her oath that shee was Secondly the King which tooke the same oath and protested that he did fully beleeue and assure himselfe that this infant Dame Jane was his daughter and that in all certaintie hee had continually so taken and reputed her euer since she was borne and therefore he did wil and command that the oath of fidelitie and obeysance which was vsually accustomed to be taken in his Realmes and Dominions as due to the eldest of the Kings children Guarib lib. 17. cap. 2â— should be made vnto her These are the very words of Steuen Guaribay Hierome Surite who is yet liuing doth rehearse this historie very plainely and distinctly in his generall history of Spain and how Henrie being ready to yeeld vp the Ghost Hierome Surite in the generall historie of Spaine did euen then maintaine that the said Iane was his daughter and that he commanded his Confessor openly to reuale it And the said Guaribay affirmeth that Henrie did confesse himselfe the space of a good hower before his soule departed from his body and that he being in good and perfect quietnesse of sense and of a sound and good memory after he had named the executors of his last will and testament and declared them for the Gouernors of this Realm and had giuen commandement that his seruants should be payd out of his treasures and iewels he named the said Princesse Iaene for the vniuersall heire of all his Realmes and dominions calling her by the name of his daughter and recommending her with all his affection to the sayd Gouernours By that which hath beene sayd appeareth clearely that the Realme of Castile in lesse then 258. yeares hath beene tyrannized foure times and that of Leon thrice and all the other Realmes and Seigniories likewise which are dependants of the same the which the king Philip possesseth euen at this present day by a most vniust wrongfull and tyrannicall title This also is one thing worthy to bee marked and which may be seene by the histories both of the same authours and of diuers others namely that when there hath happened any difference or disagreement vpon the sayd succession they which haue beene in possession haue altogether preuayled and made their title euen by the right of those very parties whom they haue dispossessed which is the greatest tyranny that can bee And that this may the better be perceiued I will alledge onely two examples Rodrigo Sanches Bishop of Palance recounteth In the life of Iohn the first king of Castile how Iohn the first King of Castile and Leon of whom wee haue before spoken seeing that John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster pretended the sayd Realmes of Castile and of Leon to appertaine vnto him for the reason heretofore alledged hee said in defence of his claime that the sayd Realmes did of right belong vnto him The cunning of Iohn the first king of Castile as being the sonne of Iane and the Grand-child of Don Iuan Emanuel and of his wife who was the daughter of Fernand de la Cerda the lawfull heire of the sayd Realmes because his brother Alphonsus was deceased without children and that for this cause hee did hold them with a good conscience and that he did not hold them from his father whom himselfe confessed to be a bastard The other example is like vnto the former For in a great assembly of Princes Lords and other principall personages held in the towne of Trogillo for the taking of the oath of fidelitie to Fernand the second king of Arragon The policy of Fernand the â—econd King of Arragon c. and Isabel his wise Queene of Castile the sayd Fernand pretended that hee had more right of himselfe then the sayd Isabel and that hee ought to be acknowledged as the true and principall heire of the sayd Realmes of Castile and Leon not as husband to the said Isabel but as discending in the right and lawfull line male of the kings his predecessors because hee was the sonne of John the grand-child of Fernand and the great grand-child of Iohn the first who on the side of his mother same Iane the grand daughter of Fernand de la Cerda as hath â—eene sayd was the true and rightfull heire of the said Realmes Jsabel knowing the intent and ambition of Fernand her husband resolued to bend and employ all her force and puissance for the maintaining of her right and for a reply to his speech she said That that which hee had spoken was to bee granted if women had not beene vsually admitted to the succession of those Realmes but seeing the custome was to the contrary therefore her said husband ought not to bee preferred and for proofe of that which she sayd she named certaine women which had succeeded to the said crownes amongst others Katherine the daughter of Constance and of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster aboue mentioned where she did assure her selfe had beene admitted and receiued to that inheritance as the grand-daughter of her graund-father Peter and that Henrie the husband of the said Katherine her ancestors had right thereunto onely by meane of the said Katherine his wife For these reasons Jsabel was preferred before Fernand and she was acknowledged as the true heire of the said Realmes of Castile and Leon and he reputed to haue right onely as her husband and companion and not otherwise And this is it which Marin Sicilian speaketh of In this assembly of estates saith he Fernand seeing himselfe king and Lord of the most of two third parts of Spaine Marin Sicilian partly in his owne right and partly in his wiues and hauing there prefent all the Lords and Deputies of citties and townes which were their subiects he did endeuour by all meanes to cause himselfe to be entitled king of Spaine but those of that assembly would in no case yeeld their consent thereunto but to the vttermost of their power did oppose themselues against it and did thereupon giue vnto the kings of Castile a new title which Philip holdeth and retaineth at this day hauing augmented those Realmes and Seigniories which both the said Fernand and Charles the 5. his father did successiuely vsurpe each after other The Translator Philip Caried on with the same winde of ambition as were his great grand father and his father Philip caried away with the ambition of his ancestor causeth himselfe to be called king of Spaine vpon an exceeding desire which hee had to vsurpe this title of King of Spaine and seeing that the Realmes of Spaine would not accord nor agree that he should so entitle himselfe and that in the assembly of estates which he held in Portugall in the yeare 1581. within the towne of Tomaâ— it was expressely defended him and that himselfe had taken a soâ—emne oath neuer more from thenceforth to take it vpon him neuertheles he caused for all that like a notable tyrant certaine monies which he coined in the Indies and in Flanders to
foretold and as it were prophecied as the prinâ—ipall counsellers of estate both in Fraunce in England can well testifie both all this which is come to passe in this behalfe and hath also foreshewed all that which hath beene lost in Fraunce and to what end and issue things will grow at the last if there be not some better order taken in these affaires And I beleeue that if they were demanded the question they will tell you how I haue passed away my time with as great griefe and discontentment as a man possibly might do to see the enemy daily to prosper and to waxe more proud and arrogant by your owne proper sufferance consent and wilfulnesse for this cause I am in a manner wholly resolued to leaue and abandon the conuersation of men to retire withdraw my selfe into some solitary mountaine Notwithstanding because I know and am acquainted with all that hath befalne for these 50 yeeres last past in the greatest part of Europe I doe therefore tell you as one that hath had experience of these matters that as yet you may recouer if you will all that which hitherto you haue lost and both deliuer your friends and bridle your enemies And you may take such order that the time to come shall be more happy and fortunate vnto you then the time already past hath beene And moreouer I doe assure you that sithens the losse of great part of Christendome wonne by the Turke the late losse of the most part of Germany the hereditary possession of the King of Bohemia all Switzerland with the great hazard of losing all the Netherlands who are now striuing for breath against the King of Spaines mighty powers now in the field which I for my part doe thinke to haue proceeded from the very hand of God as of your louing Father who by a fatherly loue doth chastise you to the end you should awaken you out of your security and negligence I haue beene euer since resolued to set downe in writing that which I haue so often pronounced by word of mouth to so many persons of speciall marke and quality before that euer they did entreat me thereunto And this is the cause that if this my writing doe not produce that publike good and that effect which I desire I protest that from henceforth I will for euer hold my peace and be silent Neuerthelesse I most humbly beseech your Christian Maiesties and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe and all the great Lords and Officers of the Crownes of England and of Fraunce that it would please you to descend into your selues and at your leisure according to your accustomed prudence and wisdome to consider that good fortune and felicity doth not consist so much in the conquest and subduing of great Seigniories and large dominions for the time present with an intent to leaue the same to your successors but rather to assure confirme and preserue them for the time to come to your children and posterity to the intent that when it shall please God to call you hence they may quietly and peaceably enioy them in peace and tranquility without any trouble disquiet or hinderance For it is a farre greater vertue to preserue and keepe that which is gotten then to get and purchase new things daily Non minor est virtus quà m quarere parta tuêri The poore Pilgrime beaten by Time and pesecuted by Fortune P. Ol. I am resolued to make warre vpon the Castillian wherein if you also will beare a part assure your selfe you may account me as one of your most faithfull and surest friends But if you once grow to any termes of peace and amity with him then seeke you some other with whom ye may deliberate vpon that matter AN EXPLICATION OF THE PILGRIME VPON THE PROVERB IF THE COCKErell had not come the Cock had not bene taken And of the loyaltie of Auila and Simanchas in Castile and of Celorico and the Castell of Coimbre in Portugall Item What the diuersitie is betweene the King of Castile and of Spaine and who they bee whom wee call Castillians and what is vnderstood by Cities and Townes HEnry the fourth King of Castile of whom wee haue before spoken being at the point of death If the Cockerel had not come the Cock had not beene taken named foure Executors of his Testament to gouerne the Realme after his death and to marrie his daughter the Ladie Iane two of which Executors to wit Don Aluaro de Estugniga Duke de Areualo and Don Diego Lapez Pacheco Marquis de Vâ—llena ioyning with the Archbishop of Toledo named Don Alphonso Carrillo Don Bertrand de la Cueua Duke de Albuquerke the Maister of Calatraua Don Rodrigo Telles Giron Countie de Vâ—egne Don Iohn Telles Giron hif brother Marquisse of Calis Don Alphonso de Aguilar and manie other great Lords with foureteene Cities of Castile sent vnto Don Alphonso the Affrican King of Portugall praying him that he would take to wife the said Queene Dame Iane the which the King of Portugall accepted against the willes and good liking of many of his Realmes who would not by any manner of meanes haue to doe nor meddle with the Castillians By reason of this mariage in the yeere 1475 Don Alphonso went into the Lands and Countrey of his said wife where he had many encounters and combats with Fernand King of Arragon the Husband of Jsabel the pretended Queene of Castile and with his people till such time as they encountered in the battell which was foughten neere the City of Toro The battell of Toro in March 1476 which was ordered in this manner the King Alphonso had made one Campe of the Lords and Nobles of the Realmes of Castile and Leon with some Portugals the Prince Don Juan his sonne who was come to the succours of his Father had made another Campe of his Portugals without any Castillians mingled amongst them The King Fernand made also two campes the one of the Castillians which tooke his part and his wiues and the other of Arragonois the Catalans the Valencians and such other peoples and Nations as were the subiects of his owne Realmes and Seigniories whereof himselfe was Lord and commaunder Fernand encountring with Alphonso defeated and ouercame him and hauing taken his Guidon royall made him forsake the field and to betake himselfe to flight But the Prince Don Iuan gaue in and charged so resolutely vpon the Castillians that he made them to flie and hauing slaine many of them vpon the place he tooke a great number of prisoners and himselfe remaining whole and entire with his Forces did with singular hardinesse and magnanimity assaile Ferdinand also the vanquisher of his Father and making him to flie did recouer againe the Guydon royall which the said Alphonso his Father had lost The History of Portugall saith that the Prince did great honour vnto a Knight which saued the said Guydon and gaue him an yeerely rent or annuity of
the Protestant Princes and most Christian King of France to free your selfe from the encombrance of this burthen now laid vpon you and to send a good armie into Spaine for as much as by such a voyage well handled and to good purpose dependeth both the safety of your selues and the ruine of your enemy If you make warre vpon your enemy within Spaine hee shall be compelled to call home all his forces not onely from France the Low Countries but al those which he hath in Lombardy Naples Sicily Sardinia and other countries The meanes to ruinaâ—e the enemy we had good proofe and experience hereof euen of late For as soone as the Castilian saw the English possessâ—d of Calice hee did incontinently send for all his gallies of Naples Sicily and Genes He sent to intreate the grand master of Maltha to send him the Gallies appertaining to the knights of the Religion Which had been done if the French Gentlemen which were of the order had not opposed themselues against it He caused in all haste the Forces which hee had in Brittaine to passe into Spaine and there is no doubt but hee had likewise called home all those which he had in other countries if the English had remained there any longer time You see then most excellent Princes that by passing into Spaine you may withdraw from oâ—er your heads the sword of the Castilian and deliuer your country from his proud yoke and tyranny But you will say the enemy hath great and puissant forces and a great number of old and expert souldiers by whose meanes albeit they be farre off yet being called backe into Spaine he will greatly endamage and annoy you and consequently your voyage may proue vnprofitable and perhaps very dangerous and so you may be enforced to retire and returne home againe not onely with shame and confusion but which is more in great trouble and extreame perill But vnto this I answer Good and sound counsell First if you do all things with prudence and good aduise you reape thereby incredible profit and commoditie and the danger will be small or none at all Secondly that in Spaine there are many places vpon the Sea coast which you may easily take and command and whose situation is so strong by nature that if they be fortified by art and the industrie of man you shall defend and keepe them with a very small charge and much more easily then the enemy doth keepe Blauet in Brittaine and those will serue you for sure places of retrait Thirdly in Spaine there are many nations which do hate the Castilian extremely for that they haue beene tyrannized either by himselfe or by his predecessors and these when they shall see themselues aided and assisted in good earnest and to purpose for the great desire which they haue to be at libertie will soone take armes against the enemie Fourthly those Souldiers which are out of Spaine being called backe by their Lord and master cannot arriue there within foure moneths at the soonest and within two moneths may you arme and furnish fit and ready for the warres all those of the countrey which will take your part For this is most certaine that the very Climate of the countrey doth helpe and aide to make them able and actiue I my selfe and many others in Portugall haue sometimes seene a company of new souldiers at their first entring into garrison to seem rather a troupe of beggers and poore rascals rather then souldiers al of them being so poore naked and miserable as we had pittie to see them and yet within foure or fiue dayes after that they haue beene new apparelled and well appointed if you had seene them settled in the garrison you would haue said that they had beene great Gentlemen and they did carrie themselues with so good a grace and countenance as if they had beene braue and old trained souldiers I doe assure you that two moneths will suffice to them of the country to make them souldiers The greatest difficultie is to make them abide and not to feare the fire of the Hargubush Moreouer the Prouinces of Spaine are rich as all the world knoweth The nature of the naturall Spaniard and the inhabitants make not any account nor reckoning of their wealth when there is any question for the recouering of their libertie For in this case they will not spare to spend it liberally as was to be seene by the offer which they made to king Philip after that the Englishmen were retired from Calice and therefore by sending of money into these quarters they will gather together fiftie thousand men of warre to passe into Spaine for their succour defence and preseruation sooner then the enemie shall bee able to cause fiue thousand to come thither from any forraine partie If any man shall say that seeing two moneths are sufficient to make the naturall Spaniards good souldiers the enemy may therfore much sooner assemble and arme a great number of men then we shall get for succour I answer I would agree thereto if there were in Spaine armes sufficient wherewith to arme and furnish them but they are so rare and daintie there to be had that there bee many great townes notably well peopled within the which a man cannot finde fiftie Hargubushes Armes very rare in Spaine And if there were any store of armes to be had yet the Spaniards in Spaine would take armes sooner and much more cheerefully for their libertie then for the seruice of one that tyrannizeth ouer them Especially the Princes and great Lords who doe desire nothing so much as that there were some realme or prouince within Spaine in full and free libertie and which might be gouerned by it selfe to the intent it might serue them for a place of refuge and sanctuarie as they had the like in times past For Spaine being in manner as an Iland at this day the Princes Spaine in maner of an IlaÌ„d Lords and Gentlemen of marke cannot easily withdraw themselues from thence by meanes whereof they are held in great slauerie and subiection When there were seuerall kings in Nauarre Arragon and Portugall if the Castilians were at any difference with their king or the Nauarrois the Arragonois or Portugals with theirs they would haue retired themselues the one to the other by whose liberalitie they were euer prouided of all things needfull and necessary for the life of man and sometimes with greater ease and commodity then in their owne countrey as it happened in the time of Fernand king of Portugall and of Henrie the second king of Castile who slue his owne naturall and lawfull brother which was the cause that County Don Fernand de Casire and Don Alvar peres de Castre his brother Men Suares Grandmaster of Alcantara Suer Iuan de Parada Gouernour of the Realme of Galatia Petro Giron Grandfather of Calatraua Alonso Giron his Nephew and many other great Lords and Gentlemen with a great number of Cities
120. horse with Lances and targets notwithstanding that the number of them which came was in a manner infinite Amongst whom there were many Gentlemen of good reâ—â—oning who because they were not clothed in Veluet and Satin but plainly after the fashion of the countrey were not knowne nor acknowledged by the strangers to be of that qualitie On the Friday the second of Iune The armie arriueth at Lisbon they came in the night time to Lisbon and were lodged in the suburbs of Saint Katherine which are so great that there were aboue 12000. persons of the Armie lodged there all at large and yet they held not the third part thereof The officers of the king Don Anthonio found A great suburbs that the Marchandize in this suburbs was worth more then foure millions to wit spices drugs sugers wines flesh corne 4. Millions of marchandize of the suburbs of Lisbon Biskets and other prouisions as Sir Roger Williams an English Colonell who was in this armie did witnesse afterwards in the towne of Manthu in the presence of many persons of good quality affirming that he had entred into most of the houses of the sayd suburbs with an English Marchant which is come forth of the citty and that the Marchandizes which he saw there were worth aboue sixe millions This suburbe is toward the West Lisbon 6. Millions in the which they were lodged contrary to the resolution which they had before set downe in a Councell held the day before about two leagues from the citie which resolution was that they should haue encampâ—d on the East side of the citie for two reasons one was to hinder the enemy that they should not haue any succours by land for that the armie by sea being on the West side and the sea vpon the South side and the mountaines of Sintre on the North side they could not possibly haue any intelligence from any part The other reason was for that being in that quarter on the East side they should cleare and free the way for the good people of Portugall to come and to haue recourse vnto their king Now in that they tooke vp their lodging on the West part was an occasion that the enemy might safely and at pleasure sally out of the towne with two hundred horse A sally of the Castilians who slew and tooke prisoners many Portugals and a great quanrity of victuals which were sent by the townes that tooke part with the king and they were an hindrance also to many others that they could not come to ioyne with him The Saterday following the third of Iune about two or three houres after mid day there issued out of the citie about two hundred horse and eight hundred foot some of the which entring within the streets of the suburbs and crying aloud God saue the king Don Anthonie The great negligence of the officers of the armie they came euen vnto one of the courts of Guard and there slue to the number of thirteene or foureteene for that they were lodged in the street without any Baricadoâ— made for the fortitying of their lodgings Notwithstanding the Portugals which followed the king hauing discouered them to be Castilians and not Portugals did giue the Alarme so hotly that a regiment of Englishmen with certaine Portugals making out towards the enemy did charge him with that fury that they made them betake themselues to plaine flight The repulse flight of the Castilians and slue of them vpon the place sixescore besides that they tooke fortie or fiftie of their horses and the flight of the Castilians was so hastie and headlong that in their entry into the Citie they left the gate of Saint Antan wide open In this encounter died an English Cauallier Colonel of a regiment named Bret a braue man and had great experience in the art Militarie Now for that the Generall Drake did not enter within the port or hauen of the citie vntill the Sunday following as was before resolued hee should haue done and for that also the most part of the souldiers had neither match nor powder left saue onely for the discharge of some two or three volley of shot The siege raised from before Lisbon the Lord Generall Norris was constrained to raise the siege and to retire his forces the Monday morning without any other thing attempted against the city The hope of the Portugals within the which the Portugals did expect to haue seene the ladders raised vp against the walls for to haue made an assault vpon the Castilians Don Rodrigo de Lobo executed by the Castilians in Lisbon And for this very cause the same day that the campe did rise Don Rodrigo Lobo a Gentleman issued of an honourable house and brother to the Baron de Aluito which is the onely Baron in Portugal a great Lord was made prisoner and lost his head The same monday being the fifth of Iune the army came to Cascais from whence they of the army made certaine sallies against the enemy who were so terrified that 50 Musquetiers English and 7. horsemen Portugals made 200. horse Castilians to dislodge from a village within a league and a halfe of Cascais and to flie to Lisbon in such post hast that they left behind them part of their Arms and baggage and their dinner ready dressed The Castle of Cascais rendred to the K. After that the Castle Cascais being rendred the King and the Generals in a councell held the twelfth of that moneth about noone whereat were present the Count de Essex with many other Lords all the chiefe Commanders of the Armie they resolued to returne againe to the Citie of Lisbon the day following which was the day of S. Anthonie A Councell held to returne to Lisbon a Portugall by birth surnamed Saint Anthonie of Padoa their resolution was thus set downe That the Lord Generall Norris with all such souldiers as are sound and lustie should march by land and in his company should bee the king and that the Generall Drake with the Mariners and all the hurt and sicke souldiers and such Gentlemen as were not able to march by land should goe by sea And to put the enemy in the greater disorder and confusion they should cause 2to passe on the other side of the Sea 300. Portugals and 800. English Which if they had put in execution without all doubt they had gained the Cittie notwithstanding that there were within it more then foure thousand Castilians who had conceiued a notable feare of the English and Portugals which were with the king and they of the cities likewise The victorie at the Groine as knowing well that at the Groigne 800. English with 200. Hollanders and few Portugals had defeated 10000. of their people amongst whom there were some thousand old souldiers which lay there and were the remainder of the Armie by sea set forth the yeere before besides the Countie de Andrada
amisse that the Moores should be in feare but it were more meet that the King your Maister did vnderstand to what end this Armie is leuyed for in very deede it is for Portugall The most Christian king and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe haue great reason to hinder that the Portugals doe not accord with the Castillians and that they giue them no occasion to lose the hope of their libertie And if the King Catholike my Lord doe make himselfe Maister of that Realme as hee verily hopeth for hee holdeth it in a manner as alreadie wrought and practised hee will bring to passe that not onely the most Christian King shall be inferior and tributarie vnto him but also all the other Princes of Europe shall bee subiect vnto him especially the seuen vnited Prouinces of the Low Countreyes and the Pope with all the Court of Rome shall doe nothing but what seemeth good vnto him because hauing added vnto his Empire the Monarchie of Portugall who can be able to resist him For this reason it will concerne the most Christian King and all other Christian Princes to ioyne themselues together as in a common cause for that otherwise the King my Maister will make himselfe Lord and the vniuersall Monarch of all the World whereby they shall be his subiects and wee shall be his slaues and vassalls perpetually This that wee haue here left recited doth prooue that which was before spoken and therefore to returne to the matter in hand I say in the fifth and last place that whensoeuer a great and puissant army shall be raised to passe into Spaine be the charge neuer so great if it do nothing else then wast and spoile the countrey and take some few cities and townes and if in regard thereof the Castilian be enforced to call home his forces which he holdeth in these parte of Europe for his owne defence though the comming of those his forces should cause our army to retire yet I should hold this for a very great benefit because that which cannot now be done with an hundred will then be done with ten men and the charge and expences will bee still lesse and lesse But it may be that some of your Maiesties subiects will say vnto me that this is a matter of great difficultie and at this time especially very hard to be done for that hauing the enemy here at hand euen at our backes there were small reason for vs to transport our forces into foraine parts This a good doubt and may be some trouble to men of a shallow and small vnderstanding and such as haue little iudgement to discourse vpon the state of matters but to them which know the depth and ground of things it will carry no apparance of danger But to the intent the trueth may the better appeare let vs reason together each with other by way of demanding and answering as is vsed in the Schooles A discourse or reasoning betweene the Author and a Frenchman touching the passing of an Armie into Spaine The Subiect Be it so if you please for I will heare you with a right good will The Pilgrim Say then what is it that you thinke will endamage you Subiect The enemy with his forces and with his intelligences Pilgrim But if you finde a meane to disnest him from hence who then can hurt you afterwards Subiect No body Pilgrim Doe then as I haue told you and without doubt the enemy will be gone from you Subiect That cannot bee Pilgrim Wherefore Subiect Wherefore say you How would you that we should goe into a strange and foraine country to warre vpon others and leaue our owne country in the power and puissance of our enemies If we send our forces into Spaine as you would perswade vs we should be vtterly vndone as I haue giuen you to vnderstand Pil. Good God how are you without iudgement and vnderstanding Take that which I tell you as I speake it and not as you conceiue it and answer me to one question categorically If there were now an armie raised to goe into Spaine to the making whereof let France spare some foure or fiue thousand men England three or foure thousand the Estates of Holland Zeland Freezland and all the rest of their Allies two or three thousand besides ships of which they haue great store and let some other Princes Potentates and Common-weales disburse some proportion of money for the aiding and furthering of this enterprise to these adde three or foure thousand Zwitzers or Lance knights and then tell me shall France bee vnprouided or shall England be dispeopled or shall the Estates be vnfurnished of men and shipping and without meanes to keepe the Seas or shall the other Princes and common-weales be reduced to such misery that they shall be vnable to hold their ordinary course in their affaires and proceedings but rather as they may well spare twice so many men to furnish them to passe into Spaine out of the seuerall Kingdomes and yet they are sufficient to imploy greater forces into other his dominions in the West and neuerthelesse powerfully maintaine their owne Sub. No I think not so Pilg. Why then doe you not that which concerneth you so neere and whereof dependeth the whole and onely remedy of your mischiefe and misery and wherein you for your part haue a greater interest then any of the rest Sub. Marry sir to make vp these thousands of men which you speak of there must be had great store of mony which will as hardly be had as they that haue it will be loth to depart with it Pilg. O how blind is this people and how deuoyd of counsell and prudence is this nation O that they would be wise and that they would vnderstand and prouide for things to come Our towne which the enemy may take to morrow next doth it not import vs more then 300000. crownes which is the most that wee shall neede for the furnishing of 4. or 5. thousand men If after the taking of Laon and the reducing of so many good townes there had been imployed 200000 crowns which are demanded for this enterprise it may bee you should haue had by this time more then three milllions in your purse and you should not haue lost al these towns in France of so great import Cambray Dourlan Calice Ardes Amiens and many other places with your great Admirall and so many braue gentlemen and Captaines which are now dead would stil haue liued to speake in French Moreouer doe not excuse your selfe and say for your discharge that a man cannot diuine what will follow for you haue beene too too much forewarned of matters as they haue fallen out and there is yet liuing a Lord one of the Councell who at Fountaine Belleau in May 1595. did by all meanes he could possibly deuise perswade the vndertaking of this enterprise alledging so many reasons and so euident that he plainly shewed how greatly it did import France
then his owne proper safety and that the Princes of Italy doe seeke his friendship and amity which I hope they will doe continually in regard of the publike good that may ensue thereby he iudgeth and not amisse that it may turne to his domage and detriment and that it may be an occasion to breake off the course of his great designes and enterprises Viz. The House of Austria which is indamaged by the Turke For this cause doth hee reioyce at the losses and misaduentures of the Christians notwithstanding that the mischiefe doe light vpon his owne flesh and bloud in so much that the prosperity of the Infidels maketh him the more proud and haughty And this is it that hath made him so hardy The Embassador of Venice ill intreated by the Castillian as to giue ill entreatie to the Embassadour of Venice if it be true that is reported if hee be not hindred ere long hee will giue worse entertainment to all other without any exception of persons Hee thinketh that Almaine and Italie especially in their afflictions and troubles will haue need of his helpe and assistance by reason whereof he is perswaded that they will not resolue themselues to follow and fauour the partie of the most Christian king by meanes whereof hee shall bee well able to effect his affaires in France If hee had beene disposed to hinder the Turke from making warre in Europe hee might very well haue done it by molesting and disquieting him in the East Indies as the true and lawfull kings of Portugall haue done Hee needed haue done no more but haue ioyned with Xatama the great King of Persia the friend of the Portugals for to keepe the Turke in awe and within compasse Infinite are the praises wherewith Historiographers haue celebrated the victory which D. Stephen de Gama a Portugall The victorie of Stephen de Gama against the Turkes Gouernour of the East Indies did obtaine against the Turke vpon whom hee made warre for that effect and purpose This battell was fought at the foot of Mount Synay Gama made many knights at the foote of Mount Sinay after which the said Gama made many Portugals knights for bearing themselues valiantly in that battell amongst the which there were two of speciall marke who being issued of noble parents did leaue behind them an immortall memorie of their honour and glorie The one of them was called Don Juan de Castre The victory of Don Iohn de Castre who afterwards being Viceroy of the said East Indies did get that famous victory which you may read of in the life of the king Don Emanuel in the which with lesse then foure thousand Portugals he defeated an infinite number of enemies and put to flight Moiecatan Constable of Cambaia who being sent by the king Mamud his Lord and maister with foureteene thousand men to succour the citie of Diu which held the Portugals besieged within the Castle he was constrained to leaue 300. of his men dead vpon the place hauing lost the Guydon royall with all their baggage Iuzarcan the yonger a great Lord in those parts was taken prisoner and Raman the Gouernour of the said citie which was great goodly and populous was there slaine and the Portugals made themselues absolute Lords of the citie Of this valorous Captaine Don Iuan de Castre who is now at this present in France is the grand child and he also hath beene as faithfull to his king and countrey as the said Don Iuan his grandfather The other of those two knights was called Don Lewes de Altaida Don Lewes de Altayda afterwards Countie of Aâ—ouguia who being in Almaign at the battle which the Imperialists gaue to the Duke of Saxonie and the Princes of his partie Anno Dom. 1548. 24. Aprill Charles the fift did him great honour by reason he surmounted all the rest in that iourney and recouered the imperiall Guydon which the enemies had once gained in so much that the Emperour gaue him all the honour of this victorie according as himselfe wrote vnto Don Juan the third king of Portugall his brother in law Don Lewes de Altaida Gouernour of the East Indies the first time and cousen German who had sent him thither for his Embassador and this noble man was twice Viceroy of the East Indies First in the life time of Don Sebastian at which time hee defended it against all the forces of Asia both Moores and Paynims had made a league against the Portugals who both by defending themselues an assailing of their enemies did purchase perpetuall and immortall glory Don Lewes Viceroy the second time Afterwards being made Viceroy the second time after the death of the King Sebastian during the raigne of King Henry and knowing that the people of Portugall had chosen and appointed certaine Gouernours to gouern and defend the realme after the death of the said Henry and that they had named ceâ—taine Iudges also to decide the cause touching the difference vpon the succession of that kingdome he said openly I for my part will not yeeld vp the Indies to any other His saying touching the possession of Portugall and the East Indies then to whom the Realme of Portugall shall be adiudged Insomuch as some say that they which followed the partie of the Castilian knowing well that the Iudge would neuer admit him to the succession of Portugall and being drawne on by the counsell perswasions and faire promises of the Castilian himselfe which were sent vnto them ouer land adde hereunto the notable diligence and industrie which he vseth in all his affaires They caused the said Lewes to bee made away with poyson so died that valiant and faithfull Portugall Don Lewes de Alcaida poysoned and there succeeded him in that gouernment a most vngratefull and notable Traitour who presently after deliuered vp the Indies to the enemy To the intent the happy memory of Don Stephan de Gama might be preserued there is an Epitaph set in a Pallace builded by Gama himselfe after his returne from the Indies neere to the towne of Setuval in Portugall which in the Portugall language though somewhat glossely is thus written Quem Cauelleyros armou O pé do monte Sinay Stephan de Gama his Epitaph Vâ—io acabar aquy That is to say He which made so many Knights At the foot of Mount Sinay Here as you see now doth he lie But to our purpose At this day Philip hath more force more puissance and many more commodities to hinder the Turke on that side of the East Indies from making warres in Europe then all the other kings of Portugall haue had heretofore Howbeit as that is not the way to aduance his ambitious desires so cannot he abide in any case to heare thereof For though it were a good deede and well done yet it will not be any helpe vnto him towards the preseruation of this his Monarchy of Portugall which he hath vsurped with so many
common and publike good and many great Lords and Princes with them against Charles the fifth The communalty of Castile in armes against Charls the 5. by reason of the great excessiue and new exactions and imposts laid vpon them the Embassadors of the said Princes and of many Cities and Townes of Castile came to the King of Portugall Don Emanuell praying him that hee would vouchsafe to take and acknowledge them for his vassals and Subiects The true amity of Emanuel King of Portugall to Charles the 5. for that they were desirous to haue him to their King and Lord but he would not onely not receiue their offer but he gaue them good counsell and admonition shewing them how they ought to conforme themselues in obedience to their King And to other of the Princes Cities and Townes of Castile which taking part with the said Charles came vnto him likewise for his ayde he gaue them both money artillery powder and other munition for the warre Some say that the said King Don Emanuell did lend them 500000 duckats and many peeces of artillery which was an occasion that they which were risen in armes did fall to an accord and agreement with their Prince Anno 1522. and thereof it ensued that Charles the fifth did againe vsurpe the Realme of Nauarre which Mounsieur Andrew de Foix had before restored and set at liberty the King Don Emanuell neuer suspecting nor doubting of any such matter intended by him And Philip now likewise for his part hath rewarded Portugall with the like good turne as hee hath done the like to France and now lately a great part of Christendome to whom he was not meanely bounden When the said Charles the fifth passed to Goletta in the yeere 1535 who tooke it The taking of Goletta with 22 other ships of warre That did the Gallion Cagafuego of Portugall which the King Don Iohn the third had commanded to accompany the Infant Don Lewes his yonger brother How came it to passe that the same Charles the fift tooke the Towne of Tunes The taking of Tunes the capitall and chiefe City of the Realme of Lybia was it not with the assistance and ayde of the said Infant and his Portugals The taking of Pignon de Belles by the Portugals Who was it that tooke Pignon de Belles with the residue not aboue 35 yeeres since for the King of Castile euen Francisco Bareto Generall of the Gallies of Portugall and the Captaine Diego Lopez de Sequeira his Nephew with the Portugals of his company The warre of Granado finished by the Portugals Who finished and gaue an â—nd to the oppression of Castile in the behalfe of the Granadians that were reuolted in Granada in the yeeres 1566. 67. and 68 That did 7 or 8 thousand Portugals send for a succour by the King Don Sebastian Philip King of Castile knoweth all this full well and that is the cause that he laboureth and paineth himselfe with so grear care and diligence to keepe this Monarchy of Portugall pretending not onely to vsurpe it to tyrannize ouer it and to plucke it by force and violence out of the hands of the Portugals but to take from them also their honour their glory and their valour for hee seeth well that hauing the Portugals on his side hee shall be able by their meanes to satisfie his ambitious humour and yet shall they not haue the honour due vnto them for their prowesse but hee attributeth all to the generosity of his Castilians So hath he tyrannized and doth yet still tyrannize ouer the honour of the Arragonnois the Catalans the Valentians the Nauarrois and other the Nations of Spaine and onely his Castilians which cary the name of Spaniards and are so called by those that are ignorant and know not the difference that is between the seuerall Nations of Spaine they I say are those Lyons those Tygers and conquerours of the World But we will come to the conclusion of this part of our Treatise touching Portugall the most precious and chiefest pearle of his Crowne It was my chance to be one day in his company with a personage of great estate who is daily at great charges and doth spend good store of duckats to haue notice and intelligence of that which passeth abroad in the World and hee did assure me for a certaine and vndoubted truth that one of the greatest fauourites of the King of Castile did demand of him this question What should be the cause that he suffered Freezland A question moued by a gentleman to the King of Castile and many Townes of other Prouinces of no small importance to be lost and to fall into the hands and into the power and subiection of Heretikes by meanes whereof they were constrained to forsake the true Religion a thing worthy to be lamented onely to succour the Princes and Townes of the League and to entertaine the warre a foote still in France Whereunto the King smiling answered Let them alone let them take Freezland and all the rest The answer of the King of Castile that which most toucheth me is the keeping of Portugall which if I doe as I hope I shall I will cut them out so much worke and giue them so much to doe in their owne Countrey that they shall not easily come neere mine and I doubt not at length but to haue the rest also for know this that if I keepe and possesse Portugall in peace and quietnesse they shall not onely not be able to liue without me but I shall make them in the end to be my subiects and to become tributaries vnto me and therefore let it not grieue you to see what is lost for all will be recouered well enough in time and leaue the care thereof to me alone The French Translatour Philip seeing himselfe Lord of so great a Monarchy doth aspire by all meanes he may to the Realmes of France and of England and of other Prouinces and hee doth reape so great contentment in his ambitious thoughts and purposes that hee cannot but discouer his conceit in that behalfe insomuch that not onely they of his Councell but his particular priuate Souldiers doe know it After the taking of the I le of Terceras the Captaines which accompanied the Marquesse de Santa Cruce in that iourney said openly Now that we haue all Portugall England is ours and by liitle and little wee shall gaine France also For proofe whereof wee haue neede of no other witnesse then that which his owne Writer Conestagio saith in continuing his Historie before the taking of the said Terceras where he hath these words Conestagio lib. 7. in fine But the King hauing so lately gotten the possession of Portugall and seeing the Portugals not yet very quiet he thought it best to pacifie that Realme before he intended any other enterprise And he said that by keeping his men in armes in those quarters hee should bridle not onely Portugall but
of Pisa and many learned personages haue adiudged it to Katherine Dutchesse of Bragancia in Portugall The sonnes of Katherin Dutchesse of Bragancia 1. The Duke Theodosius 2. Edward 3. Alexander 4. Philip. the lawfull daughter of the Infant Don Edward brother to the mother of his Catholike Maiesty which Katherine is at this day yet liuing and hath foure sonnes good and sound Catholikes learned wise goodly and couragious Gentlemen and two o◠three daughters And the Vniuersity of Pauy hath adiudged it to Raynuncio now at this present Duke of Parma the sonne of Mary the eldest sister of the said Katherine the said Mary being deceased a long time before her Vncle Henry I suppose that I haue most cleerely and sufficiently shewed the tyranny which all Spaine hath endured and suffered vnder the predecessors of King Philip the Catholike and as for that which the West Indies hath suffered vnder himselfe as also all the rest whereof hee doth write himselfe Lord by what title and pretence they haue beene gotten it is well knowne euen to the little children who doe openly cry and speake of it in the streetes and both Naples Sicily Millan Vtreich Guelders Zutphen and other the Prouinces of the Low Countries and the Countries of high Almaine all which haue beene tyrannized by him and his Auncestors doe manifestly proue and verifie it so that it seemeth vnto me that I haue made good and sufficient proofe by these Histories and examples that tyranny is the first and principall heritage of his Catholike Maiesty euen of Don Philip of Austria and that it is as proper and naturall vnto him as laughter is vnto a man and that it belongeth vnto him properly and inseparably Wherefore now that wee haue made knowne his tyranny me thinketh it would not be amisse nor impertinent to our purpose most Christian Kings to entreat somewhat touching his cruelty for asmuch as Spaine did neuer yet find his like or equall as the flesh and bloud thereof hath too too well tried and had the experience All Bookes all men and euen his owne mischieuous and wicked actions Of the cruelty of King Philip. doe euery where yeeld open and abundant testimonies of his cruelty If Iulius Caesar as it is reported of him were cause of the death of more then a million of men they which haue beene acquainted with the cariage behauiour of this tyrant will confesse that he hath been the death and destruction of a farre greater number Caesar was extreamely grieued to see Pompey his enemy dead And as Antigonus when his sonne Alcinous presented him with the head of Pyrrhus slaine at the entry of the City of Argos did sharpely reproue him Plutarch Filiumque nefarium barbarum vocauit calling him a wicked and barbarous sonne so Caesar in imitation of his example seeing the signet and the ring of Pompey did of pure compassion fall a weeping in so much as he was resolued to make warre vpon Ptolomey because he had slaine Pompey traiterously and hee did so much that hee caused him in the end to be the instrument of his owne death See hereafter Philip on the contrary doth not onely not grieue at the death of his seruants friends cousens nephewes brother sonne and wife but hee doth reioyce and triumph at the same yea he doth procure and aduance it giuing great summes of money excessiue rewards and great honours vnto the executioners and ministers of his cruelty and for the satisfying of his pernicious ambition when there is any thing whatsoeuer be it neuer so little that toucheth him he maketh no exception of persons be it Pope Nuncio Bishop Monke or other Ecclesiasticall person hee poysoneth them all without feare of God or shame of man The Translator Of his seruants and friends he hath caused to be made away the Counties of Egmont and of Horne the Lord Mountigny and the Marquesse of Bergues with many other Noblemen and Gentlemen whose bloud is yet fresh in remembrance the Prince of Orange Marke Anthony Colonna Don Iohn de la Nuca great Justicier of Arragon the Duke de Villa Hermosa the Marquesse de Fuentes Don Iohn de Luna c. his Cousin the Emperour Maximilian his Nephewes by his Sisters Don Sebastian King of Portugall and Don Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma Don Iohn Duke of Bragantia his brother Don Iohn de Austria his sonne the Prince Charles his eldest sonne his wife Isabel Sister to the three last Kings of France deceased Pope Sixtus the fift Alexander Formenti Nuntio in Portugall sent thither by Pope Gregory the 13. as he was on his returne towards Rome in his passage through Castile The Archbishop of Toledo Of Bishops Monkes and Ecclesiasticall persons Don Bartholmew Carrance Archb. of Toledo of whom we haue lately spoken being his owne master a man of so great authority and excellency that by the space of many yeeres Spain hath not brought forth his like This good Catholike was the cause of his imprisonment so strict and so long as all the world knoweth this good Christian in imitatiō of Nero did persecute this personage with most notable hatred and rigour till such time as for verie griefe and sorrow he died at Rome the Doctor Frier Hector Pinto Prouinciall of the order of S. Ierome in Portugall and ordinary professour of the holy Scriptures in the Vniuersitie of Coimbre whose great learning is sufficiently witnessed by the most godly and graue writings which he hath sent into the world being imprisoned in Portugall by the commandement of his Catholike Maiestie some of his friends who were well affectioned to the Castilian partie did earnestly intreat and perswade him to retract and recant that which he had publikely read and preached and to declare that his said Maiestie was lawfull heire of the said Realme of Portugall the which he would not doe notwithstanding all the prayers and perswasions of his said friends to whom he made this answer That which I haue sayd I haue sayd true it is Hector Pinto his speech touching King Philip his vsurpation of Portugall that Philip hath not any right in the succession of this Crowne but inuading and intruding vpon the same in such sort as he hath done without staying till the cause were lawfully and orderly heard and decided he hath committed violence and tyrannie and therefore J for my part doe not acknowledge him for my king but rather for a tyrant and vsurper Whereupon his friends gaue him to vnderstand that this would be a verie dangerous thing for him to maintaine for said they they will leade you away into Castile bound hand and foote and fettered in iron and there wil they make you languish away in misery and in the end th re to die without all hope euer to see Portugall againe Whereunto he answered Little doth that trouble me howbeit that it be an extreme griefe vnto mee to end my daies out of my deare countrey and that
and puissant doe despoile and consume the others who are of lesse puissance Now we know that there are two especiall reasons for which the Authour hath prolonged and drawne out at length this his Discourse enriching it with Histories so singular and beautifying it with such rare authorities and examples The former is for that as he hath endeuoured liuely to depaint vnto vs our enemy and to make vs know the naturall disposion of those Nations of whom we haue great cause to take good heed seeing that all that which he hath spoken doth set forward this his intent and purpose he saw it would not be any inconuenience to vse therein some prolixity If a man by compact as bound thereto by another or of his owne proper motion and free will and vpon curiosity would vndertake a voyage of some three or foure leagues not hauing any time prefixed nor limited for dispatch thereof what harme would it be vnto him if in his passage he doe find some Gardens where he may recreate and refresh himselfe from the trauell and wearisomenesse of the way So doe you my Masters reade this Treatise at your pleasure vse it for your recreation and take your delight in the sweete odours of her flowres and pleasant posies You neede make no great hast there is no man that doth vrge you thereto A second reason of the prolixity of this Treatise is for that as the Author is driuen of necessity to handle the vertues and the vices of diuers persons and sundry Nations so his will was that each of them should haue his due desert the good and those that haue done well praise and honour but the euill and vitious blame and reprehension In the end of this Treatise you shall find the explication which he promiseth Fol. 143 in the which there are many things both of great curiosity and also as necessary to the matter in hand as any of the rest For that in knowledge vnderstanding and experience hee doth farre exceed me as his worke doth shew apparantly Touching the which briefly I dare not affirme any thing but this that each word of his is a sentence and that each sentence containeth many I must confesse that to some persons in particular his Treatise will be ill accepted but what remedy he hath spoken but the truth and what he affirmeth he proueth and hee alledgeth nothing without his Authour to iustifie it And truly I for my part am of this opinion that it is not against reason to publish the wickednesse and vices of some one particular person which being true may be made knowne to euery man especially when the knowledge thereof may redound to the great good and benefit of the weale publike But to come to an end let me entreat you to take in good part that which I haue said A Table made by the Author of the principall things contained in this Treatise THe reasons which haue mooued Philip king of Castile to stirre vp warre in Fraunce and what opinion he hath of the French page 2. The league in Fraunce imitateth that in Spaine in the yeare 1463. page 4. Philip against his promise causeth the captaine Anthonie to hanged page 4. What paines and labour Philip hath taken to procure warre against the most Christian king Henrie the 3. deceassed by the meane of the king now being and of the promises which he hath made vnto his Maiestie for that purpose page 6. The great desire which the late king Henrie the third had to haue set Portugall at libertie page 8. That Portugall is the cause of the warre in Fraunce page 8. How necessarie and important a thing it is that the enemie haue warre made vpon him in his owne countrie page 8. What the nature and disposition is of the naturall Spaniards page 15. What sorrow and griefe the Princes and Lords of Spaine did take to see the inuasion and vsurpation of Portugall and what desire they haue to see it deliuerer page 17. The malice of the Castiliannation and their disloyalty against strangers when they haue any occasion offered them to domineere and rule ouer them page 19. The enmitie and hatred of the Castilians against the Portugals page 22. The loyaltie and fidelitie of the Portugal page 24. The cause why Portugall was not restored to her libertie in the yeare 1589 when the king Don Anthonio drew the English into Portugall with a true declaration of that voyage page 27. The great riches found at Lisbon page 29. The reason why so many faults were committed in that Armie of the English page 33. That the most Christian king and the Princes and Potentates of Europe haue very great cause and interest to hinder the Portugals from according with the Castilian page 33. A deduction of certaine reasons betweene the Author and a Frenchman vpon the voyage which it behoueth the French to make into Spaine and what losses they haue had for default of putting the same in execution in times past page 36. What the state and condition is of an assailant and of a defendant page 40. That tyrannie and crueltie and a disordinate and dishonest life is the cause of the ruine and destruction of great Estates and Monarchies page 43. The cause wherefore the king Rodericke lost Spaine page 44. That the English heretofore going into Spaine with the Portugals did constraine the kings of Castile to demaund peace in all humilitie and what conditions to their great disaduantage they were constrained to receiue of them and of the valour of the Portugals with the honourable testimonie of the king of Castile and of the force and puissance of Portugall against Spaine from page 50. to 53. Where and by what way Spaine may be inuaded and the enemy easily ruinated page 55. The Portugals most impatient vvhen their honour is in question page 56. How and by what meanes the king of Castile hath so easilie vsurped the realme of Portugall page 57. What and how great the force of Portugall is the negligence of the king Don Anthonio and of his Counsell page 59. The vnlawfull and vniust treaties made by king Philip with Muley Malucco whereof ensued the losse and destruction of the king Don Sebastian And how Philip doth reioyce triumph at the prosperitie of the Turke and for what cause he forbeareth to hinder the Turke from making warre in Europe which he may easily doe page 60. The description of Portugall with the greatnesse riches and puissance thereof page 65. King Philip much addicted to Cosmographie and greatly practised and expert in histories page 70. That the Castilians for these three hundred yeeres last past haue done nothing of any worth without the Portugals page 73. That Portugall is the principall cause of all the warres and reuolts which haue bin since the yeare 1580 euen till this day and will be still if order be not taken to the contrary page 74. How king Philip doth gourmandise and incroch vpon the elections of the Popes
and Townes holding the party of the king deceased did conuey themselues into Portugall where they were receiued by the king Fernand and had most honourable entertainment with most notable fauours rich presents and incredible gifts which hee gaue vnto them most bountifully In so much that from thenceforth the Castres did continue still and inhabit in Portugall from whom are descended those which are there of that name now at this day Hierom Guliel cap. 23. fol. 81 pag. 2. The like happened to Diego Lopez Pacheco a Portugall albeit not for so iust and honourable a cause who going from Portugall into Castile for being charged with the death of the Queene Dame Iues de Castro in the time of the king Don Peter of Portugall hee was then created Lord of Beiar and his children also made Lords of other peoples of whom the Marquesse of Villana the Dukes of Escalon and many other great Lords haue their descent and originall In like manner in the time of king Juan of Portugall of happy memory Alias Iohn the Acugnas and Pimentels went into Castile and of them are descended directly in the line masculine the Dukes of Ossuna and Counties of Benauent and in a manner all the Princes and Lords of Castile and Dame Iulian de Lancastre Duchesse of Auero in Portugall Now at this day the Nobilitie of Spaine doth greatly want such places of refuge and sanctuarie and now The Nobilitie of Spain want places of refuge and sanctuary at this day the least Prouost or Marshall is sufficient to arrest the greatest Lord of the countrey yea though it were the brother of the King himselfe in so much that the Princes and Lords of Spaine doe as heartily desire to see some Realme or Prouince set at libertie as they doe their owne safetie The sorrow griefe of the Princes and Lords of Spaine to see the inuasion vsurpation of Portugal the desire they haue to see it at libertie None can tell how great an affliction and notable a misery famine is but hee that wanteth bread to eat and the Nobilitie of Spaine doth at this day with great griefe finde that to be true which they most of all feared in the time of Charles the fifth whose greatnesse they had euen then suspected and for this cause they did shew themselues mightily aggrieued at such time as King Philip did enterprise the vsurpation of Portugall Conestagio a Genouois in the booke which he hath written in fauour of the sayd Philip and which is intituled The vnion of the Realme of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile doth tell vs both the one and the other of these matters And although in that worke of his there be many true reports yet we doe know him for a great and notable Lyer and euen the very first word of that booke is an vntruth in that he hath entituled it The vnion of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile The oth of K. Philip. for king Philip in the assembly of estate which he held at Tomar in the yeare 1581. where the Portugals against their wills and by force did receiue him for their king promised and sware with a solemne oath neuer to intermingle the matter and affaires of Portugall with those of Castile The Explication of the Genealogy of the French K. now raigning The authour whereof was Frier Ioseph Texere but to keepe for euer the Monarchy of Portugall entire in the same estate and in the same manner as the kings his precessors had alwayes preserued and maintained it paying all the pensions fees and wages to all the officers of the kings house both Spirituall and Temporall in like sort as they were payd in the times of the true and good kings forepassed Somewhat of this matter a man may see in the end of the booke of Explication of the Genealogie of his most Christian Maiestie where it is spoken of the first king of Castile Moreouer the said Conestagio as a man of a maligne and peruerse spirit is a most vngratefull enemy of that nation which hath both aduanced and honoured him For wee knew him at Lisbon when he serued Anthonio Caulo and afterwards with Stephen Lercaro 3. fol. 62. a Marchant of Genoa He hath in his booke these words In Castile this succession gaue great matter whereof both to muse and to talke both in priuate and in publike for that the king caused the Estate of Portugall to be vnited to his other Realmes and Dominions not caring how nor in what fashion it were done so it were effected The which the Nobilitie tooke very ill in so much as it seeemeth that all the great men of Spaine since the time of Charles the fifth to this day could not away nor like of the greatnesse of the king because thereof it hath proceeded that hee maketh lesse reckoning of them then did the ancient kings of Castile and hee constraineth them to be equall to their inferiours as well in iustice as otherwise If Don Antonio king of Portugall were liuing hee could witnesse how after that the enemie was entred into Portugall with a huge armie and had taken Lisbon hee being then in the towne of Badaios many Lords of Castile did offer him to haue entrance into the sayd towne and did promise him all their best aide and assistance to seize vpon the enemie himselfe The which the said Prince could not effect nor put in execution for that within few dayes after he was dispossessed of all the realme in the citie of Puerto of Portugall He could also certifie vs how that seeing in these parts many great Lords of Castile did send vnto him offring him their seruice and assistance in case that he would set foot in Portugall the which matter he communicated if I bee not deceiued to the king and principall Lords of France and principally to the estate and Councell of England Notwithstanding touching this desire of libertie it is a matter which doth principally touch the Princes great Lords and Hijos de Algo of Spaine For as concerning those masters of the long robe and the rascall sort of Castilians they take a pleasure in this their slauery and seruitude vnder the king because they alone doe command and rule all and triumphing ouer others haue the principall and chiefe managing of all the affaires of the Realme yea and euen the gouernment of the king himselfe in their owne hands And although they doe hate him most extremely and doe wish ill enough to his person yet notwithstanding they doe wish so well to their owne country and doe so delight to see themselues to haue the command ouer all others that if they know any thing either in publike or in priuat which might hinder and endamage his tyrannie they will not faile onely in regard thereof to aduertise him of it such is the naturall disposition of the Castilians Iosephus de bello Iudaice lib. 1. cap. 3. who being issued and sprung
Portugall hee vsed this speech vnto him Captaine Ferras I would gladly know what should be the cause that made you to follow the partie of the French against me seeing wee are of one and the same Nation for albeit you be a Portugall and I a Castillian yet are we both Spaniards The Colonell made him this answere Sir when the Portugals doe trauaile abroad out of their owne countrey whether they be rich or poore their onely end and scope is to get them honour and reputation For mine owne part I had the meanes to liue honestly in my countrey like a Gentleman neuerthelesse being resolued to see the world I began to cast my account with my selfe what course I were best to take Hauing made my reckoning I conceiued with my selfe that I should purchase me more honour by bearing Armes against the greatest Captaine of the World then in taking of his part to serue against any other and for this cause I tooke Armes against your Maiestie The Emperour smyling sayd I beleeue that this is not the cause but rather the old rancour and hatred which the Portugals beare to the Castillians Portugall answered him againe in great choller Sir An excellent answere of a Portugall to Charles the 5. I sweare vnto your Maiestie That neyther for good nor for bad I trouble not my minde with the Castillians not so much as to thinke of them The Emperour making semblance as though this answere did content him did embrace him many times and often but hee iudged of the Portugall as his affection led him for hee had enough of the bloud of a Castillian by his mothers side to make him to hate him A little Leauen c. And thus may you see the vntruth of Conestagio His Historie is well written and in a good style but most false and full of passion for hee both reprehendeth and iniurieth all those of whom hee speaketh yea euen King Philip himselfe in whose fauour hee wrote it and for this cause principally it was forbidden in Portugall But leauing Conestagio now that we haue shewed how the Castillian Nation is much more maligne and peruerse then all the other people of Spaine I will tell you one thing worthy to be noted ere wee proceed which doth more neerely touch the Portugall Nation than any of the rest that is That all those Nations generally are so desirous of libertie that they doe seeke by all meanes possible to obtayne it being readie to receiue euen the Deuils themselues if they would be readie to further and fauour them in the same And yet if any strange Nation should passe into Spaine to any other end they would vse the vttermost of their endeuours to stop their passage and to hinder their entrance making little or no reckoning of their liues and much lesse of their goods and substance When I doe speake of causing strange Nations to passe into Spaine I must tell you thus much That they shall be much more welcome and finde better entertainment of the people of the Countrey when they shall be mingled many and diuers Nations together then if one should goe thither alone for that this diuersitie will take from them all conceit and suspition which they might otherwise haue that their comming were to make a conquest of their countrey and not to procure their libertie and freedome and so they would vndoubtedly receiue them ioyfully and with all assurance In like manner if the Tyrant should commaund them to goe to the warres out of their owne countrey especially if it were for their Religion they would serue him more faithfully then did Auila and Simancas in Castile or Celorico the Castle of Coimbre in Portugall For proofe hereof The meaning hereof is expounded in the end of this Treatise you may remember how in the yeere 1588. the King of Castile in his Fleet and Armie by Sea that came vpon the Coast of France sent two Regiments of Portugals each of them consisting of eight hundred men or thereabouts The loyaltie of the Portugals These forces notwithstanding that in regard of his vsurpation of the countrey they were enemies to him yet hauing promised to serue him faithfully in this voyage in the fight which they had against the Englishmen and Flemings they did make such proofe of their valour that they did farre excell all the rest of the Army in prowesse and deedes of Armes and they alone did more for the seruice of the King of Castile then all the residue of his Allyes insomuch that there was none of them who had command and gouernment in the Army that were receiued with honour by the King Catholike saue only the Portugall Colonels Portugall Colonels in the Armie of the yeere 1588. namely Gasper de Sousa and Antonie Perera The which Perera before that time had serued and fought most valiantly for the defence of the libertie of his Countrey and for the seruice of his true and naturall King against the said King of Castile at such time as hee entred into Portugall with a mightie Army to inuade it In the yeere 1582. when Don Aluar de Bassana Marquesse de Santa Cruce did encounter vpon the Sea with the Lord de Stroce those which fought best and shewed themselues most valiant was the Marquesse de Fauare Marquesse of Fauare a Portugall most true and faithfull to his Countrey and to his King and by whose counsaile and aduertisements a certaine great and excellent seruitor of the estate and of the King Don Antonio had his life preserued besides certaine other Gentlemen his countreymen Who tooke the Ship called the Reuenge The taking of the Reuenge of England belonging to the Queene of England euen Don Lewes Coutigno a Lord of Portugall who before time had beene most true and faithfull to his Countrey and for the defence of his King fighting against the Duke de Alua had receiued many mortall wounds in the battaile of Alcantara the same day that Lisbon was lost which was in the yeere 1580. and the 26. of August And for the more distinct and cleare demonstration of the truth of this matter I will recite vnto you a most true Historie In the yeere 1589. Don Anthonie King of Portugall accompanied with the Englishmen and Hollanders made a Voyage into Portugall and casting anchor in the Hauen of Penicha they of the Castle began to play with their Ordinance vpon the armie but the Captaine of the Castle Anthonio de Arauio a Portugall being ascertained that the king Don Anthonio was in that armie he forbad the Cannoniers to shoot any more and caused a white Ensigne to be put forth vpon sight whereof Don Anthonio commanded that euery man should goe on shore and take their way towards the Towne the which they did not without some resistance made by certaine companies of Castillians who in the end were forced to retyre with the losse of some of their people The first that arriued to the Towne was
the County of Essex a Prince of the bloud Royall of England and one that was adorned with many morall vertues This Lord comming to speake with the Captaine of the Castle which was vpon the Wall one of his companie sayd My Lord the Earle of Essex is come hither by the commandement of the Queene of England in whose name hee commandeth to haue the Castle rendred vnto him The Captaine answered him Philip King of Castile hath committed the keeping of this Castle vnto me and for the same I haue done him homage in regard whereof I will defend it against all those that shall seeke to dispossesse me of it and I will not yeeld it vp to any person saue to the King Don Anthonio because his it is and I acknowledge him onely for my King and Lord and if he be not in this armie as hath been told me that he is I would aduise that euery man doe retyre himselfe otherwise I shall cause you all to loose your liues Vpon this word the Countie of Essex retyred himselfe to the Sea side and there went to meete him the Lords Scipio de Figueyredo Vascoucelles late Gouernour of the Terceras and Anthony de Brito Pimentell and other Gentlemen Portugals of the Kings trayne who vnderstanding by the Count the speech of the Captaine went on directly to the Castle and assured the Captaine that the King Don Anthonio their Lord was come thither Within a while after the King arriuing there and calling the Captaine who knew him by his speech hee made him this answere Sir I come to open the gates vnto your Maiestie The port being opened he kneeled downe before the King and kissing his hands The yeelding of the Castle of Penicha deliuered him the Keyes of the Castle This is most true that if he would haue held good the English armie had not bin able to haue taken that Castle it was so well furnished and prouided of artillerie and all things necessarie for besides great store of Iron peeces there were 85. of Brasse All these examples doe shew euidently how faithfull the Portugals are to them to whom they haue once promised and plighted their faith and fidelitie And for as much as I know that your Maiesties haue conceiued an opinion of me as of a person giuen to be somewhat curious and who is acquainted with the accidents which passed in this Voyage and that your Maiesties haue a desire to vnderstand what was the cause why Don Anthonio did not continue in Portugall and what made him to render vp this Castle and other places which were impregnable and to returne into England with his armie without doing any other act of any worth and with the losse of the greatest part of his companie with which he was embarked I will briefely recount the successe of this Iourney crauing many particularities because to count them all it would require much more time then is requisite for the finishing of this Treatise I say then that as God when he chasteneth humbleth great Estates and Monarchies doth suffer and permit for the sinnes of the people such as are like Pharao's Nabuchodonozors Caligula's Nero's and Dioclesians vsing them as his executioners and hangmen as Attila called himselfe the Scourge of God and Tamerlan the Wrath of God so it seemeth he hath permitted that K. Philip should be his minister the executioner of his wrath anger and that in his secret iudgement beyond all apparance of humane reason his will is not yet that Portugall should be deliuered and set at libertie for it is not possible that men should be so blinded to their owne losse and destruction as they were in this Voyage if the Diuine puissance had not blinded them by taking away the vse of their sence and vnderstanding The greatest part of the Armie was embarked at Douer The declaration of the Portugall Voyage in the yeere 1589. the 24. of March and from thence went to Plimmouth From thence they departed all together the 29. of Aprill at which time perceiuing their numbers to be greatly diminished by the contagion that was amongst them in stead of taking the direct way to Portugall they set their course for the Groine where the most part of the souldiers died and all the best Canoniers insomuch that their forces were much abated and they gaue thereby good leysure vnto the enemie both to send fresh men into Lisbon and to draw out of Portugal those who were any way suspected as they did indeed take from thence more then an hundred Lords and Gentlemen of marke Noble men taken out of Portugall by the Castillian who were all of them very contrarie to him and by their absence were greatly missed both of their King and countrey They came to the Groine the sixt of May where they were till the twentieth on which day they did againe take shipping and set sayle towards Portugall where they tooke land at Penicha the sixe and twentieth From thence hauing left in the Castle certaine souldiers with Anthonie de Brito Pimentell aboue named who is the chiefe of the House of the Pimentels of Spaine and about 800. sick men they tooke their way the Generall Drake by Sea and the Lord Generall Norris by Land with 35. or 40. horse and some 6000. foot so ill armed that a good part of them wanted their Swords and there was not of them aboue 50. Corslets the cause whereof was want of Waggons and Carriages for to carry them ouer the land and the souldiers themselues were constrained to carry their powder on their shoulders Besides many of them at their departure out of their lodgings had left their Pikes and some their Harquebuses loading themselues with pots bottels of Wine which they found there in great abundance Wine marreth all the which in very truth did the more hinder and endomage them for by meanes hereof they fell into diuerse diseases and died in great numbers the English Nation not being accustomed to drinke Wine alwayes their Beere is not so strong a kind of drinke The day following 3. leagues before their arriuall to a Towne called Loires Vedras the keyes of the Castle were brought to the king Don Anthonio which Castle is so strong that 20. men with necessarie munitions may keepe defend it against 100000. All the way along to Lisbon which is 60. good miles there was not one Castillian that durst appeare and 7. horsemen English did put to flight 60. Castillians From thenceforth many Portugals came to kisse the hands of their King in great abundance notwithstanding for that they came without armes hauing beene before disarmed and for that there was no body of whom they might get or haue any neither for loue nor money howbeit that they brought with them good store of siluer purposely to that effect they did the most part of them returne againe to their owne houses and there could not be armed of them aboue one thousand foot and
touching your incredulitie and the opinion which you haue that the loue of a mans countrey doth easily deceiue them and make the remedie of their miseries and seruitude to seeme easie surely wee may with good reason call this incredulitie a blind â—nueiglement and darknesse of vnderstanding and therefore I come once againe to say as I haue sayd and I doe againe and againe aduise you That to send a good and well conducted Armie into Spaine or other parts of his Dominions will be the onely meane to resist and withstand the enemie to breake the course of his designes to beat downe his pride and to destroy his puissance And albeit that this may well be granted to follow by that which hath beene aboue spoken yet I will proue it by one other example onely which being most true maketh very much to our intended purpose Henry Count of Trastamara The Histories of Castise Portugall England c. the bastard sonne of Alphonsus the Iusticier by the aide of the French had slaine the King Don Pedro his lawfull brother Of this Peter there remayned two daughters The youngest Isabel espoused Edmond de Langley the fifth sonne of Edward the third King of England This Edmond hauing gotten sundry victories in fauâ—ur of the Portugals who accompanied him against the Castillians in Spaine did manage those affaires with such prudence and wisdome that he constrayned the sayd Henry King of Castile to accept and receiue of Fernand King of Portugall who was in a manner brought to vtter destruction both he and his whole Realme such conditions of peace as were most ignominious and dishonourable and very preiudiciall both to himselfe his vassalls and subiects In regard of which his notable deedes and deserts the said Edmond was afterwards made Duke of Yorke by Richard the second King of England his Nephew the sonne of Edward the Blacke Prince his eldest brother in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the yere of Christ 1386. Of these two Edmond and Isabell descended the Queene of England likewise named Isabell The other daughter being the eldest of King Peter and called Constance espoused Iohn of Gaunt the fourth brother of the sayd Edmond both by father and mother and Duke of Lancaster by his first wife Blanche who had by him Henry the fourth afterwards King of England and two daughters of which the eldest Philip was Queene of Portugall the wife of Ivan the Bastard Of John of Gaunt and Constance was borne one onely daughter called Katherine of whom we shall hereafter make further mention The said John of Gaunt in regard of his wife Constance did entitle himselfe King of Castile and Leon Guaribay lib. 15. cap. 25. and for the obtayning of his right to that Kingdome hee passed from Gascoigne which was then vnder the Dominion of the English into Spaine with eighteene thousand footmen and two thousand horse where with the aide of the Portugals who were his good friends he tooke the Groigne From thence he went into Portugal out of which he entred into Castile marching euen to the Citie of Burgos which was distant from the place of his departure more then a hundred and twentie Leagues The entry and inuasion of the English with the Portugals into Castile And from the time of his first arriuall he tooke and made himselfe Lord of all the Cities Townes and Castles which hee found in his way besides such as being farther off did come to render and yeeld themselues for very feare and terror And he might easily haue passed on much further if his people had not died who by reason of their disorder which they kept and by their ill rule and demeaning of themselues were oppressed with extreame famine whereof ensued this plague and pestilence amongst them And they were reduced to such necessitie of Victuals The amitie of the French and English out of their owne Countreyes that they were constrayned to haue recourse euen to the Campe of their enemies where then was in fauour of the King Iohn of Castile Lewes Duke of Burbon accompanied with the French forces of whom they demaunded reliefe for the sustentation of their poore and wretched liues The which being perceiued by John the Bastard then elected King of Portugall he complayned to the Duke of Lancaster telling him that he held it not good nor conuenient that his souldiers should goe to entreat with the enemie affirming that these might more endomage him then the others and that therefore he should immediately recall them and forbid them to haue any communication conference or parley with any of the contrary party otherwise that hee would fight against them altogether The valour of Iohn the Bastard King of Portugall Thomas Walsingham and would cause them all to be put to the sword the one for the loue of the other Thomas Walsingham an English Historiographer doth set it downe in these very words and he sayth that the King of Portugall had then with him foure thousand Portugals well armed Some haue esteemed the saying of this Historiographer as very ridiculous or as a meere Brauado onely The valour of the Portugals but they are much deceiued for these foure thousand Portugals hauing their King for their Chiefetaine and Leader had beene sufficient to defeat twentie thousand Castillians The same King with fiue thousand An Historie worthie the marking and so many Portugals and a hundred and fiftie Englishmen did defeat the said Iohn King of Castile both of them being present in person in the battaile of Aljibarot and put him to flight hauing with him foure and thirtie thousand fighting men of the which died vpon the place twelue thousand and there were of prisoners ten thousand taken by foure thousand and so many Portugals and a thousand Englishmen who remained masters of the field for there died in the fight about a thousand Portugals and fiue hundred English who fought as if they had beene Lyons About the same time Don Nunalvres Pereira This Historie is well worthie the marking the battell was called the battel of Valverde Constable of Portugall with three thousand footmen and a thousand horse defeated fiue and twentie thousand Castillians and slew and tooke the principall and chiefe men of Castile The same King before that he came to reigne and afterwards had many victories vpon his enemies no lesse admirable then that other insomuch that a certaine Nobleman of Castile being in speech one day and deuising with his King which was the said John he sayd vnto him Sir I cannot conceiue the cause why the King of Portugall with so few men hath so often vanquished you seeing that you haue alwayes had fiue or six against one of them The King answered him The cause is for that the King of Portugall doth fight against me being accompanied with his children and I combat against him being accompanied with my subiects I am King and Lord of Castile and hee is King and Lord of the
in all Europe Frier Ioseph Texere a Portugal his commendation and knowne of all the Princes of Christendome both Ecclesiasticall and secular and especially in France where the chiefest and greatest persons of the realme and all men of honour doe loue and gladly entertaine him for his honest conuersation faire conditions and singular doctrine be being a man the most accomplished in the knowledge of histories and in the genealogies of great personages of any liuing at this day as his workes and ordinarie communication doe sufficiently testifie J doe much wonder at the patience of this religious man who being so exquisitely seene and practised in histories so expert in matters of State and so iealous of his honour as we know him to be that he doth not set hand to his pen and write not onely against the errours and vntruthes of this Jew but euen against the Catholike Maiestie also seeing it was his Maiestie that caused this false and infamous booke of Censures whereof we speake to be made against him and he did auow the same by his priuiledge giuen thereunto in the yeare 1590. permitting the sayd Jew to imprint the sayd booke intreating of the Genealogie of the Kings of Portugall after he had translated it into the Castilian tongue out of another which he had formerly made in Latine by the commandement of the said King Catholike in the which booke the Jew did of set purpose forget to name and set downe amongst them that died Don Emanuel de Meneses otherwise de Almada Bishop of Coimbre and another Bishop Don Aires de Silua Bishop of the Citie of Port and cousen german to the Regedour of Portugall which is a dignitie representing throughout all that Kingdome the person of the King in all causes of Iustice both ciuill and criminall both which Bishops were issued of the royall House of Portugall so were also the Baron of Portugall and the County de Prado with his eldest sonne besides some other Lords and Princes neere kinsmen vnto the Kings of Spaine The residue of them which remained vnslaine in Barbarie the Castilian with gifts and faire promises had so corrupted that they desired nothing more then to deliuer vp the Realme vnto him The chiefe force of Portugall wherein it consisteth The Knights of the Launce which are those whom we in France call Esquiers and in whom consisteth the greatest force of Portugall did in a manner stand still looking on not hauing any other commandement The negligence of the king Don Anthonio and his counsell which was long of the negligence of the King Anthonio and his Councell who did alwayes shew themselues very vnresolute and inconstant in the administration of their affaires by meanes whereof the Realme of Portugall is fallen into this so piteous and miserable estate not knowing how to recouer her former liberty there was none that had any faithfull affection or desire to oppose themselues against the enemy saue onely the Ecclesiasticall and Regular persons and some few of the nobility And though the people who were both without experience and without armes were likewise of the same affection yet had the Castilian by his policy and fraudulent deuices drawne them into his power by giuing out a false bruit and report that the Souldiers which did then leuy and assemble in Castile were onely to passe into Affricke against the Infidels for to reuenge the death of his Nephew Don Sebastian which notwithstanding were in very deed for Portugall as the successe did make manifest for hee began to make those his preparations for that attempt as soone as the King Don Sebastian did beginne to make prouision for his voyage to whom he hauing promised fiue thousand Souldiers and fifty Gallies when it came to the issue that hee should haue had them Conestagio l. 1. fol. 18. pa. 1. he vtterly refused to giue him any to the intent he might the sooner attaine to that hee desired And besides falling to an accord and agreement with Muley Maluco hee promised in the treaty made with him that he would abandon the poore King of Portugall The Castilian king accordeth with an infidel and to that effect did the Mooâ—e promise him certaine Townes in Barbary which he had before offered to the said Sebastian vpon condition hee should not giue any aide or succours to Mahumet Xeriffe But that Prince would not accept them saying that hee had passed his word to the said Xeriffe to helpe him Surely Sebastian was more true of his promise then his Vncle Philip who to compasse his affaires the beteer and to get that into his hands which he had of a long time most ardently desired did assure his owne doings by the breach of his conscience The Infidelity of the Castillian King his faith and his promise in refusing to giue those succours which hee had promised vnto Sebastian and more then that in commanding by a publike Edict or Proclamation that none of his Subiects should follow him nor serue vnder him in that voyage And this doth Conestagio giue vs euidently to vnderstand in his second Booke Conestagio lib. 2. fol. 34. pag. 1. where hee saith At that time there arriued in the Campe the Captaine Francisco de Aldana who had promised the King Sebastian to serue him in that iourney who to that effect had gotten leaue and licence of the King Catholike which no other could obtaine of him The Translator Conestagio writeth that Philip meeting with Sebastian at our Lady de Guadelupe Idem lib. 1. fol. 14. pag. 2. did not disswade him from the enterprise of Barbary but onely that hee should not goe thither in person for Philip knowing the generosity of this young Prince saw very well that if he did once vndertake this voyage there would nothing hinder him but that himselfe would goe in proper person and therefore to the intent he might conceale his ill intent and so excuse himselfe to the World hee did in shew discounsell him from going but not from vndertaking of the enterprise It seemeth that his Sorcerers by the meanes of the Diuell who is very skilfull in coniectures had prognosticated vnto him the losse and ouerthrow of the Christians Thus you may see how euen before the departure of this poore Prince he did then prepare himselfe to swallow vp and deuoure that morsell which hee so much esteemeth and loueth and for preseruation whereof he is at great costs and expences The Castilian to keepe Portugall to himselfe doth worke many mischiefes to all Christendome and feareth not to worke exceeding great mischiefes vnto all Christendome and to make peace with the Infidels to the intent hee may the more commodiously make warre vpon the Christian in so much that hee doth euen now triumph in the good successe which the Turke hath against them His reason is because seeing how the Popes holinesse hath embraced and receiued to fauour the most Christian King whose ruine he desired more
all Spaine and France it selfe also and it may be hee would not otherwise haue failed to haue sent a good part of those forces euen for England at the least for Ireland Portugall the principal cause of all the warres By those last words aboue vsed by the King and the former recited examples may be easily discouered not onely the ingratitude of this peruerse and vn pleasing Catholike but wee may also collect and gather that Portugall is the principall cause of so many warres so many murthers and mischaunces and that if the same were wrung out of the hands and power of this tyrant the most Christian King and the other Princes of Christendome should dwell in peace the Potentates and common wealths of Europe should be in rest the Cardinals at Rome should not be at his direction nor the elections of the Popes at his will and pleasure ouer the which he doth so tyrannize that in each of them he maketh himselfe the first person and as the saying is preferreth himselfe before the holy Ghost There is neuer any election of a Pope How Philip doth germandise the elections of the Cardinals and Popes but he nameth some three foure or fiue persons to the end that the Conclaue of Cardinals should choose one of them was there euer seene greater impudency or presumption that a mortall man should dare vsurpe Gods office Ha most Christian King it is the part of your Maiesty to defend and maintaine the soueraigne and chiefe Bishops they are in their possession to be defended and preserued by the most Christian Kings of France and to that end haue they endowed them with so great priuiledges liberties and prerogatiues Banish therefore and driue away Sir this monster breake the head of this Serpent tame this Lyon and deliuer the Church from this so tyrannicall seruitude and hard captiuitie Restore vnto your pupils their wonted peace and liberty to the intent they may with hardinesse chastise the euill and vicious and without feare reward the good and vertuous How often haue the soueraigne Bishops desired to honour and doe good to some persons in recompence of their vertues and merits and to correct others for their vices and haue not beene able to performe either the one or the other Oftentimes against their wils haue the Popes permitted the wicked to triumph and more often haue they consented that the good should endure afflictions Who did better deserue to be made a Cardinall if I may not say Pope then that famous learned man Doctor Martin Aspilcueta of Nauarre Martin Aspilcueta a Nauarrois whose memory shall be eternall both for his doctrine and for his holinesse and vertue Neuerthelesse onely because Philip could not abide him for defending against him the cause of that reuerend Prelate Don. Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Archbishop of Toledo a religious person of the order of S. Dominicke Archbishop of Toledo and for maintaining also with many and strong reasons that the Portugals ought of right to choose their King by election and for prouing by most firme and infallible arguments that his Catholike Maiesty did possesse the Realme of Portugall by vniust and tyrannicall title was therefore thrust out of all and dyed in the estate of a poore and simple Priest Who did euer in all reason deserue better or more worthily to be strangled and burnt then N and yet because Philip would haue it so hee liueth still and triumpheth Wherefore most humbly I beseech both your Maiesties euen for the honour of GOD wherein your selues haue more interest then any other that you would vouchsafe to attend this matter of so great importance and that you would vndertake to leuy and make ready a good Armie to passe into Spaine and to consider withall how great is the prudence the industry and subtilty of this common enemy that your Maiesty would regard his actions his ambition and his tyranny that you would awaken and grow to a resolution knowing that you haue so great a tyrant to your Neighbour as of himselfe alone is greater then all others that euer were or which now are in the World Tyranny as natural to Phâ—lip as is laughter to a man all of them set together and who hath gotten like his predecessors all that which he possesseth by pure and plaine tyranny which is indeede so proper and naturall vnto him and doth belong vnto him as properly and vnseparably as laughter doth to a man Giue me leaue I pâ—ay you to proue that which I speake by most cleere and certaine Histories to the intent I may take away all occasion from those who are addicted to ill speaking and to deceitfull dealing to thinke or take me for a lyar for this that I say may be verified by all the Historiographers of Spaine both ancient and moderne which are worthy to be credited or haue any truth in them some of which doe liue yet at this day and it is no long time since they made their workes and imprinted them with the fauour and at the costs and charges of the said Philip. And this I will endeuour to proue as briefly as I can and I will shew how in all the Realmes and Prouinces which the King Catholike possesseth in Spaine whereof I my selfe being a Spaniard doe know somewhat hee possesseth and holdeth them by tyranny committed many times and often And for as much as to proue that which I intend it shall suffice to touch onely that which hath happened since the 380 yeeres last past I will not speake of any thing that hath befalne before the yeere of Christ 1217. Castile tyrannized â—he first time Henry King of Castile the sonne of Alphonsus the noble dying left his eldest sister Blaunch Queene of France which was the mother of S. Lewes who was then but two yeeres old Garibay lib. 22. cap 41. and his Father who was not yet King of France was occupied in the warres of England whither hee was called by them of that land against their King called King John who was reputed for a tyrant Henrie being dead as is sayd his youngest sister named Berangera the wife of Alphonsus King of Leon with her sonne Fernand encroched vpon the possession of the Realme of Castile and vsurped it against the right of the sayd Blanch her eldest sister and consequently against the sayd S. Lewes her nephew Fernand being dead Alphonsus his eldest sonne called Emperour of the West because some of the Electors of the Empire had elected him whereas the residue had chosen Richard the brother of Henrie the third King of England made an accord with the sayd S. Lewes the cousen German of his father touching the succession of Castile in this manner That Fernand the eldest sonne of Alphonsus should eâ—pouse Blanch the daughter of the sayd S. Lewes with condition that the children borne of that marriage should inherit Castile Of them twaine were issued Alphonsus and Fernand who were
him actually and that he would pardon all in generall Whereunto Don Anthonio made him this aunswer God defend that he should commit so great a fault Don Anthonio full of conscience and that he had rather die in an hospitall then to doe a thing so hainous wicked vniust and against his conscience for that the lawes had taught him thus much that he might not contract for that which appertained to another For when he was chosen at Sautaren he had then sworne and afterwards againe at Lisbon when he was confirmed King by the deputies of the cities and townes of Portugall which came thither to take their oath for their allegeance and to doe him homage that he should neuer accord nor fall to any agreement with the enemy without leauing Portugall in her full and perfect libertie This may serue to shew how much better a Catholike and how lesse ambitious the King Don Anthonio was then King Philip. And as touching his choller and his hatred or charitie that may appeare by this which followeth in that there haue beene many men who haue oftentimes offered to Don Anthonio to kill Philip neuerthelesse he would neuer giue them any entertainment Most christian speaches of D. Anthonio alledging that Kings are the annoynted of the Lord and although quoth he my cousin King Philip blinded by ambition and tyrannie do persecute me and do seeke to take my life from me yet will not I be content nor consent for all that that any man for the loue of me should attempt to take his life And whosoeuer shall dare or aduenture to do it let him looke to himselfe that he come not into my hands For though his sins do so blind and bewitch him as that they make him shew himselfe a Saul against me yet I for my part do protest before God to shew my selfe a Dauid towards him A certaine man on a day demaunding of him a fauour for the good newes which hee brought him for he had assured him that King Philip was dead he aunswered him halfe in choller My good friend doest thou not know who it is of whom thou speakest vnto me hee is my cousin germane bring me newes that I haue eight or ten thousand faithfull men and well armed with good and sage Captaines and all things necessary to restore Portugall to libertie and I promise thee in the word of an honest man to make thee so rich and so honourable in my Realme as no Gentleman shall go beyond thee go go learne to know the disposition of Princes Now my masters what thinke you of these examples do you now see what reason I haue to say that the King Don Anthonio was more Catholike and lesse ambitious then the king Philip that he was a man without choller hatred but contrarywise full of charity I pray you therefore for the loue of God that from henceforth you would resolue your selues with a sound and vncorrupted iudgement a pure conscience and without any inueiglement or indiscreet zeale to embrace the good and to reiect the euill If he be dishonest luxurious licentious I say nothing in that behalfe for that is not the butt or ende of our treatise and I beleeue that the Prince of Orange in his Apologie hath said something touching that matter and the infamous rumour and detestable report which hath runne and doth yet runne throughout the world doeth say much to that effect God giue him the grace to know himselfe and to conuert and to render to euery man his owne before his death better then he hath restored that which as is reported his father at the hower of his death commaunded him to render and to restore againe Now most humbly I beseech your Maiesties to hold me excused for hauing beene so large in this matter because I haue not done it without good cause knowing that to come to the butte and end of my purpose it was very needfull and did much import me to haue sayd that which I haue done This is a thing proper and conformable to the law of God and agreeable to the nature of charitie to bring them into the right way that wander and goe astray and to discharge and cleare the innocent though it bee to the dammage and displeasure of the wicked Most excellent Princes If the reasons which I haue alleadged and the histories which I haue quoted bee not sufficient to perswade you and to vrge you speedily with one accord and consent to make a good and gallant army and to send it into Spaine not onely to make present resistance against the force of the Castillian to breake the course of his desseignes to beate downe his pride and to ruinate his puissance but also to bridle him in the time to come I shall bee enforced to beleeue that God hath forsaken and abandoned you because of your sinnes both publick and particular and that he hath depriued you of all iudgement and vnderstanding to the intent you should not see that which concerneth you so neare and which is aboue all thinges most needefull and necessary for your safety In such sort that being fo inueigled and as it were wholy amazed you will come to fall into a bottomlesse gulfe of most blinde darkenesse and consequently into vtter destruction and totall ruine Conceiue I beseech you and comprehend that which I say vnto you and consider it intentiuely for in that you haue within these few years past contemned or neglected to make a voyage into Portugall and haue not vouchsafed to yeeld neither succour nor fauour vnto the Portugals your friends you haue therefore at this time in Fraunce the Castillians your enemies From hencefoorth it shall be better for you and more expedient that the warre be made in Spaine and not in Fraunce and you shall receiue farre lesse discommoditie in destroying the territories of the Castillians with fire and sword then to see the townes and territories of your owne taken wasted and spoyled The Translators encouragement to these most worthie Princes The inward affection which I haue vnto your Maiesties the loyalty which J owe vnto your seruices and the desire which J haue to see the augmentation of the good and prosperity of Fraunce besides my age and long experience in matters of estate do giue me the assurance and hardinesse to aduertise you by the way of something concerning the matter here spoken of by the Author I had of late certaine intelligence by letters from some of my friends that the King of Tartaria now raigning whome the auncient Historiographers and Cosmographers do call Magnum Can Regem regum Dominum dominantium that is The great Cham King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is said to be a most prudent braue ard warlike Prince hath determined for the great deuotion which he beareth to his great Prophet Mahomet whose sect he professeth to passe with great forces to Mecha in Arabia and there to seaze vpon the bodie of
his said Prophet This Sophie of Persia being ascertained of this enterprise whom the Authour in this his treatise nameth Xatama presently dispatched away certaine Embassadours to Constantinople to the great Seignior of the Turkes with whom for these manie yeares of late he hath had great warres and continuall enmitie to pray him that hee would ioyne his forces with his to the end they might both of them ioyntly resist and withstand the puissance of the Tartarian shewing him also the danger which both the one and the other of them might incurre to the losse of their estates by hauing to their neighbour an enemy so sage and puissant I would to God your Maiesties would now consider that if these considerations do fall into the vnderstanding of a Barbarian how much more ought they not to bee wanting in men of iudgemeot and vnderstanding and I would your Maiesties would ponder aduisedly how much it importeth you not to suffer the greatnesse of the Castillian your next and nearest neighbour Ioyne your forces with your Confederates and take in hand this enterprise in such sort as you may deuide the power and monarchie of the enemie I doe not say that you should send to pill ransacke them which are vnder the yoke and commaund of the enemie God forbid for this would turne as much to his good and profitâ— as to our hurt and domage because by our pilling and sacking of them wee shall giue them cause who now hate him deadlie and can not abide not onely him nor so much as to heare him named for the defence of themselues and to bee reuenged of their domages and our extorsions done vpon them to ioyne themselues with our enemie and to serue him with loue and fidelitie and contrarywise to prosecute and pursue vs with extreame hatred doing their worst that they may against vs in such sort that wee losing our friends who now desire to assist vs shall purchase them for our enemies and they will aspire nor seeke nothing more then our ruine and destruction On the contrarie in steed of mortall enemies which he hath now of them shall finde them to be his friends to ayde and assist him to the maintainance of his ambition and tyrannie And this is that which hee doth seeke and desire shewing himselfe in the meane while like a most wylie Foxe and to this effect he will not spare to giue money liberally because of the good that may redound thereof vnto him This is a thing most certaine that hee desireth extreamly to see them made poore and ruinated whom he feareth c. I am fully perswaded that fewer words then these will suffice to giue your Maiesties to vnderstand how much it importeth you to preserue and desend people that are malcontent and afflicted in miserie and how much mischiefe may ensue by giuing them cause of scandall and offence That which we ought to doe in this case is to trauell by all meanes possible to set foot in Spaine and to fortifie our selues within it gathering and drawing vnto vs such as are scandalized and ill handled by the enemie and to receiue them with humanitie and curtesie so did William the Conquerour gaine the Realme of England the which also in the same manner Henrie the seuenth did afterwards get likewise Many others haue done the like yea and your Maiesties also who if you shall seize vpon some places in Spaine you shall make your owne peace with honour profite and aduantage This which I say is not to contradict that which many desire without considering what is expedient and necessarie to a matter of so great importance but rather to shew how your Maiesties may doe without any losse and detriment and to the best profit and aduantage of your Realmes yea and of all the common weale of Christendome The holy King and Prophet Dauid as a most politike and wise man counselleth vs to pray to God for those things which are needfull to the peace of Jerusalem that is the Church militant consequently wee are commaunded to do it Primo rogate quae ad pacem sunt Ierusalem Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Secundo Fiat pax Secondly Let peace be but the world shall neuer haue peace till Spaine be deuided in virtute tua That is to say in such sort as we may not loose one iote of our estate honour reputation and integritie and other things of like nature and qualitie whereof I will surcease to speake any further because I will not trouble the discourse of the Authour And for my part surely and in my conscience I am halfe in a doubt whether I should laugh or weep at this so great and extreame a blindnesse neither more nor lesse then Hanniball did seeing the destruction of Carthage And if it bee well considered that this laughter proceedeth not but of the great griefe and sorrow which I haue at my heart I beleeue assuredly that it would bee to more purpose then all your teares cries and lamentations and I will then say of you as Hanniball said of the Carthagenians You weepe you sigh and you lament to see your townes taken your countrey ransacked spoyled your children brethren kinsfolkes countrimen and friends slaine and killed and your goods wasted and lost you know all of you how to remedy it and confesse that you know it and yet there is none of you that will resolue nor shew himselfe forward for the publike common good as well as for the particular good of euerie one and there is none that either speaketh or talketh of it saying let vs free our countrey let vs succour our friends let vs cast out and driue away our enemies I will doe this or that I will giue thus much for the publike and common good of my countrie Are you so straight laced for so small a matter which should redeeme you and set you altogether in peace rest and quietnesse and which should deliuer your friends who will serue you as a rampier or bulwarke and will cast your enemies out of your prouinces and will driue them into a corner where they shall feare you more then they doe now scorne and contemne you I am sore afraide that before many daies be past you will confesse you wept hitherto but for trifles in comparison of that which is to come I pray God you doe not follow the steps of Antiochus who seeing himselfe vanquished by the Romanes for want of following the counsell of Hanniball was greatlie astonished but all too late And hee then esteemed Hanniball not onely sage and prudent but also euen as a Prophet for that he had foretold him all that which afterwards happened vnto him Awake therfore I pray you and consider well vppon that which I counsell you for your good and that he which doth aduise you to it doeth desire it as your poore seruitour and friend who hath as great a care of your safeties preseruation as of his owne and who hath often