The discontentments of the people of Lisbone Henrie desired to marrie The Catholique King sends a lacobin into Portugall The predendents to the Crowne of Portugall cited to declare their reasons Philip frames a counsell of the affaires of Portugal Iohn de Silua solicites to be sent backe into Portugall Christopher de Mora called againe and sent Ambassadour into Portugall in steede of Iohn de Silua The grounds of the Prior. Of the Duke of Sauoy Of the Duke of Parma Of the Dutchesse of Braganca Of the Catholike King The ground of the people The Queen Mother of Fraunce The peoples complaint against King Henrie The letters of the Prior to Henrie The sentence of King Henry against the Prior touching his legitimation The reasons of the Catholique king against the pretendents Against the Prior. Against the Duke of Sauoy Against the Duke of Parma Against the Dutchesse of Bragance Against the people Against the Queene mother of Fraunce Philip sendeth to signifie his right to Henry Philip prepares for warre against the Portugals The suspension of Henries briefe The Priors letters to Henry con cerning his rigor Henries second sentence against the Prior. Henrie changeth his opinion to the benefit of Philip touching the succession The offers of Pope Gregory 13 to the Catholike King A publication of the gouernors of Portugall The discourse of the Portugals vpon the state of the Realme The Castillians discourse touching the affaires of Portugall The Portugals answere to the Castillians discourse The plague in Portugall and the proceedings Bezar stone excellent against the plague The States of Almerin Henry changeth the Deputies of Lisbone and the cause The opening of the Estates at Almerin by the Bishop of Leiria The answere of Sosa Deputie of Lisbne A mutinie at Coimbra The speech of Moniz Deputie of Lisbone The Deputies of the Realme sent to Henrie to be admitted to the election of the King with the answere King Henry sicke The death of King Henry The life of Henry The regencie of the gouernors Martin Gonsalues sent to the deputies of the Realme The deputies aunswere to Martin The resolution of Gonzalues ambassage Anthonies course to obtaine the Crowne Anthony his letters to the states of Almerin The States answere to Anthony and his arriuall The clause of King Henries testament The speach of the Deputie of Portalegre The states send to the Gouernors The duke of Barcellos detained by the Duke of Medina Sidonia The diligence of the catholique King to assure his conscience for the Realm of Portugall The Catholique Kings preparatiues against Portugall The duke of Alua chosen generall of the army into Portugall The Catholique Kings Letters to the Duke of Alua. The Catholique King goes towards Portugall The Duke of Alua ariues at his Army The nombers of the Dukes Army The comming of the Ambassadors from the gouernors to the Catholique King and their negotiation The conclusion of the States at Almeryn The Gouernors prepare for defence The manner of the enterprise of Portugall The state of the Duke of Alua his armie The conditions that the Catholique King offred if they would deliuer the realme quietly The Gouernors sollicite their defence The Drie head fortified A confusion of the affaires of Portugall and the Gouernours The disorder of the religious of Belem Doctor Fernand de Pina slaine The answer of the Catholique king to the Portugals The gouernours inconstancie The diligence of the Catholique King vpon his entrie by force into Portugall made by the Diuines of Alcala The Catholique King takes possession of Portugall A question whether the Catholique King should go with the armie in person The Kings army wasted Confusion in Portugall The taking of Eluas The Kings letters to them of Eluas The reduction of Oliuenza The Catholique king his letter vnto Anthonie Anthonie proclaimed King of Portugall Two contrarie factions in Oliuenza The Catholique king sworne at Oliuenza The gouernors neglect the defence of Lisbone Anthonie arriues at Lisbone and proclaimed King The speech of Fonsequa for the creation of Anthonie The flight of Teglio The flight of the gouernors Anthonie arriued at Settuual Cascayes S. Iulian yeelde to Anthonie The Duke of Bragance sendes to Philip. The Catholique kings answere to the Duke of Bragance The taking of Villauisosa Reasons why the King should not goe in person The Kings army entred into Portugall The taking of Stremos Euora yeelded The taking of Mount Maior Anthony his entrie into Lisbone The decree of the Gouernors Anthonies preparation for the defence of the kingdome Disorders at Lisbone The taking of Settuual The arriuall of the Marques of Saint Crux with the armie by sea The yeelding of the fortresse Three poore women crying to Anthony to succour Settuual Anthonies care to succour Settuual The counsell of Anthonie and his resolutions Anthonies feare The resolutions of Anthony and of his counsell The Bishop of Guarda seconds Anthony The counsell of Anthony ill grounded An allarum at Lisbone Anthony offers to compound Cardinall Riario sent Legatinto Spaine The discourse of the Spaniards vpon this Legation The Legat visites the King The sundrie opinions for the passage of the army The armie passeth at Cascaies The disimbarking of the Dukes armie The disposition of the Dukes armie They charge the Portugals who retire The blames of Meneses and his excuses A confusion in the citie of Lisbone Anthony goes towards Cascaies Cascaies taken and spoiled The castell taken Diego de Meneses beheaded Henry Pereira hanged Anthonie marcheth towards Belem with his men consusedly Religious men deuided into factions Anthonic retires to Alcantara The Catholique kings pardon to the Portugals The Duke marcheth against the rocke of Saint Iulian. A treatie of agreement with Anthony Anthony his letter to the King The answere of the Duke to Anthony The rocke of Saint Iulian battered and the aduise of the Inginers A poore woman cause of the yeelding of Saint Iulian The rocke of Saint Iulian yeelded Cabessa Secca abandoned The feare of them at Lisbone The yeelding of the tower of Belem The Duke of Alua his speech to the soldiers The order of the Dukes armie Anthony his preparation against the Duke The flight of Anthony towards the citie his defeate and hurt The yeelding of Lisbone The spoile of the suburbs of Lisbone The number that were slaine in the battaile The Duke blamed The commendations of the Duke of Alua. The Catholique kings sicknes and the discourse vpon it Lisbone sweares obedience to the king A contagious Catar Saint Arem yeelds obedience The Prior assembles new forces Auero taken The Duke blamed The Dukes excuses The yeelding of the places in Affricke which the Portugals held The Terceraes Sanches de Auila against the Prior. The yeelding of Coimbra The estate of Porto and the reduction The Portugals and Castillians disagree The yeelding of Auero and other exploites of Sanches d'Auila The statagem of Anthony Serrano to recouer aboate Sanches D' Auila passeth the riuer of Doro at Auintes The speech of Auila
with much people on foote The Cardinall inuironed with a great multitude ascends the staires of the hospitall being entered the Church hauing heard Seruice and ended his praiers he seates himselfe in the chaire prepared on the scaffolde where presently Frauncis de Sada one of those that had bin gouernours put the Scepter in his hand and Michell de Mora Secretarie standing a little off said reading it with a loude voice that King Henrie by the death of King Sebastian did succeede in the Realme and therefore they had deliuered him the Scepter and that he was come to take the accustomed oath to maintaine and obserue vnto his people and to any other all liberties priuiledges and conuentions graunted by his predecessours which done the Secretarie kneeling before him with an open booke the King laide his hande thereon swearing so to do then did the Attabales sounde euery man crying Reale Reale for Henry King of Portugall this done he riseth with the same companie holding alwaies the Scepter in hande he returned to the pallace the Attabales sounding and the Herolds crying from time to time as before THE THIRDE BOOKE The Contents of the third Booke The descent of the Kings of Portugall The pretendants to the succession The resolutions of King Henrie And the peoples demaunds The voyage of the Duke of Ossuna into Portugall and other Embassadors from the Catholique King The imprisonment of the Duke of Alua The Catholique Kings letters to them of Lisbone The States of Portugall The grounds of the pretendants to the succession The sentence of Henry against Anthony Prior of Crato vpon his legitimation by vertue of the Popes Briefe The reasons of the Catholique King to the Realme against euerie one of the pretendants The preparatiues to warre of the Catholique King against the Realme of Portugall The suspension of the briefe The second sentence of Henry against Anthonie The alteration of King Henry his will concerning the succession And the Popes offers to the Catholique king MOst men from all the noted parts of the worlde had their mindes and iudgements turned vpon Portugall both for that hitherto the affaires of Sebastian were worthie attention as to see nowe Henry come to the Crowne who was olde and without successour which made all Princes doubte that the succession of this Realme might trouble the publike quiet for the Pretendants were diuers their actions differing all allied and all with groundes And although their forces were vnequall yet were they made equal by certaine respects But to the ende we may the better vnderstand the groundes of euery one of the pretendants I will make a little digression to report briefly the descent of these Kings And although from the first vnto Henry there raigned seauenteene yet doe I not thinke it necessarie to take their beginning but frō Emanuel forward who was the fourteenth who began his raigne in the yeere of our Lord 1495. for that of his onely progenie is issued the number of Princes that pretended to the Crowne This man had three wiues of the first which was Isabell daughter to Ferdinand King of Castill widow to Alphonse sonne to Iohn the second of Portugall he had no other children for she died in childbed but Michael who died in the cradle who had beene as they say the pillar and corner stone to vnite it and Spaine togither But by his death the Portugals lost the kingdomes of Castill and Arragon whereof Emanuel and Isabell his wife were sworne Princes the issue male of the bloud roiall being extinct in Castill His second wife which was Marie sister to Isabell third daughter of the saide Ferdinand brought him many children vz. sixe sonnes and two daughters Isabel was married to Charles the fifth Emperour Beatrice to Charles the thirde Duke of Sauoy Iohn did inherite the kingdome Lewes died without marrying leauing behinde him Anthony his bastard sonne he who as you shall heare anon was the cause of great miserie to his countrey by reason of his pretention to the Crowne Ferdinand deceased without heires so did Alphons who was Cardinall called by the title of Saint Blaise and Henry of the title of Saint Quatre Coronez this outliued all the rest and it is hee of whom we speake Edward tooke to wife Isabell daughter to Iaime Duke of Bragance by whome he had Marie which afterwardes was married to Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma and Katherine at this present wife to Iohn of Bragance he had likewise a sonne the which being borne after the death of his father who liued but fower yeeres in matrimonie was likewise called Edward This is he who disfauoured by Sebastian died at Euora in the yeere 1576. of his thirde wife which was Leonora daughter to king Philip the first of Castill archduke of Austria who was after married to Frauncis the first king of Fraunce he had none but Charles who died yoong and Marie who being about sixe and fiftie yeeres olde died a maide at Lisbone in the yeere 1578. But returning to Iohn the thirde sonne of the second wife who succeeded Emanuel in the kingdome he contracted marriage with Katherine sister to the Emperour Charles the fifth and had issue Marie who after was the first wife of Philip the second king of Castill now raigning from whom issued Charles who died yoong the which if he had liued without doubt had preceaded the Cardinall Henry in the succession of the crowne The saide Iohn and Katherine had many male children which died yoong one onely outliued the rest named Iohn who as some say died yoong with excessiue loue of his wife sister to the saide Philip leauing her great with childe and after deliuered of Sebastian during his grandfathers life who soone after passed to an other worlde and this is that Sebastian which died in Affrick Let vs now come to the pretentions The Catholique King as it is saide put himselfe foremost being borne of Isabell the eldest daughter of Emanuel And although as a Castillian he was naturally hated of that nation yet he supposed that being mightie compassing in the Realme with his dominions and the Portugals vnexpert he shoulde soone either by loue or force become master thereof Iohn Duke of Bragance challenged the Realme as the right of Katherine his wife alleaging he was neerer to the succession then the Catholique King being although a woman daughter to the said Edward brother to the saide Isabell And forasmuch as the Duke is the greatest personage of the Realme and his subiects most warlike trusting on the fauour of Henry who did then grace him and hauing small experience in the affaires of the worlde he held himselfe halfe in possession Alexander Prince of Parma sonne to Octauius Farnesse did pretend it for his eldest son Rhainucius as male issued from Marie the eldest daughter of the saide Edward sister to the saide Katherine And although his territories were farre off yet besides that some supposed the Church shoulde
but of the great desire he had to be assured of this Realme wherein he did surmount his owne nature and the custome of the Spanish nation who by their long delaies doe often faile in their enterprises The galleies and ships which had transported these men went to Saint Marie Porte where the whole nauie by sea should assemble Henry was still discontented with Anthony who notwithstanding the Kings late commandement not to approch within a hundreth miles of the Court wandered from place to place drawing the peoples harts vnto him The King was desirous to finde some meanes to punish him with a more rigorous sentence But the Prior when as the cause of his legitimation was in question before the King by vertue of his holines briefe mistrusting what hapned had by the counsell of Alexander Formento then the Popes Nuncio in the Realme sent to Rome complaining vnto the Pope of the hatred his vncle did vniustly beare him beseeching him to reuoke the cause vnto himselfe and to be the onely iudge thereof for that the King was suspect vnto him By reason whereof the Pope saying that his first intention was not to make Henry absolute iudge to giue sentence inclusiue he write vnto him by an other briefe with defence not to proceede in the cause for the which he appointed as newe iudges the said Nuncio George de Almada archbishop of Lisbone but not with authoritie to giue sentence but after due information of the processe to sende it to Rome This briefe was sent to the Nuncio that he might deliuer it vnto the King the which he did by an apostolike Notarie fearing he should haue refused it Henry was greatly mooued that the Pope had reuoked the cause vnto himselfe both for that the execution of the sentence did import as also imagining he was wronged by taking the cause out of his handes whereof before he had made him iudge So as greatly discontented with the Pope and his choler encreasing against his Nephew he woulde now vse his roiall authoritie and leauing to proceede as the Popes substitute he began as King to proceed against the Prior. And although the Nuncio it may be by the Popes commandement or rather by his own inclination was fauourable vnto him shewing himselfe very opposite to the Catholique King yet Henry left not daily yet coldly to continue the cause of the succession for hauing cited him to courte and he not daring appeere he caused his edicts and proclamations to be set vpon the pallace gate whereby he was cited to appeere within twelue daies The Prior who had soone a copie of this edict from his agents was greatly displeased to see the course the King held against him yet durst he not appeere fearing if he fell into the kings hands the hatred he did beare him woulde drawe him to some strange conclusion he resolued therefore to absent himselfe labouring to appease his wrath by letters which he did write vnto him complaining of the manner of his proceedings in his behalfe striuing to make knowne his better deseruing He saide that he ioyed in his afflictions calling him in his edicts Nephew as indeed he was and sonne to that his brother to whom this Crowne hauing so great a bond he did not beleeue he should so sonne forget it although his ill deseruings had bin greater then his fathers merits He remembred the respect the King himselfe and his predecessors had vnto his father and the amasement they should haue to see him thus by him vniustly persecuted He did not attribute the blame of the kings inclination to the king himselfe but to the sinnes of the Realme and to the ill disposition of some fauorites shewing on the one side that he bare with patience what it shoulde please God to impose and on the other side complained of his vncle that he did execute against him the passions of priuate men And forasmuch as when he returned from prison out of Affrick some had giuen out that he had fledde from the battaile and was not taken prisoner he touched likewise this point lamenting to be so slaundered He complained of the King saying that to the ende no man shoulde haue compassion on him he was forced to leaue the Court by night hauing only had some speech of his legitimation shewing he was not woorthie of any brotherly reprehension He did aggrauate his banishment with no small preiudice to his credite at such a time as his competitors were fauoured inuironed with their kinsemen and demaunded iustice face to face He alleaged that his holines briefe which the king had obtained against him was ignominious and full of discurtesies nothing agreeing to the honor of his father And although he had obtained an other contrary thereunto whereby his holines had reuoked to himselfe the knowledge of the cause yet was he resolued not to alter any thing but to passe his daies in miserie and sorrow whilest the euill deserued passion of the king shoulde continue He lamented to haue beene forced to giue in his proofes within two daies much more time being granted to any other that pretended and that they had giuen no answere to many things he demanded He complained grieuously of the sentence and commandement to apprehend him for subornation of false witnesses the which he denied although he saide that in the kings publike seate of iustice such as had produced false witnesses were not greatly punished He seemed to be greatly greeued to be called disobedient a troubler of the publike quiet of the realmes excusing himselfe with most vehement wordes He lamented that the Realme was ruined which his predecessors had woone defended and maintained He made no mention of appearance but saide it was lawfull for him as to theeues to hide himselfe and flie the face of iustice adding that if the faults wherewith hee is charged were such as the lawes of the Realme command the Church to redresse for that he hath no sure accesse it woulde please his highnes to graunt that Crato shoulde serue as his sanctuarie And although if his sinnes so required that being Nephew to the king the first person of the Realme his humble and obedient vassall it coulde not mollifie his vncles hart he woulde craue at Gods hands remedies for his afflictions He required with humilitie that it might be lawfull for him to appeale from his edicts vnto the king himselfe better instructed demaunding copies thereof to contradict them concluding that if it might not be graunted yet at the least his letter might be annexed to the proces for if due respect would haue suffred him he woulde haue caused it to be set vp in the same place of the edicts for the discharge of his honor and to make knowne to the worlde that he was vassal nephew faithful seruant vnto the king This letter did nothing mooue the kings hart but wrought the same effect with his choler as a little water doth to a great fire For being more
suffered it may be of God for our sinnes proceeded not from any corruption of the Aire but from infection and was brought into the Realme by men and merchandise from countries infected for the citie being a great part vnwalled and of great traffique it could not easily be guarded The naturall inclination of the aire the filch of the citie their feeding of fish which all generally do vse and the ill order nay the great disorder of the magistrate of the health in separating the sicke from the whole and in all other things touching his charge did helpe to increase it The suddennes wherewith it did infect and kill in a manner all those that did frequent the sicke as fire doth in powder strooke a great terrour in the citizens their remedies and diets were most vncertaine for although that many did phisicke themselues diuersly and were gouerned in sundrie manners yet there died infinite numbers of all qualities experience did teach that the application of lenitiue things the drinking of Vnicornes horne and the Bezars stone were most soueraigne remedies yet to manie it did no good The greatest part of the Nobilitie and of such as had ability to do it retyred themselues to their gardaines and farmes in the countrey where although the whole countrey were infected yet did they seeme to liue more assured or at the least out of the infection from the horrible spectacle of dead bodies which were howerly seene in the citie where the mortalitie grew so great that there was nothing to be seene but Beeres with dead bodies for the buriall whereof the churchyards being full they were forced to vse the streets and fieldes At this time were assembled in the citie of Almerin where the king remained all the Deputies of the Realme being called thither The citie of Lisbone made election of Emanuell of Portugall and Diego Salema who went not but were reiected of the King as seditious and depriued of their offices in whose place they made choise of Phoebus Moniz and Emanuel de Sosa pacheco The said Salema was not beloued of the king for that before as Vereador of the citie of Lisbone he saide vnto the king that they vnderstoode he went about not onely to iudge to whom the Realme appertained but also to make a composition the which he ought not to doe without hearing the people whereunto the King hauing answered that the people was not capable of this matter he replied that he woondered the king shoulde iudge this people incapable whom he had held to be most sufficient to raise him to the crowne wherewith Henry was greatly mooued This alteration of Deputies ministred matter of discourse vnto the worlde for it seemed the King had declared himselfe against the people and that not accepting their election of Deputies he woulde drawe by force from the States what he pleased but such as knewe the true reason and howe that Emanuell and all those of the house of Portugall deserued in this case to bee repelled commended this act These were suspect forasmuch as Iohn of Portugall Bishop of Guarda brother to the saide Emanuell alwaies esteemed more then he was woulde not onely precead his equals but did scarce beare any respect vnto the Cardinall before he was king whereof grew a great hart burning so as the Cardinall to debase him hauing drawne foorth a certaine information of his ill behauiour libertie of life and ill gouernment in his Bishopricke sent it to Rome so as the Bishop as it were forced went to his holines to purge himselfe Hee was much grieued with this crosse for passing by the court of Castill the Catholique King being infourmed of his voyage woulde not suffer him to visite him although he were entreated so as now although the Cardinall were come vnto the Crowne their hatred continued and hauing no other meanes of reuenge then to oppose himselfe to his resolutions seeing him enclined to giue the Realme to the Catholique king he laboured all he coulde to let it by meanes whereof he seemed at one instant to be reuenged of two kings for the effecting whereof there conspired togither the Bishop Emanuell his brother Franncis earle of Vimioso his nephew for the cōtrarieties that both Alphonse his father and he had with the Cardinall with other their kinsfolkes and friendes fauouring Anthony Prior of Crato they resolued to make him king trusting to the peoples humors But King Henry hauing discerned the equitie of the Catholique kings cause resolued as it is said to giue him the Realme hauing assembled the States he sent Paule Alphonse a doctor in whom he reposed great trust to Villa Vizosa whereas the Duke and the Dutchesse of Bragance remained giuing them to vnderstande that finding the succession of the Realme to appertaine to Philip and that they were vpon the point to pronounce sentence in his fauour he did aduertise them in time to the end they might make their composition with him But hauing made small account of this aduertisement interpreting it otherwise they did not embrace the occasion the which was likewise represented vnto them by the Catholique king In this time the Estates were begun in the pallace of Almeryn the ninth of Ianuary in the kings presence who being very sicke was brought in his chaire whereas Anthony Pignero bishop of Leiria an eloquent Orator made the oration enriched with a goodly stile saying That the Kings thoughts were bent to procure the generall good of al Christendome the preseruation and encrease of our holie Catholique faith and the peace and tranquillitie of his subiects for the effecting of that which concernes his charge to follow the examples of kings his predecessors progenitors conformeable to the actions of his life passed considering with sound iudgement great experience wise discourse how much it doth import the generall good to declare during his life to whom the lawfull succession of the Realme did appertaine he did apply all his care to the decision of that cause with so great study and zeale that not suffering himselfe any way to be interrupted with the many graue and extraordinary affaires nor by the trouble of his long infirmity he had with the helpe of God brought it to that estate that it might speedily be declared as they had required and ought generally to wish for And seeing the finall decision of the cause was brought to that issue it seemed conuenient to the king to assemble the States and to communicate vnto them some points of great importance for the seruice of God and the good and quiet of these Realmes as they shoulde vnderstande by that which shoulde be particularly deliuered vnto them by his commandement He exhorted them that vsing the my steries which had been presented lately to al faithfull Christians with praiers sacrifices workes of deuotion and charitie they shoulde dispose themselues to receiue the light of that heauenly wisedome which God doth alwaies impart to such as frame
yoong men induced by Philips partisans seeing into what danger the captaine had brought the safety of the citie resolued to kill him and going to the Cathedrall church where they were all assembled they attended at the doore to effect it when he shoulde come foorth but discoursing with the Bishop who perswaded him ignorant of the danger wherein he was a nephew of his named likewise Anthony de Melo vnderstanding in the castell in what danger his grandfather was came foorth with certaine Harguebusiers to his succour and came in time before he was yet issued out of the church Old Anthony seeing this yoong man enter armed was amazed not knowing the cause but vnderstanding it afterwards and withall the hazard whereunto he was brought by such as did watch for him he sent to Velasco that he shoulde compound with the magistrate that as for him he was content to yeeld obedience to king Philip by meanes whereof all was pacified for the Magistrate had alreadie yeelded At the taking of their oathes the Citizens ill aduised required Velasco that in the Kings name hee shoulde graunt vnto the citie many priuileges and exemptions of customes and impostes throughout the realme with many other things of importance And hee liberall of that which he could not giue graunted all that was demaunded but these promises were not obserued by the King saying as it was true indeed that Velasco had exceeded his commission These things ended they were aduertised that Gaspar de Britto whom the citie had sent to Diego de Meneses was returning with three hundred men horse and foote ill appointed to guard this place to whom they presently sent word that he should turne back and hauing discouered the Castillian horse of himselfe he fled with al his troupes The day following the vsuall ceremonies perfourmed in proclaiming a newe King Velasco returned hauing staied there but three daies The principall of Eluas went after to Badagios to kisse the Kings hande of whom they had better reception then he is accustomed to giue vnto such people sending Garcia de Cardenas nephewe to the Duke of Alua to the citie to thanke the Citizens for their good wils Eluas being reduced Peter Velasco for the same intent tooke his way towards Oliuenza whither he had before written labouring that Nugno Aluares sonne to the Earle of Tentuguell being captaine of the place shoulde depart the which he easily obtained for the Citizens who had their affections enclined to the Catholique King were resolued to yeelde vnto him hauing entreated the King that it woulde please him not to make this place the first whereof he shoulde take possession seeing that he had woone their harts desiring rather to deserue lesse by obtaining late then to be accused of inconstancie by hastening much For this cause they not onelie thrust foorth Nugno Aluarez but also Diego de Sosa a knight of the order of Saint Iohn who had succeeded in his place The newes of all this and of the successe of Eluas came presently to Saint Arem whereas Anthony remained labouring with the people to be proclaimed King He was alwaies impatient in his pretention notwithstanding the persecutions that king Henry inflicted vpon him labouring still by all meanes possible to aspire to the crowne intreating threatning and suborning He treated by his Agents with the Catholique King in diuers manners Sometimes he seemed iealous of the Duke of Bragance and would ioine with the King against him Sometimes he treated to resigne his interest to Philip if he would make him a good composition carrying himselfe as his hopes increased or diminished So as it hapned vnto such as mannaged his affaires with the king when they found themselues to haue concluded a matter they found their authoritie reuoked The King in the end caused Christopher de Mora to talke with him and to make offer of all he should demaund for the great loue he bare vnto him without naming either summe or any thing else whatsoeuer but for that he hated Mora he would not by his meanes treate of this matter of agreement Notwithstanding when as the Duke of Ossuna deliuered vnto the Gouernors a copie of the kings minde as is before set downe he deliuered vnto Anthony a letter from the King wherein he did write vnto him That forasmuch as he was not ignorant many yeeres since of the good will he had alwaies borne him the which he had laboured to make shewe of in all occasions he was assured he woulde not prooue ingrate but shew himselfe answerable vnto that whereunto reason did binde him the neerenes of bloud that was betwixt them He said moreouer that hauing vnderstoode the right and apparant title hee had to the realmes of Portugall he entreated him most hartely to shew himselfe one of the first to receiue and to sweare him for his King and naturall Lord as God had appointed that by his example the rest might do that whereunto they were bounde assuring him that for his owne particular he woulde holde that regard of him to recompence and grace him as was conuenient referring the rest to that which the Duke of Ossuna and Mora shoulde deliuer vnto him But this letter wrought no effect for he then saide vnto the Duke that he woulde neuer agree making answere vnto the King that he could not satisfie him for that being vnder the peoples protection he must gouerne himselfe according to their mindes and therefore vnderstanding that the Castillians began to enter within the realm he made haste to dispatch this busines with the people the Deputies and making his profite of the possession the King tooke seeing the necessitie they had of a commaunder to make resistance he induced them to choose him Protector or King And although this resolution was made by the most seditious and arrogant who by force seeke to execute what they please who woulde needes proclaime him King yet were there many that woulde not yeeld vnto it many helde it more fit to call him Protector The Prior himselfe was not well resolued of this point suffring himselfe to be ledde as in all other his actions by the greatest number and his most fauorites who to induce the people to performe this acte in despight of some that woulde not assent being then in question to builde a fortresse a little without Saint Arem where there standes a small chappell dedicated to the inuocation of the Apostles they spred foorth a rumour that Anthony shoulde go thither the 19. of Iune to lay the first stone and that all the people shoulde worke in that fortification labouring in such an assembly to effect their desires But there needed no great arte for the people desirous of innouation ranne all thither that morning The Bishop of Parma being innocent and he of Guarda ofset purpose came to the chappell where masse was celebrated in the midst whereof they exhorted the assemblie to defence and with darke speeches to make an election
at the rising of the sunne hauing discouered the truth this feare vanquished yet did there a greater seaze vpon euery mans minde for vnderstanding in trutth the Duke to be strong they began to heare newes of the soldiers insolencies which disbanded and drewe daily neerer giuing no small astonishment to see certaine Negro slaues returne wounded who hauing rashly passed with their ensignes to the other banke were ill entreated by some horse and shot of the enimie They founde that Anthony made no preparation neither had he any forces to resist gouerning himselfe with small iudgement and therefore he neither knew how to fight nor which way to flie neither yet how to yeelde himselfe He was daily in counsell with his men but as he suffred himselfe to be gouerned by many whose authorities were equall and their opinions diuers so did he neuer resolue any good thing as it hapneth often in the like accidents They then propunded more plainly then before the treatie of an accorde and although some who before did seeme brauest shewed themselues nowe more milde yet for that the Counte of Vimioso being a yoong man perswaded to warre no man durst contradict him He affected the charge of generall but hee knewe not by what meanes to displace Diegode Meneses who enioied it so as contrarying one an other they prouided slowly for things necessarie whereunto was a great hinderance the credite that Anthony gaue to Edward de Castro a rich yoong man to whom he was bounde hauing furnished him with money who desirous to shew himselfe valiant obtained a commission to assemble what horse he coulde vnder his cornet imploying him in matters of greater authoritie then was fitte for his base qualitie His holines hauing intelligence of the refusall the Catholique king had made touching his entermedling in the cause doubted least the wars of Portugall shoulde alter the quiet of all Christendome In the beginning hee had shewed himselfe newter to both Kings seeming to bee doubtfull in himselfe to whether part hee should encline whether vnto Henry that woulde giue the crowne vnto the Dutchesse of Bragance or to Philip that sought it for himselfe for by reason of state he should not be wel pleased to see these two realmes vnited whereby the Catholique king shoulde become more mightie and superior in forces to all other princes yet did he not willingly seeme to oppose against him fearing to displease a Prince that had deserued well of him But vnderstanding that the two kings were agreed and that Henry had changed his minde and laboured to giue the realme to Philip he then made it manifest that he would fauour Anthony and the Portugals the which was more apparant after the death of King Henry when as hee laboured to haue the cause of succession ended by sentence But Philip in regard of the qualitie of the iudges detested this decision But his Embassadors hauing laboured in vaine in this respect Philip growing iealous and not greatly trusting the Popes good meaning woulde not put to compremise that which he seemed to holde certaine His holines determined to sende a Cardinall into Spaine expresly to treat vpon this busines Therefore before the Prior was proclaimed king he dispatched Cardinal Alexander Riario his Legat vnto Philip with commission to disswade the king from armes and from thence to passe into Portugall to fauour this busines with commission likewise to offer himselfe for iudge in the Popes behalfe vnto all the pretendents There were diuers discourses in Spaine vpon the comming of this Legat and although the Castillians feared not his sentence seeming hee shoulde not offer himselfe alone to determine so great a matter in Spaine if he had no meaning to pronounce it in fauour of Philip yet they helde it not conuenient to put the matter into his hands being of opinion that the Pope vnder colour to perfourme the office of a generall father came as it is saide to make himselfe absolute iudge of realmes that besides the extraordinarie authoritie he shoulde draw vnto the Aposto like sea hee shoulde binde the king vnto his house by giuing him a kingdome For this cause the King hauing intelligence of his departure from Rome desirous to take possession of the realme before his arriuall hee commaunded throughout all Spaine where he shoulde passe that he shoulde be entertained and receiued with all possible pompe whereof the Legat taking no heede he accepted of all their kindnes For this cause and for that the voiage was long he spent much time being arriued at Badagios he found that the affaires had taken an other forme then when he was at Rome For he vnderstood that Anthony was King and that Philips forces were entred Portugall being then at the wals of Settuuall Finding therefore the matter he had to treate of thus altred he sent to his Holines for new direction being in the meane time lodged without the citie in a cōuent of religious men which go barefoote he sent Traian Mario Apostolike Prothonotarie to visite the King who receiuing him with great fauor said vnto him that he was right sorie that by reason of his sicknes he could not go to meete the Legat as he was bounde but when God should giue him health he woulde then performe it supposing by this meanes to entertaine him the longer that the Cardinall desirous to enter with accustomed ceremouies would attend his recouerie and in the meane time the Duke of Alua should take possession of the realme But the Legat seeing his indisposition finding how much delay did import craued leaue to come to him by night priuately in coach the which with great difficultie was graunted comming vnto him one night accompanied with the Duke of Ossuna and the Earle of Chinchion But this audience was of small effect for the Legat by the alteration of the affaires being irresolute and the Catholique King most resolute to proceede in this enterterprise trusting more to armes then wordes there was no agreement the king saying that the matter was so farre aduaunced as it coulde admit no treating The Cardianll was lodged in the house of the Marquesse D'Oignion not being receiued at his entrie with the ceremonies accustomed for a Cardinall Legat Hee remained a while without doing any thing but to effect the Popes cōmission he would passe into Portugall The King who desired to stay him entertained him all he could supposing that the Legat being within Lisbone it woulde be scandalous to goe against him with an armie Moreouer he had no great confidence in the Legat but held him as suspect for that being before in Portugall with Cardinall Alexandryn he had entred a strict league of amitie with the Duke of Bragance one of the pretendents who had lodged and entertained him So as to delay his departure the King being now recouered of his sicknes sent vnto him that he woulde not haue him take his iourney before he had made his entrie with the ceremonies accustomed to a
straggle from the campe hee was most miserable for whilest they ledde him bound such as were armed with their armes religious men with their staues women and children with stones did so pitifully handle him as happie was hee that coulde strike him and their licentious libertie was so great as it was lawfull for any one though most base and for euery slaue to wrong any stranger whatsoeuer to imprison him and sende him to the galleies for charging him to be an enimie the whole people at the least motion would rise and execute what they pleased were it right or wrong Anthony seeing nowe all hope of defence vpon the passage of the riuer lost and a mighty enimie so neere him sought some remedie for his affaires All conditions presented vnto him were most hard For to issue foorth and fight he iudged it a folly finding his defect of men to vanquish much lesse to bring the battaile in question To defend the citie it was impossible for the greatnes thereof being without wals and weake His flight by sea was stopped by the galleies he woulde not hazard to escape by lande being vnable to carry with him many iewels and some money which he had gathered togither and to compounde with the Duke was brother vnto death So as wauering in these thoughts the magistrate of the chamber of Lisbone went vnto him saying That seeing the enimy was so neere and so mightie they would not bring the safetie of the citie in question nor so gouerne themselues that being weake it shoulde be a praie to the soldiers that therefore hee shoulde prepare to issue foorth and defend it the which if he did not the citie coulde do no lesse then prouide for her owne safetie He answered that the time was nowe come when as they shoulde aide him with men entertained at their owne charge which doing he hoped with many others which hee had assembled God woulde giue him the victorie but the magistrate excused they coulde not do it for the great charge they had beene at by reason of the plague whereunto he replied that within two daies howsoeuer he woulde frame his campe and march against the Duke For this cause hauing let passe the fourth day of August most vnhappie to the Portugals for the losse of the battaile in Affrick and hauing left some of his most precious things in certaine religious houses he commaunded that all soldiers which had beene long before inrolled and all the people of Lisbone without exception of person whatsoeuer should march towards Belem the which was executed with great rigour forcing many to go in person For although the hatred against the Castillians were in generall yet the tailor the shoemaker the handicrafts men and the peasants who bragged that they alone woulde conquer the whole world did not willingly leaue their houses but fainting daily they chose rather to encounter with wordes then bullets besides being accustomed to an other trade and vnfit for warre they had not beene trained to shoote in a Harquebuse vnapt to carrie much lesse to mannage a pike So as of this forced and tumultuarie people they had assembled eight or ten thousand at Belem whither in the ende Anthony went who still doubtfull and ill aduised without any resolution expecting what time woulde counsaile him The resolution whereon he most depended was that if the Duke came against the citie to meete him vpon the waie with some aduantage if he coulde and giue him battaile propounding like a desperate man either to vanquish or to die yet soone after when the occasiō was presented he could neither effect the one nor the other His troupes lay not encamped but were dispersed heere and there within the houses of that small place vnder the porches of the monasterie and other such like without either forme or strength of a lodging He had no captaine of experience no marshall of the fielde nor sergeant that coulde commaund the soldiers lodge them and put them in battaile if neede were Sforce Orsin a yoong man and valiant but of no great experience was come out of Italy at the brute of these warres yet being a stranger and alone he was not obeied neither did they greatly trust him The priuate captaines of companies had no experience and there was so great want of men that some friers were made captaines of the Moores and of the scum of the people carrying in one hande their crosses and in the other their armes It is not to be forgotten as a thing not accustomed the mutinies growen in religious houses where being deuided into factions fewe were affected to the Castillians few remained newters and infinite were those that affected the rule of Anthony for the fauouring of whose cause they committed manie disorders The priests were no more temperate then the rest many whereof hauing left their priestly habite were gone to field armed In this confusion Anthony remained three daies at Belem whilest the Duke approched slowly The fourth day hee considered that although there came still vnto him some soldiers which had beene leuied in all the cities of the realme yet the armie diminished daily for that the inhabitants of the citie left him who hauing their houses neere not accustomed to the discommodities of warre fled from him therefore he sent to Lisbone commaunding vpon great punishments to bring vnto him by force al such as should be found armed or vnarmed defending that no man shoulde retire to anie other place but where he was desiring that as well the cowardes as the valiant shoulde runne the like fortune with him supposing as king Sebastian had done to his losse it were possible to force men to fight that were both vnskilfull and vnwilling And forasmuch as his onely hope consisted in the peoples fauour to the ende they shoulde follow him more willingly he graunted vnto all but especially to those of his traine free libertie the which carrying with it confusion was cause of great harme for as the whole citie was filled with Negroes and Peasants the quieter sorte had more feare of the people thē of the enimy yet was there not seene any one to powre foorth his hate or commit any priuate reuenge of small or great importance not for that there are not many dissentions and factions amongst them but being more apt to reuenge themselues by the toong then by sworde All rigour to force men to the fielde preuailed little for feare encreasing with this diligence they hidde themselues the more the which Anthony perceiuing finding himselfe in no assurance at Belem hauing the enimies campe so neere and a conquerour he was aduised to passe on and to lodge about the wals of the rocke of Saint Iulian supposing that two good effects woulde grow thereby the one that his armie should be more safe vnder the fauour of the cannon and of the tower the other that he should assure this forte being the only defence of the whole realme But this aduise being disallowed
serued him as the first vallet of his chamber seeing the warres to grow betwixt the Portugals and Castillians hee craued and obtained leaue to retire himselfe into his countrey This man going to King Philip made offer for the great familiaritie hee had with Anthony to treate an accord with him being in great hope to effect it so as hee was sent to the Duke of Alua with order that he shoulde suffer him to goe and conferre with the Prior For the effecting heereof hee came to Lisbone at such time as the Duke tooke Cascayes and hauing discoursed at large with the Prior he enformed him of the Kings forces and aduised him to compound The Prior gaue eare to this treatie and Diego de Carcamo for so this gentleman was called did greatly presse him to giue him a letter of credite vnto the king with commission what he had in charge That such as had beene their mediators were the cause that he had not serued him as he desired but as much as the time woulde suffer him he was ready to do it That if it pleased him to sende any person as Embassador to the three Estates that hee woulde perswade them to yeelde him obedience and that he woulde say he had defended them so much as possiblie hee coulde but his succours from Fraunce and other Prouinces failing he could no longer resist and therefore he aduised them to agree In this letter which he had written to the King he did signe Rey. But repenting him afterwarde he did write it againe at the perswasion of Carcamo and subscribed it Anthony hauing receiued the letter his charge he seemed to haue ended his busines but being with the King he was returned backe to Anthony with a resolutiō which he supposed should haue succeeded but with certaine letters to the Duke of Alua whereby he was commanded to gouerne himselfe as the estate of the affaires shoulde require Hee arriued at such time as the Duke was emcamped before the rocke of Saint Iulian. Now did there lighten foorth a great hope of peace the which soone after vanished away For although the Duke seemed to be well pleased with this practise yet may we well say it did not content him seeming happely vnto him that being so farre aduanced hee shoulde haue more honour to conquer it by armes then by agreement For which cause he returned Carcamo to the Prior with this aunswer That he was glad of his resolution to serue his maiestie but there was no reason to sende an Embassador to the States seeing hee helde not the crowne from them but from the people to whom if hee pleased hee woulde sende and grant the like graces vnto them which other cities had receiued by their yeelding These words were deliuered him in writing but by mouth the Duke added that he had beene an affectionate seruant to Lewes his father and that as he had now taken armes to depriue him of the realme so woulde he take them in hande againe to conquer him an other so as it were not any of those that belonged to his King and Lord. Carcamo was not yet without hope to conclude the busines but nowe the Spanish grauitie hindred the effect of so great importance For the Duke supposed he shoulde not giue vnto Anthony any greater title then Seignory and hee that was mounted from Excellencie to Highnes held himselfe contemned and so much disdained it that both for the cold answere for this respect he was assured the Duke would haue no agreement He therefore made answer by mouth that seeing he woulde not agree if his people would obey him and be conformable to his will they would either vanquish or all die in that place Vpon this answere the Duke repenting his manner of writing or it may bee fearing the King woulde not like of this kind of proceeding sent backe Carcamo to say vnto Anthony that he should send one by sea or by land and he woulde sende another and that in the midde way they should conclude all thinges But the Prior who had small confidence in the Duke being greatly mooued made no other replie but that Kings were Kings and captaines captaines but that victories came from the hands of God so as the Duke dispairing of the matter deuised for his discharge that Anthony had sent him worde that he desired to conferre with him by night in a barke and the better to induce men to beleeue it he went publikely to lie aboord in a galley and being disimbarked in the morning he seemed discontented that Anthony had not come to conference with him it may be with this apparant iustification to haue more cause to make warre and not to compounde and so to lay the faulte vpon Anthony but in truth they did neuer treat of any meeting Now had they battered the fort of S. Iulian touching the which there was before growen some difficultie amongst the Inginers vpon what part they shoulde make their batterie Some woulde haue him plant their cannon at the strongest place but most conuenient to giue an assault Others would batter the weakest part although most vneasie to enter for that their defences being taken away their place of armes shoulde remaine open to their artillerie wherevpon the Duke to quite this controuersie went himselfe allowing the opinion of Fratino and of Philip Terzi where it hapned that hauing battered neere two whole daies and made but a small breach the soldiers fainting although they had good meanes to entrench themselues their armie neere at hand and the hauen alwaies open Tristan vaz de Vega captaine thereof was in doubte whether hee shoulde yeelde or defende it so long as hee coulde but enclining more to yeeld then to fight he was in suspence what meanes to vse to treate secretly not trusting greatly to some that were about him But fortune made the way for him for at that time a poore woman neere to Oeiras hauing her daughter and sonne in lawe within the forte amazed with the noise of the artillerie came crying to the Duke beseeching him to giue her leaue to drawe her sonne in lawe and her daughter out of the forte which he battred The old Duke who sought such occasions embraced this and saide vnto the woman that she should go in safetie causing the cannon to cease in the meane time He willed her to say vnto the captine of the forte that he had done ill to make so small account of the Dukes message and that he shoulde not wilfully cast himselfe away she deliuered her ambassage being returned with her daughter to the campe she said vnto the Duke on the behalfe of Tristan Vaz that he defended himselfe hauing not as yet seene any messenger from him whom he woulde haue heard and entertained and that if he woulde assure him vpon his word he woulde go to the campe to speake with him The Duke sent this woman presently backe to the captaine saying vnto him that
vneasie landing beeing of all parts rough and inaccessible but in some fewe places which it was likely they woulde fortifie and guard They saide that the garrisons of strangers which they vnderstoode were there were they neuer so fewe with the inhabitants of the Iland were sufficient to hinder their landing They made great reckoning of the roughnes of the sea the which commonly suffreth not any ships to ride there aboue two moneths in the yeere concluding it was better deferre it then attempt it in vaine as they had twise done with small honor They said that the assurance of the enterprise consisted in delay for that the Iland shoulde bee neither stronger nor better furnished then it was at that instant seeing their strength is by nature that a great garrison cannot long liue there that by delaying the inhabitants themselues will be aduised for besides the insolencie of the French wanting their traffique with Spaine they shoulde growe so poore as they will soone acknowledge their errours That the ships from the Indies made so small stay at the Ilands as they had no neede of them but onely to take in fresh water wherewith they may furnish themselues at Saint Michaels These reasons helde the Catholique king in suspence and for that he was a friend to peace he enclined to delay but as the newes from Fraunce Flaunders and England did varie so did they hasten or slacke the preparation for the enterprise In this sorte and with no small trouble of minde the three first moneths in the yeere 1582. passed away but hauing intelligence at the spring that they did arme many ships both in Fraunce Flaunders and England and that they were meant for Portugall that the Turke notwithstanding his warre against the Sophy threatned to send forth his galleies that certaine troupes of foote were come out of Fraunce vnto the Marquisat of Salusses the King thought it expedient to arme both to performe this enterprise of the Ilands as for the guarde of many places where he might be endomaged He thought it a hard thing and vnwoorthie to suffer the states of the Low-Countries to be wrested from him by the Duke of Alançon without reuenge He did foresee that the charge would bee verie great and that he was furnished with little money and lesse credite for by meanes of the decree he had made against the merchants he was cause of more hurt to himselfe then to his creditors The prouisions it behooued him to make were all forced for hee could not doe lesse then prouide for Italy as well in regarde of the French as of the Turke Hee must of force entertaine an armie in Portugall for although the Realme were in shew quiet yet the Portugals being of a stirring humor he could not auoide to arme a nauie sufficient to encounter the Fleete He thought it necessarie to prouide for Flanders if not wholy to recouer those estates yet for feare he should loose more But that which troubled the King more then all the rest was the shippes which hee expected this yeere from the Indies and New-found lands fearing that the French hauing the aduantage of the Ilands might spoile them finding that some Pirat had not onely passed into that sea but also threatned to assaile the Iland of Saint Michael and that of the Maderes And therefore the King began to preuent all these dangers in this manner He mustred all the foote he could in Spaine and caused them to march towardes Portugall especially to the Prouince betwixt Doro and Minio to the gouernment whereof he sent Ferrant de Toledo Prior of Saint Iean He sent the Marquesse of Saint Croixe to Seuille to arme all the great ships hee could and to prepare some galleies In Biscay he commaunded eighteene Biscaine ships to be furnished to make their randeuous in Andelouzie where they prepared their galleies and built a good number of great boats to land their souldiers He wrote into Italy to the Viceroy of Naples and to the Gouernor of Millaine that either of them should leuie 6000. Italian foote He gaue order in Germany to bring downe 10000. Germanes vnder colour to sende these two nations into Flaunders And for to be assured of the Iland of Saint Michael although that Ambrose d'Aguiar were there with one Galeon hee sent thither Peter Peixotto with fiue other shippes who arriued there in good time for certaine French Pirats were assembled to assaile it the which they did not forbeare to attempt for Peixotto with his ships lying at anchor before the city of punta Delgada three French ships leauing other sixe behinde shewed themselues supposing that with his fiue ships he would not faile to fight with them three and as hee should retire the other sixe comming to succour them they might conquer them and after this victorie assaile the Iland being weake and vnarmed But this deuise succeeded not for Peixotto who desired not to fight but to preserue the Ilande all hee could would not come foorth against those three French ships the which hee forbare the rather for that the other sixe shippes which remained behinde discouered themselues so as the Frenchmen finding they coulde not deceiue the Portugals and their ambush as one may say being discouered being loath to retire without some booty they resolued to charge Peixotto as he laie at anchor But the winde grew scant to approch to land and the artillerie from a certaine weake forte would not suffer them to ioine But the Captaines shippe being of better saile then the rest drewe so neere that hee grappled with a Portugall where they fought aboue three howers with great slaughter on both sides but the French had beene victors if Ambrose d'Aguiar who was at lande foreseeing that the losse of the ships woulde be the ouerthrowe of the Iland had not succoured Peixotto by boats sending him aboue an hundred fiftie men with the which he defended himselfe and the French shippe vnloosing itselfe retired to the rest woorse handeled then the Portugall but it was supposed that if the winde had beene any thing stronger so as the other French ships mought haue come vp to the Portugals they had beene taken in the viewe of all the Iland And for that soone after there arriued eighteene Biscaine ships at Lisbone which the king had commaunded should be armed in that Prouince he sent fower of them with sixe hundreth men for the assurance of that Iland the which arriued soone after the departure of the French Sommer was nowe come and there was still newes from Fraunce that they made greater preparation for war arming many ships in all their ports at the instance of Anthony The Catholique kings affaires went slowlier forwardes then the importance of the cause required for that it seemed the Spaniards were not yet well assured whether the French woulde turne against Portugall and not goe to the Ilands yea some beleeued that making shew to do so they woulde take their course for
Flaunders seeming more to importe wholie to assure those countries and to expell the Catholique Kings forces then to vndertake an other enterprise of greater difficultie And the assurance of this opinion did helpe the Fren̄ch for it did diuert or at the least deuided the Spanish forces and was cause that in Spaine they prepared not their armies with such expedition as was conuenient But hauing after assured intelligence that the French prepared to encounter the ships that came from the Indies and the newe founde lands the prouision for Flaunders went slowly forwarde in Italie And in Spaine they made greater haste of their nauie for the which there was want of sailers and other necessaries yet with some trouble they had prepared in Andelouzia about twentie ships and twelue galleies The Marquesse was returned to Lisbone giuing order to the nauie to goe to Cape Saint Vincent and there to attend their charge At his arriuall he found within the riuer of Tagus twenty other ships ill appointed comprehending the Biscaines and some Flemmings hired in a manner by force where hauing shipped sixe thousand Spanish foote vnder Lopo de Figueroa the Marquesse imbarked with many noble men Ferrant of Toledo going as a priuate soldier with some other gentlemen This was not the kings first intention being resolued to assemble the body of his armie in Andelouzia whither the ships of Biscay at their departure had commaundement to repaire but in sailing being come to Lisbone and hauing hired some others with the gallions of Portugall the king supposed the greatest number was there that he should spende time to cause one parte of the armie to goe seeke the other supposing they shoulde meete he commaunded both the one and the other to saile towardes Portugall as they did labouring to ioine by the way And although all this was slowly executed yet had it bin more if the king by his owne presence had not hastened their departure the which was not before the x. of Iuly in the yeere 1582. so slow are the Spaniards by nature in the execution of their businesse At that time the French armie departed with Anthony and all his followers being in number aboue threescore and ten saile and seuen thousand foote whereof Philip Strozzi and Mounsieur de Brisack were commaunders THE NINTH BOOKE The Contents of the ninth Booke The description of the Jland of Saint Michael The arriuall of the French armie there The arriuall of the Spanish armie The battaile at sea The death of Philip Strozzi and of the Count of Vimioso The voiage of Anthony to the Terceres and his manner of proceeding The sentence of the Marquesse against the prisoners and his execution The death of the Duke of Alua and his praises The new estates where Prince Philip was sworne by reason of the death of Prince Diego And how the Cardinall Archduke of Austria was made Gouernour of Portugall WHilest the French and Spanish armies sailed towards the Terceres both Courtes were in suspence and in diuers hopes of successe but in Fraunce they conceiued more assurance then in Portugall for the French not esteeming the Spanish forces helde themselues superiours in number both of ships and men and hauing the Ilands at their deuotion they stoode assured that their armie should both spoile the Indian fleete sacke the Iland of Saint Michael and ouercome the enimies armie if they ioined with them And they relied so much thereon that extending their hopes farther furthered by the promises of Anthony and of what he said that he had followers in Portugall they hoped to approch the realme and to put men on lande and to arme the vnarmed Portugals for which cause they carried great quantitie of armes and to set so firme a footing vpon the maine lande as they should easily maintaine themselues so as with this intention many Noble men and gentlemen imbarked with the Armie both for that the French are easie to mooue as also heerein to please the Queene mother In the Court of Spaine their thoughts were not all so conformeable nor so ioyfull for the Portugals being now as contrarie in their humours to the Castillians as they had beene euer making hope equall to their owne desires seeing the affaires now in equal ballance many wished they should make no resistance and many expected the comming of Anthonie The rest of the Portugals more content with the present state of the Castillians shewed great hope the warres should now ende saying they were assured they should defeat this Armie take Anthonie prisoner and either by loue or force subdue the Ilandes yet inwardly they were not well satisfied For seeing their armies deuided without hope to ioyne it seemed vnto the wisest the victorie was not so assured as some supposed and that the Spaniards by giuing battaile should hazard to lose much and winne little and contrariwise the French to winne much and loose little for that the greatest mischiefe that coulde seeme to happen to the enimies was the defeating of the Armie and taking the Ilandes from their obedience which things although they shoud all happen yet were they not of any great moment to Fraunce but if contrariwise the Spanish Armie should be defeated their losse would be equall to the French for besides the ships they should with all lose with the Iland of Saint Michaell the hope to recouer the rest the Indian Fleet withal their treasure should serue as a Pray to the French and the realme should be stil in doubt subiect to all those inconueniences which so great a losse should bring with it chiefly vnto a realme newly conquered This feare was augmented for that their Armie which consisted of good ships and was manned with good souldiers was notwithstanding vnprouided of mariners and wilde fiers whereof some were drawen by force and the Marques himselfe went with small contentment not for that hee feared but hauing beene at his departure somewhat discountenanced by the King blaming him to haue beene too slacke in the dispatch of the Armie besides going in Flemmish ships and with Germane soldiers little acquainted with the sea increased these doubts yet outwardly these men shewed a great confidence grounding the rests of their hopes vpon the qualitie of the Spanish souldiers and the greatnes of their ships Manie woondred how the wordes of Anthonie could so preuaile in Fraunce as in a maner to moue all that Court to vndertake his protection with so great vehemencie as they had done not shewing any pretention he had vnto the Crowne hauing no great hope to make him Lord nor to imploy such forces as he pretended to haue seeing that such as fauoured him were kept vnder in Portugall with great garrisons And this readines of the French seemed to them the greater for that before they had shewed themselues more slack to succour the Portugals against the Castillians when as they had a fitter occasion and a more grounded hope of good successe then now they could haue for in
anchor might easily be defeated yet the French seemed little to feare it for that they remained long carelesse at lande at what time Anthony was lodged in the couent of Saint Rocke neere vnto the armie labouring both by wordes and threatning to haue the forte and being after come to the towne hee wrote generally to all that were within requiring them to consigne it into his handes as his owne offring to suffer them to depart freely but hauing no answere conformable to his desires he caused some peeces of artillerie to bee landed from the ships to batter it but there followed no effect for the Spanish armie arriued Which hauing sayled eleuen daies with varietie of weather hauing discouered the Iland not being ioyned with the ships and galleies which were parted from Andelouzia but onely the number which came from Lisbone whereof there remained fower ships and some carauels behinde three of them let with the tides could not get out of the riuer of Tagus with the rest and the fourth returned backe vpon a great leake so as the Armie consisted but of eight and twentie ships for although the other three got foorth the next day yet they arriued not with the rest at Saint Michaels but before them where hauing intelligence of the French they went to sea without ioyning afterwardes with the armie The first place the Marques discouered was Le Morro the one and twentith day of Iuly and arriued the two and twentith at Villa Franche without hauing any intelligence of the French Armie In this arriuall the Spaniards had some disaduantage for that the enimies lying close to the land with their ships and in a manner couered sawe them come a farre off without being discouered by them The day before the Marques had sent foorth Captaine Aguirre with two carauelles armed to discouer with instructions what course he should take if he found the enimie to whom he deliuered letters for Ambrose D'Aguiar of whose death he was ignorant whereby he did aduertise him of the comming of the armie of the number of men and ships he had and how he did howerly expect the ships and galleies prepared in Andelouzia demaunding newes of the French armie if it were passed with how many saile and for what place saying that his intention was to fight with them and therefore hee should will Peter Peixotto prepare himselfe with his ships to follow him As the Marques had cast anchor vnder Villa Franca one of the three carauels which had staied behinde and after passed them being laden with horses came vnto the Captaines ship assuring them that the three ships which had remained within the riuer of Tagus were arriued two daies before at the Ilande and were returned backe and that certaine French ships had taken two other carauels laden with horses and that they did hardly escape them But the Marques gaue no trust vnto their words although the French armie were there he sent other men to lande to learne the truth who returned soone without knowing any certaintie for that their approch to lande being defended they had contrarie reports made vnto them Notwithstanding the Marques did still see more apparant signes of the disobedience of the Ilande especially vpon the returne of one of the caruels of Captaine Aguirre the which reported that the saide Captaine with the other had beene taken by a French ship for this cause the Marques called Lopo de Figueroa Marshall of the field to councell where they resolued betwixt them to land some men both to take in fresh water to haue certaine intelligence of the affaires and to approch with the armie to some more conuenient place for that effect But they remained not long in these doubts for they had no sooner appointed some to discouer some better anchoring place the armie being vnder saile they began to discouer towards the towne certaine ships the which increasing still in number came against them iudging what it was as in truth it was the enimy laying aside what they had treated of hauing assembled Peter of Toledo the marshall of the Campe generall the Marques of Fauara Peter Taxis Commissarie generall Frauncis Bouadiglia Marshall of the field and some other gentlemen and Captaines they called a new councell where it was propounded whether they should fight or take any other partie The Castillian armie had no place of retreat to returne backe they could not without great danger to get the winde of the French there was no meanes for with their lighter shippes and easier to turne into the winde they might chase flie fight and retire themselues from fight at their pleasure So as the Spanish Captaines framing their opinions according to the necessitie the matters standing so as the free election remained not in them resolued to fight Anthonie hauing by the letters which the Marques had written to Ambrose d'Aguiar taken in the carauel with Aguirre intelligence what forces they had and what they expected and with all of his intention for this cause he had resolued with Strozzi Brissac and the Counte Vimioso that it was fittest to fight with this armie consisting of so small a number of ships before the other part which they expected should arriue and therefore hauing imbarqued with all possible speed they came in battell against the Marques hauing first laboured but in vaine to take the Castel by new threatnings Then did the Marques appoint what order hee would haue the armie keepe in the fight Vpon the right side of his gallion called S. Martin he placed that of Saint Mathew wherein was Lopo de Figueroa and on the left that of Frauncis Bouadiglia with fower other ships of succour all the rest were put in order onely Christopher d'Erasso remained behinde with a great ship of importance for that hauing his mast a little crased he durst not vse any force so as the Marques had but seuen and twentie ships in all the which especially in the two gallions they gaue verie good order for the fight For hauing deuided the souldiers into their rankes and appointed diuers commanders they prouided not onely for all necessities but also for any thing that could chaunce with great iudgement but it was in vaine for at that time the armies came not neere one another by seuen or eight miles both for that the winde was scant as also for that the night approched so as after the Marques had discharged a peece of artillerie as it were in signe of Battell the French bent towards the citie and the Catholique armie turned to sea not hauing any intelligence of what had passed at lande neither should he haue had it so soone by any other meanes if the same night Iohn de Castillio who had succeeded Laurence Noghero in the castell had not aduertised the Marques what had happened in the Iland and assured him that the fortresse held yet both to the ende he should haue care to succour it and to haue succour from thence if need
to spoile the Ilands as they had already done that of Saint Michaels and that the same armie hauing tried a battaile against his Maiesties the French had beene broken and ouercome in the which being taken eight and twentie noblemen and two and fiftie gentlemen and manie other marriners and soldiers he declared them taken as enimies to the quiet and publike good disturbers of the traffike and fauourers of his Maiesties rebels that as such and as publike pirats hee commaunded the Auditor generall of the armie that for their chasticement and for the example of others hee shoulde execute vpon them the punishment of naturall death beheading the Gentlemen and hanging the rest which passed the age of seuenteene yeeres being so conuenient both for the seruice of God and of the two kings This sentence seemed cruell to all such as heard it and chiefly vnto the Spanish soldiers both for that they feared the like might happen vnto thē an other day as also for that they would not lose the profit which many expected by the raunsome of the saide prisoners or else for their owne good inclination so as some of the soldiers laying aside all respect saide it was not well grounded for that there was no firme and inuiolable peace betwixt the Catholique King and most Christian but warre and that those were neither pirats nor theeues but valiant soldiers That there was no peace they prooued it by the warres of Flaunders more hot then euer where the French did in a manner possesse all the Catholique Kings patrimonie And that they were no pirats they prooued by the letters patents they had from the King vnder the which the ships and soldiers were enrolled besides the number and qualitie of these men were such as it appeered cleerely they woulde not haue attempted it of themselues if the king had not sent them And although betwixt the two crownes they dissembled many things the Christian King excusing himselfe sometimes vpon his mother sometimes vpon his brother that they were all deuises of Princes but for all that they were not without open warre the lawes whereof they saide was not so stricte as to commaund them to hang all their prisoners And this execution did so mooue the hearts of manie that some of the principall soldiers being assembled togither went with a commendable example vnto the Marques to make intercession for the life of their enimies who answered that the most Christian King had expresly commaunded that all Frenchmen that shoulde take armes against the Catholique King shoulde be corporally punished so as the same day these Gentlemen with a generall pittie and great seueritie were beheaded vpon the scaffolde and the marriners and soldiers hanged in diuers places and the pittie was the greater being apparant that they were all not onely valiant soldiers but Catholique and deuout Christians The blame of this seuere execution was not imputed to the Marques supposing that he had expresse commaundement from the King whom likewise they excused for hauing so determined seeing it was not to bee presumed that so many personages of importance should come with such an armie and remaine prisoners especially knowing that Philip by his owne inclination was not cruell yet on the other side they considered that the King in his minde shoulde haue conceiued a cruell disdaine against the French seeing that vnder the shadow of amitie peace and alliance Kings writing daily one to the orher greeuing and reioycing at their troubles and contents did not onely aide his rebels but also tooke his countries and sent so great an armie to endomage him And although that Princes do vsually dissemble and counterfeit in many things yet it seemed the French vnder a new kinde of dissimulation would make warre whereby they did inferre that this execution did nothing displease the King The armie being a little repaired here the Marques went to the I le of Coruo to meete with the Indian fleete and hauing past in view of the citie of Angra he put Anthonie and all the people into confusion for although the Marques content with the victorie would not thrust himselfe into a new danger yet Anthonie doubted that in the heat of the victorie he would pursue and assaile the Ilande in the which although he had men enough both of the nation and of the French yet were they fearfull and disordered and Anthonie himselfe at the same time prouided a light ship to imbarke if neede were These newes came slowly to Lisbone for the which they were in great care hauing newes of the fight by the meanes of a Zabra of Biscay but a French ship which had beene sore beaten by the gallion Saint Mathew being fled from the battel gaue assurance of the euent for beeing arriued disguised at Settuual he was discouered finding within her some Spanish souldiers dead in the bosome of one of them was written all that had passed in the armie since their departure from Lisbone vntill the time that he was slaine The Marques attended long about the Ilands for the Indian fleete whereof two being arriued the seas growing high he came with them to Lisbone to the great ioy of all the court where he was extraordinarily fauoured by the King Anthony after the Marques his departure remained more quiet in minde supposing that for one whole yeere he need not feare any enimie He greatly greeued for the death of the French prisoners fearing it would preiudice his cause in France But Emanuel de Silua pressed him to reuenge in hanging about fiftie or threescore Castillians which were there taken prisoners at diuers times the which he woulde not suffer being better enclined He was ill furnished with money although hee had great store of armes and munition For this consideration he daily all by the inuention of the saide Silua made rigorous commandements to draw money from the people and from such as did not follow him willingly He caused gold to be coined which hee valued at fiue and twentie roials although it weied but eight He made testons of siluer weighing a roiall and a halfe the which he made currant for halfe a duckat and the copper money which was woorth three in Portugall hee valued at tenne And for that many were retired to the mountaines to be free from troubles within the citie hee commaunded euery one to returne and if any deferred his comming longer then the time limited by his commaundement they presently seazed his goods Many for feare of the souldiers had carried and hidden their goods without the citie and therefore he commaunded euerie one to bring them backe againe whereby he gained much for he demaunded a loane of money of such as came and brought it backe and if any one obeyed not he sent Souldiers to search their goods and to spoile them with a thousand indignities It was a lamentable thing to see how the Church causes were handled for the religious men except the Iesuits imploied in militarie actions
retayned nothing of a priest but the habit and the name as for sermons confessions and such like things they came from them as from men which had not God before their eies And Anthonie himselfe during these afflictions had not his minde free from lasciuiousnes for the women of honour could hardly be free from his lustes hauing too familiar accesse into the monasterie of religious women amongst whom as well as amongst the men raigned the passions of the affaires of the Realme with no small scandall and great disorder and many of his as also of the French followed this his example Anthonie liued this kinde of life vntill the moneth of October irresolute what to doe To goe into Fraunce after the losse of so great a number of the nobilitie he helde it not safe neither knew he how he should be looked on for he feared as much the disdaine of particulars as he hoped in the protection of the Queene mother To remaine there he saw it a thing not able long to subsist with so great garrisons not hauing wherewithall to pay the souldiers nor in a manner how to furnish his expences He resolued therefore with such shippes as he had to depart for Fraunce but first would goe towardes the Madera and the Iland of Canarie that by spoyling of some weake places hee should content the souldiers with some weake pray For this cause hauing prepared about thirtie saile he not onely shipped his souldiers but with a new deuise he commaunded all the citizens which he suspected and all religious persons affected to the contrarie partie as the Iesuits and others to imbarke making this commaundement most rigorous to those that could least obserue it to the ende they should redeeme this voyage with money But all as vnprofitable in sea causes excused themselues with liuely reasons and entreaties but it preuailed nothing making answere to the yoonger that he had neede of them for his guarde and to the olde for counsell so as many sought to content him with money as hee desired euerie one according to his abilitie by meanes whereof they were freede from his commaundement But this inuention was soone counter-checkt by another for many desired to leaue the Iland to imbarke not with intention to follow the armie but to saile into Spaine Some of the Captaines of the shippes vnderstanding their mindes agreede with the Portugals not to deliuer any money to Anthonie for their stay in the Iland but paying them the like summe and much lesse they would land them in Portugall so as many trusting to the French and English not paying any thing to Anthonie imbarked with them agreeing for a certaine summe to be set on land Anthonie departed with this armie from the Terceres leauing Emanuel de Silua in his place with fiue hundred Frenchmen vnder the charge of Baptiste Florentin and Charles a French man their Captaines He arriued at the Iland of Saint Michael where hauing staied long thereabouts fearing the Spanish garrison there he durst not land being forced to leaue it by a storme that rose Then some of his English and French ships left him keeping promise with the Portugals that were imbarked with them In the meane time they had newes in Fraunce of the defeat of the armie and the death of so many prisoners which caused both in court and throughout the Realme a great griefe and disdaine and enflamed the French to reuenge and as they had Flaunders neere and matters in that estate as hath beene said there they discharged their choler neither did they forbeare after the returne of Anthonie to treat of a new preparation of an armie at sea for the sommer following It was giuen out in Spaine that the faction of Anthony and the French against Portugall was dashed and that they had weakned their forces yet did they not dismisse their hired ships At that time two galliasses being arriued from Naples it seemed the king would assemble a great armie for the next yeere and make himselfe absolute Lorde of the Ocean both in respect of the affaires of Anthony as to assure his ships from the Indies and newe founde landes from the French and English and to force the Iland The Catholique King desired to returne into Castill both for that he was called by the states of Arragon and to finish the marriage of his daughter with the Emperour as also for other business of the realme and was vpon the point to effect it in Nouember 1582. but he woulde first extend his pardon graunted at Tomar to such as had followed Anthony For this cause hauing excepted the religious persons and tenne others hee pardoned freely all the rest that shoulde present themselues within a certaine time but this wrought no effect for there came fewe and many said that the King being yet displeased could not make a free pardon This departure was after staied by the newes of the death of Diego his eldest sonne who as hee had beene sworne Prince of Portugall at the estates of Tomar hee woulde likewise that the same oath shoulde bee made in the person of Philip his second sonne being then sicke And for that he had no other issue male the succession masculine of these Realmes remaining in the breath of one only togither with the kings age and the disposition of the affaires of the world both the quiet seditious were in care But for the swearing of him he assembled the estates at Lisbone in the moneth of Februarie resolute to accomplish this ceremonie before his departure At that time the Duke of Alua consumed with a continuall feauer died in the pallace of Lisbone in the Kings owne quarter being of the age of threescore fourteene yeeres During his sicknes he was greatly fauoured of the King who did visite him a little before his death There is no doubt but the King apprehended the losse of such a seruant which bred no lesse discontentment in him then pleasing to his enimies But the Portugals obserued that the day following he went publikely to masse without any shew of discontent contrary to the custome of their kings who vpon the death of men of lesse qualitie hauing done any notable seruices to the crowne retired themselues for a time the which seemed the more strange for that King Emanuel vpon the death of a notable Pilote withdrew himselfe three daies But the actions of great Princes are so subiect to the censure of the vulgar as the wisest minister matter of discourse to the curious and malicious to slaunder them With him died as a man may say all the warlike discipline of Spaine for there remained not any one captaine equall vnto him He was of a goodly stature of visage leane and graue hee had rare gifts of nature and fortune the which he augmented much by arte he was of a noble minde of a readie and subtill spirite assured in iudgement and peaceable He was not greedy of worldly wealth sparing
was ended He procured that the assemblie of Deputies for this effect shoulde not be called estates to the ende hee might take away all occasion of demaunding new things or to redemaund those which had beene required in the former estates and not graunted and therefore hee had contrarie to the custome sent into all places briefes of the procurations the Deputies should bring with them so drawne as they should not extend further then the swearing of the Prince and although it were so executed yet the estates did not forbeare especially he that was for the Deputies of the realme to reuiue the demaunds made at the estates helde at Tomar with some others and especially that it woulde please his Maiestie to shewe magnanimitie and clemencie in giuing a generall pardon to all such as were culpable of Anthonies offence saying it shoulde greatly profite and do little harme But whatsoeuer the cause was he neither satisfied them in this point nor in any other of importance He dispatched some Portugals which sought reward for although hee had giuen vnto many yet were they not content But notwithstanding all this care and diligence whether it were his faulte or his ministers or else the disposition of the suters or of all togither there remained many of them discontented part of them for that they were not recompenced and others for that they did not seeme to be recompenced according to their merits The Duke of Bragance at the assembly of the estates hoped to haue receiued recompence from the King which he supposed to haue deserued for although hee were rewarded yet was it not according to his expectation for aspiring to greater offices greater authoritie then he had it seemed the Kings wil was therein directly contrarie so as for that the recompences were small in regard of the greatnes of his hope they were not published but hee was suffered to replie that they might be after specified The Marques of Villa Real receiued likewise no contentment to his liking so as both remained ill satisfied and the Duke leauing the Court being long before sicke died soone after although the Portugals say that the griefe he conceiued of the weake recompence hee receiued from Philip hastened his daies The King at the time of his departure reformed the state of iustice publishing many newe lawes suffering the Portugals to attire themselues more freely with silke then other kings had done He made Cardinall Albert Archduke of Austria gouernour of the realme in his absence leauing him notwithstanding accompanied with three counsellors that is George d'Almada Archbishop of Lisbone Peter d'Ascasoua and Michael de Mora who was Secretorie of the realme newly created Notarie which they call of the puritie so great a charge as yet had neuer beene giuen but to the chiefest personages of the realme whereunto since the time of King Iohn the third that Michael de Silua Bishop of Viseu who was after Cardinall went to Rome in disgrace there was neuer any aduanced The King gaue procuration to the said Cardinall causing him to take an oath in the presence of the councell of State and of the magistrate of the Chamber of Lisbone to gouerne with iustice and to resigne him the realme at his returne The Empresse his sister who was to goe into Castill visiting first the Nunnes of the monasterie of Santos who may lawfully marrie she tooke foorth and carried with her Iulian d' Allan castro of the age of thirteene yeeres who by the decease of Maudlyn Girone her mother remained Dutchesse of Auero The Portugals were much grieued with this acte for although she said the King woulde prouide she should not marrie but with his liking yet notwithstanding she seemed to be rauished and manie feared that he woulde not marrie her in Castill When these things were ended the king departed the eleuenth of Februarie in the yeere 1583. the which greatly displeased the quiet and did glad the seditious for those feared least there shoulde grow some controuersie betwixt the people and the garrisons that the soldiers ill paied woulde mutine and that the Cardinals authoritie was not of such force as the kings presence to redresse it and contrariwise the rest hoped that the kings absence the small affection the people bare vnto them the oppression of the garrison and the great dearth woulde in the spring considering principally the army which was prepared in Fraunce minister matter of alteration although it now seemed that things succeeded in fauour of the kings intention hauing intelligence that in Flaunders the Duke of Alonçon seeking to assure himselfe of the citie of Anwerp wherein he was as Lord and Protector hauing his armie lodged thereabouts it had not succeeded for forcing of a gate and hauing drawne in three thousand French they were by the great valour of the Citizens repulsed and the one halfe slaine so as it seemed the Flemmings would no more trust the Duke but compound with the King Such Portugals as had receiued no answere to their demaunds doubted of all dispatch in the Kings absence but this feare was qualified by the opinion which they had conceiued that the Cardinall remaining gouernour they should be no lesse fauored by him then they had beene by the King himselfe albeit this hope soone vanished after the Kings departure for the Cardinall did not onely forbeare to vse the authoritie which hee seemed to haue left him but hee refused to signe the commaundements or other writings which concerned the affaires of the realme And although some beleeued that he had forborne to do it for that the king was yet vpon the way and not out of the realme vpon a respect of soueraigntie yet they were deceiued for the King being out of the realme he did not signe the which bred a great disdaine in the Portugals who pretended to holde the realme distinguished from that of Castill it seemed that this manner of gouernment which the king vsed from Madrill was a more strict vnion then they desired besides the troubles of their expeditions for the distance of the court And this disdaine was much augmented for that the king had placed in the councell of the reuenewes of the crowne which they terme d'Hazenda two counsellors Castillians of nation a doctor a merchant saying that it was vnseemely against their priuileges THE TENTH BOOKE The Contents of the tenth Booke In this last Booke is contained the death of Sanches d'Auila The sacke of the Ilands of Cape Vert The carriage of Emanuel de Silua Gouernour of the Terceres The preparatiō of king Philip to force the said Ilands The succours sent thither from Fraunce The fortification and the garrison The departure of the armie from Lisbone The description of the Iland of Terceres The arriuall there of the Spanish armie The assault skirmishes and taking of the Iland The yeelding of the French The taking of the Iland of Fayale and the obedience of all the rest How that Emanuel de Silua