Palencia opened their gates to the Lord High Constable Medina del Campo did the same But Mota stood out a while upon the defensive yet at last they were glad to make their peace But the Lord High Constable and the Lord Admiral were such worthie Noblemen that they used no acts of rigor in any place and all those whom they reduced found themselvs so well with their present condition that they held themselvs as redeemed out of thraldom and oppression Onely those of Toledo continued in their willfullness The Common People murthered two brothers Biscayners named Aguirres onely upon vain surmises and suspitions which they conceived of them yet they had both been Captains under Ioh● de Padilla Notwithstanding that the Prior of St Iuan Don Antonio de Zun̄iga was with his Armie in the confines of that Citie the Commoners with a great bodie and some pieces of Ordnance marched to a Castle called Almonacid and continued battring it for two daies the Governor valorously defending it which the Prior hearing presently gave command to draw all his forces into the field intending to give them battle But
Burgos riseth up in Arms against the Lord High Constable The Engagement of those of Valladolid The Infant● of Granada having been put out of his Office with fourteen other Officers of the Citie by the people of Valladolid who accused them of keeping correspondencie with the Enemie Their Cap●a●ns were good enou●h if ●hey had not h●d som ●●eache●rous great ones amongst them Here the Autor con●●●leth in a manner the justnes of the Caus and s●emeth himself to justifie it Here Don Pedro and other Gentlemen begin to plaie the Traitors The President of Valladolid's Speech to the Bishop of Z●mora A gallant and resolute answer of the Bishop of Zamor● to the Lord President An heroick and generous Spirit in the Bishop of Zam●ra beeing a man indefatigable Don Pedro and the Bishop of Zamora's mess●ge to the Cavaliers The Earl spoke with much cunning dissimulation purposely to pl●as and blind the Bishop that h●e might not suspect w●at they had in private concluded with Don Pedro Giron by which conference it appear's plainly that they w●re betraied sol● as Ant●nio de Gue●ara declareth at large in his Epistles No h●ng but the private treacherie of Don Pedro Giron could have deluded the Bishop and destroied ●heir A●mie T●r●●sillas t●ken by the Earl of Haro Captain General of the Cavalier forces Som of the Commissioners of the Iunta make their escapes Som are taken and again released Don Pedro de Giron's and the Bishop of Zamora's Letter to Valladolid Valladolid's answer to Don Pedro. The Lord Admirals Letter to those of the Iunta at Valladolid Their Vote concerning the Letter Cou●agious expl●it of the Bi●hop o● Z●mora O●her exploit of the Bishop of Zamora'● The Governor of Vald●per●●aken ●aken and the place plundred by the Bishop'● m●n Here the Autor g●ve●h Kings a l●sson ●dmonishing t●em not to oppres their Subj●cts Mormojon taken by Iohn de Padilla Empudia taken by Iohn de Padill● and the Bishop The Bis● speech to hi● m●n in the Assault The Lord High Constabl●'● plot discovered Mutinie in the Citie of Burgos The Common people submit to the Lord High Constable The Fort is surrendered to him Troubles in the Countrie of Biscaya First ground of Salva●●erra's di●●a●ie against his Majestie Diego Martinez de Al●va and his allies apprehend imprison the Judg whom the Iunta sent to Vitoria Th● Earl of S●lvatierra faceth Vitoria with his Armie D●n Pedro Xuarez de Velasco routeth those of the Merindades The Earl of Salvatierra by order from the Iunta intercept's the Artillerie which wa● going to the Lord High Constable and causeth it to bee broken in pieces The Earl of Salv●ti●rra's Armie enter's into Vitoria Dis●osition of Don Pedro de Ayalae Earl of Salva●ierr● His Letter to the Iunta an ●he Citie o● Valladolid The E●rl of Salva●ierr● put to flight His Captain G●nsalo Va●ahona taken prisoner by those of Vito●ia and be●●a●ed in the ma●ket place of th●ir Citie Here Don Pedro Lasso begin's to treat privately with the Council by means of Alonso Ortiz who was a Iurate of Toledo and his fellow Commissioner in the Parlament at Santjago A brave resolution of Valladolid The Lord Admiral 's Letter to those of Valladolid The Iunta's and Valladolid's answer to the Lord Admiral Note that seldom hath there been any Trea●herie committed but a Frier or som Clergie man had a hand in it P●dilla's speech to the Commo● peopl● in Vallado●id Here the Au●or though ● Frier expresseth more● spl●en and passion ●hen Christian charitie to his br●thre● Here the Autor ●xtend's himself as far in flatterie as in other places in passionate railing I●hn de Pa●●lla besiegeth Torrel●bation John de Padilla take'● Torreloba●o● and the Tower Wholsom counsel of the Frier Alonso Ortiz obtain's a Truce f●om those of the Junt● with the Cavaliers By order from the Junta the Truce is proclaimed in John de Padilla's Armie The C●andee's exceptions against the Truce Tho●e of Valladolid disconten●ed against the Com●anders of their Armie for yielding to a Truce The Truce brok●n off again Here the Frier m●keth a digression falling into his usual manner of flatterie John de Padilla was not so incapable as the Frier make● him th●ugh over-seen in this o●casion Here Don Pedro Giron discover's himself to bee a Traitor on both sides Another notorious Traitor to the Commons Here the Frier flattereth again the familie of the Girons The Relation of the first Autor who in probabilitie was Gueuara is ●he ●ather to be believed Two months hee staid there A Priest dissuade's Iohn de Padilla from encountering the Cavaliers His Answer A private plot of Don Pedro Maldonad●'s with the Earl of Venavente to betraie the Artillerie Notable courage of Io●n de Padilla Iohn de Padilla taken prisoner Don Pedro M●ldonado was s●ved for be●raying the Ar●●●●erie Resolute Answer of J●hn Bra●o Christian admonishment of John de Padilla Here these three noble Gentelmen died as gallantly as they had lived beeing Patriots of their Countrie whose memories deserv an everlasting same The manner of the Cavaliers entering into Valladolid The Fre●ch advance into Navarra The F●enc● Armie repulsed The Fre●ch enter into Biscaya by B●yona D●n P●d●o de Guzman so●ely wounded and tak●n prisoner ●y the Tol●dians D●nia Maria Pacheco's escape out of Toledo Som sai● sh●e died in Portugal They should rather have erected a Statue in memorie that he died a Martyr for his Countrie The manner of the Bishop of Zamora's beeing t●●ken prisoner They died gallantly as Martyrs for their Countrie The B●shop of Zamor●'● death His Majestie had great reason to g●●●● for the lo●s of the g●●●test Prela●e th●t ever Spain b●●d b●eing so aged and so resolu●e to the l●st for the good of his Countrie Thus died this brave Earl whom if the other Nob●es had seconded they had made Spai● the most glorious Re●ublic● of t●e wo●ld Nota●●● pie●ie of Do● At●anasio d● Ayala to his f●●ther the Earl of Salvatierra being ready to starv in prison The French make it cursions into Nava●ra The French are forc●d to rais their siege before Log●onio Th●ir Armie routed in the Pyrenean mountains and Navarra also reduced by the Governors of Castilla The Emperor and the Pope combine against the French King Their forces take the Citie of Pa●ma Milan Pavia The French advance into Flanders and are repulsed The French take Fuente Ravia Henrie 8. of England assists the Emperor against the French The Venetians assist the Emperor in Lombardie Francis the first of France taken prisoner at Pavia Francis the F●rst exchang'd for his two sons The Kings of England and France sent Letters of Defiance to the Emperor Pe●ce made between ●he Emperor and King of France by the Archdutchess of Austria and the Dutchess of Angul●m● His two sons ransomed for 2000● of Crowns of Gold The Emperor's sister L●onora married to the French King A plot betw●xt Hen. 8 and F●an King of F●ance against the Emperor
the vanitie of anie earthly Crowns Having received this repuls hee agreed with Lewis King of France that hee should make the match betwixt him and Madam Germana daughter to Gaston de Foix and to the said French King's sister which was concluded upon this condition That King Lewis in stead of her Dowrie should grant and pass over to Don Fernando the right which hee pretended to the kingdom of Naples and that if the Queen should die before him without issue hee should succeed and inherit the same title but if shee should survive Don Fernando that Lewis should repossess the said claim These Articles beeing confirmed they made a Peace betwixt France and Spain for a hundred and one years but it scarce continued so manie weeks and Don Iuan de Silva Earl of Cifuentes with the Vice-Chancellor of Aragon went into France to attend and conduct her Majestie into Castillia SECT IV. THe Castillians in mean time beeing very desirous to have their Natural Sovereign amongst them importuned by frequent messages and invitations Donnia Iuana and her husband to return and bring their Children with them into Spain Whereupon Don Philip having provided a Fleet for the purpose they departed Flanders leaving the Prince Don Carles under the care and tuition of the Emperor Maximiliano and Donnia Margarita widdow to the Duke of Savoye and at last though tossed with much storm and tempests by the waie they landed safe at the Groyne in Galicia Don Fernando hearing of their arrival went to meet them betwixt La Puebla de Sanabria and Asturianos This interview occasioned no small discontent betwixt these Princes for Kings will admit of no competitors or Companions no not of their own ch●ldren in matters of Government and Command Whereupon Don Fernando forsaken by all but onely the Duke of Alva and the Earl of Altamira with som few others took his waie to Villafafila and Tordesillas and King Philip with his Queen to Venauente attended by all the Nobles and flower of Castillia besides strangers to the number of above two thousand hors One caus of their discord was about the title and inscription of Commissions Patents and other dispatches Roial which at last was determined and agreed that all things should pass in the names of Don Fernando Don Philip and Donnia Iuana But this style was soon altered by the unexspected d●ath of Don Philip which hapned at Burges hee had but seven daies of sickness which was thought to bee a surfeit and past from this life to the eternal on fridaie the fifth of September anno●●0● ●●0● beeing aged but twentie eight years and having enjoied the Kingdom of Castillia a year and ten moneths lacking one daie hee commanded that his heart should bee carried to Bruxels his bodie to Granada and his bowels to remain there His death was much lamented by the Emperor his Father for besides that hee was his onely son hee was one of the handsomest men of his time therefore hee was called Philip the Fair and the nobleness of his minde was answerable to the feature of his bodie Donnia Iuana his Queen was so sensible of his loss that with the extremitie of sorrow and her incessant weeping shee became in a manner distracted An old woman in Galicia seeing him at his landing and beeing told who hee was said That hee should bee a longer time and travel more leagues in Castillia beeing dead then living which proved so for the Queen carried his bodie with her from place to place and would not suffer it to bee buried for manie years after Hee left two sons Don Carles and Don Fernando both Emperors and three daughters all mightie Queens Donnia Leonor first reigned in Portugal and afterwards was married to the King of France Donnia Catalina was wife to Don Iohn the Third King of Portugal Aunt and Mother-in-law to Philip the Second of Spain And Donnia Maria had for her husband Lewis King of Bohemia and Hungaria SECT V. IN mean time Don Fernando beeing married to the Queen Germana and distasted in Castillia retired himself into Aragon from thence beeing upon his ●ournie to Naples the Castilli●ns gave him notice of Don Philip's death and of the neces●itie that there was of his Roial presence but hee refused to return beeing incensed against som of them for their ingratitude to him By the death of Don Philip and the absence of King Fernando divers tumults and seditions arose in the kingdom the people refusing to obeie the Magistrates and Officers of Justice and the Nobles wanted not factions and partialities amongst them to trouble and disquiet the Countrie and almost everie Citie throughout the Kingdom was infected with the same contagion Som crying up Charls or Don Carles others Fernando no small number stood for Maximiliano but verie few made anie mention of Donnia Iuana who whether out of a sens of her own disabilitie or overcom with melancholie for her husbands deceas had retired her self at Tordesillas refusing to govern or trouble her head with State-affairs Whereupon with the consent of most part of the Peers and Nobles of the Realm the Cardinal Ximenez Don Bernardino de Velasso Lord high Constable and Don Pedro Manrique Duke of Naxara took upon them the administration of Government for the present they made Don Alonso Suarez Bishop of Iaen President of their Council assisted by Doctor Tello el Licenciado Polanco and other learned Lawyers They called a Parlament wherein they ordered to send to Don Fernando desiring him in the name of the Queen and the whole Kingdom to return and undertake the Government for his Daughter and Grandchilde Which hee beeing more readie to accept then they to offer did not refuse but returned answer that having setled the business which had called him to Naples hee would satisfie their desires And after som time leaving Don Iuan de Aragon Earl of Ribagorsa his Vice-Roy hee embarqued himself for Spain with his Queen Germana Don Gonsalo Fernandez de Cordova commonly called the gran Capitan and a great train of Spanish Gentlemen that attended him in his voiage Beeing arrived at Valentia the Queen Donnia Iuana went to meet him whom hee received with signs of much affection and fatherlie tenderness which shee answered with all the honor and due obedience that could bee exspected from an observant Daughter for although the excess of sorrow had weakned her intellectual faculties yet shee never lost her respect to her Father but paied him with all humilitie and filial dutie neither was shee ever heard to utter anie mis becoming words which is common to people tainted with her infirmitie The eighth of October the King and Queens came to Arcos where Donnia Iuana desiring to staie Don Fernando went with his Court to Burges leaving her a good number of Noblemen and Ladies besides guards suitable to the dignitie of her person Som years after Don Fernando left the troubles of this transitorie life to enjoie the quietness and bliss of the
Saragosa both his Unckles to call a Parlament in his name ordering that the monie which should bee granted him therein by waie of Subsedie should bee all distributed amongst the aggrieved and needie of the Kingdom Don Alonsa de Cordona Admiral of Aragon and the Duke of Gandia with several other persons of account gave their Votes to acknowledg and swear his Majestie their King But the rest told the Cardinal Adriano and wrote besides to the Emperor that they would lose their wives Children and Estates rather then the Liberties and Privileges of their Countrie whereat the Cardinal much displeased returned to Court leaving the Citie of Valencia in great distraction the out-rages and disorders whereof shall bee hereafter more at large related SECT X. IT was agreed and his Majestie toke Oath in the Parlament at Valladolid That no Offices should bee given to strangers nor the kingdom surcharged with new Impositions but should continue in the same manner as was ordered by the Catholick King at a Parlament which hee called in Burgos Yet there was nothing less observed or wors kept then these Articles for the treasure of the kingdom was publickly exhausted and Offices were daily given to the Flemings who sold them to those that would give most monie and likewise divers spiritual livings were so bestowed which the Castillians seeing and taking notice how small account was made of the Grandees and Nobles Natives of that Countrie they began to bee distasted and muttered out manie things in a discontented manner which ought not to bee rehearsed These murmurings began from the time of his Majestie 's departure from Valladolid to Aragon which was in March 1518. And beeing in Barcelona som troubles arose about Segovia and Avila by reason of certain persons that had farmed the Customs and Roial Revenues which enhaunced the charges of the Countrie whereat those Cities much aggrieved the contrarie having been promised by the Emperor Elect in Parlament They acquainted the Citie of Toledo with their grievances and desired that all the Cities of the kingdom should make a joint-complaint thereof to his Majestie and appoint their Commissioners to importune him for a redress desiring him to stand to the Ordinances of Parlament made in Valladolid and to grant what hee then refused moreover that hee would visit the whole Kingdom before his departure into Germanie Whereunto the Lord Chancellor in his Majestie 's name made answer That hee would very speedily send an Express to give the Citie of Toledo thanks for their expressions of fidelitie to him and satisfie them more fully But the Empire beeing without Head hee could not defer his going thither to receiv the Crown and settle the Government which don hee would make all convenient haste back again into that Kingdom of Castillia whose good hee tendered in a very particular manner The Commissioners beeing answered the Chapter of Toledo as beeing the Chief of the Kingdom presented their grievances to his Majestie concerning the Tenth which the Pope had granted to him through all the Churches of the Kingdom complaining that it was a new heavie and intolerable tax and not onely grievous to the Ecclesiasticks but prejudicial to all his kingdoms That in former times when the said Kingdoms were over-run by Moors and Infidels although there were manie and bloudie wars which continued until the blessed reigns of the Catholick King Don Fernando and Donnia Isabel of glorious memorie his Gr●ndfather and Grandmother who conquered the Kingdom of Granada and extirpated the Moorish race which wars were very necessarie and of extraordinarie expence yet there were no Tenths raised nor demanded It beeing an unheard of thing and a request as unjust as insupportable much less reason had his Majestie to require anie such thing of the Clergie his case beeing far different and his wars nothing so important That hee should rather encourage the Clergie to praie for his good success then diminish anie thing from their subsistence Praiers beeing of more avail then anie Martial Discipline as appears by the holie Scriptures wherein it is read that the victorie is more certainly obteined by the praiers of devout Priests then by the force of Horsmen and Arms. But if his Majestie 's temporal Revenue was not sufficient to maintein a just war in such case hee might demand assistance of the Church-men as far forth as the present necessitie did require wherein they would willingly supplie his Majestie making Levies amongst themselvs and rather abate their own subsistence then suffer him to bee disfurnished which they should not bee able to do if his Majestie in the verie beginning would exact a Tenth from them Divers other reasons they alleged in their Petition to his Majestie whereunto there was no time to give answer SECT XI MEan time the Emperor Maxmilian beeing dead and Charls the Fift beeing long before hee went thither to to take possession the People of Austria having lost all fear and respect of autoritie fell into the greatest disorder and mutinie that had been within compass of the memorie of man turning out and discarding all antient Officers of Justice and constituting others of their own combination the like they did with Ecclesiastical benefices The Loial Partie which was the fewer in number durst not open their mouths fearing the furie of the seditious vulgar who had possessed themselvs of all the Arch-Duke's Revenues and were grown to such a height of arrogancie that they sent to the Emperor beeing at Barcelona to ratifie and confirm what they had don for the publick Weal and good Government as they termed it of that Countrie and to allow the new Officers of Iustice whom they had constituted But the Emperor returned them such an answer as made them understand that hee knew himself to bee Arch-Duke of Austria and not they These distractions and perturbations continued in that Countrie almost two years after which his Majestie returning into Germanie pacified all those dissentions and factious spirits setled the Government and received the Imperial Crown as shall bee expressed hereafter Finis Libri Primi THE SECOND BOOK SECT I. IN this and the following Books I am to relate the the Insurrections or rising of the People commonly called Communidades or Communalties which continued in Spain from the year 1519 to 1522. A Subject truly very sad and unpleasant and which I would willingly pass under silence becaus som Illustrious Families Noble Cities and principal Towns of the Kingdom were interessed therein which never had been disobedient to their Kings but alwaies esteemed for their loialtie Neither do I conceiv that they thought anie waie to disserv his Majestie but rather to releas him out of that oppression as I may term it in which his Favorites held him And it is manifest in that they so earnestly importuned and petitioned that their King would not go out of the Kingdom that they desired and delighted to see and enjoie his Roial presence which was no sign that they intended to
where the Parlament was held when hee met the Arch-Bishop and the Earl coming forth The Bishop perceiving the Earl of Villalva much incensed to pacifie his choller accosted him with very smooth and civil Language expressing much sorrow that his brother had so much forgotten himself Amongst other words that passed between the Bishop and the Earl Villalva chanced to let slip these You have a prettie fellow to your brother my Lord Bishop and withall hee swore that if they supported him hee would join with Don Pedro Lasso And in regard Don Pedro Lasso was so fixed to the interest of the Kingdom which was not very pleasing to Xeures and others that sate at the helm These words of the Earl's were presently carried to the Palace whereupon an Alcalde de Casa y Corte that is an officer in the nature of our Judges of oyer and terminer commanded the ●arl to quit the Court within one houre and not to return to it without his Majestie 's permission At the houre 's end hee went from Santjago to the Groyne where his hous and estate laie But soon after the Emperor going from Santjago to the Groyne readmitted him into his presence and favor SECT XVII IN this Occurrence som Grandees of the Kingdom which followed the Court accused Xeures highly to Emperor and bid him beware that the Fleming did not counsel him for his own ends Hereupon there passed som angrie expressions betwixt Xeures the Earl of Venavente and the Arch-Bishop of Santjago and they began to breed factions in the Court This Arch-Bishop and som others began to make private meetings and consult how they might provide themselvs with arms and men secretly The Emperor perceived it and if hee had not remedied it in time hee had found it troublesom enough The Earl of Venavente and others left the Court discontented The Emperor knew the sidings and dissentions that had been in Toledo and how they had refused to give a full power to their Commissioners Don Iohn de Silva and Aguirre which considered the Emperor and his Council were of opinion that it would not be amiss to send to som of the chief Officers that opposed it to come to Court and send others his Majestie 's servants to supplie their places for taking som out and supplying their places with others they might do whatsoever his Majestie commanded To that effect were presently dispatched Orders whereby Hernando de Avalos Iohn de Padilla Iohn Carrillo Gonzalo Gaytan Don Pedro de Ayala and Pedro de Herrera all Regidores and Officers of the Citie were commanded under great penalties everie man of them to make his personal appearance at the Court within such a time And Lope de Guzman Rodrigo Ninio and Martin de Ayala were commanded under the same penaltie to go to supplie their places at Toledo to the end that these beeing gon thither and the others com away the Citie might revoke the powers which they had given to Don Pedro Lasso and Don Alonso and give others to Don Iohn de Silva and Alonso de Aguirre These Orders beeing signified to the above-named they all excused themselvs onely Herrera who in obedience to his Majestie 's Commands went to the Court These weeds of dissention increased daie by daie in Toledo and the other Cities of Castilla and in the Court it self manie bitter words were buzzed up and down countenancing and approving these proceedings and the demands of Don Pedro Lasso and others as tending to the general good of the Kingdom SECT XVIII THe Messingers and Commissioners of Toledo and Salamanca with other associates made this Request to the Rest that in regard the Commissioners which Toledo was to send particularly for that Parlament were not yet com and those which were there from Salamanca were not admitted there should bee nothing granted or determined until those of the one and of the other Citie were present If otherwise they protested That it should not bee anie Prejudice to their Cities This beeing ingrossed verie fair they carriyd it to St Francisco where the Parlament sate taking a Notarie with them called Antonio Rodriguez who was afterwards Clerk of the Iunta And they demanded Audience But notwithstanding manie voted for them those of Toledo were refused and forbidden to enter in respect they were not Commissioners appointed for that Parlament Thereupon they made their Acts and Protests at the dore saying that the King's Commissioners could not assemble in Parlament without the Commissioners of Toledo that their non-appearance proceeded from their own particular negligence not anie fault of their Citie 's in regard they had their Powers delivered them that they beeing members of the said Citie did require them not to assemble in Parlament until those Commissioners of Toledo were arrived and against the contrarie they protested And whatsoever should be enacted in anie such Parlament without them they declared to bee void and of none effect and should bee no waies prejudicial to the Citie of Toledo nor the whole Kingdom Manie persons of note were witnesses to this Protest and it occasioned much scandal in the Court Don Pedro Lasso and his companion slighted his Majestie 's commands which were signified to them by the Secretarie Covos Which beeing told the Emperor hee gave immediate command to banish them that verie daie beeing Palm Sundaie and accordingly in the evening his Secretarie Francisco de los Covos and Iohn Ramirez Secretarie to the Council of Iustice went to the lodging of those Toledo-Commissioners and in the Emperor's name signified to each of them severally his M●jestie's pleasure commanding Don Alonso de Suarez the next daie beeing mundaie to leav the Court and that within two moneths hee should go serv ●nd reside where that Companie of men laie whereof hee was Captain where hee should remain until further order from his Majestie under pain of forfeiting his goods and the said Captain's place Don Pedro Lasso was likewise commanded to absent from Court the same Mundaie and within fortie daies to go and reside in the Government of the Fort of Gibraltar which was his own inheritance and not to depart thence without the Emperor's leav under penaltie of forfeiting that Command and all the rest of his estate whatsoever The Iurates were also commanded to leav the Court immediately And there was order given in their lodgings that they should not entertein them anie longer They demanded Copies hereof but were refused so they went to Iohn Ramirez chamber and by much importunitie they obteined one but not signed The Toledians beeing extreamly troubled that they were banished the Court with so much rigor two hours within night Don Pedro and Don Alonso with the Iurate Ortiz went to the Palace Ortiz went in to Xeures and acquainted him tha● such gentlemen were come to speak with him Xe●res bad him speak to his servants to set up lights in his chamber and that they should stay there for him Xeures beeing come they spent above two
knowing the strength and scituation of that Citie besides considering the heat of the people's fury and that the mischief would bee greater if they had the impudence to affront him in Person as it was probable they would fearing to bee punished for what they had don already That their fury beeing most violent in the beginning which time alone could mitigate and appeas their first impetuosity would soon bee over as most commonly it is observed in such commotions which kindled with a little fire and without any grounds are allayed again with as little water Besides all these allegations Xeures had a longing desire to bee in his own Country verifying in that this saying That wheresoever the Treasure is there is the heart also Moreover the Emperor had a particular necessitie for a thousand reasons which neerly concerned the reputat●on of his person not to defer his departure but rather to hasten it all hee could beeing exceedingly urged by the Princes Electors and that hee might not give his enemies anie time to hinder the Election of the Empire the King of England beeing then likewise in expectation of som interest therein And besides it was of no small consequence for him to bee gon before the King of France was joined with the King of England who were reported to meet the first of Iune at Calis These considerations setled the Emperor's determination of going into Germanie his Council supposing that the business of Toledo would go no further no body imagining what afterwards did ensue SECT XXX THings beeing in the condition I have declared The Commissioners of Toledo never came to the Parlament which was concluded by them that were there who granted his Majestie the subsidie hee desired which was two hundred Millions of Marauediz to bee payd in three years whereunto som would not consent and those that did had trouble and displeasure enough from their Cities for it Salamanca Toro Madrid Murcia Cordoua and Toledo opposed whose Commi●sioners had no hand in the granting it neither came they into the Parlament-hous One of the Commissioners of Leon refused it the other consented Of those that did allow it som were induced thereto by their own particular interests few out of zeal or affection to his Majestie 's service The Emperor beeing ready to depart onely staying for a winde and his desire granted for matter of subsidie although som of his Council were of opinion that hee should not receiv it as Don Alonso Telles Lord of La Puebla de Montalvan Bishop Mota and Francisco de Vargas His Majestie sent for those Grandees of the Kingdom that were then there who were Don Diego Lopez de Pacheco Marquis of Villena Don Inigo de Velasco Constable of Castilla the Earl of Venavente the Duke of Alburquerque the Duke of Medina Celi the Marquis of Astorga the Earl of Lemos the Earl of Monterrey and the Commissioners of the Kingdom then present to whom hee sayd hee was then ready to depart beeing neerly concerned in the election of the Empire and that God willing hee would sodainly return In mean time hee left governor of those Kingdomes the Cardinal Adriano Bishop of Tortosa one of his Council who was a person eminent for his learning and good conscience and hee required and commanded them to assist and favor him that his Kingdomes might bee well governed The major part of these gentlemen disliked this motion for som reasons whereof one was that the Cardinal was a stranger but som approving it the Emperor took no notice of the opposers neither did hee admit of any replies SECT XXXI THe Emperor being at the Groyn divers requests were made to him in the Kingdom●s name as followeth That his Majestie would bee pleased to return speedily into those Kingdomes and govern them in his own person as his predecessors had done For nothing that they could ask him would bee so satisfactor●e and acceptable to those Kingdoms as his safe and speedy return in regard Spain was not accustomed to bee without their King neither could they bee governed by any other with the peace and quiet which is necessary and expedient That assoon as hee should com back hee would bee pleased to marry for the universal good of the Kingdoms that they might have the seed of his Roial Person to succeed him in regard his age did require it That the Queen's Court might bee put into such order as was suitable to the dignitie of Her Roial Person and the honor of those Kingdoms That Shee might have Officers of trust about her who should bee well treated and incouraged with good rewards That at his return hee would bee pleased to bring with him no Flemings French or other strangers to have any Office of importance in those Kingdoms but that hee would advance and employ the natives of that Country who would serv him with much loyaltie and affection That those Kingdoms beeing at Peace and under his Majestie 's subjection hee would not bring anie souldiers of Forreign Countries for defence thereof or to bee guards of his own person Alleadging that in that Countrie the People beeing very warlike and of courage enough to conquer other Nations what might they think could bee the reason but his distrust of them if hee should take strangers for his guard That Hee would govern and settle his hous in such order as the Catholick Kings his forefathers and other Kings his Predecessors had done That no wages or pensions should bee given to the Wives or Children of anie Courtiers that were not in service unless in acknowledgment and recompence of services done by the Father deceased hee would gratifie the surviving Children That in regard there were many superfluous Offices added in the Queen's houshould which were not of former times they should bee all taken away again and no Salaries allowed for them That no Grandee should have anie office in the King 's or Queen's houshould as in relation to the Exchequer or Treasurie That whilest his Majestie was absent the Salaries of his Domesticks should bee payed out of his own Revenue That the Governors they were to have during his absence might bee Natives of either of those Kingdomes of Castilla or Leon. That such Governors might have pow●er to confer anie Offices or dignities of the Kingdom except Bishopricks Lievtenantships and Commanderies of Orders That neither the King nor anie Noblemen should give billets for lodging and in case they did that the People should not bee obliged to reciev them unless they listed But when his Majestie goeth his progress That there should bee lodgings and furniture provided for his familie and Court gratis so that hee make no longer stay then fifteen dayes in a place if more afterwards hee should pay And that his guard and Souldiery bee lodged and quartered according to the usual manner That there should bee one hundred lodgings and no more provided for his Majestie 's familie at the Charge of the Place where hee shall stay That there should
lose the credite of being feared In summ of all that I have spoken I say that my determinate will and opinion is that an Alcalde de Corte who is in n●ture of a Iudge of Oyer and Terminer here in England should goe to Segovia and what hee ought to doe in this although I know it my Sacred Orders doe not give me leav to express I onely say thus much that the Iudge ought to do wors to them by Iustice then they did to Tordesillas without Iustice. Let all that I have said in this consultation bee under your most Reverend Lordship's correction and if these Lords bee of any other opinion I shall bee content to conform my self to them for in matters of weight and moment a man is not to defend his own opinion but to follow that which is most expedient for the publick good SECT XXXVII THe second that was remarkeable in this Consultation was Don Alonso Tellez Giron who in those times was esteemed a man of a good Conscience a vertuous life of a generous ofspring and chiefly in the opinion which hee delivered very circumspect for hee would never give any counsel unless hee had considered the matter throughly before hand Don Antonio de Rojas having ended his speech Don Alonso Tellez began Saying The discreet Opinion of Don Alonso Tellez Giron IT chanceth often-times amongst the most expert Captains that being upon the point of giving battle they differ in the manner and order of their Combate and if such men take oath of their dissenting opinions I say that kind of discord proceedeth not from any particular difference betwixt them but that each one of them thinkes that what hee sayes is the best and most secure way to gain the Victorie that day This I say most Reverend Lord Cardinal in order to my Lord Arch-Bishop and President his Speech which was very good and beseeming a Prelate that is desirous of the publick good But if hee and I doe differ in the meanes which is to bee used for the remedying of so great a scandal wee shall not I am confident in our intentions be dissenting I swear by the faith of a Christian and a Gentleman and by this Holy habit of Santjago which I wear that my soul desireth nothing at this present more then that wee may hit upon the right way of rectifying and providing for Segovia For my mind giv's me that if wee miss our aim in this first enterprise we shall not bee powerful enough hereafter to execute Justice Hee that is to give his sens in such occurrences ought not only to see to the remedying of mischiefs but to bee circumspect and warie lest the fulfilling of his Vote should bee the occasion of a greater Inconvenience For it may bee already which God forbid thinking to tile Segovia wee have untiled it and so bewetted all Spain Vndoubtedly those of Segovia offended God in destroying his creature and the King in murthering him for his cause They scandalized the Republick by hanging him in that manner And accordingly if it were of no further consequence nothing could bee more just then that the more cruel and barbarous they have shewd themselvs in that murther the less pitie wee should shew in chastising them I would say in this case that wee are able to punish Segovia or we are not able and so likewise Toledo of their rebellion and to speak the truth to my best sens to chastise Segovia or correct Toledo is yet too soon For being as we are but newly come to the government we should grant som privileges and libertie to the People at first to win their obedience and afterwards chastise them that we may bee feared Put case wee are not powerful enough as I believ we are not to quell that high couraged stubborn People if my Iudgment fail me not I hold for most certain that if Segovia lose their respect to us the like we shall find through all the Cities of Spain Moreover you know my Lords that it hath been averred to us that there was never a Gentleman nor Citizen at the murther of Tordesillas and that those Teazers which had committed the fact were fled already The Judge whom wee shall send thither to seem that hee doth somthing must rob the Poor chastise the Innocent disquiet the Rich defame the Noble and chiefly scandalize the bordering People so that the untimely punishing of one man's death may bee an occasion of destroying all Item you know My Lords that the King our Lord had the ill will of all his Subjects for the ill Government of his Tutors and certainly those of this Kingdom desire to express their discontents Me think's we should rather provide for and hinder the manifestation of the ill intentions of Castilla then to stand so much upon the rigorous chastising of the Carders of Segovia for it is the part of wise men to dissemble and defer the punishment of faults already past and forthwith apply a remedie to a present evil Item Segovia cryeth out and desire's that if Fifty or a Hundred weavers committed that outrage the whole Citie should not lose its Innocence And in my Judgment we should bee very injurious and unjust if we should declare a whole Citie Traytors when but few are guiltie and I know the King hath manie faithful servants in Segovia therefore wee should commit a great offence therein Besides it is as much the Propertie of Clement Princes to pardon many wicked men for the respect of som few good as it is the Practise of cruel Tyrants to condemn many good for a few evil Item it is sufficiently known that Toledo is in Rebellion and beeing as it is so powerful a Citie wee cannot exercise Justice upon it Now if wee doe chastise Segovia wee cannot do it so much dammage as wee shall do favor to Toledo thereby For all those whom wee take now for enemies wee make friends to Toledo And by this means there will bee manie favorers of their Tyranie and but few to assist our Justice Item it is to be considered that the Citie of Segovia and the Town of Medina del Campo by reason of the Cloaths of the one and the fairs of the other Those two People used alwaies to bee like Brothers My end in saying this is becaus the best Artillerie the King hath in Castilla is at Medina and if the business were come to that They would sooner give it Segovia for their defence then to us to punish them And by this means Segovia will get the Artillerie and wee shall lose Medina Item Segovia hath not taken the Fort as yet nor disobeyed the Justice nor shut the Gates nor taken up Armes And if a Judge go thither to chastise them perchance wee shall the Guiltie beeing fled away for fear of punishment give occasion of fear to those that are Innocent and they put themselvs into a defensive posture thereupon And this will bee the way to make those whom wee have as yet
Torrejon de Velasco one of the chief Gentlemen of the Kingdom of Toledo of an Antient and Noble ●amilie But hee beeing very dis●reet exceedingly valiant answered them That hee would have nothing to do with anie su●h broils and that hee desired to live peaceably at home without ingaging on either side yet upon better consideration like a faithful servant to his King having gathered one hundred and fiftie Hors with as manie Foot and a competent quantitie of Artillerie hee went to reliev the ●ort vvhich beeing known at Toledo and Alcala by messengers from Madrid they sent multitudes of People who joining all in one bodie fell upon his Town of Torrejon de Velasco vvhilest hee vvas upon his march tovvards Madrid They sacked and burned it quite dovvn and hurt divers of the Inhabitants som they killed This nevvs beeing brought to Arias hee returned much troubled and incensed to Torrejon swearing that hee would bee revenged and if hee could not get satisfaction from Madrid hee would not leave one Town there-abouts undestroyed Som of his followers advised him to join with Diego de Vera who was come from Gelves with whose help and the good provision of Artillerie which hee had hee might besiege Madrid hereupon Don Iohn Arias demanded Don Diego's assistance but hee ex●used himself saying that hee was tyred with his march neither would hee fight against any of the King's Towns Iohn Arias did all the mischief hee could in the Towns adjacent to Madrid and the people were so fearful of his Souldiers that they durst not leave their cattle abroad It fell out one night that the Village of Mostoles which was near Torrejon having notice that Io●n Arias would fall upon them they barricadoed their streets and put themselvs in a posture of defence but hee entred at another part where the inhabitants suspected not and sacked the Town and at their going away again all loaden with plunder the Townsmen all at once fell upon them and took all from them again but killed not a man SECT XLIX DOn Iohn Arias de Avila afterwards seeing the inconstancie and fickleness of the Common People who neither kept oath nor promise desiring to serve his King and pacifie the tumults of Toledo went with som few servants to the Town of Illescas where the chief promoters of those combustions were with divers men in Arms and coming thither to treat of composing the matter in a peaceable waie hee expressed himself in such efficacious terms and gave them such undeniable reasons and friendly exhortations representing unto them the dangers whereunto they exposed their lives and fortunes by withdrawing themselvs from their obedience to their King that somtimes hee prevailed so far with them as to harken to an accommodation but they continued not long in that mind for the business depending of so many several People that which was concluded one day vvas quite broke off the next and at last they fell into such a popular madness that throvving aside all respect they vvould lay violent hands upon Don Iohn Arias peremptorily bidding him deliver up to them the places of strength vvhich hee had under his command and seeing hee would not do that they demanded the Artillerie vvhich vvas in them and becaus hee denyed that also vvith great nois and tumult they gathered together in the hous vvhere the Assemblie vvas kept and made an order that Iohn Arias should presently deliver the Artillerie and in case of default hee should suffer death as an enemie of the common good This vvas intimated to him by a Notary Publick But Iohn Arias vvith solid and good reasons ansvveared that hee could not do it The People of Illescas hereupon vvent againe into the council and ordred that Iohn Arias should vvithout replie deliver the Artillerie or bee killed vvhereunto hee made ansvvere soberly and undauntedly That the life hee yet injoyed vvas onely his ovvn but the honor and good name descended from his Ancestours and should continue as an inheritance intailed upon his Successors That it vvas in their povvers to take avvay his life but not his honor for that hee could neither give nor lose That if they did take his life it would cost them many lives That they had best take heed what they did and that they could not take away the loyaltie which hee owed to his King though hee should lose a Thousand lives and that this should bee his resolution in despight of their cruiltie The Common People seeing the resolute courage and constancie of Iohn Arias de Avila suspended for the present the mischief they intended against him so hee tooke horse and rode with a stayed serious countenance through the Town attended onely with those few servants hee brought with him and thence returned to Torrejon whereof the People of Illescas presently repented themselvs and condemned one another of unadvisedness in that they had not killed or at least kept him prisoner But John Arias mainteined stoutly three Forts well provided of men and armes in the King's service against them which were of great importance for the suppressing and hindering the outrages of Toledo and those neighbouring places to the great hazard of his life and fortunes And as soon as hee heard that the Lord Constable was Vice-Roy of Castilla hee sent him the seal of his hous and armes offering himself wholie to accomplish the obligation hee had to his Majestie 's service for which the Lord-Constable returned him thanks promissing to acquaint the Emperor with his loyaltie and moreover recommended to his care the charge of those parts which John Arias performed with great diligence skermishing often-times with the Commoners For this and other services and in consideration of his illustrious extraction the Emperor gave him the ti●●e of Earl of Punio en Rostro and vvrote him very favorable and gratious Lettres expressing the great esteem and account hee made of his services to his Majestie In a hundred small Villages the People rose against the Earl of Chinchon but hee suppress●d them quickly and punished them severely Alcala was infected with the like disturbances and revolts vvith divers other places of the Kingdom imitating their chief Tovvn vvhich vvas the ring-leader of all those distempers SECT L. CArdinal Adriano who was a Saint-like man sought all means possible to remedie these disorders with a sweetness and Clemencie answerable to his Charitie and hearing of a Gentleman that followed the Court who was a native and Iurate of Toledo a discreet man hee sent for him and beeing come hee asked him what cours in his opinion was fittest to bee taken for the pacifying of that Citie saying That if hee could devise anie waie to do it hee should bee exceeding glad to embrace it and hee would procure his Majestie 's approbation thereof The Gentleman thanked him in the Citie 's behalf as beeing a member of it and said Hee did not certainly know their intention but according to his judgment the onely waie to cure those mischiefs
John the Second and others but also in advising and counselling them what was most expedient for their Roial services And since it was apparent that the granting of the Subsidie in the Parlament at the Groyn had been the onely occasion of so manie great Commotions and troubles in the Kingdom that his Majestie would bee pleased of his innate liberalitie and goodness graciously to remit and pardon all those that had opposed the levying thereof and that it should bee no more demanded which favor would be so acceptable to the whole Kingdom that at his return which they hoped would bee ●peedily they would do him such extraordinarie service that Hee should thank them for preferring Him that Petition and know more clearly their desires to serv Him But the burning of Medina del Campo caused so great scandal in Castilla that it revived and made the fire blase more fiercely out amongst the common people and infected their Spirits so that manie other Towns whither the sore had not yet run rose up in the like disorder The next daie after Medina was burnt as you have heard they sent Letters with a particuler of the passages to Valladolid With no less furie then Fonseca's firebals consumed the houses of Medina were inflamed the hearts of those of Valladolid at the receipt of those dolorous tydings And without respect to the Cardinal Governor the Arch-Bishop President Council or other officers of justice and forgetting the graces and favors the Emperor had done them by his Letters they rang out the bell of San Miguel whereupon all the people presently took arms and ran from all parts of the Citie to the great market-place and all that the Earl of Venavente and Don Alonso Enriquez Bishop of Osma could do or saie who came out to pacifie the people was to no purpose And beeing thus gathered together about five or six thousand men they went to Pedro de Portillo's hous about twy-light for at that time hee was chief Burgess of the Cittie willing him to go along with them to the President of the Council that hee might provide for certain things which were necessarie for the Citie But Pedro de Portillo displeased them so with his answear calling them mutiniers and theevs that went about to robb and plunder that in furious madness they broke open his dores and windowes and hee had much adoe to get cleer of them by hiding himself seeing they could not find him they took a rich cupboard of plate that was set against supper they searched his hous all over plundred his shop and warehous and took away manie rich cloaths and silks for hee was a merchant they made a great fire before his dore in which they burned manie pieces of rich cloath of gold and silver silks wollen cloaths tapistries rich mantles ermines and other things of great value for hee was a very rich man they left not so much as a hen but they flung it in the fire or stole it away And at the carrying away of their plunder they fell out and fought with one another This man's loss was esteemed above three millions of Maravediz Not satisfied with all this they began to pluck the hous down and som boies that followed their fathers set fire to a Garret where was great store of drie wood and bavins which burned furiously but fearing to burn the neighboring houses they suddenly quenc●ed the fire again which if they had not don would have endangered a great part of the Citie This done beeing inraged with that popular furie which the Divel had sow●d in Spain with loud out-cries they ran to the hous of Antonio de Fonseca who set fire on Medina and in revenge thereof they burnt and pluckt it to the ground not leaving a bit of timber nor a tile that belonged to it unconsumed Thence they went to Alonso Ninno de Castro's hous who was chief Judg of the Citie and finding not him they plundered it and plucked down the ●ntrie The like they did to divers of the principal men of the Citie which a certain Autor a Native of Valladolid and an eie-witness of all these passages saith was a just judgment upon the Regidores and the rest for their ambitions and disordinate desires of advancing their particular ends without regard of the publick good suffering their Countrie to bee drained of all its treasure by strangers to the sum of nine millions of gold out of Castilla onely which was never converted to his Majestie 's use but was shared amongst the Flemings This was the general complaint of that Kingdom which people of those times said ought to bee registred in characte●s of blood After this they made themselvs strong keeping constant watch and going the Rounds with Minstrels and Drums no less then fifteen hundred together at the first but this was so chargeable that they reformed their Rounds to twentie men at a time Som nights they found gunpowder mingled with pitch scattered in the streets which they said Antonio de Fonseca had commanded to bee done for anger that his hous was burnt After that they kept Rounds and strong Guards at the Gates and they were so affraid of fire and pitch that they watered all their houses with vineger thinking there was som design to burn Vallado●●● as well as Me●ina They called an assemblie in the Monasterie of the Trinitie where they chose new Burgesses and Deputies Then they sent for the Gentlemen and Citizens of the Town whom they made to swear and take the ingagement of the Commonaltie which for feare of death they durst not refuse to do They made the Infante of Granada their Captain General which office hee was inforced to accept or die And they all swore to obey him and to do nothing contrarie to his command which charge hee began to exercise with much discretion But becaus they knew that Don Alonso Enriquez Bishop of Osma and brother to the Lord Admiral did not like well of their proceedings they turned him out of the Citie and divers other Gentlemen likewise becaus they could not trust them Which done they presen●lie sent messengers to Medina del Campo offering them succor And to that effect they listed two thousand Souldiers and chose likewise six Commissioners to send to the Iunta or Assemblie held in Avila to which already the gave they Attribute of Holie SECT III. THe Cardinal and those of the Council seeing all these passages were so far from providing or ordering any thing in this case that they durst not neither did it seem possible for them to meet and confer of what was to bee done But as in a storm at Sea when there is neither sayles marriners nor pilots all hope lost the ship is left to drive at the tempest's pleasure so the Cardinal and the Arch-Bishop of of Granada and those of the Council having no means to resist thought best to let alone that people who were hurried away with so violent a storm of inconsiderate furie
that everie Deputie of a Ward should take four or five of the said names in writing and go with a Notarie publick to their respectiv● houses or lodgings requiring them to meet the next daie in the cardinal●s hous where hee should tell them what further they were to do Which beeing done accordingly those of the Council that could not escape ●as divers did failed not to com to the Cardinal's Pallace where the F●ier with his Captains about him notified and commanded them in the name of the Iunta to go with them to Tordesillas and to execute no more the offi●e of Counsellors that beeing there they should know further what they were to do and that there was no fear of their lives but their goods and estates he could not promise to secure Whereunto they made answer That they held their Offices and Charge from his M●jestie's own hands whom they had served and did serv and that although they were taken they would not go with them unless they were carried away by force This was the best answer the Frier could get at that time so hee returned to Tordesillas but was not long before hee came back again to Valladolid with other Letters and Orders as shall bee seen hereafter SECT XXV IN this coniuncture arrived an express from Flanders vvit● dispatches from the Emperor Letters for the Cities of the Kingdom and his Majestie 's Commissions and Orders to Don Inigo de Velasco Lord high Constable of Castilla and Leon and Don Fadrique Enriquez Lord Admiral of Castilla auto●ising and Commanding them joyntly vvith the Cardinal Adriano to undertake the charge and care of governing and managing the affaires of that Kingdom untill his returne In his Letters the Emperor declared his exceeding sorrovv and discontent for the troubles and insurrections in that Kingdom notvvithstanding the great affection hee alvvaies expressed tovvards them That his good vvill vvas so ill requited and his favors no better accepted That they had failed in that fidelitie vvherevvith like good and Loyall Subjects they had alvvaies served the Kings his Predecessors Yet hee could not bee persuaded but some particular persons for their private ●nterests had been the occasion of all those disorders And That in regard one of the principal things at which the Kingdom was aggreived had been his conferring of the government upon a stranger although the prudence and uprightness of the most reverend Cardinal of Tortosa could not in all reason but give them satisfaction to stop the current of those disorders which increased daily in that Kingdom and to provide for the good government thereof and the Peace of his Subjects with great deliberation and advice during his absence which should not bee long hee had ordered and appointed to rule joyntly with the Cardinal as Vice-Kings and Governors of that Kingdom the Lord Admiral and Lord high Constable of Castilla beeing both persons indued with wisdom and other parts requisite for so high a charge and that they should take upon them all the care trouble c. And that he had given them particular charge if the Kingdom was anie waie aggriev'd to send for the Commissioners or Burgesses of the Cities that they might demand redress before the Governors And withall hee Commanded the Cities to bee obedient unto them The Emperor wrote also to the Lord high Constable endeering him by the acknowledgment of his former services to undertake and execute with like fidelitie resolution and cheerfulness the joynt charge with the Cardinal and the Lord Admirall of pacifying the present tumults and insurrections reducing his Subjects to their former obedience and the governing and managing the affairs of that Kingdom until his return Dated in Bruxels the 9th of September 1520. SECT XXVI IF these Noble-men had been made governors before the Emperor's departure out of Spain questionless the Commotions had never come to that height But they were now too far gon beyond their recoverie for although some were very well pleased with this Election others were not The Lord high Constable as wee shall see was not very well beloved in Burgos The Cardinal with the President and Council were not onely not beloved but extreamely hated and abhorred in manie Cities Onely in Valladolid the Cardinal was much respected and honored neither would they consent to his departure out of the Citie although hee often desired it but they offered themselvs all to bee at his service esteeming him as it were a Saint and they kept guards at the Gates of the Citie lest the Cardinal or anie of the Council or Judges should goe away Yet for all their guards El Licenciado Zapata made his escape in a Benedictan Munk's habit having shaved his crown and his beard and divers others of the Council likewise who durst not attend the determination of the Junta perhaps their own ill consciences did accuse them and filled their hearts with the apprehension of danger which onely make the sinners flie though no bodie doth pursue them And indeed in offices and charges of that nature some men are monstruously insufferable SECT XXVII FEw daies after the Dominican Frier was returned to the Junta and had given an account of his indeavors at Valladolid concerning the suspending of the Council Roial and the apprehending of the Counsellors They sent another Frier Alonso de Medina Professor of Divinitie of the Order of St Francis with second Orders from the Junta to Valladolid Where beeing arrived hee caused the Commonaltie and Officers of the Citie to assemble at the Monastrie of St Francis which beeing done accordingly the Frier went up into the Pulpit and shewed the Letters of Credence which hee brought from the Iunta in whose name hee told them they were againe required to send those of the Council-Royall Prisoners to Tordesillas and that those of the Council of Warre who were fled and absented themselvs should thenceforwards bee payed no Salarie nor enjoy any of their Revenues But that they should all bee punished according to their severall deserts And that her Highness the Queen's pleasure and absolute Command was it should bee ●o in regard it was found expedient for the good of the Kingdom Otherwise the offenders and wicked Counsellors the Perpetrators of so manie evils in the Kingdom should escape unpunished and the poor oppressed People remain without Justice Many other reasons hee aleadged which were not unpleasing to the People who were filled with a desire of seeing the punishment hee mentioned inflicted And having ended his discours hee produced and read aloud to them a copie signed by three publick Notaries of what passed between the Queen and the Commissioners of all the Cities and Towns in the Kingdom that had Votes in Parlament Who beeing altogether in her presence gave her to understand by the mouth of the Doctor Zuniga of Salamanca the grievances of the Kingdom having been pilled and polled by strangers since her ●ather's death and out of the sens of their opression
and those of the Council termed them Traitors Which beeing known in Valladolid a rumor was noised about that the Lords of the Council had given order to apprehend those of the Junta for which caus El Licenciado Francisco de Vargas Treasurer General and El Licenciado Zapata made their escapes in the night from the Council For they having born a great swaie one in the Treasurie the other in matters of Justice were both grown odious in the eies of the Common-wealth SECT XXXIV THe several Parties reviled and fell into malicious expressions one against the other not considering that that was one of the poorest and vilest revenges upon earth and which suit 's with none but rascal-like unworthie dispositions Those that were enemies to the Commonaltie reported that no Gentlemen or persons of qualitie would have taken that side but for private respects and ambition That Don Antonio de Acunia Bishop of Zamora whose storie wee are not yet com to would make himself Arch-bishop of Toledo That Don Pedro Giron was on fire for the Estate of Medina Sidonia The Earl of Salvatierra ambitioned certain territories of great value called Merindades Hernando de Avalos for revenge of som injuries don ●im Iohn de Padilla to bee Master of Santjago Don Pedro Lasso to bee Lord of Toledo Quintanilla to have the Command of Medina del Campo Hernando de Ulloa to drive his brother out of Toro Don Pedro Pimentel to advance himself with Salamanca The Abbat of Compludo to be made Bishop of Zamora El Licenciado Bernardino to bee Judg in Valladolid Ramiro Nuniez that hee might possess himself of Leon and Carlos de Arellano bee Lord of Soria Thus their tongues went nimbler then their hands except when they were asleep breeding and brewing a world of mischiefs And divers Gentlemen found themselvs so far ingaged already in this disorder that they could not with honor withdraw themselvs neither could they tell whom to trust SECT XXXV BEfore I proceed any further with the Historie of what was done by the Commonalties in Castilla I wil here describe the particulars of the insurrection of the Citie and Kingdom of Valencia in regard it was the blindest and most pernicious of all Spain and although some have written very dolefull and lamentable memorials thereof they do not mention half what there befell Several prodigious signs presaged this miserable dissention in Valencia In the yeare 1517. The river which runneth by the Citie of Valencia so shallow that somtimes there is scarse any water on a sodain swelled and overflowed the bankes in such manner that it put those of Valencia to the greatest shift and streight that ever they had been reduced to in former ages Manie daies and nights was seen running along the streets a furious great Lyon which made so hideous a roaring that the people ran trembling away from it and if any had the courage to stay and see what it would do they could see nothing Other strange sights were likewise reported to have been observed there in the yeares 1517 and 1518. You have heard how the Emperor before his departure from the Groyn appointed for Vice-Roy of Valencia Don Diego de Mendosa son to the Cardinal Don Pedro Gonsalez de Mendosa and brother to Don Rodrigo Marquis of Cenete Who executing his command and charge in Valencia whenas the people already linked in a Confederaoie began to stand in a competition with the Nobles to molest and prosecute the Gentrie abusing their servants and vassals with great audacitie and disrespect It hapned that two Morisco's vvho belonged to Don Ramon de Cardona Lord of Castalla passing along the street of Nuestra Seniora de Gracia which was in that part of the Citie where most of the meaner sort of people lived Some Trades-men that were working at their dores flouted and laughed at them as they used to do but the Morisco's answering them they presently rose in Arms and cut one of them so grievously that hee died And beeing about to kill the other also who defended himself a man by chance passing by whose name was Diego Pisador by trade a salt-maker took compassion of the poor fellow and did what hee could to defend him Whereat those Towns-men were so incensed that leaving the other they ran after this Diego Pisador following him quite through the Citie to his own hous whither hee fled to save his life and fell a storming it in a furious manner about mid daie the officers of Justice not daring to gain-saie them The Priests of St Nicholas Church which was close by that hous came forth all with the Holie Sacrament at the nois of this Combustion to pacifie the furie of the People which their presence and intreaties did somwhat mitigate But Diego Pisador not holding himself secure in his hous thought it a safer waie to take sanctuary in the Church so beeing come down the Priest that carried the Sacrament took him next unto him and ●o advanced towards the Church which the people seeing they violently ran again upon him and killed him with their daggers Upon this came amongst them one Avendanio a Cloath-worker who was the Autor and chief of this confedracie it vvas thought to hinder and keep them from doing mischief but seeing that man so barbarosly killed hee vvent presently into a hous vvhere hee burst and died miserably som saie for anger and grief to see such excessive disorder These and manie other such like outrages vvere done by the People of Valencia before the ●mperor departed whereof his Majestie was advertised by the Nobles and Gentlemen of that Citie and hee referred it to Xeures but hee beeing more sollicitous for the transporting of his treasure then the remedying of the troubles in Spain neglected it All that was ordered herein was to remit the quelling and reducing that People to reason to the care of the Infante Dou Enrique Duke of Sego●be but the People beeing launched into the depth of mischief slighted his Autoritie which manifestly declared the rebellion and pernicious intentions of that Confederacie Soon after a man condemned for haynous crimes beeing led along to execution the People came out with Arms and rescued him from the officers of Justice abusing and ill treating them in a horrid manner No Noblemen or Gentlemen could pass through the streets but those of the Confederacie would deride and flout them with base reviling language Insomuch that a Hat-maker's wife dressing a Hat at the door with her children about her as some Gentlemen were going by shee bid the children look at those men that passed there and the boyes asking her why shee bid them look at them shee answered Becaus when you are grown up to bee men you may say that you have seen Gentlemen This the woman said becaus the Common People were then in the minde to destroie all the Gentrie of the whole Kingdom root and branch Avendanio the Cloth-worker beeing dead the Confederates chose another Captain one of
drew out five thousand men into the field to fight though hee paied dearly for it afterwards The Confederates having lost their respect to the Vice-Roy agreed to lose likewise the fear of God They made a Conspiracie amongst them the result whereof was to rob and take away all the riches of the Monasteries and Churches Which beeing discovered the loial Partie desired Don Rodrigo de Mendosa Marquess of Cenete to take upon him the Autoritie of the Justice for the King which hee did and like a good resolute Gentleman hee hung up three or four of the chief Conspirators and so the robberie which they intended was prevented and the Citie quieted for certain daies But soon after the Confederates marched into the field towards Denia to drive the Vice-Roy out of the Kingdom Ten thousand men in Arms Valencia furnished to that effect The Clergie with their Hoods upon their heads and Crosses in their hands stood all at the gate of San Vicente and as the Confederates passed by them the Priests and Friers said to them Sirs Misericordia Misericordia and they answered swearing Cuerpo de Dios Iusticia Iusticia And indeed God's Justice did abundantly fall upon their heads for the greatest part of those that answered so were either killed in battle or executed by Justice afterwards Iohn Caro and Sorolla were Captains of this Armie The Confederates having the sole power and command of Valencia Iohn Caro was sent with a sufficient force to besiege the Castle of Corbera six leagues from Valencia which while hee was battering with some peeces of Artillerie Don Geronimo Vique who at that time was at a Monasterie of Friers of the order of San Geronimo half a league from the Castle desired to speak with him who overcom with his persuasions and powerful reasons raised his siege Which the Thirteen of the Confederacie hearing took t●e Office of Captain General from Iohn Caro and conferred it upon Sorolla By this time the Vice-Roy with some forces which hee had raised was came to Gandia to succor the Castle of Corbera And Sorolla with his Armie went seeking the Vice-Roy as hee passed hee ruined and spoyled all the places that belonged to Don Geronimo Vique becaus hee had persuaded Iohn Caro to leave the Castle At last coming to Gandia hee met with the Vice-Roy's Armie and gave them battle wherein manie were killed on both sides but at length the Confederates won the daie and the Vice-Roy with the Earl of Oliva and divers other Lords and Gentlemen that remained alive were inforced to retreat to Denia whither Sorolla with his men still pu●sued them And beeing arrived at a town called Vergel one league short of Denia Mossen Baltazar Vives Lord of that place refreshed them and afterwards conveied them safe to Denia where hee imbarked for Peniscola whence they w●nt to the town of Morella where they raised more men Sorolla returned to Valencia where hee entered with his Armie very joiful and content with his conquest By this time the Duke of Segorbe Don Alonso de Aragon was com into the field with above four thousand Foot and divers gentlemen with their servants and others on hors-back to the number of one hundred and sixtie whereof was Captain Don Jayme Ferrer son to Don Luis Ferrer who was Lord Steward to the Queen Donia Iuana at Tordesillas And beeing quartered at Almenara a league and half from Monviedro with intent to besiege it which was the strongest and most considerable Fort the Confederates had but four leagues from Valencia notice was given him that the enemie appeared with no less then eight thousand Foot and some Hors fleshed with their Victorie over the Vice-Roy and recruited with many fresh men from Valencia Whereupon the Duke sent Don Iayme with the Hors to discover and according to his advice hee would follow as speedily as might bee with the Foot This was carried with so much discretion and valor that the Duke gave them an absolute rout leaving above five thousand men dead upon the place for which it is called to this daie The field of slaughter This Victorie restored the Kingdom which if it had otherwise succeeded the Common People had become absolute Masters without any contradiction Things beeing in this condition the Vice-Roy returned with a fresh supplie and incamped his Armie about Alcira and Xativa The People were somwhat amazed and startled at the rout the Duke had given them Yet those of Alcira and Xativa marched out very strong to meet with the Vice-Roy and finding him a league from the Citie they gave him battle the conflict was so hot and so well maintained on both sides that it was hard to saie which had the advantage the combate continued all daie and at night both Armies beeing very wearie and great store of men hurt they were both glad to retreat seeking refreshment and medicaments to dress their wounded men About this time the Cities of Oribuela and Alicante with all the Towns and Places under their jurisdiction associated themselvs with the People of Valencia But all the Gentrie and persons of qualitie followed their Governor Don Pedro Masa who was inforced to quit those two Cities and the Castle of Oribuela whereof hee was Governor But Don Iayme de Puyg a valorous Gentleman who was Lievtenant of the Castle under the Governor with fifteen or sixteen men defended himself gallantly against the furie of the Common people when in their violentest heat they killed burned and sacked the Gentlemen's houses The Marquis de los Velez Don Pedro Faxardo Adelantado Mayor that is Lord Deputie or Lord Lievtenant of the Kingdom of Murcia having notice of the rising of Oribuela levied what force hee could and marched to reliev the distressed Gentrie having order from the Emperor to assist the Governor of Oribuela upon all occasions Don Pedro Maca with his hors beeing joyned with the Marquis de los Velez the Common People of Oribuela and the jurisdiction thereof who were above eight thousand marched in pursuit of them to the top of a mountain called Rajolar with intent to give them battle their intilligence assuring them that they were far the greater number The Governor advised with the Marquis about relieving the Castle of Oribuela which was in great necessitie every one of his Troopers carrying in a sack of provision behinde him whilest the Marquess amused the enemie with skirmishes for hee doubted not to bee back with him time enough to discomfit them This was don accordingly and beeing drawn up in Batalia the Marquis secured the waie to the Castle that the Governor might go thither with his Hors and having put in his provisions return to the battle which was dexterously and successively effected with the slaughter of above four thousand of the Rebells So the Marquis cleared all the Countrie about Oribu●la But seeing how infected the whole Kingdom was and what multitudes of people were com in to the Commoners encouraged by their Victorie for it is
the Gentlemen with him in the Camp desired the Marquis to venter himself and indeavor by going into the Citie and reasoning with the people to defer the execution of this horrid treason Although it seemed an act of great timeritie as indeed it was for him to expose him●elf to the furie of a ●eople so mutinous and bent upon mischief yet the Marquis valorously did as hee was required And it was miraculous how his presence and fair deportment pacified the inhabitants minds and brought them to submit to reason The Adversaries beeing mad at the good success the Marquis had wrought within Xativa conspired how Vicente Periz their Captain might secretly convey himself into the Citie and gathering as manie of the people as hee could together apprehend the Marquis This was effected and Vicente Periz with a multitude of well armed men went to assault the Marquis who beeing but slenderly provided and weakly attended and seeing a squadron of these thievs advance towards him dissembled and made as if hee knew them not asking them thus Are you our friends do you com to serv the King To which they answered neither yea nor no but seemed to bee daunted at the very sight of the Marquis Hereupon with much seeming affection hee spake aloud Nay then my boies Viva el Rey viva el Rey which said hee fell upon them and took away their Arms. Presently upon this the rest of the enemies discovered themselvs and began to fight discharging their Cross-bows and Musket-shots as thick as hail against the Marquis and his men which the Marquis seeing hee cried with a loud voice O you Traitors now force is requisite and flinging down his staff hee took a pike and saying God preserv the King and let the Traitors die hee fell in amongst them fighting so desperately that before his men could com to second him hee had made them turn their backs but at last being over-powered and wounded in the left arm hee was taken prisoner and carried by the people into the Castle where at that time the Duke of Calabria was also prisoner who received the Marquis with much honor The Marquis was afterwards put into a Dungeon under St George's tower where they kept him close prisoner som time thinking thereby to make the Vice-Roy his brother condescend to what they listed But at last hee was released and perceiving the Countrie to bee infected beyond hope of remedie hee retired to his own hous Those of Valencia found a great miss of him and seeing most of the people of the Citie becom of the Confederacie Vicente Periz having possessed himself of la Huerta and other places thereabouts the Iurates and Chapter of the Church called el Asseu sent to beseech him that hee would bee pleased to condole the miserie of that Citie and bee tender of the King's service The Marquis was at Ayora a town of his upon receipt of this message hee took his waie towards Valencia Thursdaie 27 Februarie 1522 the Tyrant Vicente Perez trusting to the multitude of his partie within the Citie took the boldness to enter into Valencia with intention to plunder it and kill all that should resist him and having intrenched and fortified himself within the walls to that effect it struck great terrour into the loial partie But the Marquis well Armed came to a large place called la Placa del Asseu and caused to bee rung that bell which they used to ring in Uproars to the end all those of the loial partie might repair thither to him where hee staied until noon having used all fair means possible to pacifie without blood-shed the advers partie but seeing nothing could avail hee took a view of his men and what Arms they had and finding his no competent force to encounter Vicente Periz who had made himself very strong hee betook himself to his invention and policie which succeeded so advantagiously that Vicente Periz came short of his design all his men beeing dis-banded and returned to their own dwellings This was a happie daie for Valencia for if Periz his plot had taken hee had been absolute master of the whole Citie and ever after that daie was called the Thursdaie of Vicente Periz Yet staying within the Citie hee rallied again and what with those of Valencia what with the fresh supplies which were sent him from Xativa and Algezira by the disguised Prince Don Iuan or Iuan de Vilvao who went thither to that purpose Hee was so strongly recruited that hee gave the Marquis Battle in the streets of Valencia and had won the daie undoubtedly if the Marquis had not shewed as much policie as resolution In the Combate the Marquis pursuing Vicente Periz who was glad to take his heels was knocked down by a great pot full of earth which a woman flung from the top of a hous upon his head which though it killed him not out-right did stun and bruis him very sore Hee was presently taken up again by his servants but his partie supposing him to bee dead lost courage and withal the advantage they had gained of the enem●e which hee perceiving assoon as hee was com again to himself ran amongst them saying If the Marquis bee dead the King is alive These words put new vigor into the hearts of his despairing men who following the Marquis gave a fresh charge to the Confederates so hot that they were glad to hous themselvs which proved no Sanctuarie for there they were killed and taken not beeing able to make resistance Vicente Periz had his head presently struck off This Victorie quieted the Citie of Valencia vvhich vvas so infected vvith the poison of Rebellion that in the very Cloisters and Monasteries there was as much division and passion as elswhere insomuch that one part praied God to favor the Confederates the other to give the Cavaliers the Victorie The disguised Prince exspected a quite contrarie success hoping by the death of the Marquis and the routing of his partie to reign victoriously in Valencia but God who had otherwise decreed the Event made him likewise fall into the hands of the Marquis the 19th of Maie 1522 who commanded him to bee hanged drawn and quartered and his head to bee set upon the point of Lance. And thus that villanous head was crowned who of an infamous Jew and abominable Sorcerer would have made himself King of Spain After this grew several other Commotions in that Kingdom but nothing near so dangerous which I shall omit now to particularize in regard I am called away by those of Castilla SECT XXXVI THe Earl of Salvatierra and other Mountaniers infected the people of the Mountains of Burgos as far as Alava and Vitoria with other places of la Rioxa and Burgos was very near revolting also All which was opposed by the Lord High Constable not becaus the Emperor commanded him so to do for hee received no orders from his Majestie to that effect till afterwards but moved with the magnanimitie of his own
Town or Village where their Residence is Contribution IN regard it is ordeined by the Laws of the Land that certain Towns and Villages which now are under the possession of som Noblemen should proportionably as the rest of their neighboring Cities and Towns bear a share in the Tributes and Contributions and Taxes for Hedges Bridges Fountains Watchmen Suits in Law Defences and enlargement of Territories yet by the favor of Noblemen and persons of great qualitie to whom they belong they do not observ or fulfil his Majesties Commands herein That henceforwards they may bee obliged to perform them and in case of default to lose their Offices and all the Salarie thereof and that the Lords of the said places may not oppose or do any thing to the contrarie under pain of losing the Lordship and proprietie of the said places or Towns which afterwards shall bee as Crown-Lands never to bee alienated from the Royal Patrimonie GENERALS FOrasmuch as his Majestie in the Parlaments which hee called at Valladolid and the Groyn did grant som things which for the profit and publick good of the Kingdoms ought to bee effected That his Majestie command all provisions and power necessarie for the performance thereof to bee given to the Cities Towns and other places of the Kingdoms Item that his Majestie give order to proceed rigorously against Antonio de Fonseca Alcalde Ronquillo Gutiere Quixada El Licenciado Iuanes and the rest that had any hand in the bur●ing and destroying of the Town of Medina del Campo And that his Majestie approve and allow of what the Kingdom shall do concerning the confiscation of their or any of th●●● estates and goods Item that their Majesties approve the Assemblie which the Cities and Towns of the Kingdoms have made and do make to the end they may repair and remedie the exorbitancies and grievances of the Publick to make and ordain these Articles and all which they have done in order to the suspending of those of the Council and Officers of their Majesties Familie and Court placing and displacing Officers of Justice taking and demolishing of Forts pulling down of houses killing of men tumults and uproars and judging and sentencing other matters of the Kingdoms their endeavors in taking away all that might stop or hinder their proceedings herein and any other excess whatsoever as in the order and form of the premisses is conteined The assembling the people raising of Arms and the punishment which certain Cities and Commonalties have inflicted upon the persons houses and goods of ●om men whom they esteemed enemies to the publick good of the Kingdoms And that their Majesties acknowledg to bee well emploied all and every the sums of monie which they have taken out of the Roial Revenue and other things and disbursed in paiment of the said men and Armies or otherwaies in prosecution of the above-said premisses And whatsoever taxes they had imposed and recovered to that effect or expended in any kinde That their Majesties would command all to bee remitted and absolutely pardoned as also not onely their Assemblies and Councils of the Cities and Towns of the Kingdoms but likewise that every particular person or persons that had been active therein might bee free from anie trouble or question therefore in anie Courts civil or criminal That their Majesties would revoke and declare void all and everie information or informations commands sentences and provisions which those of the Council or the Alcalde Ronquillo or any other Judg whatsoever had made or given against any of the Cities or Towns of the Kingdoms or against any particular persons and that for this caus they nor any of them might bee deprived of their privileges or offices but might remain free and indemnified In regard they were moved thereunto out of their respects to their Majesties service and the publick good of the Kingdoms and for the encreasing preserving of the revenues and Patrimonie Roial in order to the obligations and duties which they owed to their natural Sovereigns according as the Laws of the Kingdoms have ordeined And that his Majestie would grant autorize and confirm the said Articles as a perpetual and inviolable Law for ever and that he would promise swear by God and his holie Evangelists never to revoke or consent to the revoking or altering of them or do or suffer to bee done any thing contrarie to their true intent and meaning in Parlament or out of Parlament And that hee would not demand of the Pope or other Prelate whatsoever any dispensation or absolution for the said oath and promise SECT III. THese Articles were sent to Flanders by those of the Iunta to bee delivered to the Emperor Antonio Vazquez de Avila carried one Copie of them and Maestro Fray Pablo a man of an exemplarie life and holie intentions onely blinded with a zeal for his Countrie seeing the Kingdom ruined another They went several waies but neither of them durst appear before the Emperor and som saie they never came into Flanders Antonio Vazquez de Avila arrived at length at Worms in Germanie which the Emperor hearing commanded him to bee apprehended and imprisoned in a Fort but after som time beeing better informed hee gave order to releas him Fray Pablo and Sancho Zimbron who went together hearing before they came to the Emperor how Antonio Vazquez had been welcomed went no further then Bruxels These Articles were applauded and held for holie things amongst the Commonaltie they said The Emperor must bee verie cruel if hee did not confirm them That those of the Iunta deserved an immortal Crown and a never-dying fame for their pains and care in making such excellent and holie Ordinances whereby their Kingdoms should bee made the happiest and most opulent in the world SECT IV. THe Lord Admiral beeing desirous to compose these differences and disorders of the Kingdoms before they broke out anie further resolved to go and convers with those of the Iunta at Tordesillas and beeing at Torrelobaton hee sent to them desiring that they would give him the libertie and safe conduct to go to them Those of the Iunta answered That they knew very well that his Lordship came to speak with them concerning the Commonalties of the Kingdoms but they desired him not to put himself to the trouble of coming thither until he had dismissed those Gentlemen with their sou●diers out of Medina and his own lands those of the Council likewise in regard they disserved his Majestie and hindred the good of the Kingdom which don they should be very glad to serv him and shew him all the respects due to his person The Admiral replied that hee was well contented to discharge all those souldiers and send away all those of the Council except the Cardinal and the Lord High Constable of Castilla who were the Governors and principal men of the Kingdoms Those of the Iunta would not bee satisfied unless they were all sent away Whereupon they sent two Heralds
the King and Commonaltie live and evil Counsel perish The two hundred Lanciers disorderly flight to Medina alarmed the Cavaliers who having put their Armie in good order marched into the field with intent to rout the Bishop with his five thousand men but hee valued them not though they were numerous and men of eminent qualities for hee knew Don Pedro Giron was so neer with the Rere-guard and so Vigilant that hee would bee readie to back and assist him if occasion should require it Thus the two Armies faced one another each watching an opportunitie to get the advantage of their enemies and so they remained both drawn up in Batalia one whole daie after which the Cavaliers retreated to Tordehumos and the Iunta's Armie to Villabraxima both neer Rioseco The four hundred Priests which had left their Altars in Imitation of the Bishop of Zamora to sacrifice their bloods in this Holie enterprise remained at Tordesillas for the guard of the Town and of the Iunta who out of respect to their Sacerdotal Dignities would not permit them to march amongst the rabble of the Common Souldiers Besides these Priests remained two other Companies of Foot at Tordesillas and some hors commanded by Hernando de Porras Commissioner of Zamora Gomez de Avila and others Three whole daies Don Pedro Giron kept his Armie in order offering to give the Cavaliers Battle but they would not and indeed it had been madness for them to ingage beeing far inferior in num ber and not so well armed although they were better men and of higher courages then the Common People yet they thought it their securest waie to exspect the Earl of Haro's coming their Captain-General who was reported to bee upon his march thither and besides they were in hopes t● obtain the Victorie by some other means without any loss of blood the Lord Admiral having some overtures thereof by private intelligence and dealing with Don Pedro Giron and som other Gentlemen who sided with the Cōmoners whom if hee could handsomly have taken off it would have been no hard matter to have routed the Vulgar Pack of Tailors Shoomakers Skinners Curriers such like whereof the rest of their Armi● was compos'd But the Cōmoners perceiving themselvs much the stronger Partie infested the Cavaliers with such skirmishes and hot alarms both night daie that they could take no rest all the while they staied at Tordehumos And hearing that the Earl of Haro was exspected with more forces they determined to force them to fight before his arrival or at least to gain the reputation of proffering them Battle To this effect having m●de a general muster they marched with all their Artillerie in very good order towards Rioseco Sanabria Commissioner of Valladolid rid before with 30 Light Hors to discover the field Don Pedro Lasso de la Vega led the Vantguard of Cuirassiers Don Pe●ro Maldonado and Francisco Maldonado commanded the Light Horsmen The Bishop of Zamora was Captain of the Vantguard of Foot with him marched Don Iohn de Mendoça Captain of Valladolid son to the Cardinal Don Pedro Goncalez de Mendoça Don Gonzalo de Guzman Captain of Leon Don Hernando de Ulloa Captain of Toro and others In the bodie marched Don Pedro Giron called Duke of Medina Sidonia with him divers other Captains and Don Iohn de Figueroa brother to the Duke of Arcos who came that same daie to the Armie from Sevilla besides other Commanders The Rear-guard and the Artillerie was committed to the charge of other officers Beeing arrived within Culverine-shot of the Town they made an Halt commanding their Heralds in mean time to approach so near unto the walls that they might bee heard and declare unto the Admiral and Earl of Venavente with the other Grandees and Gentlemen in Medina that the Armie of their Sovereign Ladie the Queen was com thither to execute upon them by her command those penalties which they had incurred by governing the Kingdom without her orde● or consent and for raising and arming men in contempt and to the disservice of her Majestie and therefore they did offer them Battle and did exspect their coming into the field Having sent this message to the Town they remained in the same order almost until Sun-set But the Cavaliers although they were in Arms made no shew at all of Battel or skirmish but persevering in their former resolution let them stand cooling their heels there At last Don Pedro Giron having commanded som of his Cannon to bee discharged against the Town but the bullets never reach't the Walls returned with his Armie into his Quarters losing and neglecting that occasion which proved very prejudicial to his Partie Hee was no sooner gone but the Earl of Haro arrived with his men who had marched as fast as possibly they could thinking to have com time enough to meet Don Pedro for the Earl had intelligence of his defying the Cavaliers in Medina though hee had no great stomach to fight with them All the Nobles and Gentlemen with their Souldiers marched forth to receiv their Captain General with great solemnitie and Militarie order Hee brought with him three hundred Hors-men in compleat Armor four hundred Light-hors-men and two thousand five hundred Foot all choice men and twelv or thirteen field-pieces The same night came likewise to Rioseco Don Francisco de Zun̄iga y Avellaneda Earl of Miranda Don Veltran de la Cueva eldest son to the Duke of Alburquerque Don Luys de la Cueva his brother Don Bernardo de Sandoval y Royas Marquis of Denia with his son Don Luys de Sandoval and Don Francisco de Quin̄ones Earl of Luna with all the servants tenants and souldiers they could get This supplie encreased the Cavaliers to above one and twentie hundred hors and six thousand foot souldiers besides a good companie of servants Insomuch that hereby they held themselvs stronger then their enemies not that they exceeded them in number but in virtue and courage besides the Caus which they mainteined was more just and warrantable which add's much confidence and boldness to the hearts of men and make's their souls insusceptible of any Panick fears SECT IV. THose of the Iunta seeing fresh forces com daily in to the Cavaliers endeavored to prepossess themselvs of all the Towns and places of strength and sent besides to all those of their league to rais and have in a readiness what men possibly they could notwithstanding they were already much stronger then the other partie Hereupon in Valladolid by order from the Iunta was publickly proclaimed that all the Townsmen from eighteen to threescore years of age should bee trained and bee readie with their Arms to march into the field upon notice from the Captain General of the Armie The President and other Judges of the Chancerie in Valladolid who were Persons of great respect and esteem in the Citie having never before meddled with either side seeing the great disorder amongst the people and fearing further confusion
the Bishop of Zamora and shee had a meeting at Villabraxima one evening And having ordered and agreed upon certain Articles in favor of the Iunta the Earl of Venavente said to the Admiral My Lord though you desire to keep four or five Licenciado's in your Town I hope you will not bring our estates in question and give waie to so many mur●hers and robberies as must needs follow if so God forbid that I should have any thing to do with it but to favor and assist the Iunta and the Commonalties since all that they desire is good and just and I so acknowledge and approve it and from this time forwards will justifie it Which said hee set his hand to the said Articles the Countess said as hee did And the Admiral taking the paper in his hands said to the Earl Since you have signed this first I 'le do the like And hee having subscribed they went all together to supper very well contented After supper they returned to Medina and presently gave a Command that the whole Town should declare for the Queen the King her Son and the Commonaltie All this was done with a politick art and cunning to make the Armie of the Commoners leav Medina For if it had continued longer there it would have very much streightned and incommodated the Cavaliers the Commoners beeing already many more in number and receiving every daie fresh supplies and the Cavaliers having little hopes of increasing their force by reason that all the Nobles and persons of honor in the Kingdoms of Toledo Andaluzia and Estremadura sat still exspecting which waie the scale would turn without declaring for King or Commonaltie SECT VII UPon the agreement between the Lord Admiral the Earl of Venavente and Don Pedro Giron the Armie without knowing any reason wherefore marched from Tordehumos and Villabraxima to Villalpando where after some small resistance they were received and quartered peaceably Don Pedro Giron took up his lodging in his unkle the Lord high Constable's hous All were of opinion that Don Pedro juggled and plaied legerdemain in this business and so it appeared by his dislodging his Armie and leaving the enemie free besides having nothing at all to do at Villalpando And indeed Don Pedro Giron might well bee suspected herein for the Grandees who were his neer kindred wrought much upon him as shall bee seen hereafter The Cavaliers seeing themselvs free from the incumbrance of that powerful Armie which blocked them up in a manner and finding the waie cleer and secure from thence to Tordesillas marched all out of Rioseco seizing on all Posts and Travellers that might give notice of their approach making as if they had a design upon Valladolid but with as much speed as an Armie could advance they went directly to Tordesillas Those of the Iunta hearing of their coming dispatched presently a Post to Valladolid telling them that the Cavaliers were marching thither with all expedition therefore they desired them to send them speedie succor But Valladolid having sent neer four thousand of their choisest men already to the Armie and hearing that the enemie was like to fall upon them desired to bee excused thinking they might better have relief from the Armie where were men enough But they beeing in good quarters at Villalpando were not over-hastie to go to Tordesillas for the plot was so well laid that no man knew the certaintie of the design but that which Don Pedro did a little after confirmed the suspition the world had conceived of him One night the Cavaliers stormed the Town having clapt a Petar to the Gates but finding strong resistance the Earl of Haro sent a Trumpet to tell them they came onely to kiss the Queen's hands and to set her at libertie and required them to yeild Whereunto they giving no satisfactorie answer the Earl resolved to force them and encouraged his Souldiers promising them the pillage of the Town But what by the natural strength of the place what through the courageous resistance of the besieged the Earl lost above 250 men before hee could make any breach The Priests which the Bishop of Zamora left there behaved themselvs very valorously in this Holie caus One amongst the rest was particularly observed to have given eleven men their Viaticum with his musket from behinde the Battlements of the Wall where hee thought hee stood secure and as he saw occasion sent his Benediction amongst them which seldom mist his man But at last some of the besiegers with an unsanctified arrow shot him quite through the head with which hee presently fell down and died not having the time to saie so much as one Miserere At length an Alferez with some other Cavaliers having forced their entrie at a smal breach in the wall and given the sign to their Camarades the whole Armie gave a shout and with sound of Drums and Trumpets cried all out Victoria Victoria which so animated the Besiegers that in the same and in other parts of the Town they made fresh assaults insomuch that the Besieged were no longer able to resist The Cavalier-Souldiers beeing thus entred the Town used no violence to either man woman or childe for that they were forbidden but neither Houses Churches nor Monasteries escaped from plundering So that no man had so much as a bed left to sleep upon unless the Souldiers out of charitie would let him have any which punishment they did deserv for fighting and defending their goods no better after they were engaged and put themselvs into a posture of resistance The Grandees and Gentlemen beeing entred into Tordesillas went directly to the Palace to kiss the Queen's hands and shew her their due respects they found her with the Infanta her daughter Don̄a Catalina in her own chamber whence Don Pedro de Ayala Commissioner of Toledo had persuaded her to withdraw during the fight Som say to the end that from the wall shee might have commanded the besiegers not to storm the Town others think it was with intent to conveie her thence and carrie her by the Bridg-waie to Medina del Campo But this escape that was intended for the Queen beeing attempted just upon the entrie of the enemie into the Town Don Pedro de Ayala left her and fled himself to Medina del Campo Shee shewed the Gentlemen that came to kiss her hands very gracious countenance though by reason of her infirmitie and want of judgment shee cared little how things went onely it is reported that while they were battering the Town som of the Commissioners beeing there desired that shee would send a Command to the Besiegers to desist and shee answered Open you the gates and let them in The Earl of Haro staied at the gates to see his Artillerie and Hors let in until midnight which done hee went likewise to kiss her Majestie 's hands where hee found the rest of the Nobles who soon after taking their leavs went to take their rest but the
into a little Tower amongst the Vineyards where they defended themselvs until the Alarm was given in Valladolid and the Bishop of Zamora came out with a partie of Hors and rescued them two of those of Simancas were killed and the rest seeing more men com from Valladolid fled all away so the Bishop returned with som hurt men but lost not one Beeing night the Citie much satisfied with his courage in this exploit sent out many torches to receiv him The next daie becaus a brother of Serna's had murmured somthing against the Bishop they commanded his hous to bee pull'd down and in regard the people thronged thither out of greediness to carrie away the timber they heedlessly cut down the pillars and posts that supported it whereby the four quarters of the hous fell amongst the people killed fourteen or fifteen men and hurt divers others SECT X. THe Commissioners who fled at the taking of Tordesillas to Medina del Campo came afterwards to Valladolid where they held their Iunta general concerning the affairs of the Kingdom The Lord Admiral seeing his Towns destroied his tenants plundered of all their goods and cattle since the ●●rdinal's departure from Rioseco sent them a Letter to Valladolid pourporting That since it had been God's pleasure to laie his Judgments upon the Kingdom and afflict them with the ●pirit of dissention hee desired to the end there might bee no more spoiling nor murthering one another That there might bee a Ce●sation of Arms but upon this condition That whatsoever dammage and prejudice hee and the Earl of Venavente had sustained in their Lands by the robbing and violence of those of Valladolid should bee repaired otherwise That those Arms which they had taken to offend them they should take to defend themselvs This Letter beeing read in the Iunta it was Voted that no answer should bee returned nor any other Letter received thenceforwards from any of the Grandees Christmas beeing com they made great preparations to go against Tordesillas Iohn de Padilla beeing arrived with the men of Toledo at Medina del Campo it was moved that hee should besiege it on one side and the Bishop on the other hereupon were every daie consultations amongst the Commissioners but they could not determine any thing At last it was resolved that Iohn de Padilla should bee sent for to Valladolid that they might take his advice The Commoners were far more in number then the Cavaliers but these were the better and more experienced men in matters of Arms Tordesillas they fortified daily and furnished with all sorts of provisions Simancas likewise was in so good condition that the hors of that garrison plagued those of Valladolid in such manner that no bodie could Travel nor keep any Cattle in the fields or any thing els but they would bee sure to snap it By order of the Iunta it was Proclaimed in Valladolid with sound of Trumpets and Minstrels that no Souldiers or others should rob under pain of death albeit they should meet with people coming from the enemies quarters unless they bore Arms on the other side and in such case they might do what they could to the end that People might pass to and fro securely and trade not absolutely bee destroied The like was proclaimed in Tordesillas and Simancas By this means the waies began to bee somwhat secure but not altogether and the People desired there might bee one good battle for either side falling the dispute would bee ended The spirit and Courage of the Bishop was remarkable One night hee sallied out of Valladolid and went to Palencia took the Corregidor the Alcaldes and other officers of Justice and placed others in their steads hee had an intent to apprehend Don Diego de Castilla also but hee fled With the favor and assistance of the major part of the Citie hee called himself Bishop of Palencia for which Bishoprick hee was presently off●ed sixteen thousand Duckets Thence hee went to Carrion and Torquemad● in each of which Towns as in Palencia hee left two thousand men to guard them which the Commonaltie had given him hee gave them strict orders to bee very watchful and Vigilant but to offer violence to none except the the people of Burgos and other places belonging to the Cavaliers and from such hee bid them take what they could and paie themselvs with the plunder and tell the people that if they came a second time they might thank God if they took not their lives away as for their goods or Cattle they must exspect to have none left This done hee returned to Vallad●lid having made himself a King and Pope SECT XI IOhn de Padilla marched out of Medina del Campo towards Valladolid with ● great number of Foot paid for a long time but onely threescore hors And beeing arrived at the bridg of Duero hee commanded his Artillerie to bee carried up the River to Simancas At about half a league distance hee caused four peeces of Ordnance to bee shot at the Town whereupon the Earl of On̄ate sallied forth with fourscore Lances with which hee laie in ambush thinking to cut off Iohn de Padilla's train but beeing discovered Iohn de Padilla let flie four Falconets at them which made them soon turn their b●cks and hee pursued them to the very Gates of Simancas Thence hee went to Valladolid where hee was solemnly received with the applaus and content of the whole Citie making as if hee were the father of them all in whom they reposed all their trust and confidence And there hee was made Captain-General although those of the Iunta would have given that Command to Don Pedro Lasso de la Vega but the great credit and esteem which Iohn de Padilla had gotten amongst the Souldierie made them decline that resolution The Earl of Haro having intelligence of Iohn de Padilla's march to Valladolid had an intent to stop his waie to which effect hee sent for Don Geronimo de Padilla to Simancas with those men hee had at Portillo but beeing upon his departure informed for certain that some of Tordesillas had given Iohn de Padilla notice of his design and that they had agreed assoon as the Earl was gon with his men one waie Iohn de Padilla shou●d com another and fall upon Tordesillas where most of the Inhabitants were for the Commonaltie and desired nothing more then the effecting of this plo● Hee c●anged his former determination and staied to secure Tordesillas After this they had intelligence that in a place called Rodilana betwixt Medina del Campo and Valladolid were quartered five hundred Souldiers of Salamanca who beeing so neer Medina thought themselvs secure and kept no guards hereupon the Lord Admiral and the ●arl consulted how to beat up their quarters and destroie them Don Pedro de la Cueva brother to the Duke of Alburquerque a valiant Gentlemen undertook the execution of this design and with few more then what the enemie was spoken to bee
Astorga which Towns belonged to the Lord Admiral the Earl of Venavente and Marquis of Astorga their envie and spight beeing so inveterate that if they could but blemish any one of these Noblemen's eies they would not stick to have pull'd out their own SECT XIV DOn Francisco de Veamonte by order of the Lord high Constable surprised and possessed himself finding no great resistance of the Town of Ampudia or Fuent Empudia belonging to the Earl of Salvatierra who was then playing the mad mutinier in the mountains of Alava and could by no means bee reduced to the Lord high Constable The Commoners to gain favor with the Earl of Salvatierra determined to retake Ampudia To which effect one night in the said month of Ianuarie Iohn de Padilla and the Bishop made an alarm in the Citie of Valladolid causing proclamation to bee made that every hous should furnish a Souldier to go with Iohn de Padilla as far as Cabecon for the expedition of Ampudia in regard they had intelligence that five Companies of Foot and hors were marched out of Tordesillas and Simancas to take it from the Earl of Salvatierra who was a great supporter of their caus But the Cavaliers for the better accomplishment of their design sent ten Scouts before to discover and ride close to Valladolid whom those of the Citie perceiving presently sallied out and gave not over the pursuit of them until they had recovered Simancas By which means the the rest went securely on to Ampudia without receiving the least hindrance from Valladolid who were diverted by those of Simancas Iohn de Padilla with great store of men one whole Cannon and three or four field-peeces marched to Cabecon and Cigales from whence he sent back again all the men of Valladolid onely two Companies with which and the rest of his men hee arrived in very good order at Ampudia where hee found the Cavaliers masters both of the Town and Fort. Iohn de Padilla's men beeing mad of fighting fell to storming the Town and having made two great breaches in the old and new Wall the Cavaliers retreated to the Fort whither they pursued them But the Cavaliers seeing they were but few the enemies manie and stout-fighting men they quitted the Fort leaving in it a Governor with 60 Hors som Foot getting out at a private Sallie-port they fled to the Tower of Mormojon one league distant from Ampudia whereof when John de Padilla had notice hee followed them with his whole Armie and beeing arrived at Mormojon hee found they had made themselvs strong within the Castle which was scituate upon the side of the Mountain called Toroços towards the Champain John de Padilla's souldiers were all so animated and desirous to grapple with the Cavaliers that making a furious on-set and burning down the gates they were just entring the Town when all the people came out in Procession the Priests with their robes and Crosses in their hands and the women and children bare-footed fell upon their knees with tears and humble supplications to John de Padilla that hee would not suffer them to bee sack'd or plundered But his men cried out No no let us sack the Town At which words John de Padilla turned himself towards his souldiers saying Take notice Gentlemen our intention is not to ransack or destroie any people especially those who are not culpable by which and other such like plaus●ble language hee pacified the furious greediness of his souldiers and persuaded them to do what hee pleased which done hee told the people upon his word no man of his should offer them any violence but they must bring a thousand Duckets to content his Armie and swear to bee true to the Commonaltie whereunto the poor Townsmen out of fear suddenly condescended and John de Padilla quartered all his men there but with express order that they should paie for every thing except Provender for their Horses which the people were willing to give them Soon after John de Padilla commanding one half of his Armie to lay close siege to the Castle and block up all the Advenues with the other half he returned to do the like to those within the Fort of Empudia who would willingly have surrendred it and those of Mormojon likewise if John de Padilla would have secured them their lives onely but hee refused it and swore if they stood out hee would hang every man of them so hee assaulted them several times very furiously but seeing how courageously they defended themselvs to the loss of no smal number of his men hee was glad they would deliver it upon better conditions which were these That they should resign the Fort vvith all things belonging thereunto as Munition Victuals houshold-stuff c. And march freely out with all their own Arms horses and baggage which they did to the number of one hundred and threesco●e hors and Foot Fray Antonio de Guevara in his Epistles reporteth that the Bishop of Zamora encouraging his Souldiers in this assault said to them So my boyes get up nimbly fight and die couragiously and let my Soul go at a venture along with yours since you die in so just and Holie an enterprise Iohn de Padilla would not suffer any dammage or havock to bee made of any thing within the Fort nor stand to batter it much without becaus the Earl of Salvatierra had written to him to take it with the least prejudice to him that might bee Those of the Commonaltie were very well pleased at the taking of Empudia and Iohn de Padilla's Armie increased daily by the confluence of people to him from the Beherri●s The Bishop of Zamora departed from Empudia to Monçon thence to Magaz spoiling and doing all the mischief hee could to those of the Cavaliers partie Hee caused Maçariegos and other Towns to bee sacked insomuch that hee was asmuch dreaded as fire in places that were not able to resist him But in Valladolid they found great miss of him to defend them from the incursions of those in garrison at Simancas SECT XV. THe Bishop of Zamora by Letters promises and other private practises sollicited and egged on the people of Burgos asmuch as in him laie to make another Commotion in the Citie But the Lord High Constable was so vigilant and zealous to advance his Majestie 's service that hee did not onely keep those of Burgos in good order and subjection but endeavored by the same means the Bishop used to gain the people of Valladolid The plot beeing discovered or at least suspected they cunningly returned an answer to the Citie of Burgos inclosing therein a Copie of the Letter which they shrewdly imagined was of the Lord High Constable's own forging and not from the Citie to the end they might both bee read publickly which occasioned such a tumult and mutinie among the people that like hare-brained inconsiderate creatures they presently rose in Arms and would have turned the Lord
in the night until hee came into the high-waie of Medina del Campo to the end that if hee should meet any of the Commoners they might think hee came from Medina and was going to Valladolid where by break of daie hee arrived and the Guards knowing him at the Gates let him in without difficultie He would not go to his own lodging but alighted at a friend's hous whence hee went directly to Don Pedro Lasso and gave him an exact account of what hee had done with the Cardinal and the Lord Admiral at Tordesillas But in regard hee had not full satisfaction of all his demands which were that they should procure his Majestie 's approbation and allowance of the principal Articles sent him by the Iunta for the good of the Kingdoms It was determined that the Bishop of Laodicea should send a Friar to Tordesillas who should correspond with him in their ordinarie cypher and that Ortiz should likewise return thither which hee did cunningly without giving any susspition and beeing dispatched hee returned to Valladolid in like manner as before SECT XXVI IN this same year the Kingdom of Toledo broke out into the like disorders and exorbitancies as were committed in other parts of Castilla They report in Toledo of Donia Maria Pacheco wife to Iohn de Padilla and daughter to the Earl of Tendilla that shee was a woman of such a daring and resolute spirit that shee was the greatest Instrument to support the Commonaltie of that Citie And if wee may believ Fray Antonio de Guevara hee relate's that shee beeing com into the Vestrie of the great Church in Toledo to take away the Plate for paiment of her husband's souldiers shee fell upon her knees beat her brests with her hands cried sighed and sobbed two torches standing lighted before her and fell into a kinde of extasie believing the deceit and conjuring of a Morisca Witch who told her that her husband should com to bee a King or somwhat near it Hee saith manie other things of her but let them pass since afterwards she paied dear enough for her follie And indeed what otherwise could bee exspected of a woman that doth so far deviate from the rode of her natural emploiment as to throw aside the Distaff and the Needle and busie her self with matters of State and War The Towns of Orgaz and Ocan̄a with the favor and support of those of Toledo declared likewise for the Commonaltie and did a thousand mischiefs and affronts to the inhabitants of Almaguer and other places for the remedying of which disorders the Governors of the Kingdoms constituted and ordeined Don Antonio de Zun̄iga to bee Captain General of the Kingdom of Toledo who having rai●ed me● at Consuegra marched into the field to put their commands in execution what success hee had shall bee said hereafter For the Iunta and the Cavaliers call mee away SECT XXVII THe Citie of Valladolid was grown so passionate in the prosecution and supporting of the Commonaltie's Interests slighting the Emperor's graces to them and beeing so malitiously bent against his Council the Lord Admiral and the Earl of Venavente who out of particular relations did desire and used all means possible to procure their good that all their affection was turned into hatred and their favors into discourtesies In this occurrence arrived at Valladolid a certain Priest with Orders from the Emperor and the Queen to the President and Judges of the Chancerie there residing wherein they were commanded with the College and Universitie forthwith to depart that Citie This coming to the people's knowledg they were exceedingly incensed therewith seeing they should bee deprived of three main benefits they had which to prevent they gave out that those Orders were fals and forged or counterfeited by the pretended Governors who studied to do them all the mischief they could And they determined to apprehend the Priest that brought them but hee sheltered himself by the President 's advice in the Chancerie Whereupon the people all in arms came thither in a tumultuous manner to demand the Priest The President not seeing any other remedie to satisfie the multitude delivered him to them they presently clap't him into the Common Gaol where leaving him they returned to the President and in a furious peremptorie manner demanded that hee would deliver them those Orders which the Priest brought him hee answered That after hee had conferred with the Judges thereupon they should have them but they growing more insolent told him That if hee delivered them not without any further delaie they would set fire on his hous The President seeing their mad resolution thought it his best way to let them have their wills Those Orders beeing brought they forcibly entred into the Chancerie and took away the great Seal also which they delivered to persons of their own choosing In the Orders they found how the Emperor commanded the President with the fore-named within three daies to leav Valladolid and repair to the Governors under pain of beeing deprived of their Offices and that for the present they should go to the Town of Arevalo where they should attend his further pleasure in regard Valladolid had declined his service and adhered to those that were Traitors to his Roial Crown SECT XXVIII THe Cavaliers sent to Valladolid desiring a cessation for ten daies The Major part Voted that they should not consent thereunto alledging that the Cavaliers would break it and besides that they would never have demanded it but to recrute themselvs with men and arms which they wanted At last they returned this answer that each partie should deposite five thousand Marcos de Plata or marks of silver in some faithful and sure person's hands and whosoever should break the peace in that time should forfeit the monie upon those tearms they would hearken to them but not otherwise The Cavaliers refused this proposition and the next daie following they sent a Trumpeter with a Letter of defiance to those who called themselvs the Commissioners of the Kingdom declaring open War with fire and sword against the Commonalties and Valladolid and required them to laie down their Arms disband their souldiers to conform themselvs to those whom his Majestie had appointed Governors of the Kingdoms and obey their Commands as they ought Otherwise they protested to hold them as Traitors and would do them all the spoil and mischief that in them laie Those of Valladolid answered That they feared them not bade them do their worst and they would serv them with the like sauce And without any long delay they sent to those in Simancas charging them both men women and children presently to depart the Town or they should all suffer death without reserv Thus those of Valladolid and of the Iunta shewed their insulting pride and crueltie which spake them rather men given over to despair then capable of reason and judgment Notwithstanding all this the Lord Admiral much grieved at the obstinacie of Valladolid and
out of the tender affection which hee bare to that Citie wrote them another Letter in his own and the Cardinal's name inducing them by all fair means possible with promises of satisfaction for their grievances to return unto their due obedience to his Majestie dis-banding their A●mies disclaiming the Interests and refusing to harbor or assist with their men artillerie or otherwaies any of the disturbers of the peace and repose of the Kingdoms assuring that if they would do so they should finde him alwaies ready to do them all the good offices that they could exspect or desire of him And if not hee protested that according to his Majestie 's Command and in order to his service hee would proceed against them as Delinquents and disloial subjects and that hee would make som of them suffer such exemplarie punishments as should deterre succeeding Ages from committing any the like acts of disobedience Those of the Iunta and of Valladolid having read the Lord Admiral 's Letter made no great account of the persuasive part of it neither were they any thing daunted at his threatnings but returned him an insolent mock-answer wherein they charged him and those of the Council with disturbing of the Kingdoms and required them in the names of their Majesties and of the Kingdoms to return to their due obedience leaving the Queen with the most illustrious Infanta to their free liberties to dis-band their forces both of Hors and Foot and divers other things which if they refused or delaied to perform accordingly they protested in the names of their Majesties and Kingdom to proclaim war against them and declare them delinquents disloial and disobedient persons to their Majesties and that they would inflict such punishments upon them as should make them examples to posteritie for ever committing any such enormities c. SECT XXIX AFter these Letters the Cavaliers wrote another to Valladolid which I could not procure But I have seen the answer which those of Valladolid returned them It seemed that the Cavalier's Letter to them was not so Civil and respectful as they did exspect Therefore in their replie they said That they believed that their Letter was ill addressed for certainly it was not intended for them Then they fell upon the justification of their caus imputing the fault of all the troubles and disturbances of the Kingdom to the Cavaliers and making remonstrances of the Common People's Loyaltie in what concerned his Majestie 's service beeing not wedded to their private Interests like the Cavaliers who alwaies regarded their own particular advancements and profit to the diminution and almost consuming of the Royal Patrimonie SECT XXX THe next daie after this Letter was written the Iunta commanded one of every hous in Valladolid to march out with Iohn de Padilla to receiv Iohn Bravo who came Captain of those men which were sent from Segovia Salamanca and Avila They were in all six thousand compleat Foot and hors besides thirtie Carts loaden with Munition carriages and other warlike utensils They passed the bridg of Duero to the great grief and dread of those in Garrison at Simancas which was not far distant and so marched directly to Valladolid Upon whose arrival the Iunta sent for the Bishop of Zamora who was in the Beherrias burning and spoiling Cavalier's lands The Bishop beeing returned they sat in consultation upon what enterprise they should go next Those of Valladolid spred a report that they would fall upon Simancas in revenge of the damages which they daily received from that Garrison SECT XXXI I Mentioned cursorily before how Don Pedro Lasso began to wax wearie of the Commonaltie and bethink himself of the disservice hee had done his Majestie Now you shall hear fur●her with what difficultie his reconcilement was accomplished Ortiz beeing returned to Valladolid related to Don Pedro Lasso every particular passage to his best remembrance for hee durst not bring any papers betwixt the Lord Admiral the Cardinal and him concerning the agreement Wherewith Don Pedro was not well satisfied seeing they demanded more of him then hee was able to perform so hee remained unresolved About the time that he was in this Quandarie arrived at Valladolid Fray Francisco de los Angeles of the order of St Francis a man of a noble extraction and great learning who afterwards was Bishop of Coria and a Cardinal Hee went first to Burgos with Letters from the Emperor to the Lord high Constable and the Articles which hee desired his Majestie to sign for that Citie thence hee came to Valladolid where hee had conference with Don Pedro Lasso but lest their too frequent conversation might breed suspition Don Pedro agreed that hee should communicate freely with Alonso Ortiz whose breast hee found a secure receptacle of any secret Ortiz told Fray Francisco all the waies and means hee had used at Tordesillas and what treaties had passed betwixt him and the Lord Admiral That for his part hee came from Toledo to Valladolid meerly to trie if his endevors might contribute any thing to the remedying or composing of those unhappie differences Hereupon Fray Francisco took a resolution to go himself to Tordesillas to confer with the Cardinal and Lord Admiral and beeing there they sent for Ortiz who went to them upon Shrove-tuesdaie Anno 1521 hee alighted at the Monasterie of Santa Clara where Fray Francisco lodged and in regard it was past midnight there was then no possibilitie of speaking with the Lord Admiral but the next morning hee coming to hear Mass in the same Monasterie went up into Francisco's chamber where Ortiz hid himself all that morning until dinner time they spent in treating about the Articles in the Afternoon they did the like and it was God's will that before they parted all was fully concluded to the contentment and satisfaction of each partie whereof were transcribed two Copies one signed and sealed by the Cardinal and Lord Admiral as Governors obliging themselvs punctually to perform all and every the Articles therein conteined and procure them to bee confirmed by his Majestie provided that Don Pedro Lasso did make good what hee had promised Ortiz durst not carrie this writing to Valladolid fearing lest the Guards should search him So it was agreed that Fray Francisco de los Angeles should carrie it to Abrojo a Monasterie of Friers a league short of Valladolid for hee durst not venture to go into the Citie with that about him and that Ortiz should send som trustie messenger thither for it Ortiz returned the same night half frozen to Valladolid and the Guards let him in without touching him hee telling them that hee came from Medina del Campo Beeing entred the Citie hee went immediately to Don Pedro Lasso whom hee informed fully of all the passages and that Fray Francisco de los Angeles was to bring the Articles of agreement in writing signed and sealed that same night to Abrojo which hee did the Earl of On̄ate giving him a Convoy of twentie Hors
from Simancas who put him safe within the gates of the said Monasterie Don Pedro and Ortiz were in pain long time how they should send with safetie for this writing and at last they resolved one Fray Pedro de san Hippolito of the Monasterie Del Prado which was without the Citie who was Pedro's Confessor should go for it Hee accepted the emploiment and went to Abrojo and having received the writing of Fray Francisco de los Angeles hee returned but beeing com near to Valladolid about Sun-setting hee met with certain souldiers which had been roving abroad who seeing the Frier in that rode imagined that hee came from Simancas and thinking him to bee a Spie or rather for greediness of his mule they laid hands on him saying Hee was a Traitor and that hee came from Simancas to give the Cavaliers intelligence of what passed in Valladolid In this rude manner they led him into the Citie calling him Traitor and saying that they wovld strip him to see what Letters hee brought to any particular persons so they brought him to an hous close by the gate where they made him alight to bee stript But it was God's great mercie to deliver Don Pedro and the rest that were engaged with him out of this danger for just as Fray Pedro was forced to alight from his mule two Franciscan Friers came most happily thither to whom Fray Pedro addressing himself with a neat slight of hand and a notable resolution drew the papers out of his own sleev and slipt them into one of theirs beseeching him for God's sake to fling them into the fire and let no bodie see them thus hee deceived the eies of above five hundred people that were gathered together to strip him vvhich they did but finding no papers at all about him they carried him before Pedro de Touar one of the Regidores and Captain of Valladolid vvho knovving him commanded them presently to releas him By this vvile hee saved the lives of all those that vvere concerned in that Writing SECT XXXII THe Franciscan Friers having read these Articles did burn them as Fray Pedro desired but they could not refrain from speaking thereof to som others and they to others so that at last it was the common Town-talk and it was carried to the Iunta Don Pedro Lasso somwhat troubled asked Ortiz what they should do who bad him bee of a good courage and if any question came of it to saie it was a trick of the Cavaliers to sow discord amongst them and although they had begun with him doubtless ere long they would do the like to others It fell out as Don Pedro feared that hee was questioned in the Iunta hereupon but hee was so well prepared to answer them absolutely denying the Charge that with his smooth and resolute answers they were satisfied in regard there was no evidence nor any ground of suspecting but meerly from the bare words of the Friers This sore beeing well salved Ortiz wen again to Fray Pedro desiring him to venture once more to Tordesillas and acquaint the Lord Admiral of what had passed and beseech him to send another Copie of the Articles like the former which was lost which hee told him hee might safely enough do in the night there beeing a Monasterie of his Order just in the waie to Tordesillas whither hee would send another messenger to bring it to Valladolid The Frier went and beeing arrived at Tordesillas hee told the Lord Admiral the storie of his adventures and how the former Copie had miscarried and therefore Don Pedro and Ortiz desired him to send another The Lord Admiral wondered at the Frier 's strange relation and thanked God with him for his deliverie and gave him forthwith another copie verbatim like the first wherewith hee returned in the night to his Monasterie whither Ortiz sent one of his own servants who brought it safe into Valladolid Hereupon Don Pedro Lasso began to undermine cunningly to confer with som gentlemen Comissioners of the Junta concerning the miseries of the times persuading them to condescend to a peace to bee reduced to the good and tranquillitie of the Kingdoms in regard that was the end of their Assembling and rising up in arms Som thought this Proposition but just and reasonable others absolutely dis-approved it All these passages were particularly related to the General of the Dominican Order then beeing at Tordesillas who persuaded the Grandees of the Kingdom to send Letters to those of the Iunta General and to the Particular Iunta of Valladolid to this effect That in regard both Parties did fervently desire the good and quiet of the Kingdom and that each in particular did pretend to advance it yet they spoiled and butchered one another without sens or reason beeing all Natives of the same Countrie and their intentions though in a different waie steering the same Cours Therefore for the better understanding of each other if the Gentlemen of the Iunta would nominate any two of the Commissioners and send them to the Monasterie of St Thomas which is without Tordesillas to treat with them they would at the same time appoint two of their partie to go to the Monasterie del Prado not far from Valladolid to confer with those of the Iunta by which means they might com to som reasonable agreement for the satisfaction and general good of the Kingdoms and that there might bee no more war or dissention amongst them which had been the occasion of so much damage and miserie Those of the Iunta divers of them beeing indifferently well inclined and seeing Don Pedro Lasso who was one of the principal amongst them lean that waie were so far from dissenting that without further delay they appointed him and Alonso de Guadalaxara Commissioner of Segovia to go in their names to Tordesillas giving first notice to the Cavaliers thereof and wishing them to send their Agents to Prado as was agreed both giving securitie and pledges that their Messengers should pass without danger or molestation This was concluded on Fridaie March the 10th 1521. On Saturdaie night following arrived at Valladolid those whom the Governors sent for pledges but those who were against this Treatie having consulted with Iohn de Padilla who likewise did not relish it gave order to those upon the Guard not to let any into the Citie that came from Tordesillas but to take away their Letters and seiz upon their persons Insomuch that a messenger with a Pass for them beeing com to Valladolid the Guards would have apprehended him but hee was so circumspect that hee got clear of them and returned to Tordesillas This was not done by the general consent of the Iunta but onely by those which were against the Treatie and the rest of the Junta marvelled that the Cavaliers did not keep their words in sending their Pass or safe Conduct for the Commissioners according to their own motion SECT XXXIII THings beeing thus discomposed the Captains of
desire was very requisite if your Actions had been answerable to your Verbal expressions but that was not granted you becaus it was demanded onely to amuse us and to gain time to your selvs and if it were not so neither is it just nor reasonable that the Kingdom should dis●band t●eir forces which have cost so much trouble and charge the raising for the experience of former passages hath taught us that your intent is to cosen and overcom us with such formal pretenses But wee supplicate and require you to give the Kingdom leav to seek and finde the good which they pretend and not to set your selvs in opposition and contradiction of our intentions for our drift and purpose is no other then to advance our holie enterprise and repel all those that shall withstand us of whom our trust in God is that ●re long wee shall obtein Victorie To whom wee make our heartie praiers that hee will bee pleased to enlighten your illustrious understandings with the true knowledg of our Caus. SECT XXXVI ALthough the Cavaliers did treat of an Accommodation yet they ceased not to get what arms and assemble what forces they could The general Letters signed by the Cardinal Lord Admiral and Earl of Haro at Tordesillas with the date in blank I have seen in the Lord High Constable's hands with divers other originals They demanded of Avila eighteen hundred Foot of Cordova one thousand of the Citie of Jaen three hundred of Trugillo one hundred and fiftie Lances and two hundred Foot of Badajos one hundred Foot of Baeca two hundred Foot of Ecija three hundred Foot of Ubeda two hundred Foot of Xerez one hundred and fiftie lances of Caceres two hundred Foot of Anduxar one thousand Foot of Ciudad-Real one hundred and twentie Foot of Carmona one hundred and fiftie Foot of the Duke of Arcos sixtie lances of the Earl of Vruen̄a sixtie cross-bow-men on hors-back of Don Fernando Enriquez twentie lances of the Earl of Palma twentie lances of Don Rodrigo Mexia twentie lances of the Marquis of Tarifa fourscore lances of the Marquis of Comares thirtie lances of the Earl of Ayamonte thirtie lances of the Marquis of Villanueva twentie lances of the Earl of Cabra fiftie lances of the Duke of Medina Sidonia one hundred lances All these men they desired and all paied for three months promising to repaie the Souldiers and charges of levying and arming them out of his Majestie 's Revenue At the same time the Lord high Constable used the like diligence to rais men in the Mountains saying hi● design was to resist the Bishop of Zamora and the other Traitors with him also hee used means to intercept the Arms which were coming from Guipuzcoa to the Commoners SECT XXXVII THe Commonalties especially Valladolid were much displeased that those of the Iunta and the Commanders of the Armie did so prolong the War for alreadie they were so exhausted that they found themselvs not able to sustain it And Valladolid who had so vast a charge of souldiers to maintain and suffered exceedingly by the continual assaults and incursions which those of Simancas made into their Territories was more sensible of the smart then any of the other Cities and never left praying and threatning in publick and in private until they had persuaded or forced the Captains to march out with their Armie and to end the dispute with the Cavaliers in on battle Upon Saturdaie night of the first week in Lent the 17 of February 1521. Iohn de Padilla with the greatest privacie that might bee le●t his design should bee discovered marched with his men out of Valladolid to Zaratan a Village within a league of the Citie where hee quartered that night From whence hee went the same night with fourtie hors directly to Simancas Beeing arrived at the Watch-Tower which was upon a hill a little above the Town Iohn de Padilla asked the fellow which kept it if hee had perceived any thing of the enemie The man thinking hee had been som of their Garrison said Yes I saw a great number of men march from Valladolid to Zaratan which make's my heartake for wee have but a few left in Simancas Iohn de Padilla presently laied hands on him and carried him to his Quarters where having secured him hee returned tow●rds Simancas by the waie hee lighted upon a partie of their hors that had been scouring the Countrie those hee charged and chased into the very Town after which hee returned to Zaratan with a great prise of sheep which hee took from them Three daies after this came more men out of Valladolid with the Artilerie of Medina Next daie after them marched out those that came from los Gelves who were quartered in Zaratan Arroyo and other places about Simancas with them came the Bishop of Zamora who although sick would not staie behind the Armie saying That in defence of the liberties of the Kingdom dead or alive sick or in health however hee would follow the Camp such was the courage and animositie of a Prelate threescore years old at least Besides all these came to joyn with him likewise Iohn Bravo and Francisco Maldonado with all their forces and divers hors-men Some daies they remained in Zaratan pillaging and taking what they could from those of Simancas and Torrelobaton Some daies they took from the Inhabitants of the enemie's Quarters 1500 sheep per diem and though it was Lent their Bishop gave them leav to eat flesh so they wanted for no good cheer Another time Iohn de Padilla marched out of his Quarters with a great partie of hors and met with some of Simancas and Torrelobaton's Garrisons and after an hot skirmish wherein som on both sides were killed Iohn de Padilla took fiftie Cavaliers horses and arms for which hee might have had great sums of monie if hee would have ransomed them but hee refused it SECT XXXVIII IT beeing a holie time in Lent and the War dangerous and prejudicial divers good Religious men interceded for an Accomodation of these differences and to procure an absolute Peace if possible At Aniago a Monasterie of the Carthusians upon the River Duero three leagues from Valladolid was the meeting place to Treat Those of the Commonaltie had very fair and advantagious conditions offered them but their heads beeing possessed with prejudice and their hearts infected with the poisonous vice of War having the libertie to pillage and spoil as they listed they would not hearken to any reason Indeed the Lord High Constable and the Lord Admiral are both worthie of immortal prais for out of a most Christian zeal and affection to their Countrie they desired this peace offering the Commonalties all favorable and reasonable terms possible and indented with the Emperor in a manner that hee should grant and confirm whatsoever they agreed upon with them and that hee should remit and pardon all the injuries they had done to his Roial Crown Protesting moreover that it
Whilest they were in a treatie during the eight daies of Truce two things hapned which destroyed all the Impostume or poison wherewith their hearts were swoln bursting out into the disorders which in this Book shall bee related and shall conclude this deplorable Historie Insomuch that the clouds which hung over Castilla threatning a cruel storm were all dissipated in one short and not bloodie battle betwixt the Cavaliers and the Commoners in the plain of Villalar the success whereof struck such remors of Conscience into the people's hearts and the Cities acknowledging their errors returned to their obedience unto him whom God had given them for their King serving and loving him as shall bee ●een hereafter During the fore-mentioned occurrences Francisco de Mercado Corregidor of Medina del Campo with twentie hors which in those daies were called Esquiers and other persons who by command of the Iunta were coming to Valladolid at the pass over the River Duero which is two leagues from Valladolid and one from Simancas they were encountred by a partie of one hundred and fiftie light-hors of the Earl of On̄ate's who were going to seek adventures Four of those of Medina were killed upon the place Francisco de Mercado the Master of the Ordnance and two more were taken prisoners and carried to Simancas Notice hereof beeing given at Valladolid they sent out a strong partie to rescue them but it was too late and the Corregidor of Medina who was immediatly released again hindred them somwhat for meeting with them hee told them They might go back again for the business was nothing But afterwards knowing the truth of the storie they apprehended the Corregidor of Medina for a suspicious person laying to his charge the loss of those men and would have executed him presently but upon more serious consideration they held it best to dissemble and forbear a while lest they should thereby indanger the lives of those that were prisoners at Simancas So they sent first to demand them making great complaints that during the Truce they should commit such acts of hostilitie and break their words with them But they found no amends SECT II. THat which chiefly incensed the mindes of all the Commonaltie was that before the time of the Truce was exspired there was set up they knew not by whom in the market place of Valladolid a Proclamation made and signed by the Governors of the Kingdom wherein they named divers Citizens of Valladolid Toledo Salamanca Madrid Guadalaxara Murcia Segovia Toro Zamora and all the rest of the Commonalties to the number of five hundred persons and som Gentlemen declaring them Traitors Violaters of their faith to God and their King and calling the Bishop and Iohn de Padilla and other Officers of the Commonaltie treacherous enemies to his Majestie This was dispatched in Burgos and proclaimed with great solemnitie before Anton Gallo Chancellor and Secretarie of his Majestie 's Council then at Burgos and divers other persons of note The names of the parties mentioned beeing very many and that importing little or nothing to the substance of the Historie I shall not trouble the Reader therewith SECT III. VAlladolid in revenge of this Proclamation set up against them and the rest of the Commonalties the next daie after it was found in the market place they pasted upon the door of Santa Maria Church which is now the Cathedral a Paper with a direction to the Citie of Valladolid animating them to persevere in their holie purpose and not to bee intimidated for any practices of the Enemies or bee troubled at their reviling them with such opprobrious terms and encouraging all those of the Commonaltie to make all forces possible and march speedily into the field with so numerous an Armie that the sight of them onely should serv to overcom their enemies without fighting by which means they should save the lives of many men which would bee lost if their Armies met with equal strength besides the hazard to which they should expose their Caus. And if they were successful the War would bee at an end peace and plentie vvould encreas the libertie and publick good of the Kingdom ensue and the name of Traitors remain upon the Conquerred vvho never vvould dare to face them again This vvith som other things to the same effect vvas the substance of that Paper vvhich the Common people read vvith great content and applaus crying it up exceedingly and sending copies of it through the vvhole Kingdom SECT IV. Padilla's staying so long at Torrelobaton was very prejudicial to the Commonalties for besides that hee lost many men hee gave the Cavaliers time to recruit and strengthen themselvs notably whereas questionless if hee had fallen upon Tordesillas assoon as hee had taken in Torrelobaton hee had driven them to extraordinarie straits But he remained there hugging himself with that small victorie and the applaus of the people which hee had thereby procured Hee fell to repairing the walls which hee had battered down as if hee intended to make that the seat and residence of his Armie which lasted not long after The Cities of Toro and Zamora sent him som fresh supplies whereof the Cavaliers having notice they sent out a Partie of seven hundred Lances to cut off their waie and their lives too if they could near Pedrosa they met and after a prettie hot skirmish the Cavaliers forced them into the Town where they besieged them close but Iohn de Padilla having notice of his men's distress soon came to reliev them with three thousand Foot and five hundred Hors leaving a sufficient Guard in Torrelobaton whom when the Cavaliers saw with so great force they made their retreat good to Tordesillas And Iohn de Padilla marched with his men to Castromonte another Town of the Lord Admiral 's and having taken it left a Garrison in it and thence returned to Torrelobaton intending to exspect the succor for which hee had sent to the Cities of his Combination in the mean time hee repaired and fortified the Town as I said before lest the Cavaliers of Tordesillas should fall upon him before the forces hee exspected were com to him There hee began to be sensible of his own ill government and of the dammage which hee received by his too great confidence which soon after hee more plainly saw to the loss of his libertie and life For it is a blindeness and imperfection of a man's intellect to thrust himself upon imploiments beyond the reach of his capacitie and having undertaken them to bee r●miss in the execution of them To bee the occasion of any troubles or disturbance in a Common-wealth is not Justifiable but beeing once ingaged it is an act of prudence for a man to bee vigilant and active in the atchievment of his design SECT V. IT were unjust that the great zeal wherewith the Lord high Admiral of Castilla was moved to reduce the people of that Kingdom which were up in Arms by fair means and
to the great Church where the Deputies with the Captains of the Citie were assembled with loud voices and lamentable cries beseeching them to seek som remedie for their miserie was insupportable desiring them moreover to let them know the reason why the war was so procrastinated and urging that fiftie daies were past without any action of war neither could their imaginations reach to what they intended The Officers answered them That the occasion of those demurres was the often going to and coming from Tordesillas about the Treatie of Peace with the Cavaliers bidding them return quietly to their houses and before night they should know particularly all the circumstances and passages of the business Whereupon the people praied them to consider well what they did and not to let them suffer any further detriment or bee burthened vvith any more expences for vvithin less then seven months they had dis-bursed above one hundred thousand and five hundred Duckets besides other charges and losses which they had sustained beyond number yet they did grudg none of all this if they could close up their miseries with peace or revenge themselvs by war and that they might bee permitted to fall upon Simancas and Tordesillas for nothing grieved them so much as that they could not have their wills on them Towards the Evening the people of every Ward beeing called together they were shewed certain Articles which two Commissioners of the Iunta had concluded with the Governors and brought from Tordesillas the substance of them beeing according to the contents of the General Articles of the Kingdom specified at large already I shall spare to trouble the Reader with a second relation SECT XV. THe people having perused these Articles would by no means approve of them nor consent to any agreement alleging that what the Cavalier promised therein was not sufficient neither was it certain to bee performed for they had no warrant from his Majestie so especial as a business of that consequence did require besides they refused to give any pledges or deliver any strong holds into the Commonaltie's possession for their securitie And since the conditions they offered them were neither good nor sure they would have no Peace but War with them in regard they found no securitie of their persons or lives without it The Commissioners and Captains seeing all the people fully determined and bent to give the Cavaliers battle and either live with libertie or end their miseries with death most of them beeing of the same opinion deeming that to bee their onely safe way cherish'd them in that resolution presently giving order to all the people of Valladolid to bee in a readiness all the Artillerie to bee prepared and fitted to carrie into the field the like was done through all the Cities and Towns of the Commonaltie every Commissioner repairing to his own Citie and Town to that purpose Thus they intended in one daie to end all their troubles and that this last bout should paie for all their delaies and triflings whereby they had ruined themselvs and given the Cavaliers time to recruit and strengthen their Partie SECT XVI ONe night whilest these things were thus in agitation Iohn de Padilla by order of those of the Iunta came privately to Valladolid and after they had consulted with him concerning things necessarie for the present expedition hee returned immediately to Torrelobaton to secure the Artillerie which was there having intelligence that the Cavaliers in Tordesillas had a design to surprise it Order was given to rais him two thousand Foot well armed with two hundred Lances in Valladolid and two pieces of Ordnance for two purposes the one to demol●sh Torrelobaton which hee did afterwards the other to give the Lord High Constable battle before hee could join his forces with the rest For those from Valladolid with the two thousand which hee had in Torrelobaton and those which hee exspected hourly from Salamanca Toro and Zamora who were six thousand Foot and two hundred lances besides two thousand five hundred from Palencia fifteen hundred from Duen̄as four hundred from Palacios and others from the Beherrias and Merindades would make him an Armie of fourteen thousand But those of Valladolid were so long before they could bee in fit equipage to march and the other Tovvns and Cities not sending in their supplies time enough Iohn de Padilla could not execute his design against the Lord high Constable vvho as you have heard took Vezerril and marched into Rioseco vvith four thousand Foot six hundred lances three or four pieces of Artillerie c. So that through the vveakness and vvant of care of the Commoners Captains hee soon after set a period to that so miserably contentious and destructive War The Cavaliers on the one partie and the Cities for the Commonaltie on the other raised all the force they could possibly for this expedition The Citie of Palencia sent six hundred men and tvvo pieces of Ordnance Duen̄as four hundred men and tvvo pieces of Ordnance Baltanas de Cerrato two hundred Those of Segovia Avila and Leon came not Salamanca made good the number before mentioned All these were without any discipline or experience in Martial affairs and amongst their Officers there was such emulations every one standing so upon their punctillio's of honor each Captain would bee chief scorning to receiv orders from any other In a word they were ill bred people possessed with no less ignorance then unadvisedness The Merchants and other Citizens of Valladolid seeing the ●●siness brought to the push and the people resolved to decide ●●eir difference with the sword fearing or doubting the event ca●●ied all their goods and Merchandises into Monasteries having shut up all their ware-houses and shops and laid all other trading aside onely for matter of arms every one providing himself the best hee could The poorer sort of people beeing ready to starv made lamentable complaints in the streets crying out to God for mercie and to releas them out of those calamities though it were with the loss of their lives They feared the power of the Cavaliers who had an Armie of two thousand Lances and seven thousand Foot of the choicest men in the Kingdom all well armed and in good order with stout and experienced Officers under the Command of the Earl of Haro who with great Vigilancie answerable to his Courage executed the place of Captain General SECT XVII THe Lord High Constable marched out of Rioseco towards Tordesillas the 19th of April 1521 to join with the rest of the Cavaliers where hee was exceedingly desired Beeing com to Pen̄aflor near Torrelobaton hee there took up quarters for his forces wence hee went to Tordesillas where hee was received with extraordinarie expressions of joie Iohn de Padilla was yet in Torrelobaton with eight thousand Foot five hundred Lances and the Artille●ie of Medina del Campo exspecting more supplies from the other Cities which by their ill management and slackness were not com to him And
the thousand men from Palencia and Duen̄as were also hindered from joining with him by reason of the Lord High Constable's beeing at Pen̄aflor whereby hee plainly perceived his own and the other Captain 's unadvisedness and over-sight in spinning out so much time there The Lord High Constable the Lord Admiral and the other Grandees concluded to make their Rande-vous at Pen̄aflor leaving with the Queen and for guard of the Town the Cardinal of Tortosa Don Bernardo de Sandoval Marquis of Denia with his troop of Hors Don Diego de Rojas Lord of Santiago de la Puebla with his and as many companies of Foot which was sufficient the walls of the Town beeing in very good repair They presently dispatched orders to those in garrison at Portillo to com to the Rande-vous and to the Earl of On̄ate to staie with his Hors in Simancas to hinder Valladolid from sending any succor to Iohn de Padilla This done the Earl of Haro having given command over-night to have his men in a readiness the next morning they all marched to Pen̄aflor where they reposed that night beeing Sundaie Mundaie by break of daie becaus they would lose no time the Governors and the Captain General drew all their forces into the field which amounted to about seven thousand Foot and two thousand four hundred Hors besides som Noblemen and Gentlemen of the greatest qualitie in Castilla That daie they did nothing but muster their men sending in mean time som Light-horsmen to discover in what posture Iohn de Padilla was in Torrelobaton for they were generally of opinion to besiege him so close that hee might not go thence without giving them battle and they made no question of worsting him their Armie exceeding his if not in number in goodness and valor of the men With this resolution they returned to their quarters SECT XVIII JOhn de Padilla and the other Captains understanding the advantage the Cavaliers would have of them in the field durst not encounter them and fearing to bee besieged they began too late to bee sensible of their own carelesness or imprudence in staying so long at Torrelobaton and thinking their safest cours would bee to march secretly thence assoon as possibly they could and make no staie until they arrived at Toro where they might remain securely until the succors came to them from Zamora Leon Salamanca and the other Cities whereof they were in daily exspectation or go from thence to Salamanca as they saw occasion they resolved so to do Whereupon a certain Priest sitting at the table with him thus said S ir I have seen a Prophecie in which is declared that the Commonalties shall this daie bee vanquished and the Cavaliers remain victorious therefore I beseech you S ir depart not this daie from Torr●lobaton Whereunto Iohn de Padilla made this answer Go t●ust not in such foolish and vain predictions but in God repose your confidence to whom I shall willingly sacrifice this life and my person for the publick good of these Kingdoms and in regard it is now no time to flinch I do resolv to die and let him dispose of mee as shall bee most for his Glorie This was on Tuesdaie morning whilest Iohn de Padilla was at break-fast Which done his Armie marched out with all silence possible and in good order the Artillerie in the Van his Foot divided into two squadrons and hee bringing up the rear with the hors The Governors and their Captain General soon had intelligence of Iohn de Padilla's march and presently made after him three several waies whom without any great difficultie they took prisoner and routed all his Armie The manner of their fight is diversly reported by several Authors but one who saie's hee was a spectator thereof relate's it thus That upon St George's daie the Cavaliers having notice of Iohn de Padilla's departure from Torrelobaton towards Toro they sallied out upon him from three several places those of Tordesillas charged his Armie in the Van those of Medina de Rioseco in the Rear and those of Simancas falling desperately in upon the Flanks put all in disorder The Commoners marched until they came neer Villalar in very good order and the Cavaliers were of several opinions concerning the giving of them battle Some said it was enough to make them flie and lose their credits and that it was wisdom not to put a business of such importance to the hazard of one battle That their Foot was very numerous and in appearance good that those which the Lord high Constable brought were but few and much harassed besides if they miscarried in this enterprise their hopes were all destroied with their forces But the Marquis of Astorga the Earl of Alva Don Diego de Toledo insisted with much eagerness to charge them their voices carrying it against the more timorous partie they did make after them Who having great store of excellent hors I. de Padilla's men being ill disciplin'd besides the waies being so deep that they could hardly march seeing the enemie advance towards them in great bodies several waies their courage began to fail yet their Captains animated them all they could The Cavaliers follow'd them stil in this manner their hors skirmishing now then with them until they came neer Villalar where having got within shot of them they let flie their Ordnance amongst their ranks who march'd very close which kill'd them by heaps This made their hearts fal to their heels for hast to get into the town they ran one over the other notwithstanding all their officer's endeavors to keep them in order for their further misfortune there fel so fierce a shower of rain that the Foot stuck fast engaged in the mire to the very knees neither could they make any use of their Artillerie partly by reason of the ill wether partly through the baseness of their gunners the chief wherof nam'd Saldan̄a a native of Toledo not wel understanding his office fled awaie left the Artillerie in a plowed field Although some have reported that Don Pedro Maldonado dealt privatly with the gunners so to engage the Ordnance that they should do no execution against the Cavaliers having so promised his Uncle the Earl of Venavente who had made him sensible of his error However it was the Cavaliers seized upon all their Artillerie and divers of Padilla's men both Hors and Foot saved themselvs by coming to them having first changed their red crosses into white ones which was the sign of the Loial Partie Iohn de Padilla expressed a great deal of courage and valour in his own person and seeing his game quite lost hee with five Horsmen more charged into the Earl of Venavente's troop and beeing known to bee the General of the other Partie by the richness of his Armor was presently encountred by Don Pedro Baçan Lord of Valduerna native of Valladolid Iohn de Padilla was in complete Armor and bore
Simancas vvhere hee continued a good while During which time with a brick which hee had cunningly put into a bag wherein hee used to carrie his Breviary hee knockt out the Governors brains that had charge of him beeing in discours with him by the fire side So leaving the father dead hee had made his escape but that his Son discovered him and having brought him back lock'd him into his Chamber without doing any thing els to him for murthering his father which was held and commended for a peice of great wisdom and patience in the yong man The Emperor upon notice hereof commanded the Alcalde Ronquillo to go thither who having too much Justice on his side and bearing no great affection to the Bishop by vertue of a licence the Emperor had from Pope Adrian to punish the said Bishop and other Priests and Friers for their exorbitances bearing date the 7th of March 1523. Hee c●used him to bee strangled within the said Fort And some report that hee hung him upon one of the Pinacles of the Tower to the end hee might bee a spectacle to all that passed that waie This was done contrarie to the Emperor's knowledg and it grieved him very much although hee had reason and power enough to do it This was done An● 1526. SECT XXVIII THe end whereunto Don Pedro de Ayala Earl of Salvatierra was brought may serv for an example of the various vicissitudes of Fortune in this life After hee was taken hee was carried to Burgos where hee was kept prisoner in the Earl of Salinas his hous where hee was let blood to death Anno 1524 the Emperor then beeing at Burgos after which hee was carried to his grave his feet hanging bare over the Bier with irons upon them exposed to the publick view of all This unfo●tunate Earl was reduced to so much povertie beeing forsaken of all his friends in his imprisonment that hee had nothing to eat but a poor mess of pottage which Leon Picardo a domestick servant and Painter to the Lord High Constable somtimes brought him His son Don Athanasio de Ayala then Page to the Emperor out of compassion and pietie which a childe oweth to his father sold a hors which hee had to buie the Earl victuals for which the Master of the Pages would have him punished and complained of him to the Emperor whereupon the Emperor calling Don Athanasio to him and asking him for his hors hee presently answered That hee had sold him to buie Victuals for his father The Emperor was so far from beeing displeased at so pio●● an act that hee forthwith commanded fortie thousand Maravediz to bee given him Thus this great Earl who as hee said of himself was lineally descended from the mightie Gothes ended his daies by an untimely death SECT XXIX THe Emperor beeing desirous to express the Contentment which hee received by the Pacification of his Kingdoms and that hee might shew himself a gracious Prince to those that had offended his Majestie in so high a measure hee commanded that two daies after the general pardon was proclaimed there should bee great Feasts celebrated in Valladolid with great solemnitie with Tiltings fighting on hors-back with Bulls and a Turnament or Just-Royal And the Emperor himself beeing in compleat Armor and so disguised that no bodie could know him entered the List and brake several Lances with those that had gotten the greatest honor that daie behaving himself with such dexteritie courage and gallantrie that hee drew the eies of all the Spectators upon him and kindled a curiositie in their brests to know who hee was which beeing discovered their gusts increased with their admirations Light-winged Fame having filled the World with the Emperor 's good success many Princes and Embassadors from all parts thereupon came flocking to his Court The King of England sent his Embassadors and Don Luis de Silva in the King of Portugal his Master's name came to congratulate his Majestie 's return his reception of the Imperial Crown and the pacification of the troubles in Spain desiring moreover that hee would give order that the Castillians might go no more into the Moluccas which his Majestie remitted to bee determined by judicious and experienced men SECT XXX HIs Majestie 's goodness and clemencie to his Subjects had it been in the antient Greek's or Latine's ages should have been celebrated with a never dying memorie since of so many offendors so few were excepted in the general Pardon and well near all those too obteined an exemption from all punishments aswel of Persons as Estate And the Nobles were restored to the same height of honor and esteem as they possessed formerly the Emperor shewing as much favor and liberalitie towards them and their children as if they never had committed any offence against him Whosoever take's the pains to peruse the historie of these fore-related Commotions will finde that Hernando de Avalos a Gentleman of Toledo was one of the greatest sticklers for the Commonalties one of the chief Ring-leaders of these disorders and one that persevered in them with as great obstinacie and perversness as might bee for which hee was excepted yet nothing was done to him But whether out of fear or otherwise hee privately slunk away out of the Kingdom for which the Emperor as hee had reason was the more displeased at him And having continued in this voluntarie exile some time at last having disguised himself as hee thought sufficiently hee took the boldness to return to the Court and endeavor to procure his pardon which coming to the knowledg of one that was neer his Majesties person hee thinking to do an acceptable piece of service went presently and told the Emperor that Hernando de Avalos was in the Court and that if his Majestie was so pleased hee would apprehend him for hee knew where to finde him The Emperor took no great notice hereof at the first time Two or three daies after the Gentleman thinking his Majestie had not well understood him or els had forgotten what hee had told him gave him a second advice of Hernando's beeing there Whereunto the Emperor with a countenance that express'd no great pleasure in any such like actions answered Thou should'st have done better to have advised Hernando de Avalos to leav the Court then to press mee to give command to have him apprehended So the pick-thank remained ashamed and confounded as all those which delight in such base unworthie offices for the most part are when their malicious practises do not take effect It is moreover reported the testimonie of the goodness of this Emperor that beeing told hovv fevv had been executed of those offendors hee replyed It is enough let there bee no more blood spilt Which vvas a saying indeed becoming the Dignitie of so great a Prince SECT XXXI THe general pardon beeing known through all Spain the hearts of all the people were filled with no less rejoycing then affection to their Prince having such