and Cardinals page 74. That tyranny is as proper naturall to the Castilian as laughter is to a man and that all which he hath in any part of the world hath bin vsurped either by his predecessors or by himselfe vniustly and by plaine tyranny and that it is now a long time since the predecessors of Philip haue vsed to serue their turne by poysoning page 76. The hatred which the Ecclesiasticall and Regular persons of Portugall haue to Philip king of Castile page 85. The nature and disposition of the Portugals page 86. Iohn the second king of Portugall the scourge and chastiser of the Castilians page 87. That the realmes of Arragon of Valencia and the Countie of Barcelona other Seigniories do appertaine of right to the Duke of Loraine and how Fernand the great grandfather of Philip was one of the maisters of Machiauell page 88. The crueltie of Philip and how he maketh no exception of persons be it Pope Nuncio Bishop c. page 89. 91. That king Philip promised fourescore thousand Duckats to haue the king Don Anthonio killed page 95. The blindnesse and inueiglement of those who beeing the followers of king Philip doe excuse and defend him page 97. Good and wholesome counsell for subiects towards their Princes page 99. The great rents and reuenues which Philip draweth yearelie from the Churches of Castile page 101. The offer made by Philip to them of the pretended Reformed religion to cause them to make warre against the late King of Fraunce page 104. How greatly Philip hath pained himselfe to trouble the estate of the French king by the meanes of some of the chiefe heads both of the one religion and of the other page 105. The reason wherefore king Philip yeelded the citie of Arzil to Muley Hamet page 107. The great difference diuersity betweene the manners of Philip king of Castile and Anthonio king of Portugall page 107. The cause why Don Anthonio refused the meanes to recouer his realme of Portugall page 109. Offers made by king Philip to Don Anthonio page 109. The explication promised by the Author page 119. Of the prouerb Jf the Cockerell had not come the Cocke had bin taken page 119. Of Auila page 121. Of Simancas page 122. The iudgement giuen by the Lackeys against the Archbishop ef Toledo page 123. Of Gelorico page 124. Of the Castle of Coimbre page 125. Of the king of Castile page 126. Of Egbert the first king of England page 132. Of the Castilians and Castile page 132 The reason why Braga entitleth it selfe Primate of Spaine page 132. Toledo Cordua and other kingâ—â—mes of new Castile set at libertie and recouered from the Mores page 132. Of the Cities of Spaine page 134. Of the townes of Spaine page 135. THE SPANISH PILGRIME OR A ROMISH CATHOLICKES DISCOVERIE By way of exhortation Wherein is shewed by good and euident reasons infallible arguments most true and certain histories and notable examples the right way and true meanes to resist the violence of the Castilian King to breake the course of his designes to abate his pride and to ruinate his puissance MOst excellent Princes they which doe make profession of wrastling or of fencing doe principally studie how to discouer the trickes and deuises vsed by their aduersaries in these kindes of exercises for that hauing once marked and taken notice of the same they doe enter into the lists and present themselues in place and doe combat with so much the more hardinesse and assurance as hauing conceiued thereby a full and assured hope to ouercome their enemies and by giuing them the foyle to gaine the prize propounded for the victory In like manner ought we in all affaires diligently to search out the originall of euery thing that we may foresee and preuent all the inconueniences which may grow therein to the intent they may not endamage vs in the time to come afterwards Now that which we in this Treatise ought most curiously to put in practise is to know and discouer the reasons which haue moued Philip King of Castile to make warre in France with so great expence and charge of his treasure with so great losse of his people and with so great decrease and diminution of his dominions especially in the Low Countries If the most Christian King Henrie the third were liuing he could say as much as a certaine stranger his seruant comming from Spaine in the yeare 1583. in the moneth of May did giue him to vnderstand and that was that the sayd King Philip seeing how his most Christian Maiestie had permitted Monsieur de Shosse the County du Brissar The reasons that moued Philip king of Castile to stir vp warres in France what opinion he hath of the French nation and other Lords and Gentlemen to goe with an army by Sea to giue aide and succour to Don Anthony the true rightfull King of the Realms of Portugall who had beene elected King according to the custome of the Portugals by all the cities and townes of the sayd Realme and by many Prouinces and Signories out of Europe being dependants of the same Realme and Kingdome The said Philip did deliberate in a solemne set Councell to stirre vp and procure a ciuill warre in France saying the French nation is at this day of such a nature and likewise the English that they neuer thinke vpon the time to come nor care for any thing but for the present and that which they haue in hand as being more desirous to gaine day by day three or foure Crownes then to keep three or foure thousand already gotten so farre are they changed from their old and naturall disposition For in former times they had a desire to goe abroad out of their owne Counttey for the succouring of Kings and Princes afflicted despoyled of their Realms and Dominions and to make warre vpon the Infidels and to chastise tyrants whereas now their thoughts are quite cleane altered and they doe set their minds altogether to the gotting of money vâ—on any conditions whatsoeuer and they are now growne to be no lesse in loue with the lasciuiousnesse and delights of their owne country then they are in dislike with the sterility and extreame heat of Spaine other discommodities of this countrey and for this cause we shall the more easily perswade and induce them to make warre within their owne countries euen against their own brethren cousins parents and countrimen rather then abroade against their enemies And for this cause I will and am resolued to spend one million of gold the more yearely to the intent I may keepe and entertaine them alwayes in domesticall and ciuill warres So that being held occupied and hauing their hands full in their owne countrey they shall not be able to resolue to passe into the Realmes and dominions of any other And so by meanes hereof shall I be able easily to preserue the Realme of Portugall to my sefle with all that doth depend
end and then after the conclusion of this Treatise I will satisfie your desire particularly and at good leysure for I doe assure you I would keepe silence concerning many things in this worke were it not most requisite and needfull that they should be spoken of and published for the better attaining to that which I intend and purpose the which I doe perswade my selfe that both you my masters of England and likewise of France and you also my masters the Princes of Europe who are all of you highly interessed in the greatnesse of the Castilian will embrace cheerefully and with open armes if you be not altogether without iudgement and vnderstanding But it is now meet that we pursue the proofe and demonstration of the tyranny of King Philip which calleth himselfe the King Catholike We haue lately shewed how King Philip by vsurpation and tyranny non solum in modo sed in genere as the Ciuilians vse to speake of his predecessors doth possesse the Realmes of Castile of Leon of Galicia of Toledo of Siuill of Cordona of Murcia c. with some other Prouinces contained within the precincts and streights of his Realme Let vs now come to the Realmes of Aragon of Valentia the Counties of Barcelona of Cerdonia and Roussillon and the Isles of Maiorica Minorica and Sardinia Aragon Valentia c tyrannized Fernand the Infant of Castile the graund Father of Fernand aboue named vsurped all these Realmes and seigniories of the which he depriued Isabel Countesse of Vrgell his owne Aunt sister to his Mother which Isabel had also one Daughter named Isabel which maried with Don Peter the Infant of Portugall the younger sonne of John the bastard King of the said Realme Of Peter and Isabel was borne the Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall The Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon poysoned by Iohn which Don Peter by reason of his Mothers right and other auncesters was called and acknowledged by the Catalognians for their King and Lord. And after hee had reigned ouer them for the space of fiue yeeres and more he was poysoned by Iohn the second of that name sonne of the first Ferdinand whom we named to be the successour of Alphonsus King of Arragon his elder brother Charles the 4. the rightfull King of Nauarre empoysoned by his stepmother This Iohn was a notable Tyrant and hee retained the Kingdome of Nauarre tyrannously after the death of the Queen Blaunch his wife the right heire of the said Realme against the rightfull title of Charles his owne sonne vnto whom that Realme ought to haue descended by the death of his mother as it did likewise fall vnto Lewes Hutin by the death of his mother Jane who dyed eight yeeres before her Husband Philip the faire For this cause the said Charles being a most curteous and vertuous Prince had great difference and suite with his Father who caused him to be poysoned by his stepmother Jane the Daughter of Don Federike the second Admirall of Castile The Translator The grandmother of King Philip on Charles his Fathers side was the graund daughter of this Iohn and this Iane from whom principaly hee hath learned and retained the art and science of poysoning so perfectly that not onely to the said Iohn the Graundfather of his Graundmother and to the said Iane his wife but euen to all his predecessors he may giue forty fiue and a fault at that game and yet be no looser were they neuer so cunning in that art and science Of Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon there was no lawfull issue remaining for the line of Jsabel his mother was extinguished in John the second King of Portugall by reason whereof the right of that Realme and all the Seigniories depending thereupon ought to descend and doe appertaine to the most excellent Dukes of Loraine as the true and rightfull heires of Yoland Dutchesse of Anion The Duke of Loraine the right heire of the Kingdome of Arragon the wife of Leweâ— Grandfather in the fift degree of the said excellent Duke of Loraine now liuing the which Yoland was the lawfull Daughter of Iohn King of Aragon the eldest sonne of Peter the ceremonious King of that Realme who was also the Father of Martin which raigned after the said Iohn his elder brother and was the true heire of this Crowne and of all the demaines thereof by the death of her elder sister the wife of the Earle of Foix of whom shee had neither sonne nor daughter The Realme of Nauarre was vsurped as is reported by diuers Historians Nauarre vsuâ—ped euen Spaniards themselues vpon false informations by Fernand the great Grandfather of King Philip which Fernand was one of the Masters of Machiauel Fernand the 5 king of Castile one of the masters of Machiauell In his Booke of the Councels Councellers of Princes Dis 14. par 11. as Bartholmew Philip doth tell vs in that Booke which he caused to be imprinted in the yeere 1585 where he hath these words Those Princes which do fully resolue themselues to preuaile and grow great by force of armes ought to imitate the Catholike Don Fernand the fift of that name King of Castile who held himselfe apart and gaue the looking on to the warres which the Princes of Christendome made one vpon another to see what issue and what forces they should haue to the intent hee might aide and succour those which were weakest and hee would not suffer any to grow great or puissant in Italy who pretended to be Lords and Commaunders there neither would hee at any time enter into any leagues made by the Princes of Christendome vnlesse he might make some profit and benefit thereby vnto himselfe This was Lewes the 12. of that name For this cause he would not make warre vpon Lewes King of France when Pope Iulius the Emperour and the Swissers did warre against him for that hee thought he should not aduantage himselfe by the diminution of that Realme if the aduersaries of the said Lewes should make themselues great by his losses and yet being perswaded that the said French King would augment his estate Let the French King and the Princes and Potentates of Europe consider this well by making warre vpon the Realme of Naples hee entred into league against the King of Fraunce with the Emperour and the King of England The Booke whereof I speake was dedicated by the Authour to Albert Cardinall of Austria when hee was Vice-roy of Portugall who is the third Graundchild of the said Fernand both on the Fathers and Mothers side Portugal and her demaines tyrannized Now how Philip himselfe hath tyrannized and vsurped the Realme of Portugall and the Seigniories which are dependant thereupon raising himselfe into a great and mighty Monarchy and yet ill considered or knowne by strange and forraigne Princes all Bookes in generall doe sound it forth and the Vniuersities of Coimbre of Bologna and
foretold and as it were prophecied as the prinâ—ipall counsellers of estate both in Fraunce in England can well testifie both all this which is come to passe in this behalfe and hath also foreshewed all that which hath beene lost in Fraunce and to what end and issue things will grow at the last if there be not some better order taken in these affaires And I beleeue that if they were demanded the question they will tell you how I haue passed away my time with as great griefe and discontentment as a man possibly might do to see the enemy daily to prosper and to waxe more proud and arrogant by your owne proper sufferance consent and wilfulnesse for this cause I am in a manner wholly resolued to leaue and abandon the conuersation of men to retire withdraw my selfe into some solitary mountaine Notwithstanding because I know and am acquainted with all that hath befalne for these 50 yeeres last past in the greatest part of Europe I doe therefore tell you as one that hath had experience of these matters that as yet you may recouer if you will all that which hitherto you haue lost and both deliuer your friends and bridle your enemies And you may take such order that the time to come shall be more happy and fortunate vnto you then the time already past hath beene And moreouer I doe assure you that sithens the losse of great part of Christendome wonne by the Turke the late losse of the most part of Germany the hereditary possession of the King of Bohemia all Switzerland with the great hazard of losing all the Netherlands who are now striuing for breath against the King of Spaines mighty powers now in the field which I for my part doe thinke to haue proceeded from the very hand of God as of your louing Father who by a fatherly loue doth chastise you to the end you should awaken you out of your security and negligence I haue beene euer since resolued to set downe in writing that which I haue so often pronounced by word of mouth to so many persons of speciall marke and quality before that euer they did entreat me thereunto And this is the cause that if this my writing doe not produce that publike good and that effect which I desire I protest that from henceforth I will for euer hold my peace and be silent Neuerthelesse I most humbly beseech your Christian Maiesties and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe and all the great Lords and Officers of the Crownes of England and of Fraunce that it would please you to descend into your selues and at your leisure according to your accustomed prudence and wisdome to consider that good fortune and felicity doth not consist so much in the conquest and subduing of great Seigniories and large dominions for the time present with an intent to leaue the same to your successors but rather to assure confirme and preserue them for the time to come to your children and posterity to the intent that when it shall please God to call you hence they may quietly and peaceably enioy them in peace and tranquility without any trouble disquiet or hinderance For it is a farre greater vertue to preserue and keepe that which is gotten then to get and purchase new things daily Non minor est virtus quà m quarere parta tuêri The poore Pilgrime beaten by Time and pesecuted by Fortune P. Ol. I am resolued to make warre vpon the Castillian wherein if you also will beare a part assure your selfe you may account me as one of your most faithfull and surest friends But if you once grow to any termes of peace and amity with him then seeke you some other with whom ye may deliberate vpon that matter AN EXPLICATION OF THE PILGRIME VPON THE PROVERB IF THE COCKErell had not come the Cock had not bene taken And of the loyaltie of Auila and Simanchas in Castile and of Celorico and the Castell of Coimbre in Portugall Item What the diuersitie is betweene the King of Castile and of Spaine and who they bee whom wee call Castillians and what is vnderstood by Cities and Townes HEnry the fourth King of Castile of whom wee haue before spoken being at the point of death If the Cockerel had not come the Cock had not beene taken named foure Executors of his Testament to gouerne the Realme after his death and to marrie his daughter the Ladie Iane two of which Executors to wit Don Aluaro de Estugniga Duke de Areualo and Don Diego Lapez Pacheco Marquis de Vâ—llena ioyning with the Archbishop of Toledo named Don Alphonso Carrillo Don Bertrand de la Cueua Duke de Albuquerke the Maister of Calatraua Don Rodrigo Telles Giron Countie de Vâ—egne Don Iohn Telles Giron hif brother Marquisse of Calis Don Alphonso de Aguilar and manie other great Lords with foureteene Cities of Castile sent vnto Don Alphonso the Affrican King of Portugall praying him that he would take to wife the said Queene Dame Iane the which the King of Portugall accepted against the willes and good liking of many of his Realmes who would not by any manner of meanes haue to doe nor meddle with the Castillians By reason of this mariage in the yeere 1475 Don Alphonso went into the Lands and Countrey of his said wife where he had many encounters and combats with Fernand King of Arragon the Husband of Jsabel the pretended Queene of Castile and with his people till such time as they encountered in the battell which was foughten neere the City of Toro The battell of Toro in March 1476 which was ordered in this manner the King Alphonso had made one Campe of the Lords and Nobles of the Realmes of Castile and Leon with some Portugals the Prince Don Juan his sonne who was come to the succours of his Father had made another Campe of his Portugals without any Castillians mingled amongst them The King Fernand made also two campes the one of the Castillians which tooke his part and his wiues and the other of Arragonois the Catalans the Valencians and such other peoples and Nations as were the subiects of his owne Realmes and Seigniories whereof himselfe was Lord and commaunder Fernand encountring with Alphonso defeated and ouercame him and hauing taken his Guidon royall made him forsake the field and to betake himselfe to flight But the Prince Don Iuan gaue in and charged so resolutely vpon the Castillians that he made them to flie and hauing slaine many of them vpon the place he tooke a great number of prisoners and himselfe remaining whole and entire with his Forces did with singular hardinesse and magnanimity assaile Ferdinand also the vanquisher of his Father and making him to flie did recouer againe the Guydon royall which the said Alphonso his Father had lost The History of Portugall saith that the Prince did great honour vnto a Knight which saued the said Guydon and gaue him an yeerely rent or annuity of
and Townes holding the party of the king deceased did conuey themselues into Portugall where they were receiued by the king Fernand and had most honourable entertainment with most notable fauours rich presents and incredible gifts which hee gaue vnto them most bountifully In so much that from thenceforth the Castres did continue still and inhabit in Portugall from whom are descended those which are there of that name now at this day Hierom Guliel cap. 23. fol. 81 pag. 2. The like happened to Diego Lopez Pacheco a Portugall albeit not for so iust and honourable a cause who going from Portugall into Castile for being charged with the death of the Queene Dame Iues de Castro in the time of the king Don Peter of Portugall hee was then created Lord of Beiar and his children also made Lords of other peoples of whom the Marquesse of Villana the Dukes of Escalon and many other great Lords haue their descent and originall In like manner in the time of king Juan of Portugall of happy memory Alias Iohn the Acugnas and Pimentels went into Castile and of them are descended directly in the line masculine the Dukes of Ossuna and Counties of Benauent and in a manner all the Princes and Lords of Castile and Dame Iulian de Lancastre Duchesse of Auero in Portugall Now at this day the Nobilitie of Spaine doth greatly want such places of refuge and sanctuarie and now The Nobilitie of Spain want places of refuge and sanctuary at this day the least Prouost or Marshall is sufficient to arrest the greatest Lord of the countrey yea though it were the brother of the King himselfe in so much that the Princes and Lords of Spaine doe as heartily desire to see some Realme or Prouince set at libertie as they doe their owne safetie The sorrow griefe of the Princes and Lords of Spaine to see the inuasion vsurpation of Portugal the desire they haue to see it at libertie None can tell how great an affliction and notable a misery famine is but hee that wanteth bread to eat and the Nobilitie of Spaine doth at this day with great griefe finde that to be true which they most of all feared in the time of Charles the fifth whose greatnesse they had euen then suspected and for this cause they did shew themselues mightily aggrieued at such time as King Philip did enterprise the vsurpation of Portugall Conestagio a Genouois in the booke which he hath written in fauour of the sayd Philip and which is intituled The vnion of the Realme of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile doth tell vs both the one and the other of these matters And although in that worke of his there be many true reports yet we doe know him for a great and notable Lyer and euen the very first word of that booke is an vntruth in that he hath entituled it The vnion of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile The oth of K. Philip. for king Philip in the assembly of estate which he held at Tomar in the yeare 1581. where the Portugals against their wills and by force did receiue him for their king promised and sware with a solemne oath neuer to intermingle the matter and affaires of Portugall with those of Castile The Explication of the Genealogy of the French K. now raigning The authour whereof was Frier Ioseph Texere but to keepe for euer the Monarchy of Portugall entire in the same estate and in the same manner as the kings his precessors had alwayes preserued and maintained it paying all the pensions fees and wages to all the officers of the kings house both Spirituall and Temporall in like sort as they were payd in the times of the true and good kings forepassed Somewhat of this matter a man may see in the end of the booke of Explication of the Genealogie of his most Christian Maiestie where it is spoken of the first king of Castile Moreouer the said Conestagio as a man of a maligne and peruerse spirit is a most vngratefull enemy of that nation which hath both aduanced and honoured him For wee knew him at Lisbon when he serued Anthonio Caulo and afterwards with Stephen Lercaro 3. fol. 62. a Marchant of Genoa He hath in his booke these words In Castile this succession gaue great matter whereof both to muse and to talke both in priuate and in publike for that the king caused the Estate of Portugall to be vnited to his other Realmes and Dominions not caring how nor in what fashion it were done so it were effected The which the Nobilitie tooke very ill in so much as it seeemeth that all the great men of Spaine since the time of Charles the fifth to this day could not away nor like of the greatnesse of the king because thereof it hath proceeded that hee maketh lesse reckoning of them then did the ancient kings of Castile and hee constraineth them to be equall to their inferiours as well in iustice as otherwise If Don Antonio king of Portugall were liuing hee could witnesse how after that the enemie was entred into Portugall with a huge armie and had taken Lisbon hee being then in the towne of Badaios many Lords of Castile did offer him to haue entrance into the sayd towne and did promise him all their best aide and assistance to seize vpon the enemie himselfe The which the said Prince could not effect nor put in execution for that within few dayes after he was dispossessed of all the realme in the citie of Puerto of Portugall He could also certifie vs how that seeing in these parts many great Lords of Castile did send vnto him offring him their seruice and assistance in case that he would set foot in Portugall the which matter he communicated if I bee not deceiued to the king and principall Lords of France and principally to the estate and Councell of England Notwithstanding touching this desire of libertie it is a matter which doth principally touch the Princes great Lords and Hijos de Algo of Spaine For as concerning those masters of the long robe and the rascall sort of Castilians they take a pleasure in this their slauery and seruitude vnder the king because they alone doe command and rule all and triumphing ouer others haue the principall and chiefe managing of all the affaires of the Realme yea and euen the gouernment of the king himselfe in their owne hands And although they doe hate him most extremely and doe wish ill enough to his person yet notwithstanding they doe wish so well to their owne country and doe so delight to see themselues to haue the command ouer all others that if they know any thing either in publike or in priuat which might hinder and endamage his tyrannie they will not faile onely in regard thereof to aduertise him of it such is the naturall disposition of the Castilians Iosephus de bello Iudaice lib. 1. cap. 3. who being issued and sprung
amisse that the Moores should be in feare but it were more meet that the King your Maister did vnderstand to what end this Armie is leuyed for in very deede it is for Portugall The most Christian king and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe haue great reason to hinder that the Portugals doe not accord with the Castillians and that they giue them no occasion to lose the hope of their libertie And if the King Catholike my Lord doe make himselfe Maister of that Realme as hee verily hopeth for hee holdeth it in a manner as alreadie wrought and practised hee will bring to passe that not onely the most Christian King shall be inferior and tributarie vnto him but also all the other Princes of Europe shall bee subiect vnto him especially the seuen vnited Prouinces of the Low Countreyes and the Pope with all the Court of Rome shall doe nothing but what seemeth good vnto him because hauing added vnto his Empire the Monarchie of Portugall who can be able to resist him For this reason it will concerne the most Christian King and all other Christian Princes to ioyne themselues together as in a common cause for that otherwise the King my Maister will make himselfe Lord and the vniuersall Monarch of all the World whereby they shall be his subiects and wee shall be his slaues and vassalls perpetually This that wee haue here left recited doth prooue that which was before spoken and therefore to returne to the matter in hand I say in the fifth and last place that whensoeuer a great and puissant army shall be raised to passe into Spaine be the charge neuer so great if it do nothing else then wast and spoile the countrey and take some few cities and townes and if in regard thereof the Castilian be enforced to call home his forces which he holdeth in these parte of Europe for his owne defence though the comming of those his forces should cause our army to retire yet I should hold this for a very great benefit because that which cannot now be done with an hundred will then be done with ten men and the charge and expences will bee still lesse and lesse But it may be that some of your Maiesties subiects will say vnto me that this is a matter of great difficultie and at this time especially very hard to be done for that hauing the enemy here at hand euen at our backes there were small reason for vs to transport our forces into foraine parts This a good doubt and may be some trouble to men of a shallow and small vnderstanding and such as haue little iudgement to discourse vpon the state of matters but to them which know the depth and ground of things it will carry no apparance of danger But to the intent the trueth may the better appeare let vs reason together each with other by way of demanding and answering as is vsed in the Schooles A discourse or reasoning betweene the Author and a Frenchman touching the passing of an Armie into Spaine The Subiect Be it so if you please for I will heare you with a right good will The Pilgrim Say then what is it that you thinke will endamage you Subiect The enemy with his forces and with his intelligences Pilgrim But if you finde a meane to disnest him from hence who then can hurt you afterwards Subiect No body Pilgrim Doe then as I haue told you and without doubt the enemy will be gone from you Subiect That cannot bee Pilgrim Wherefore Subiect Wherefore say you How would you that we should goe into a strange and foraine country to warre vpon others and leaue our owne country in the power and puissance of our enemies If we send our forces into Spaine as you would perswade vs we should be vtterly vndone as I haue giuen you to vnderstand Pil. Good God how are you without iudgement and vnderstanding Take that which I tell you as I speake it and not as you conceiue it and answer me to one question categorically If there were now an armie raised to goe into Spaine to the making whereof let France spare some foure or fiue thousand men England three or foure thousand the Estates of Holland Zeland Freezland and all the rest of their Allies two or three thousand besides ships of which they haue great store and let some other Princes Potentates and Common-weales disburse some proportion of money for the aiding and furthering of this enterprise to these adde three or foure thousand Zwitzers or Lance knights and then tell me shall France bee vnprouided or shall England be dispeopled or shall the Estates be vnfurnished of men and shipping and without meanes to keepe the Seas or shall the other Princes and common-weales be reduced to such misery that they shall be vnable to hold their ordinary course in their affaires and proceedings but rather as they may well spare twice so many men to furnish them to passe into Spaine out of the seuerall Kingdomes and yet they are sufficient to imploy greater forces into other his dominions in the West and neuerthelesse powerfully maintaine their owne Sub. No I think not so Pilg. Why then doe you not that which concerneth you so neere and whereof dependeth the whole and onely remedy of your mischiefe and misery and wherein you for your part haue a greater interest then any of the rest Sub. Marry sir to make vp these thousands of men which you speak of there must be had great store of mony which will as hardly be had as they that haue it will be loth to depart with it Pilg. O how blind is this people and how deuoyd of counsell and prudence is this nation O that they would be wise and that they would vnderstand and prouide for things to come Our towne which the enemy may take to morrow next doth it not import vs more then 300000. crownes which is the most that wee shall neede for the furnishing of 4. or 5. thousand men If after the taking of Laon and the reducing of so many good townes there had been imployed 200000 crowns which are demanded for this enterprise it may bee you should haue had by this time more then three milllions in your purse and you should not haue lost al these towns in France of so great import Cambray Dourlan Calice Ardes Amiens and many other places with your great Admirall and so many braue gentlemen and Captaines which are now dead would stil haue liued to speake in French Moreouer doe not excuse your selfe and say for your discharge that a man cannot diuine what will follow for you haue beene too too much forewarned of matters as they haue fallen out and there is yet liuing a Lord one of the Councell who at Fountaine Belleau in May 1595. did by all meanes he could possibly deuise perswade the vndertaking of this enterprise alledging so many reasons and so euident that he plainly shewed how greatly it did import France
the Protestant Princes and most Christian King of France to free your selfe from the encombrance of this burthen now laid vpon you and to send a good armie into Spaine for as much as by such a voyage well handled and to good purpose dependeth both the safety of your selues and the ruine of your enemy If you make warre vpon your enemy within Spaine hee shall be compelled to call home all his forces not onely from France the Low Countries but al those which he hath in Lombardy Naples Sicily Sardinia and other countries The meanes to ruinaâ—e the enemy we had good proofe and experience hereof euen of late For as soone as the Castilian saw the English possessâ—d of Calice hee did incontinently send for all his gallies of Naples Sicily and Genes He sent to intreate the grand master of Maltha to send him the Gallies appertaining to the knights of the Religion Which had been done if the French Gentlemen which were of the order had not opposed themselues against it He caused in all haste the Forces which hee had in Brittaine to passe into Spaine and there is no doubt but hee had likewise called home all those which he had in other countries if the English had remained there any longer time You see then most excellent Princes that by passing into Spaine you may withdraw from oâ—er your heads the sword of the Castilian and deliuer your country from his proud yoke and tyranny But you will say the enemy hath great and puissant forces and a great number of old and expert souldiers by whose meanes albeit they be farre off yet being called backe into Spaine he will greatly endamage and annoy you and consequently your voyage may proue vnprofitable and perhaps very dangerous and so you may be enforced to retire and returne home againe not onely with shame and confusion but which is more in great trouble and extreame perill But vnto this I answer Good and sound counsell First if you do all things with prudence and good aduise you reape thereby incredible profit and commoditie and the danger will be small or none at all Secondly that in Spaine there are many places vpon the Sea coast which you may easily take and command and whose situation is so strong by nature that if they be fortified by art and the industrie of man you shall defend and keepe them with a very small charge and much more easily then the enemy doth keepe Blauet in Brittaine and those will serue you for sure places of retrait Thirdly in Spaine there are many nations which do hate the Castilian extremely for that they haue beene tyrannized either by himselfe or by his predecessors and these when they shall see themselues aided and assisted in good earnest and to purpose for the great desire which they haue to be at libertie will soone take armes against the enemie Fourthly those Souldiers which are out of Spaine being called backe by their Lord and master cannot arriue there within foure moneths at the soonest and within two moneths may you arme and furnish fit and ready for the warres all those of the countrey which will take your part For this is most certaine that the very Climate of the countrey doth helpe and aide to make them able and actiue I my selfe and many others in Portugall haue sometimes seene a company of new souldiers at their first entring into garrison to seem rather a troupe of beggers and poore rascals rather then souldiers al of them being so poore naked and miserable as we had pittie to see them and yet within foure or fiue dayes after that they haue beene new apparelled and well appointed if you had seene them settled in the garrison you would haue said that they had beene great Gentlemen and they did carrie themselues with so good a grace and countenance as if they had beene braue and old trained souldiers I doe assure you that two moneths will suffice to them of the country to make them souldiers The greatest difficultie is to make them abide and not to feare the fire of the Hargubush Moreouer the Prouinces of Spaine are rich as all the world knoweth The nature of the naturall Spaniard and the inhabitants make not any account nor reckoning of their wealth when there is any question for the recouering of their libertie For in this case they will not spare to spend it liberally as was to be seene by the offer which they made to king Philip after that the Englishmen were retired from Calice and therefore by sending of money into these quarters they will gather together fiftie thousand men of warre to passe into Spaine for their succour defence and preseruation sooner then the enemie shall bee able to cause fiue thousand to come thither from any forraine partie If any man shall say that seeing two moneths are sufficient to make the naturall Spaniards good souldiers the enemy may therfore much sooner assemble and arme a great number of men then we shall get for succour I answer I would agree thereto if there were in Spaine armes sufficient wherewith to arme and furnish them but they are so rare and daintie there to be had that there bee many great townes notably well peopled within the which a man cannot finde fiftie Hargubushes Armes very rare in Spaine And if there were any store of armes to be had yet the Spaniards in Spaine would take armes sooner and much more cheerefully for their libertie then for the seruice of one that tyrannizeth ouer them Especially the Princes and great Lords who doe desire nothing so much as that there were some realme or prouince within Spaine in full and free libertie and which might be gouerned by it selfe to the intent it might serue them for a place of refuge and sanctuarie as they had the like in times past For Spaine being in manner as an Iland at this day the Princes Spaine in maner of an IlaÌ„d Lords and Gentlemen of marke cannot easily withdraw themselues from thence by meanes whereof they are held in great slauerie and subiection When there were seuerall kings in Nauarre Arragon and Portugall if the Castilians were at any difference with their king or the Nauarrois the Arragonois or Portugals with theirs they would haue retired themselues the one to the other by whose liberalitie they were euer prouided of all things needfull and necessary for the life of man and sometimes with greater ease and commodity then in their owne countrey as it happened in the time of Fernand king of Portugall and of Henrie the second king of Castile who slue his owne naturall and lawfull brother which was the cause that County Don Fernand de Casire and Don Alvar peres de Castre his brother Men Suares Grandmaster of Alcantara Suer Iuan de Parada Gouernour of the Realme of Galatia Petro Giron Grandfather of Calatraua Alonso Giron his Nephew and many other great Lords and Gentlemen with a great number of Cities
which worse is in Castile and J protest vnto you that although I doe against my will enter in the realm of Castile yet shall not Castile euer enter within me And so as he persisted in this fidelitie to his countrie and disauowing of Philip by his commandement there was poyson giuen him whereof this godly graue learned and excellent man died in the flower of his yeares The like misaduenture happened to Don Laurence Don Laurence Prior generall of the Cannons Regulars of Saint Augustine of the congregation of the holie Crosse of Coimbre who for his singular prudence and religion wherewith hee is notablie adorned had three seueral times with great coÌ„mendation honor executed dischargd this charge What shal we say touching the immane and brutish crueltie vvhich he hath practised in Portugall against an infinite number of other notable personages namelie against that most reuerend Father Frier Steuen Leyton â—ryer Steuen Leyton of the order of Friers Preachers the kinsman of the Duke de Aueyra and of the Duke de Leyria and of other Princes and great Lords vvho vvas twise Prouinciall and thrise Vicar generall of his Order And albeit that all the vvorld did admire the miraculous life of this vvorthie man yet because hee had tooth and naile as the saying is defended the right of his countrie the said Philip caused him to bee taken and imprisoned depriuing him of his voyce actiue and passiue and of the exercise of his Priesthood which vvas the occasion of his death through extreame griefe and sorrow These things and manie others hath hee committed against a great number of persons both Regular and Ecclesiasticall vvhome to recken vp vvere infinite All those aboue mentioned they haue bene either ill intreated or else put to death by the commaundement and order of his Maiestie that is so Catholike as is vvell knowne by true and manifest proofes and by most cleare and euident coniectures It may bee that one day you shall see touching this matter a more ample and large historie then this same vvhich containeth onelie his cruelties towards his neighbours and yet not all of those neither See an epistle vvhich Anthonie King of Portugall sent vnto Pope Gregorie the thirteenth of that name in the yeare 1584. Behold then how hee dispatcheth all his affaires and in what manner hee dealeth with all the world It was not long since there was taken in the Citie of Leon a packet of letters written with his owne hand and sent to the Constable of Castile within the which were found certaine graines amongst the letters and a certaine Gentleman suspecting somewhat gaue of those graines to eate to manie liuing creatures which all died immediatlie Another like matter as this same happened within a while after in the franke Countie of Burgoigne in a certaine house where the Constable of Castile had lodged after his departure from thence a chamber-maide of the house founde a ball within a verie faire purse within which ball shee thinking to haue founde some great treasure founde certaine graines of which was made the same proofe and experience and all those creatures that did eate thereof died This is that notable tyrant which doeth all that hee can doe to the vttermost of his abilitie and that dareth seeke to take away the life of the most Christian Maiestie To wit of â—he Queene of England and Prince Maurice Count of Nassau c Fol 216. p. 2. 80000. duckats promised by king Philip to kill Don Anthonio and other Princes by such shamefull and abhominable meanes as there is none but would shame to write them saue onelie maister Hieronyme Franchi Conestagio of whome wee haue formerlie spoken For hee in the seuenth booke of his historie saieth that Philip did prize the life of the Priour that is to say of Seigniour Don Anthonio king of Portugall at fourescore thousand duckats as beeing a rebell and disturber of the publike peace and quietnesse And so did hee handle another Prince that was both his cousin germane and cousin germane remoued and so manie wayes of kinne vnto him and so strictly allied vnto him in friendship and amitie that they carried themselues each to other as if they had bene each others father yea and as if they had bene but one person and yet did hee vse him as if hee had bene a common theefe a robber a malefactor and a man of no reckening nor estimation And this horrible and abhominable crueltie doeth not end in Portugall but it passeth ouer the sea and the Pyrenean mountaines into Fraunce and into England where he hath bent and imployed all his meanes to take away the liues of the Monarches of those realmes O barbarous O abhominable hang-man and murtherer hast thou no shame If thou be a Catholike as thou doest entitle thy selfe how is it that thou knowest not what a deede of shame and enormitie it is to commit murther God would not that any man should touch Caine himselfe who had murthered his owne brother and commanded that if any were so hardy as to kill him that he should bee seuerely punished Genes 4. Omnis qui occiderit Caine septuplum punietur Whosoeuer shall kill Caine shall be punished seuen sold If thou doe know this why doest thou not keepe the commandements of God eternall The good workes I say not of Saints nor of Christians but euen of Idolaters which hauing no knowledge of the true light doe follow onely the simple law of Nature doe they not worke any shame in thee Doest thou not remember what the Romanes did when Pyrrhus Pyrrhus his Physitian did offer Fabricius Fabritius to poyson him And how they handled the Schoole-maister to the children of the Fuliscians which came to betray to them to Camillus Lucius Florus Pompo Mela. Lucas Tudensis Paulus Câ—sirus and many others If thou thinke that these Examples bee nothing to the purpose learne what sentence they gaue against Seruilius Caepio who returning to Rome with victorie and demanding that he may triumph in recompence of his seruice done to the commonwealth by the death of Viriatus whom he had caused to be slaine by treason and for that he had subdued a great part of Spaine to the Romane Empire they pronounced this iudgement against him that both the said Caepio and the murtherers of Viriatus were more worthy to be chastised then to be recompenced and that there was no reason they should allow any reward for the destroying of their enemies and the victories gotten against them by money and through corruption Quae victoria empta erat à Senatu percussores indigni praemio iudicati By this then that hath beene said may bee seene as in a mirrour the crueltie of this maligne and peruerse tyrant whome many will not beleeue to bee such a one as in very deede and in trueth he is but contrariewise without all consideration as people blinded peruerse and obstinate they will striue and contend to
gratifie him be it well or ill done And that which doth make me most out of patience in this behalfe is to see and heare some who moued with an indiscreet zeale or els being wickedly enclined and it may bee guided and seduced by the diuell doe hold any man whomsoeuer a most lewd and vile man and in manner of an heretike who being drawne by a true and iust zeale shall publish this much for a trueth and certaintie in so much that whether it be for feare or for gaine or for hatred or of a disordinate loue and charitie they doe esteeme it a farre worser deede to accuse and to reproue such open knowne iniquities then the very act of doing them All of you in a manner will confesse and can not denie but that all this which hath bene spoken touching the malice of this tyrant is most true and certaine and yet neuerthelesse they themselues will not for all that stick to say that notwithstanding it be so yet it is ill done so to report of a Prince that is so great a Catholike See I pray you what a blindnesse and how strange a matter this is most vnworthie and vnbeseeming any man that would bee counted either a Christian or a iust and honest man Nefarium est maleficum cognitam veritatem damnare It is as the sin of witchcraft to condemne the knowne truth Obiections or allegations of reasons to iustifie or excuse K. Philip. If it bee true and publikely knowne wherefore then doe you contradict it euen against your owne conscience and to the hurt and detriment of others Doe you not knowe that it is a most wicked and cursed thing and a manifest sinfull crime to condemne the knowne and notorious trueth and especially in such thinges which by the commandement of God and in holie and pure religion we are bounden to reproue and reprehend But you will say vnto me that there is reason Princes should bee excused in some faultes when they are otherwise endowed with any notable and excellent vertues And that there did neuer reigne in Spaine any Prince which hath giuen bettâ—r triall nor made such euident demonstration of him selfe to bee a good Catholike as his Catholike Maiestie of whome now wee are in question There is no Prince that hath so much enlarged and augmented the Catholike faith as hee There was neuer any that did vse the Clergie and all both Ecclesiasticall and Regular persons with greater loue nor greater reuerence And in briefe there is not any hath builded more Monasteries nor edified so many Churches nor exercised so great bountie and liberalitie towards the Church as he hath done for besides the great and excessiue costs and expences which hee hath bene at in building them hee hath founded them with most great and rich rents and reuenues and hath honoured them with most ample and beneficiall priuiledges This is well said Beleeue me my maisters I am infinitely sorrie that I may not briefely aunswer to these propositions for that euerie one of them doeth require a more ample treatise then this worke which wee haue in hand neuerthelesse I will not leaue by the way as it were to say something touching the same An answer to the former obiections or allegations and to shewe you how you doe abuse your selues in all these matters And first to aunswer to the former of your allegations I confesse that you say nothing but reason when a Prince shal be a good Catholiste iust honest and valiant without being liberall it is great reason he should be pardoned of this defect and so doe I thinke also when any of those vertues shal be wanting in a Prince which are conuenient and fit for the royall person and dignitie so as notwithstanding he be furnished and adorned with the residue Howbeit I doe not forget what the commaundement of God is touching this point Quicunque totam legem seruauerit Iames. 2. v. 10. in vno autem offenderit factus est omnium reus whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all But I speake now as touching man and in respect of men onely and not of God and I am of this opinion that if a Prince be touched with some notable vice as if he be vniust or cruell or a tyrant or an ill or loose liuer c. yet being accompanied and furnished with other vertues we ought not neuerthelesse for any one of those vices aboue mentioned how great and haynous so euer it be neither to reuolt from him nor yet so to complot or conspire against him as to procure his ruine and dâ—struction for asmuch as in seeking his ruine we shall sooner finde our own which Fraunce hath wâ—ll pâ—ooued of to her cost But we are bound to haue our recourse to God by hartie prayer fasting and abstinence and to pray to his diuine Maiestie Good and wholesome counsel for the demeanor of subiects towards their Princes to turne his mercie toward him and to pardon him and to giue him grace and vnderstanding to auoide that which is euill and iudgement and wisedoome to choose that which is good that hee would giue him a concrite and humble heart and would deale with him according to his mercies to the intent the sweete smelling sacrifice may ascend vp to heauen and that of his clemencie it would please him to receiue his prayers and oblations made vnto his diuine Maiestie By such meanes did the people of Loraine obtaine by the mercie and fauour of God so much grace for their Duke Thierri the sonne of William the brother of Godfrey and Balawin Kings of Ierusalem a most cruell and tyrannicall Prince one that was a persecuter of the Church of God and an oppresser of his subiects and vassals in so much as he did not only come to himselfe and amended his wickâ—d life but also restoring that which he had wrongâ—ully taken he withdrew shut himselfe vp in a Monasterie where by the space of foure yeares before his death he led a perfect holy life O that it would please God that your great friend Philip the Catholike in whom are wanting all the vertues which are fit and decent for a good and iust Prince would doe the like and would restore vnto others the goods liuings taken from them after the example of Duke Thierri and not as did Charles the fift his father And let this suffice for an aunswer to the first proposition alledged by you As touching the second true it is that Philip hath greatly aduaunced the Christian faith in the West Indies in so much that this doeth serue him greatly as a cloake or mantle to couer and to augment his vsurped power and tyrannie but this good worke ought to bee imputed to such deuout and religious persons both of his subiects and others as haue bene the instruments thereof rather then to him See I pray you and consider well how hee
rendered the City of Arzile to Muley Hamet King of Marocco against the will and liking of the Portugals which did inhabit it who had bound themselues without his aide to defend it It was supposed by all the Christians that Philip surrendered the City because hee was assured that hee should not be able to defend it against the puissance of Infidels for so did he himselfe cause it to be giuen out saying The reason why Philip rendred that City of Arzil to Muley Hamet That it was a lesse mischiefe to render it without hazarding the liues and goods of the Inhabitants then by keeping it to put them all in daunger But therein hee abused them most maliciously for the true cause why this good Catholike rendered this City of Christians vnto the Moores was because he had promised it vnto their King vpon condition he should not lend two hundred thousand Crownes to Don Anthonio his cousin german King of Portugall The which summe the Moore had before promised to lend him at the intercession of England and for this reason had the said Don Anthonio sent his sonne Don Christopher to Marocco to be there in hostage for the said summe of money who remained there by the space of foure yeeres You see now what a good and Catholike Christian deede this man did whom you doe so defend for a most singular Christian and Catholike who to hinder a King a farre better Catholike then himselfe from recouering of his owne doth not onely tyrannically detaine anothers right but doth make it away from Christians to giue it vnto Infidels What answer doe you make hereunto I make your selues the Iudges wherefore then will you not acknowledge the irreligion of this man to whom you are so affectionate and the great malice and peruersenesse of him whom you loue so well Consider and know that you are taken and bound with a grosse chaine Psalme 41. and that abissus abissum inuocat One depth calleth another And I say to you one fault draweth on an hundred thousand after it Of the maintaining and defending of an euill and wicked man ensueth commonly a sinister and peruerse iudgement of them which are good This was well seene to be true and verified in the life time of Don Anthonio and is yet still euen at this day It is a shame to heare the abhominations which the fauourers of this pretended King Catholike haue heretofore spoken and giuen out and doe not yet cease to speake of this poore Prince deceased Some call him rebell others terme him a runni-gate and a fugitiue from place to place and from Countrey to Countrey and some others call him a seditious person an enemy to Christendome an Infidell and an hereticke Can there be any thing more grieuous more sensible more vniust and more vnworthy of a Christian How dare you against all Lawes both diuine and humane handle and vse so ill a Prince the sonne of the greatest Prince of his age the graund-child of that great Emanuel from whom the Princes of Europe doe glory to draw their descent and originall a Prince sore pressed and turmoyled with afflictions trouble and perplexity He hath well shewed euen in his exile and banishment that he was a better Catholike then your Philip his cousin lesse ambitious without choller without hatred and full of charity For if he would haue beene content to recouer his Realme of Portugall with more honourable meanes then your tyrant hath tyrannized ouer it and doth yet tyrannously detaine it hee might well haue done it If he would haue accorded that the English should haue had exercise of their Religion in Portugall onely within their owne Houses and lodgings the Earle of Leicester whom some call the Count of Lest would haue vndertaken to set him againe in possession of his Realmes and Seigniories In the yeere one thousand fiue hundred eighty nine when hee passed into Portugall with the English amongst other Articles of agreement made betweene them there was no other thing granted nor yeelded vnto them but onely a licence or liberty for them to liue in Portugall without being bound or compelled by the Ecclesiasticall Prelates to repaire to the Churches to the seruice and exercise of the Catholikes And in the same manner as the Queene of England did then entertaine the straungers Catholickes inhabiting within her Realme of England euen so did hee accord and ordaine that the English should finde the like vsage and entertainement in Portugall And it may be that if he would haue enlarged their libertie in this respect the English would againe haue enforced their aboade in that Countrey But he proceeded so like a Catholicke with them that they had a kinde of distrust and tooke occasion to suspect him The king of Marocco at this day now raigning of whom wee haue lately spoken sent an Embassadour into England to intreat him touching the deliuering of Portugall from her tyranny offering him to make present payment of 100 thousand Crownes at London for the prouyding of 100 sayle of shipps to passe into Barbary from whence he promised to embarke and to passe with him in person and also to set at liberty about seuen or eight thousand Portugalls whom he held in captiuity and which were good souldiers and with them and the principall horse of Barbary to take land and set foote in Spaine and to put him in possession of his Realme But Don Anthonio would not accept those his offers because hee would giue no occasion to the Moores namely those Moores that are baptized and liue as Christians in Arragon Valentia Murcia The cause why Don Anthonio refused the meanes to recouer his Realme and other quarters of Spaine where the Moore did assure himselfe to finde 60 thousand men at his deuotion there to rebell and to worke the misery and calamity of the Christians This was a more daungerous matter and would haue beene more burthensome and chargeable to King Pbilip then to the King Don Anthonio with whome Muley Hamet desired to haue made a peace very beneficiall and aduantageous to the Realmes of Portugall but Don Anthonio refused all onely mooued thereunto of a godly Catholicke zeale Now shew me my Masters where or when your Don Philip euer did as much He hath made great promises to Don Anthonio to the intent he might cause him to renounce his right which he had in Portugall by reason of his election He offered to make him Viceroy of Naples Offers of king Philip to Don Anthonio with 400 thousand Crownes of yearely rent and the collation of the officers and benefices of that kingdome Moreruer he would haue giuen him 500 thousand Crownes to pay his debts and to defray the charge of going to take that Gouernement vpon him And that hee would bee bound to restore all those Portugals to their former estates whose goods he had taken and confiscated for following of his partie And that hee would aduaunce and recompence such as did serue and attend
him actually and that he would pardon all in generall Whereunto Don Anthonio made him this aunswer God defend that he should commit so great a fault Don Anthonio full of conscience and that he had rather die in an hospitall then to doe a thing so hainous wicked vniust and against his conscience for that the lawes had taught him thus much that he might not contract for that which appertained to another For when he was chosen at Sautaren he had then sworne and afterwards againe at Lisbon when he was confirmed King by the deputies of the cities and townes of Portugall which came thither to take their oath for their allegeance and to doe him homage that he should neuer accord nor fall to any agreement with the enemy without leauing Portugall in her full and perfect libertie This may serue to shew how much better a Catholike and how lesse ambitious the King Don Anthonio was then King Philip. And as touching his choller and his hatred or charitie that may appeare by this which followeth in that there haue beene many men who haue oftentimes offered to Don Anthonio to kill Philip neuerthelesse he would neuer giue them any entertainment Most christian speaches of D. Anthonio alledging that Kings are the annoynted of the Lord and although quoth he my cousin King Philip blinded by ambition and tyrannie do persecute me and do seeke to take my life from me yet will not I be content nor consent for all that that any man for the loue of me should attempt to take his life And whosoeuer shall dare or aduenture to do it let him looke to himselfe that he come not into my hands For though his sins do so blind and bewitch him as that they make him shew himselfe a Saul against me yet I for my part do protest before God to shew my selfe a Dauid towards him A certaine man on a day demaunding of him a fauour for the good newes which hee brought him for he had assured him that King Philip was dead he aunswered him halfe in choller My good friend doest thou not know who it is of whom thou speakest vnto me hee is my cousin germane bring me newes that I haue eight or ten thousand faithfull men and well armed with good and sage Captaines and all things necessary to restore Portugall to libertie and I promise thee in the word of an honest man to make thee so rich and so honourable in my Realme as no Gentleman shall go beyond thee go go learne to know the disposition of Princes Now my masters what thinke you of these examples do you now see what reason I haue to say that the King Don Anthonio was more Catholike and lesse ambitious then the king Philip that he was a man without choller hatred but contrarywise full of charity I pray you therefore for the loue of God that from henceforth you would resolue your selues with a sound and vncorrupted iudgement a pure conscience and without any inueiglement or indiscreet zeale to embrace the good and to reiect the euill If he be dishonest luxurious licentious I say nothing in that behalfe for that is not the butt or ende of our treatise and I beleeue that the Prince of Orange in his Apologie hath said something touching that matter and the infamous rumour and detestable report which hath runne and doth yet runne throughout the world doeth say much to that effect God giue him the grace to know himselfe and to conuert and to render to euery man his owne before his death better then he hath restored that which as is reported his father at the hower of his death commaunded him to render and to restore againe Now most humbly I beseech your Maiesties to hold me excused for hauing beene so large in this matter because I haue not done it without good cause knowing that to come to the butte and end of my purpose it was very needfull and did much import me to haue sayd that which I haue done This is a thing proper and conformable to the law of God and agreeable to the nature of charitie to bring them into the right way that wander and goe astray and to discharge and cleare the innocent though it bee to the dammage and displeasure of the wicked Most excellent Princes If the reasons which I haue alleadged and the histories which I haue quoted bee not sufficient to perswade you and to vrge you speedily with one accord and consent to make a good and gallant army and to send it into Spaine not onely to make present resistance against the force of the Castillian to breake the course of his desseignes to beate downe his pride and to ruinate his puissance but also to bridle him in the time to come I shall bee enforced to beleeue that God hath forsaken and abandoned you because of your sinnes both publick and particular and that he hath depriued you of all iudgement and vnderstanding to the intent you should not see that which concerneth you so neare and which is aboue all thinges most needefull and necessary for your safety In such sort that being fo inueigled and as it were wholy amazed you will come to fall into a bottomlesse gulfe of most blinde darkenesse and consequently into vtter destruction and totall ruine Conceiue I beseech you and comprehend that which I say vnto you and consider it intentiuely for in that you haue within these few years past contemned or neglected to make a voyage into Portugall and haue not vouchsafed to yeeld neither succour nor fauour vnto the Portugals your friends you haue therefore at this time in Fraunce the Castillians your enemies From hencefoorth it shall be better for you and more expedient that the warre be made in Spaine and not in Fraunce and you shall receiue farre lesse discommoditie in destroying the territories of the Castillians with fire and sword then to see the townes and territories of your owne taken wasted and spoyled The Translators encouragement to these most worthie Princes The inward affection which I haue vnto your Maiesties the loyalty which J owe vnto your seruices and the desire which J haue to see the augmentation of the good and prosperity of Fraunce besides my age and long experience in matters of estate do giue me the assurance and hardinesse to aduertise you by the way of something concerning the matter here spoken of by the Author I had of late certaine intelligence by letters from some of my friends that the King of Tartaria now raigning whome the auncient Historiographers and Cosmographers do call Magnum Can Regem regum Dominum dominantium that is The great Cham King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is said to be a most prudent braue ard warlike Prince hath determined for the great deuotion which he beareth to his great Prophet Mahomet whose sect he professeth to passe with great forces to Mecha in Arabia and there to seaze vpon the bodie of
from thence into Portugall with Letters of fauour from the said Innocent the fourth to the peoples of Portugall praying and requiring them that they would obey and submit themselues vnto him and deliuer vnto him all the Cities Townes and Castles of the Realme in generall Neuerthelesse some speciall persons there were who notwithstanding the commandement of the Pope or the force of Alphonso because they supposed that this did derogate from the loyalty which they ought vnto their King would not yeeld thereunto but opposed themselues against the said Alphonso and would not render vnto him the Townes and Castles which had beene committed to their custody by their King Sancho Fernand Ruis Pachâ—co Lord of Ferreyra was one of those who being besieged by Don Alphonso within the Towne of Celorico and seeing himselfe in extreame necessity of victuals there happened by great chance a Trowt to fall within the Castle from the talents of an Eagle flying ouer the place of the which he made a present to Don Alphonso with two fine white manchets to the intent he might make him beleeue that hee was very well prouided of victuals seeing he was not as yet without such delicates and dainties In so much that the Gouernour Alphonso beleeuing that he had victuals secretly conueyed vnto him raised his siege and departed This deuise was imputed to Fernand Ruis as a notable point of fidelitie in the seruice of his Lord and maister after whose death he did immediatly yeeld vp the said towne to the said Alphonso then elected and chosen King of Portugall for that Sancho his brother had left no issue behinde him without any other accord or condition The said Alphonsus for the same reason besieged the Castle of the citie of Coimbre The Castle o Coimbre the Captaine whereof was called Martin de Freytas who was brought to that necessitie that both bread and water failed him notwithstanding neither his owne wants nor the great promises which Alphonsus made vnto his Captaine could draw him to render the Castle vnto him Don Alphonso considering the loyalty and constancie of his Captaine and being desirous to saue his life assoone as tydings were brought him that the King Sancho his brother was dead who died during the siege he sent from his armie to the besieged both bread flesh and other victuals necessarie for their sustenance and hee wrote vnto the Captaine that the King Sancho was dead and buried in the towne of Toledo and he promised to giue him great honour and preferment praying him that he would not any longer trouble himselfe but render vp the castle vnto him seeing now his King was deceased and that he was chosen King by the Portugals and had beene receiued and confirmed in the kingdome by the oth of fidelitie and allegeance throughout the realme The Captaine seeing the letter demanded of the King onely so long time of truce as was needfull for him to go into Castile and to see with his owne eyes if that report were true or not which the King hauing graunted him he tooke his iourney and comming to Toledo caused the sepulchre of King Sancho to bee opened and hauing taken good notice and knowledge of him hee bound the keyes of the Castle to his right arme of the which hee caused an act and record to be made by a publike Notarie whom he had there of purpose to that effect And so returning from thence into Portugall he rendred the castle to the King Alphonsus The King in token of so rare a constancie and fidelitie restored to him againe the keeping of the said castle and gaue him the place freely to him and to the heires of his bodie for euer with this prerogatiue that neither he nor any of his posteritie should bee bounden to doe homage for the same either to himselfe or to the Kings his successors Freytas hauing kissed the Kings hand and yeelded most humble thanks to his Maiestie for so great a fauour did not onely refuse to accept of the Kings gift but forbad his sonnes and all the issue that should descend of him vpon paine of his curse neuer to take charge nor to vndertake the custodie and guard of any towne or castle for which they should bee bounden to doe fealtie and homage vnto any Prince whatsoeuer Thus you see what is meant by Auila Simancas Celorico the castle of Coimbre all which are notable examples most worthy to be considered and may bee a shame to many men in this our age wherein they make so small account reckening of a vertue so rare and commendable My maisters put your hands I pray you into your bosoms and see how they are full of leprosie returne and consider well with your selues and acknowledge your faults for God hath alwaies his eares open to heare them that seeke vnto him for mercie The title of the King of Castile and of Spaine Now as concerning the king of Castile I would be very glad that you would well vnderstand conceiue what the meaning of this is wherof we haue already spoken somewhat is at large handled in that booke which Frier Ioseph Texere a religious person of the order of S. Dominicke hath In the yeare 1594 at Paris made concerning the Genealogie of the most christian king who is the very same person that did preach how we are bound to loue all men of whatsoeuer religion sect or nation that they be euen the Castilians themselues which Monke beeing a Portugall it may bee doth not fully know how much the Spanish nation is agreeued to see and heare that kin Philip should entitle himself king of Spaine we speake nor meane not in this number the vulgar and rascall sort of Castilians because they are perswaded that their king being so they alone shall haue all the rule gouernment of the world For there bee diuers other reasons besides those which he alledgeth which are of no small importance to let you know that as they of Arragon Nauarre are not altogether out of hope to see themselues yet one day deliuered from the tyrant which may be also said of Portugall so they haue a desire likewise to preserue their monarchies entire that is to say the priuiledges preheminences prerogatiues dignities offices customes laÌ„guage of their realmes it may be that God of his diuine goodnes mercy will permit one day that there shal be raised vp some Moses for the restoring of them to their liberty for so also some haue written touching the children of Israell that after their entry into Egipt they did continually keep 3 things especially vncorrupted in their first integrity to wit their language which was the Hebrew tongue one selfe same fashion of apparelling themselues and the proprietie of the surnames of their Families And in case his Christian Maiesty would resolue to draw deliuer that realme of Nauarre from the tyranny of the Castilian hee should finde a Constable all other
officers of the said realme who would assist him doe their vttermost endeauors to serue him faithfully to the intent they might remaine in their countrey with their charges offices vnder the obeissance of a naturall king not of a Castilian And if the most excellent Duke of Lorraine were disposed to restore Arragon Valentia Catalonia c. he should haue an Admirall many officers of those realms to accompany him they would hold esteeme theÌ„selues for most happy fortunate to deliuer their cuntry froÌ„ the tyranny yoak of a stranger to redeliuer it to a naturall lawfull Prince If the Portugals likewise would determine and resolue themselues to choose by election as they haue right so to doe some Prince or some other of the people either white or negro for it is most certaine that to deliuer themselues of the tyranny of Philip they would be content to receiue to their King the meanest negro of Guinee if he be a Christian and will liue in the Realme with them they are fully perswaded and they haue reason that this would be a great help and furtherance to the accomplishment of their desires to finde for their defence and preseruation a Constable of Portugall a Marshall and Admirall and all other such like officers of the Realme and their records and writings done in their owne tongue the fashions of their garments and the surnames of their families Contrarywise if it be graunted and yeelded vnto Philip that he may once take vpon him this title of King of Spaine it is most certaine and sure that he will make onely one house royall of all Spaine with a Constable Marshall or Marshals and Admirall graund Maister great Chamberlaine maister of the Horse and all other such like officers of the Realme all which shall be called of Spaine generally and they will call themselues also by the name onely of Spaniards and so will vnite all of them into one onely bodie which will turne to the great dammage and preiudice of the particular states and kingdomes of Spaine and to the great profit and surety of Philip and his posteritie Full little do strangers know of what importance this matter is and thereof it commeth that they speake so fondly and foolishly when they talke thereof which is a thing greatly to be blamed and reprehended in them considering that it is against the law which sayth Inciuile est de re incognita iudicare that it is a great inciuility for any man to iudge of that which hee doth not vnderstand The nations of Spaine doe see very well what mischiefe this may bring vpon them and therefore they doe resist and withstand it with so great force and vehemencie The Castillian knoweth full well the great aduancement and assurance which would hereof ensue to his estate if he could reach so farre and that is the cause he is so earnest to get himselfe entitled king of Spaine He is as we haue before sayd very expert and well seene in histories as his predecessors were also before him and by reading of them he hath learned that this is the most easie meane and readie way to commaund peaceably and to gaine the affection of all the Spaniards Histories do shew vs Egbert king of West Saxonâ— in England how Egbert a valiant and magnanimous Prince being chosen king of the realme of West Saxons in great Brittaine which Realme contained the prouinces of Cornewall Deuon Sommerset Wiltshire Dorsetshire Hampshire and Barkeshire and trusting vpon his skill and knowledge in the art military which hee had learned in Fraunce vnder Charlemaigne where he had beene banished for many years he resolued to make himselfe King Lord of all great Brittaine leauing Scotland apart And beginning his enterprise he first subdued the prouince of Wales which is the strongest of all the rest After which he wanne the Realmes of Kent Mercia Northumberland and the Realme of the East Saxons called Essex Or rather North Saxon in Norfolke hauing gotten this prouince and those foure realmes Egbert seeing himselfe now Lord of fiue and that there now rested no more to conquer but the Realme of Sussex so called of the South Saxons and that of the East Saxons called East Anglia of whose forces he made no great reckening And bethinking with himselfe how he might assure and secure these dominions and Seigniories vnto himselfe he determined not onely to roote out and extinguish the name and memory of the Brittaines the ancient inhabitants of that I le but also gaine the good willes and affections of his subiects by a new name and so by that meanes to draw vnto himselfe the residue which remained yet vnconquered To this effect and purpose he ordained and appointed and by a perpetuall edict commaunded that from that day forwards all those seuen Realmes should bee named by one onely name England and that all the inhabitants should name themselues Englishmen Egbert the first king of England And by this meanes hee came readily and fully to the ende of his desire In imitation of this Egbert Fernand the second king of Arragon and the fift of that name king of Castile seeing himselfe Lord of the greatest part of Spaine and that there rested no more for him to gaine saue onely Nauarre and Portugall he employed all his forces and endeauours to obtaine from the Princes realmes and prouinces of Spaine that which they refused to wit that hee might entitle and write himselfe King of Spaine With the like ambition and desire Philip his great graund-child pretendeth that the Realmes of Spaine and now of late Portugall haue constantly resolutely denied him and which you doe giue him so readily and so liberally So that now I thinke you will perfectly vnderstand the cause wherefore Philip doeth write himselfe King of Castile and of Leon Castillians and Castilo what it meaneth New Castile all those kingdomes which the kings of Castile haue gotten from the Moores The particular names of the kingdomes of new Castile when they were recouered from the Moores Toledo first set at liberty anno 1086. c. For so the nations of Spaine and the Castillians themselues call him howbeit that you doe make a iest and toy of it not knowing how much it doeth import them so to do and therefore I hope that from henceforth you will by these instructions both know your owne ignorance and correct this your fault and ouersight We call them Castilians which are naturall and borne in the Realme of Castile and in those Realmes which the kings of Castile with the aide of the Kings of Nauarre Arragon and Portugall other Soueraigne Lords of Spaine haue gotten and wrested out of the hands and possession of the Moores all which Realmes wee name â—y one onely name new Castile Of these Realmes that which was the shortest time in the power and puissance of the Moores was the kingdome of Toledo which was restored to