great desire and affection his people of Lisbone beseecheth the Lorde to graunt him a long life for thereon depends all our good hoping that in time it may alter many things which nowe holdeth vs in carefull consideration The wounde of afflictions which this Realme hath suffered is yet so greene and so lamentable as we will not at this present make mention thereof It sufficeth they are such as the memorie will neuer be extinct whilest the worlde continueth and although we be bound to lay the fault vpon our owne offences yet may we attribute a parte to the negligence of the people and of such as at that time did gouerne the common wealth But being expedient not to heape error vpon error it seemes we ought with a liuely voice and due humilitie cry vnto your highnes that as a iust and holy king you woulde preuent the miseries that hang ouer vs It cannot enter into our thoughts to mooue you to marriage being no iudges of your conscience and disposition but we may well say if these two cōsiderations do allow it why do you suffer the delay of one day If you be resolued not to marry your Highnes ought with the like care to say vnto such as pretend to the succession that within a time prefixed they shoulde come to deliuer their reasons that if the successor be a naturall borne the people shal haue some breathing from the afflictions they suffer if he shall be a stranger it seemes conuenient they shoulde know it and haue leisure to aduise what to do For if our sinnes permit that the Lorde shall call away your Highnes being in the state we are now what shall become of vs being most apparant that all such as pretend to haue any title do consult arme plot and measure their forces while the people remaines doubtfull not knowing with reason vnto what part to incline Your Highnes dying in this time before the deciding of the cause we beseech you to cōsider the oppressions they shal suffer the spoilings the murthers the dishonoring of women and holy things and all other excesse which is commonly practised in such times the which may be wholie auoided by knowing who shall succeede vnto the crowne We do solicite your Highnes to sweare a Prince for it may be he that at this present hath interest to this Realme God may call him before your Highnes but the contrary hapning we may plainly knowe who shall succeed for heerein consistes the quiet of this Realme if you do it not willingly or that there be any let you ought to consent that the people declare one especially they of the citie of Lisbone vpon whom all Portugall dependes The holie Ghost who is the guide of kings inspire your Highnes that by his merits the anger of God may be pacified the which he powreth downe vpon vs for our offences and grant that we may amend our liues and preserue your Highnes in health for which all his people praie In this manner the officer of the Chamber spake in vaine but forasmuch as it seemed vnto the king ouer ruled in this respect by the diuine power that the remedie was not so easie nor the matter so soone decided as they supposed he made answere that it was a care grauen in his hart the which he woulde effect with all possible speede resoluing to haue regard vnto it But this succession gaue greater cause both to thinke talke secretlie and openlie in Castill then in anie other place for the King resoluing by all possible meanes to vnite Portugall with his other Kingdomes the Nobilitie did not willingly entertaine it but did seeme that the greatest from Charles the fifth forwards had not tasted the greatnes of the King lesse respecting them then had done the auncient Kings of Castill making them march in one degree of equall iustice with their inferiours The other Gentlemen and common people were nothing enclined to this vnion Saying that if this Realme were not separated from the rest of Spaine they shoulde haue no meanes to marrie their Kings daughters but into other prouinces which were dangerous both for that the women did not inherite and for the heresies wherewith the northren Regions bee at this present infected Manie and of all qualities who holding Portugall as the Sanctuarie of Castill were content with the separation remaining as an assured retreate for offenders It seemed to the King that hee shoulde not onely send a sufficient man thither to performe that office but also that it was necessarie that one of the chiefe of Spaine and best acquainted with the affaires of State shoulde goe to propound the cause of succession For this occasion they named as it is said Gasper Quiroga Cardinall and Archbishop of Toledo Ferdinand Aluares of Tolede Duke of Alua Anthony of Toledo Prior of the order of Saint Iohns master of the Kings Horse Frauncis Pacheco Cardinall of Burgos all principall personages Quiroga was thought verie fit by reason of his dignitie and wisedome togither with the experience he had gotten in the court of Rome hauing beene there long Auditor of the Rota The Duke of Alua for his authoritie experience and wisedome was thought the better for beginning to feare they should come to armes it seemed that he best could treate of the succession and withall sounde the Portugals forces and what succours they might drawe vnto them and afterwardes if neede required being a great captaine coulde by his aduise vndertake the warre with greater assurance Manie did approoue Anthony of Tolledo for besides the opinion they had of his wisedome he was accounted godly religious and otherwise vertuous the which they supposed woulde make him more pleasing vnto Henry But in the iudgement of the most aduised they preferred the Cardinall of Burgos for besides those other good parts which he enioied with the rest he was thought most able to treate the matter of State besides that being a priest and a Cardinall they shoulde seeme to sende vnto Henry a companion But notwithstanding there was not in Spaine any greater personages of like experience vnto these to mannage a matter of so great importance being the greatest that euer was presented vnto this crowne yet the preferred Peter Girone Duke of Ossuna and although his qualitie being great among the greatest of the Realme was woorthie of anie charge accompanied with manie vertues and some other particularities that were necessarie for the voiage notwithstanding some did attribute this election to the ordinarie diseases of the court and to the respects which Kings Councels doe commonly vse inferring thereby that therein he was extraordinarily fauoured by Peter Fassardo Marques de los Veles his kinsman at that time fauoured by the king Some said also and it may be not without grounde that it was not conuenient to sende anie personage into Portugall whose wisedome and iudgement were knowne vnto the worlde to the ende the Portugals shoulde not feare to treate freely with him of all
Catholique king vpon the frontiers where being better aduised they returned into the realme putting themselues in Castromarin with great discontentment There they made a decree repeating the deedes of Anthony from the time of king Henry vnto that day confirming the sentences which the said Henry had pronounced against him calling him rebell and troubler of the publique quiet They declared giuing testimonie of the intention of King Henry that king Philip was the true succussor They commaunded all cities places Noblemen and ministers of iustice to obey him resigning all their authoritie vnto him And although it seemed that all Iustice was now reduced to armes and that the King had no neede of this decree yet was it of great importance both to iustifie his cause with the people as also for that it made many cities to yeeld But Anthony made no reckoning of this sentence preparing for defence vpon the right side of the riuer of Tagus hee had yet no other nation but Portugals and such as he coulde gather togither where with he could not frame a campe vpon any necessitie for that the peasants and the people which were not entertained for the warre coulde not abandon their trades to goe to fielde and therefore he desired to haue mercenarie soldiers and finding that Frauncis Baretto staied long to bring any from Fraunce he dispatched Peter Dora then Consul of the French in that realme into Fraunce giuing him money to leuie two thousand men he named Diego de Meneses his Lieutenant generall and gaue the charge of his armie at sea to George de Meneses He vnderstoode well the course of the Catholique armie but trusting as well in the people as to the passage of the riuer he seemed to be well able to defend himselfe Hee grewe doubtfull being ill aduertised that whilest the Duke marched by small iourneies towardes Settuuall seeming to go thither he should take the way to Saint Arem as some would suppose there to passe the riuer of Tagus with more ease being narrow and after to march by land against Lisbone without regard of smaller towns Hauing therefore grounded a great part of his hopes vpon the defence of the passage of the riuer being amazed with this newes he sent to furnish it with men and armes But vnderstanding afterwards that the Duke was in truth approched to Settuual that he had taken Alcazar which is neere vnto it he called back the men which he had sent to Saint Arem and with some others which hee had forceablie gathered togither he sent them to Settuual forcing the Gentlemen one after an other and all in generall to go thither sometimes with punishments sometimes with entreaties and sometimes with promises of exemptions and priuiledges But for all this no man went willingly and such as were forced complained greatly The Nobilitie was small in number and such as were there nothing resolute the people easie to change vpon euery light occasion were slothful hauing conceiued an opinion that it was not lawfull to fight against Christians so as some fled some hidde themselues and some complained The kings ministers being newe men ill affected and not fashioned to commaund as those which had the reines at libertie did tyrannize with absolute authoritie forcing al men with an vnaccustomed rigor to fight against their wils At that time they did tollerate within the citie infinite disorders and thefts to draw money from the marchants they imprisoned some which woulde not presently paie that which was demaunded of them If any tooke horse to goe out of the citie about their busines sodainly they saide they fledde into Castill and with this slander they seased vpon their persons and goods Hee was vnhappie that did commend the Catholique kings forces for he was either stoned imprisoned or condemned in a great summe of money they tooke from all men by force their horse and armes who so had little credite or no acquaintance with these new officers were ill assured Such as had reckonings to make with the Courte were in ill case for they were forced to paie what they did owe without compensation of what was due vnto them For this cause and for that they seemed friends to quietnes some of great meanes and verie honorable were imprisoned The barbarous decrees the commaundements that were made to surcease the paiments and rents to binde euerie man to retire into the citie and stande to the defence the opening and spoiling of houses that were shut vp were infinite there was nothing but rigour and rudenes and all was executed by men who with their ignorance bad inclination expresly to cause disorders made commaundements inobseruable the crosses of militarie orders especially those which carrie the title of knights of Christ sometime held in reputation were now giuen to many base and vnwoorthie persons by the intercession of one or other The new Christians who were neuer admitted to these orders nor to the degree of Nobilitie nor to any royall offices were sodainely by the fauour of this man mounted to what degree they pleased not for that he was beholding to anie that had succoured him in the time of his necessities but for that he was easily perswaded by whōsoeuer The black Negroes to whom for the great number there is of them in the citie of Lisbone armes were defended were sodainely all armed and as it were free commaundement being made that all such as woulde serue in this warre vnder captaines likewise Moores assigned for that purpose might do it against the will of their masters and without paying for which cause all the slaues being assembled and conceiuing the Kings commaundement to be more in their fauour then it was shaking off the yoke leauing their patrons they ranne vnto the citie where taking horse and armes by force where they found them they committed a thousand insolencies They coined money in the name of Anthony a quarter lesse then it was woont to be the reuenew of the crowne was wasted for besides that he extorted from the treasurers what he coulde he laide handes vpon the iewels of the crowne and vpon that most renowmed by the Portugals saddle and furniture for a horse inriched with stones brought from the Indies which was of great value The money which Henry had gathered togither for the raunsome of the Portugals which were slaues in Affricke was consumed and wholy spent And this liberty proceeded so farre that they sought into religious houses for the money which they thought had beene there laide in guard and hauing founde some although it appertained to friendes and faithfull persons to orphans and pupils yet was it seased on without number or weight togither with the siluer vessels of the same churches the which was violently carried away in some places and in other places with the consent of the religious men themselues Neither were the iewels and treasure which Marie the cousen of the said Anthonie left more assured being giuen to godly vses for the good
same reuenewes which they call the Knights of Christ bearing a red crosse and in the midst a white the which are bound to goe to the warre against infidels to whome Pope Alexander the sixth did since graunt libertie to marrie And their Kings hauing encreased their reuenewes a great part of their Nobilitie affected this order although they haue many times receiued men base and vnworthie A great part of this Realme was sometimes vnited to the crowne of Castill but in the yeere of our Lord one thousand one hundreth and tenne Alphons the sixth being King that part towards the north was separated giuing it in marriage for a certaine tribute to Henrie nephew to the Earle of Burgundie borne at Besanson marrying Therasie his bastard daughter for that comming out of Fraunce with Count Raimond of Tholouse his vncle who was after Earle of Gallicia he went to the warres which the Castillians had against the Moores that possessed Spaine And although some deriue the originall of this Count Henrie from Hungarie others from Aragon and from other places yet this is the most approoued opinion But it hapneth in the originall of Kings as of great riuers whose mouthes are knowne but not their springs Portugall was then obscure vntilled poore and reduced into streight limits yet Alphons Henry sonne vnto this first Earle did greatly augment it by his valiant exploits taking many places from the Moores by force against whom hauing woone a great victorie in a pitched battaile he was proclaimed King by his soldiors in a place called Campo d'Ourique and following his victorie woone Saint Arem and Lisbone remaining peaceable Lord of the Realme he had the title of King confirmed by Pope Alexander the fourth for a certaine small tribute Their first king which succeeded him named Alphonso the thirde did no lesse augment it by another meanes For hauing before his comming to the Crowne married with Matilda Countesse of Boloigne in Picardie being now in possession of the Realme he put her away of his owne proper motion and without cause taking to wife Beatrice bastard daughter to Alphonso the tenth King of Castill surnamed the wise to haue in dowrie with her as indeed he had the kingdome of Algarues So as their lymits being extended as they be at this present and the Moores subdued who kept them in martiall exercise they began since to make war with the Kings of Castill although their Dominions were alwaies greater then the Portugals the which they did so often and with such obstinacie that these nations all of one continent issued from one stocke of one language were enflamed one against the other with so mortall a hatred that it remaineth euen vntill this daie but more with the Portugals then the Spaniards And although these late warres did breede them more honor then profit yet were they not without some vtilitie for that this continuall exercise did maintaine them in discipline and keepe them from delights and idlenes capitall enimies to any State Since which time they haue not remained idle but inured vnto war wonne vnto themselues some honour vnder Iohn the first at the perswasion of Henry his sonne they laboured to take from the Moores certaine places in Affricke the which succeeded happily For in time they became Maisters in Mauritania Tingitana of the townes of Ceute Tanger and Arzilla and this is that auncient Zillia and other places which since they haue either lost or abandoned to the Moores as they did Arzilla being of great charge and small profit They onely maintained and defended the two first and built towards the West Mazagon being seated at the mouth of Hercules straites for holding those places the Moores should not harbor so neere vnto Spaine but they serue as a buckler vnto that Prouince By reason of these euents they extended their hopes yet further so as the Ilands of Madera not farre distant and the Terceres lying from Lishbone 850. miles in the fortie degree of latitude then vntilled and vninhabited were by them discouered and peopled And not yet content especially the said Henry who aspiring to higher matters though with lesse hope then the effect which followed they began sailing through the Ocean to coast Affricke searching new countries and nations So as running along that coast by the space of many yeeres they went on so far that comming to the other Hemisphere they discouered all Ethiopia And although Alphonso the fifth of that name and the twelfth King renewed the war against the Spaniard yet did they not discontinue their nauigation to their great good but in the end hauing made peace with the catholique King Ferdinand in the yeere of our Lord 1479. they had more leisure to think of their new conquest It is worth the obseruing that in capitulations then made it was particularly specified that the peace was concluded for a hundreth yeeres and one naming alwaies a certaine for an vncertaine But this prooued a prophesie for it continued iust a hundreth yeeres one for so much time passed from those wars vnto this which I vndertake to write if the words of the Treatie agree with the qualitie of the euent The Realme was greatly strengthened both with people and wealth and since encreased more when as Ferdinand and Isabell King and Queene of Castill in the yeere 1482. expelled the lewes out of their Dominions being then in great numbers they agreed with Iohn the second successor to Alphonso the fifth and obtained libertie paying eight duckats for euerie person to enter into his countrey vpon condition to depart at a certaine time prefixed and that the King should appoint them shipping to transport them So as vpon those conditions which were not fully obserued there entred about 20000. families and in euery one ten persons at the least the time of their departure expired and not performed many remained slaues others either vnwilling to depart or to loose their goods were baptized as the rest had done that remayned in Castill So as vnder the name of new Christians the greatest part remayned in Portugall vnknowen being vndistinguished and allyed for money with some Noblemen of the countrey they laboured to be admitted for citizens And although according vnto reason of State this manner of peopling were not good being of a nation different in blood and law the which in multiplying might cause an important diuision being many in number yet brought it great profit to the Crowne Since in the time of Emanuell the fourteenth King who began to raigne in the yeere 1495. they continued their new nauigation with greater feruencie and more quiet For the Castillians being growen mightier by meanes of the forces annexed to their Crowne and hauing by new alliances drawen vnto them the loue of the Portugales the one durst no more contend the other suffered them to liue in peace His predecessors hauing many yeeres coasted along Affricke they built a fort at Argin tooke the Islands of Hesperides which now are called
onely vnprofitable and ridiculous but did confirme the opinion of such as hold that Clergie men are as vncapable to gouerne in politique affaires as secular magistrates be in ecclesicall causes but God when he meaneth to punish taketh away mans vnderstanding and giueth him an ouerweening spirit euen so did he with the Portugals sending them chastisements for their offences committed in time of prosperitie or by his secret iudgements when as they thought themselues most secure their fall was the greater being in their greatest glorie For this nation the proudest in the world in this last warre of Affrick became slaues vnto the Arabians and Moores and being free in a short time by their warre against the Castillians were conquered by them whom they holde for their capitall enimies The afflictions of this Realme tooke their beginning in the twentieth yeere of the age of Sebastian who borne after the death of his father a little before the decease of his grandfather by entreaties and to the fatall ruine of his subiects strong of body and of a couragious minde full of ouerweening the which is a naturall vice in Portugals not content with his owne dominions resolued as it were by force to alter the quiet which his Realme had so long enioyed And although it seemed hard of execution being inuironed with the territories of Phillip of Austria King of Spaine his deare friend and kinsman more mightie than himselfe with whom he might not contend nor passe by land into any other countrey But as it is easie to perish for him that is desperate he let him vnderstande the excessiue desire he had to ruine himselfe all his He had first plotted a warre against the Indians which his kinsmen and subiects woulde not consent vnto But as there was some difficultie wholie to withdrawe the yoong Prince who had a warlike spirite from this enterprise such as were neere about him laboured to diuerte him by meanes of an other which they laide before him turning all his resolutions vpon Affrick to indomage the Moores which liue in that part which is called Mauritania Tingitana whereas the Portugals maintaine to their great charge vpon the borders of the Sea those three forenamed fortresses Ceute Tanger and Mazagon the buckler and key of Spaine by which the Moores haue heeretofore conquered it But this diuersion whereunto they perswaded the King was cause of great ruines proceeding from want of iudgement for although it were hard wholie to disswade him from the enterprise of the Indies and therefore conuenient to represent vnto him some other action yet shoulde they aduisedly haue foreseene not to drawe him from one mischiefe to thrust him into a greater But these men diuerted him from an enterprise farre off and of hard execution by representing vnto him a neerer easier to effect but more perillous And although they surmized he would not haue vndertaken it but with deliberation yet shoulde they not haue giuen too much confidence to his yoong age for the which the Iesuits were greatly blamed who hauing planted their religion in this Realme more then in any other of the worlde and with more zeale as enimies to the enimies of God they did encourage this yoong Prince whom Queene Katherine had giuen to them in charge to this enterprise with carefull instructions the which as then they might easily effect But finding the King soone after readie to execute it with rashnes they had no more the credite to diuert him being in disgrace So as this yoonge King bred vp amongst women religious persons delights and pleasures had a more bould and warlike spirite then if he had beene borne and nourished in the middest of armies He raised certaine troupes of footemen of his people of Lisbone whom he did inrowle and traine vp to the Pike and Harquebuse sending them once a weeke to the fielde to practise with intent to vse them when neede shoulde require The which he staied not long to effect For in the yeere 1574. he assembled against the will of the wisest certaine of his souldiers and with fower gallies and certaine ships and caruels passed into Affrick vnder colour to visite his Fortes although in his minde he had a desire to do more then he spake and as yoong and without experience thought to effect more then he did Being arriued in those countries he onely discouered finding his owne weakenesse but in light skirmishes which are made daily vpon those frontires with the Moores he shewed himselfe most willing to be in person vexing himselfe when he coulde not do as he desired but as a royall person it behooued him to containe himselfe within the tearmes of grauitie the which hee often exceeded Hee returned soone to Lisbone still deuising with himselfe some newe manner of warre and was so disquieted and carefull in his conceite that he neither saide nor did any thing that tended to other end deuising not as a king but as a priuate souldier to accustome his body to labour seeming vnto him by this meanes to make himselfe more strong and better able to endure the discommodities of warre This inclination wherein the heauens had some part was not gainsaid by any of his chiefe Counsell nor kinsmen of riper age who might haue disswaded him and drawn him to haue enioyed his Realme For although the action seemed rash yet ambition and feare of the Kings disgrace were of such force that the Nobles Magistrates and great persons who might haue forced him durst not open their mouthes nor oppose themselues against his will and if any one did mutter or speake to the contrary they were men of base qualitie and not admitted The Cardinall Henry his vnckle brother to Iohn the thirde his grand-father and Queene Katherine in whom flatterie shoulde finde no place had small credite with the King neither did they vse the authoritie they might haue had both fearing they shoulde not preuaile but loose with the Kings disgrace the small commandement was yet remaining in them so as by a fatall silence they suffered this yoong Prince to returne the second time into Affrick with apparant perill wherein Peter D'Alcasoua was a chiefe actor who hauing before time beene Secretarie of the Realme and Counsellour of the State greatly fauoured of King Iohn and Queene Katherine was now disgraced and put from his places when as the Cardinall Henry gaue the gouernment to King Sebastian the which hapned more by emulation and for that the Cardinall woulde settle a newe forme and plant newe officers in the managing of the affaires then for any faults that were imputed vnto him were they true or false But in the declining of fauorites it alwaies chanceth that faults serue rather to iustifie the ambition of an other then the offenders punishment And in these afflictions he had liued content for being wise and rich he had borne his aduersitie with a constant courage still expecting some meanes to returne into his place and dignitie the which fell out
matters but it was necessarie they shoulde esteeme him affable and curteous to discouer easilie vnto him their minds of which humour the rest were not And although on the one side the Cardinals did seeme fittest to treate with a king who was also a Cardinall they did think on the other side that Henry might take it ill to sende one vnto him who was equall with him in dignitie There hapned at the same time a matter which bred no small woonder in this court and in others likewise the which for that it chaunced to a person of whom we are often to make mention although it be somewhat from our purpose we will not leaue to report The Duke of Alua was banished by the kings commandement to Vzeda fiue and twentie miles from the court for that Fredericke his eldest sonne being taken at Tordefillas a village of that Realme for that he refused to marrie with one of Queene Isabella of Valoys her maides to whom as she said he had promised whilest the king was entreated by her friends to force him to marrie her he by the aduise of his father brake prison and was gone to Alua to marrie with Marie de Toleda his cosen daughter vnto Garcie he which was Generall at sea the which hee effected returning presently vnto the same prison The Duke bare this affliction with great humilitie and constancie so as all hatred ceasing his verie enimies did pittie his miserie This banishment was remarkeable both for his estate age and the notable seruices he had done vnto this crowne as also to see the integritie of the king who notwithstanding the necessitie he seemed to haue of his person in matters of importance that drewe neere could not cause him any thing to dissemble the execution of that which he thought fit for iustice or his reputation It was also remarkeable for the great offices which some Princes did in his fauour but most of all his holines who did instantly sollicite his deliuerie by the meanes of his Nuncio saying that although he coulde not presume of the kings iust intention but that the Dukes imprisonment proceeded from some great cause yet he coulde not in duty but performe this office It was saide this good will of the Pope towards the Duke proceeded from the seruice hee had done vnto the Apostolique seate hauing made long warre against the Infidels and heretikes and also for that which he had done against the Church it selfe effecting that which was conuenient to his king whilest as enimie hee was contrarie vnto it as he did defende it being a friend binding vnto him not onely Paule the fourth who was then Pope but also his successors And it seemes strange that the greatest loue they say the Church had vnto him sproong from the warre which he made against it The Deputies of Castill which were then in court laboured for him and although the king sent them worde they shoulde be contented and not sue vnto him for that he woulde not refuse anie thing they shoulde demaund yet this manner of demaunding and denying serued for a great office The King from the beginning was in hope to make himselfe peaceable Lord of the Realme of Portugall although he were not ignorant of the small inclination the Portugals had vnto him but hee let passe nothing which he thought fit to gaine their loues and to this effect he did write to all the chiefe cities of the Realme his pretention offering and threatning but in the greatest part his letters were not receiued in publike To the citie of Lisbone he did write in this manner Most noble and our welbeloued although I haue appointed Christopher de Mora to saie vnto you some things which you shall vnderstande from him yet woulde I giue you to knowe by my letters that there is no man in this world more then my selfe that hath felt the losse of noble king Sebastian my nephew and of his men The reasons for which I ought to haue this iust feeling are easie to be considered hauing lost a sonne and a friend whom I loued tenderly and in the same degree I held and hold all those that are lost with him for I doe cherish and loue all them of this Realme as my owne subiects And I thinke it is not vnknowne the great diligence I vsed to diuert his iourney as well personally my selfe at Guadalupa as also before and since by my ministers whereof many of the principall of this Realme are good witnesses But not to reuiue so great a griefe let vs lay apart the things which cannot be remedied fixing our eies on the true consolation which is that those afflictions were giuen by the hande of God and suffered by the greatnes of his prouidence we ought likewise particularly to comfort our selues that in this wretched and miserable age this Realme hath gotten for their Gouernour so Christian and wise a Prince as is the king mine vncle whose rare vertues and exemplarie life giueth vs cause with reason to expect that he will settle the present affaires in so peaceable an estate that we shall proceede in all things with the mildenes and gentlenes I wish for the loue I beare to all and singularly for the degree of amitie and affinitie which hath alwaies beene betwixt these two crownes and betwixt my selfe and the Lords of the same Realme being all of one bloud and my selfe and my children nephewes of noble king Emanuel being nourished and brought vp by the Empresse and Ladie my Mother For these causes and considerations I haue as great respect to the king mine vncle and as great cause to wish him a long and happie life as your selues But the affaires of the succession of this Realme being in the estate you know I haue with great consideration and due aduise examined the right which it hath pleased God by his secret iudgments to giue me And causing this action to be viewed by men of great learning and conscience both within mine owne Realme and without all doe finde that without doubt the succession thereof doth rightlie appertaine vnto me and that there liues not any at this day that can with reason contradict me by manie and cleere grounds being a male the eldest as it is apparently knowne And hauing resolued to make this point knowne to the noble King mine vncle with loue and due respect I haue earnestly entreated him that it would please him presently to declare it as he is bounde for the discharge of his conscience and for the bond he hath to doe right and iustice but most of al for that it concernes the preseruation peace rest augmentation and prosperitie of these Realmes and of all the subiects thereof the which hee ought both chiefly to care for and to procure seeing that besides the saide effects it shall cause an other of greater importance which is that which concerneth the seruice of God our Lord the assurance encrease of our holy Catholike faith I
thought good to doe the like office to this citie hauing regard vnto the fidelitie whereof it hath alwaies made profession being the chiefe of these Realmes assuring you therwithall that he that shall inherite is no forreine king but a naturall borne as I haue saide before seeing that I am nephew and sonne to your naturall Princes issued of the same bloude and will be alwaies a father to euerie one of you as you shall finde when it shall please God But at this time I will entreate you that with your wisedome and great experience you woulde consider and note wherein I may honour and fauour you not onely to conserue your liberties and priuiledges both ingenerall and particular desiring that all other cities of the Realme shoulde vnderstande the same whereof I praie you to giue them notice being requisite that euerie one shoulde know the loue and affection which I beare to all and it shall be iust that in knowing it you conforme your selfe to that which is the will of God whose iudgements and determinations no man may resist but we ought to beleeue that what he determines is for the best So as trusting that both this citie and the rest when time shall require will doe that whereunto they are bound I haue nothing to say but that besides the feeling which I haue had of miseries past I haue beene in particular grieued for the losse of so great numbers of the Nobilitie and Commons of this Realme whereof that battaile was the cause And therefore I require you to aduise what I may do for those that remaine yet slaues and write vnto me for although I both haue and daily had that care I haue thought fit and couenient yet shall I be glad to vnderstande your aduise that all thinges conuenient might bee performed for their deliuerie and rest assured that whatsoeuer shall concerne you I will deale in it with the loue of a father as you shall know more particularlie by the effects when as occasion shall serue to make triall thereof the which you shall vnderstande by Christopher de Mora to whom I referre you The Catholique king sent this Letter by the saide Mora to be deliuered to the Magistrate of the Chamber who going for that intent presented it vnto them But being troubled they doubted that in receiuing thereof they shoulde offende against the Crowne so as refusing it they willed him to take it with him and deliuer it to the King the which Mora denying it remained still with them vnopened And least they shoulde be ignorant of the contents he drewe a copie out of his bosome and read it vnto them publikely dispersing sundrie copies throughout the citie The orignall was by the Vereadures carried to the king This did smally further Philips affaires but rather hinder him and was by the wisest both of Spaine and Portugall and also by some of the Kings Counsell helde as a remedie not fitting the Portugals humour who generally hating the Castillians being newe and rude in this matter it was not probable they shoulde yeelde vpon a simple Letter At this time there came intelligence that he who had the charge of Embassadour of Portugall was not onely liuing in Alcazerquiuir although sore hurt but that the Cheriffe had released him was comming with the bodie of King Sebastian to Ceuta and from thence within fewe daies being at Christmas in the yeere 1578 they vnderstoode he was arriued at Ciuill his comming was by the best acquainted with the affaires of Portugall held verie profitable for returning to his charge he seemed more sufficient then anie other to treate of so weightie a cause being indued besides his good iudgement with many other good parts necessarie for the mannaging of such a busines For besides that he had good experience of King Henrie his disposition and the humour of the Portugals he was verie pleasing vnto them it may be for that he was of the house of Sylua who being verie noble in Portugall passed into Castill during the controuersies betwixt king Iohn the first and the master of the Auis and being borne of a Portugall mother they helde him for their countreyman Besides that with the fauour of King Sebastian he was married in Portugall with Phillippa de Silua heire to Aluaro de Silua Earle of Portalegra Lord Steward of the Kings house and one of the principall Noblemen of the Realme But whilest that euerie man expected his present departure from Ciuill to Portugall the King called him to Court saying that he woulde first instruct him by mouth of his intentions and of the present occurrents In the meane time the Duke of Ossuna arriued within the Realme who seeming to be sent onely to performe complements with the king he was lodged and roially entertained at the charge of the Court where hauing deliuered his simple legation he went to Settuuall to visite Magdalen Girone his sister widow to George d' Alencastro Duke of Auero but hee returned sodainly making shewe he had newe commission to treate of the succession wherewith king Henrie was greatly discontented being vnwilling to haue the presence of a personage so qualified on the behalfe of Philip as it were a witnes of his actions the which did likewise displease all the Portugals the rather for that with Mora he began to solicite the King to declare Philip successour of the Realme shewing vnto him formerly by many reasons that his title was iust Nowe did King Henrie at the great intreatie of his subiects resolue to set the best order he could touching the question of succession and to content them For this cause remaining greatly in suspence hauing consulted the matter with fewe but of his greatest fauorites they concluded after much counsell infinite opinions and many disputations that it was not conuenient at that time to declare any one Prince The reason was that the neerest heire vnto the Realme they supposed to be the Catholique King whom they hated most and therefore sought by all meanes possible to flie his commād thinking nothing more fit to effect it then to protract the nomination of the Prince not meaning to specifie any For naming any other they shoulde procure his indignation against them and giue him occasion or his heires that should succeed him to attempt an action better grounded whereas by delaying it there should remaine vnto them at the least this weake hope that the Catholique king although yoonger yet mortall might die before olde King Henry which hapning they shoulde be freed from the Castillians and then shoulde succeed as it is said the Duke of Sauoy of whom they had no such feare but woulde more willingly yeeld to his subiection The King supposed that Katherine Dutches of Bragance preceaded all other pretendents except the Catholique King aided as it may be by his owne naturall inclination he conuerted all his thoughts in her fauour and if it were possible to giue her the crowne writing to the vniuersitie
his forces And although the consideration had beene easie many protesting against it and many foretelling the future euent yet God tooke from them their vnderstanding as he doth from those whom he meaneth to punish and in this manner he hath depriued them of iudgement who aduise to take from the Catholique King the succession of the Realme They compared the amitie of Castill with that of Fraunce reporting the wrongs and pyracies which the French being at sea had daily done to Portugall and the small reckoning was helde of them that had complained and contrariwise the concord and rest which since the last peace made with the Castillians vntill that day they had enioyed without the breach of any one article blaming the manner of the French saying that they sought nothing else but to be admitted and after to become masters the which not succeeding they striued to be admitted to plead the equitie of their Kings cause seeking alwaies occasion to complaine They added that if the election were in the people and that the Catholique king had no enterest onely to be free from the French they shoulde vnite themselues with Castill that they might liue in peace and bridle this French furie which hath often throwne the Portugals aliue into the sea and slaine their gouernors and the Kings captaines by their Kings commission for by this vnion besides the seruice of God the French would feare and not spoile so boldly at sea They commended king Henry as iust and holie saying that the best resolution they coulde take was to fall at his feete beseeching him that seeing the Catholique king was the most honorable the most neerest and the eldest kinsman that he had that in the name of God he shoulde sweare him Prince according with him of the most necessarie points for the libertie of the Realme and shewing themselues conformeable to the bequest sometimes made by king Emanuell That they should not loose this occasion during his life but laying aside their obstinate intercessions labour iointly to flie the warre and not be forced to yeelde to Castill at such time when as it shoulde not be acceptable perfourming the which they shoulde not onely preserue their owne goods but inherite others seeing the greatnes of Castill doth indifferently admit all subiects Spaniards to the greatest dignities bringing for examples that the Archbishop of Toledo and the office of the President of the Councell roiall which be the highest dignities spirituall and temporall were not then enioied by Castillians They protested that if they stopped their eares to the truth and did open them to apparant lies they shoulde feele within their owne home warre with the murthers spoiles theftes and burnings it bringes with it On the other side the Portugals made answere to their letters saying they desired no warre but woulde defende themselues against any that shoulde attempt it They alleaged many reasons of their iustice and force with auncient examples of the holie Scriptures whereas small numbers in a iust cause haue vanquished a great armie They refuted that opinion that God by the vnion of these Realmes would fortifie in Castill an arme of the church shewing many grounds wherby they should iudge the contrarie blaming the sacke of Rome and some other vnwoorthy actions of the Castillians They laboured much to prooue that the Prior of Crato was legitimate that King Henrie had bin a most passionate iudge in that cause They spared not to touch the reasons of the Dutchesse of Bragance shewing that she ought to precead the Catholique King in the succession They condemned the said King saying that distrusting his Title he had prepared to armes They shewed by a long discourse that the vnion of Portugall would neither breed them profit nor honour but losse and dishonour were the conditions neuer so ample and good drawing examples from Flaunders and Aragon shewing that the behauiour of the Spaniardes in the Low-countries had beene the cause that those people had rebelled against God and against their temporall Lord They did obiect that all nations subiect to the Catholique King were reputed his subiects in matters of charge and burthens of the warre but in honours recompences and exemptions they were vnknowen They valued not the Kings forces saying that if it were fearfull to other Prouinces yet was it not so in Spaine beeing apparent that by reason of the barrennes of that countrey he could entertaine no great Armies neither durst he for the weaknes of the places draw in mercenarie souldiers bringing for example the war of Granado where incountring but with fower disarmed Moores there was so great daunger with the losse of so many men They added moreouer that the King had not at this day one Captaine of account naming a number which were of the Seminarie of Charles the fifth who were all dead and not any other which had succeeded them imitating the Kings humour who loues rest more then armes by meanes whereof he had not augmented his Realme but lost Goletta with the States of Flaunders and had yet made greater losses had there beene other Kings liuing in this age but that in Fraunce England and Portugall the Scepters were in the hands of women and children They concluded that it was not credible that the Catholique King notwithstanding his threatnings and his prepared forces woulde take armes in Spaine for that his forces being vnited he was in daunger vpon the least contrarie euent that some of his Prouinces would rebell against him and that the French being a stirring nation would imbrace this occasion besides that being now old and the howres of his death vncertaine hee should consider that not inioying the Realme of Portugall in peace and dying with an Armie in Spaine hauing no heires but pupilles hee should leaue them in danger not onely to be depriued of the possession of Portugall but also to be much troubled in Castill and his other Kingdomes of Spaine labouring to prooue that the Kings were not there beloued as in Portugall Then began the yeere 1580. a yeere full of miseries and afflictions for the Portugals not onely by reason of the warre which followed but also for the dearth and plague for that the season hauing beene verie drie the fruit of the earth was in a manner all lost neither had the husbandmen in many places reaped what was sowne besides there came not from Fraunce and Germanie such quantitie of corne as was vsuall But this miserie was supportable in regard of the rest for neuer was the scarsitie so great but things necessarie would be found for money That of the contagion was most cruell for hauing runne through Italy Germanie England and a part of Fraunce it came finally into this Realme from whence it spread throughout all Spaine but most of all in the citie of Lisbone hauing begonne lightly the yeere before it increased at the entring of this spring and so augmented all sommer but declined in the fall This contagious mortalitie
should call him before eleuen So as being turned on the other side he remained somtime but being called by the Religious he asked againe what it was a clocke being answered that it was eleuen O giue me said he that candell for now my hower is come and taking it in his hand died soone after hauing raigned seuenteene moneths This was the last King of Portugall in whom ended the direct masculine line And as the first Lord of Portugall although vnder the Title of an Earle was called Henrie so doth it seeme the last should be so termed He was thin of bodie small of stature and leane of his face as for his wit it was indifferent indued besides the Latine toong with some knowledge He was alwaies held to be chast and did neuer blemish this angelicall vertue but with the desire of marriage in his latter daies He was accounted sparing giuing rather then denying for he refused seldome but he gaue sparingly he was ambitious of all iurisdiction as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuil zealous in Religion and the faith yet in the reformation of religious persons he was more stricte then was conuenient He was Bishop Gouernour of the Realme Inquisitor Maior legate Apostolique and King But the more he mounted the more he discouered his incapacitie suffering himselfe in greatest matters to be ruled by his ministers not being able to determine the cause of the succession Opinions were grafted in him with great obstinacie retayning a continuall remembrance of wrongs so as iustice was in him but an iniust execution of his owne passions and for this cause a religious man whom he had pressed to take vpon him a most strict course of life said vnto him that he would obey seeing there was no humaine helpe against his commandements seeing he had the wil of a man the authority of a Pope the execution of a king Finally he was indued with great vertues with fewer lesse vices yet were they equal for he had the vertues of an Ecclesiasticall person and the defects of a Prince during his life he was feared of many and beloued of few so as no man lamented his death onely such as were well affected desiring the cause had beene first decided before his decease had some feeling These things happened in Almeryn where suddenly the fiue named Gouernours did assemble to prouide for that which should be necessarie tearming themselues Gouernours and Protectors of the Realme of Portugal But in this beginning after the kings death they feared some mutinie of the people both at Almeryn and at Lisbone neither did the gouernours themselues nor the Catholique Kings Agents thinke themselues secure They hated the assembly of the Deputies of the Realme which were continued at Saint Arem both for that they held it as a superiour councell as also fearing it might cause some insurrection of the people and therefore they did still abuse them with words differing from their meanings for which cause they sent Martin Gonzalues de la Camera a gentleman of the church who in the time of Sebastian held the first place in the gouerument of the Realme which he could not continue for although he were not couetous of riches but full of integritie yet was he seuere and hard to be intreated that they held him inexorable Him they sent being a popular man and contrarie to the Catholike King whose words they thought should be of more credit then any others hauing particularly reported the Kings death hee said that the Gouernours chosen at the last estates began to looke vnto the gouernment and to giue order for things necessarie to the Realme And although the death of King Henrie were a great losse yet being in heauen he would mediate for them and that they should rest assured that with the greatest zeale and loue to their countrey they could they would indeuour to doe iustice as well to those of the Realme in the pretention they had to the election as also to the pretendents to the succession That they would deliuer them all writings whereof they had neede exhorting them to treat with peace and loue without causing of any mutinie were it neuer so small in any mans fauour and for the better ordering of that which concerned the common good they were well pleased they should put them in minde of any thing which they thought necessarie Hauing ended this speech all men keeping silence Phoebus Moniz answered that they were all assured that of the fiue Gouernours three were suspect for when the King laboured to bring the States to make agreement with King Philip they were not onely conformable to the will of Henrie but did vrge them and commended this resolution without respect of the libertie of the Realme seeking onely to please the Kings humour and their owne interest which being it was not reasonable to suffer such suspected Gouernours whom they were not bound to obey and this was the opinion of them all Martin replied that he was not of opinion they should then alter any thing for in steed of helping they should heape danger vpon danger and trouble vpon trouble that for a while they should be lookers on and if in time they should finde the Gouernours not to doe their duety as they ought they might then helpe with the same remedie seeing they had alwaies authoritie to doe it whereunto although Phoebus Moniz answered that this remedie could not alwais be applied for that the councel could not stil be vnited for the great charges they were at yet the reasons of Martin Gonzalues were of such force that they resolued not to alter the Gouernours as a matter scandalous but accepting what they had sent to be said vnto them that they should aduise what they thought necessarie they began suddenly to set downe in writing such Articles as they would haue perfourmed by the Gouernours The which were that leauing the aboade at Almerin they should goe to Saint Arem to be neerer neighbours more in quiet and in greater safetie that for the auoiding of charge and scandall they should discharge the Souldiers as vnnecessarie That presently they should sende Ambassadors to the Catholique King that as Gouernours of the Realme they would do iustice to the pretendents in the cause of succession the which his Maiestie should beleeue not suffering within his Realme any attempt against Portugall That they should presently prouide for the fortresses of the Realme as well vpon the sea as in other places sending trustie Captaines garrisons and necessarie munition and to euerie Prouince men of great authoritie to force men to defend and succour the weaker parts that they should send some vnto his holines giuing him to vnderstand the Kings death their succession to the gouernment of the Realme for the defence thereof against any one that would vsurpe it contrarie to equitie against the sentence which should be pronounced touching the succession beseeching him to write to the Catholique King to rest
with money although Balthasar de Faria Deputie of Barcellos the Pryor of Saint Steuens and the Bishop of Parma euerie one apart did offer money to such as wanted that the assembly might not be dissolued yet the Deputies vnfurnished would not accept thereof not willing to be bound in their owne proper names for that their cities were bound to furnish them Besides in this assembly the opinions were diuers few inclined to fauour the pretention of the Catholike king many knew not what to resolue a great part were affected to the Prior but all in generall feared the Gouernors mistrusted their proceedings so as besides the aduertisements they sent daily vnto them they did solicite the execution making new demaunds pressing them aboue al to discharge the soldiers They demanded a copie of the authority to gouerne left them by King Henrie the words of his will which concernes the point of succession the which were wholy deliuered vnto them his wil was made 8. moneths before cōtained these words Seeing at the time of my will making I haue no descendents directly to succeed to the Crowne of these realmes and haue called my nephewes which may pretend and haue put the matter of succession in Iustice I do not at this time declare who shall be my successor but leaue it vnto him to whom by right it shall appertaine him I doe declare my heire successor except that before my decease I shall name him that hath this interest And therefore I command all men within these my realmes of what quality soeuer that presētly after I or the iudges appointed shal haue named him to acknowledge him for heir lawful successor so to obey him There followed many other words in recōmendation of iustice religiō but they serued not to this purpose And although his wil contained these words yet they say the King at his death would haue resourmed it declared the Catholike king successour of the realme But the Gouernors desirous to hold the gouernment for a time in their own hands did diuert him saying That whether he made any declaration or not no other then the Catholike king could succeed both by law force that it was not expediēt to nominate him to the end that the realme might with greater aduantage capitulate agree with him Many supposed that they did not disswade the king from this declaration so much for these reasons as fearing it would breed som popular sedition to their hurt being held as autors of the said declaration The limitation which he had left to the Gouernors contained that they could not create Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons Bishops nor Archbishops nor giue any commandery nor reuenue which passed 125. duckats But in matters of war reuolutions they might doe giue any thing with the aduise of the councel not otherwise The deputies being satisfied with these writings whilest they debated the reasons of their pretended election Stephen Lopez Doctor deputy of Portalegré spake publikely amongst them who hauing shewed how fit it were to giue God thanks for the quiet they now enioyed said it was not necessary to continue so many deputies stil together with so much trouble so great charge that they should be reduced vnto few the rest returne to their houses And for as much as they were aduertised that the Catholique King began to arme they should surcease from the cause of succession vntill the said King had dismissed his forces and the preparatiues for war he had made for by that meanes the free libertie to treat of the cause and for the pretendents to alleage their interest was taken away That by the suspension of the cause they shall discouer the Catholique Kings disposition in laying aside armes If he doe it it shall breed these good effects That in the meane time they shall haue leisure to prouide for things necessarie to gather in the fruits of the earth and the pretendents shall liue in peace and quiet if he refuse it which we ought not to beleeue of so Christian a Prince then shall they be satisfied and both the States and the pretendents vnited in one bodie may the better defend themselues and when as all things were quietly setled then to determine the cause disabling notwithstanding before all things the saide Catholique King who vsing force when as iustice is offered him for being King of these Realmes And this he said was the disposition of the lawe that in the meane time they should commaund the Pretendents to the Crowne to make their residence in diuers places the one at Elues and the other at Begia as fronter townes swearing not to attempt any thing one against the other The reasons of this Doctor as a man of small account were not followed but the councell being resolued with two others of the States to send six Deputies to Almerin to treat of matters of importance with the Gouernours Thither they sent them with instructions different from this fourme of speech videlicet that the Gouernours should passe to Saint Arem and there make their residence to take a view what armes men and munition the citie of Lisbone had for their defence to supply what wanted to take notice what Captaines be appointed in the fortresses vpon the riuer of Lisbone and being suspected or not valiant to place others with men and other necessaries That they should send armes to all cities of the Realme and traine vp their men with exercise thereof that they should beseech the Pope by his Ambassadours to perswade all the pretendents to take the course of iustice and lay aside armes vpon paine to loose the interest they pretend requiring that Emanuell de Portugal purueyor of the fortresses of the Realme might be restored to the same office whereof the King had suspended him and that they should do the like to Diego Salema and to Aluaro de Morais in their offices in the Chamber of Lisbone And for that they found themselues tobee vnfurnished they would haue all the ships vessels staied throughout all the ports of the realme for the conducting of things necessarie for the war The Gouernors made but a cold answere to these demands as they had done before to all others saying that being matters of so great importāce they would consider of them first then aduertise them what should be done The Cheriffe had as it is said before in the life of King Henrie and at the instance of the Catholique King deliuered the Duke of Barcellos who hauing passed the streight to returne into Portugall being arriued at Gibralter where as afterwardes at Saint Lucar the Duke of Medina Sidonia Lord of those places did him great honour by meanes whereof he spent sometime in sports At this time the newes comming of King Henries death the Duke of Medina thought it a matter importing the Catholique King to deteine the saide Duke of Barcellos
he should preuaile in recompence of the discontentment he had to be drawen from Italy Many beleeued the King would goe to this war in person both for the inclination they see in him as for some other signes which were apparant for he not only caused his armes and pauillions to be readie but also commaunded Ferrant de Silua Conte de Cifuentes Guidon Maior of Castill with the Standard Royall to furnish himself the which in that Realme is not accustomed to be carried but in the Squadron where the King is in person but in this case it behooued him to remaine irresolute and to gouerne himselfe according to the necessitie and occasions which time should discouer In this hope of things the King commaunded a Secretarie of the councell of warre to write to the Duke of Alua demaunding of him if he were able to serue in this enterprise whereunto making answere that in that which concerned his Maiestie he neuer made reckoning of his health hee was commaunded to prepare himselfe within three daies and to goe to the campe the which he putting in execution he went to Barrazas a village ten miles from the court which was at Madrill hauing no leaue to come thither but that which caused admiration the king hauing at the same time caused the Prince Diego his sonne to be sworne by all the estates in a Chappell although with ordinarie ceremonies yet with lesse pompe then of custome did not admit the saide Duke to the oath being so neere and so great a personage He did neither write vnto him nor treated with him concerning these warres but long after So as the Duke marching with the armie finding himselfe not fully released from the prison wherein he had beene saide that the King had sent him to conquer Realmes drawing after him chaines and fetters such was the seueritie of Philip and the obedience of so great a minister All Spaine was pleased with this election for besides the deliuery of the Duke which followed they esteemed not the valour of their soldiers without a Commaunder to their mindes and in the Dukes person they helde any armie good The Generall being dispatched the King prouided all things for his iourney into Portugall he caused a daughter borne at that time to be secretly baptized and hauing made the saide prince of Castill to be sworne without calling or the presence of Ferrant de Sylua to his great discontentment the King went to Guadalupa being now the time of Lent vnder colour to performe the obsequies of King Henry there and so to draw neere vnto Portugall to giue encouragement to his affaires and thus did he write to all the principall cities in Spaine He departed from Madrill in coach almost all alone without giuing order for the Queenes departure or for the officers of his Courte notwithstanding cherishing her dearely After he had passed two daies seeming conuenient and a great signe of amitie that being now to enter into Portugall he shoulde be accompanied with his Queene he called her vnto him The Duke was now gone to Glierena where a part of his armie lay being in farre lesser numbers then had beene leuied for that discommodities and sicknesse had consumed many and many places were voide by the Captaines pollicie being in all but fower thousand fiue hundreth Italians three thousand fiue hundreth Germaines and three thousand Spaniards come out of Italy and other seauen thousand newly raised with fifteene hundreth horse which being a body long before prepared for a matter so well foreseene seemed to him but small But the Duke trusting more to the qualitie then the quantitie of his soldiers desired to haue them fewer and of more experience and these seemed in a manner all without knowledge and therefore the King at his entreatie commanded that all the soldiers which were come out of Flaunders into Italy should passe into Spaine being such whom he knew and had tried in the warres yet they arriued not in time but returned backe The Duke saide that surmounting the enimie in horse he would vndertake this warre with twelue thousand foote well experienced neither did he value the great number of the Portugals which assembled as it was giuen out making reckoning to waste them by policie to conquer them without battaile The King being come to Guadalupa there arriued the Bishop of Coimbra and Emanuel de Melo Embassadors from the Gouernours of Portugall The King with his Councell were doubtfull in what sort to honor them some would haue them treated like subiects without respecting them as Embassadors Others would not haue any thing altered of the ordinarie course obserued in those causes yet not to discourage them it was resolued they should be heard as Embassadors with their heads couered and that the King should put off his hat yet the King had written before to the Gouernors that he would treat with their Commissaries as with subiects These laboured by a long speech to perswade the King to lay aside armes they saide that King Henry had greatly desired to end the question of succession by the ordinarie course of iustice but that death had preuented him he had in the States held at Lisbone in the yeere 1579. not onely chosen Gouernors and defenders of the Realme but the States had also named fower twentie Iudges whereof the King had chosen eleuen to iudge definitiuely the cause of succession if he died before the effecting it the which after hapned and that the matter being brought to that passe the realme remained quiet and peaceable resolute to obey and acknowledge for their Lord and King him in whose fauour sentence should be giuen conformable to the oath which the whole Realme had taken in the said estates the which was after ministred to the same Gouernors in the great church at Lisbone when as the coffer which contained the nomination was opened and therefore they were readie to administer iustice and to acknowledge for King him vnto whom the realme shoulde be iudged by right to appertaine and being thus affected they beseeched his maiesty to command his embassadors to assist iudicially to the cause in the conclusion thereof But the King being assured of his right prouided of forces and seeming no blot to his conscience made answere that he was well pleased with the shew of zeale to the publike good of these realmes and that he was perswaded that what they had propounded proceeded from a good inclination that he would haue bin glad their demand had bin such as he might haue satisfied them the which he wil do alwaies in matter that shall be iust tending to the generall or particular good of these realmes But the equitie of his cause being so apparant to the world remaining no lawfull or competent iudge they neither ought nor could performe the oath which they saide they had taken seeing it were an apparant preiudice to his title and a domage to his owne realmes and therefore he
obserued not the custome of all nations which is that when an armie enters master of the field they commaund all places which cannot defend themselues to yeeld to the end they may auoide the violent course of warre to slaie all such as make resistance whereas not vsing of this rigour they shall be forced to bring the cannon before euerie cottage and make the warre perpetuall yet this letter neuer induced them to set a resolute order to any towne They were wel resolued to giue the realme to the Catholique King yet coulde they not conclude for the effecting thereof They feared in a manner to be stoned if they discouered this intention and therefore they woulde not hazard themselues loosing daily all hope to bring the matter to that passe that the King should acknowledge the crowne from them as they pretended Besides the King being wholie of an other minde they knew not what they could do if they had would The people who flatter themselues much and endure little supposed the defence was easie euery man shewed himselfe a lion for the defence of his owne house yet woulde they not go armed to fielde Those of the house of Portugall and the other aduersaries to the Catholique King were in no lesse confusion then the Gouenours for hauing beene obstinate in their opinions they found they had mooued the indignation of Philip against them without profite And although they were more confident in the defence then they ought to be yet did they feare the kings protestations by the which demaunding possession of the realme he threatned such as should withstand him The Agents of the Catholique King laboured to suborne those as they had the rest yet it preuailed not for being in the beginning obstinate confident in the midst and distrustfull in the end to obtaine pardone they woulde neuer agree yet left they not to hope that the more they proceeded in the defence the better they shoulde let the King vnderstand their forces and might compound with greater aduantage And for that the warres continued the Gouernors supposed that in this forte the King shoulde acknowledge the crowne from them But he being well enfourmed of all these matters and hauing treated with many frontier townes of Portugall to yeeld hauing imparted vnto them the equitie of his cause by ample allegations entreating them not to be the cause of the ruine of the realme hauing caused Peter de Velasco soueraigne iudge of Badagios to write to some particulars he first attempted Eluas as neerest vnto him The Citizens fearing they should either in deed or worde be first set vpon attended daily this Embassage They were deuided as it often happens into two contrarie factions the one enclined to the obedience of Philip the other vnder colour of liberty fidelity to the Gouernors would by no meanes receiue him for their Lorde The heades of the first partie were George Passano and Iohn Rodrigo Passano brothers followed by many Citizens whom they call Esquires On the other side was Anthony de Melo captaine of the citie whose opinion was followed by the greatest part of the Nobilitie but in farre lesse nnmber then the rest whereas euery man spake his minde openly Diego de Meneses had beene there a little before to fortifie the citie and seeking to enlarge their ditches he found it a matter of some difficultie so as he departed without effecting any thing saying that he would returne with armes which the Gouernours shoulde sende whereof failing the Citizens knew well they coulde not resist True it is that the King had long before prepared their mindes by the meanes of Frier Vincent of Fonseca a preaching Frier kinseman to the Passani a noble familie and well followed enclined from the beginning with al their followers to the deuotion of Philip he vsed all meanes to drawe the rest vnto him yet the day of Th' annunciation of the blessed Virgin this religious man preaching labouring to perswade the people to the Kings obedience they did not willingly heare him So as now when he sought to take possession thereof hauing dispatched many messengers to the Bishop and Anthony de Melo in the ende he sent Peter de Velasco with letters to the principall of the towne and procuration to receiue this citie to his obedience Being arriued at Eluas the xvij of Iune with eighteene men vnarmed although the gates were shut by reason of the infection yet was he presently let in by the iudge of the towne and going to the church of pittie he caused the Bishop the Magistrate of the chamber and the Nobilitie to be assembled to whom he deliuered the letters which the King had written containing in substance that the matter being apparant that the succession of the realme belonged vnto him he had sent the saide Peter with procuration to receiue it vnto his obedience if they woulde yeeld it adding vnto his kinde wordes many offers And although the Bishop Melo and the Magistrate of the chamber receiued these letters and read them yet the Nobilitie did not accept them so easilie for that some feared to commit an errour and others debating who shoulde receiue them they did not accept them yet they agreed that Frier Anthony de la Cerda Prior of the Monasterie of Saint Dominick shoulde receiue the letters for the Nobilitie and bring them to the cathedrall church so as all letters being read Melo and the Magistrate who preceaded the rest demaunded eight daies libertie to consult and to giue their answere intending in the meane time to sende to the Gouernours the which Velasco would not graunt but saide vnto them that he woulde presently returne wishing them to aduise and not to cause the armie which his Maiestie had so neere to march to their losse yet they sent Gaspar de Britto to Stremos where Diego de Meneses generall of that prouince remained to aduertise him of what had passed remaining thus in suspence vntill the next day When as the Passani enformed of Melos intention contrarie to their will and authoritie resolued to kill him if he refused to yeeld and had alreadie incensed the people against him causing many to giue out publikely that they woulde be Castillians Velasco went after to the castell to perswade Melo in priuate to make the matter more easie and not to shewe himselfe without reason enimie to the King But it was in vaine for he saide that he had receiued this place from the Gouernors and that he woulde not yeelde it to any man without their commandement If it were adiudged to appertaine vnto the King he woulde presently yeelde Standing vpon these tearmes there appeared by the commandement of Velasco about the towne ditches neere sixe hundreth horse armed who seased vpon the wels and conduits of water which serued the inhabitants for their watering putting the Portugals into great feare so as nowe the women began to crie and to curse Melo and all those that woulde not yeeld obedience vnto the king Some
at the rising of the sunne hauing discouered the truth this feare vanquished yet did there a greater seaze vpon euery mans minde for vnderstanding in trutth the Duke to be strong they began to heare newes of the soldiers insolencies which disbanded and drewe daily neerer giuing no small astonishment to see certaine Negro slaues returne wounded who hauing rashly passed with their ensignes to the other banke were ill entreated by some horse and shot of the enimie They founde that Anthony made no preparation neither had he any forces to resist gouerning himselfe with small iudgement and therefore he neither knew how to fight nor which way to flie neither yet how to yeelde himselfe He was daily in counsell with his men but as he suffred himselfe to be gouerned by many whose authorities were equall and their opinions diuers so did he neuer resolue any good thing as it hapneth often in the like accidents They then propunded more plainly then before the treatie of an accorde and although some who before did seeme brauest shewed themselues nowe more milde yet for that the Counte of Vimioso being a yoong man perswaded to warre no man durst contradict him He affected the charge of generall but hee knewe not by what meanes to displace Diegode Meneses who enioied it so as contrarying one an other they prouided slowly for things necessarie whereunto was a great hinderance the credite that Anthony gaue to Edward de Castro a rich yoong man to whom he was bounde hauing furnished him with money who desirous to shew himselfe valiant obtained a commission to assemble what horse he coulde vnder his cornet imploying him in matters of greater authoritie then was fitte for his base qualitie His holines hauing intelligence of the refusall the Catholique king had made touching his entermedling in the cause doubted least the wars of Portugall shoulde alter the quiet of all Christendome In the beginning hee had shewed himselfe newter to both Kings seeming to bee doubtfull in himselfe to whether part hee should encline whether vnto Henry that woulde giue the crowne vnto the Dutchesse of Bragance or to Philip that sought it for himselfe for by reason of state he should not be wel pleased to see these two realmes vnited whereby the Catholique king shoulde become more mightie and superior in forces to all other princes yet did he not willingly seeme to oppose against him fearing to displease a Prince that had deserued well of him But vnderstanding that the two kings were agreed and that Henry had changed his minde and laboured to giue the realme to Philip he then made it manifest that he would fauour Anthony and the Portugals the which was more apparant after the death of King Henry when as hee laboured to haue the cause of succession ended by sentence But Philip in regard of the qualitie of the iudges detested this decision But his Embassadors hauing laboured in vaine in this respect Philip growing iealous and not greatly trusting the Popes good meaning woulde not put to compremise that which he seemed to holde certaine His holines determined to sende a Cardinall into Spaine expresly to treat vpon this busines Therefore before the Prior was proclaimed king he dispatched Cardinal Alexander Riario his Legat vnto Philip with commission to disswade the king from armes and from thence to passe into Portugall to fauour this busines with commission likewise to offer himselfe for iudge in the Popes behalfe vnto all the pretendents There were diuers discourses in Spaine vpon the comming of this Legat and although the Castillians feared not his sentence seeming hee shoulde not offer himselfe alone to determine so great a matter in Spaine if he had no meaning to pronounce it in fauour of Philip yet they helde it not conuenient to put the matter into his hands being of opinion that the Pope vnder colour to perfourme the office of a generall father came as it is saide to make himselfe absolute iudge of realmes that besides the extraordinarie authoritie he shoulde draw vnto the Aposto like sea hee shoulde binde the king vnto his house by giuing him a kingdome For this cause the King hauing intelligence of his departure from Rome desirous to take possession of the realme before his arriuall hee commaunded throughout all Spaine where he shoulde passe that he shoulde be entertained and receiued with all possible pompe whereof the Legat taking no heede he accepted of all their kindnes For this cause and for that the voiage was long he spent much time being arriued at Badagios he found that the affaires had taken an other forme then when he was at Rome For he vnderstood that Anthony was King and that Philips forces were entred Portugall being then at the wals of Settuuall Finding therefore the matter he had to treate of thus altred he sent to his Holines for new direction being in the meane time lodged without the citie in a cōuent of religious men which go barefoote he sent Traian Mario Apostolike Prothonotarie to visite the King who receiuing him with great fauor said vnto him that he was right sorie that by reason of his sicknes he could not go to meete the Legat as he was bounde but when God should giue him health he woulde then performe it supposing by this meanes to entertaine him the longer that the Cardinall desirous to enter with accustomed ceremouies would attend his recouerie and in the meane time the Duke of Alua should take possession of the realme But the Legat seeing his indisposition finding how much delay did import craued leaue to come to him by night priuately in coach the which with great difficultie was graunted comming vnto him one night accompanied with the Duke of Ossuna and the Earle of Chinchion But this audience was of small effect for the Legat by the alteration of the affaires being irresolute and the Catholique King most resolute to proceede in this enterterprise trusting more to armes then wordes there was no agreement the king saying that the matter was so farre aduaunced as it coulde admit no treating The Cardianll was lodged in the house of the Marquesse D'Oignion not being receiued at his entrie with the ceremonies accustomed for a Cardinall Legat Hee remained a while without doing any thing but to effect the Popes cōmission he would passe into Portugall The King who desired to stay him entertained him all he could supposing that the Legat being within Lisbone it woulde be scandalous to goe against him with an armie Moreouer he had no great confidence in the Legat but held him as suspect for that being before in Portugall with Cardinall Alexandryn he had entred a strict league of amitie with the Duke of Bragance one of the pretendents who had lodged and entertained him So as to delay his departure the King being now recouered of his sicknes sent vnto him that he woulde not haue him take his iourney before he had made his entrie with the ceremonies accustomed to a
the Doctors which had read and writ against him with great mildenes but also with a noble resolution confirmed them in their lectures and preferred others to them that were voide In the meane time the Pope discouering the Priors weakenesse to maintaine Portugall and that there was no meanes of agreement hauing called home his Legate he seemed well content with Philips successe saying that his onely intention was to auoid wars so as hauing obtained great rewardes for his sonne or at the least assured hopes he graunted vnto the king that George de Taida bishop of Viseu who was his first chaplaine shoulde be iugde without appeale of all causes concerning the Ecclesiasticall rebels and of the proces of their confiscations so as the Prior in a manner doomed to sentence of death with the Bishop of Guarda and others were againe cited by edicts to be depriued by iustice of all spirituall liuings they held within the realme There was yet no newes of him notwithstanding the reward promised and the great care the Castilians vsed through the realme to finde him yet were they daily lesse certaine for that disguised in a base habite hee went vnknowne oftentimes amongst those that sought for him He had intelligence that the Counte of Vimioso was come by land into Fraunce labouring to mooue the French to warre against the Catholique King promising great succours by the people in the matters of Portugal By reason whereof and for the Priors concealement the King kept in a manner his whole armie dispersed in the fortresses and cities of the realme and although hee had dismissed the Italians and sent the greatest part of his galleies into Italy yet they gaue out that he after repented the realme seeming daily lesse peaceable and that the French in those parts might arme a good number of ships of warre and more conueniently in that sea then the galleies whereof fowre being in Algarues had taken a French pirate with great slaughter who being a knight of Malta had fought valiantly By reason of these garrisons of the rigor of officers of the smal recompence that was giuen them and of the conceite that the Prior was yet within the realme the Portugals harts beganne to turne some of them assembled at times lamented the miserie wherein they seemed to be by their not agreeing to defend themselues or not yeelding in time yet the greatest part held opinion that vnited togither they might haue made resistance They could not endure that the Castillian officers shoulde intermeddle in matters of iustice as they pretēded to do neither was the Portugals disdaine appeased in saying that the King hauing commaunded Iohn Andrew Doria Prince of Melfy to conduct the Empresse his sister into Spaine whom he had caused to come out of Germany was for no other cause but to leaue her Gouernesse in Portugall and so returne into Castill and that as a woman she shoulde raigne with greater mildenes then the kings of Portugall had done for although this was the common discourse yet many helde opinion that the king should not depart being constrained to keepe garrisons the which he would not dismisse vntill he were better assured of the Prior of whom they spake diuersly for some helde that he was dead and spoiled by the Castilians who for that they woulde yeelde no account of the iewels he had about him kept it secret Others saide that he had sent into Fraunce and England from whence hee expected great armies at whose arriuall he would discouer himselfe Many supposed that he shoulde keepe himselfe secret within the realme vntill the death of Philip who according to their discourse coulde not liue long and yet was there small difference betwixt their ages at what time shewing himselfe as hee did vpon the death of king Henry hee shoulde againe take possession of the realme the kingdomes of Castill remaining in the handes of pupilles And although some beleeued that he was departed the realme yet the greatest part helde that he was there yet labouring to escape as couertly as he coulde fearing to be taken prisoner the which was true indeede as it appeared by some of his friends that were taken in the porte of Lisbone who sought to imbarke with some prouision of victuals they had made who confessed vpon the racke that he was in the realme amongst which was Peter d'Alpoe Doctor of the lawes who since for that cause and others of high treason lost his head at Lisbone The Estates were now ended and the king desirous to goe to Lisbone but for that the preparations and triumphs which the citie pretended were not yet ready he went to Almada which is directly against the citie vpon the other banke of Tagus to giue them time to finish their preparations At what time the King hauing intelligence that those of the Ilands of Terceraes notwithstanding the letters which Ambrose d'Aguiar had carried stoode firme in their first resolution of defence hee sent Peter Baldes with fower ships sixe hundreth Spanish foote and some cannon with commandement to assure himselfe fully of the Iland of Saint Michaell which was obediēt to spoile the ships which should come from the Indies not to attēpt any thing by land vntill he had sent a greater supply of men The Court was ill appointed at Almada and the needfull ministers for dispatches could not all bee lodged there The King desirous to enter the citie would not attende after Saint Peters day when passing the water with his galleies he lāded in the city vpon a bridge of wood framed for that purpose without giuing them time to finish their arches statues prepared for his entry But the sloth and ignorance of the workemen was in parte cause yet did they make a sumptuous preparation Vpon the bridge he was met by the Magistrate of the chamber where Doctor Hector de Pyna one of them spake thus in the behalfe of the citie shewing the ioy they had conceiued of his entrie That as this citie was the greatest in the worlde so God had deseruedly giuen them conformeable to their owne desires a great monarch to bee their Lorde Hee excused the people saying That if they had no sooner obeied it was done rather by errour then their owne free will and that remaining in their owne power to choose a king they woulde haue made election of no other then himselfe And touching the death of Ferrant de Pyna hee saide that this citie had first of all shedde bloude for his seruice seeing that the saide Ferrant when as Anthony caused him to bee wounded was a member of this Magistrate He excused likewise the sleightnes of their ioyes by the afflictions of the warre the spoile of the citie and the plague remembring their losses of Affricke concluding that they hoped by his Maiesties fauours this realme shoulde not bee saide vnited vnto Castill but that all the other realmes were ioyned vnto Portugall Hee then went on horsebacke vnder a canopie of
against her hauing seene the proofe thereof in the affaires of Ireland sought to secure hirselfe that they might not wrong her and to that end she entred into an agreement as it was said with the Queene and her yoongest sonne to the preiudice of Philip whereof the effect was soone seen The saide Alançon being returned againe into England being alreadie agreed with the Prince of Orenge who was the instrument of all these practizes he passed from thence to Antwerpe where the peoples humours being before disposed by the saide Prince he was receiued in all these places with great ioy and the xix day of Februarie in the yeere of our Lord 1582. they did sweare him Duke of Brabant the which caused a generall admiration for many reasons It seemed strange that the Prince of Orenge in a manner absolute Lord in those countries the which he had so long defended woulde vpon the end of the worke spoile himself of the state giue it vnto a stranger without constraint without profit to the preiudice of his honor And although it seemed he had done the like to Mathias Arch Duke of Austria afterwards sent him back into Germany it was not credible that he hoped euer to do so vnto the Duke for besides that he was entred in a manner by maine force his power the neernes of Fraunce the fauor of England might wel induce men to beleeue that he woulde so establish himselfe as he need not feare to be expelled There wanted not such as woulde excuse the Prince saying that the people were nowe wearie and vnfurnished of money by reason of so great warres that they coulde not relieue him as hee had neede and thefore it behooued him to seeke some one that should aide him against the Catholique king who hauing now recouered the realme of Portugall shoulde bee able with greater ease to molest those countries seeing that he was forced to seeke for succours there was no greater person then this making in a manner an muincible vnion of these estates with Fraunce and England besides the Prince shoulde attaine to the wished ende which was to depriue the Catholique king of the whole possession and many did so much relie vpon the Princes foresight and iudgement that they supposed hee woulde like wise expell Alançon when hee pleased Many blamed the manner of the Dukes proceeding who sought to vsurpe an others patrimonie without any title others excused him forging lawes of state after their owne humours saying that the priuileges of the countrey did allow that if the Catholique King did not obserue them they might choose a Prince of themselues the which the King hauing broken they had sought out an other Lorde The effect of the league was not yet ended in those parts but to diuert the Catholique King from making warre in those countries at the mediation of Anthony to trouble the state of Portugal they prepared a great armie in Fraunce Some said it was to be imploied against the same realme hoping the people woulde rise against the Castillians some supposed it shoulde be sent to succour the Terceraes the winning whereof Philip threatned to attempt and some beleeued that they went for no other intent but to surprise certaine ships that came from the newe nauigations charged with golde and spice There hapned at that time in Flaunders a matter of admiration and seldome seene For the Prince of Orenge being in Antwerpe quiet and in the greatest fortune that he was euer was shot in his house rising from his table in the midst of all his seruants with a pistoll by Iohn Scaurigni a yoong man a Biscaine mooued thereunto by zeale of religion as he pretended the bullet hitting him vnder his right iawe passed forth through the window and although he was supposed to be dead yet was he cured and liued and the offender was presently slaine by his guard and all such as were founde accessarie were executed Whilest these things were determined in Fraunce and the low Countries the king who remained still in Portugall sought to giue contentment to the Portugals who hauing long and with importunitie sought for recompence were in the ende all in a manner dispatched giuing vnto many of them orders of knighthoode much of the reuenewes and all the offices that might bee giuen to the great griefe of the Castillians who saide that this realme with more right appertained vnto Philip seeing he had inherited it bought it and conquered it This distribution was made by the two Deputies with great bountie yet wrought it no good effect in the Kings fauour neither was it acceptable for finding two kinde of Portugals which sought for reward that is those to whom Philip in the time of Henry and the Gouernours had promised money and honors to follow his partie and such as faithfully without promises yea refusing them had loially serued him It was in a manner impossible to equall their recompences so as one of the parties should not be discontented but they proceeded so as some were grieued and others proude For besides the errors that were committed by reason of the ignorance of the officers being more easie to promise then to performe the kings Agents had made large offers not onelie to such as coulde helpe but also to many of small meanes and lesse countenance The King desired in any case to satisfie these bonds and although he woulde haue rewarded the most faithfull aboue all others yet could he not performe it for that by reason of their excessiue promises all the reuenewes of the crowne had not beene sufficient so as it often hapneth in Courts they gaue not vnto them that deserued with the like proportion as to such as were vnworthie So as the loue of the subiects was nothing encreased by this meanes for the most trusty were discontented seeming against reason to bee woorse entreated then those which had beene lesse faithfull but with rewarde in hande alleaging also that many of them had not performed that for which they were paide seeming sufficient vnto many to remaine newters and to some that had serued Anthony to say that they were forced and such as were least faithfull for that their harts were not so firmely setled to the Kings seruice they supposed to haue carried themselues wisely They esteemed euery small matter to be of great importance and supposing the king to vnderstand wel what neede he had of them in contempt of the rest they grew insolent These were the generall causes for the which the greatest distribution that euer was within the realme was not pleasing but the nature of the Portugals is vneasie to content in this respect for being enuious they doe feele with greater griefe an other mans profite then their owne losse Those of the baser sort although they expected no answere hauing enriched themselues in their trades by the great multitude of Courtiers yet coulde they not suffer the Castillians to be superiors and as
vneasie landing beeing of all parts rough and inaccessible but in some fewe places which it was likely they woulde fortifie and guard They saide that the garrisons of strangers which they vnderstoode were there were they neuer so fewe with the inhabitants of the Iland were sufficient to hinder their landing They made great reckoning of the roughnes of the sea the which commonly suffreth not any ships to ride there aboue two moneths in the yeere concluding it was better deferre it then attempt it in vaine as they had twise done with small honor They said that the assurance of the enterprise consisted in delay for that the Iland shoulde bee neither stronger nor better furnished then it was at that instant seeing their strength is by nature that a great garrison cannot long liue there that by delaying the inhabitants themselues will be aduised for besides the insolencie of the French wanting their traffique with Spaine they shoulde growe so poore as they will soone acknowledge their errours That the ships from the Indies made so small stay at the Ilands as they had no neede of them but onely to take in fresh water wherewith they may furnish themselues at Saint Michaels These reasons helde the Catholique king in suspence and for that he was a friend to peace he enclined to delay but as the newes from Fraunce Flaunders and England did varie so did they hasten or slacke the preparation for the enterprise In this sorte and with no small trouble of minde the three first moneths in the yeere 1582. passed away but hauing intelligence at the spring that they did arme many ships both in Fraunce Flaunders and England and that they were meant for Portugall that the Turke notwithstanding his warre against the Sophy threatned to send forth his galleies that certaine troupes of foote were come out of Fraunce vnto the Marquisat of Salusses the King thought it expedient to arme both to performe this enterprise of the Ilands as for the guarde of many places where he might be endomaged He thought it a hard thing and vnwoorthie to suffer the states of the Low-Countries to be wrested from him by the Duke of Alançon without reuenge He did foresee that the charge would bee verie great and that he was furnished with little money and lesse credite for by meanes of the decree he had made against the merchants he was cause of more hurt to himselfe then to his creditors The prouisions it behooued him to make were all forced for hee could not doe lesse then prouide for Italy as well in regarde of the French as of the Turke Hee must of force entertaine an armie in Portugall for although the Realme were in shew quiet yet the Portugals being of a stirring humor he could not auoide to arme a nauie sufficient to encounter the Fleete He thought it necessarie to prouide for Flanders if not wholy to recouer those estates yet for feare he should loose more But that which troubled the King more then all the rest was the shippes which hee expected this yeere from the Indies and New-found lands fearing that the French hauing the aduantage of the Ilands might spoile them finding that some Pirat had not onely passed into that sea but also threatned to assaile the Iland of Saint Michael and that of the Maderes And therefore the King began to preuent all these dangers in this manner He mustred all the foote he could in Spaine and caused them to march towardes Portugall especially to the Prouince betwixt Doro and Minio to the gouernment whereof he sent Ferrant de Toledo Prior of Saint Iean He sent the Marquesse of Saint Croixe to Seuille to arme all the great ships hee could and to prepare some galleies In Biscay he commaunded eighteene Biscaine ships to be furnished to make their randeuous in Andelouzie where they prepared their galleies and built a good number of great boats to land their souldiers He wrote into Italy to the Viceroy of Naples and to the Gouernor of Millaine that either of them should leuie 6000. Italian foote He gaue order in Germany to bring downe 10000. Germanes vnder colour to sende these two nations into Flaunders And for to be assured of the Iland of Saint Michael although that Ambrose d'Aguiar were there with one Galeon hee sent thither Peter Peixotto with fiue other shippes who arriued there in good time for certaine French Pirats were assembled to assaile it the which they did not forbeare to attempt for Peixotto with his ships lying at anchor before the city of punta Delgada three French ships leauing other sixe behinde shewed themselues supposing that with his fiue ships he would not faile to fight with them three and as hee should retire the other sixe comming to succour them they might conquer them and after this victorie assaile the Iland being weake and vnarmed But this deuise succeeded not for Peixotto who desired not to fight but to preserue the Ilande all hee could would not come foorth against those three French ships the which hee forbare the rather for that the other sixe shippes which remained behinde discouered themselues so as the Frenchmen finding they coulde not deceiue the Portugals and their ambush as one may say being discouered being loath to retire without some booty they resolued to charge Peixotto as he laie at anchor But the winde grew scant to approch to land and the artillerie from a certaine weake forte would not suffer them to ioine But the Captaines shippe being of better saile then the rest drewe so neere that hee grappled with a Portugall where they fought aboue three howers with great slaughter on both sides but the French had beene victors if Ambrose d'Aguiar who was at lande foreseeing that the losse of the ships woulde be the ouerthrowe of the Iland had not succoured Peixotto by boats sending him aboue an hundred fiftie men with the which he defended himselfe and the French shippe vnloosing itselfe retired to the rest woorse handeled then the Portugall but it was supposed that if the winde had beene any thing stronger so as the other French ships mought haue come vp to the Portugals they had beene taken in the viewe of all the Iland And for that soone after there arriued eighteene Biscaine ships at Lisbone which the king had commaunded should be armed in that Prouince he sent fower of them with sixe hundreth men for the assurance of that Iland the which arriued soone after the departure of the French Sommer was nowe come and there was still newes from Fraunce that they made greater preparation for war arming many ships in all their ports at the instance of Anthony The Catholique kings affaires went slowlier forwardes then the importance of the cause required for that it seemed the Spaniards were not yet well assured whether the French woulde turne against Portugall and not goe to the Ilands yea some beleeued that making shew to do so they woulde take their course for
Flaunders seeming more to importe wholie to assure those countries and to expell the Catholique Kings forces then to vndertake an other enterprise of greater difficultie And the assurance of this opinion did helpe the Fren̄ch for it did diuert or at the least deuided the Spanish forces and was cause that in Spaine they prepared not their armies with such expedition as was conuenient But hauing after assured intelligence that the French prepared to encounter the ships that came from the Indies and the newe founde lands the prouision for Flaunders went slowly forwarde in Italie And in Spaine they made greater haste of their nauie for the which there was want of sailers and other necessaries yet with some trouble they had prepared in Andelouzia about twentie ships and twelue galleies The Marquesse was returned to Lisbone giuing order to the nauie to goe to Cape Saint Vincent and there to attend their charge At his arriuall he found within the riuer of Tagus twenty other ships ill appointed comprehending the Biscaines and some Flemmings hired in a manner by force where hauing shipped sixe thousand Spanish foote vnder Lopo de Figueroa the Marquesse imbarked with many noble men Ferrant of Toledo going as a priuate soldier with some other gentlemen This was not the kings first intention being resolued to assemble the body of his armie in Andelouzia whither the ships of Biscay at their departure had commaundement to repaire but in sailing being come to Lisbone and hauing hired some others with the gallions of Portugall the king supposed the greatest number was there that he should spende time to cause one parte of the armie to goe seeke the other supposing they shoulde meete he commaunded both the one and the other to saile towardes Portugall as they did labouring to ioine by the way And although all this was slowly executed yet had it bin more if the king by his owne presence had not hastened their departure the which was not before the x. of Iuly in the yeere 1582. so slow are the Spaniards by nature in the execution of their businesse At that time the French armie departed with Anthony and all his followers being in number aboue threescore and ten saile and seuen thousand foote whereof Philip Strozzi and Mounsieur de Brisack were commaunders THE NINTH BOOKE The Contents of the ninth Booke The description of the Jland of Saint Michael The arriuall of the French armie there The arriuall of the Spanish armie The battaile at sea The death of Philip Strozzi and of the Count of Vimioso The voiage of Anthony to the Terceres and his manner of proceeding The sentence of the Marquesse against the prisoners and his execution The death of the Duke of Alua and his praises The new estates where Prince Philip was sworne by reason of the death of Prince Diego And how the Cardinall Archduke of Austria was made Gouernour of Portugall WHilest the French and Spanish armies sailed towards the Terceres both Courtes were in suspence and in diuers hopes of successe but in Fraunce they conceiued more assurance then in Portugall for the French not esteeming the Spanish forces helde themselues superiours in number both of ships and men and hauing the Ilands at their deuotion they stoode assured that their armie should both spoile the Indian fleete sacke the Iland of Saint Michael and ouercome the enimies armie if they ioined with them And they relied so much thereon that extending their hopes farther furthered by the promises of Anthony and of what he said that he had followers in Portugall they hoped to approch the realme and to put men on lande and to arme the vnarmed Portugals for which cause they carried great quantitie of armes and to set so firme a footing vpon the maine lande as they should easily maintaine themselues so as with this intention many Noble men and gentlemen imbarked with the Armie both for that the French are easie to mooue as also heerein to please the Queene mother In the Court of Spaine their thoughts were not all so conformeable nor so ioyfull for the Portugals being now as contrarie in their humours to the Castillians as they had beene euer making hope equall to their owne desires seeing the affaires now in equal ballance many wished they should make no resistance and many expected the comming of Anthonie The rest of the Portugals more content with the present state of the Castillians shewed great hope the warres should now ende saying they were assured they should defeat this Armie take Anthonie prisoner and either by loue or force subdue the Ilandes yet inwardly they were not well satisfied For seeing their armies deuided without hope to ioyne it seemed vnto the wisest the victorie was not so assured as some supposed and that the Spaniards by giuing battaile should hazard to lose much and winne little and contrariwise the French to winne much and loose little for that the greatest mischiefe that coulde seeme to happen to the enimies was the defeating of the Armie and taking the Ilandes from their obedience which things although they shoud all happen yet were they not of any great moment to Fraunce but if contrariwise the Spanish Armie should be defeated their losse would be equall to the French for besides the ships they should with all lose with the Iland of Saint Michaell the hope to recouer the rest the Indian Fleet withal their treasure should serue as a Pray to the French and the realme should be stil in doubt subiect to all those inconueniences which so great a losse should bring with it chiefly vnto a realme newly conquered This feare was augmented for that their Armie which consisted of good ships and was manned with good souldiers was notwithstanding vnprouided of mariners and wilde fiers whereof some were drawen by force and the Marques himselfe went with small contentment not for that hee feared but hauing beene at his departure somewhat discountenanced by the King blaming him to haue beene too slacke in the dispatch of the Armie besides going in Flemmish ships and with Germane soldiers little acquainted with the sea increased these doubts yet outwardly these men shewed a great confidence grounding the rests of their hopes vpon the qualitie of the Spanish souldiers and the greatnes of their ships Manie woondred how the wordes of Anthonie could so preuaile in Fraunce as in a maner to moue all that Court to vndertake his protection with so great vehemencie as they had done not shewing any pretention he had vnto the Crowne hauing no great hope to make him Lord nor to imploy such forces as he pretended to haue seeing that such as fauoured him were kept vnder in Portugall with great garrisons And this readines of the French seemed to them the greater for that before they had shewed themselues more slack to succour the Portugals against the Castillians when as they had a fitter occasion and a more grounded hope of good successe then now they could haue for in
to spoile the Ilands as they had already done that of Saint Michaels and that the same armie hauing tried a battaile against his Maiesties the French had beene broken and ouercome in the which being taken eight and twentie noblemen and two and fiftie gentlemen and manie other marriners and soldiers he declared them taken as enimies to the quiet and publike good disturbers of the traffike and fauourers of his Maiesties rebels that as such and as publike pirats hee commaunded the Auditor generall of the armie that for their chasticement and for the example of others hee shoulde execute vpon them the punishment of naturall death beheading the Gentlemen and hanging the rest which passed the age of seuenteene yeeres being so conuenient both for the seruice of God and of the two kings This sentence seemed cruell to all such as heard it and chiefly vnto the Spanish soldiers both for that they feared the like might happen vnto thē an other day as also for that they would not lose the profit which many expected by the raunsome of the saide prisoners or else for their owne good inclination so as some of the soldiers laying aside all respect saide it was not well grounded for that there was no firme and inuiolable peace betwixt the Catholique King and most Christian but warre and that those were neither pirats nor theeues but valiant soldiers That there was no peace they prooued it by the warres of Flaunders more hot then euer where the French did in a manner possesse all the Catholique Kings patrimonie And that they were no pirats they prooued by the letters patents they had from the King vnder the which the ships and soldiers were enrolled besides the number and qualitie of these men were such as it appeered cleerely they woulde not haue attempted it of themselues if the king had not sent them And although betwixt the two crownes they dissembled many things the Christian King excusing himselfe sometimes vpon his mother sometimes vpon his brother that they were all deuises of Princes but for all that they were not without open warre the lawes whereof they saide was not so stricte as to commaund them to hang all their prisoners And this execution did so mooue the hearts of manie that some of the principall soldiers being assembled togither went with a commendable example vnto the Marques to make intercession for the life of their enimies who answered that the most Christian King had expresly commaunded that all Frenchmen that shoulde take armes against the Catholique King shoulde be corporally punished so as the same day these Gentlemen with a generall pittie and great seueritie were beheaded vpon the scaffolde and the marriners and soldiers hanged in diuers places and the pittie was the greater being apparant that they were all not onely valiant soldiers but Catholique and deuout Christians The blame of this seuere execution was not imputed to the Marques supposing that he had expresse commaundement from the King whom likewise they excused for hauing so determined seeing it was not to bee presumed that so many personages of importance should come with such an armie and remaine prisoners especially knowing that Philip by his owne inclination was not cruell yet on the other side they considered that the King in his minde shoulde haue conceiued a cruell disdaine against the French seeing that vnder the shadow of amitie peace and alliance Kings writing daily one to the orher greeuing and reioycing at their troubles and contents did not onely aide his rebels but also tooke his countries and sent so great an armie to endomage him And although that Princes do vsually dissemble and counterfeit in many things yet it seemed the French vnder a new kinde of dissimulation would make warre whereby they did inferre that this execution did nothing displease the King The armie being a little repaired here the Marques went to the I le of Coruo to meete with the Indian fleete and hauing past in view of the citie of Angra he put Anthonie and all the people into confusion for although the Marques content with the victorie would not thrust himselfe into a new danger yet Anthonie doubted that in the heat of the victorie he would pursue and assaile the Ilande in the which although he had men enough both of the nation and of the French yet were they fearfull and disordered and Anthonie himselfe at the same time prouided a light ship to imbarke if neede were These newes came slowly to Lisbone for the which they were in great care hauing newes of the fight by the meanes of a Zabra of Biscay but a French ship which had beene sore beaten by the gallion Saint Mathew being fled from the battel gaue assurance of the euent for beeing arriued disguised at Settuual he was discouered finding within her some Spanish souldiers dead in the bosome of one of them was written all that had passed in the armie since their departure from Lisbone vntill the time that he was slaine The Marques attended long about the Ilands for the Indian fleete whereof two being arriued the seas growing high he came with them to Lisbone to the great ioy of all the court where he was extraordinarily fauoured by the King Anthony after the Marques his departure remained more quiet in minde supposing that for one whole yeere he need not feare any enimie He greatly greeued for the death of the French prisoners fearing it would preiudice his cause in France But Emanuel de Silua pressed him to reuenge in hanging about fiftie or threescore Castillians which were there taken prisoners at diuers times the which he woulde not suffer being better enclined He was ill furnished with money although hee had great store of armes and munition For this consideration he daily all by the inuention of the saide Silua made rigorous commandements to draw money from the people and from such as did not follow him willingly He caused gold to be coined which hee valued at fiue and twentie roials although it weied but eight He made testons of siluer weighing a roiall and a halfe the which he made currant for halfe a duckat and the copper money which was woorth three in Portugall hee valued at tenne And for that many were retired to the mountaines to be free from troubles within the citie hee commaunded euery one to returne and if any deferred his comming longer then the time limited by his commaundement they presently seazed his goods Many for feare of the souldiers had carried and hidden their goods without the citie and therefore he commaunded euerie one to bring them backe againe whereby he gained much for he demaunded a loane of money of such as came and brought it backe and if any one obeyed not he sent Souldiers to search their goods and to spoile them with a thousand indignities It was a lamentable thing to see how the Church causes were handled for the religious men except the Iesuits imploied in militarie actions
in giuing but honourable in the expences of his house hee was a great dissembler of the disgraces of the Courte and cunning in their secret practises for so it behooued him to be to preuent such as were his competitors He was generally hated for that he treated proudlie with his inferiors and his equals hated his greatnes The ambition to purchase the Princes fauour a shelfe wherein proude mindes cast themselues was great in him for this respect it may be or for the preheminence and greatnes he pretended aboue all other officers the which made him odious hee was not much pleasing to Charles and lesse to Philip although from their birthes vntill their later daies he had serued them 60. yeeres But Princes loue them better whom they haue rewarded then such as haue serued them Hee was greatly enclined to warlike discipline wherein hee was so cunning as there was not any captaine of his nation in long time comparable vnto him and to conclude for his many yeeres and great experience there was not in a manner any one in the worlde but yeelded vnto him He was of great iudgement and dexteritie to encampe and make choice of a lodging so as alwaies with lesse forces then the enimies he kept them in awe he was so well experienced as he neuer refused battaile wheresoeuer he came Hee did willingly hazard his owne person but his soldiers with greater consideration trusting more to policie then fortune He was a rough inexorable executioner of the seuere lawes of war of whose pittifull crueltie depends the health of armies and the conseruation of States He was by nature enclined to vanquish without effusion of bloud and was imploied in warres conformable to his inclination for the greatest part of them being defensiue wherein a wise captaine should rather temporize and suffer the enimie to consume by the difficulties of warre in a strange countrey then to hazard an estate vpon so vnequall a game as is the winning of a battaile against him that hath but men to loose To this effect hee answered the councell of warre in the kingdome of Naples in the yeere 1558. when as the Frenchmen being expelled they woulde haue charged the enimie retiring hee saide hee woulde not hazarde the realme against a cassock of golde for such was then the habite of the Duke of Guise Lieutenant generall to Henry the seconde King of Fraunce yet some did blame him to be too warie in the execution of matters of importance in warre He serued his King in greater charges and with greater authority then euer any of their subiects and it may be there hath not beene in many ages a captaine which hath so long mannaged armes nor displaied his ensignes in so manie countries For he hath made warre in Italy Spaine and Fraunce in Hungarie Germanie Flaunders and Affrick although he were accustomed to say that he had done nothing seeng that he was neuer so happie as to see a Turkish armie But the last wars of Flaunders did somewhat obscure the glorie he had gotten for although as captaine he did warre valiantly yet he knew not as it hapned to him in other places howe to vse the victorie but arrogating too much vnto himselfe he caused a statue of brasse to be erected for him in the Cittadell of Antwerpe which the king caused afterwards to be beaten downe It appeeres that he coulde better carrie himselfe in aduersitie then prosperitie for in the one he had great force in the other too much conceite so as he reaped more commendations by afflictions then by victorie Hee shewed in dying the magnanimitie he had in his life and that which is of great moment hee shewed tokens of a religious Christian being happie that Frier Lewes of Granata that famous preacher whose diuine writings are pleasing to the worlde was present at his death They did substitute in his place Charles Borgia Duke of Gandia a man of greater vertue then experience The King had caused the bones of King Sebastian to be brought out of Affricke the which with King Henries that were at Almerin he woulde before his departure see solemnly interred in the church of Belem neere to the other Kings of Portugall and for that cause remained there three daies He caused also to be brought from diuers parts of the realme vnto the saide monasterie the bodies or at the least the ashes of his kinsfolkes the children and nephewes to King Emanuel who as a man may say dying resigned him the crowne that they might bee all kept togither There was made a most sumptuous obsequie with great shewes and all the religious persons in the name of Henry were present for the rest had beene performed before and in the funerall sermon Sebastians actes were likewise touched and Henry extremely commended the which was more pleasing being dead then the praises of Philip liuing and present wherein the Orator dilated much hauing first in particular set downe the branches of King Emanuel and brought the succession to the said Philip. I will not leaue heere to make mention as of a rare matter although it be somewhat from our purpose that in this yeere of our Lorde 1582. they did reckon ten daies lesse then in others for by the Popes decree all Christian princes obeying the Romish sea gaue commaundement to cut off ten daies in the moneth of October so as for the fift day they should generally write 15. the which was done to fitte the times to the meanes and principall aspects wherein the heauens were when as our Redeemer Iesus Christ suffered that they might celebrate Easter and the other feasts vpon their proper daies The which they had not formerly done for that the true course of the sunne which makes the yeere being certaine minuts of an hower lesse then the time which they vntill then had taken for a yeere it seemed that in the course of so manie yeeres so small a difference had mounted vnto ten daies so as by this equalitie it was made conformable to the time past The King beganne to vnburthen himselfe of the affaires of Portugall for to go into Castill and therefore the xxvj day of Ianuary in the yeere 1583. hauing assembled the estates of the realme they began in the pallace of Lisbone where after Alphonso de Castelbianco newly made Bishop of Algarues had briefly made the proposition shewing how much the King was grieued with the death of the Prince and the necessitie there was to sweare a newe Melchior d' Amaral one of the Deputies of the citie of Lisbone made answere in the behalfe of the whole realme shewing the desire and readines they had to performe this acte Whereupon the yoong Duke of Barcellos as Duke of Bragance beginning for his father with sword in hande did supplie the office of Constable kneeling downe before the King held foorth his hande to take the oath after the accustomed manner the which being likewise performed by all the rest this ceremonie
ignorant of the waies and passage of the riuers were either drowned or fell into their handes who made them slaues There were many drowned deceiued with the rising of the riuer ignorant of their former passage for whereas the riuers and particularly Mucazen doe ebbe and flowe like the Ocean by the course of the Moone filling it selfe with salt water when the armie passed they were almost dry but in their returne the Tide as they cōmonly say being full the riuers were greatly risen wherof the Portugals being ignorant and vnskilfull of the Ford fearefull and chased by the Moores they were swallowed vp so as of a great multitude of Christians which were in this battaile there escaped but one hundreth so well coulde the Barbarians execute their resolutions The King who in the beginning when as Molucs artillerie first plaied went through the armie in coach with Christopher de Tauora tooke his horse and as they say went couragiously toward the vanguard where remaining a while a looker on sending first one then another to commaund what he thought was necessarie he was lightly hurt with a shot in the right arme towarde the shoulder whereof making small account he went ordering thinges in all parts of the armie leauing the triangle of horse where his Standerd remained But for that he was yoong and depriued of the greatest treasure that Kings can enioy I meane a wise man neere him in whome he shoulde trust when he did see his men begin to breake and the Duke of Auero to go forward and retyre backe he came furiously with certaine Gentlemen that were about him to fight among the souldiers encouraging his men valiantly by the effects but with fewe words Those that behelde him fight woondered at his courage for although that they slewe three horse vnder him without any whit daunting him yet was he neuer wearie to charge strike and succour all partes of the armie where was greatest daunger But being but a man aided by fewe he cannot resist the enimies furie nor make his friends partakers of his valour Manie of the Nobilitie which remained yet on horsebacke seeing the armie in route sought the King in all parts to helpe to saue him but the Standard which was carried before him as a marke to knowe him was now taken and the bearer slaine and being deceiued with another somewhat like vnto it which Edward de Meneses carried they followed the one in steade of the other so as the King remained as a man lost with some of his most trustie seruants about him and one Renegado who laboured to saue him Hauing in vaine sought to fly being aduised to yeeld with his armes he would by no means agree vnto it One amongst them holding vpon the point of his sworde a white napkin in signe of peace went towards the Moores as an Embassadour for the rest to yeelde but they either barbarous or wrathfull tooke the messenger prisoner and charged the rest who being fewe in number wearied without courage they were all slaine Some say there grew a controuersie amongst them about the Kings owne person and for that occasion they slew him They sent after to secke his bodie and by a notable example of the inconstancie of this world they carried it naked vpon a saddle pommell into the roiall tent of Moluc where letting it fall to the ground it was carefully viewed by the Nobilitie that was there present a publike certificate made that it was he keeping it aftewardes at Alcazer-Quiuer Such was the death of this vnfortunate King wherein chaunced all things that might make him lamentable his yoong age the expectation of his vertues the want of succession his violent death and the imprisonment of his bodie He was indued with excellent qualities but nothing profitable vnto him wanting by reason of his vnripe yeeres that predominante vertue of our actions For all his resolutions that did guide him to so rash an end were grounded vpon his magnanimitie zeale to religion liberalitie thirst of militarie glorie of the disposition of his body and the vigour of his courage It seemes that we may well saie of this vnfortunate yoong Prince that which was sometimes spoken of Alexander the Great That Nature had giuen him vertue and Fortune vices For in truth Sebastian had his vertues of nature and his vices from his education Mulei Mahamet escaped his enimies hands but his too great haste to passe Mucazen and to recouer Arzille was the cause he was drowned in his passage Those whome idlenes had made curious did note the diuersitie of these Princes deathes for being all lost in one battaile within the space of sixe houres the one died of his naturall death the second by the sword the thirde was smothered in the water When as Hamet see the battaile wonne he ranne towardes his brother thinking to finde him aliue and to reioice with him but being come to his litter they enformed him of his death And although Moluc had left one sonne yet did they salute Hamet as their King running through their campe with ensignes proclaiming of his name according to their custome And for that according to the conformitie of the grandfathers will the eldest as it is saide of the nephewes should succeede therefore Hamet was sworne Prince The Moores fell to spoile and take prisoners making a very rich bootie by reason of many precious things the Portugals had brought with them into the campe but especially for the prisoners which were in great number and of great importance for their wealth and nobilitie besides that the Moores make more account of one Portugall prisoner then of any other nation for that being delicate and not able to suffer they redeeme thēselues for great sums as these gentlemen did afterwards who by an example of small patience set themselues at sixe thousand duckats a peece and more This day was famous by the death of three Kings that is Sebastian Mulei Moluc and Mulei Mahamet by the imprisonment of all the Nobilitie of a Realme of so many souldiers a thing seldome or neuer hapned and also for the importance of Sebastians death in the other affaires of the worlde The number of the dead was not so great as of the prisoners but for that the truth is hard to be verified it hath bred diuers opinions in the Portugals Some haue reported that the enimies were infinite in number others haue bin more moderate yet haue they augmēted this point Notwithstanding there died three thousand Moores and as many Christians or more amongst the which were some men of account For besides the Captaines of the strangers and the Duke of Auero there was slaine Alphonso of Portugall Earle of Vimiosa Lewes Coutigno Earle of Rodondo Vasco de Gama Earle of Vidiguera Alphonso of Norogna Earle of Mira Iohn Lobo Baron of Aluito Aluara of Melo sonne to the Marques of Ferrara Rhoderick of Melo eldest sonne to the Earle of Tentuguel Iamie
suffered it may be of God for our sinnes proceeded not from any corruption of the Aire but from infection and was brought into the Realme by men and merchandise from countries infected for the citie being a great part vnwalled and of great traffique it could not easily be guarded The naturall inclination of the aire the filch of the citie their feeding of fish which all generally do vse and the ill order nay the great disorder of the magistrate of the health in separating the sicke from the whole and in all other things touching his charge did helpe to increase it The suddennes wherewith it did infect and kill in a manner all those that did frequent the sicke as fire doth in powder strooke a great terrour in the citizens their remedies and diets were most vncertaine for although that many did phisicke themselues diuersly and were gouerned in sundrie manners yet there died infinite numbers of all qualities experience did teach that the application of lenitiue things the drinking of Vnicornes horne and the Bezars stone were most soueraigne remedies yet to manie it did no good The greatest part of the Nobilitie and of such as had ability to do it retyred themselues to their gardaines and farmes in the countrey where although the whole countrey were infected yet did they seeme to liue more assured or at the least out of the infection from the horrible spectacle of dead bodies which were howerly seene in the citie where the mortalitie grew so great that there was nothing to be seene but Beeres with dead bodies for the buriall whereof the churchyards being full they were forced to vse the streets and fieldes At this time were assembled in the citie of Almerin where the king remained all the Deputies of the Realme being called thither The citie of Lisbone made election of Emanuell of Portugall and Diego Salema who went not but were reiected of the King as seditious and depriued of their offices in whose place they made choise of Phoebus Moniz and Emanuel de Sosa pacheco The said Salema was not beloued of the king for that before as Vereador of the citie of Lisbone he saide vnto the king that they vnderstoode he went about not onely to iudge to whom the Realme appertained but also to make a composition the which he ought not to doe without hearing the people whereunto the King hauing answered that the people was not capable of this matter he replied that he woondered the king shoulde iudge this people incapable whom he had held to be most sufficient to raise him to the crowne wherewith Henry was greatly mooued This alteration of Deputies ministred matter of discourse vnto the worlde for it seemed the King had declared himselfe against the people and that not accepting their election of Deputies he woulde drawe by force from the States what he pleased but such as knewe the true reason and howe that Emanuell and all those of the house of Portugall deserued in this case to bee repelled commended this act These were suspect forasmuch as Iohn of Portugall Bishop of Guarda brother to the saide Emanuell alwaies esteemed more then he was woulde not onely precead his equals but did scarce beare any respect vnto the Cardinall before he was king whereof grew a great hart burning so as the Cardinall to debase him hauing drawne foorth a certaine information of his ill behauiour libertie of life and ill gouernment in his Bishopricke sent it to Rome so as the Bishop as it were forced went to his holines to purge himselfe Hee was much grieued with this crosse for passing by the court of Castill the Catholique King being infourmed of his voyage woulde not suffer him to visite him although he were entreated so as now although the Cardinall were come vnto the Crowne their hatred continued and hauing no other meanes of reuenge then to oppose himselfe to his resolutions seeing him enclined to giue the Realme to the Catholique king he laboured all he coulde to let it by meanes whereof he seemed at one instant to be reuenged of two kings for the effecting whereof there conspired togither the Bishop Emanuell his brother Franncis earle of Vimioso his nephew for the cōtrarieties that both Alphonse his father and he had with the Cardinall with other their kinsfolkes and friendes fauouring Anthony Prior of Crato they resolued to make him king trusting to the peoples humors But King Henry hauing discerned the equitie of the Catholique kings cause resolued as it is said to giue him the Realme hauing assembled the States he sent Paule Alphonse a doctor in whom he reposed great trust to Villa Vizosa whereas the Duke and the Dutchesse of Bragance remained giuing them to vnderstande that finding the succession of the Realme to appertaine to Philip and that they were vpon the point to pronounce sentence in his fauour he did aduertise them in time to the end they might make their composition with him But hauing made small account of this aduertisement interpreting it otherwise they did not embrace the occasion the which was likewise represented vnto them by the Catholique king In this time the Estates were begun in the pallace of Almeryn the ninth of Ianuary in the kings presence who being very sicke was brought in his chaire whereas Anthony Pignero bishop of Leiria an eloquent Orator made the oration enriched with a goodly stile saying That the Kings thoughts were bent to procure the generall good of al Christendome the preseruation and encrease of our holie Catholique faith and the peace and tranquillitie of his subiects for the effecting of that which concernes his charge to follow the examples of kings his predecessors progenitors conformeable to the actions of his life passed considering with sound iudgement great experience wise discourse how much it doth import the generall good to declare during his life to whom the lawfull succession of the Realme did appertaine he did apply all his care to the decision of that cause with so great study and zeale that not suffering himselfe any way to be interrupted with the many graue and extraordinary affaires nor by the trouble of his long infirmity he had with the helpe of God brought it to that estate that it might speedily be declared as they had required and ought generally to wish for And seeing the finall decision of the cause was brought to that issue it seemed conuenient to the king to assemble the States and to communicate vnto them some points of great importance for the seruice of God and the good and quiet of these Realmes as they shoulde vnderstande by that which shoulde be particularly deliuered vnto them by his commandement He exhorted them that vsing the my steries which had been presented lately to al faithfull Christians with praiers sacrifices workes of deuotion and charitie they shoulde dispose themselues to receiue the light of that heauenly wisedome which God doth alwaies impart to such as frame
as eldest sonne to the Duke of Bragance and of Katherine chiefe pretendent to the Realme vntill the cause of the succession were decided so as the sports before shewed vnto the saide Duke in courtesie were now redoubled for this other intent detayning him expresly vntill he might receiue answere from the King so as shewing him first one place and then another this yoong Prince was taken vnawares But the Duke of Medina hauing staied certaine carriages vnder colour to shew him some feastes he then conceiued the cause of his detaining and wrote foorthwith vnto his father in Portugall that he should not then expect him and that his detention should not any way preiudice the rights of the Realme preferring iustice before his owne life This letter being come into Portugall was by the Duke his father sent vnto the assembly of the States shewing on the one side a griefe for the detayning of his sonne and on the other side a contentment that in so yong an age he was so great a louer of his countries good offering if need were to sacrifice him for the seruice of the Realme Yet this feare of the Dukes continued not long for hauing written to his son that he should labour to come away or they should make declaration of his staie he was suffered freelie to depart for so the King had commaunded Some say that Philip had long before this consideration hauing meanes to stay him not onely in Spaine but also in Affrique but fearing to incense the Portugals and desirous to make the Duke his friend he had procured his release in Affrick and suffered him safely to depart from Andoluzia into Portugall yet the said Duke of Barcellos or his father by whose commaundement he was directed was noted of some ingratitude for being inuited by Philip to passe by his court as desirous to see him the iealousie of the State of these Realmes preuayled so much that he did not satisfie his desire but tooke his direct way to Villauizosa fearing perhaps a new detention These things passed in Portugall when as in Castill the Catholique King beeing aduertised by his Agents of the death of King Henrie of the small affection the Portugals bare vnto him of the liuely pretention of Authonie and other pretendents and to what estate the matter was brought was greatly discontented seeming he should be forced to take armes for the obtaining of the conclusion of his interest But desirous to satisfie his conscience in the effecting thereof he had formerly the aduise of Diego de Chiaues of the order of preaching Fryers being his confessor and of some other principall Diuines of that order and yet not well satisfied with their opinions least he should seeme onely to follow the aduise of the dominical Fryers he desired likewise to treat with other orders of religious persons and to that intent he sent one to acquaint the chiefe Deuines in Spaine with the cause and to demaund their aduise This care perfourmed not only with the chiefe prelates and readers in Diuinitie but with the Iesuits and the Fryers of Saint Francis all agreede that the Kings right being so apparant he was not bound to represent it otherwise then out of iudgement to King Henrie as he had done and to make his councell and the rest of the Realme of Portugall capable thereof such as with sinceritie of hart would vnderstand the truth and by the mildest meanes procure as he had done that Henry should declare him successor if these diligent proceedings were not sufficient to perswade the King and the Realme that then Philip had sufficiently iustified his cause and that he might assure himselfe by armes without thrusting the succession which was due vnto him into euident perill his person being as it is saide soueraigne exempt and free from all reprehension and onely bound to iustifie his right before God and to signifie it to the King and the Realme saying that this point was now without all doubt since the death of Henrie no man liuing that could pretend any interest in the decision of the cause It appertained not to the Pope being a matter wholy temporall nor agreeing with the circumstances which may giue him any right ouer temporall matters and lesse to the Emperour beeing no way acknowledged by the Realmes of Castill and Portugall and much lesse to certaine Iudges named by Henrie for besides that he could not choose any after his death they were now become the materiall partie and the thing it selfe whereon they pleaded Besides that all the Realme was become insufficient when as making themselues a partie they pretended power to choose a Prince although all this ceased yet would they prooue that no Portugall but was suspect in this cause to be excepted against for the manifest hatred they bare to the Castillian nation They found likewise that he was not bound to submit himselfe to any compremise for besides the difficultie and impossibilitie to finde a trustie person in so dangerous and iealous a cause as this is the bond of compremise is not incident but in a matter of doubt and the definition of doubt is when as the aduocate and Doctors conclude not for any partie finding equiualent reasons for either but in this all being of one agreement the cause is not doubtfull nor to be compremitted The King being resolued to take armes hauing no possession deliuered vnto him prouided for it for this cause he writ to the gouernors to the three estates and to the fiue principall cities to all of one subiect but in diuerse formes after he had lamented the death of his vncle he required them to receaue and sweare him King as King Henry had resolued and declared him to be he thanked the nobility and clergie for their good affection showne when as Henrie had said that the succession appertained vnto him he made offer to all and threatned cunningly he sent to the gouernors a copie of the priuiledges which King Henry had required in the behalfe of the Realme offering to graunt them more amplie then they had bene demaunded protesting if they would not obey to vse force But all these things were receiued and reiected according to the humors of men The gouernors made aunswere they could not resolue vntill the returne of their Ambassadours which they had sent vnto them At this time there was readie at sea as well in Spaine as in Italie about threescore gallies whereof Aluaro de Bassan Marques of Saint Croix was generall the which should saile towards Portugall as the occasion of the time should serue there was yet no generall named for this enterprise and euerie man greedilie expected who should be chosen for that few were thought fit for so great a burthen The Duke of Alua was generallie held most sufficient yet few beleeued that the King would willingly free him from prison the Marques of Mondegiar who was returned from the gouernment of Naples affected this charge many beleeued
entreated them presently to resolue to receiue and sweare him for their king and lord as God would haue it they themselues knowing chiefly touching this matter what king Henry thought determined and had resolued and the bond where by they were tied to obey his will in dooing whereof he woulde grant vnto the realme not onely the priuileges which he had set downe the which the Duke of Ossuna should offer in his name but any other they should require being iust and reasonable hoping they woulde take that course which was to be expected from wise men and Christians he would continue his determination The Embassadors seemed not satisfied with this answere but demanding leaue to impart it to the Gouernors they accompanied the king vntill he came to Merryda Now were the Gouernors in Portugall wearied with the Councell of the States desirous to dissolue them and hauing first required a prolonging of the gouernment the King had left vnto them and not obtaining it they did signifie vnto them that the States were ended that the Deputies might returne to their houses leauing only ten of them to treat of matters which should fal out for so small a number might lodge any where being now forced to leaue Almeryn and to take some small place neere the citie of Lisbone being greatly entreated thereunto but the Deputies who had sent Iohn de Noghera to the Vniuersitie of Coimbra to studie the point of their pretēded election hauing receiued answer that the election belonged to the States of the realme they woulde by no meanes be dissolued perswaded thereunto by the bishop of Parma the Prior the chamber of Saint Arem and many particulars offring money to supply their wants but they opposed in vaine For although they had sent to the Gouernors to alleage their reasons in law labouring to prooue that the States were not to be dissolued that their procurations were offorce yet the Gouernors did againe disable them saying their authorities were of no force so as many began to separate themselues and returne to their houses The Gouernors prepared to defend themselues for although the greatest part of them were not of that opinion yet to content the people and to please the other Gouernors and gentlemen of the popular faction it behooued them so to do For this cause they armed their gallions they brought armes from other countries they mustred men for the warre they sent gentlemen throughout all the prouinces of the realme and laboured to imploy such as contrarie to the Catholique Kings faction being present hindered their resolutions who willingly accepted of these charges seeming to haue greater confidence in them then in any other Diego de Meneses was sent into the prouince beyond Tagus Iohn de Vasconcello into Beira Emanuel of Portugall into the mouth of Tagus and many other to diuers parts of the Realme George de Meneses had charge of the armie at sea so as they were all dispersed and the Gouernors had good meanes to effect their desires yet Martyn Gonzalues de la Camera no lesse popular then the rest remained in court of whom the Gouernors grew iealous that hauing imploied him as a mediator betweene them and the States of the realme he was become a superior But the prouision and preparatiues that were made although some vsed all care and diligence seemed rather done for shew and fashion sake then to any effect In Castill they discoursed vpon the manner of this enterprise seeming impossible vnto the Duke to gather togither so many carriages as was necessarie for the conduct of victuals and munition and therefore deuised to transport his forces by sea He determined with few men to keepe them busied in Extremadure to diuert them and vnder colour to hasten the armie to march towards Andelouzia and speedily to imbarke his soldiers at Saint Marie Port to assaile the entrie of the mouth of Lisbone in despite of all the fortresses that were there making account to loose some ships which should by chaunce touch But receiuing certaine aduertisement by men expresly sent into Portugall that there was aboue six thousand chariots to be founde he left this dangerous resolution more for the regard of the sea then the enimies He determined to march to Settuual thinking it necessary to win a port of the sea of so great importāce for the harboring of the nauie for cōming thither laden with victuals he not able to carrie with him by land aboue a moneths prouision it seemed necessarie to ioine the forces prouisions of the sea to them of the land and that therein consisted the victorie with this resolution he went to Merrida where the King remained of whom being receiued with a cheerefull countenance they treated what course the armie should take There grew some diuersitie of opinion betwixt the Duke and some others who perswaded by some confident Portugals would haue the armie march to Almeryn and there passe Tagus at a foord or at Saint Arem vpon bridges that they should force that place being but weake and so they might passe safely to the wals of Lisbone the which without attending any batterie would yeeld presently or it may be before their arriuall for taking from them the victuals from the plaines of Saint Arem they should not onely besiege them by famine but they shoulde so furnish their armie with corne that they shoulde haue no neede of prouision from the fleete the which they should better receiue at Lisbone then at Settuual without hazarding the enteprise and the armie by the dangers of disimbarking which going to Settuual they must be forced to do against the forts vpō the mouth of the riuer and with losse of time in winning of them This opinion seemed so grounded that it required no lesse authoritie or arte to disprooue then the Dukes who being chiefe of this enterprise and to hazard his reputation drew the King to his opinion Philip had likewise enuironed as a man may say all the realme of Portugall with armes though not with mercenarie soldiers yet with such as they coulde assemble togither he commanded all Noblemen whose liuings ioined to the confines of this realme that hauing enrolled the greatest number of their subiects able to beare armes they shoulde be readie at his commandement yet in the meane time they shoulde receiue gently in his name the cities and subiects of Portugall that woulde obey him In Gallicia Peter de Castro Earle of Lemos and Gaspard de Fonsequa Earle of Monteré had the charge against the prouince behinde the mountaines Iohn Pimentel Earle of Benneuent and Diego de Tolledo Earle of Alua In Estremadura Beltramo dela Cueua Duke of Albequerque and Ferrant Anriques Marquesse of Villa Noua against Vera Iohn Pacheco Marquesse of Seraluo and in Algarues Frauncis de Suniga Duke of Besar and Alonso de Gusman of Medina Cidonia In the armie where the Duke of Alua was commander of all both at sea and at
discouering their intention said it was fit they should all stay at Saint Arem so as fearing to giue greater cause to suspect they coulde not depart They added moreouer that leauing the Prior there with the deputies in a time when as the Catholique king should begin to take armes they might in their absence vnder colour of defence erect a tyrannie So as ignorant what course to take or how to redresse things they did being friends by their irresolution more hurt to the Catholique king then they coulde haue done being enimies for the king hoping these woulde haue deliuered him the crowne proceeded slowly with his armie At that time it chanced that Iohn Gonzalez de Camera Earle of Caglietta died of the plague at Almeryn so as the Gouernors tooke this occasion to depart from thence and went to Settuual with the Duke of Bragance the Agents of the Catholique King and others of their faction for hauing created captaines placed a garrison they cōmanded the gates to be guarded The Catholique King hauing assembled his armie neere to Badagios receiued aduertisement that his nauie was at Saint Marie porte ready to set saile before they should enter into Portugall not yet well satisfied with the diligence he had vsed as it is saide with many Diuines desired to consult againe in the Vniuersitie of Alcala where the profession of Diuinitie flourisheth most in those realmes vpon his entrie in armes into the realme and the proposition made by the Portugall Embassadors And to that effect hauing assembled all the doctors being in number aboue thirtie hauing made their praiers and supplications vnto God in their sacrifices and the matter considered by euery one apart it was disputed of in three sessions For although the matter were not hard to decide yet was it graue and new All without any disagreement concurre in opinion with the first with whom the King had consulted without viewing of their reasons they sent a publike decree vnto the King There was propounded vnto them three articles I he first that the King being certaine to succeed by right after the death of King Henry to the realmes of Portugall whether he were in conscience bound to submit himselfe to any tribunall iudge or arbitrator who might adiudge him the realmes or put him in possession thereof The second was that the realme of Portugall refusing to acknowledge him for their Prince vnlesse he woulde first stande to iudgement with the pretendents Whether he may of his owne authoritie take possession thereof by force against such as shall make resistance presupposing that there is no doubt or scruple of conscience in his title whatsoeuer The thirde was that the Gouernours of Portugall alleaging that they and the whole realme haue sworne not to receiue any for King but him that shoulde be iudicially so declared and that they may not receiue the King otherwise the rather for that the pretendents complaine and offer to stande to iudgement He desired to know if the saide Gouernors and the whole realme may pretend this oath for an excuse not to receiue him for King To the first they answered that the King was not bound in conscience to submit himselfe to any Iustice or arbitrement seeing that he had of himseife priuate authoritie to adiudge vnto himselfe those realmes and to take possession They excluded especially from this authoritie of iudging all Princes and such as might pretend to take any knowledge thereof And first humblie saluting the Pope and the Apostolike sea they denied that this iurisdiction did appertaine vnto him the cause being meerelie temporall and nothing concurring where by his holines should vse that indirect authoritie which he hath in temporall causes so farre foorth as they concerne the spirituall good They shewed he was not bounde to the censure of the Emperour for that the Kings of Spaine were soueraignes not acknowledging the Emperour in any thing and much lesse to any other King They prooued he was not subiect to the common-wealth nor the realmes of Portugul saying That when as common wealthes doe choose their first King vpon condition to obey him and his successors they remaine subiect vnto him to whom they haue transferred their authoritie no iurisdiction remaining in them either to iudge the realme or the true successor seeing in the first election all the true successors were chosen Being therefore most apparant there is a true successour it followeth that the common wealth of Portugall hath no iurisdiction to iudge of him that doth truely succeede and that the King hath as great a warrant not to be subiect to the censure of this common wealth as he hath to be true successour And as touching the eleuen persons of the fower and twentie which King Henry had named they saide that Henry himselfe coulde not be iudge of him that did succeede after him for that after his death the office of administring iustice was expired and all his authoritie and iurisdiction past vnto his lawfull successor Against arbitrators they spake little onely that the bond of cōpremise had no place when as the equitie of the cause was not doubtfull as it was supposed They answered them which saide that the King had no interest to the realme of Portugall as King of Castill but as kinseman to King Henry by reason whereof he coulde not in this case challenge the preheminence he hath as King of Castill saying that this imaginarie diuision cannot bee made in the person of the King for it is so annexed to the dignitie royall that his person cannot be wronged but the dignitie woulde suffer And seeing the Prince may lawfully make war vpon an other Realme for iniuries done to his brothers and friends confederats with greater reason may he do it in taking possession of a Realme which appertaines lawfully vnto himselfe They made answer to such as said that obseruing the ciuill canon law a matter litigious should be iudged where it happeneth and therfore this shoulde bee decided in Portugall saying that these decisions speake of particular persons who haue their superiour Iudges and not of soueraigne Princes and their dependancies To the seconde article they answered with more reasons then vnto the first saying the King was not bound to any thing but to signifie vnto the Gouernours his Title and certaine interest to the Crowne and if notwithstanding this demonstration they should make resistance then the King by his owne authoritie might take possession of the Realme vsing if neede required force of armes for that in this action it can not bee termed force but a naturall defence of the Realme which is his owne and a iust punishment of Rebels To the third they said that this oath could not binde them that had vndertaken to obserue it seeing it is most certaine that neither in Portugall nor else where any iudge may determine this cause with the King Moreouer that this oath is to the preiudice of his prerogatiue royall and as this oath did not
But Anthony arriuing soone after making his praiers a little without the doore of the chappell the two Bishops went out to meete him with their Rochets to hallow the foundation of the fortresse but the ceremonie was no sooner begun but that Anthony Barachio an impudent fellow holding a handkerchiefe vpon the point of his sword proclaimed Anthony King being followed with great noise and acclamations almost of all the companie who to assure themselues of such as were not of that faction or to shew a certaine valour drewe their swordes At that time Anthony faining a certaine modestie or thrust forwarde by his owne irresolution cried no no and stept forward as it were to stay the people Peter Coutigno captaine of that place with choler woulde haue stopt their cries saying that the Prior desired not to be called king but this preuailed nothing for Baracchio bending his pistol against the captaine put him to silence by reason whereof he departed Anthony whether it were for feare to see so many naked weapons about him or that raised by such a meanes to that dignitie bringes feare with it he was amased and trembled giuing notable signes to his followers who helping him to horse at the first steppe he stumbled and almost fell in signe of presaging ill All the Nobilitie that was present followed him on foote bare headed as King And although a great part of the people were vnaduisedly come thither yet all followed him From thence the Prior went to the church and from the church to the house of the Magistrate where finding the gates shut he brake them open and was there solemnly confirmed King with ordinarie actes and writings the which were signed by all the Gentlemen Portugals that were present and Emanuel de Costa Borges with a standerd in his hande pronounced with a loude voice these wordes Reale Reale as their custome is Being then returned to his lodging he prepared to go to Lisbone there to be proclaimed King as the principall place of the realme In the meane time Velasco was come to Oliuenza where entering without stay by night the xix of Iune he was lodged by Diego de Vasconcellos at the request of the Passani of Eluas and hauing the day following requested the magistrate and the Nobilitie to assemble themselues in the Church of Pitie there to receiue certaine letters from the king being all assembled he deliuered them the which were publikely read finding them full of curtesies The conclusion was to sweare him king Velasco pressed them to answere briefly But as of light occasions sometimes grow important matters so did it here for the Nobilitie of this place being diuided into two contrarie factions the one was called Loby and Gama the other Matt s it chaunced that the letters which the king had written vnto the Nobilitie were by meere fortune first deliuered into the hands of the Loby whereof the contrarie faction made a sinister construction and the rather for that Velasco was lodged in the house of one of that faction They resolued to contradict all their aduersaries should propound And for as much as at that instant there were more of the familie of the Matti in office then of the Loby seeing their enimies inclined to giue place vnto the king they began to oppose themselues and without making answere to the letter they sent with all speede to the gouernours and presently after going to the lodging of Velasco they saide vnto him that they could not giue answere in a matter of so great importance without good aduise and aduertising of the gouernours demaunding fower daies libertie whereunto Peter answering that he could giue them no longer time then the next day morning they departed vnsatisfied saying that they feared nothing for that God would succour them where with Velasco discontented woulde haue sent Fratyn an Italian Ingeneur who was then with him to the Duke of Alua to request him to sende some troupes of soldiers within the view of the place to terrifie them yet being aduised by his friendes that were Portugals and finding the people affected to the king he staied The faction of Lâ—by with all their followers seeing the contradiction of the magistrate assembled themselues in councell making an acte in writing signed by them all whereby they protested that they were readie to obey the king In this time Marke Anthonie Iustinian a gentleman of Genoa friend vnto Velasco and kinseman to the Lâ—by aduised him to leaue his lodging and to talke to the people in the streetes winning them with faire words the which hauing effected and gathering a great multitude about him hee made vnto them a long discourse shewing the profit they should receiue in yeelding obedience vnto the king and the hurt in following the opinion of the magistrate seeing there was a mightie armie so neare them wherewith the people who were easily changed seemed content and following him to the Church of the holie Ghost where the Nobilitie was assembled Velasco entred and saide vnto them My maisters what shall we doe To whom Frier Aluaro in the name of the whole assemblie answered that they were readie to serue his Maiestie Then Iustinian raising Velasco from the ground proclaimed the kings name the which was followed by the whole Nobilitie and likewise by the people who going to the house of the magistrate they called for the Iudge and the Vereadors vpon great penaltie who vnderstanding the people was mutined and that Philip was proclaimed king they were afraide and went to yeeld their obedience the which the castell did likewise perfourming the ordinarie actes and ceremonies Velasco offering in the kings name many exemptions In this manner but more quietly in other places all this frontier did yeeld as Serpa Mora Campo maior Arronghez Portalegre and in other places about the realme they vsed the like diligence At this time Anthony was gone from Saint Arem to Lisbone the Gouernors seeing that succeed which they had long foretolde did fortifie at Settuual with the Duke of Bragance and the Embassadors of the Catholique King fearing the new King would march to them They neglected the defence of Lisbone supposing that Peter de Cugna captaine thereof and Iohn Teglio who as is said was at Belem with their procuration woulde prouide for it as they had commanded them and had sent two officers of Iustice to perswade the Citizens to make resistance But the said Teglio who it may be with greater zeale then iudgement was one of those that woulde haue the cause determined vnderstanding that Anthony was proclaimed king was greatly discontented for that of force hee must leaue the gouernment and make his peace with King Philip with greater difficultie if he shoulde now seeke it Besides that Anthony did not acknowledge the crowne from him and therefore greatly mooued seeming also vnto him that as Gouernour he did wrong his companions they being at Settuual and he at Belem to suffer the Prior so easily to
straggle from the campe hee was most miserable for whilest they ledde him bound such as were armed with their armes religious men with their staues women and children with stones did so pitifully handle him as happie was hee that coulde strike him and their licentious libertie was so great as it was lawfull for any one though most base and for euery slaue to wrong any stranger whatsoeuer to imprison him and sende him to the galleies for charging him to be an enimie the whole people at the least motion would rise and execute what they pleased were it right or wrong Anthony seeing nowe all hope of defence vpon the passage of the riuer lost and a mighty enimie so neere him sought some remedie for his affaires All conditions presented vnto him were most hard For to issue foorth and fight he iudged it a folly finding his defect of men to vanquish much lesse to bring the battaile in question To defend the citie it was impossible for the greatnes thereof being without wals and weake His flight by sea was stopped by the galleies he woulde not hazard to escape by lande being vnable to carry with him many iewels and some money which he had gathered togither and to compounde with the Duke was brother vnto death So as wauering in these thoughts the magistrate of the chamber of Lisbone went vnto him saying That seeing the enimy was so neere and so mightie they would not bring the safetie of the citie in question nor so gouerne themselues that being weake it shoulde be a praie to the soldiers that therefore hee shoulde prepare to issue foorth and defend it the which if he did not the citie coulde do no lesse then prouide for her owne safetie He answered that the time was nowe come when as they shoulde aide him with men entertained at their owne charge which doing he hoped with many others which hee had assembled God woulde giue him the victorie but the magistrate excused they coulde not do it for the great charge they had beene at by reason of the plague whereunto he replied that within two daies howsoeuer he woulde frame his campe and march against the Duke For this cause hauing let passe the fourth day of August most vnhappie to the Portugals for the losse of the battaile in Affrick and hauing left some of his most precious things in certaine religious houses he commaunded that all soldiers which had beene long before inrolled and all the people of Lisbone without exception of person whatsoeuer should march towards Belem the which was executed with great rigour forcing many to go in person For although the hatred against the Castillians were in generall yet the tailor the shoemaker the handicrafts men and the peasants who bragged that they alone woulde conquer the whole world did not willingly leaue their houses but fainting daily they chose rather to encounter with wordes then bullets besides being accustomed to an other trade and vnfit for warre they had not beene trained to shoote in a Harquebuse vnapt to carrie much lesse to mannage a pike So as of this forced and tumultuarie people they had assembled eight or ten thousand at Belem whither in the ende Anthony went who still doubtfull and ill aduised without any resolution expecting what time woulde counsaile him The resolution whereon he most depended was that if the Duke came against the citie to meete him vpon the waie with some aduantage if he coulde and giue him battaile propounding like a desperate man either to vanquish or to die yet soone after when the occasiō was presented he could neither effect the one nor the other His troupes lay not encamped but were dispersed heere and there within the houses of that small place vnder the porches of the monasterie and other such like without either forme or strength of a lodging He had no captaine of experience no marshall of the fielde nor sergeant that coulde commaund the soldiers lodge them and put them in battaile if neede were Sforce Orsin a yoong man and valiant but of no great experience was come out of Italy at the brute of these warres yet being a stranger and alone he was not obeied neither did they greatly trust him The priuate captaines of companies had no experience and there was so great want of men that some friers were made captaines of the Moores and of the scum of the people carrying in one hande their crosses and in the other their armes It is not to be forgotten as a thing not accustomed the mutinies growen in religious houses where being deuided into factions fewe were affected to the Castillians few remained newters and infinite were those that affected the rule of Anthony for the fauouring of whose cause they committed manie disorders The priests were no more temperate then the rest many whereof hauing left their priestly habite were gone to field armed In this confusion Anthony remained three daies at Belem whilest the Duke approched slowly The fourth day hee considered that although there came still vnto him some soldiers which had beene leuied in all the cities of the realme yet the armie diminished daily for that the inhabitants of the citie left him who hauing their houses neere not accustomed to the discommodities of warre fled from him therefore he sent to Lisbone commaunding vpon great punishments to bring vnto him by force al such as should be found armed or vnarmed defending that no man shoulde retire to anie other place but where he was desiring that as well the cowardes as the valiant shoulde runne the like fortune with him supposing as king Sebastian had done to his losse it were possible to force men to fight that were both vnskilfull and vnwilling And forasmuch as his onely hope consisted in the peoples fauour to the ende they shoulde follow him more willingly he graunted vnto all but especially to those of his traine free libertie the which carrying with it confusion was cause of great harme for as the whole citie was filled with Negroes and Peasants the quieter sorte had more feare of the people thē of the enimy yet was there not seene any one to powre foorth his hate or commit any priuate reuenge of small or great importance not for that there are not many dissentions and factions amongst them but being more apt to reuenge themselues by the toong then by sworde All rigour to force men to the fielde preuailed little for feare encreasing with this diligence they hidde themselues the more the which Anthony perceiuing finding himselfe in no assurance at Belem hauing the enimies campe so neere and a conquerour he was aduised to passe on and to lodge about the wals of the rocke of Saint Iulian supposing that two good effects woulde grow thereby the one that his armie should be more safe vnder the fauour of the cannon and of the tower the other that he should assure this forte being the only defence of the whole realme But this aduise being disallowed
he might not onely come in safety but if he woulde he would sende him hostages But relying vpon the Dukes promises hee went vnto him and was curteously entertained The captaine excused himselfe for not admitting of the trumpet saying there had not beene any one with him nor spoke with any one that was within that place the which if he had done he would haue made answere with that curtesie which was conuenient by reason whereof the trumpet was in danger of hanging The Duke exhorted Tristan Vaz with many reasons to resigne the forte as appertaining to his king shewing vnto him the danger wherein hee was The matter being a little debated betwixt them the captaine saide vnto him that if he woulde promise in the name of the Catholique king to performe such recompences as Anthony had graunted him he woulde yeelde it vp which the Duke freely offring they were agreed So as being returned leading with him some Spanish captaines soldiers he resigned the fortresse where the assieged were so decaied as they seemed to issue foorth of a deadly prison And although some did esteeme the captaine for this action to be treacherous and others a cowarde yet as he saide the rocke with such vnexpert soldiers was not defensible besides the Gouernors had declared Philip successour A little before the yeelding of S. Iulian the Duke had sent to Peter Barba captain of Cabessa Secca willing him to yeeld the forte the which he hauing refused when as he vnderstood the fortresse was yeelded and that the Duke brought in his galleies he woulde no longer attende but hauing abandoned the place with the consent of the Prior and saued certaine artillerie he fledde to the campe at Alcantara By these losses feare encreased in the citie chiefly amongst the principals who fearing to be spoiled were daily more disposed to yeelde to the Catholique King besides they did see small helpe in the Priors affaires and they hoped by their yeelding to obtaine some priuilege from his Maiestie and had before this made offer of themselues if the respect of the Prior who was in field and so neere had not deteined them At this time they had intelligence of the arriuall of fower ships at the Ilande of Terceraes which came from the Indies very rich and of great importance for the citie the losse whereof if the galleies shoulde seaze on them woulde cause great hinderance both in the particular and generall and therefore the greatest part wished that one of the armies woulde yeelde to the other before the ships should arriue For this cause the citie sent againe vnto Anthony to shewe vnto him the danger and as it were the siege wherein they were hauing the entrie of the sea shut vp that the Duke hauing so great numbers of men and he so fewe he ought not though he might to hazard the fortune of a fielde with so great disaduantage They did secretly aduise him to compound seeming the best way to ende these troubles and then the ships might safely enter Moreouer they did suppose that if in fighting the Duke should remaine victor so neere the citie they should hardly saue it from the spoile of the soldiers Notwithstanding Anthony for his small experience being irresolute disdaining the Dukes speeches and ill aduised by his friends these reasons could not draw him to resolue but the next day he sent to the magistrate the Count of Vimioso the Bishop of Guarda and Emanuel of Portugall to intreate the citie to defend it selfe and to send him more men to the campe incouraging them sometimes deuising that the French succours were on the way sometimes shewing the Priors forces to bee greater then they were and the enimies lesse But as the words of the magistrate did nothing mooue the Prior no more did the speeches of the Prior alter the inward minde of the Magistrate so as all remained in suspence euery man with his owne intentions True it is that as well the saide Prior as some of the magistrates had easily agreed with the Duke vpon certaine conditions But the Priors will was forced by those of the house of Portugall and especially by the Bishop and the Citizens by many new officers who had their places in perpetuitie the which were woont to bee graunted but for a time These men arrogating to themselues more authoritie then was giuen them woulde not suffer the execution of any thing but what pleased themselues But for all this Anthony was not without feare that the citie woulde rebell against him to his vtter ruine trusting in fewe he coulde finde no better remedie then to place continually at the gates of the citie and in the armie at sea a number of religious men of diuers orders to guarde the entrie with the soldiers and to keepe the keies trusting deseruedly more in them then in the captaines that were there imploied For in the assemblies and counsels of State that were often held there appeered more hatred against the Castillians and more will to fight in the religious men then in the secular The Duke was now returned to the same lodging of Oeiras a place both by nature and arte strong For besides the great number of artillerie and rampiers the countrey was rough stony whereas the horsemen could hardly fight in whose force the Portugals relied much He made no shewe to dislodge for supposing now as in effect it was that from thence he helde all the realme assieged and principally with his galleies hee supposed that both the Prior and the citie would soone yeelde vnto him Besides that to march on considering his craftie nature and slowe disposition and the Portugals armie being so neere he thought it not conuenient he laboured with all possible deuises to be cōquerour without fighting and had now almost corrupted the captaines of the galleies and of the tower of Belem who shoulde soone haue deliuered vnto him both tower and armie the which had been effected if Anthony himselfe had not gone in person who hauing dispossessed in a manner all the captaines of their charges and placed others without giuing them respite to execute their practises but he was nowe growen so iealous of euery man finding in all men so great feare and so little faith that hee knewe not whom to trust if he were not a religious man a marriner or of the baser sort And for that it seemes alwaies to such as feare that they are betraied it hapned that fire being kindled by chaunce in certaine straw which lay about the castell wals of the citie where his roiall tapestrie lay he grewe suspicious that this fire had beene some signe vnto the enimies and that the marchant strangers whom he had placed there in guard had made it for that they woulde not goe to fielde to fight and this feare was so violent that without examining the fact without considering they were Flemmings whose nation for the most part were the most obstinate enimies that euer the Catholique
carried with him vppon carts some small boates to cast into the riuer the which although they were fewe in number yet did hee meane to runne alongst the shoare and to take others but the ioints thereof were so shaken and open with the waie and carriages that hardly could they serue Hauing therefore passed the monasterie of Griso towardes the riuer hee sent to the shoare to search for other boates but hee founde not any for besides the Priors commaundement that no barke should passe from the right shoare three or fower being armed scowred the riuer vp and downe to hinder their passage whereupon he sent with great expedition as well to places neere as a farre off to search for some whereof he failed not for although there were none neere the citie yet in places further off vp the riuer where the Portugals supposed the Castillians would not come they founde and tooke many whereunto ioyning those of Massarellos a place vpon the left banke the inhabitants whereof discontented against the Prior who had burned their houses for not duly obeying his commandement were fled with their wiues and boates vnto the Castillians campe It did also some what helpe that Anthonie Serrano one of the captaines which Auila had sent to discouer hauing runne almost to the mouth of the riuer and not found any discouering one whereunto he durst not approch putting his men in Ambuscado stripping himselfe halfe naked seeming to haue been robbed by the Castillians and calling the water men to him by the voice of a Portugall spie which he had with him he caused the boate to draw neere and being entred into it he discharged a pistoll which was hidden vnder him by meanes whereof he did not onely amaze the marriners but gaue signe vnto the ambush which discouering itselfe the boate was presently taken with two or three others although but small ones that were thereabouts so as all togither made fiue and thirtie with the which he supposed to passe a good part of his armie Sanches d' Auila desired much to hasten his passage supposing that he had men sufficient but this resolution was helde rash by the captaines that were about him seeming vneasie to passe with boates any where but at Pietra Salata where lieth the ordinary passage the which was fortified for in other places the steepenesse of the banks would not suffer it so as they could not deceiue the enimie as they doe commonly making shew to passe in one place and goe to another They obiected there were few barks and ill prouided with marriners and although they would containe a great part of the footemen yet could they not hold the horse the which they must leaue behinde them which was not thought conuenient forasmuch as on the other side they did not onely see the place of their disimbarkment fortified with artillerie and rampiers but also the banks replenished with foote and good store of horsemen so as it seemed they coulde not attempt this passage without great losse saying that it was better to seeke meanes to prouide victuals and to behaue themselues more discreetly vpon the passage seeing that their safetie was of more importance to the king then their speede Sanches d' Auila waighed well all these inconueniences yet two things pressed him greatly to passe the one was want of victuals and the difficultie to recouer them the which encreased daily the other was to vnderstand that Edward de Lemos Martin Lopez d' Azeuedo and Anthony de Sousa Coutigno who followed the Prior in this prouince had assembled men to come to his succour the execution whereof they sought to impeach adding to this the smal account he held of the Portugals by his experience informer actions resolued in any sort to passe for this cause hee approched with his armie neer the riuer where the Portugals hauing fortified themselues within a forte which is aboue the citie of Gaija hee thought it should be necessarie to batter it and there to make some stay But it fell out more easie then he expected for hauing sent Peter de Soto the elder with some horse to discouer it they within hauing once discharged their harguebuses against the horsemen abandoned the forte and retired to the citie so as remaining no defence on that side he deuised by what meanes he shoulde passe with the least losse He himselfe ranne vp against the streame to see if he coulde discouer any other passage but finding all rough and steepe he saw no other place conuenient but Auintes two miles from the campe where although vneasily both on the one and the other banke they might imbarke and descend There he resolued to passe for this cause being returned to his lodging he published his intent but some of the armie being of a contrarie opinion hauing assembled them all together he said vnto them It will seeme strange vnto you that I haue resolued to morrow to passe this riuer with the whole armie supposing it may be that it is vneasie and dangerous for the season being vnfit the banks steepe the enimie vpon the other side armed and fortified shoulde make you doubt the victorie especially being in greater number then we are But for as much as where the feare is least danger I would let you see that there is no cause to feare any perill but an assurance of honour and profite These doubtes if you haue any before your eies be all vaine for the season doth not offend vs seeing that the waues are calme the banks giue vs sufficient roome and our enimies fortifications are as weake as their resistance hath been hitherto Remember that comming from Settuuall with the galleyes you descended at Cascayes where the same enimies vnder the most famous Captaine of Portugal had their armie yet they neither hindred our landing or scarce endured our sight for in a manner without seeing vs they did abandon the most important place of the realme Call to minde that all Portugall being assembled with their counterfeitking lodged at Alcantara a place by nature most strong furnished with artillerie and other armes in their presence we battered the rocke of Saint Iulian and forced it to yeelde not daring once to succour it or issue foorth to any small skirmish and thinke you that the weakest part of this armie and the most timerous being retired on the other side of this riuer shall make a greater resistance then it did vnited In this action we ought to striue for two things the kings seruice and our owne honours and reputations the which fortune seemes to frame as is most conuenient for vs For if the enimies we haue in fronte were so lodged that there remained no let betwixt vs we should doe the king small seruice and winne our selues little honour by the conquest but our good fortune will haue it so to the ende our praise may be the greater that Anthonie had taken as a buckler against vs this riuer and these bankes and that
the which is the more woorthie of admiration for that the diligence the King vsed to finde him out was admirable for all Iudges all Captaines and all soldiers were carefully imploied And although they had sometimes aduertisement of the place of his aboad and did follow him in a manner by his foote yet could they neuer finde him Ierom Mendosa with the help of Emanuel of Portugal in whom it was likelie that Anthony should trust treating an agreement laboured much to speake with him But although some of his familiar friends came vnto him somtimes at Alanquer somtimes at Vidigueira with hope they should meete yet did hee neuer discouer himselfe vnto them but the sleight execution of the punishment inflicted vpon such as did cōceale him did greatly preiudice their search for many therby did boldly receiue him The Duke of Alua his officers in the end of Lent had like to haue surprised him in Lisbon where the Duke had so many spies corrupted so many of his friends that it seemed vndoubtedly he shoulde fall into his hands but when as with greatest heate he shoulde haue pursued it he grew cold For vnderstanding that the king helde some regard of Mendoza his practise who with doubtfull hopes gaue him to vnderstande that the weeke before Easter the Prior woulde cast himselfe at the Kings feete hee feared to amaze him but the said Mendoza laboured in vaine For as it happens to him that feares Anthony distrusting all men performed nothing of what he promised neither went hee to any person where hee had appointed so as there neither followed the effect that was expected but they lost all hope to do any good Yet was it apparant that the affection which this nation bare vnto him was of great force for although that fortune preuailed in many more then faith yet in his afflictions and hauing so great an imposition laide vpon his person there was neuer any one amongst so many in whom he must of necessitie trust that euer sought to betraie him for hope of recompence although some laboured to saue themselues amongst which was Edward de Castro And therefore hee went safely throughout all the portes of the sea he was at Lisbone as it is saide where the king himselfe remained not finding meanes to imbarke some of his men being surprised hee went to Settuual where by the helpe of a woman hee hired a Flemmish ship for sixe hundreth crownes with the helpe of a religious man of the order of Saint Frauncis and with tenne of his faithfullest seruants he imbarked by night and so went to Caleis where wee may truely saie that God had not yet withdrawne his hand frō punishing of this nation and that this was as a scourge for by reason of the affection this people bare vnto him it was necessarie to keepe this people in awe with garrisons to the great hurt and ruine of the subiects Now was come the yeare 1581. at what time they expected the ships from the Indies Brasil Saint Thomas Cape Vert all other new found landes the which staied somewhat long and put them in some feare being looked for with greater desire then euer anie were Some feared they woulde not come others wished they shoulde come many helde opinion they shoulde willingly staie at the Terceres and from thence go into England the which if they should not willingly yeeld vnto touching vnaduisedly at the Ilands they shoulde bee forced thereunto by the Ilanders They were wished for both for the riches they carried as to vnderstande by them howe the people of those parts were addicted to the obedience of the Catholique king whereof many doubted Such as helde opinion they shoulde safely arriue at Lisbone saide that the Indies and other prouinces coulde not maintaine themselues without Spaine and shoulde bee forced to yeelde obedience to whomsoeuer that shoulde be Lorde of Portugall that they needed not feare the Terceres although they had spoiled some ships which they had taken or that had anchored there of their owne free will yet now the Castillian armie being master at sea vpon their discouerie they woulde conduct them to Lisbone not suffring them to approch the lande Such as supposed they woulde not come saide that the saide ships were departed from Lisbone in the yeere 1580. after King Henries death during the Gouernours raigne and that Lewes de Taide Earle of Toghia Viceroy of the Indies knowing there was a space-gouernement with likelihood of warre woulde attende the euent without yeelding obedience to any for that he woulde then shew it when he had intelligence who were king to be the more acceptable vnto him or hoping that amidst these tumults there woulde something remaine to his share But if notwithstanding he were resolued to sende them hee woulde appoint a captaine of his owne making and conformeable to his owne will with commission to obey him to whom he were most affected and that it were hard to iudge whom he wished most to be King besides that Emanuel de Melo being captaine Generall of the same armie when it departed from Portugall being a deuoted seruant to the Prior and had made shew to be of his faction it was likely that if he returned had any intelligēce of the Priors being in England the which he might easily vnderstande at the Ilands that he woulde saile thither the which if he coulde not performe in the same ships hee woulde then lande in the Ilands and after saile in other boats whether hee pleased with hope of gaine and bootie And although it were true that the Indians coulde not maintaine themselues yet Fraunce and England might more aboundanly furnish them and with greater profite then Portugall But for as much as in discoursing of matters which depends vpon an others will we cannot cōsider al causes of their errors a matter priuate to the diuine knowledge it fell out in an other manner then had beene discoursed For the Earle Viceroy of the Indies hauing by the same ships receiued letters from the Catholique King who enformed him of the equitie of his cause and of his intent with large promises whereunto and by the meanes of others which he receiued from the gouernors he gaue credite preferring them before such as he had receiued from Anthonie resolued to obey the King so as the ships departed and being arriued neere to the Terceres they came sailing without euer discouering of the kings armie for that Baldes discouraged with his ill successe at the Ilands could find no fit place to encounter thē True it is that after they had remained a whole day amongst those Ilands they were encountred by a French Barke sent from the Terceres who entreated the Captaines to go to Angra The Portugals demaunded the state of the realme that they might thereby know howe to gouerne themselues but for that there were none but marriners they coulde neither perswade dissemble nor speake the truth but contradicting themselues those of the fleete
with him This letter in some sort pleased the Marques being in hope to come to agreement to remaine an absolute cōquerour without effusion of more bloud before the sea shoulde grow more rough But this demaund seemed vnto him vnreasonable refusing to heare talke of any Portugals to be transported into Fraūce Amongst the principal of the armie there were diuers opinions what should be done Some would presently haue marched against the French men to winne time charge them without any further accord or condition what soeuer Others discoursed with greater iudgemēt saying that it was conuenient to make an agreement with the French both for the shortnes of the time they coulde staie there as for the difficultie they shoulde finde to goe vnto them for they made an account to spende fiue daies in that enterprise two in their march one at the least in conquering and two in retiring and that they had no commoditie in the armie to carrie victuals by land for aboue two daies wanting waggons bottles and such other necessaries But these difficulties were surmou nted by the courage of the soldiers who growen proud could not endure that so small a handful of French being so neere shoulde make shewe to defende themselues against so great a number of old soldiers and conquerors whereupon they did offer to endure all discommodities to go vnto them And although he were not resolued to do so yet this Brauado caused the enimies to haue straighter conditions then otherwise possibly they had had the which after long treatie was thus concluded That the French shoulde deliuer vp their armes and ensignes retaining onely their swordes that they shoulde bee lodged in a quarter of the towne that they shoulde giue them shippes and victuals to returne into Fraunce The accorde was no sooner made but it was put in execution for the thirde of August the French came from the mountaine and without the citie deliuered vp their armes with eighteene ensignes their drums and phifes as it had beene agreed and entred disarmed into the citie passing thorough the Marquesses troupes which were armed and in guard where the commaunder Chattes with the Lorde of Carrauaca marshall of the field and other principall officers did visite the Marques by whom they were kindly enterteined In this time the galleies and other vessels were arriued at Faiall with the men that Peter de Toledo carried and passing with them Gonçalo Perera a Portugall who had wife and children in this Iland the saide Peter thought it good to send him before as a trumpet to entreat the people to yeeld supposing that being of that conntrey he shoulde haue credite amongst them to let them vnderstand the Kings forces and the dangers that approched to the ende they might the more easilie yeelde obedience But Anthony Guedez de Sosa who was captaine of this Iland neither respecting the messenger nor the reasons which he deliuered nor yet regarding the example of his stronger neighbors hauing outraged him both in worde and deed in the ende he slewe him as if in giuing him this notice he had touched him in his honour Peter de Toledo seeing the messenger not returne surmising what had hapned resolued to disimbarke his men and finding the Iland not so rockie and lesse fortified then the Terceres the second of August he landed his men almost without resistance and marching against the towne he was encountred by fower hundreth French and many Portugals where the skirmish began the which encreasing the French and Portugals were faine to retire into a small castel whereinto they had drawen the greatest parte of their artillerie and munition where after they yeelded in the same manner as those at the Terceres had done and Sosa suffered the punishment of his inhumanitie being hanged by one arme after his hands were cut off It is strange to see the confidence of these men the which nothing terrified by examples did induce them to cruell excesse and yet did not force them to fight it out vnto death but the Portugals vnexperienced do not account of dangers they see not and when they see them they feare them more then they are to bee feared There was no more to be done in this iland so as hauing spoiled it leauing Anthony of Portugall for Gouernour with two hundreth soldiers Peter de Toledo returned with his galleies and other ships to the Terceres where the rest of the Ilands of Saint George Pico and Gratiosa came to yeeld their obedience The Marques hauing agreed with the French caused a diligent search to be made for Emanuel de Silua who intituled himselfe counte of Torres Vedras Gouernour and Generall of the Ilands but being retired to Altary and finding that such as had the charge of certaine boates in whom fortune had more force then loialtie had broken them against the rockes hee founde all hope vaine for his safetie hauing no meanes to free himselfe by the French composition being attired in a base habite hee hidde himselfe in the mountaines But it seemed the heauens had decreed he should suffer punishment for his offences by the hands of his enimies for that a moorish slaue who hoped by that meanes to saue himselfe discouered him to a Prouost marshall who seeing him before his eies knewe not what he was so as hauing taken and brought him to the citie he was kept with some other of the principall rebels and seditious vntill the processe of their death were made by the auditour in the name of the King and the Marques as generall of the armie specifying all their faults that were executed vpon the prisoners The Germaines first put themselues in battaile in the chiefest part of Angra keeping the entrie of euery streete and there causing a fire to be made they did burne all the money they founde to be stamped with the coine of Anthony the which although it was not little in quantitie yet was it nothing woorth being for the most part of base mettall with small mixture of siluer After they cutte off Emanuel de Silua his head with a sworde after the Germaine fashion to the generall griefe of all the assistants For being of a louely countenance and hauing in this last houre with great resolution confessed himselfe culpable and to haue deserued this punishment hee demaunded pardon of one after another of all such as present or absent he thought to haue wronged saying that he alone had bin the cause of the miserie of this Iland that he alone ought to suffer the punishment the which ioined to the contrition he shewed did mooue the harts euen of his enimies And in truth we may well saie that he framed himselfe to the speech of Dionysius the tyrant that to leaue a tyrannie they must not ride poast but staie vntill they be forced for in truth he attended vntill hee lost his head His head was set vp publikely in that place from the which that of Melchior Alphonso