to surrender when a Castellane who was there a prisoner and under sentence of death for the surrendry of a Fort in Brazile shut out the captain who was gone to parly with the Portugueses and resolved to defend it many days he might have held it out the siege but finding neither ammunition nor provision consumed as was believed on purpose by the Captain who unwilling to have the blot of a Traytor cast upon him for so suddain a delivery thought it fitter to be forced by necessity to open the gates to the Marquess After the surrendry of Fort San Giuliano the Marquess of Ferreira in the name of the King gave the Sacrament of Fidelity or an Oath of Allegiance to all the Orders to wit to the Clergy Nobility and Commons which was received with so much readiness that had not the Marquess seen the necessary orders observed the people had run into certain inconveniences so much they strived to prevent one another in willingness to perform this duty On Thursday the sixth of February His Majesty made his entrance into Lisbon with all these applauses that a beloved King can expect from his most loving Subjects The rich Liveries given by the Nobles the Triumphal Arches the Streets hung with Tapestry the multitudes of the people flocking to see him and the excellent Fire-works which were so many that a Spaniard cryed out Es possible que se quita un Reyno a el Rey D Felippe cun solas Luminarias vivas sinmas exerciâ—â— in Poder Gran senal y efeto sin Duda del Brazo de dios todo Poderoso Is it possible that King Phillip should be deprived of a Kingdom with onely lights and Fire-works without a powerful Army certainly this is an evident token that 't is the Almighty hand of God were the least demonstrations of that Cities love and joy so great was the concourse of those that flocked to see their new king that though his Majesty entred into the City by Noon he could not through the throng arrive at the Palace till two hours after Sun-set curiosity and love which usually have the force to stir up all affections made this people flock so fast to the sight of their Prince And because it is prudence in a publique joy to accomodate ones self to the will of the most even those who either for envy or some other cause hated the house of Braganza did not cease to make some demonstration of reverence and mirth and by how much the more they thought themselves observed by so much the more they strove to seem other then they were His Majesty being arrived at the Palace instead of reposing himself addicted himself wholly to consult about carrying on the war knowing well that onely labour produces true rest The first consultations were concerning the expugnation of the Tower of St. Iohn which of all the Forts in the kingdom only held out for the Catholick King To reduce this Cittadel the Marquess of Ferreira was sent in person with a numerous Army though for the most part tumultuary and ill ordered but what they wanted in discipline they supplyed in affection not refusing to engage themselves in the extreamest dangers for two days the Marquess found strong resistance but on the third day it yeilded as it is supposed forced rather by bullets of Gold then of Iron Don Antonio de Mascarendas with a Portuguese garrison was appointed commander of this Fortress which he very diligently repaired not onely of the dammages now received by Battery but with other necessary fortifications to bring it to greater perfection The Kingdom thus suddenly reduced to the devotion of King Iohn the fourth the several Governors were commanded to their Countries to levy Forces who listed the inhabitants indifferently from the age of Eighteen to Sixty in whom they found so much disposition that many offered their estates and their lives and would follow the Colours although they had licence to depart On the 25 of the same month followed the a Coronation of His Majesty accompanied with all those applauses and demonstrations of joy which could proceed from a people of infinite Riches who weary of the Command of strangers were consequently ambitious of a King of their own Nation In the publique Place before the Palace upon a most sumptuous Theater was erected a great Stage and upon that a less upon the top of which but three steps higher stood a Chair of State under a Canopy all covered over with Cloth of Gold About noon His Majesty came forth of his Palace Royal in a Suite of Chesnut coloured Velvet embroidered with Gold and buttons richly set with Diamonds about his neck was a Collar of great vallue whereunto hung the badge of the chief Order of Knight-hood called El Ordine di Christo. He was girded with a gilt Sword his Robe was Cloth of Gold lined with white wrought with Gold and flowers the Sword was born before him by Don Francisco De Alello Marquis of Ferreira High Constable of the Kingdom and before him was the Kings Banner displayed by Fernando Telles de Meneses Earl Marshal before him went D. Manrique De Silva Marquess of Govea Steward of the Kings Houshold and so in order his Nobles and Grandees of the Realm one before another before all went Portugal King at Arms with the Heralds Pursevants c. His Majesty being ascended the Stage and having placed himself in the Chair of Estate had the Crown set upon his Head and the Scepter delivered to him with the accustomed Ceremonies by the Archbishop of Lisbon which done he spoke to His Majesty to this effect Behold O most Sacred Majesty these your Subjects who do more rejoyce to see this day then of all the days of their lives They rejoyce to see the Crown of Portugal returned into its Ancient stock they rejoyce to have found a Father who will govern them like Children not Tyrannize over them like slaves They here Great SIR offer their estates their lives and oblige themselves to run through all the accidents of fortunes to establish that Crown upon your Head which now with so much devotion with so much readiness they have placed upon it They cannot sufficiently express their affections to Your Majesty could they bring their hearts and lay them down at your Majesties feet they would not refuse to do it so sure are they that they have found a King all goodness all love who will not let slip any means for the Establishing of the Crown for the quiet of His Subjects for augmenting his Dominions and for the conservation of those priviledges which have been written with the blood of our progenitors Be your Majesty graciously pleased to accept this common resentment expressed pressed by my mouth there being nothing that more comforts the mindes of good Subjects than the pleasing of their Prince The good old Prelate spoke these words with so much feeling that the tears of his eyes testified the affection of his heart To
succeeded his father Alfanso was born in Conimbria the eighth day of September 1207. bringing from the womb such mortal infirmities as made most believe he would sooner arrive at the grave then the Crown his mother having tried all humane remedies applied her self to divine making a vow to God that if he lived past his adolescency she would make him pass the hood of the Religion which vow she afterwards inviolably performed whence he was by the vulgar as ridiculous in words as judgement called Sancho Cucullato or the hooded Sancho He took upon him the administration of the Scepter at twenty six years of age not following the footsteps of his Predecessors in studying ways to govern the kingdom but spending all his time either in Hot-house or in a Bath or inventing other ways to recover his health Thus his infirmity having rendred him unapt to command and the weakness of his body having likewise weakned his wit and judgement he left both the rule of the kingdom and of himself to Ministers who governing according to their proper affections let him enjoy no more then the bare name of King He joyned himself in marriage with Messa Lopez who although she were of blood Royal yet was by much too inferior a match for King Sancho so much the rather in that she was widow to Alvaro de Castro a Cavalier of an ancient and Royal family but not to compare with the Kings of Portugal And he himself assented to this match more to satisfie his favorites then to any affection that he had to it which made the new Queen either to show her self grateful to those had wish'd her so well or rather because she nurst in her bosom some dishonest desire applied her self extreamly to favor the favorites of the King And these made proud by the love both of the King and Queen omitted no way to oppress the subjects to the prejudice of justice to the destruction of the State many of the prime Nobility made their complaints to the King representing to him the calamities of the people the oppression of the Nobles and the ruine of the kingdom if he did not with a resolute hand put a stop to the rashness of those wicked men who were bringing a deluge of miseries upon his Dominions The King at these complaints was extreamly moved and overcome by the goodness of his own nature had resolved to chastise to publick a crime with a publique punishment but the Queen with her Artifices easily changed the opinion of her husband and made him believe that those accusations proceeded from envy not from truth whereupon laying the complaints of the other aside these State-mothes onely triumph in his love and in his faith This made several Prelates incontaminated with their own interest but moved out of a real affection to their Country acquaint the Pope with the weakness of the King and the plots of the Queen adjoyning that the marriage was celebrated in a prohibited degree there being between them too near consanguinity and that nevertheless they had not sought to the Apostolick seat for a dispensation Hereupon Gregory the ninth with exhortations and admonitions prefixed a time to king Sancho to free himself from his wife and withall to this purpose sends as his Legat Apostolique the Bishop of Sabina At the appearance of the Bishop the King made show of an humble and ready obedience but he being returned he again receives his Queen into his embraces from whence the simple believed that he was either bewitched or had had some amorous potion administred to him The Queens favorites now again restored gave themselves over to exercise the greatest insolencies imaginable they despoiled the people disposed Offices at pleasure made Justice it self follow their humors nor did there remain any thing either humane or divine which was not contaminated either by their cruelty or avarice Hereupon a great part of the Commonalty no longer able to comport their insolencies led on by Rannondo Viego took Arms and coming in a tumultuous maner to the Palace forced away the Queen carrying her prisoner to a Castle upon the confines of the kingdom where they did not fear neither the authority nor force of the King And because not onely the licentiousness of the Queen but the weakness of the King did concur to the destruction of the kingdom some Prelates had again recourse to the Pope who in a Synod then sitting with the consent of all decreed That Alfonso brother of the King should be called from Bologna to govern the kingdom and to remedy those disorders which had near brought it to utter destruction Alfonso comes and with Arms in his hand possesses himself of the greatest part of the kingdom whilest Sancho seeing himself abandoned of all and hopeless of any help from the Castilian Army cast down in minde he gives leave to those few soldiers which were with him to depart and retires to Toledo where addicting himself wholly to devotion with an admirable patience seems to rejoyce at his private life Being setled in Toledo he dispences with a large hand to the poor those riches he had brought from Portugal he builds a little Temple wherein day and night with uninterrupted supplications he recommends himself to God and implores his mercy there never issuing out of his mouth a word of resentment or grief for his change of condition and although provoked by the insolencies of some who despised Royal Majesty without a kingdom he never expressed himself but in words of mildness and goodness Whilest he in Toledo exercised these actions of true patience many of his Subjects did demonstrate signs of as great fidelity The Governors left by him would never abandon his service nor yield up those places they had received in charge from him neither could the prayers of their fellow-subjects nor the spiritual thundrings of his Holiness the Pope nor the vigorous Arms of Don Alfonso remove them from their resolution with a generous faith they sustained all the Dangers and Disasters of long and tedious Sieges till they received Advice of Sancho's Death The one of these was Ferdinando Paceico who resolved to die before he would render up the Fortress to him consigned The other named Martino Freira who after a years being besieged in Conimbria being advised by Alfonso of his brothers death he desiring a Truce posted to Toledo and causing the Sepulchre of King Sancho to be opened put the key of the Castle into his hand and afterwards returning gives it to Alfonso excusing himself that he could not before show the desires of his heart to serve him he being obliged to what he did by his oath and by his faith Alfonso perceiving this noble generosity in him confirmed him in the Command without seeking any further of him than an inviolable Sacrament Martino returned thanks to the king for his so great love but refused the Government King Sancho the Second died in the year 1245. at 39 years of age
zeal and devotion towards God yet he must needs advise him that God had placed him as King and Governor over his people that the Divine Majesty would be better pleased if he would with his prayers to the Almighty for their welfare add his care for their protection that it was a duty incumbent upon him to provide for his subjects felicity as of parents for their children whilest according to the Apostle He that does not take care for his family was worse then an infidel that for want of his superintendency the kingdom was posting into the road of destruction by reason of the ill administration of his Ministers that according to his duty he could not but advise him to free them from oppression c. These Speeches of the Arch Bishop extreamly stirred up the Kings affections to his people both because he was sensible of the great love the Arch Bishop bore him and because he knew what he had spoken was truth he therefore takes the Helm of State into his own hands calls those unjust Steward to account frees the people from their oppresses where he finds cause punishes them severely and finally makes several Laws for the good and benefit of the people whose affections he in short time so far gained that they surnamed him the Good And having thus setled his kingdom to the content of his subjects at home he next applies his minde to the aggrandising of it to which purpose in the year 1500. he fitted out a great number of ships which he divided into three Fleets sending one towards the East the second towards the West and the third towards the South to make discoveries That which steered their couse towards the East were the first Christian Fleet that ever passed the Cape of Good-Hope and found out the passage by Sea into the East-Indies that towards the West made discovery and took possession of Brazile in America that towards the South reinforced and added to their former Conquests in the kingdoms of Conga and Angola These happy discoveries thus made at the return of the fleet from the East-Indies a more potent was sent out with a convenient Land Army to take possession of some places in the Country these discomfited the great Armies of the Turks and Sultan of Egypt possessed themselves of the Island of Ormus in the Persian Gulf an Island so rich and well situated that the Arabians used to say that if the whole world were a ring that would be like the Diamond in it many other Forts and Places upon the Sea-coast they likewise subjected and fortified and returned home richly laden Thus were the riches of India which before had been brought over the vast Arabian deserts upon the backs of Camels to Grand Cairo in Egypt and from thence by Sea transported to Venice and so dispersed over these parts of the World were now brought home by Sea a longer but less chargeable and far quicker way Emanuel while his Fleets were performing these glorious services abroad governed his kingdoms in peace and prosperity at home blessed with a noble and numerous Issue to wit six sons and two daughters the sons were first Prince Iohn who succeeded him in the kingdom secondly the Infante D. Lewis thirdly the Infante D. Alfonso who was after a Cardinal Arch-Bishop of Lisbon and Abbot of Alcobaza fourthly the Infante D. Henry Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Braga fifthly Infante D. Fernando sixthly the Infante D. Edward The daughters were first the Infante Isabella who was married to Charles the fifth that famous Emperor and King of Spain and secondly the Infante Beatrice married to Emanuel Duke of Savoy Emanuel having long governed this Nation to his great glory and renown at last in the seventy third year of his life and forty first of his Empire yielded to fate at Lisbon in or about the year 1435. and was buried in the Cathedral of that City amongst many of his Ancestors He was a Prince in whom the Divinity seem'd to have been at a strife whether his body or minde should be made more amiable for the features of his face were worthily to be admired yet his outward part could not boast more beauty then his soul could that imbellisher of man vertue I can not well say whether he was more severe or merciful but where he met with offences that he could not pardon he was always pitiful in sum he so lived and so ruled that he deservedly merited that Glorious Name of Emanuel the Good JOHN the III. Fifteenth KING of PORTVGAL JOhn the third of that Name who succeeded his father in the kingdom was born in the year 1504. and educated in the University of Conimbria in all those Sciences befitting a Prince he arrived at the Crown at the age of one and thirty years Heir as well to his fathers vertues as kingdoms He prosecuted those discoveries made by the Fleets of his father in the East and West Indies in the first of which he took and possessed many Islands and Towns his Armies encountred and overthrew the potent and formidable kings of Bengala Pegu and Siam and likewise obtained many signal Victories over the Moors of Malacca Sumatra and Molucco who were as well provided of Artillery as any Princes of Europe His Armies in West Indies had no worse success taking and fortifying divers places noâ— was fortune less favorable to him in Guiny During his fathers life-time being about the age of three and twenty years he was married to Catherine sister to Charles the fifth Emperor and King of Spain by whom he had Issue Prince Iohn who died during his reign but left behind him a son named Sebastian who succeeded this Iohn his Grand-father in the kingdom Iohn the third reigned in all eight and thirty years making many Laws for the increasing and encouragement of Traffique to the great enriching of his subjects he died in the sixty ninth year of his age and in the year of our Lord 1573. being buried in the Cathedral at Lisbon SEBASTIAN the I. Sixteenth KING of PORTVGAL SEbastian Grand-child of King Iohn the third was his successor in the kingdom which he entred into at about three and twenty years of age Scarce was he well seated in his Throne or had sat in it much above a year and a half when he was by Ambassadors from Muly Mahamet then turned out of his kingdoms of Fesse and Morocco by his Unkle Abdemelech implored to aid him in the recovery of his kingdom with promise that if by his means he could drive out Abdemelech he would freely resign to Sebastian the kingdom of Morocco and content himself with that of Fesse Ambition of glory and hopes to propagate the Christian Religion makes Sebastian readily undertake the enterprize and to that purpose makes all possible speed to levy Men and Arms he sends to Phillip the second King of Spain who promises him the assistance of ten thousand men but fails yet Sebastian not discouraged resolves with his own forces
this speech of the Archbishops His Majesty returned answer in expressions equal to his love and greatness That the weight of the Scepter and subjection to the Crown were things always dissonant to his Genius That he had of late years given them sufficient testimony of it whilst they were not more affectionate in offering then he was ready to deny the taking upon him the weight of the Kingdom That his now condescending to their desires was onely to provide for the kingdom which had been acquisted and agrandized with the blood of his Predecessors and to take it from the hands of those who besides their unjustly possessing it had rendred themselves unworthy of it by endeavouring by all means to ruine it in sum he concluded with thanks for their love offering himself ready to adventure his health and life for their preservation the redeeming them from slavery and maintaining of their priviledges This short discourse ended His Majesty went to the great Church in the same order as before where being set in a Chair of Estate raised upon a Stage for that purpose with a Christal Scepter in his right hand at which stood the Lord Constable and behind him the Lord Chamberlain there was placed before him a Table Covered with Cloth of Gold and a Cushion thereon upon the Cushion lay a Gold Crucifix and a Messal Here the Archbishops of Lisbon and Braga administred the ensuing Oath to the King WE swear and promise by the grace of God to rule and govern you well and justly and to administer justice as far as humane frailty will permit to maintain unto you your Customs Priviledges and liberties granted unto you by the Kings our Predecessors So God help us God and this his holy Gospel This Oath being administred the three Estates to wit the Clergy Nobility and Commons took the following Oath of Allegiance to his Majesty one for every one of the Estates pronouncing these words I Swear by this holy Gospel of God touching corporally with my hand That I receive for our King and lawful Soveraign the High and Mighty King Don John the fourth our Soveraign and do homage unto him according to the use and custom of his Kingdoms This and the Ceremonies attendant ended his Majesty accompanied with all his Nobles returned to his Palace whether notwithstanding it was a very great rain all the Grandees went bare-headed where there was a most sumptuous Banquet prepared but his Majesty gave himself wholly to consult of preparations for the War shewing thereby that Kings in their greatest felicity and delights should not forget affairs of State and taking care for the preservation of their Subjects But amongst debates of the War abroad there happened one of an affair neer home concerning the placing or displacing Officers of State and because His Majesty knew that the charge of such Officers must needs be with the resentment of many and that there is nothing more alienates the minds of men then to see themselves undeservedly deprived of their honors he took away onely the places of two to wit that of the Providitore of the Custom-house because he was Son in Law to Diego Soarez and brother in Law to Vasconsellos the late deservedly slain Secretary and that of the Count of Castanhie who was President of the Tribunal or Court of Conscience because he was too much interessed with His Catholick Majesty As for the Infanta Margarita di Mantoua late Vice-Queen and the Marquess Della Puebla kinsman to Olivarez the Castle called Pasos de Angiobregas was assigned them with fourteen thousand Crowns a year for maintenance An honorable prison it was nor could they desire any thing but liberty which show'd a great nobleness of minde in King Iohn but Princes always do like Princes and much it demonstrates the Magnanimity of the mind to honor our enemies though they be our prisoners Nor must we here forget the magnanimous and couragious Carriage of the Dutchess of Mantoua late Vice-Queen during these confusions and distractions for King Iohn sending to ascertain her that she should want none of those civilities that were suitable to a Princess of her high birth provided she would forbear all discourse and practises which might infuse into any an ill opinion of his present Government She returned thanks to the Duke for she would not stile him King for his complement but withal fell into a grave Exhortation to those Nobles that carried the message telling them That they should lay aside all vain hopes and not cozen themselves but return to their old Allegiance according as they were obliged by Oath which if they did she doubted not to finde them all pardon The rest of the Castilians of Authority were confined in the Castle and all the souldiers took the Portuguese pay either because they believed doing so to be most for their interest or else because being most of them linkt in parentage with the Portugusses they believed the Portugal interest to be their own Shortly after Lucia now Queen of Portugal Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia with her Son the Prince Theodosio arrived at Lisbon who were received with all imaginable expressions of joy the Queen was soon after solemnly crowned and the Prince installed at whose installation the Nobles and Grandees of the Realm took to him the following Oath WE acknowledge and receive for our true and natural Prince the high and excellent Prince D. Theodosio as Son Heir and Successor of our Soveraign Lord the King and as his true and natural Subjects we do him homage in the hands of the King and after the death of our true and natural King and Soveraign of these Kingdomes of Portugal and Algarve and beyond Sea in Affrica Lord of Guiana of the Conquests Navigations and Commerce in Ethiopia Arabia Persia India c. we will obey his Commands and Decrees in all and through all both high and low we will make War and maintain Peace with all those that His Highness shall Command us And all this we swear to God upon the holy Cross and the holy Gospel These Ceremonies performed withal fitting solemnity the King to show that the good of His Subjects was his onely care called an Assembly of the three Estates of the Kingdom who being convened and the King seated in His Royal Throne Don Emanuel D' Acugna Bishop of Elvas made a Speech to them to the following purpose THat one of the first laws of nature was the uniting of men together from whence Cities and Kingdoms had their Original and by which they after defended themselves in War and maintained themselves in Peace That for that cause His Majesty had called this assembly to consult for the better service of God defence in War and Government in Peace That there could be no service of God without union of Religion no defence without union amongst men no Regular Government without union of Councils That His Majesty did expect to be informed by his loyal Subjects what was for