in any sort repugnant to this Maxime That all lawes should be equall inflexible vnchangeable c. hee must be answered That it is onely vnderstood of the dead letter of the law which as it euer speaketh and resolueth in one manner so ought it in respect of it selfe to be indifferently interpreted and executed But there is another reason of the liuing law which is the prince and his ministers especially touching Commissions which bee receiued from him for they ought to execute the dead letter of the law with such respect and moderation as hath beene mentioned before so as they bend it with equitie but breake it not with wilfulnesse Wherefore there is a certaine power giuen vnto the prince aboue the lawes and by the rule of conscience which is imprinted in the heart of him or them that are set vnder him the cause is qualified according to the reason of the circumstance for rigor is not alwayes right neither may we say that they rule best which vrge the letter without respect to the reasons that rather follow the words of a text which is mute than the due consideration of a quicke interpretation which is more sensible Prouided alwayes for the preseruation of Maiestie and maintenance of lawes That howsoeuer it may please a prince out of his owne conceit to dispose in ouerruling any matter with respect either of the person or time augmenting or abating the reward of any good desert or punishing of any fault the same be not drawne to consequence or inforced as a president to those that shall liue after him They that gouerne know better how to moderate these cases than the lawyers that plead and many things are incident to politicke direction which neuer come within the compasse of an ordinarie Aduocate Contention betwixt husbands and wiues masters and seruants parents and their children neighbours kinsmen friends and such like conjoyned in the strait linke of ordinarie officers ought rather to be ended by a friendlie arbitrator with spare of charges which belong to suits than by a seuere judge who decideth all things by extremitie The best course for a prince is to censure causes by due circumstances without partialitie and that the difference which shall appeare betwixt his moderation and the written law may rather seeme to arise out of a right in equitie than an error in affection I would haue all the courts of justice offend rather in compassion than rigor or crueltie vnlesse there be a notable example to be made for the terror to the multitude In all kinds of rewards be bountiful aboue the common course and alwaies chuse rather to leaue a light offendor whose crimes are not manifest vnpunished than to condemne an innocent or to leaue a peece of seruice vnrewarded at the least with fauorable words with praise and cause of hope vntill time and opportunitie may yeeld a more ample satisfaction Be carefull that compassion facilitie in remitting punishments be tempered with such a reasonable meane as it neither incourage men to offend nor giue occasion of many errors which grow by too much lenitie Let it suffice that your subiects liue vnder you with industrie and as becommeth men without giuing scandall or ill example to the world Proceed not to that kind of curiositie which makes many rules to inquire search what men doe in the most priuat and secret places of their houses this humor is many waies offensiue for both a breedeth trouble to the prince and oftentimes great harme to the party without desert Though some be not absolutely chast yet so they be found wary in auoiding all cause of scandall manifest offence the prince hath reason to referre the judgement of the secrets of mens hearts vnto God and the correction of secret sins to his diuine Maiestie for where our eyes can no way pierce there is no reason that our hands should execute Keepe one eare alwayes open for the aduerse partie beware of setling your judgement especially in causes of justice vpon the first impression for time traueleth for truth and oftentimes graue deliberation easeth her of her burthen In those occasions a moderation shold be had in such regard as neither the subiect be induced by too great facility to attempt any practise of vnlawful action for the furtherance of his intent nor discouraged by too great rigour for expecting reason at your hands for both extremities are dangerous Whilest that you are in choler or haue made your selfe a prey to any other passion or respect of priuat interest be verie carefull neuer to giue sentence or at the least not to put the same in present executiō least afterwards appeales be made vnto your selfe from such vniust sentences and executions by the parties that are wronged when you are come vnto your selfe You may read in histories of a poore woman that appealed from king Philip being transported with passion to the same king Philip qualified with a due consideration and of the penance which was injoyned by S. Ambrose to Theodosius after the massacre of Thessalonica Touching the orders of your familie and Court I haue discoursed with you at other times out of which you may draw rules for the direction of those affaires be alwayes mindfull that your gards be entertained about your person according to the wonted maner rather to set forth the maiestie of gouernment than in respect of danger of your life for euidēt necessitie Touching the wearing of your apparel there is no doubt but princely garments fit for your estate at certaine times doe both grace your person and strike a kind of awe into the peoples hearts Notwithstanding to sute your selfe ordinarily more plainly according to that fashion which is most generall doth win great loue as I haue obserued by mine owne experience for nothing pleaseth the subiect more than to note sometimes a carelesse contempt of those outward complements in which some princes set their princelie felicitie The like consideration must be had touching your die◠and other necessarie things belonging to your person and your Court with a carefull regard that neither hatred be purchased by excesse nor contempt by too great equalitie To the time of peace likewise belong diuers kinds of workes worthie of a princes care which draw the subiects eyes to admiration and his heart to thankefulnesse In this degree we marshall whatsoeuer princes either build or repaire for the peoples good as adorning cities amending highwayes repaying bridges making riuers nauigable charges in bringing waters in repairing of churches hospitals guild-halls publike places and towne walls taking order for the reformation of abuses in religion Vniuersities Colledges and judiciall places in limiting the fees of Counsellors excluding auarice from courts of conscience and corruption of magistrats in the bringing vp of orphans mariage of poore maids and redemption of prisoners Blessed is the heart that thinketh on those things and the hand that putteth them in execution for by this meanes the subiect shall
gouernors of Castille murthered where some dayes after without any formall proceeding he caused them to be murthered in the prison D. Diego Porcello as some thinke was of this number D. Nugno Bellides maried his daughter D. Sulla of whom were borne two sonnes D. Nugno Nugnez Razura D. Diego Porcello the stemme of the princes of Castille grandfather to the earle D. Fernand Gonsales and the other was Iustus Gonsales grandfather to the Lord of Lara A yeare after this tyranous action the king D. Ordogno died according to the common opinion in the yeare of our saluation 897 but according to the letters and titles of donation of the abbeyes and churches of Spaine he liued in the yeare 919 as Garibay saith who hath made a diligent search Of the authoritie and truth of which charters we may iustly doubt This king raigned eight yeares and was buried at Leon in the new Cathedrall church of Saint Marie the great the first of those kings which had beene interred at Leon. D. Froila second of that name and 15 King of Ouiedo and Leon. 48 AFter the death of D. Ordogno An. 897. the realme was held by his brother D. Froila who vsurped it from his nephewes D. Alphonso and D. Ramir sonnes to the deceased He is not put in the catalogue of the kings of Ouiedo it may be by reason of the shortnesse of his raigne or in detestation of his cruelties which purchased him the surname of Cruell or for some other considerations Genealogie of Ouiedo and Leon. He had maried a ladie called D. Munina or D. Nugna by whom he had three sonnes D. Alphonso D. Ordogno and D. Ramir and by a concubine a bastard called D. Fruela Of this bastard issued D. Pelagius called the Deacon who maried D. Aldonsa grand child to D. Bermund the Goutie whereof we will make mention King D. Fruela was a tyrant Tyrants alwaies feareful suspitious and cruelt and therefore fearefull and suspitious so as he vsed great crueltie against the noblest personages in Spaine he put some to death banished many and afflicted euerie estate Among the rest he put to death the children of a noble knight called D. Olmunde or Dimunde banished D. Frominio their brother who was Bishop of Leon and committed many other such outrages yet couered with the cloke of iustice as tyrants doe vsually 49 The people of Castille incensed at the crueltie vsed against their earles by D. Ordogno rebelled against the Crowne of Ouiedo and Leon Change of the Estate of Castille and made an Estate apart chusing two Gouernors or Iudges among them whereof the one should haue charge of the war Iudges chosen in Castille and the other should take knowledge of ciuile causes These were Nugno Razura and Flauin Caluo his sonne in law Nugno Razura was sonne to Nugno Bellides a German knight who they say was the first founder of the citie of Burgos so called by him of a German word signifying a habitation of people This knight comming into Spaine vpon deuotion to visit S. Iaques sepulchre was there maried to D. Sulla daughter to D. Diego Porcello and had by her this D. Nugno Razura a knight who was wise valiant and much esteemed by reason of his modestie He had one sonne and one daughter by his wife D. Gonsalo Nugnes and D. Eluira Nugnes or else D. Theresa Nugnes surnamed Bella either for that she was exceeding faire or to seeme to be so for the custome of the auncient was to giue their children pleasing names and surnames thinking they should thereby purchase fauour with men and that a goodly name gaue some marke or impression to the person conformable to that which it did signifie This ladie D. Bella was maried by her father to Flauin Caluo a knight of Castille lord of Biuar by whom descended by fiue degrees Cid Ruys Diaz who was a wise and valiant knight By these two Castille was gouerned without opposition for that the king D. Fruela being hated and ill obeyed by reason of his tyranie and tormented with continuall distrust being also growne a leaper could not bring any armie against them Wherefore this manner of gouernement was setled among the Castillans and the countrey was dismembred from the Crowne of Ouiedo for a time and the riuer of Pisorga diuided Castille the old from the kingdome of Leon. D. Nugnes determined of ciuile causes with great equitie and iustice Flauin Caluo managed matters of state and warre Mention is made in certain priuiledges giuen by the first kings of Castille to certain towns of that countrey of a volume of the Castillian Lawes according to the which iustice should be administred called the booke of Iudges the which was of great authoritie vnto the time of king D. Alphonso the Wise sonne to D. Fernand the third that the Lawes of the seuen parties were brought in according to the which this realme was afterwards gouerned King D. Fruela Ouiedo and Leon. without rest among his subiects without warre against the Moores and Infidels without honour in any of his actions and without health in his person infected with leprosie raigned onely foureteene monethes and was interred at Leon in the chiefe church in the yeare 898 according to the common opinion but there are letters in the treasurie of Saint Iaques of a donation of twelue miles of ground to this church made by this king dated the 28 of Iune 924 which Garibay saith he hath seene ⧠THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Spaine The Contents of the seuenth Booke 1 D Sancho Abarca second of that name and ninth king of Nauarre 2 D. Alphonso fourth of that name and 16 king of Ouiedo and Leon. 3 D. Ramir second of that name and 17 king of Leon leauing the title of Ouiedo 4 D. Gonsal Nugnes Iudge of Castille his vertues 5 D Fernand Gonsales first earle proprietarie of Castille 6 D. Mir second proprietarie earle of Barcelone 7 D. Ordogno third of that name and 18 king of Leon. 8 D. Garcia Sanches fourth of that name and 10 king of Nauarre 9 D. Seniofrid third earle of Barcelone sonne to D. Mir. 10 D. Sancho first of that name and 19 king of Leon called the Fat. 11 Hali Hatan ninth Souer aigne king of the Arabians or Moores in Spaine 12 D. Ramir third of that name and 20 king of Leon. 13 D. Garcia Fernandes second proprietarie earle of Castille 14 Hizen second of that name and 10 king of the Moores at Cordoua 15 D. Bermund second of that name 21 king of Leon from whom the citie of Leon was taken by the Moores 16 D. Sancho third of that name and 11 king of Nauarre 17 D. Borel fourth proprietarie earle of Barcelone 18 D. Alphonso fift of that name and 22 king of Leon. 19 D. Sancho Garcia third earle of Castille 20 D. Raymond Borel fift earle of Barcelone 21 Decay of the Moores power in Spaine by their ciuile dissentions 22
Albaneses all light horsemen Besides these troupes and their captaines he led with him many men of knowne valour to imploy them in this seruice and to aduance them to charges as they should fall among which were his base sonne called also Fernando Aluarez who was a knight of Saint Iohn and Prior of a rich commaunderie Chiappin Vitelli marquesse of Ceâ—ona Gabriel Serbelloni a knight also of Saint Iohn Sancio d' Auila Girolamo de Salinas Iohn of Epuccia and Andrew de Salezar one of which foure last was Castellan of Pauia the other of Portercole the third of Piombyno and the last of Palermo And besides these hee led with him Paciotto de Vrbino an excellent Enginer hauing gotten him from the duke of Sauoy whom hee then serued Hee made his sonne Fernando Generall of the horse Vitelli was Marshall of the field and Serbelloni besides the charge of the Artillerie was made Counsellour at Warre How hee entred into the countrey and what his proceedings were that Historie doth relate at large After which they hauing certaine informations sent them into Spaine from the duke of Alba and the aduice of the holy Inquisition taken therein all the lay people of the said countries both noblemen gentlemen townes and comminalties were by the kings sentence condemned as heretikes or fauourers of heretikes or in some other sort guiltie of high treason in the highest degree without exception of estate qualitie condition age or sex except some which were particularly named in the information which made the inhabitants to flie into diuers other countries This yere in May there was great ioy and feasts in Spaine and in all the kings dominions for the birth of his second daughter who was baptised and called Katherine But whilest the warre grew hot in the Low Countries 1568 there happened a tragicall accident in the royall house of Spaine We haue before made mention how that D. Charles was in disgrace with the king his father the cause as the Spaniards say was for that he was viciously giuen ObiectioÌ„ against the prince of Spaine and that he spake ill of the present gouernment that he had a meaning to attempt against the kings person and to raigne in his place hating him for that he had often reprehended him and threatened him for his disorder courses or if that succeeded not that he would steale away and flie secretly with some of his confederats into Italie or somewhere else and trie by confusion and tumult to depriue the king of his Estates That he carried himselfe arrogantly and incompatible to them that had the chiefe offices in Court and that he disdained all those that were appointed to attend on him yea hee would outrage and strike them The Inquisitors expected no good from this prince neither did the kings Councell of the which those that were then most hated of him Enemies to the prince of Spaine were D. Ruis Gomes de Sylua a Portugal the earle of Feria and D. Anthonie de Toledo The king was aduertised by them of many particularities concerning the princes carriage and entertained in dislike of him By their counsell the king resolued to come from the Escuriall to Madrid where the prince was and to surprise him in his chamber in the night they attending on him and to take him in his bed They came and found the chamber doore so well barred as they were forced to breake it open The prince hearing the noise leapt out of his bed and seeing the king his father hee was much troubled beginning to crie out What is the reason that you will kill me The king willed him that he would pacifie himselfe and that he should goe againe to his bed telling him that what he did was for his good They seised on his sword and some say that hee had a pistoll charged and bent He complained that they meant to bind him as if he had beene madde His chamber and clothes were searched and they left no instrument of yron Imprisonment of the prince of Spaine wherewith he might hurt himselfe all his papers and writings were carried away among the which there were found many copies of letters written to some princes full of complaints of hard vsage which hee receiued from the king whom he accused of crueltie and bad gouernement in his affaires and it seemed hee did inuite them to assist him by compassion making great promises vnto them His whole designe was also discouered by certaine remembrances which were found Designes of the prince discouered being resolued to escape away in the gallies which should passe into Italie whereby they might easily see whom he loued and whom he hated in Court whom he trusted and whom he would imploy in his enterprises Hee had beene seene some daies before to discourse long and verie earnestly with D. Iohn of Austria Generall at sea and it was thought that hauing acquainted him with his designes hee reuealed them vnto the king which made him resolue to put him in gard The earle of Feria and D. Ruis Gomes had that charge who watcht him carefully in their turnes and hee was serued by two gentlemen who carried no armes and vpon the passages to his chamber there were gards who would not suffer any other to goe vnto him This continued some dayes but the king who obserued all that hee spake caused him afterwards to be put into a strong tower giuing the whole charge and care of him to D. Ruis Gomes it was the same prison whereas king Francis had beene kept There hee attempted many times to kill himselfe as they said and being preuented hee forbare to eat any thing eight dayes together The king aduertised all the noblemen townes and comminalties of Spaine of this imprisonment that they should not take it ill letting them vnderstand that it was for the good and quiet of them all forbidding them all expresly not to speake not mediate for the prince He imparted as much to the embassadours and did write vnto their masters The emperour Maximilian being aduertised of this fact imputed the cause to D. Iohn and was offended with him for he meant to make the prince D. Charles his Son in law if this accident had not happened to haue consummated the marriage within few daies as the fathers had concluded he was so much discontented as hee would haue called home the Princes Rodulphâ—s and earnest his Sonnes who were bred vp in the Court of Spaine but the king D. Philip would not suffer them to depart but sought to pacifie the Emperour with reasons either true or probable But in the end he persuaded him that the cause was most vrgent and iust to assure himselfe of his Sonnes person whome hee should loue and spare if it might be hauing at that time no more Sonnes Whatsoeuer was the true cause of the Sonnes detention by the father being not well manifested from Spaine the prince D. Charles the presumptiue heire of so many realmes dyed
end that if they did not receyue him willingly his title beeing so well grounded he would vse force and therefore they should aduise not to draw themselues their families and the whole Realme into a warre and the miseries which follow it These letters were deliuered to many with good words and presents Lisbon refuseth the King of Spains letters but the cittie of Lisbone would not receiue them and as Christopher de Mora had left them with the Officers of the Cittie they sent them sealed vp vnto their King who was much trobled with this weightie busines and could not resolue any thing that was pleasing to king Philip who threatened him and began to let the Portugals know that he prepared to armes for not meaning to be taken vnprouided at Henries death which could not be long and that this delay should not any way preiudice him in that he pretended to be King of Portugal in despight of all those that would contradict he had drawne into Spaine of Germans Italians and Spaniards of his old regiments of Italy to the number of 18000. foot whom he entertayned many moneths with great charge and hinderance to his subiects in Andalusia and other places nere to Portugall which they could not coniecture to be to any other end but to inuade that realme where they sayd openly that armes and force were his best title for he had no right vnto it He among all the pretendants which did most trouble him and the King Don Henry also was Don Antonio Prior of Crato who was very well beloued of the people and of many of the Nobilitie The King was so incensed against him as he gaue commandement he should not be heard and taking vppon him to re-examine his cause of Legitimation he sought to dissolue the sentence which was giuen by Emanuell d' Almada Bishop of Angra appoynted Iudge by the Pope whereof Pope Gregorie the 13. beeing aduertised he retayned the knowledge of the cause to himselfe yet Don Henry either mooued by his owne passion or prest by the Castillans declared this sentence to be voyd by his owne authoritie without forme of law or solemnitie of iustice but Conestagio in the Historie of Portugall writes that King Henry had obtayned a Breefe secretly from the Pope Sentence of D. Antonio's legitimation disanulled by the which he gaue him authoritie to iudge the cause of legitimation absolutely without any forme of Processe and that of foure witnesses two confessed that they had beene suborned by Don Antonio and that the other two were suspected as his neere allies and disagreeing betwixt themselues and that Lewis his father tearmed him Bastard in his last will whereuppon hee declared Don Antonio illegitimate imposing him perpetual silence touching the pretended marriage and legitimation sending a Sergeant to Crato to seaze vpon the Prior but hee found him not This he writes But were it true or false the King leauing the qualitie of a Iudge commanded Don Antonio of his royall authoritie not to come within thirtie leagues of the Court. Then his indignation increasing he banished him the Realme depriued him of all pensions priuiledges and fauours which he had receyued of precedent kings seeking by all meanes to haue him apprehended and to put him into some streight prison yet Don Antonio went not out of the Realme but retired to some of his friends or to some Monasteries vppon the fronter neither did he forbeare to come and sollicite the Iudges with the which the king was dayly incensed Being prest by the importunities of king Philips Ambassadors terrified by his preparation to armes and perswaded by his Confessor father Lyon Henrique he did adhere wholy vnto him and there was then no difficultie but to find meanes to name him and to get the consent of the Estates and therefore he propounded a kind of accord betwixt the Realme and king Philip the which shold be treated by his means in an assembly of the Estates the which he called to that end But the king of Castile would not put his right to Compromise and detested this Assembly of the Estates K Henry falles sicke aduertising king Henry that he should not treate of this businesse with them vnited in one bodie but particularly with the chiefe of the Clergie the Nobilitie and the townes In the meane time the king D. Henry found himselfe ill so as being taken with great faintings which held him long the Councel which was about him and the Deputies assembled in the towne of Almerin whither they were retired by reason of the plague which was very violent in Lisbon and in a manner in all the other townes of the Realme thinking that he would neuer recouer it they presumed to open the boxe wherein was the lyst of such as he had chosen to be Gouernors of the Realme and to proceede to the nomination of a Successor in case he had not done it where they found Gouernors of Portugal that of the fifteene that were contayned in the rowle he had chosen George d' Almada Arch-bishop of Lisbon Francis de Sada Lord Chamberlain Iohn Tello Iohn Mascaregnas and Diego Lope de Sosa President in the Councell of Iustice at Lisbon The king was somewhat recouered but knowing that he drew neere his end employing the remainder of his daies in the care of his soule and leauing this businesse with others imperfect An. 1580. he dyed the last of Ianuary 1580. hauing held the royall seate as the Castillans sayd seuenteene moneths and some dayes Death of King Henry beeing 68. years old for he dyed in the same moneth and on the same day that he was borne This was the last king of Portugall in whom ended the direct masculine line And as the first Lord of Portugall though with the title of an Earle was called Henry euen so was the last Life of King Henry He was of a thinne bodie low of stature and leane of his visage hee had an indifferent good wit and was endowed besides the Latine toung with some knowledge He was alwaies held to be chast and did neuer blemish that angelicall vertue but with the desire of marriage in his latter dayes He was accompted sparing giuing rather then denying for he refused seldome but he gaue sparingly he was ambitious of all Iurisdiction as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill zealous in religion but more seuere then was fit in the reformation of Clergi-men He was Bishop Gouernor of the Realme Inquisitour Maior Cardinall Apostolicke Legate and King But the greater he grew in dignitie the more he discouered his incapacitie and weaknesse suffering himselfe in greatest affaires to be ouer-ruled by his ministers not able to determine the cause of the succession Hee was very obstinate in his opinions neuer forgetting any wrongs so as iustice was in him but an vniust execution of his passions and therefore a religious man whome hee had prest to take vppon him a most strict course of life sayd vnto him that hee
vnto the farthest bounds of Africke and into the prouinces of Europe which lay neere vnto it Spain which was not without vices and defects in the chief members therof being suddenly inuaded ouerrun by this nation being euer an enemie to peace and good gouernment was dismembred diuided again into diuers principalities the names wherof we retaine vnto this day that is Ouiedo and Leon Nauarre Arragon Cattelogne Valence Murcia Granado Tolledo Castillia Gallicia and Portugal which for the most part had distinct titles of kingdomes some being held by the Moores and others defended by the Gothes and them of the countrey Of euerie of which kingdomes we meane to make mention in this historie and to continue it with the helpe of God vntill that all Spaine was reduced vnder the command of one king although it hold still the former diuisions and their limits as they were set downe in the time of the Arabians and Moores For Cattelogne Cattelogne and his limits which comprehends the auntient Indigetes Castellans Leetanes and Acetanes runnes along the Mediterranean shore from Cap de Crux vnto Alfaques to the mountaine of Moncia and S. Peters fountaine where there is a little brooke called Cinia which makes the limits Hauing past this riuer the Bourg of Vimero is the beginning of Valence which holds on to Alicante Valence and in this realme in old time were comprehended the Edetanes Ilercaones and Contestanes Then they enter vpon the borders of Murcia and Carthagene Murcia Carthagena which extend as farre as Almerie by the Contestanes Bastitanes and some part of the Bastules From Gibaltar to the mouth of Guadiana Andelusia are the bankes of Andelouzia which some say was so called for that it is before Lusitania as if they would say Anteâ—Lusitania Others deriue the name from the Vandales which haue held it and cal it Vandalusia There did the Turditanes and a part of the Celtique people dwell After which they enter into Portugall Portugal which runs on vnto the riuer Minio where it fals into the sea the auntient limits of the Lusitanians and of the Gallique Brecaires This realme according to the suruey which king Sebastian caused to bee made in our time containes 260 leagues in circuit whereof there is an hundred and twentie towards the sea and an hundred and fortie to the land Gallicia follows from Minio Gallicia Bagone and Ponteuedra vnto Ribadeo they were in old time the Lucenses Then they come to the Asturians of Ouiedo Asturie and Ouiedo from Castropol to Llames from Llames to Castro Deordiales are the bankes of the Asturians of Sentillana These people alone haue retained their auntient name After which followes the coast of Biscaie where is Portugalette and Bilbao and stretcheth vnto Ondarroa Then they come to Guipuscoa at Montrico which ends at Fontarabie These were antient Cantabrians and part Autrigones Caristians Vardules and Vascons vpon the sea Nauarre lyes for the most part vpon the sides and vallies of the Pyrenes Nauarre which enter into the countrey of Spaine by Romseual by the valley of Salesar and the valley Roncal vnto Hisana which is the limit of Arragon and passeth vnto Logrogno where it confines with Castillia the old It was the countrey of the Vascons Vardules Caristians and other their neighbours Arragon of a small beginning hath imbraced part of the Vascons and Ilergetes Arragon on this side Ebro and on the other side a part of the Celtiberians country And it was determined in the time of king Iaques the first from the riuer Cinga at Farisa and of S. Christine to the top of the Pyrenees at Aluentosa Leon was in old time part of Asturia Leon. Castillia the old and new Castillia comprehended all the middle countries of Spaine betwixt the nations aboue named As for the passage of the Pyrenees if these hills went in a direct line the passage would bee short betwixt the two seas for they say that both the one and the other may be easily seene in a cleere day from the tops of some of them yea from that of S. Adrian Spaine is then both in generall and in particular as we haue described it and if we consider well the situation of this region Spaine rampared vp by nature we may rightly say that it is rampared and defended by nature against all the attempts and enterprises of strangers as much as any countrey in the world being compassed in with the daungerous gulfes of the two seas and walled vp behind with the hard passages of the Pyrenee mountaines being moreouer of a temperat and wholesome ayre Spaine a temporat ayre and hauing a soyle fit to nourish all things For there are neither violent winds nor thicke foggie vapours nor any insupportable heat of the Sunne but the aire is sweet and calme being continually refresht with the North and Westerne winds which come from the sea 14 Of the fertilitie of Spaine Fertilitie of Spaine and the great diuersitie of good things which it produceth the auntients haue left vs ample and true testimonies whereof the most autentique are That the Romanes hauing made warre in the heart thereof both against the Carthaginians and them of the countrey for aboue two hundred yeares it did in a manner continually feed these great armies on either side with that which it did bring forth and did not onely supplie them with victuals but also with treasure to entertaine their souldiours and to satisfie the greedie desire and couetousnesse of their commaunders and captaines and moreouer hath filled their treasuries full of spoiles both at Rome and Carthage as shall appeare by the particularities in the progresse of the Historie It was Spaine which gaue courage to the Carthaginians to attempt those high enterprises which wee read of them and did furnish them with meanes to entertaine so many mercinarie souldiours wherewith for so many yeares they did trouble and annoy the Romane empire and other nations without cost or daunger to their owne citizens who in all these wars did hunt after nothing but honour and profit to the prejudice of Spaine and with the bloud of other people Wee haue before made some mention how rich it was in mynes of gold Riches of Spaine siluer and all other kinds of mettall let vs now say boldly that nature had heapt vp mountaines of treasure there and that the auntients did rightly say in tearmes befitting their Idolatrie That Pluto dwelt vnder the couering of this earth the which was the cause of infinit calamities to the Spaniards For these greedie robbers came from all parts being drawne thither with the desire of gaine so as the best aduised were forced to forbid the vse of gold and siluer among them by an expresse law Among others the Betique prouince which now hath the name of Andalusia Granado and thereabouts was exceeding rich of mines of gold and siluer and yet the soyle was verie fertile
disobedient perjured and enemies both in word and deed hauing followed men that were not well borne nor esteemed for any vertue but rascals to whom they had giuen full power and commaund ouer them such as Atrius Vmber and Calenus Albius I do not thinke that you haue all runne willingly into this furie Scipio makes a notable inuectiue against the seditious souldiors but that some were the motiues and beginners and the rest were infected by their acquaintance as with the plague when I consider that the brute of my death hath beene receiued beleeued and hoped for among my souldiours who haue so carried my selfe as I need not feare that any one in Spaine the Carthaginians being chased away should hate my life no not our enemies themselues I beleeue then that our whole armie is not so ill affected but if it were so I would willingly dye here in your presence I beleeue rather that this mischiefe hath proceeded from the malice of some few But I will forbeare to speake of my selfe and suppose you haue my name in detestation and disdaine my commaund thinke of your offences and consider how great they are against your countrey your parents and children against the gods witnesses of your oathes and promises against your commaunders and captaines against all order and martiall discipline and against the manners of your auncestors What offence had your countrey done you that you should take armes against it and betray it in conferring your counsels with Mandonius and Indibilis What had the commonweale of Rome committed whose maiestie you haue troden vnder foot wresting the authoritie out of the Tribunes hands who were created by the peoples voyces to giue it vnto priuat men and not content to haue them for Tribunes you haue giuen them the markes of a Generall to them I say who neuer yet commaunded ouer a poore slaue Albius and Atrius haue beene lodged in the Generals tent by you Romanes the trumpet hath sounded before them they haue giuen you the word they haue set in the Proconsull Scipioes chayre they haue had an officer to make place when as they had the rods and axes carried before them What more monstrous and detestable crimes can you imagine the which in trueth cannot bee purged but by the bloud of such as haue committed them But what frenzie made you presume being but eight thousand men better without doubt than Albius and Atrius to whom you haue subiected your selues to be able to take the prouince of Spaine from the Romanes by force I being dead or aliue the rest of the Romane forces being safe with the which I haue in one day taken new Carthage by assault defeated foure great captaines and chased foure Carthaginian armies out of Spaine Thinke you that the greatnesse and strength of the Romane commonweale consists in the life or death of any captaine whatsoeuer What am I more than Flaminius Paulus Gracchus Posthumus Albinus M. Marcellus T. Crispinus C. Fuluius the two of our house and so many other braue and valiant captaines which haue died in this warre and yet the people of Rome stand firme and would still although there should dye a thousand more either by sword or sicknesse much lesse can the Romane state shrinke or decay by my death After that my father and vncle who were your captaines had beene slaine in these countries you your selues did chuse L. Septimius Martius to bee your head against the pride and insolencie of the Carthaginians I speake of him as if Spaine wanted other captaines M. Syllanus is not he here also with equall authoritie to myselfe L. Scipio my brother and C. Lelius lieutenants are not they here also Would not these men haue maintained and defended the maiestie of the Romane Empire What comparison can you make betwixt the armies the commaunders and the causes And admit you had all aduantages should you therefore take armes against your countrey and fellow citizens renounce the countrey which hath bred you with your wiues and children to adhere vnto the enemie and to chuse your abode at Succron And what was the reason for that your pay was a little protracted by reason of your Generals sickenesse O worthie cause to make you violate all diuine and humane lawes O Romanes you haue wonderfully erred beleeue me you haue lost all reason and iudgement and the infirmitie of your minds hath beene worse than that which afflicted my bodie My words seeme sharpe vnto you but your actions haue beene farre more sharpe which if you repent I desire there should bee no more mention made of them but remaine buried in forgetfulnesse holding the repentance of such detestable acts to bee a sufficient chastisement for as much as concernes you all in generall But as for Albius Calenus Atrius Vmber and others which haue beene the authors of this wicked sedition they shall expiate their follies with their bloud the which should not be displeasing vnto you but rather desired and applauded seeing they sought to ruine you and haue offended none more than you In this manner Scipio spake vnto the seditious souldiours and presently execution was done of these fiue and thirtie men with horrour and great feare to all the rest of the offendors For the armed souldiours which stood about the assembly began to beat their targuets the names of them that were condemned were openly pronounced by the crier The punishmâ—â— of the chiefe offendors they were drawne naked tied to posts vnto the place beaten and torne with rods and then beheaded all the assistants being so amazed with feare as there was not a sigh heard among them The bodies being carried away and the place cleansed after the accustomed manner Scipio made the souldiours to take a new oathe and they were paied what was due vnto them calling them by name one after another This was the end of the mutinie and sedition made at Succron vertuously and yet mildly chastised by Scipio Sedition is a mischiefe which doth much import estates considering the qualitie of the crime which was of such consequence for great estates as many haue not spared innocents themselues to terrifie others At the same time Hanno had bin sent by Mago to the mouth of Betis which is now Guadalquiber with a small number of Africanes who gathered together some 4000 men vpon those marches but he was charged by L. Martius and forced in his campe and most of his souldiors slain some at the assault of his rampars and the rest in the field being pursued by the horsemen as they fled and he with a small number saued himselfe Whilest this was doing about that riuer Lelius arriued with his sea armie at Carteia hauing past the strait at the entrie whereof this towne is situated in the Ocean The practise of the Gaditans discouered and supprest The Romanes thought they should haue meanes to surprise the towne of Gadiz by intelligence as they had contriued it with some of the inhabitants but this
and Gouernour of Tanger or Tingis Hee addressed himselfe to the daughter of Iulian Earle or Gouernour of Ceuta called Caba or Caus the which was bred vp in the Court as other virgines of noble families according to the custome and rauished her whilest that her father was in embassage in Africke for the affaires of the kingdome Palardie the cause of the 〈◊〉 of the Gothe◠kingdome The place where he committed this rape is called Pancoruo betwixt Victoria and Burgos This was the occasion which made the Moores to inuade Spaine Some authors write That Caba or Caua was wife and not daughter to Count Iulian yet wee find that his wife was called Faldrina and that shee was sister to king Vitiza The Earle did wickedly reuenge this priuat injurie by the ruine of the whole kingdome A priuat iniurie furiously pursued with the ruine of the publicke for returning into Africke whither he led Caua causing her to embarke at Malaga of whom the port of the said towne is yet named he went to Musa Abenzair Gouernour for the Emperour of the Arabians whose name was Vlit and promised to make him Lord of all Spaine if hee would giue him men and meanes to make warre there Musa hauing aduertised Vlit he aduised him not to giue too much credit vnto the Earle before he had tried him Wherefore at that time they gaue him a hundred horse and foure hundred foot with promise of greater forces This man transported with the dishonour done vnto his house Count Iulian brings the Moores into Spaine led these Moores into Spaine Anno 713. and hauing joyned with some of the countrey whom he had corrupted he spoyled all the coast along the Ocean which now is Andalusia and Portugall and then led them backe into Africke laden with spoyles for a testimonie of his actions This first descent of the Moores was in the yeare 713. The Arabians hauing made this triall of Count Iulians affection the Gouernour Musa gaue him twelue thousand Moores vnder the conduct of Tarif Aben Zarca which Tarif according vnto some had beene in the first passage of the Moores into Spaine Passing the strait he landed his men at the foot of the mountaine Calpe by reason whereof this place changed his name Gibaltar so called of Tarif a captaine of the Moores and was in the Arabian tongue called Gebel Tarif that is to say the mount of Tarif And the next towne taken by that captaine which was either the auncient Carteia or Mellaria was called Tariffe This armie being secretly fauoured by Sisibut and Eba the sonnes of Vitiza aided and fortified by Ricila Gouernor of Tanger and other noblemen Gothes to whom the present estate was displeasing being friends and affected and it may be alike interessed with Count Iulian ouerran and spoyled all Andalusia and a part of Lusitania entring into Seuille and many other places which had beene demanteled by the foolish aduice of king Vitiza In these combustions Roderic his successour both in his vices and kingdome was so vnprouided as his enemies had meanes to doe what they would without resistance In the end hauing assembled some troupes in hast he sent them against the Moores vnder the commaund of a kinsman of his called by some Inigo by others Sanche But the Gothes hauing in a manner forgotten to manage armes by reason of the long peace which they had enjoyed Goth◠defeated An Estate without armes in 〈◊〉 and defectiue could not withstand the Moores force hauing been for many yeares in continuall warre so as they were defeated which made Count Iulian to grow proud and insolent and his enterprises to bee more fauoured so as vpon the newes of this victorie in Africke an infinit number of Arabians Moores or Sarasins and other Africanes passed into Spaine as to the assured spoyle of one of the richest regions in the world Roderic seeing this fire to encrease daily hauing called all the Nobilitie together and raysed an armie he marched against his enemies hauing not all his forces yet joyned for they of Biscaye and of the Asturies and in a manner all those on this side the riuer of Ebro were not yet arriued finding the Arabians vpon the riuer of Guadalette neere to Assidone which either is Xeres or Medina Sidonia at this day whereas the two armies standing in view one of another for the space of eight dayes they had many bloudie skirmishes without any great aduantage but in the end they came to a battaile betwixt Medina Sidonia and Xeres vpon a Sunday in September Anno 714. in the yeare 714 whereas king Roderic was a spectator of his souldiours deuoires being mounted vpon a great horse which they called Orelia in a royall mantle and a crowne vpon his head with other rich ornaments after the manner of the kings of the Gothes in those times which made his souldiors the more courageous and was the cause of a great slaughter that day of Sarasins or Arabians but the multitude of the enemies one supporting another and the tyred being still relieued with fresh supplies in the end made the Gothes and Spaniards to quit the field The total defeat of the Gothes and it is written That the sonnes of Vitiza called home by Roderic and to whom indiscreetly he had giuen the commaund of two points of his armie reuolted during the fight whereupon all his men were cut in pieces and all Spaine was thereby lost in few dayes except the Asturies Biscaye and some part of the Pyrenees whither the remainders of the Nobilitie and people fled which refused to liue vnder the Arabians gouernment King Roderic was neuer seene more his horse and spoyles were onely found in a bogge yet in the towne of Viseo in Portugall there is at this day this inscription to be seene in Latine Hic iacet Rodericus An Epitaph vpon K. Roderic vltimus Rex Gottorum maledictus furor impius Iuliani quia pertinax indignatio quia dura Vcsanus furia animosus furore oblitus fidelitatis Immemor religionis contemptor Diuinitatis crudelis in se Homicida in Dominum Hostis in Domesticos Vastator in Patriam Reus in omnes Memoria eius in omni ore amarescet nomen eius in aeternum putrescet In this king ended the Gothes kingdome in Spaine the which had continued if wee account as the Spaniards doe The continuance of the Gothes reigne according vnto Isidorus from Athanaric who reigned in the yeare 370 in Mysia and Thrace 344 yeares but for that hee had no entrance into Spaine but onely Ataulphe who reigned in the yeare 413 and was the first Gothish king which entred there about the yeare 417 the Gothes reigne in Spaine had continued but 297 yeares After this defeat there was no order nor gouernment among the Gothes euery man followed what partie did best please him Some retyred into the mountaines of Asturia and Biscaye and into Nauarre others went into Gaule many passed into
his owne hand Onely hee wanted the happinesse to haue children but his brother D. Ruy Fernandes called the Bald had foure D. Fernand D. Aluar D. Pedro and D. Guttiere surnamed Ruys and one daughter called D. Sancha Ruys married to D. Aluaro Ruys de Gusman These factions declaring themselues euery one stood vpon his gard and for that it was not easie to dissolue that which D. Sancho had decreed by his testament nor to wrest the authority from them of Castro by force being in possession the brothers of Lara found meanes to circumuent the good knight D. Guttiere Fernandes by goodly perswasions saying that for the good of the general peace he should bee content with those honours hee had and suffer the Earle D. Manriques to keepe the Kings person the which should in no sort blemish his authority Indiscretion of D. Guttiere Fernandes but should giue great reputation vnto the Earle who was a noble man of that quality as hee well deserued it all the foure brothers promising and swearing vnto him that they would alwaies preserue and defend the honour and authority which was due to his reuerent age D. Guttiere deceiued with these good words deliuered the King into the hands of these foure brethren who remained with D. Garcia d' Acia as the eldest the rest hauing at that time no meanes to contradict it but soone after they had an oportunity to get the King from him for D. Garcia who was not cunning nor of a bad disposition beeing entred into some termes and difficulty touching the entertainment of the yong Kings house and the necessary prouisions of money for his Estate with the brothers of Lara they wrought in such manner as hee resigned this burthensome charge vnto them the which they willingly accepted as a thing which they had long affected wherein the Earle D. Garcia did some-what wrong his honour and faile of his dutie as well as D. Guttiere Fernandes de Castro had done so the King came into the power of D. Manriques de Lara These alterations vnfit for the dignity of the young King discontented D. Guttiere and withall those of Lara beganne to faile in that which they had promised him wherefore he let them vnderstand that he would haue the King D. Alphonso againe to nourish and breed him vp according to the disposition of the King D. Sanchos will but they mocked him as a man which had lost his sences Wherevpon these two houses went to armes and drew vnto them their kinsmen friends and partisans giuing way and meanes to all the lewd people of the country to commit a thousand insolencies following the one or the other faction as it is vsuall in ciuill warres And moreouer they made a passage for D. Fernand King of Leon to enter into the territories of Castille where hee committed great excesse vnder pretext to pacefie the warres betwixt these two houses of Castro and Lara for beeing entred with an army he seized vpon those forts which were neerest vnto his fronters of Leon along the riuer of Duero and passing on further beecaused the Earle D. Manriques and his brethren to dislodge who carried the King D. Alphonso with them to Soria During these tumults D. Guttiere Fernandes de Castro died and was buried in the Monastery of Saint Christopher of Encas after whole decease the Earle D. Manriques caused his Nephewes D. Fernand D. Aluaro D. Pedro and D. Guttiere Ruis to be sommoned to deliuer vp into his hands the places belonging vnto the crowne the which they held and had commanded vnto their vncles death but they made answere that they were not bound to deliuer them vp seeing that the will of the deceased King was that they should hold them vntill the King D. Alphonso were full fifteene yeeres old There vpon D. Manrique commanded that the body of D. Guttiâ—re Fernandes should bee vnterred and charging him with fellony and treason against the King and crown hee sought to haue him found guilty His foure Nephewes imbraced the cause and defended both themselues and their deceased vncle saying that they neither had nor did commit any fellony in retayning of those places seeing it was according to the last will and testament of the King D. Sincho the which they had neuer demanded of their vncle lyuing The Lords of the councell who were Iudges in this cause gaue sentence that there was not any fellony committed and therefore they ordained that the body of D. Guttiere which had beene against the law of Nations inhumainely pulled out of his graue should bee laied in againe Their contentions were so great and the miseries which ensued so infinit as prest by necessity they were forced to ingage all the reuenues of Castille and Toledo for twelue yeeres vnto King Fernand and in the end the Earle D. Manriques bound himselfe to deliuer vnto the King of Leon Treachery of D. Manriques de Lara against his Prince and country the person of young D. Alphonso his Lord and to make him his vassal And to performe his promise he led the King D. Fernand to Soria where hauing propounded certaine reasons in an assembly of the Noblemen of Castille to perswade them that it was expedient the Kings person should bee put into his vncles custody they deliuered him vnto him protesting that they put him into his hands being a free Prince and therefore they intreated him to maintaine him in his liberty The Noblemen durst not herein contradict the King D. Fernand being within the country and in armes The young Infant beeing carried in a gentlemans armes beganne to weepe and cry out wherefore they carried him backe to the lodging to giue him an aple or some such like thing to please him At that time there was present D. Pedro Nugnes Almexir a hardy and generous knight who beeing greeued at this trecherous act of the Earle D. Manrique gaue order that whilest they dandled the child to still him they should bring him a good horse behinde the Kings lodging then approching neere vnto the young Prince Pero Nugnes a faithful vassal making shew to flatter him hee tooke him in his armes and slipping away by some secret passage well knowne to him he carried him to his horse and so fled with him to the towne of Saint Estienne of Gormas doing this act for the liberty of his King with such dexterity and diligence whilest that the King D. Fernand attended the Infants returne as he was gon a good way before it was discouered This beeing knowne by the King D. Fernand hee grew into a great rage and vsing threats he commanded D. Manrique and the rest of his faction to giue order that the child might bee found out and brought againe wheresoeuer he were wherevpon the Earle D. Manrique and his brethren vnder collour of seeking their King D. Alphonso had meanes to get out of Soria where all was in Combustion Being arriued at Saint Estienne de Gormas that night they seized againe of
did also build the Monasterie of Saint Dominike at Porto the church of Saint Peter the Monasterie of Leza of the Order of S. Iohn a League from the same cittie and Saint Mary d Aquas Santas Saint Saluator of Goandara Saint Peter de Retes Saint Mary de Gojos and about Guymaranes the Monasterie of Acosta with many others to the number as they say of an 150. if they fayle not in their account And for a testimonie of great charitie they say that these good Princes left a rent to the barke of Mexanfrio vpon the riuer of Duero to the end they should passe euery one without any fee. Whilest they busied themselues about these workes of pietie Aben-Iacob great Miralmumin of the Arabians being aduertised of the routs and ruine of his sectaries in Spain past the streight in person with great forces of the Almohades Affricanes where hauing ioyned with the Moores of Spaine hee went to beseege Saint Iren into the which Don Sancho the Infant of Portugall had put himselfe beginning to make his Engines ready to batter it where the beseeged were likely to be in great danger but the good old man Don Alphonso Henriques would not let the Infidels glorie in that they had done him this affront in his old age but hauing put his men in order and being resolute hee ledde them to succor his sonne who had intelligence of the Portugall armie the which being fauoured by a furious salley which the beseeged made charged the Moores armie with such resolution as they put them to flight with great slaughter of their best men and the losse of their king Aben Iacob who being mortally wounded in the charge by a Portugal dyed at the passage of the riuer of Tayo 1184. This battell was wonne in the yeare 1184. on S. Iohn Baptists day fiue dayes after the Moores had begun the seege Aben Ioseph his brother succeeded this Moore and was the third King of the Almohades 20 After this famous victorie Portugal these Princes father and son came to Coimbra which was at that time the chiefe towne of the Realme of Portugal and from thence to Porto where the marriage of D. Theresa Infanta of Portugall was concluded with Philip Earle of Flanders Beeing returned to Coimbra D. Alphonso Henriques fell sicke whereof hee dyed being 91. yeares old hauing raigned with the title of a King about 46. yeares and had succeeeded in his fathers Estates and held them 73. D. Sancho the 2. King of Porâ—tugal first of that name yeare His body was interred in the Monasterie of S. Croix of Coimbra D. Sancho his sonne was king after him in Portugall surnamed the Builder of townes 21 D. Fernand King of Leon Leon. Fernand King of Leon puts away his wife had a little before his death put away D. Vrraca his daughter by reason of proximitie of bloud their marriage beeing made without a dispensation from the Pope who beeing as they write wonderfully prest by the King to giue them leaue to remaine together would neuer yeeld vnto it notwithstanding that of her was borne D. Alphonso who succeeded his father in the Realmes of Leon and Gallicia they were cousins in the third degree D. Fernand married afterwards with the daughter of the Earle Don Nugno who liued little with him then he tooke to his third wife D. Vrraca Lopes daughter to the Earle D. Lopes and sister to Don Diego Lopes de Haro with whom he continued not long for hee died in the towne of Benauent in the yeare 1188. hauing had two sonnes by her called D. Sancho Fernandes and D. Garcia His bodie was interred at Compostella in Saint Iames church where as his mother D. Berenguela the Empresse did lye D. Alphonso the 9. of that name the 27. King of Leon. 22 AT the time of his death it seemed there remayned no cause of quarrell betwixt Leon and Castile which was not decided and ended D. Alphonso King of Leon. His sonne D. Alphonso beeing troubled with continuall stormes and quarrels by his mother-in-mother-in-law D. Vrraca Lopes was retired into Portugall so as at the time of his fathers death he was absent but being aduertised thereof he came presently to Leon where he was receiued and crowned king without any contradiction The King of Castiles Councellors were of opinion that by the death of D. Fernand their Prince had a good oportunitie offered to bee reuenged of the wrongs which were done him during his nonage If he had then any desire of reuenge the future euents will shew D. Alphonso surnamed the Noble raigning then in Castille Castile was numbred for the 4. of that name Ginealogie of Castile of those that raigned alone in Castille whose posteritie was very great for he had eleuen children by Queene Elenor daughter of England the eldest was Queene Blanche mother to the king S. Lewis of France the second D. Berenguela who was queene of Leon daughter to D. Alphonso the ninth The 3. was a sonne named D. Sancho who died in his Infancie the 4. was D. Vrraca Queene of Portugall married to D. Alphonso the second of that name surnamed the Grosse the 5. child was Don Fernand who died also yong the sixt was D. Malfada dead in Salamanca and was not married the 7. D. Constance Abbesse of las Huelgas de Burgos a Monasterie built by her father Then had D. Alphonsa and D. Elenora two daughters who died young and successiuely the Queene was deliuered of another daughter called also Elenor like her selfe who was wife to Don Iayme or Iames first King of that Name and the eighth King of Arragon In the end they had the infant Don Henry who succeded his father in the realmes of Castile and Toledo These were the children which issued of that marriage The other Don Alphonso being crowned King of Leon Leon. his mother-in-law retired into Nagera where she liued long in her widdow-hood and beeing dead was buried in the Monasterie of Saint Mary the royall in the chappell of the true Crosse whereas afterwards others of her house were interred and three of her brethren Don Lopes Diaz D. Martin Lopes and Don Diego Lopes de Haro The new king of Leon stayed not long after his Coronation before he came to the court of Castile beeing at Carrion where they say that King Don Alphonso the Noble his cousin made him knight as he did also Conrad the fourth sonne to the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossa to honour whom the Spaniards write that he would haue giuen him the Infanta Donna Berenguela his daughter but she would not go into Germany others say that the marriage was made and accomplished but Conrad beeing departed to returne into Germaine whither he was called to be Duke of Suabe Donna Berenguela desired to be diuorced the which was done by the meanes of Don Gonçalo Arch-bishop of Toledo and Cardinal Gregorie the Popes Legate and was afterwards married to D. Alphonso King of Leon cousin germaine to
Iames his sonne was Blasco Gottorio and of him was begotten Michel Peres Gottorio They of Minorca being terrefied by the taking of Majorca offred tribut to the King of Arragon and not long after D. William Mongeri conquered the Island of Yuisa sometimes called Ebusus and the Islands of Fromentaria and Cabrera yeelded also through feare They hold that there were in armes in these Islands during this warre about 40000. Moores footemen and 50000 horse The Earldome of Vrgel hauing beene long in sute betwixt William of Moncade Lord of Bearn togither with Ponce Cabrera Arembiaxis daughter to Armingol the last Earle of Vrgel in the end sentence was giuē of her side who was married to D. Pedro of Portugal son to the King D. Sancho the first to which married couple the King D. Iames did afterwards giue in exchange of the Earldome of Vrgel the Islands of Majorca and Yuisa to hold them during their liues and many places in Cattelogne in propriety Notwithstanding the county of Vrgel returned sometime after to D. Ponce de Cabrera and the Islands Pytieuses Yuisa and Fromentaria were giuen in fee to the Archbishop of Tarragone In the same yeere 1228. Moores D. Tello Alphonso de Meneses and other captaines Castillans commanders of the garrisons vpon the Moores frontiers went to field and ouerran the territory of Seuile about Baena King of Seuile a Moore tributary to the King of Castilele Lucena Castro del Rio and Aben Lalle King of Seuile assailed the Christians towards Biuoras Baeça and Martos seeking to diuert them which forraged his country the King D. Fernand arriuing the Moore fainted and made himself his tributary promising to pay him three hundred thousand Marauidis of gold The death of Aben Mahomad King of Baeça gaue way to the raigne of Aben Hut who was of the race of the Kings of Saragossa and enemy of the faction of the Almohades this King seized vpon the fort of Ricot in the realme of Murcia and tooke occasion of their religion publishing that that which the Almohades had brought in was false Aben Hut King of Murcia abolisheth the sect of Almohades in Spaine and inuented by wicked turbulent and mutinous persons whose rash impiety the soueraigne God had shewed was displeasing vnto him by their vnfortunate euents in the late warres of Spaine wherefore they must returne to the simple beliefe of their auncestors and reiect that prophane Almohade with his King Abdelmon and their followers Vpon this quarrel hee intitled himselfe King of Murcia and beganne to persecute the sect of the Almohades so as all hee could get into his hands he put to a miserable death hee caused the Mesquites or Mesgides to bee purified and washed with exorcismes and superstitious ceremonies as hauing beene poluted and violated in seruing the new sect of the Almohades So vnder collour of restoring the ancient beliefe and knowledge of the law of Mahomet hee was wonderfully followed and was respected feared and honoured as King in the realme of Murcia and part of Andalusia the country of Granado Almery Cordoua and Eccia yet hee found Zael who made head against him a Moore who had newly vsurped the realme of Valencia and chased away Zeit Aben Zeit for that they sayd hee had laied a plot with the Pope and the King of Arragon to become a Christian and that hee had had conference to that end with the King D. Iames at Calatajub whither hee had also carried his sonne This Zael was sonne to Modef and Nephew to King Lobo Aben Lalle King of Seuile made the like resistance yet Aben Hut troubled them all and tooke from them a part of their countries so as hee became the most powerfull of all the Kings of the Moores in Spaine beeing otherwise a bountifull Prince and a good Iusticer The new sect of the Almohades was thus rooted out by him and the ancient interpretation of their Alphurcan restored in Spaine eighty and one yeeres after that Almohad had past Yet the first attempt he made against the Christians Leon. succeeded but il for D. Alphonso King of Leon being in the country of Extremadura where he had made warre whilst that D. Fernand his sonne did ouerrunne Andalusia and their tooke the townes of badajos Caceres and others this King of the Moores presumed to dislodge him from Merida before the which hee was camped to which end hee came towards him with a mighty army King D. Alphonso notwithstanding that hee was very old gaue him battaile and defeated this King of the Moores forcing him to saue himselfe by flight and returning to the siege he tooke the towne of Merida in the yeere 1229. which was the last of his exploits for being now very old and much broken he died soone after in the yeere 1230. at Villanoua of Sarrio hauing raigned forty and foure yeeres in Leon Galicia and the Asturies whose body was interred at Saint Iames. 16 The King D. Fernand who was then in Andalusia Castille and Leon vnited at the siege of Daralferza being aduertized of his fathers death tooke councell of the Noblemen which were with him in the army who were all of opinion that hee should goe with all speed into the realme of Leon which by hereditary right did belong vnto him before his sisters children did seize thereon who pretended an equall right with him for so had the King D. Alphonso ordained by his will to preiudice his sonne D. Fernand whom hee had alwaies hated and pursued to the death yea a little before hee died hee sought to marry his daughter Donna Sancha to D. Iames King of Arragon who by the decree of Pope Honorius the third had put away D. Elenor of Castille his wife Don Alphonso offring to giue in dowry with the Infanta the Realmes of Leon Galicia and the Asturies after his decease to depriue the King of Castille his sonne but his death preuented the effect D. Fernand King of Castille takes possession of the realme of Leon. wherefore the king D. Fernand following this good councel came to Toledo to passe from thence into Leon vpon the way hee met with the Queene D. Berenguela his mother at Orgaz who came to hasten him and returned with him to Toledo from thence hee went with speed into the territories of Leon where hee was receiued and acknowledged in all places where hee past for their lawfull King vnto the city of Toro which did him all the honour hee could desire hauing sent their Deputies to meete him vpon the way in the which hee was proclaimed King of Leon. In the beginning the other towns and castles did not allow of this election of them of Toro by reason of the Infants D. Sancha and D. Dulce Douce who would in the confidence which they had in their cause dispute their interest and put it to the triall of law but all well considered D. Alphonsos will tooke no effect for D. Fernand was sonne and right heire to
his age hauing raigned foure and thirty yeeres leauing no children the realme of Portugal fel to D. Alphonso his brother without any dispute who was crowned King in the city of Lisbone in the yeere 1257. and being married to two wiues hauing no lawfull cause of diuorce from the first he was the cause of many troubles and miseries to the realme of Portugal for the preuenting whereof he had beene called He had children by the Countesse Mahault Fernand who accompanied his mother into Portugal and there remained and Robert who succeeded his mother in the county of Bologne Fernand whom some call Peter lies in the Monastery of Saint Dominike of Lisbone which this King built The Countesse his mother led him with her when as being aduertised of this second marriage she came into Portugal to know the cause why she was thus abandoned She landed at Cascais a sea towne at the mouth of the riuer of Tayo fiue leagues from Lisbone and from thence sent to intreat exhort and to summon the King her husband of his duty for want whereof she made the protestations ordayned by the Canons in that cause but she could haue no other reason nor answere from the King but if it were lawful to breake the lawes it was for a kingdome and that if he thought to augment his dominions by marrying againe he would euery day take a new wife These were the fruits of her voyage and D. Alphonso shewed himselfe so rigorous vnto her as hee would not vouchsafe to see her nor to heare any councel that was giuen hm by his seruants who had a regard to Iustice feared God more then him wherefore this poore Countesse returned and left this sonne in Portugal being in France she made her complaints of the disloyalty of her husband to the King Saint Lewis and sent some to doe the like to Pope Alexander the fourth that by his Ecclesiastical censures D. Alphonso might be forced to leaue D. Beatrix and take the Countesse his lawful wife againe The Pope did what he could exhorting commanding yea and excommunicating the King and interdicting his realme but D. Alphonso was so obstinate as he suffred the realme of Portugal to remaine interdict ten or twelue yeeres Contumacy of D. Alphonso King of Portugal as long as the Countesse liued During the which time the Portugals had leisure to forget that which they had learned in religion when as the King finding himselfe free he was absolued by Pope Clement the fourth retayning D. Beatrix without any let who in the meane time brought him foure children the Infant D. Denis so called for that hee was borne on Saint Denis day in the yeare 1261. who was king of Portugal and Algarbe the Infant D. Alphonso who was Lord of Portalegre Genealogie of Portugal Ronches Murban Castile de Vide and other lands and had to wife D. Violant daughter to D. Manuel of Castile sonne to D. Fernand the third and two daughters D. Blancho who was a Nunne in the Monasterie of Lorban and afterwards Abbesse of Saint Mary de las Huelgas of Burgos and D. Constance Besides these lawfull children this king D. Alphonso had one bastard sonne called Fernand Alphonso of Portugall and one daughter whose name was D. Leonora of Portugall married to an Earle called D. Gonçalo Whilest he stood excommunicated he made warre against the Moores which remained in Algarbe in the yeare 1260. 1260. and chased them out of Faro Laule Algezir and Albofera and augmented his dominions therewith Hee built the towne of Castro of Portalegre and Extremos Religious houses built by D. Alphonso during the Interdict he repayred Veja and other places which had beene ruined by the Moores He did not leaue to build Monasteries and religious houses during the Interdiction for he finished that of the preaching Friars of Saint Dominicke at Lisbone and did build that of Saint Clara of Saint Iren and others he gaue great almes and did many charitable deeds to expiate the sinne which he intended by the taking of a second wife not beeing separated from the first Moreouer to ease the people and to haue greater store of fruites in the country he caused certaine barren and waste ground to bee tilled neither did he forget to maintaine Iustice punishing theeues and malefactours whome his brothers carelesnesse had made insolent To conclude although he were defectiue and blemished in his marriages yet was hee a profitable Prince for his country Whilest these things passed in Portugall Castile and that the warre continued in Germany against the fauourers of Richard elect king of the Romanes D. Alphonso king of Castile sent an Ambassage of certaine Cleargi-men to Pope Alexander the fourth the which were D. Dominicke bishop of Auila D. Garcia bishop of Sylues and Iohn Alphonso Archdeacon of the church of Saint Iames learned men and of great authoritie who demanded assignation of the time of his Coronation and also to contradict the election of Richard who did not care to prosecute his right by iustice but by force and armes Attending the euent of these troubles and the returne of his Ambassadours D. Alphonso king of Castile ordered some things touching the policie of his Realm he decryed those sorts of money which he had coyned called Bourgalois and caused others to be made which they called blacke pence and in old Spanish Prietos fifteene of which were worth a Marauidis of gold and he made other lawes which were profitable to the Common-weale Whilest he was busie about these things and irresolute of his voyage into Germany hee had another crosse which stayed him more for his brother D. Henry a turbulent Prince and an enemy to all quiet committed many insolencies at Lebrixa where he did remain tending to open rebellion wherefore he sent D. Nugno de Lara from Seuile to suppresse him by whom he was vanquished and forced to fly to Valencia from whence the king Don Iaime caused him to dislodge for that he would not discontent his sonne in lawe wherupon he past into Affrick to the King of Tunes This Prince foure yeares after crost into Italy and was made Senator of Rome which is the chiefe dignity of that citty and grew to haue great authority and credit in the estate of Italy in the time of Pope Clement the fourth who was successor to Vrbain the fourth 8 The king of Nauarre Nauarre who was come into France finding his affaires in great disorder sought to settle them to maintain his rights in the Counties of Brie and Champagne beeing in controuersie the which he preserued by the fauour and authority of the King Saint Lewis and moreouer a marriage was made betwixt him and Isabel of France the kings daughter at Melun whom he led into Nauarre D. Iame king of Arragon was the mediator of this marriage who in a manner at the same time gaue his daughter Izabel in marriage to Philip the Hardy sonne to the king Saint Lewis
incensed against Don Iohn Manuel who had still secret intelligence with the king of Granado and beeing ill affected to D. Alphonso had not stirred during the seege notwithstanding that hee had promised to assayle the Moores towards Murcia neither was hee much contented with the Portugois who left him almost at the beginning of the seege of Thiebe and returned to their houses By reason of these infidelities he resolued to haue peace with the king of Granado who sought it and accepted what he offeeed to his Ambassadors at Seuile that he should pay him twelue thousand doublons of yearely tribute and do him homage for his Realme of Granado so as he might be allowed to draw victuals out of the Christians country paying the twentith penny 10 The king D. Alphonso beeing at Seuile without any cares of warre Castile he gaue himselfe to the long-sought loue of Donna Leonora of Guzman daughter to Don Pero Nugnes de Guzman who had beene wife to Don Iohn de Velasco whom he enioyed This Lady who had not her like for beautie in all Spaine did so gouerne him as hee did not any thing but by her will excusing himselfe that the Queene Donna Maria whome hee had married but two yeares before had no children Being come from Seuile to Xeres of Badajos to visit Queene Elizabeth his Grand-mother Dowager of Portugall beeing yet aliue he found there by chance the Infant D. Alphonso de la Cerde that came out of France who kist his hand and yeelded vnto him the right which he pretended to the Realmes of Castile and Leon D. Alphonso de la Cerde quiâ—sâ—is interest to Castâ—l the which he had long disputed but in vaine He had the same yeare as some hold yeelded to Philip king of Nauarre the interest which he had or might pretend as king of Castile to Alaua Rioja Guipuscoa and other lands adjacent of the auncient patrimony of Nauarre The king of Nauarre in recompence gaue him certaine places and pensions to entertayne his estate and so they continued good friends This D. Alphonso de la Cerde had married a Lady in France of the bloud Royall named Malfade by whom he had two sonnes Don Lewis and Don Iohn this last was Earle of Angoulesme and Constable of France during the raigne of King Iohn whom the Histories of France cal Don Iohn of Spaine Thus Don Alphonso was prouided for beeing issued from the eldest sonne of D. Alphonso the Learned Don Iohn Manuel the king seeing that it was now time to liue in peace employed Donna Leonora of Guzman to bring him into fauour the which she obtayned yet was it not wholy to his content An. 1331. This Lady was deliuered in the yeare 1331. of a sonne by the king who was named Don Pedro and to whome the king assigned for a perpetuall inheritance Aguilar del campo and many other reuenues 11 In those times they of the Prouince of Alaua had a custome to choose a Lord Custome of Alaua vnder the soueraignty of Castille who did gouerne and enioyed the reuenues which were appointed for the Lords of the Countrie sometimes they were Princes of the house of Castile the kings children and sometimes the Lords of Biscay or of the house of Lara or others as they thought good for the doing whereof they were accustomed to assemble in the field of Arriaga neere to Victoria and there made their election and those of this election were called brethren and the assemblie a Brotherhood Thither came the chiefe families of Alaua with the Bishop of Calaorra and the deputies for the Labourers the towne of Victoria and that of Treuigno were not of this assembly but had bin alwaies vnited to the Crowne This yeare the Brotherhood sent deputies vnto the king beeing at Burgos desiring him to incorporate them vnto the crowne and that they might no more choose any Lord or subalternall gouernour for that in the factions and seditions past they had beene distracted from the kings obedience by the Gouernors whereby the countrey had suffered much The King desirous to giue them contentment assuring his estate the more thereby and increasing his demeynes came to Victoria and from thence to the assembly of the Brotherhood beeing in the field of Arriaga whereas publikely and in all their names there was a petition presented vnto him by these Knights hereafter named D. Lopes of Mendoça D. Bertrand Iuanes of Gueuara Lord of Ogna and Ladron of Gueuara his son Iuan Hurtado of Mendoça Fernand Ruis of Mendoça Arch-deacon of Calaorra Ruis Lopes of Mendoça sons to D. Lopes Diego Hurtado of Mendoça Fernand Peres of Ayala Fernand Sanches of Velaico Gonçalo Iuanez of Mendoça and Hurtado Diaz his brother Lopes Garcia of Salazar and Ruis Diaz of Torres These beeing followed by many other gentlemen and the deputies of the Clergie and third Estate presented many Articles vnto the King beseeching him to grant them Alaua vnited to the Crowne of Castile promising for their part that this should bee their last assembly and that the name and effect of their Brotherhood should remaine for euer extinct The King hauing heard them and giuen the Articles to his Councell to peruse receiued them and vnited the Prouince of Alaua for euer vnto the crowne of Castile whereof letters were afterward dispatcht at Victoria in the yeare 1332. And these were the Articles 1 That the King nor his successors should not alienate any place of his demeines 2 That the gentlemen and their goods should bee free and exempt from all subsidies as they had bin heretofore 3 That the Monasteriall Churches and Collations which belonged to Noblemen should be preserued for them as before and whereas the Incumbents were not resident the gentlemen should receiue the reuenues 4 That all Labourers dwelling vpon gentlemens land should be subiect vnto them the Seigneurie and Iustice soueraigne reserued to the King and the Oxe of March but all amercements should be the Lords 5 That the Gentlemen and others of the countrie should gouerne themselues according to the customes and rights of Soportilla and in all offences their causes should bee iudged according to the lawes of the Siete partidas 6 That the Iudges royall and Captaines of castels should be borne and resident in the country who could not proceed against any one but vpon complaint vnlesse they were condemned or banished and that all prisoners should be deliuered vpon caution vnlesse they were subiect to a corporall punishment 7 That all Labourers dwelling vnder Monasteriall Churches and Collations of Gentlemen should bee free and exempted from all tribute and subiection except the Oxe of March. 8 That Labourers dwelling in Pallaces and Castels of Gentlemen should haue the same exemptions so as there were but one at once and those which nurse Gentlemens lawfull children should enioy the like priuiledges during the time of their nourishment 9 The Gentlemen which dwell in villages vnder the Iurisdiction of Victoria should enioy the
Port of Boniface they drew out of their Ports and Hauens of Cattelogne about forty Gallies Cattelans burne and spoile the riuer of Genoa and thirty Foists and Brigantins and directing their course towards the riuer of Genoa they burnt al the Geneuois houses of pleasure without respect of friend or foe for the common weale of Genoa being then diuided by reason of the faction of Guelphes and Ghibelins the Ghibilins open enemies to the King of Arragon did for the most reside at Sauonne and from thence made their sallies and enterprises sometimes drawing some priuate men of the Guelphes faction to runne vpon the Cattelans by reason whereof this Cattelan army intreated them all after one manner During these wrackes Luke of Fiesco one of the chiefe of the Guelphes faction had begunne to treat with King D. Alphonso by the meanes of Francis of Saint Eulalia that if he would harken to a good accord with the Geneuois holding the city of Genoa for friend and forget al wrongs done they would furnish him with fifteene gallies and follow his standard against the Geneuois Ghibelins remayning at Sauonne who had caused all the reuolts and troubles in Sardinia wherewith the King was very well pleased but the spoiles which the Cattelan army had made during the treaty in the riuer of Genoa intercepted all so as these two factions of Genoa being equally afflicted by a forraine enemy were the more willing to giue credit to the perswasions of Robert King of Naples who reconciled them and then they ioyned against the King of Arragon to dispossesse him of the Island of Sardinia The heads of the two factions were the families of Oria for the Guelphes Genouois spoile the coast of Cattelogne and Spinola for the Ghibelins Beeing thus incensed they runne along the coast of Cattelogne with three score saile where they tooke many ships and other spoiles leauing lamentable spectacles in all places where they had landed Thirteene of their gallies passing from thence into Sardinia attempted the fort and Port of Caillerij in vaine from whence they were repulst with losse These warres at sea betwixt the Cattelans and Geneuois might bee held equall for they were the mightiest nations at sea in that age All was full of difficultie and iealousie in the Island notwithstanding that King Don Alphonso by his bountie aduancements alliances and marriages contracted in his fauour and at his instance betwixt the Noblemen Cattelans and Sardiniens or Geneuois hauing charges or lands in the Island had sought to draw them vnto him and to make them friends and affected to his party yet he was in continuall warre and was forced to keepe great garrisons in the Island and many gallies at sea with so great charge as all the reuenues of the Island of Sardinia did auaile him little beeing often constayned to importune the Pope to discharge him of the tribute which hee ought vnto the church of Rome by reason of this chargeable conquest Thus King Don Alphonso past his raigne in these home-bred and forraine troubles Mary of Naples Queene of Maiorca vnchast beeing but short A little before hee died Don Iames of Arragon Lord of Xerica who had married Queene Marie which had beene left by D. Sancho King of Majorca who liuing dissolutly vnchastly was by this king sent home to the king of Naples her father The peace betwixt Arragon and Granado was sworne by him and confirmed at the castle of Valence with Albuhacen Abencomixe and Pascal Circra Ambassadors for King Ioseph Abenamet vpon the like conditions as with Castille A little before his death D. Leonor seeing herselfe mother of two sonnes D. Fernand and D. Iohn who was yet in his swatheling cloathes to be much hated and not without cause of the Infant D. Pedro who should succeed to the crowne shee sought to put into the hands of the King of Castille her brother whose fauour shee affected the castels of Verdegio and Sometio frontier places but Don Pedro hauing alwaies an eye to his mother in lawes actions especially at that time the King beeing very ill disposed preuented her and put garrisons therein The Queene without attending the King her husbands death dislodged from Barcelona and seized vpon Fraga from whence shee sent garrisons to places belonging to her children Death of D. Alphonso the fourth King of Arragon In the meane time the King died in the city of Barcelona in the yeere of our Lord 1336. hauing raigned eight yeeres and about three monthes Being ready to die he made the marriage of D. Iames his second sonne with Cicile daughter to the Earle of Comminges his body lies in the town of Lerida D. Pedro the fourth of that name and the thirteenth of Arragon 17 DOn Pedro his sonne whom he had by D. Theresa of Entenza Countesse of Vrgel before that he assembled the Estates or performed any ceremony tooke vpon him the royal title against all custome affecting nothing more then to bee first reuenged of the Queene Donna Leonor his mother in law whose places he seized on and sent Ferry of Apilla Gouernor to the Infant D. Iames after her to bring her to Sarragossa but hearing of the Kings death she tooke the way to Castile by great iournies and past Ebro at Tortose then going by Turol and Albarrasin she came into her brothers country being accompanied by the Bishop of Burgos D. Pedro of Xerica carrying great store of treasure and iewels with her which bread a warre betwixt these two Realmes of Castille and Arragon D. Alphonso King of Castille in fauour of his sister deliuered Michel Perex Zapate and other Arragonois out of prison whom she imployed against the King D. Pedro with other noblemen whom she had wonne D. Pedro the fourth of that name was surnamed the ceremonious for that in all his actions he was very slow and spent the time in superfluous ceremonies He was crowned at Sarragossa not without emulation of the Cattelans but custome hath giuen this right to the city of Sarragossa that the Kings are crowned there and no where else Thâ—ther came not any Noblemen of Cattelogne except D. Othon of Moncade and D. Raymond of Peralte The King hauing taken and receiued the oth after the accustomed manner retired to Lerida to the Estates of Cattelogne where hee disanulled all the donations made by the King his father and the alienation of the reuenues and despoiled D. Pedro of Xerica who had accompanied the Queene Donna Leonor into Castille of all his goods In the beginning of his raigne Dispâ—sition of the King D. Frederics wil. died D. Frederic King of Sicile beeing very old and consumed with the goute who had held the realme with great troubles and warre the space of one and forty yeers and six monthes leauing his sonne D. Pedro to succeed him who was the fourth King of the race of Arragon which held Sicile The King his father leauing many children sonnes and daughters by Queene
easie to land finding no resistance whereat King D. Alphonso who was at Seuile was much incensed blaming his Admiral incessantly of cowardise and treachery the which hee took so greeously as he resolued rashly to goe and charge the Moores at what price soeuer and hauing drawne those few Gallies and Ships he had out of Saint Lucar into the open sea he presented himselfe before Algezire prouoking the enemie to battaile who going out of Algezire and Gibraltar farre more in number then the Christian Gallies there was a fierce and cruel battaile Defeat of the Castillan army and death of the Admiral the end whereof was the whole losse of the Castillan army whereof there were but fiue gallies saued the which recouered the neere port of Tariffe and some few ships which escaped by fauour of the winde and current sayling towards Carthagena The Admirall was slaine in this conflict saying that the King should know he was neither Coward nor Traitor but it was a rash attempt in him to hazard so small a fleete against so great an armie who should haue considred that by the losse of a battaile hee gaue the whole commande of the sea vnto the enemy Thus this Admirall thinking to preserue his honor which hee might well haue warranted by the reasons of warre which disallow all great hazards but in extremity hee did more blemish it This losse which happened to Don Alphonso King of Castille partly by his owne bitternesse and vniust rigour to his faithfull seruant did much afflict him so as hee was forced to seeke speedie meanes to repaire so great a ruine for the Moores army insolent of this victory and knowing that there were no forces at sea able to make head against them vaunted that they would beseege Seuile wherefore the King of Castille was forced to conuert the true which hee had made with the King of Portugall to a peace and to consent that D. Constance Manuel should marry with Don Pedro Infant of Portugall whose wife D. Blanche beeing fallne into a Palsey was put away by him By meanes of this peace and at the instance of the Queene Donna Maria daughter to the King of Portugal hee promised to lend all his shippes of warre to the King of Castille the which stayied not long before they arriued at Seuile when as the King gaue order to rigge out fifteene gallies of his owne and twelue ships of the which hee gaue the charge vnto Don Alphonso Ortiz Calderon Prior of Saint Iohn In the meane time King Albohacens army past the Moores Gallies and Ships neuer ceasing for a long time to transport horse and foote victualles and munition for the warre which they had prepared the which was as great and fearefull as any had beene seene for hey write in their Histories that this Arabian King had gathered together all the forces hee could from the shoare of the Westerne Atlantike sea Great preparation of war made by King Alboacen against Spaine vnto Egipt hauing by the conquest of the Realmes of Tremessen and Sojumença so extended the bounds of his Empire as there was not any King or Potentat in all the length of Affrike which was not his subiect or strictly allied vnto him so as the Spanish authors say that hee brought into Spaine aboue seuenty thousand horse and foure hundred thousand foote the Arabians and Affricans comming from all part vpon the newes of this great expedition by the preachings and perswasions of the Alfaquins Doctors and Priests of their law who were sent through out all the regions of Affrike by King Alboacen to the end that such as spoile and gaine the common end of warre could not mooue might bee perswaded to take armes for religions cause This great multitude of Infidels were neere fiue monthes in passing hauing at this passage besides the Gallies of Maroc and Granado those of the Kings of Tunes and Bugie whereof hee of Tunes was father in law to Alboacen and their common landings were Algezire and Gibraltar It behooued King D. Alphonso studie how hee should resist so great a power the whihc did wonderfully trouble him yet beeing a Prince of a great courage hee prouided for many things speedely which were of great importance for the warre And doubting that the Moores first attempt would bee against Tariffe hee manned it with a good garrison of old souldiars and gaue the charge thereof to Iohn Alphonso of Benauides furnishing the place with all things necessarie to maintaine a seege wherein hee was not deceiued for it was presently inuested by the enemie King Albaçen beeing in person in the armie Experience hath often taught that multitudes giue no victory for besides that God will therein shew a testimony that it is hee alone without the force of mans arme which rayseth and pulles downe Kingdomes and states there are so many naturall and humaine reasons which doe concurre with this point of religion as thee is no cause to call it in question The confusion disorder disobedience mutinies hunger diseases the infinit carriages and lets of baggage iealousies betwixt commanders and diuersity of nations the negligence and rash confidence which Kings ground vpon their great numbers of men Armies vnprofitable by their too great multitudes are inseparable mischeefes to great armies the which haue most commonly ruined them but haue alwaies made them vnprofitable and a burthen to them that haue lead them So it happened to King Alboaçen in this voiage for as soone as hee had landed this infinite multitude of Arabians and other Nations presuming that there was not any Christian is Spaine that would dare to present himselfe before so great a power and that hee should presently see himselfe Maister of all the townes of Andalusia besides hee thought hee had no cause to feare any impeachment at sea the two armies of Castille and Arragon hauing beene defeated so as all small vessels of burthen might passe safely from Spaine to Affrike and furnish his campe with victualls if hee should haue any neede wherevpon hee presently disarmed all his Gallies and drew them into the Ports hauing no other thought but to make warre by land but it fell out otherwise for there was not any pettie place vpon the frontiers of Andalusia but held good so as being forced to attend his prouisions for so great an army from Affrike for that the countrie of Granado could not supply it he found himselfe being at the seege of Tariffe in great want of victuals being easie for the gallies of Castile and Portugal to spoile all passengers which brought munition from the ports of Africke into Spaine wherefore he repented himself much of this enterprise and would gladly haue found some meanes to haue retired honorably At that time Don Iohn Martines de Leyua arriued at Seuile returning from Pope Benedict who kept at Auignon from whom he brought pardons and full indulgences to such as should crosse themselues for this warre against the Infidels or otherwise employ
of Nauarre to enioy the lands of the ancient patrimonie of Nauarre vsurped by the Kings of Castile with diuers others These treaties betwixt the king of Nauarre and Don Henry Earle of Transtamara were secret and vnknowne to the king of Arragon Arragon who gouerned himselfe for the most part by the aduice of Don Bernard of Cabrera a wise Knight and of great experience by whom he was often perswaded from that which the other would haue him yeeld vnto for the which he was hated by the king of Nauarre and Don Henry besides beeing a priuie Councellor and of greatest authoritie he was enuied by the other Noblemen of Arragon who were lesse fauoured wherefore these Princes beeing againe assembled at Almudear the king of Nauarre and the Earles of Transtamara and Ribagorça conspired to depriue the King of Arragon of this Councellor D. Bernard of Cabrera in disgrace with his King and wrought so as they brought him into disgrace with the king Don Bernard beeing aduertised that they meant to apprehend him sought to retire himselfe and flying came into Nauarre to Carcastillo the inhabitants whereof seeing that he was poursued by Garci Lopes of Sese shut their towne gates but beeing summoned by Garci Lopes in the name of the two kings to deliuer Don Bernard they stayed him attending the kings commandement who willed them to deliuer him vnto Garci Lopes who conuayed him to Murillo where he remayned some time in hope to be deliuered by which he was so hated by the king of Nauarre and Earle of Transtamara as they neuer ceased by importune accusations vntill they had put him to death This Bernard of Cabrera has before the yeare 1346. beeing forced to come to Court and to employ himselfe in great affaires of State wherein he was very iudicious when as wearie of the world he had resolued to become a Monke The king had cherished and aduanced him and receiued many good counsels and profitable seruices from him as well in the ciuill wars within his owne Realme as in that of Sardinia and Castile But as Courtiers the more they seeke the greatnesse and honour of their Prince and are by them the more honoured and beloued are the more subiect to enuie so fared it with him for hauing beene faithfull to the king his master he purchased the hatred of all the Princes and Noble-men of the Realme so as when he was taken by the practises of the king of Nauarre and Earle of Transtamara there was not any one that did fauour him but as it were by a common conspiracie his processe was made and the Infant Don Iohn Prince of Girone whome he had bred vp made his Iudge where sitting in Iustice and hauing for assistant Dominicke of Cerdagne chiefe Iustice of Arragon who by his charge and office should defend the oppressed pronounced sentence of death against this poore decrepite old man They write that his sentence being read by Don Berenger Apilia and Iames Monelia Vice-chanchelor he complayned greatly that he should be condemned without hearing or in a manner any forme of processe but Apilia answered him that he ought not to hold it strange seeing that by his owne Councell that custome had beene brought into Arragon and that he should remember the processe which was too summarily made against Iohn Ximenes of Vrrea and Raymond Marquet accused to haue slaine Raymond of S. Vincent who Bernard beheaded by the kings commandement and in a maner without any forme of processe had beene put to death He was led vnto the maâ—ket place of Sarragossa and there beheaded and his head was carried vnto the king beeing at Barcelona Such rewards many times haue the most faithfull Councellors of their ill aduised Princes Thus miserably dyed one of the greatest personages in nobility iudgement and vertue which had beene of long time in Arragon who without the king his master had executed great matters and the king without him did neuer any thing of worth All his goods were confiscate to the king whereby he pourchased great dishonor and rightly both for his death and for that of his brother Don Fernand. Bernardin of Cabrera son to Bernard had married Marguerite of Foix daughter to the Vicount of Castelbon by Constance of Luna sister to D. Lope a Lady of the bloud royall of Arragon for she was daughter to Artal of Luna and to D. Constance Perez who was daughter to Don Iames Perez base sonne to the king Don Pedro the third At that time the Prince Don Iohn did not much exceed fourteene yeares yet he was employed in great affaires within the Realme as well for warre as instice with a dispensation for his age beeing assisted by Don Pedro Earle of Ribagorça who hauing renounced the world in his old age had taken vppon him the habit of Saint Francis and moreouer by Don Pedro of Vrgel sone to the Infant D. Iames the Kings brother and by the Vicount of Cardona for the warre and for iustice and other affaires of the Realme he had for his Councellors Berenger Apilia Bernard Sous William Guymerand and Thomas Marzan of Cattelogne During this last warre betwixt Castile and Arragon D. Pedro king of Arragon prest by necessity took the reuenues of many benefices without demanding leaue from the Pope and the more inconsideratly Reuenues of Churches takâ—n in without the Popes leaue say they for that Vrban then raigning had neuer refused him any thing wherefore he was in great danger to be excommunicated and deiected from the rights of his Realmes especially from that of Sardinia which hee held in fee of the Church the soueraignty whereof many of the Cardinals were of aduice to giue to the Iudge of Arborea The king for this cause sent his vncle D. Pedro sometimes Earle of Ribagorça and then a Friar and Gaspar Tregure Doctor of the lawes vnto the Pope who declared in open Consistorie That in like necessities and miseries as the Realm of Arragon was then in it had bin lawfull for kings not only to vse the temporall reuenues but also to lay hands vpon the relicks and holy vessell of the Churches adding that the Ecclesiasticall Estate was no lesse bound to the preseruation of the common-weale then other Estates and that kings might freely vse their meanes in such extremities so as he promised to make them restitution in a conuenient time Whereupon the Pope considering of the cause did not pronounce any sentence The Iudge of Arborea hauing either practised the fauour of the Consistory or else moued with a desire to raigne attempted thereuppon to make sharpe warre against the Arragonois is Sardinia a turbulent Iland which continually bred new matter of charge and losse to the kings of Arragon who had a little before ended all quarels with the Genouois and by the meanes of Iohn Marquis of Montferrat his allye but to leaue a marke of punishment of the Rebels of Sardinia he had supprest the name of Galluri the which was
disliked and the causes thereof her excuses and the Kings instance to haue her returne 14 Institution of the Order of the holy Ghost in Castile 15 Farfanes a race of Christian Affricans and the death of the king D. Iohn 16 Coronation of D. Charles king of Nauarre and the ceremonies thereunto accustomed 17 D. Henry the third of that name 17. king of Castile and 38. of Leon Carriage of D. Pedro Tenorio Arch-bishop of Toledo 18 Marriage concluded betwixt D. Fernand brother to the king of Castile and the heire of Albuquerque 19 A testamentarie Decree made by the deceased king D. Iohn and the resolutions taken by the Noblemen of Castile for the quiet of the Realme 20 Troubles among the Lords of the Councell procured by the Arch-bishop of Toledo 21 Seditious Preachers incensing the people against the Iewes 22 Continuance of troubles in Castile and meanes made by the Pope to pacifie them 23 Persecutions thefts and murthers committed vpon the Iewes by the instigation of Preachers 24. Confusions in Castile entertayned by great men for priuate respects 25 Troubles in Guipuscoa against Collectors Assembly in that prouince and Articles of their vnion and preseruation of their priuiledges 26 Meanes to reconcile the disordered passions of the Noblemen of Castile but of small effect 27 Treaties betwixt Portugal and Castile and the practises of Don Frederic Duke of Beneuent 28 Mutinie at Zamora 29 Treatie of peace betwixt Portugal and Castile practises to pacifie D. Frederic Factions partialities c. 30 Truce for 15. yeares betwixt Castile and Portugal 31 Troubles continued in Castile by the Archbishop of Toledo and a peace mediated by the P rinces allies 32 D. Henry the third is declared of full age at 14. yeares 33 Discouerie of the Ilands of the Canaries 34 Estates of Castile at Madrid Marriage of the Infant D. Fernand. Discontent of D. Frederic Duke of Beneuent 35 Meanes to make D. Leonora Queene of Nauarre returne to her husband Her practises with the Noblemen rebelled Contemners of the Kings young yeares 36 A foolish triall of the truth of Religion by armes and what succeeded 37 Meanes held by the king D. Henry to draw the Princes and Noblemen rebelled to their duties The Queene of Nauarre subdued Warre against the Earle of Gijon and accord betwixt the king and him 38 D. Pedro de Luna chosen Pope at Auignon who by his obstinacie continued the Schisme 39 The Queene of Nauarre sent to the king her husband 40 Ieanne Countesse of Foix wife to Mathew of Castelbon reiected by the Arragonois from the succession of the Realme of Arragon Kings ruling in Spaine mentioned in this seuenteenth Booke Portugal 10 D. Iohn Master of Auiz 1. 31 Nauarre D. Charles 3. 14 Arragon D. Iohn 1. 17 Castile and Leon. D. Henry 3. 83. SVCH as are to rule ouer Nations and especially where there is great store of Nobility must be carefull how to gouerne their affections left by their too great libertie they force their subiects either in regard of their honours or for their iust defence to haue recourse to armes For it is often seene when a warre is kindled and that they which are tearmed Rebels haue gotten any aduantage they do no longer containe themselues within the bounds which at the first they had propounded but they proceed and seeke a totall change of the Estate thinking they cannot be otherwise assured or that the superior whom they would make their equall which is the true effect of armes can euer be a true and perfect friend Such are chiefly possessed with this iealousie and distrust as are to contend with men that are giuen to reuenge and of base dispositions as women and effeminate persons who seeke to maintaine their excesse by the name and credit of a Soueraigne degree wherin they are placed thinking that this greatnesse doth purchase them a priuiledge in any thing they do and giue authoritie to their cruelties and impieties wherin they please themseules although they be many times deceiued It is most certaine and verified by infinit examples that neither force nor greatnesse can auayle a Prince whose bad life makes him hatefull to his subiects And on the other side there is no such guard as the loue of subiects the which is conceiued by the opinion of vertue Opinion followes the effects and therefore a Prince should be alwaies carefull what opinion men should haue of him and remember still the precept of the wise That a man must be alwaies such as he would be esteemed If he be giuen to iniustice and voluptuousnesse with the oppression and ruine of his subiects let him assure himselfe that good men wil hate and detest him and his actions and estrange themselues from him so as he shall remaine ingaged among flatterers where many times he is smothered but at the least he is for euer infamous The name of Rebell is iustly detested but the common people iudge by the euents and the wife and well-aduised according to the causes And there is nothing more certaine whatsoeuer the flatteres of Court say that neuer any Conspiracie against a soueraigne Magistrate was durable or could take roote if the hearts of the subiects were not formerly distracted by the Princes owne guilt and excesse But if it pleaseth God to strirre vp some noble courage who imbraceth the publike cause then shall a tyrant hardly auoid his due punishment whereof Spaine affoords vs assured proofes in Don Pedro King of Castile and D. Leonora Telles of Meneses widow to king Fernand and Regent of Portugall who by her vnchastnesse and tyrannie as we haue formerly related ruined her selfe and did frustrate Donna Beatrix her daughter of that Crowne setting it vppon the head of Don Iohn the Bastard Master of the Order of the Knights of Auiz her enemie who had no lawfull right and it may bee neither thought nor hoped to attayne vnto it but when hee saw himselfe armed and followed This King notwithstanding his victorie was alwayes called the Master of Auiz by the Castillans Portugal who would not aduow him for king to the preiudice of their Queene Donna Beatrix and the king D. Iohn his aduersarie intitled himselfe king of Castile Leon Portugal Toledo Gallicia Seuile Cordoua Murcia Iaen Algarue Algezire and Lord of Lara Biscay and Molina some few daies after this great victorie wonne by the Portugals S. Iren yeelded with all that countrie there remaining not any place on this side the mountaines that held for the king of Castile At Saint Iren D. Nugno Aluarez of Pereira Constable of Portugall was made Earle of Oren in recompence of his valour and faithfull seruice and the new King D. Iohn vsed great bounty vnto all the Castillans that were prisoners Liberalitie of the new king of Portugal sending them home free without any ransome After that time leauing the conduct of the warre to his Constable he employed his time in workes of pietie and giuing thankes to God for the
Constable for hauing beene propounded in the Councell of the deceased king D. Iohn to take the office of Constable from D. Alphonso of Arragon Marquis of Villena for certaine reasons being now in diuision with the Councell and not greatly beloued of the young King D. Henry D. Pedro of Castile Earle of Transtamara came to demand this office who had yearly for his dyet and entertaynment 70000. marauidis The Councell did let him vnderstand that the king at the beginning when the Estates assembled at Madrid to gratifie the Marquis D. Alphonso had confirmed him in the dignity and that there were no reason thus to degrade him without some apparent cause the which might be a means to increase the troubles which were but too great wherefore they were of opinion that he shold for that time forbeare and content himselfe with a pension equall to the Constables entertainment the which they promised him in the meane time but they sayd that they must proceede against the Marquis by the course of Iustice for the effecting wherof they would procure the king to cite him to come to Court and if hee did not obey they promised to giue him his Estate D. Pedro ws satisfied with this answer and D. Alphonso Ianes Fajardo Gouernor of Murcia was sent by the King vnto the Constable to cause him to come to court but hee excused himselfe from comming presently promising to be there soone after notwithstanding it was farre from his thought for he had intelligence with the Arch-bishop of Toledo and others of the league who drew men together from all parts to come to the Court in armes to the end they might haue the testament of the deceased king D. Iohn put in execution and chase away the Councell The Arch-bishop of S. Iames the Earle of Transtamara the Masters of S. Iames and Calatraua Iohn Hurtado of Mendoça Lord Steward of the kings house others whereof some were named Tutors by the kings will and some not knowing that this was not the cause which drew the Arch-bishop of Toledo but onely a colour pretended by him and his confederates to retire from Court and to take armes they also prouided for their parts and called all their friends to ayde them they drew D. Leonora Queene of Nauar vnto their league binding themselues by oath one vnto another Queene of Nauar intangled in the troubles of Castile and they wrought so as the king Don Henry continued vnto the Queene his Aunt the pensions which the deceased King D. Iohn was wont to giue her with an increase By whose perswasion and others of the Councell he tooke the office of Constable from Don Alphonso of Arragon who had enioyed it nine yeares and gaue it to the Earle of Transtamara who was sonne to D. Frederic Master of Saint Iames and cousin to the king Hereuppon they fell to armes in Castile committing great spoyles robberies and murthers of all sides diuiding the Realmes Prouinces Citties and Townes especially Seuile whereas Don Aluar Perez of Guzman great Admiral of Castile and D. Pedro Ponce of Leon Lord of Marchena Gouernor generall of that cittie held the Concells part and Don Iohn Alphonso of Guzman Earle of Niebla and others that of the Kings testament he Arch-bishop of Toledo with the Master of Alcantara were about Auila to whom they of the cittie of Burgos made many protestations offers and prayers in vaine for a peace the like they did to the Duke of Benauent and then they sent vnto the King who was come to Cuellar beseeching him to giue eare vnto a peace and to end the troubles by a conuocation of the Estates the which if he thought good to hold in their cittie they offered to deliuer all their children in hostage for their assurance that should come The King mooued with the loue and willingnesse of them of Burgos sent the Legate and others to the Arch-bishop and his confederates but they answered That when they shold be neere the place where the king ws they would declare their intentions more at large The Duke of Benauent and the Arch-bishop of Toledo were alreadie ioyned with their forces consisting of fifteene hundred men at armes and 3500. foote vnto whome the Queene of Nauarre came intreating them that before matters grew worse they should be satisfied with the resolution of the Estates and whilest that she laboured with the confederates the king went to Vailledolit whither came about sixteen hundred men at arms with some other forces The confederates little regarding the Queene of Nauarre came to lodge at Simancas where as she was more amazed then before and employed all her endeauors to make some accord In the end shee obtayned that there should bee a conference at Perales whereas at diuers times in the presence of the Queene and Legate the parties met and conferred Once among the rest the Arch-bishop beeing demanded by him of Saint Iames if he had any true intent that the deceased kings testament should take place he made him no answer for that the Duke of Benauent who was not named in it was present whom he feared to offend an infalliable argument that priuate respects did moue him more Archb. of Toledo respects not the publike good then any zeale of the publike good or the Kings seruice It was concluded in Perales that the Kings testament should be of force and that the tutors named therein should gouerne and to the end a peace might be the better entertayned and that all emulation and iealousie might cease there were added vnto them Don Frederic duke of Benauent Don Pedro Earle of Transtamara and the Master of Saint Iames and for the better strangthening of this accord the generall Estates were held at Burgos Iohn Hurtado of Mendoça Estates at Burgos for a peace Pero Lopes of Ayala Diego Lopes of Estuniga and Iohn Alphonso de la Cerde either of them giuing one of his sonnes in hostage for the assurance of such as should come to Court Thus the Estates were called at Burgos which citie was at great charges for that cause and for the kings seruice But before any proceeding the Councell pretending to bind Don Alphonso Earle of Gijon vnto them being prisoner in the hands of the Master of S. Iames they decreed his deliuerie and procured the king to restore vnto him all the lands which he had enioyed in the Asturia's D. Alphonso the kings vnkle deliuered out of prison There came vnto the assembly at Burgos the king with Queene Catherine his spouse the Infant Don Fernand and his future wife D. Leonora who lodged in the Castle whereof Diego Lopes of Estuniga was captaine The Estates beeign entred into conference there grew a new tumult for some of the Noblemen not satisfied with that which had beene concluded in Perales would haue D. Alphonso Earle of Gijon admitted to councell besides the aboue-named wherewith the Duke of Benauent his brother the Queene of Nauarre nor the Master of Saint
Iames were not contented saying that his deliuerie had beene without their consents with an intent to make vse of him to the preiudice of them three and others that were of their opinion Such was their inconstancie as they which before would haue the kings will take effect demanded now the accord of Perales In the end they made choice of two of the greatest Doctors in Spaine to be arbitrators and to giue their aduice therein which were Don Gonçal Gonçales Bishop of Segobia and Aluar Martines of Villareall but they made their controuersies more obscure with their importune subtilties and obstinacie Whilest that great men contended for the gouernement of the Realme the Kings Officers who had charge to recouer his rights Exactions caused tumults in Guipuscoa and to receiue his reuenues exacted vpon the people according to an order which had beene set downe by the Councell pressing an imposition which is called Pedido wherewith the countrie was charged in the time of the King Don Pedro from the riuer of Ebro vnto the sea without any regard of the Priuiledges or exemptions of the Nobilitie namely of the Inhabitants of this Prouince of Guipuscoa which tribute had beene contradicted in the time of the sayd King D. Pedro and since in the raignes of Don Henry and D. Iohn who had caused such exactions to cease in consideration of the auncient immunities of the Guipuscoans but in the time of this king the Councell beeing diuided and all things in combustion the Treasurers had reuiued this receipt whereof the Inhabitants of the countrie complayned in vaine For this cause there was an assembly of the towne and commonalties of the Prouince of Guipuscoa in the parish Church of Saint Mary in the towne of Tholousa in August this yeare 1392. whither came the Deputies of Tholousa Segure Mondragon Motrico Gueraria Villafranca Vergara Salmas and Sarauz to aduise what was expedient for the defence of their immunities who decreed That for asmuch as the Prouince of Guipuscoa had first beene peopled by Gentlemen and in all degrees free and that by reason of the barrennesse of the countrie they had neuer beene charged with any tributes they besought the King and the Councel established by the Estates of Castile and Leon to forbid the Collectors or any that haue to deale with the kings treasure to exact any more mony of them And attending the Councels resolution vppon their petition the sayd Tribute should not be payed beeing assured that it was both the King and the Councels intention not to lay any vndue charge vppon them they ordayned by way of prouision as followeth First Articles made in the assembly of Tholousa in Guipuscoa that the Collectors and receiuers comming to exact money there should not any thing be payed them but the sayd Collectors should be apprehended and led to the assembly at Vsarraga there the Councell to determine of them according vnto reason and equity 2 That if any of the Collectors should arrest one of the Inhabitants of the countrie by reason of the sayd tribute he crying out and demanding ayde the neighbours without exception shall be bound to go foorth in armes and poursue the sayd Collector and hauing taken him present him to the assembly at Vsarraga 3 If any Collector hauing leauied a pawne of one of the Inhabitants of the country shall escape and cannot be apprehended the value of the pawne shall be taken out of the kings ordinarie reuenues with all costs dammage and interest for the indemnitie of the pawne 4 That all the people of the country shal iustifie the petition presented vnto the king tending to this that he shall prouide a necessarie remedie for this mischiefe and they shall be bound to contribute towards the dammages which may happen 5 That if the merchandize or wares which they of Guipuscoa are accustomed to send towards Victoria Saluaterra Treuigno Argançon and other parts of Alaua vnto the riuer of Ebro shall be arrested and stayed by any commonalties townes Lords that haue iustice or by any person whatsoeuer in regard of these tributes and impositions whosoeuer shall haue the losse shall make it knowne vnto his superiors and to this end the Councell shall assemble at Vsarraga and the townes shall be bound to send that is to say Tholousa ten men Mondragon ten men Segura ten men Salmes two men Vergara fiue men Motrico three men Guetaria three men Villafranca ten men and Sarraux two men of the most sufficient among them who together shall ordaine of the restitution of those things thus seazed with the charges and fines to the end the owner may not be damnified 6 And for rhat the Merins Majors and rulers of the countrie were accustomed to make their circuits in great troupes so as the people were charged and damnified to the prejudice of the lawes and liberties of the countrie it was ordayned that hee that should haue this Office were he Knight or Esquire should be receiued as a Knight or Esquire in all townes and places so as his force should alwaies remaine in townes in the which if the sayd Merins or their men did commit any insolencie or violence for what cause soeuer euery man should be bound to take armes and oppose himself against the sayd force appealing to the Councell and assembly of the sayd townes and worke so as the liberties and priuiledges of the countrie might remaine vnuiolated and he that was wronged vndamnified 7 Item that if by reason of the sayd imposition and tribute called Pedido some seazure hath beene made either of men or goods by the sayd Collectors Receyuers Iudges or any other within a towne and that the sayd towne did consent thereunto or winke at the sayd seazure and that it hath beene transported to some other place and there receiued and detayned and the partie interressed can get no restitution in this case the other townes beeing required by him or some other for him shall bee bound to go with force to the place where such persons or goods are detayned and there take so much of the Inhabitants goods as shall be needfull to satisfie the intertessed and themselues also who are come thither for this cause for all their costs and charges and for euery man that hath beene carried away they shall take two and detayne them vntill the deliuerie of the first withfull satisfaction of their dammages 8 If by reason of these things any of the Inhabitants of the sayd townes or iurisdictions should be cited or adiorned before the Prouost of the Kings Court or other Iudges or otherwise called in what manner soeuer they shall not be bound to appeare but the sayd townes shall take his cause in hand and send their Atturneys to appeare and defend him that is cited without any cost and charge vnto him but at the charge of the sayd Townes 9 That there shall be a firme friendship and brother-hood sworne betwixt the sayd townes and the Inhabitants such as in the
for The Court remaining at Zamora the Archb. weary of too much rest retired himselfe into his Bishoprick being not greatly affected to the kings seruice but to take part and adhere wholy to the Duke of Benauent he now gaue them greater cause to suspect him for that he grew in choller with them of the Councell vppon his departure pressing them to giue the Duke of Benauent contentment and to pay him the Arrerages of his pensions and that they should also giue satisfaction to D. Diego Hurtado of Mendoça touching the Admiralty which he demanded and to Iohn of Velasco for the Office of Lord Chamberlaine to the King and to Don Iohn Alphonso de la Cerde touching the place of Lord Steward to the Infant D. Fernand which they had taken from him to giue it to Pero Suarez of Quignones Whereunto they answered mildly that it was fitte such men should be satisfied and that they would resolue according to iustice and equity and as their dignitie required Besides these importunities and other presumptions it was reported that he had receiued the twentith penny of all merchandize and goods which had beene sold within the Realme Archb. of Toledo and D. Iohn of Velasco detayned prisoners in Court with other vnlawfull impositions whereuppon the Gouernors gaue order to stay him and Don Iohn of Velasco Whereupon they were commanded to deliuer vnto the King or his Captaines the castles which they held so as the Arch-bishop was constrayned notwithstanding any excuses and allegations of his good seruice to dispossesse himselfe of the castles of Talauera Vzeda and Alcala the old and Iohn of Velasco of that of Arnedo For the Arch-bishops imprisonment there was a generall interdiction in the Diocesses of Zamora Palence Salamanca and in the court Such things past in Castile during the minoritie of the King D. Henry which did much greiue the confederate Princes their allyes to see a young Prince so ill intreated by his ambitious subiects among which the most remarkable were the great Prelates of the realme Among others Charles the sixth the French king did the office of a Christian Prince and friend sending this yeare 1393. a sollemne ambassage to the king of Castile the which came to Toro where as the Court then remayned to condole for the disobedience of his subiects especially of the Noblemen offering the king in their Masters name all ayde and support of the forces of France if he had need The French did also write to euery one of the Gouernors to the chiefe Noblemen of Castile and to the principall townes exhorting them by the duty which they did owe vnto God to the crown of Castile to obey their King and to seeke the peace and quiet of the realme This ambassage was receiued heard and sent backe with great honor as it was fit To draw the Duke of Benauent to the kings seruice the Arch-bishop of S. Iames went to him being at Tordehumes a place belonging to the duke hauing a safe-conduct from D. Alphonso Henriques of Castile son to the deceased D. Frederic Master of S. Iames. This Aarchb wrought in such sort as he reclaymed the duke promising him in the kings name a confirmation of his annuall pension and to giue him 70000. thousand frankes of gold to aduance him to some good marriage so as he would leaue the allyance of Portugal and moreouer the King would pardon him all that was past After which the Duke came to Burgos to the king without any distrust yea he refused a son of D. Iohn Hurtado of Mendoça and one of D. Diego Lopes of Estuniga with the Arch-bishoppes nephew which were offered vnto him for hostages at which his free disposition the king and the whole court did much reioyce Beeing at Burgos the truce concluded with Portugal was proclaymed as it had beene in like manner in Lisbone thither came Ambassadours from the Duke of Lancaster to demand two yeares arrerages of the pension which the deceased king D. Iohn had granted to the sayd Duke and to the Dutchesse D. Constance his wife beeing foure-score thousand Frankes of gold the which was willingly payed and therefore the Duke did quit the interest which hee pretended for want of due payment The King Don Henry growing to the age of fourteene yeares when as hee should take vppon him the gouernement of the Realme Maiority of D. Henry king of Castile being riper of iudgement then of yeares he did anticipate three moneths to free himselfe of his tutors and therefore hauing called the Noblemen and Prelats which did freely frequent the Court with the Deputies of the townes in the presence of D. Domingo Bishop of S. Ponce Legat to Pope Clement hee declared that from thence forth he tooke the gouernement of his realmes into his owne hands wherfore none of them should any more stile themselues Tutors nor meddle with the gouernment vnlesse they were called In this assembly the Legate was a meanes to haue the Arch-bishop of Toledo restored to those places and Castles which had beene before violently taken from him and the interdiction of the three aboue-named Bishopprickes was taken away the king making great submissions There they also treated to reforme many disorders within the Realm by reason that Bishopprickes and other spirituall liuings were giuen to strangers whereas they should be employed to entertaine youth at schoole Orders for the giuing of spiritual â—iuings or to reward men of merit and such as were borne in the Country which was the cause that Spaniards did not studie for want of meanes whereby the Realme was much damnified not onely in spiritual matters but also in temporall The redresse must come chiefly from the Pope who being importuned by such as had bin preferred to benefices and by letters of fauor from forraine Princes decreed that they should enioy them but after their deaths none should be preferred to any benefice in Castile and Leon if he were not borne in the countrie In this businesse the king carried himselfe afterwards as he pleased Beeing free from his Gouernors hee had many waightie affaires especially for the confirmation of the peace made with the Duke of Lancaster and for the truce newly concluded with the king of Portugal there beeing a reseruation in both treaties of a confirmation when he should come to the full age of fourteene yeares And moreouer it did behooue him to send an ambassage into France to renew the League with king Charles the sixth Besides the ordinarie expences in the Gouernours time amounted to fiue and thirtie millions of marauidis then currant mony so as it was needfull to cut off this excessiue charge for these considerations and others he called a generall assembly of the Estates at Madrid Whilest that they assembled he passed into Biscay where hee had not beene since his comming to the Crowne The Companies and commonalties of the countrie at his comming assembled in the field of Arechaalaga according to their vsuall manner
Constables charge who was in such authoritie and fauour as euery man feared him penly or hated him secretly The Estates requiring also that the Kings excessiue gifts should bee cut off it was ordained that all that had or should be giuen by the King before the age of twenty fiue yeares should bee reputed voide Many other good decrees were made but they lasted little The King of Nauarre staied in Castile where he had great possessions and was much fauoured yea for his sake many Noblemen Castillans were aduanced to Offices in the Kings house as Ruy Dias of Mendoça was made Lord Steward and Ihon Aluaro of Gadillo Standard-bearer As for himselfe hee was wholy gouerned by Diego Gomes of Sandoual whom he made Earle of Castro Xeris a place which was of his patrimonie There were three Leagues beginning in Court one for the king of Nauarre the second for Henry his brother and the third for the Constable Don Aluar de Luna who increased dayly in authoritie The king spent the rest of that yeare one thousand foure hundred twenty and sixe at Fuente del Sauco at Vailledolit at Zamora where he caused some pettie mutiniers and rebels to bee punished by Iustice whilest that great men which troubled the realme liued in all assurance In the beginning of the yeare one thousand foure hundred twenty and seauen the Infant Don Henry and his wife Donna Catherina came from Valencia to Ocagne where the hatred burst forth betwixt the King of Nauarre and the Constable Don Aluar de Luna being much fauoured and highly supported by the fauor of the King who desired also to entertaine the King of Nauarre Don Henry aduancing towards the Court came to Vailledolit accompanied by the Maisters of Calatraua and Alcantara and others of the faction opposite to the Constable it auailing nothing that the King who was at Simanca did write vnto him and commanded him by many messages that he should not come to Court but returne to Ocagne The two Brethren entring into Vailledolit Leaguâ— against the Constable Aluâ—â— de Luna being confederate with Don Pedro of Velasco who was Earle of Haro and Lord Chamberlaine to the King Don Iâ—igo Lopes of Mendoça Lord of Hita and Buitrago who afterwards was the first Marquis of Sentillana Don Fernand Aluares of Toledo Lord of the Vallee of Corneia who afterwards was the first Earle of Alba and his Vncle Don Guttiere Gomes of Tolledo Bishop of Palence the Maisters of Calatraua and Alcantara with other noble men of Castille sent to beseech the King that for some good respects he would command the Constable to retire from Court for that the absolute power which he did vsurpe In the gouernment of affaires was the cause of many inconueniences The King would haue it put to Compromise and that the King of Nauarre on the one side and Don Aluar on the other should deliuer their reasons before Arbitrators of which aduice Francisco of Soria a Franciscan Friar was the Author The Iudges named for the confederates were don Lewis of Guzman Maister of the Calatraua and the Gouernour Don Pedro Manrique and for the Constable Don Alphonso Henriques high Admirall of Castille D. Aluar de Luna 〈…〉 from Court and Fernand Alphonso of Robles of the Kings Councell and his chiefe Treasurer and for an Vmper the Abbot of Saint Benets in Vailledolit All which gaue sentence that Don Aluaro de Luna the Constable should absent himselfe from Court for the space of eighteene moneths next ensuing and not come within fifteene Leagues of it and so should they doe whom hee had put into the Kings Chamber The Constable yeelding to this sentence hee retired himselfe to his house at Aillon and the King of Nauarre with his brother Don Henrie came to Cigales where the King was of whom they tooke their leaues with reasonable good shewes of loue yet Don Henry had a better countenance of him then the King of Nauarre to whom they imputed the whole cause of the Constables dismission which made the King the more desirous to see him againe And for that Fernando Alphonso de Robles one of the Kings Counsell had beene one of the principall Instruments of all these alterations hee was shut vp in the Castle of Segobia After all this they treated of Don Henries affaires and of his confederates The accord which the King made there with Don Henry Accord made by the King with Don Henry besides the restitution of his goods and the dignitie of the maistership of Saint Iames was that for the Marquisate of Villena hee should enioy Trugillo and Alcaras with their appurtenances and other lands in the country of Guadalajara Moreouer they gaue him two hundred thousand Florens of gold in ready money and a Million and two hundred thousand small Marauidis of yeerely pension during his life To the King of Nauarre for his charges during the troubles hee gaue a hundred thousand Florins to bee payde by a certaine time There was then present Inigo Ortiz of Estuniga Marshall of Nauarre who had married Donna Ioane base Sister to the Queene Donna Blanche The King discharged and sent home to their houses a great number of vnnecessarie men which followed the court without cause who were but a burthen to him and the country and to take away all occasion of distrust and new troubles hee granted a generall pardon to all men of what Estate quality or condition soeuer they were that had medled with the precedent troubles D. Ruy Lopes of Analos restored to his honor and good name but not to his goods Hee restored Don Ruy Lopes of Aualos the Constable beeing accused to haue had Intelligence with the Moores by letters produced to the Kings Councell to his honour and fame but hee neither restored him to his Office nor goods Amidest these treaties the Constable Aluaro de Luna was called backe againe to the court his verie enemies consenting therevnto yea the King of Nauarre and his brother Don Henry who grew after so iealous one of an other who should bee in the Constables fauour as they entred into factions wherefore the King of Castile imploying therein the Queene of Nauar and the Estates also of Nauarre they perswaded their King to returne into his realme D. Henry went in pilgrimage to Saint Iames and then was sent to the Moores frontier who began to raise some tumults as we will hereafter shew The King of Castile being at Vailledolit D. Leonora Infanta of Arragon sister to the King of Nauarre past thereby going into Portugal to be married to prince Edward the heire of that Realme to whom the King her cousin gaue the best reception he could honouring her with rich presents money and men to accompany her Soone after the King being at Arando of Duero her receiued D. Pedro Infant of Portugal and Duke of Coimbra very gratiously being also his cousin germaine for D. Philippe mother to D. Pedro and Donna Constance mother
brother led some troupes towards Auila where by the meanes of Aluaro of Bracamont and Fernando of Aualos who had taken vpon them to defend it they became maisters from thence the King of Nauarre did write a letter vnto the King of Castile full of good councel accusing the constable of auarice Insolemies of the Constable of Castile made knowne vnto the King cruelty tyranie insolency and contempt of the Princes and Noblemen yea of the King himselfe hauing presumed to kil a squier in Areualo and a groome to flie his fury hauing cast himselfe at the Kings feet as in a most assured Sanctury he had beaten him almost in his bosome stretching his armes ouer the Kings shoulders without any respect to his dignity whom euery man to the great dishonor of his royal person said he had inchanted and to conclude if he did not chase him away and punish him he could not be honored nor serued by the Princes and Noblemen of Castile who could not endure such indignities from an vpstart whose beginning was scarce knowne The King knew well that many things contained in these letters were true yet being gouerned by such as fauored the constable he made no answere wherevpon the confederats sent the Earles of Haro and Benauent vnto him who after many Negotiations concluded with the Kings councel that they should make an assembly of the Estates at Vailledolit whereas the deputies of the townes and Prouinces of Castile and Leon should meet and determine of that which should be held expedient for the quiet of the realme so as the Archbishop of Seuile and his Nephew the Earle of Alba did remaine at their houses Before the execution of that which had beene concluded the Infant D. Henry entred Toledo with three hundred and fifty knights through the fauor of D. Pedro Lopes of Ayala the Gouernor and made himselfe maister thereof hauing good correspondency with the King of Nuarre his brother whose faction was very strong at that time in Castile his friends and confederats holding the chiefe townes of the realme for besides that he had vnder his command the towne of Auila and his brother that of Toledo the Earle of Ledesma held Burgos and the castle Pedro of Quignones was maister of Leon Ruy Diaz of Mendoça commanded Segobia with the sort D. Henry Henriques the Admirals brother had Zamora and the castle Salamanca was in the hands of Iohn Gomes of Anaya Guadalajara of D. Inigo Lopes of Mendoça Lord of Hita Plaisance of the Earle of Ledesma Vailledolit of the Earle Pedro Nugnes other places were held by other Knights of that party the which did much trouble the King and his constable To make the assembly of Vailledolit more easie the Earles of Haro and Benauent returned to Bonille where it was againe concluded that the Kings and the Noblemen should retire their troupes and there was a general pasport giuen to al them that should come to Vailledolit with assurance of their goods yea to the constable who remained in his house at Escalano where by an ill presage the greatest part of the castle had some few daies before beene burnt with lightning notwithstanding the King would haue the pasport serue also for the constables person In this assembly it was decreed that the cities and townes held by the confederats should bee left free at the King of Castiles dispose but there was not any thing effected and the more to trouble the realme D. Henry Prince of the Asturia's perswaded by his spouse and the confederat noblemen began to ioyne with the King of Nauarre his future father in law retyring himselfe vnto the Admiral D. Frederics lodging wherewith the court was much troubled and the King sent the Earle of Castro and Ruy Diaz of Mendoça to the King of Nauar to vnderstand the cause of this alteration who answered that he knew it not and withal went with them to the Admirals lodging to vnderstand the reason The Prince answered that he had retired himselfe thether by reason of Doctor Perjineâ— Alphonso Pâ—res of Biuero and Nicholas Fernandes of Villanicar of the Kings councel being vnworthy of that ranke and beseeching the King that he would chase them away else he would retire himselfe The King promised to dismisse them wherevpon the Prince was pacefied and came to the Kings palace D. Iohn de Pacheâ—o gouerns Prince Henry after midnight the King of Nauarre accompanying him The Prince D. Henry was gouerned by a yong gentleman called D. Iohn de Pacheco sonne to Alphonso Telies Giron Lord of Beaumont who was preferred to his seruice by the constable and was afterwards made Marquis of Villena and maister of the Order of Saint Iames. The King at the Estates of Vailledolit setled some order for Iustice which was but badly executed in Castile and some thing to pacefie the Princes and Noblemen that were mutined and to diuert their armes hee thought it now time to celebrate the marriage of D. Henry and the Infanta of Nauarre being three yeeres since they were made sure and either of them being fifteene yeeres old the bond of consanguinity which might hinder it was dissolued by Pope Eugenius the fourth The Infanta being sent for she entred into Castile An. 1440. in the yeere 1440. beeing accompanied by Queene Blanch her mother the Prince of Viana her brother and many noblemen prelats and knights of Nauarre Shee was receiued in the towne of Logrogno by D. Alphonso of Carthagena Bishop of Burgos D. Inigo Lopes of Mendoça Lord of Hita and by D. Pedro of Velasco Earle of Haro From thence the Prince D. Charles returned into Nauarre with his Gouernor D. Iohn of Beaumont who in the Princes name gouerned the realme the Queene mother being absent The Princesse with all her traine being come to Vilhorado a house belonging to the Earle of Haro she was entertained with sumptuous feasts great sports and rare inuentions and much more at Birbiesca by the Earle himselfe D. Pedro of Acugna did the like at Duegnas whether the Prince D. Henry came to meet his spouse whereas he presented her with many rich iewels and shee him who hauing beene some foure and twenty howers with the Ladies he returned to Vailledolit whether they went There went forth to meet them the Kings and al the principall Noblemen of the court who made a stately entry into the towne and the Queene and Princesse went to the King of Nauarres lodging whose brother D. Henry came from Toledo to assist at the marriage the which was celebrated with a royall pompe Cardinal of Saint Peter D. Pedro of Ceruantes Bishop of Auila performing the ceremony But the vnfortunate hap of this Princesse was such as the Prince D. Henry proued vnable to consummate the marriage Marriage of the Prince of Castile and the Infâ—nta of Nauarre the which she did vertuously conceale for many yeeres To honor the marriage the noblemen ran at tilt with sharpe pointed lances but
Iames died of a canker at Segobia and it is reported that shee beeing a wise and vertuous Lady did greatly reprooue her husbands extreame ambition and that at her death she made him sundrie remonstrances which tended greatly to his honour and commoditie and the preseruation of his house shee did greatly aduise him to maintaine the King in his honour and reputation towards whome hee had insolently behaued himselfe and most commonly without respect to the great griefe of all the great Lords of Spaine whereuppon the Master made her many faire promises of amendment which after her death were soone forgotten therefore considering with himselfe that hee was now a widdower and badly beloued he thought it expedient for him and greatly profitable for his affaires in hand Master of S. Iames allyes himselfe with the house of Velasco to marrie againe and to strengthen himselfe with some good allyance wherefore he bended his thoughts vppon the houses of Mendoza and Velasco rich and mightie families the chiefe of which hee hauing sounded and practised there was a meeting betwixt Segobia and Pedraza by the Bishoppes of Siguença Palença and Burgos the Earles of Haro Medina Celi and the Master who agreed vpon a marriage betwixt the sayd Master and the Earle of Haros daughter wherewith the king was well pleased The marriage was afterward sollemnized at Pegnafiell a place belonging to the Earle of Vregna who was Nephew to the Master By this allyance the Bishop of Siguença was pacifyed came to Court and had promise of the Kings fauour for his obtayning of a Cardinals hat whereon he dreamed day and night from Pope Sixtus the fourth newly elected who was borne in Sauona of the family of Rouero a Friar and Cardinal of the title of Saint Peter ad vincula whose Legate Roderigo Borgia Bishop of Albi and Cardinall of the title of S. Nicholas in carcere Tulliano Rodrigo Borgia Cardinal◠Vice-chancellour of the sea of Rome who afterward was Pope came this yeare 1471. into Spayne where hee was receiued at Madrid by King Henry with all the honour and submission that a seruant or an obedient sonne could vse towards his superiour and father as also in all places as hee came by the way as soone as he was entred into Castile especially when hee arriued in the territories belonging to the Mastershippe of Saint Iames hee went vnder a rich canopie the King beeing on his left hand yet a little behind him Hauing then declared his legation and shewed his faculties which were to visit the Kingdome of Castile and the Isles neere adiacent to ordayne what was necessarie for the Church of Rome the King shewing himselfe very obedient and willing hee deputed the Licenciate Diego Henriques his Chronicler Chaplaine and Councellour to accompanie and conferre with him about these matters At the intreatie of the King and the Master of Saint Iames the Legate dispatched a message to Rome for the Bishoppe of Siguença's hatte An. 1472. this was in the yeare one thousand foure hundred seuenty two When the Court and the Legate came to Segobia there was made a generall assembly of the Commissioners of euery Cathedrall Church of Spaine where a certaine Subsidie was graunted to the Pope which was the principall cause of his Legation in recompence whereof the Legate bestowed pardons and indulgences vppon euery place with measure and proportion according to euery mans qualitie and besides did ordaine to euery Church two Channonries the one for a Diuine the other for a Chanonist the which should be giuen by the Bishops and Chapters Some neuerthelesse namely of those which did cleaue and adhere to the partie of the Princes Don Ferdinand and Donna Isabella did not appeare at this assembly in the number of whom was Don Inigo Manrique Bishop of Coria who requested the legate to come to Valiodolit saying that they were to conferre with him about matters touching the succession of the kingdomes but the King perswaded him to the contrary accusing the Princes and their followers of many matters The Legate neuerthelesse went to Alcala to visit the Princes who remained there with the Archbishop of Toledo by whom he was sumptuously receiued and with great pompe as also in Guadalajara the Marquis of Santillanas house where hee remained a certaine space with the Marquis and the Earles his bretheren The impieties superstitions thefts rapines and other insolencies vsed at that time among the Christians in Spaine Enormous sins cause those newly conuerted to returne to Iudaisme namely the Prelates and Church-men were so scandalous to all men as diuerse newe Christians who were conuerted from Iudaisme to the profession of Christianity being constrained more by the rigor of the lawes then perswaded by wholesome doctrine and good examples began to returne to Iudaisme not being able to beleeue by humaine reason that the religion professed by such detestable people could bee the true The remedy applied to this mischiefe was the same which arrogant men and such as hate correction Massacre of the new Christians and are desirous to liue in their errors and corruptions doe commonly vse namely the sword massacres and all manner of excesse For in the Citty of Cordoua insteed of bringing back these straies by meeknesse holinesse of life and such like examples which is the duty of the ministers of the Church they did let loose the bridle to the rash mutinous people who made a cruell slaughter of them and spoiled their goods Those of Iaen followed this example against whom the Constable Michaell Lucas d' Irançu opposing himself The Constable Don Michael Lucas de Iransu murthered by the people was most inhumainly murthered in the Cathedral Church by the enraged multitude The like cruelties and robberies were committed in Andujar and other places of Andaluzia wherewith King Henry was extreamly discontented but being faint-harted and of no courage in these matters hee did no more punish the murtherers then the Pastors were diligent in seeking out fit Christian meanes to bring back these Apostata's into the right way The office of Constable was giuen to Don Pedro Velasco Earle of Haro the Kings great Chamberlaine D. Pedro de Velasco made Constable of Castill at the intercession of the Maister of Saint Iames his Sonne in law the which dignity hath euer since euen till our time continued in that family The King like-wise gaue the seales of his Chancery to the Bishogge of Siguença The King finding that Donna Ioane his supposed daughter had very ill successe in her treaties of marriage resolued to bestow her vpon Don Henry Sonne to the Infant Don Henry who was Maister of S. Iames brother to Don Ferdinand Infant of Castile which was King of Arragon who at the same time remayned in the Citty of Barcelona from whence hee caused him to come secretly into Castile This Prince who by the commandement of King Iohn his vnckle was called in his dominions the Infant of Arragon and by
all crimes and offences layde to their charge who had fauoured and taken the King of Portugals part in those warres should be abolished and a generall pardon graunted to them all especially to the Countesse of Medellin and to Don Alphonso of Monroy Treasurer of Alcantara and euery of them to be restored to their goods liuings and dignities Seuenthly that this peace should be kept betwixt the Kings of Castile and Portugall for an hundred and one yeares This peace thus concluded was proclaymed in the Court of Portugal to the great contentment of all men and presently the Licenciate Figueroa one of the kings Councell and his Confessor named Friar Martin were sent Ambassadours to Queene Izabella who lay at Trugillo who on her her part did likewise sweare to ratifie it the Castillans beeing no whit displeased thereat for they were all tyred with that pernitious warre The which warre did wholly cease and the seeges from the aboue-mentioned places were raysed Merida which belonged to the Order of Saint Iames was yeelded to the Master thereof Medellin was committed to the keeping of Don Lewis Fernand Porto Carrero vntil the controuersie betwixt the Countesse and Don Pedro Porto Carrero her son were decided by order of lawe Newes hereof was carried to Barcelona to King Fernand the which was most welcome vnto him who gaue thankes vnto God therefore causing great signes of ioy to bee made euery where and did worthily recompence the messenger which brought tidings of so desired a peace by meanes whereof those two kingdomes haue beene encreased and maintayned in the greatnesse whereunto they are risen in the dayes of our fathers and in our time also In king Fernand the two kingdomes of Castile and Arragon with their dependancies Vnion of Castil and Arragon were ioyned together which had beene separated foure hundred fortie and fiue yeares euer since that the two States of Earledomes became Kingdomes after the death of Don Sancho the Great King of Nauarre who was the last Earle of Arragon and Castile Now King Fernand hauing taken order for all things belonging to so great a succession wherein hee found no difficultie nor resistance hee came to the Queene his wife who lay in the citty of Toledo where with great sollemnitie he swore the peace in the presence of the Portugall Ambassadours and for a greater confirmation thereof there were sent Ambassadours to the king of Portugal Friar Hernand of Talauera the king of Castiles Confessor of the Order of Saint Hierome great Prior of Saint Marie du Pré of Vailliodolit who was afterward Bishoppe of Auila and successiuely first Arch-bishoppe of Granado after the conquest and with him Doctor Alphonso Manuel of Madrigall one of the kings Councell D. Ioane called the Excellent contemneth the marriage with the bâ—ire of Castil Arragon c. and becomes a Nunne to reiterate and sweare the peace the second time Donna Ioane who till then was called Queene of Castile and Leon and by a particular surname the Excellent beeing questioned vppon the Article of peace which concerned her marriage with Prince Iohn did rather choose a Monasticke life who therefore was shorne and vailed in the Monasterie of Saint Clare the royall at Coimbra and casting off hir royall habits shee tooke the Order of Saint Francis not without great griefe to king Don Alphonso to see so great a Ladie in such manner to abase her selfe where if she had so pleased might haue raigned in Castile Leon Arragon and Sicill The Ambassadours of Castile hauing executed their commission with the king of Portugall went to the cittie of Coimbra where they did see this Princesse to professe her selfe a Nunne with protestation to spend her dayes in such humilitie notwithstanding that they brought her King Fernand and Queene Isabella's honourable word and promise to accomplish in her behalfe all that which had beene agreed vppon in the treaty of peace and to marrie her to their sonne when time should serue but she with an incredible constancie refused all these dignities and spent the whole time of her life which was very long in religion and was euer after called in stead of royall titles which had had beene offered vnto her by the King and Queene Donna Ioane the Nunne The troubles beeing thus appeased in Castile Don Diego Lopes de Pacheco Marquis of Villena who in his Marquisate had made warre vppon the Kings Lieutenants and Captaines came to the Court at Toledo to iustifie himselfe concerning the same and to speak truth the matter beeing well weighed hee was not found to bee the principall cause of those mischiefes Marquis of Villena reâ—onciled to the King and Queene nor yet to haue any intelligence with the King of Portugall since his last agreement made with the Queene in regard whereof the King and Queene receyued him to grace and fauour vnto whome afterwards in the warres of Granado hee did many notable seruices This yeare 1479. in the moneth of Nouember Queene Izabella was brought to bed in the Cittie of Toledo in a house belonging to the Earle of Cifuentes of a daughter named Ioane who in processe of time came to succeed in all the kingdomes as by the progresse of this Historie shall appeare This Infanta did in all poynts so resemble queen Ioane of Arragon her grandmother as when the King her father did play with her hee called her his mother In like manner the Infanta Izabella because she was in lineaments like to Queene Izabella her Grandmother mother to the queene then raigning was by her called her mother the rest of queene Izabella's children were commonly called her Angels At the same time that these things happened in Spayne the armie of Mahomet the second of that name Emperour of the Turkes did houer about the Isle of Rhodes the seate of the Knights of Saint Iohn of Hierusalem Peter d' Aubusson a French-man beeing great Master of that Order the Sicillians fearing left the Turkes would haue landed in their Isle sent messengers to king Fernand to obtaine of him ayde and succour vnto whome certaine shippes laden with munition armour and other prouision were sent Donna Leonora Queene of Nauarre and 33. in order AS King Fernand succeeded in the kingdomes of Arragon Valencia Sicill Majorca and principalitie of Cattalonia Nauarre with other dominions and dependancies therof by the decease of the late king Don Iohn his father the Princesse Leonora in like manner daughter to him and to his first wife Donna Blanche queene of Nauarre did inherite the same kingdome nine yeares after the death of the Earle of Foix her husband remaining all that time a widow She was crowned queene in the cittie of Tudela where she did sweare and promise to maintaine the rights lawes priuiledges franchises and liberties of the country in the same manner as her predecessors had done before her Her raigne was so short as we haue no matter affoorded to speake of but onely her death which happened by a
friend and enemie so as meeting on a time certaine marchants ships of Genoua hauing an aduantage ouer them in a calme he had put them to ransome for the which the Genouois hauing made their complaints being friends to Spaine they attended but an occasion to make Iohn Riue repaire this injurie and to punish him as he deserued It happened that three great ships of Genoua being in the port of Carthagena to carrie away wools at the same time the commonweale of Genoua had sent forth three gallies well furnished with men and ordnance as well for the safetie of those marchants ships as to seeke out the pyrat Iohn Riue who had spoyled their companions and as by chance all these vessels of Genoua were at Carthagena behold the Spanish armie arriues being commaunded by D. Berenguelo with whom Iohn Riue was who was presently knowne by the Genouois and therefore they addrest themselues to D. Berenguelo intreating him to deliuer him vnto them who had ransomed and spoyled them to the end they might represent him to the Iustice or punish him themselues according to the league betwixt the deceased kings of Arragon and the common-weale of Genoua Whereof D. Berenguelo through his arrogancie and also for that he was a Cattelan Refusall of iustice cause of a great tumult in Spaine and by consequence an enemie to the Genouois made no reckoning Wherewith the Genouois being incensed following after the foist of Iohn Riue they did so plie her with their canon as they had almost sunke her D. Berenguelo growing in a rage for this fact leauing the Genouois gallies which were armed and had committed the fault he went against the Genouois ships which lay in the port to assayle them who presently put their boaâ—s downe into the water with certaine peeces of ordnance and put themselues in defence D. Berenguelo when he saw them in fight left them and went to land There was a furious incounter betwixt the Genouois and the gallies of Spaine wanting their head two of them were so ill handled with their great shot as the one sunke and the other being all broken ran on ground and was also lost The towne being moued at this noyse and solicited by the cries of D. Berenguelo saying That they must not in any sort suffer so great an outrage which was against the Maiestie of the king that strangers should presume to assaile his gallies in the port of Carthagena was presently all in armes the fight grew so hot as the towne against the Genouois gallies and ships and they against the towne shot continually one at another making a pitifull ruine of buildings and killing of men vntill that night parted them The cardinall tooke this fact of the Genouois verie ill as contemners of him and of the king his master being also displeased with D. Berenguelo whereupon followed that edict He also sought by all meanes vnto the king to haue D. Berenguelo depriued of the charge of the gallies shewing his vnworthinesse of such a commaunder and the great fault which he had committed and also that the truce of an hundred yeares concluded betwixt the kings of Arragon and the commonwele of Genoua being expired it seemed they would reuiue with great hatred the old quarell for the island of Sardinia D. Berenguelo besides that hee had friends and fauourers in the Court of Flanders hee made the cardinals pursuit in vaine Victorie of D. Berenguelo against the Turks by a victorie which he got soone after against foure Turkish gallies the fight continuing almost a whole day which was the onely remarkable thing hee did in six yeares space that he had beene generall of the gallies The commonweale of Genoua sent embassadours into Flanders to king Charles excusing themselues of this fact and saying That it was the fault of priuat men and not of the citie against whom they had proceeded by way of justice condemning the commaunders and captaines to loose their liues and the souldiers and mariners to other punishments according to their merits as soone as they should be returned home But God preuented the execution of their decrees for these vessels being retired to the port of Villâ—â—â—anche neere to Nice they had by a sudden whirlewind beene swallowed vp in the sea with the losse of aboue three hundred men Wherefore they besought the king seeing that these wicked breakers of the publike league were diuinely punished that he would be pleased to grant a restitution of their goods which had beene seised on in Spaine and disannull that rigorous Edict King Charles pacified by this embassage pardoned the offence and reuoked the Edict against the cardinals will who was verie obstinate in that which he had once conceiued and did still solicite the king to breed jealousies in his head against that commonweale Cardinal Ximenes an enemie to the Genouois and to bring them into disgrace with him saying that they had intelligence with the French giuing infinit crosses to these poore Genouois Yet in the end by their diligence and perseuerance Edict against the Genouois reuoked they justified themselues and obtained restitution and an abolition of the Edict the cardinall their aduersarie being somewhat pacified consenting thereunto He opposed himselfe with great vehemencie against the pursuits of the new Christians as they call them in Court that the judgements of the Inquisition might bee executed against them touching that which concernes witnesses according to the forme of other criminall causes for the accused were not allowed to except against the witnesses which were not confronted against them Proceeding vniust against the accused by the Inquisition nor yet named which gaue occasion and boldnesse vnto judges which were greedie of the bloud and wealth of these poore men to commit many cruelties and abuses in their charges Finally this cardinall did so labour with the king and Pope whereas they of Arragon were also sutors as the lawes of the tribunall of the Inquisition practised in the time of king Ferdinand remained firme 29 About that time there fell out a great debate in the citie of Siguensa Contention for the bishoprick of Siguensa for the restitution of the cardinall D. Bernardin of Caruajal sometimes bishop of that sea whereof he had beene depriued by Pope Iulio by reason of the Councell of Pisa. Cardinall Ximenes fauouring his reintegration to his dignitie goods and honours made by Pope Leo he had for opposite D. Frederic of Portugall subrogated into that bishopricke after the deposition of D. Bernardin who would not leaue 〈◊〉 So as some holding with cardinall Carâ—aial and others with D. Frederic the diocesse was diuided their contentions came to armes The place where the greatest excesse was committed was Almazan a towne of the earle of Montagus jurisdiction whither they were resolued to send an Alcayde of the Court to suppresse this tumult This Alcaide called Ferdinand Calderon shewed himself so cruell in his proceedings against this poore people as the
sat him down at one of the corners of the field accoÌ„pained with 12 knights sending the like number to the other opposit corner commanding them that they shold not remoue froÌ„ thence before the end of the combat To either of the other two corners he sent 3 noblemen of quality instructed in like maner Then hauing commanded silence one of the marshals of the field cried out with a loud voice in the emperours name going to euery one of the 4 corners that it was forbidden vpon pain of death for any one to make a noise whilest the champions did fight nor to make any signe by deed voice or word neither in spitting coffing blowing of the nose neezing or whistling nor by beating of hands or feet lifting vp of the hands nor by shaking of the head or any motion of the bodie to giue them aduertisement courage feare or amazement nor otherwise to instruct them in what they haue to do except their godfathers in their charge duty And then the two kinghts entred the field in compleat armor holding in their hands their battel axes their swords by their sides Peter Toreilla the first for that he was challenger accompained with his godfather presented himself before the constable who demanded of him what he was for what cause he was entred so armed hauing receiued his answer he caused him to put off his head peece to know him then he caused him to put it on againe sent him to one of the corners of the camp where he was receiued by the three noblemen that were plast there Then he past to the other corner opposit being set in the midest of the 12 knights that were left there by him he made the like demands ceremonies to Ierom Anca who was also presented vnto him by his godfather from theÌ„ce sent to the other corner right against his aduersary wher he was in like maner receiued by 3 noblemen After al this the constable went to his first seat then the truÌ„pets did sound again which hauing done the knights which shold fight their godfathers fel vpoÌ„ their knees praied which done either of the godfathers hauing imbraced his chaÌ„pion exhorted him to fight valianâ—ly he bad him farewel then they rerired into their PauillioÌ„s After which one cried out that they shold let the good champions go Then they came affronted one another couragiously fighting a long time with their battel axes somtimes one reeling somtimes another vntil they had broken them in peeces Being thus vnarmed they had no leasure to draw their swords they were so neere one vnto another so as they fell to handy gripes one seeking to ouerthrow another But the emperor who would not lose theÌ„ cast his rod in sign that they shold part them saying that they had done enough and that he held them both for good knights wherupon all they that were set at the foure corners being 30 in al ran but they had great difficulty to part them they wer so incensed one against another crying contendiâ—g for honor and victorie whereas either of them thought he had the aduantage In the end the respect of the emperour made them retire yet wold they not be friends but threatned one another bitterly contemning the constables persuasions who told them that they shold rest satisfied reuerence the emperours testimony who had pronounced with his own mouth that either of theÌ„ had behaued him self valiantly had done his duty so as their honors were vntoucht The emperor was coÌ„strained throgh their obstinacy to send them both to prison froÌ„ whence they parted not vntil they were reoÌ„ciled at the least in shew for they were neuer perfect friends If of two bad things we must chuse the one as some think it necessary the maner of coÌ„bats practised in the time of our predecessors wold seem more tollerable then that which is vsed at this day for in that they made a certain kind of trial of doubtful things The princes leue or of his lieutenants was required who first of al took knowledge whether the cause did merit that two men of quality and honor shold hazard their liues who might serue the publike in better affaies or their Soueraigne or their owne families If after mature deliberation they held it fit to grant the combate they came vnto it with great ceremonies as we haue shewed witnessing that in those times they made no little esteem of the life of men They did carefully procurea certain equality preuenting surprises by any aduaÌ„tage in armes strength and dexterity of horse or otherwise They made them sweare that there was no â—lander in them but that they came to fight for a iust quarel to defend their honors The point wherin it did confist in those daies was to reuerence God their princes the lords of the â—ee Point of honour of the ancients to be loyal true to al men curteous 〈◊〉 modest amoÌ„g friends valiant couragious against their enemies in war If it were known that in this point of honor any one were falsly blamed or wronged by deed with aduantage of time place or company with vnequall and extraordinary armes or that hee had otherwise iust cause to complaine they caused speedy reparation to be done of the wrong as the cause required either by the lawe or militarie customes which did neuer allow the combate when there was any other remedy Much lesâ—e did they suffer a gentlemaÌ„ of honor to come to the vncertain triall of armes with one that was conuicted of rashnes or manifest slander He that was vanquished in the combat was held guilty of that wherof he was accused or a slanderer alyar if he did liue he was punished ignominiously by degradation sometimes by death The combat was most coÌ„monly continued or staied according to the pleasure of the prince or of iudges that were appointed who most commonly did part the champions before they came to the extremity declaring them both vpon the place to be good hardie knights which did also shew a wise affection to preserue the nobility to better vses If any were found so froward disobedient as notable to get leaue to fight in the countrie of their natural prince should go vnto some other soueraign neere or far off to grant them a place of combat hauing fought they were not to return into their country for they were held for mutins yea felons guilty of high treason there was great difficulty to obtain letters of abolitioÌ„ for such offeÌ„ces Moderne combats and the Maximes of the point of honour at this day But in our daies al this is out of vse their proceedings in combats is very different For if it happen that any man offend another without cause or reason the point of honor is that he must maintaine his deed not giue any excuse nor confesse that he hath erred for that were
according to the rule set downe before shal be made more easie by your diligence and the fauours which you meane to bestow shall more readily bring forth those good fruits which you desire among them So long as godly men are preferred to that Sea ther is no doubt but charitie religion care to keep the seamlesse coat of Christ vnrent will moue them both to tender and deserue your loue If men delighted more with worldlie honours should hold those places which God forbid yet would they be alwaies glad to make a friend of one whō they are not able to incounter with hospitalitie besides his deuotion to the popes thēselues The curtesies which you may likewise vse to the cardinals your speciall frends wil much fortifie this warie discreet cōsideration Apply your care frō time to time to win many friends amōg the cardinals aswel old as yōg the which may be easily effected in giuing thē prefermēts such dignities as they desire The like course I would haue you hold with the Bishops other prelats of that Court but haue a care to deale most bountifully with such persons as are most inward with his Holines Aboue all things ground your selfe vpon the conscience and equity of your demands in dealing with the cardinals other friends but in cases that require grace and fauour see that you rely vpon the bountie of the Pope himselfe lest you be deceiued of your expectation Sticke not to afford all commodities out of your estates to the court of Rome with a bountifull and a willing heart if necessitie inforce you to breake with the Pope yet vse the matter with such temperance and warinesse as the world may rightly vnderstand the reason and acknowledge that the cause of this stratageme grew not from your desert but that you were inforced thereunto for your owne safetie Religion is the bond of loue and therefore nothing is more contrarie to hope and expectation of good successe than to leaue an ill opinion in the minds of men of your affection towards those that hold the place and credite of Gods ministers In matters pertaining to accōpts in general conforme your self at al times with obedience humblenes to the certen infallible determination of his Holines howsoeuer causes of vnkindnes may arise yet let the world see your religiō is vnchāgeable Touching the Venetians you may easily take order if you find it good for your selfe to continue in the league with thē being as I said before so disposed to rely wholy vpō time as they wil wander between these vaine idle expectations suffring thēselues willingly to be drawn on from day to day consuming stil with a soft fire of ambitiō till at length they become a prey to some martial power without any great difficulty Moreouer the Turke hauing shut thē from Corfu wil soone bereaue thē of Cipres Candie restraine them much And considering that the trade of Venice standeth wholie vpon merchandise you may neuer vndertake anie enterprise vpon hope of their assistance especially against the Turk if it be not at such time as they are very lowe and you in great prosperitie and yet euen then also it might be thought that ielosie feare of your good fortune wil work more in their suspitious conceits than any other due consideratiō or respect whatsoeuer Experience hath taught that these mean conceits whose humor is to apprehend more than anie can containe lose more by emulation than they get by policie but whensoeuer you haue cause to break league with them assault them first with all celeritie for as they do lie in wait to worke vpon the first aduantage that their neighbors miseries doe afford so states which haue often had proofe of this strange inclination look warily to their attempts hold no stricter league with thē than stands with their owne necessities If then you shall begin to plie thē lustily before they cā haue leisure to combine with other states or make prouision for war a matter so long neglected by their sloath as it will appeare they haue quite forgotten their first alphabet as in popular estates fear breedeth infinit confusiōs so may you make your profit of their ignorance If this be doubted of you can desire no plainer proofe than their want aswell of carriages as of policie in letting shippe so many braue occasions as these late yeeres haue offred It seemes that they presume out of their sloathfull humor to maintaine their dignitie by certaine quiet ordinances and sober institutions made by their gowne men herein fortune hath bin more fauorable to them but yet it may be said without offence or error that commonweales so qualified doe neither know nor vnderstand in what sort to vse their power to their best benefit This weaknes being found in setting first vpon their estate I do assure my selfe that with that sodaine alteration and many other troubles and disorders that will ensue you may bring some great enterprise to passe before they be awaked from sleepe or resolued among themselues what to spend or whom to relie vpon what Leaders to imploy or haue reuiued their old discipline or manner of making warre so many yeeres neglected in their gouernement Their couetous desires to cut off all cause of charge in time of peace their ignorance in training men that may be fit to serue when need requires their want of leaders in the bodie of their owne estate that may withstand the violence of any mightie potentate that maketh head against their force will alwayes giue aduantage to your policie in taking the first start of them you may boldly imagine that by this means you shall inforce them to their owne defence whereas if you giue them leisure to beginne the warre and to assault you first in the realme of Naples they might doe great harme in respect of their kind vsage towards them and their ciuil gouernment which is yet fresh in memorie If you find no likelihood that they will fall to their defence inforce them what you may and seeke to preuent their purposes by meanes of diuision in some good sort for herein consisteth the greatest aduantage of your actions I must now let you vnderstand that in seeking to assault them first your greatest care must be by all means possible to thrust into the verie centre of the State for hauing forced them to put garrisons into all the strong places which they hold it is not possible they should bee able at the same time to keepe the field In the meane time you cannot but find some great want in one or other of their forts either of leaders garrisons prouisions or paies you may find out the striuing humors that are set a worke by faction in generall or of persons discontented in particular In any one place that your fortune shall be to take vse your happy beginning as an extreme to further good and leaue a president and
King Philips desire which was to vnite the Crowne of Portugues to that of Castile in what sort soeuer he sent Christopher de Mora a Portugall bredde vp in Castile to reside there with the title of an agent onely who spared no paines cost nor presents to pourchase friends to his Master But the better to assure his poursute he was aduised in Castile to send some man of qualitie vnto the king Don Henry with the title of Ambassadour the which the King of Spaine had till then forborne to do for that he thought he shold thereby preiudice the right which he pretended from the death of Don Sebastian if hee did by this act acknowledge him for King of Portugall in sending an Ambassador vnto him There was chosen to this charge Don Pedro Giron Duke of Osuna after the resolution taken by the King Don Henry in an assembly of the Estates of the Realme touching the nomination of his successor which was That the King would not name any one at that present but might do it in time by the aduice of the Iudges assigned by the Estates and in the meane time to preuent all inconueniences that might happen if the King should dye suddenly beeing very old there should be a rowle made of fifteen of the chief and worthiest men among the Nobilitie of the which the King should choose fiue who should be after him Gouernors of the State Proceeding for the succession of Portugal vntill the Iudges had determined who shold be the true successor to the Crown in case the king had not named one and that the fiue thus chosen by him should be kept secret during his life and to examine the rights of euery one of the Pretendants and to iudge with the King being aliue and sitting in his Estates or after his decease in case there were no sentence giuen there should bee another rowle made of foure and twenty Doctors and men of State of the which the king should choose eleuen Iudges which should make a royall Chamber to that end and it was decreed that all the sayd Pretendants should bee cited and adiourned to appeare or their Ambassadors or Agents before the sayd Chamber there to produce their rights and pretensions and to be heard in all that they would say and alledge to the end they might make report Pretendants to the Crowne of Portugall and proceed to the nomination The Pretendants were Don Philip King of Spaine Don Anthony Prior of Crato Donna Catherina of Portugall mother to D. Theodosia of Bragança Rainucio Farnese son to her sister D. Maria of Portugal both beeing daughters to the Infant Don Edward and Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy borne of Donna Beatrix of Portugall all these deriuing their rights from Don Emanuel King of Portugall moreouer there was Catherine de Medicis the French Queen the Pope but especially the realme and states of Portugall Don Philip was borne of D. Izabella eldest daughter to Don Emanuel the Duke of Sauoy was sonne to D. Beatrix second daughter to the sayd King Don Anthonie was issued from the Infant Don Lewis who was also sonne to king Emanuel but Don Anthony was base yet he maintained that he had a sentence for his legitimation The Duchesse of Bragança was daughter to the Infant D. Edward who was also sonne to King Emanuel but Rainucio Farnese was issued from Mary the eldest daughter of the sayd Don Edward As for the Queene mother of France Queene mothers title to Portugal she fetched her pretensions farther off saying that the Kings which had raigned in Portugall since Don Alphonso the third brother to Don Sancho Capello had beene vsurpers of that Realme the race beeing base and proceeding from an vnlawfull coniunction for that they say Don Alphonso being married in France with the Countesse of Bullen by whom he had one sonne named Robert from whome the Pretendant was descended he had left the sayd Countesse to marrie another wife in her life time which was Donna Beatrix of Castile and that from this vnlawfull marriage all the Kings were issued which had held the Realme vnto that day Popes title to Portugal The Pope pretended it to be a fee saying that the Realme of Portugall was a fee of the Church and was so acknowledged by Don Alphonso Henriques the first who obtayned the title of a king who in acknowledgement had bound it to pay a certaine quantitie of markes of gold for a yearely rent and for not paying those rights the Realme was deuolued vnto the Church to dispose thereof This right was corroborated after the death of the Cardinall then raigning for that said they it was the spoyles of a Cardinal But the realme and the generall Estates pretended to haue an aduantage aboue all for that sayd they women could pretend no right in Portugall to the succession of the Crowne neither for themselues nor their descendants for they had neuer seene any women raign although it had beene often in question euen with the Castillans who had beene reiected and if they should haue any accesse or their descendaâ—ts it must be after the males before whome women haue no precedence in regard of their age the which is not considerable in fees much lesse in Soueraigne Estates Most of these Pretendants beeing cited they sent their rights titles and Pretensions the which were receyued by the sayd chamber without any difficultie but in regard of Queene Catherine de Medicis whose cause was odious and her allegations iniurious to the king then raigning and to his Predecessours the Abbot of Saint Gelais her Agent found great difficultie to haue it admitted Onely king Philip appeared not in this Chamber disclayming the Iudges that were chosen yet all the Portugals in his cause the which he sayd was so iust and cleare as it needed not any examination nor doubt hauing had consultations vppon that point in the best Vniuersities of the world as well for that which concernes right and the lawes of Realmes as for conscience and to satisfie the king Don Henry whom he did importune by his Ambassadors to name him without any other forme obserued by the Estates he sent him a coppie of the councels which many Lawyers and Diuines in Spaine had made him that other reasons beeing examined and weighed hee might not make any difficultie to name him Aboue all they had wonne father Lyon Henrique a Iesuite his Confessor who hauing first made him incline to the Dutchesse of Bragança laboured afterwards to perswade him to name king Philip for his successor The Duke of Ossuna and Christopher de Mora his Ambassador doubting that this iudiciall proceeding would not preuaile that the familiaritie of the Castillans had beene alwaies odious vnto the Portugals who detested their gouernement they had letters from the King their master to the chiefe of the Nobilitie to the Cittie of Lisbon and to the principall townes of the Realme ful of perswasiue reasons and promises concluding in the
of Portugall They sent Iohn Tello one of the bodie of the cittie of Lisbone vnder colour to assist Emanuel of Portugall his brother-in-law who did fortifie Belen and other places at the mouth of the riuer of Tagus beneath the cittie but it was to be ridde of him for he did not fauour the Castillan partie no more then Emanuel his brother-in-law Gouernors seek to dissolue the Estates and for that the Deputies of the Prouinces and townes which were at S. Iren did crosse them they sought to send them home as vnprofitable saying that after the Kings death who had called them their procurations were void and that there was not any assembly of Estates yet they were content the tenne of the said Deputies shold remaine with them to bee witnesses of their actions who should come to Setuuall a towne and port of the sea twenty miles from Lisbone whether they meant to retire themselues by reason of the plague which was crept into Almerin The Deputies on the other side maintayned that their proclamations wer still in force that the Estates were not ended and that in the busines which was now in question their assembly was more requisite then in any other occasion inuiting them againe to come vnto Saint Iren where there was not any danger of the plague the which they would not doe but went to keepe their Councell at Setuual farre from those that did obserue them beeing accompanied by the Duke of Bragança and the Ambassadours of Castile Setuual was one of those places whereof the King of Spaine desired to seize for that in holding this port he might shut vp the riuer of Lisbon and therefore hee had commanded Doâ— Aluaro de Bassaâ— Marquis of Santa Cruz his Admirall to go thither with his Fleet consisting of aboue sixtie gallies and to make some enterprise whilest that the Duke of Alba should enter by land from Badajos to Eluas and other places of that country as he did soone after the king hauing first sent Pedro Velasco Iudge of Badajos to see if with perswasiue words promises and presents he might draw the neighbour townes and places to yeeld themselues voluntarily and without force where hee behaued himselfe so discreetly as he caused D. Philip to be acknowledged for King of Portugall at Eluas Oliuença Serpa Mora Campo Maioâ—la noua Aroughez Portalegre and others The Duke of Alba coming to the army found it much wasted with sicknes being in all but 4500. Italians 3500. Germans and 3000. Spaniards of the old regiments of Italy the which the King supplyed with 7000. Besognes or new soldiers which he had leuied in Spaine after which he took a view of his army where he found about 18000. foot and 6000. horse with 25. peeces of ordinance and store of victuals and other warlike necessaries for the carriage whereof he had aboue 6000. carts and wagons The Duke of Alba was General both at sea and land in this expedition Peter de Medicis was General of the Italians being diuided into 3. regiments of the one Prosper Colonna was Colonel of the other Vincent Carrafa and of the third Charles Spinelli Ierome Earle of Lodron was Colonel of the Germans Sancho d' Auila was Marshall generall at land and Francis d' Alaua was Master of the ordinance There was no Generals of the horse for all the companies were commanded by Noblemen that were of the Kings councell but in executions Don Francis de Toledo the Dukes son should lead them With these forces the Duke of Alba past the riuer of Caya and entred into Portugall the 27. of Iune 1580. threatning such as would not acknowledge K. Philip his Master for their king Duke of Alba enters into Portagal The Deputies of the Estates which remained at S. Iren seing the king of Castile to enter the realme with an army they accused the Gouernors to haue abandoned the publike cause and declared D. Antonio defender of the Realme alone but soone after the people proclaimed him king although he excused himself D. Antonio declared defender of the realme of Portugal being content said he for that time with the title of defender yet was he forced to accept it seeing himselfe enuironed with many swords in the midst of a furious multitude cursing the Gouernors crying that he must lead them against the Castillans If D. Antonio did then somwhat want a spurre to prick him forward to the royall dignity he had afterwards more need of a bridle to curbe him not to abandon himself as he did in a time of so great confusion hauing an armed enemy in the hart of the country who wan the Nobility daily wanted neither mony nor credit which are the sinewes of war He might haue apprehended the want both of friends and mony into the which he soon fell hauing no support but the multitude and some Monks who shewed themselues in his cause not only passionat but desperate or rather mad A royaltie is held to bee so sweet a morsell and the desire to be a king is so vehement as they do willingly breake the bounds of law to deuoure it when occasion is offred without any respect yea there haue beene many who to raigne one day haue not cared to be slaine the next whereof there are some examples in the course of this History so as it is no wonder if D. Antonio who had suffred so many crosses to come to it hauing got it sought to keepe it The first error he committed was to haue caused Fernand de Pina one of the Magistrates of Lisbone to be slaine for that he spake against him and then hee suffered Suares who had committed the murther to be hanged whom he might haue saued by his authority The opinion of the Portugals is and hath beene for many yeares that the city of Lisbone is the force of a world and that whosoeuer holds it may make head against the mightiest Monarks of the earth In truth it is one of the greatest peopled cities in Europe of great traffick and wonderfully rich but a multitude of people is but a weake support and riches in the hands of priuate men in tumults when as euery man sees himselfe in danger and seekes to preserue that which he hath are not assured nor to be accompted of vnlesse they will vse violence and tyrannie which make the most lawfull kings to be hated These considerations were not regarded by Don Antonio hee must needes runne to Lisbone thinking that if all the Realme were lost Lisbone alone would restore him The bodie of the cittie and the Magistrates apprehending this hastie comming and the peoples proclamation at Saint Iren who had cryed Real Real for Don Antonio intreated Iohn Tello one of the Gouernors with Don Emanuel of Portugal as wee haue sayd to come and hinder Don Antonio's entrie if he could and to perswade him not to take the name of King vppon him but onely to tearme himselfe defender of the State and Crowne of
the same iniunction which had beene made vnto him by the Podesta of Padoua in the yeare 1598 was againe intimated vnto him by foure Deputies of the Seigniorie all standing vp bare headed with great respect where they pronounced this sentence vnto him and he still couered if we shall beleeue the Portugals Going forth of the Senat many presented themselues to accompanie him to his lodging but he would not suffer them The Portugals which were at Venice D. Christopher D. Iohn de Castro Diego Manuel Roderigo Marques Sebastian Figueyra Francisco Antonio Sampayo and Chrysostome Monkes with many others whereof some had seene him often in Portugal and since in Barbarie after the defeat protest that at the first sight of him they were much amazed for that they saw him differ so much in age and haire but hauing well obserued his countenance his forehead his eies his nose his lippe of Austria that is to say greater than the ordinarie the which most of the Princes of that house haue from whence he was descended by his grandmother Catherine sister to the Emperour Charles the fift and by his mother Ioane daughter to the said Emperour his stature his speech his writing all the visible markes of his bodie whereby they did know him infallibly the left parts as his arme hand leg and foot shorter than the right his wart vpon the little toe of the right foot which was almost like vnto a sixt toe the moles of his face and hands his hurt vpon his right brow head the place where he wanted a tooth in his right jawe beneath the which Sebastian Nero his Chirurgion had once pulled out all which markes with many other did rauish them with wonderful admiration forced them to confesse that he was their true naturall king who was miraculously preserued for the restoring of Portugal and for the benefit of Christendome and they liue yet in this expectation Sampayo a Doctor and professour of Diuinitie at Tolousa and a Iacobin by profession to giue an indubitable beleefe to this new manifestation and to make the world thinke that it were Atheisme not to beleeue it writing to Paris presumed to deliuer these words I assure you that Iesus Christ is no more the sonne of the true and eternall God whom I call to witnesse Presumption of Doctor Sampayo than this is D. Sebastian our true and naturall king and Lord. A bold speech although it were an vndoubted truth confest by all the world the comparison is vnlawfull the which I doubt cannot be made without blasphemie seeing there is no proportion betwixt the Creator and the Creature Beeing at libertie the Portugals which were at Venice besought him to speake vnto them to the end they might see if his speech would giue them as much knowledge of his qualitie as his countenance had done not being able to iudge of the inward many by the outward parts whereupon he spake vnto them after the Portugal manner proudly royally telling thē what he was what his life had bin since his ouerthrow in Afrike which forced teares from him in speaking and from them in hearing Being thus resolued they were much troubled how they should saue him from the ambushes of the Spaniards for they were aduertised that the Embassadour of Castille laid wait for him at euery passage The duke of Sauoy the Earle of Fuentes had the like charge The Archbishop of Spalato offred to conduct him safely in his Caroche vnto the frontiers of Germany but they would not trust him yet they knew not what to resolue some would carry him to Lions where they treated of a peace with the duke of Sauoy whereas when they saw any troup of horse a far off they ran to meet them with acclamations hoping to see D. Sebastian king of Portugal thereupon built goodly castles in Spaine Others desired he should rather passe by Florence to imbarke at Liuorne so get to Marseilles But as euery one in particular sought to haue the honour to preserue the king their obstinate disagreement spoiled all They made choice of the worst followed the aduice of Sampayo who was a turbulent cholericke man they attire him like a monke of the Order of S. Dominike imbarke him in a gondole in the night from whence he goes to Padoua there he changed his habit for a cloake and a rapier D. Sebastian staied prisoner at Florence so went to Florence whereas the duke caused him to be stayed by the aduice of the Archbishop of Pisa where he kept him vntil the 23 of Aprill The king of Spaine beeing aduertised that hee was at Florence prest the great duke to deliuer him vnto the Viceroy of Naples and to his entreaties he addes threats But why should he deliuer him King of Spaine demands D. Sebastian seeing that the Venetians seeme rather by their sentence to giue their prisoner means to seeke justice elsewhere than to take knowledge of his cause Shall he violate the law of nations in deliuering him that trusted vnto his protection Being thus in suspence betwixt the feare of threats and the reason of deniall they represent vnto him a great armie at the king of Spaine deuotion the which affrights all Italie and threatens his estates He desires rather to auoid the storme than to incense a mightie Prince He is deliuered to the Viceroy of Naples and to draw a warre vpon him the end whereof must needs be ruinous Whereupon he sent him to Orbirello where some appointed by the Viceroy receiued him and conducted him safely to Naples Seeing himselfe in the Castillans power and that he had nothing free but theayre and his tongue he poured forth all that might be spoken against one that may be taxed of treason inhospitalitie and treacherie as the violence of choler thrust him on to strange imprecations against them that do so deliuer vp the poore vnjustly afflicted which commit themselues to the safegard of another Notwithstanding these violent humors he presented himselfe before the earle of Lemos Viceroy of Naples with as setled a countenance as he had done to the Senat of Venice and the great Duke yea the Portugals say with as great majestie as if he had beene fitting in his royall throne at Lisbone For at his comming in to a great hall seeing the Viceroy bare headed whether it were to respect the title of a king which he did attribute vnto himselfe or by reason of the heat Couer you Earle of Lemos said he with such a hardie grauitie as it amazed the whole companie The Viceroy demanded of him Whence comes this authoritie to commaund me To whom he answered It is borne with me You seeme not to know me I know who you are doe you not remember that the deceased king Philip mine vncle sent you twice vnto me when I raigned in Portugall Declaring vnto him euery particular so precisely as it bred some scruple in the minds of the
and complaints that come from the Indies by way of appellation All which things they impart vnto the king They also appoint Visitors to goe into those Prouinces to eâ—amine how al Officers carrie themselues and to heare the peoples greeuances and they punish or dismisse as they shall see cause The Councell of Orders The Councell of Orders It hath a President and foure Counsellours with wages hich must be Knights of the Order of Saint Iames Calatraua or Alcantara In this Councell they treat of suits which happen in Prouinces belonging vnto these orders and to see that the Knights weare their habits neatly This Councell appoints two and twentie Iustices in their Prouinces wherewith the royal Councell hath not to deale They punish the Commanders and knights which obserue not their orders They dispose of many Benefices Vicarages Chappels and other Offices in the Prouinces of their Orders but all with the kings priuitie and allowance The Councell which they call de Camera Councell de Camera It hath a President and three Counsellors of the most ancient of the Councell Royall which haue no wages In this Councell they prouide superiour officers for the Realme and they dispose of Bishopricks Chanonries and other Ecclesiastical liuings the king hauing the nomination from the Pope of Rome The Councell of Hazienda Councell of Hazienda where there is a President and three Counsellors without fees wherein they treat of the kings reuenues and of all dueties entries accompts like vnto our Exchequer in England There is a Counsell of accompts Councell of Accompts which consists of foure Counsellours in the which two of the kings chiefe Auditours haue place and the most ancient Counsellor presides In this councell they determine of â—utes touching the subsidies and taxes and giue order to Collectors for recouerie thereof The Councel of Cruzada Councell of the Cruzada It hath a President two Counsellours and three Anditours Their charge is onely to diuide the Cruzado by the bishopricks and to send forth Commissaries to gather it The Councell of Arragon Councell of Arragon Valentia and Cattalognia It hath a President who is called Vicechancellour with sixe Counsellours which haue wages They treat of the gouernment of those Realmes and of the Ilands of Maiorca Minorca Sardinia they appoint gouernors and Iudges and determine suits from those places by way of appeale and heare their greeuances and to giue rewards in the kings chamber of those realmes all with his Maiesties approbation The Councell of the Inquisition Councell of the Inquisition The President is called Inquisitor Maior an Office of great dignitie which most commonly the Archbishop of Toledo holdes hee hath six counsellors or Inquisitors they appoint all the Inquisitors Prouosts and Secretaries in all the Inquisitions within the Realme which are aboue twentie in either of which are three or foure Inquisitors who deale in matters of Heresie with such men as do or say any thing against the church of Rome And before they condemne any offendor they send him to this Councell to determine of him The Councell of Descargos Councell of Descargos treates of the paying of the old kings debts and the execution of their last wils There are two Chanceries in Spaine Chanceries of Spaine one at Vailledolit and another at Granado either of which hath a President and twelue Counsellors They take knowledge of all ciuil causes which come vnto them by way of appeale from other inferiour courts They also take knowledge of sutes for the estates and inheritances of Noblemen from the which they may appeale to the Councel royall if the matter in question exceed the value of foure thousand ducats There are foure Alcaldes or Prouosts of the Chancerie who determine of all ciuill and criminall causes within fiue leagues from whome they appeale to the counsellours of the Chauncerie There is a Councell for the realme of Nauarre Councell of Nauarre where there is a Regent sixe Councellors and foure Alcaldes or Prouosts they take knowledge of suites both ciuil and criminall within that Realme and end them there of what qualitie soeuer they be without appeale whereof they consult euerie weeke with the Viceroy who determines what they shall doe There is also a Regent Councel of Gallicia 4 Councellors and 4 Prouosts in the realm of Gallicia who end all suits within that realme but they deale not in questions of Nobilitie and Gentrie which goe to the Chancerie of Vailledolit The Citie of Seuille with the dependances Councell of Seuille hath a Regent 6 Councellors and 4 Prouosts who take knowledge of all ciuill and criminall matters whereof the iudges of the said citie or realm haue giuen sentence There is an appeale from them to the royal councel all questions of Nobilitie goe to the Chancerie of Granado The President of the Councell royall of Iustice appoints all the Councellors Power of the President of the Councell royall Prouosts Presidents Regents of the Chanceries changeth them from one to another draws them to be Councellors of that Court Moreouer he names sixty and sixe Gouernors of Cities and Prouinces changing them as occasion shall require These Gouernors or Iudges haue commonly two or three Lieutenants in the townes of their gouernment They or their Lieutenants gouerne the cities or prouinces which are vnder their charge with twelue or more Aldermen which hee hath in euerie citie and towne which Aldermen doe onely deale with the maintenance of the citie and with the publike works wherein they haue a voice but the gouernours or their Lieutenants determine of al murthers thefts or other misdemeanors and punish according to the qualitie of the fact euerie Gouernour hath as much power in these matters as the king himselfe the matter being iustifiable and they may deale in al matters for that their CoÌ„missions are verie ample representing the kings person from whome they doe appeale to the Chanceries of Vailledolit or Granado I am afraid to enter into any discourse of the reuenues of this king Reuenues of the king of Spaine men write so diuersly therof some write that he hath but 14 millions of ducats comming in yeerly others say eighteen Millions and some bring it to 23 millions which differences may haply with some limitations bee reconciled But whatsoeuer it bee it is most certaine that during the warres of the Low-countries it was too little to mainteine his charge for although that Naples Sicile Milan Sardinia Maiorca and Minorca Flaunders and Burgondie yeeld him aboue fiue Millions yearely yet there comes little of all this to his cofers being imployed in the entertainment of Viceroys Gouernors Captaines Garrisons Officers and other charges in those countries The kings reuenues in Spaine rise not from his demeanes as in some other Countries but from the great impositions which hee rayseth vpon the ports of the Sea and from his drie Ports which bee the passages from one
demanding from the king a confirmation of their auncient liberties rights and priuiledges the which he granted Moreouer Demands made by them of Biscay to the king of Castile they desired to bee freed from all royall Prerogatiues which had beene imposed in that Prouince since the death of King Iohn and that he should confirme the new societies erected among them for the punishment of malefactors and hee did also grant the combate as it was vsed among Gentlemen in Castile of all which things he granted then full power with the aduice of his Councell There the King was receiued for the Lord of Biscay where hauing kissed his hands he was led to the church in the towne of Larrabeçua where according to the custome of his Predecessors Lords of Biscay hee tooke an oath vpon the altar to maintaine the rights of the countrie Beeing afterwards come to Guernica some Biscayens presented a petition vnto him to haue all crimes which had beene committed in the country since the death of King Iohn pardoned from the which hee was disswaded by the Noblemen of his Councell that loued iustice to auoyd the pernicious consequence thereof Hee did also sweare at Berneo in Saint Eufemia's church to maintaine the freedomes and liberties of that Town but not so amply as they desired Beeing returned to Guernica after much disputation touching the combate which some demanded and others denyed he granted it by pluralitie of voyces and then was this manner of challenge brought into Biscay the King beeing set vnder a tree in the vsuall place and after the accustomed manner Then hee returned by Durango and Victoria to Burgos and from thence to Madrid where the Estates assembled This yeare some Biscayns and Guipuscoans armed certaine shippes at Seuile at their owne cost and charge Discouery of the Canaries to seeke their fortunes at sea and came to one of the Ilands of the Canaries called Lançarote where beeing landed they made prey of all hey found against whome the Ilanders with their King gathered together and came to encounter them but the Biscayns had the vpper hand they slue many of their enemeies and caried away an hundred and seuenty prisoners with the King and Queene of the Iland hauing well obserued these Ilands with the number greatnesse and sytuation they returned into Spaine with great store of hydes wax and other things whereof those Ilands abound The king D. Henry was very ioyfull of this exploit and from that time challenged a right of propriety in the Ilands of the Canaries which they hold to be the ancient fortunat Ilands whereof he afterwards gaue the conquest to a French Gentleman called Iohn of Betancourt reseruing the fealty and homage thereof vnto his Soueraigntie In the assembly of the Estates held at Madrid the Kings majoritie was confirmed who also did auow whatsoeuer his Gouernors had done The necessities propounded for the payment of great yearely summes King of Castils maiority approued by the Estates as well for the treaties of peace payment of souldiers ordinarie pensions giuen to the Princes and Noblemen of the Realme as also for the entertaynment of the Kings house the Estates made a free offer of a contribution yet they besought him to cut off his superfluous gifts and pensions and to cause the militarie orders to be obserued for of 4000. Lances which were in pay it was manifest there were not 2000. They let him vnderstand that the reuenues of the Crowne beeing well husbanded were great and sufficient for all expences They moreouer besought him to dispose of his affaires by the aduice of men of iudgement and experienced in the gouernment of the Realme The king thanked them for their good aduice promising to order all things according to right and equity And for proofe he cut off many pensions and reuoked the offices and gifts for life out of the reuenues and other things ordained and assigned by his Gouernors especially to D. Leonora his Aunt Queene of Nauar notwithstanding that some were confirmed by the meanes of his fauorites He gaue to the Duke of Benauent a pension of an 150000. marauidis onely he disanulled all leagues associations and homages done by reason of the precedent troubles and caused an absolution to be published by the Legate with Apostolicke authoritie of all oathes which had beene formerly taken in that regard During this assembly the marriage of the Infant D. Fernand the kings brother and of D. Leonora Countesse of Albuquerque which had beene kept secret vntill that time was published and a present promise made and then they began to call her Infanta she was cousin one degree aboue her husband for D. Sancho her father and the king D. Henry the second Grandfather to this D. Fernand were brethren shee raigned with her husband in Arragon The Estates beeing dissolued the king being come to Illesca the Archbishop of Toledo came thither vnto him and was graciously receiued but D. Frederic Duke of Benauent beeing discontented for that they had cut off part of his pensions had gifts retired himselfe about Leon where he violently seazed vpon the Kings mony and the reuenues of the Infant D. Fernand whereof the king being aduertised he sent a commandement vnto him to forbeare those courses and that he old giue order to his Treasurers to pay him that which was in equitie due vnto him whereof he made no great accompt but made shew to treate a new league and confederacies with the Queen of Nauarre his sister D. Alphonso Earle of Gijon his brother and D. Pedro Earle of Transtamara his cousin to whom the King sent Garci Gonçales of Herera his Marshal especially to the Queene of Nauarre his Aunt beeing in the castle of Roa with her daughters intreating her instantly to forbeare those tumults Garci Gonçales of Herera told the Duke of Benauent that he would proceed criminally against him and others if they continued to troble the Realme and would not be satisfied with that which had beene decreed by the Estates at Madrid for it was impossible to pay them that which the Gouernors had granted them before Yet hee offered to the Queene Donna Leonora besides the Decrees of the Estates an 100000. marauidis for the entertaynment of her daughters The Duke sought to excuse himselfe saying that the king had beene ill informed by his enemies but if it pleased him to giue him for assurance the sonne of Iohn Hurtado of Mendoça one of Diego Lopes of Estuniga and one of Ruy Lopes of Aualoz hee would willingly come to Court to giue an accompt of his actions and to purge himselfe of the blame which was layed vppon him The Marshall promised and returning to the Court hee met with the Arch-bishoppe of Saint Iames in Amusco who vppon a counterfeit excuse retired himselfe from the Court pretending to be sicke and therefore could not come but in effect it was for that hee saw the Arch-bishop of Toledo beganne to gouerne all and to be in greater fauour
then before The King of Nauarre hearing that his wife had giuen cause to the King Don Henry to be discontented with her Nauarre by reason of her turbulent practises in Castile hee thought it a fit and conuenient meanes to draw her into Nauarre which shee did contradict all shee could whereupppon he sent his Ambassadours to the King Don Henry which were Martin Ayuar Gouernor of Tudele and a Doctor who found the court at Alcala of Henares They intreated the King of perswade the Queene his aunt to dispose her selfe to come into Nauarre to liue with her husband as duty required but if shee could not be drawne vnto it that hee would interpose his authority that the Infants his daughters might be deliuered vnto them to carry them to the King their father who would hold it for a great fauor The king D. Henry was very desirous she should retire her self being but a fire-brand to kindle combustions in Castile King of Naâ—â—â— sends for his wife but being of a milde and gentle disposition he could not resolue to force her wherefore he answered the Ambassadors that his will was to please the King their maister both in this and in all other things and that hee would doe what he might to perswade his aunt to returne so as he sent a messenger vnto her with perswasiue letters but shee made answere touching that which concerned her selfe as shee had done often before In regard of her children shee said that seeing she had sent two vnto the father they might well leaue her the other two for her consolation The King hearing this answere willed the Ambassadors to returne and to assure the King of Nauarre on his behalfe that hee would so deale as the Queene his wife should returne vnto him desyring him not to take it in ill part if hee first tried all milde courses and beâ—itting Princes so neerely allied or at the least if shee continued obstinate he would send him his daughters The ambassadors after they had renued the old league betwixt the two Princes in the which many great men of Castile entred they returend into Nauarre to giue an account vnto the King of their negotiation The Marshal Garci Gonçales of Herera who returned from the Queene of Nauarre Duke of Benauent and others Castille reported vnto the King that the Duke and Queene had met at Roa and that they complained of his fauorits which were D. Iohn Hurtado of Mendoça his Lord Steward D. Diego Lopes of Estuniga Iustice Major and Ruy Lopes of Aualos his Lord Chamberlaine and soone after the King was aduertised that the Archbishop of Saint Iames had ioyned with the Duke League treated to the preiudice of the king of Castile and that they treated a league betwixt them the Earle of Gijon the Infants of Portugal and others the which did much trouble him The Ambassadors of Nauarre staied not long before they returned into Castile which were the same Gouernor of Tudele and the Bishop of Huesea a Frenchman borne The King hauing past the mountaines was come to Vailledolit where he was againe in the King of Naurres behalfe prest with his promise wherevpon hee tooke two months respight to send the Queen and her daughters or at the least the Infantas without any futher delay and hauing propounded it in councell what assurance the Queene of Nauarre might with reason demand of her husband they gaue their opinions that the King D. Charles with some of the chiefe Knights Deputies of the cities and towns of Nauarre swearing that she should be wel and honourably intreated she had no cause to refuse to goe vnto her husband Hee sent a gentlemen with the Ambassadors of Nauarre Resolution for the Queene of Nauarres returne to her husband to let the King their maister vnderstand what had beene thought fit in councell and to receiue the oth To preuent the tumultuous troubles in Castile and to breake the league which the aboue named Noblemen with the Queene Donna Leonora had plotted the King D. Henry drew together two thousand Launces beeing newly incensed by the refusall which D. Alphonso Earle of Gijon had made to sweare the truce made with Portugal it being concluded that certaine prelats and noblemen of Castile should sweare it and signe it with the King the Earle excusing himselfe for that he had married a wife of the bloud of Portugal to whom there had beene certaine places and other things promised by the treaty of marriage which had not beene kept the like refusall was made by D. Alphonso of Arragon Marquis of Villena saying the truce had beene made without his priuity whereof the Ambassador of Portugal being sent to that end into Castile tooke an act For this cause and other signes tending to open rebellion the King armed and sent D. Diego Lopes of Estuniga to the Archbishop of Saint Iames to know his intent and what cause he had to complaine The Archbishop answered that these tumults grew for that they had cut off these Noblemens pensions and confirmed them to others and that there was no better meanes of peace then to giue contentment to the duke and the rest Don Diego Lopes aduised him to come to court to giue his opinion touching these things but hee answered that hee would not come whilest the Archbishop of Toledo was in court With these intestine troubles the King D. Henry was almost drawn into an vnseasonable warre Moores with the Moores of Granado by the vaine ouerweening of D. Martin Iuanes of Barbuda maister of the Alcantara a Portugal borne who being entred into quarrell with Ioseph King of Granado touching religion would make triall of the truth of Christian religion by armes of his person against the King of Granado or of a hundred Christian Knights against two hundred Moores or more to that proportion vnto a thousand The King being aduertised of this other tumult hee commanded the maister by his letters not to enter into this action for that hee would not by any meanes haue the truce broken with the Moores but the maister not regarding the Kings prohibition marched to Cordoua with three hundred Launces and one thousand foote hauing a crosse for his Ensigne They of Cordoua let him know that he should not vndertake this enterprise which was contrary to the Kings will and seruice and the peace of the country giuing him many examples of their ruine which haue caused vnnecessary war but he gaue more credit to an Hermit called Iohn del Says who had assured him that hee should haue the victory wishing him not to giue care to any that said the countrary Moreouer being much giuen to Astronomy he thought he had foreseene some thing by the starres The wisest men fo Cordoua namely D. Alphonso and D. Diego Lords of Aguilar seeing that no reasons could preuaile with the maister would haue slopped his passage at the city bridge but he was so fauoured by the superstitious multitude vnder