and puissant doe despoile and consume the others who are of lesse puissance Now we know that there are two especiall reasons for which the Authour hath prolonged and drawne out at length this his Discourse enriching it with Histories so singular and beautifying it with such rare authorities and examples The former is for that as he hath endeuoured liuely to depaint vnto vs our enemy and to make vs know the naturall disposion of those Nations of whom we haue great cause to take good heed seeing that all that which he hath spoken doth set forward this his intent and purpose he saw it would not be any inconuenience to vse therein some prolixity If a man by compact as bound thereto by another or of his owne proper motion and free will and vpon curiosity would vndertake a voyage of some three or foure leagues not hauing any time prefixed nor limited for dispatch thereof what harme would it be vnto him if in his passage he doe find some Gardens where he may recreate and refresh himselfe from the trauell and wearisomenesse of the way So doe you my Masters reade this Treatise at your pleasure vse it for your recreation and take your delight in the sweete odours of her flowres and pleasant posies You neede make no great hast there is no man that doth vrge you thereto A second reason of the prolixity of this Treatise is for that as the Author is driuen of necessity to handle the vertues and the vices of diuers persons and sundry Nations so his will was that each of them should haue his due desert the good and those that haue done well praise and honour but the euill and vitious blame and reprehension In the end of this Treatise you shall find the explication which he promiseth Fol. 143 in the which there are many things both of great curiosity and also as necessary to the matter in hand as any of the rest For that in knowledge vnderstanding and experience hee doth farre exceed me as his worke doth shew apparantly Touching the which briefly I dare not affirme any thing but this that each word of his is a sentence and that each sentence containeth many I must confesse that to some persons in particular his Treatise will be ill accepted but what remedy he hath spoken but the truth and what he affirmeth he proueth and hee alledgeth nothing without his Authour to iustifie it And truly I for my part am of this opinion that it is not against reason to publish the wickednesse and vices of some one particular person which being true may be made knowne to euery man especially when the knowledge thereof may redound to the great good and benefit of the weale publike But to come to an end let me entreat you to take in good part that which I haue said A Table made by the Author of the principall things contained in this Treatise THe reasons which haue mooued Philip king of Castile to stirre vp warre in Fraunce and what opinion he hath of the French page 2. The league in Fraunce imitateth that in Spaine in the yeare 1463. page 4. Philip against his promise causeth the captaine Anthonie to hanged page 4. What paines and labour Philip hath taken to procure warre against the most Christian king Henrie the 3. deceassed by the meane of the king now being and of the promises which he hath made vnto his Maiestie for that purpose page 6. The great desire which the late king Henrie the third had to haue set Portugall at libertie page 8. That Portugall is the cause of the warre in Fraunce page 8. How necessarie and important a thing it is that the enemie haue warre made vpon him in his owne countrie page 8. What the nature and disposition is of the naturall Spaniards page 15. What sorrow and griefe the Princes and Lords of Spaine did take to see the inuasion and vsurpation of Portugall and what desire they haue to see it deliuerer page 17. The malice of the Castiliannation and their disloyalty against strangers when they haue any occasion offered them to domineere and rule ouer them page 19. The enmitie and hatred of the Castilians against the Portugals page 22. The loyaltie and fidelitie of the Portugal page 24. The cause why Portugall was not restored to her libertie in the yeare 1589 when the king Don Anthonio drew the English into Portugall with a true declaration of that voyage page 27. The great riches found at Lisbon page 29. The reason why so many faults were committed in that Armie of the English page 33. That the most Christian king and the Princes and Potentates of Europe haue very great cause and interest to hinder the Portugals from according with the Castilian page 33. A deduction of certaine reasons betweene the Author and a Frenchman vpon the voyage which it behoueth the French to make into Spaine and what losses they haue had for default of putting the same in execution in times past page 36. What the state and condition is of an assailant and of a defendant page 40. That tyrannie and crueltie and a disordinate and dishonest life is the cause of the ruine and destruction of great Estates and Monarchies page 43. The cause wherefore the king Rodericke lost Spaine page 44. That the English heretofore going into Spaine with the Portugals did constraine the kings of Castile to demaund peace in all humilitie and what conditions to their great disaduantage they were constrained to receiue of them and of the valour of the Portugals with the honourable testimonie of the king of Castile and of the force and puissance of Portugall against Spaine from page 50. to 53. Where and by what way Spaine may be inuaded and the enemy easily ruinated page 55. The Portugals most impatient vvhen their honour is in question page 56. How and by what meanes the king of Castile hath so easilie vsurped the realme of Portugall page 57. What and how great the force of Portugall is the negligence of the king Don Anthonio and of his Counsell page 59. The vnlawfull and vniust treaties made by king Philip with Muley Malucco whereof ensued the losse and destruction of the king Don Sebastian And how Philip doth reioyce triumph at the prosperitie of the Turke and for what cause he forbeareth to hinder the Turke from making warre in Europe which he may easily doe page 60. The description of Portugall with the greatnesse riches and puissance thereof page 65. King Philip much addicted to Cosmographie and greatly practised and expert in histories page 70. That the Castilians for these three hundred yeeres last past haue done nothing of any worth without the Portugals page 73. That Portugall is the principall cause of all the warres and reuolts which haue bin since the yeare 1580 euen till this day and will be still if order be not taken to the contrary page 74. How king Philip doth gourmandise and incroch vpon the elections of the Popes
officers of the said realme who would assist him doe their vttermost endeauors to serue him faithfully to the intent they might remaine in their countrey with their charges offices vnder the obeissance of a naturall king not of a Castilian And if the most excellent Duke of Lorraine were disposed to restore Arragon Valentia Catalonia c. he should haue an Admirall many officers of those realms to accompany him they would hold esteeme theÌ„selues for most happy fortunate to deliuer their cuntry froÌ„ the tyranny yoak of a stranger to redeliuer it to a naturall lawfull Prince If the Portugals likewise would determine and resolue themselues to choose by election as they haue right so to doe some Prince or some other of the people either white or negro for it is most certaine that to deliuer themselues of the tyranny of Philip they would be content to receiue to their King the meanest negro of Guinee if he be a Christian and will liue in the Realme with them they are fully perswaded and they haue reason that this would be a great help and furtherance to the accomplishment of their desires to finde for their defence and preseruation a Constable of Portugall a Marshall and Admirall and all other such like officers of the Realme and their records and writings done in their owne tongue the fashions of their garments and the surnames of their families Contrarywise if it be graunted and yeelded vnto Philip that he may once take vpon him this title of King of Spaine it is most certaine and sure that he will make onely one house royall of all Spaine with a Constable Marshall or Marshals and Admirall graund Maister great Chamberlaine maister of the Horse and all other such like officers of the Realme all which shall be called of Spaine generally and they will call themselues also by the name onely of Spaniards and so will vnite all of them into one onely bodie which will turne to the great dammage and preiudice of the particular states and kingdomes of Spaine and to the great profit and surety of Philip and his posteritie Full little do strangers know of what importance this matter is and thereof it commeth that they speake so fondly and foolishly when they talke thereof which is a thing greatly to be blamed and reprehended in them considering that it is against the law which sayth Inciuile est de re incognita iudicare that it is a great inciuility for any man to iudge of that which hee doth not vnderstand The nations of Spaine doe see very well what mischiefe this may bring vpon them and therefore they doe resist and withstand it with so great force and vehemencie The Castillian knoweth full well the great aduancement and assurance which would hereof ensue to his estate if he could reach so farre and that is the cause he is so earnest to get himselfe entitled king of Spaine He is as we haue before sayd very expert and well seene in histories as his predecessors were also before him and by reading of them he hath learned that this is the most easie meane and readie way to commaund peaceably and to gaine the affection of all the Spaniards Histories do shew vs Egbert king of West Saxonâ— in England how Egbert a valiant and magnanimous Prince being chosen king of the realme of West Saxons in great Brittaine which Realme contained the prouinces of Cornewall Deuon Sommerset Wiltshire Dorsetshire Hampshire and Barkeshire and trusting vpon his skill and knowledge in the art military which hee had learned in Fraunce vnder Charlemaigne where he had beene banished for many years he resolued to make himselfe King Lord of all great Brittaine leauing Scotland apart And beginning his enterprise he first subdued the prouince of Wales which is the strongest of all the rest After which he wanne the Realmes of Kent Mercia Northumberland and the Realme of the East Saxons called Essex Or rather North Saxon in Norfolke hauing gotten this prouince and those foure realmes Egbert seeing himselfe now Lord of fiue and that there now rested no more to conquer but the Realme of Sussex so called of the South Saxons and that of the East Saxons called East Anglia of whose forces he made no great reckening And bethinking with himselfe how he might assure and secure these dominions and Seigniories vnto himselfe he determined not onely to roote out and extinguish the name and memory of the Brittaines the ancient inhabitants of that I le but also gaine the good willes and affections of his subiects by a new name and so by that meanes to draw vnto himselfe the residue which remained yet vnconquered To this effect and purpose he ordained and appointed and by a perpetuall edict commaunded that from that day forwards all those seuen Realmes should bee named by one onely name England and that all the inhabitants should name themselues Englishmen Egbert the first king of England And by this meanes hee came readily and fully to the ende of his desire In imitation of this Egbert Fernand the second king of Arragon and the fift of that name king of Castile seeing himselfe Lord of the greatest part of Spaine and that there rested no more for him to gaine saue onely Nauarre and Portugall he employed all his forces and endeauours to obtaine from the Princes realmes and prouinces of Spaine that which they refused to wit that hee might entitle and write himselfe King of Spaine With the like ambition and desire Philip his great graund-child pretendeth that the Realmes of Spaine and now of late Portugall haue constantly resolutely denied him and which you doe giue him so readily and so liberally So that now I thinke you will perfectly vnderstand the cause wherefore Philip doeth write himselfe King of Castile and of Leon Castillians and Castilo what it meaneth New Castile all those kingdomes which the kings of Castile haue gotten from the Moores The particular names of the kingdomes of new Castile when they were recouered from the Moores Toledo first set at liberty anno 1086. c. For so the nations of Spaine and the Castillians themselues call him howbeit that you doe make a iest and toy of it not knowing how much it doeth import them so to do and therefore I hope that from henceforth you will by these instructions both know your owne ignorance and correct this your fault and ouersight We call them Castilians which are naturall and borne in the Realme of Castile and in those Realmes which the kings of Castile with the aide of the Kings of Nauarre Arragon and Portugall other Soueraigne Lords of Spaine haue gotten and wrested out of the hands and possession of the Moores all which Realmes wee name â—y one onely name new Castile Of these Realmes that which was the shortest time in the power and puissance of the Moores was the kingdome of Toledo which was restored to
and Cardinals page 74. That tyranny is as proper naturall to the Castilian as laughter is to a man and that all which he hath in any part of the world hath bin vsurped either by his predecessors or by himselfe vniustly and by plaine tyranny and that it is now a long time since the predecessors of Philip haue vsed to serue their turne by poysoning page 76. The hatred which the Ecclesiasticall and Regular persons of Portugall haue to Philip king of Castile page 85. The nature and disposition of the Portugals page 86. Iohn the second king of Portugall the scourge and chastiser of the Castilians page 87. That the realmes of Arragon of Valencia and the Countie of Barcelona other Seigniories do appertaine of right to the Duke of Loraine and how Fernand the great grandfather of Philip was one of the maisters of Machiauell page 88. The crueltie of Philip and how he maketh no exception of persons be it Pope Nuncio Bishop c. page 89. 91. That king Philip promised fourescore thousand Duckats to haue the king Don Anthonio killed page 95. The blindnesse and inueiglement of those who beeing the followers of king Philip doe excuse and defend him page 97. Good and wholesome counsell for subiects towards their Princes page 99. The great rents and reuenues which Philip draweth yearelie from the Churches of Castile page 101. The offer made by Philip to them of the pretended Reformed religion to cause them to make warre against the late King of Fraunce page 104. How greatly Philip hath pained himselfe to trouble the estate of the French king by the meanes of some of the chiefe heads both of the one religion and of the other page 105. The reason wherefore king Philip yeelded the citie of Arzil to Muley Hamet page 107. The great difference diuersity betweene the manners of Philip king of Castile and Anthonio king of Portugall page 107. The cause why Don Anthonio refused the meanes to recouer his realme of Portugall page 109. Offers made by king Philip to Don Anthonio page 109. The explication promised by the Author page 119. Of the prouerb Jf the Cockerell had not come the Cocke had bin taken page 119. Of Auila page 121. Of Simancas page 122. The iudgement giuen by the Lackeys against the Archbishop ef Toledo page 123. Of Gelorico page 124. Of the Castle of Coimbre page 125. Of the king of Castile page 126. Of Egbert the first king of England page 132. Of the Castilians and Castile page 132 The reason why Braga entitleth it selfe Primate of Spaine page 132. Toledo Cordua and other kingâ—â—mes of new Castile set at libertie and recouered from the Mores page 132. Of the Cities of Spaine page 134. Of the townes of Spaine page 135. THE SPANISH PILGRIME OR A ROMISH CATHOLICKES DISCOVERIE By way of exhortation Wherein is shewed by good and euident reasons infallible arguments most true and certain histories and notable examples the right way and true meanes to resist the violence of the Castilian King to breake the course of his designes to abate his pride and to ruinate his puissance MOst excellent Princes they which doe make profession of wrastling or of fencing doe principally studie how to discouer the trickes and deuises vsed by their aduersaries in these kindes of exercises for that hauing once marked and taken notice of the same they doe enter into the lists and present themselues in place and doe combat with so much the more hardinesse and assurance as hauing conceiued thereby a full and assured hope to ouercome their enemies and by giuing them the foyle to gaine the prize propounded for the victory In like manner ought we in all affaires diligently to search out the originall of euery thing that we may foresee and preuent all the inconueniences which may grow therein to the intent they may not endamage vs in the time to come afterwards Now that which we in this Treatise ought most curiously to put in practise is to know and discouer the reasons which haue moued Philip King of Castile to make warre in France with so great expence and charge of his treasure with so great losse of his people and with so great decrease and diminution of his dominions especially in the Low Countries If the most Christian King Henrie the third were liuing he could say as much as a certaine stranger his seruant comming from Spaine in the yeare 1583. in the moneth of May did giue him to vnderstand and that was that the sayd King Philip seeing how his most Christian Maiestie had permitted Monsieur de Shosse the County du Brissar The reasons that moued Philip king of Castile to stir vp warres in France what opinion he hath of the French nation and other Lords and Gentlemen to goe with an army by Sea to giue aide and succour to Don Anthony the true rightfull King of the Realms of Portugall who had beene elected King according to the custome of the Portugals by all the cities and townes of the sayd Realme and by many Prouinces and Signories out of Europe being dependants of the same Realme and Kingdome The said Philip did deliberate in a solemne set Councell to stirre vp and procure a ciuill warre in France saying the French nation is at this day of such a nature and likewise the English that they neuer thinke vpon the time to come nor care for any thing but for the present and that which they haue in hand as being more desirous to gaine day by day three or foure Crownes then to keep three or foure thousand already gotten so farre are they changed from their old and naturall disposition For in former times they had a desire to goe abroad out of their owne Counttey for the succouring of Kings and Princes afflicted despoyled of their Realms and Dominions and to make warre vpon the Infidels and to chastise tyrants whereas now their thoughts are quite cleane altered and they doe set their minds altogether to the gotting of money vâ—on any conditions whatsoeuer and they are now growne to be no lesse in loue with the lasciuiousnesse and delights of their owne country then they are in dislike with the sterility and extreame heat of Spaine other discommodities of this countrey and for this cause we shall the more easily perswade and induce them to make warre within their owne countries euen against their own brethren cousins parents and countrimen rather then abroade against their enemies And for this cause I will and am resolued to spend one million of gold the more yearely to the intent I may keepe and entertaine them alwayes in domesticall and ciuill warres So that being held occupied and hauing their hands full in their owne countrey they shall not be able to resolue to passe into the Realmes and dominions of any other And so by meanes hereof shall I be able easily to preserue the Realme of Portugall to my sefle with all that doth depend
the Protestant Princes and most Christian King of France to free your selfe from the encombrance of this burthen now laid vpon you and to send a good armie into Spaine for as much as by such a voyage well handled and to good purpose dependeth both the safety of your selues and the ruine of your enemy If you make warre vpon your enemy within Spaine hee shall be compelled to call home all his forces not onely from France the Low Countries but al those which he hath in Lombardy Naples Sicily Sardinia and other countries The meanes to ruinaâ—e the enemy we had good proofe and experience hereof euen of late For as soone as the Castilian saw the English possessâ—d of Calice hee did incontinently send for all his gallies of Naples Sicily and Genes He sent to intreate the grand master of Maltha to send him the Gallies appertaining to the knights of the Religion Which had been done if the French Gentlemen which were of the order had not opposed themselues against it He caused in all haste the Forces which hee had in Brittaine to passe into Spaine and there is no doubt but hee had likewise called home all those which he had in other countries if the English had remained there any longer time You see then most excellent Princes that by passing into Spaine you may withdraw from oâ—er your heads the sword of the Castilian and deliuer your country from his proud yoke and tyranny But you will say the enemy hath great and puissant forces and a great number of old and expert souldiers by whose meanes albeit they be farre off yet being called backe into Spaine he will greatly endamage and annoy you and consequently your voyage may proue vnprofitable and perhaps very dangerous and so you may be enforced to retire and returne home againe not onely with shame and confusion but which is more in great trouble and extreame perill But vnto this I answer Good and sound counsell First if you do all things with prudence and good aduise you reape thereby incredible profit and commoditie and the danger will be small or none at all Secondly that in Spaine there are many places vpon the Sea coast which you may easily take and command and whose situation is so strong by nature that if they be fortified by art and the industrie of man you shall defend and keepe them with a very small charge and much more easily then the enemy doth keepe Blauet in Brittaine and those will serue you for sure places of retrait Thirdly in Spaine there are many nations which do hate the Castilian extremely for that they haue beene tyrannized either by himselfe or by his predecessors and these when they shall see themselues aided and assisted in good earnest and to purpose for the great desire which they haue to be at libertie will soone take armes against the enemie Fourthly those Souldiers which are out of Spaine being called backe by their Lord and master cannot arriue there within foure moneths at the soonest and within two moneths may you arme and furnish fit and ready for the warres all those of the countrey which will take your part For this is most certaine that the very Climate of the countrey doth helpe and aide to make them able and actiue I my selfe and many others in Portugall haue sometimes seene a company of new souldiers at their first entring into garrison to seem rather a troupe of beggers and poore rascals rather then souldiers al of them being so poore naked and miserable as we had pittie to see them and yet within foure or fiue dayes after that they haue beene new apparelled and well appointed if you had seene them settled in the garrison you would haue said that they had beene great Gentlemen and they did carrie themselues with so good a grace and countenance as if they had beene braue and old trained souldiers I doe assure you that two moneths will suffice to them of the country to make them souldiers The greatest difficultie is to make them abide and not to feare the fire of the Hargubush Moreouer the Prouinces of Spaine are rich as all the world knoweth The nature of the naturall Spaniard and the inhabitants make not any account nor reckoning of their wealth when there is any question for the recouering of their libertie For in this case they will not spare to spend it liberally as was to be seene by the offer which they made to king Philip after that the Englishmen were retired from Calice and therefore by sending of money into these quarters they will gather together fiftie thousand men of warre to passe into Spaine for their succour defence and preseruation sooner then the enemie shall bee able to cause fiue thousand to come thither from any forraine partie If any man shall say that seeing two moneths are sufficient to make the naturall Spaniards good souldiers the enemy may therfore much sooner assemble and arme a great number of men then we shall get for succour I answer I would agree thereto if there were in Spaine armes sufficient wherewith to arme and furnish them but they are so rare and daintie there to be had that there bee many great townes notably well peopled within the which a man cannot finde fiftie Hargubushes Armes very rare in Spaine And if there were any store of armes to be had yet the Spaniards in Spaine would take armes sooner and much more cheerefully for their libertie then for the seruice of one that tyrannizeth ouer them Especially the Princes and great Lords who doe desire nothing so much as that there were some realme or prouince within Spaine in full and free libertie and which might be gouerned by it selfe to the intent it might serue them for a place of refuge and sanctuarie as they had the like in times past For Spaine being in manner as an Iland at this day the Princes Spaine in maner of an IlaÌ„d Lords and Gentlemen of marke cannot easily withdraw themselues from thence by meanes whereof they are held in great slauerie and subiection When there were seuerall kings in Nauarre Arragon and Portugall if the Castilians were at any difference with their king or the Nauarrois the Arragonois or Portugals with theirs they would haue retired themselues the one to the other by whose liberalitie they were euer prouided of all things needfull and necessary for the life of man and sometimes with greater ease and commodity then in their owne countrey as it happened in the time of Fernand king of Portugall and of Henrie the second king of Castile who slue his owne naturall and lawfull brother which was the cause that County Don Fernand de Casire and Don Alvar peres de Castre his brother Men Suares Grandmaster of Alcantara Suer Iuan de Parada Gouernour of the Realme of Galatia Petro Giron Grandfather of Calatraua Alonso Giron his Nephew and many other great Lords and Gentlemen with a great number of Cities
and Townes holding the party of the king deceased did conuey themselues into Portugall where they were receiued by the king Fernand and had most honourable entertainment with most notable fauours rich presents and incredible gifts which hee gaue vnto them most bountifully In so much that from thenceforth the Castres did continue still and inhabit in Portugall from whom are descended those which are there of that name now at this day Hierom Guliel cap. 23. fol. 81 pag. 2. The like happened to Diego Lopez Pacheco a Portugall albeit not for so iust and honourable a cause who going from Portugall into Castile for being charged with the death of the Queene Dame Iues de Castro in the time of the king Don Peter of Portugall hee was then created Lord of Beiar and his children also made Lords of other peoples of whom the Marquesse of Villana the Dukes of Escalon and many other great Lords haue their descent and originall In like manner in the time of king Juan of Portugall of happy memory Alias Iohn the Acugnas and Pimentels went into Castile and of them are descended directly in the line masculine the Dukes of Ossuna and Counties of Benauent and in a manner all the Princes and Lords of Castile and Dame Iulian de Lancastre Duchesse of Auero in Portugall Now at this day the Nobilitie of Spaine doth greatly want such places of refuge and sanctuarie and now The Nobilitie of Spain want places of refuge and sanctuary at this day the least Prouost or Marshall is sufficient to arrest the greatest Lord of the countrey yea though it were the brother of the King himselfe in so much that the Princes and Lords of Spaine doe as heartily desire to see some Realme or Prouince set at libertie as they doe their owne safetie The sorrow griefe of the Princes and Lords of Spaine to see the inuasion vsurpation of Portugal the desire they haue to see it at libertie None can tell how great an affliction and notable a misery famine is but hee that wanteth bread to eat and the Nobilitie of Spaine doth at this day with great griefe finde that to be true which they most of all feared in the time of Charles the fifth whose greatnesse they had euen then suspected and for this cause they did shew themselues mightily aggrieued at such time as King Philip did enterprise the vsurpation of Portugall Conestagio a Genouois in the booke which he hath written in fauour of the sayd Philip and which is intituled The vnion of the Realme of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile doth tell vs both the one and the other of these matters And although in that worke of his there be many true reports yet we doe know him for a great and notable Lyer and euen the very first word of that booke is an vntruth in that he hath entituled it The vnion of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile The oth of K. Philip. for king Philip in the assembly of estate which he held at Tomar in the yeare 1581. where the Portugals against their wills and by force did receiue him for their king promised and sware with a solemne oath neuer to intermingle the matter and affaires of Portugall with those of Castile The Explication of the Genealogy of the French K. now raigning The authour whereof was Frier Ioseph Texere but to keepe for euer the Monarchy of Portugall entire in the same estate and in the same manner as the kings his precessors had alwayes preserued and maintained it paying all the pensions fees and wages to all the officers of the kings house both Spirituall and Temporall in like sort as they were payd in the times of the true and good kings forepassed Somewhat of this matter a man may see in the end of the booke of Explication of the Genealogie of his most Christian Maiestie where it is spoken of the first king of Castile Moreouer the said Conestagio as a man of a maligne and peruerse spirit is a most vngratefull enemy of that nation which hath both aduanced and honoured him For wee knew him at Lisbon when he serued Anthonio Caulo and afterwards with Stephen Lercaro 3. fol. 62. a Marchant of Genoa He hath in his booke these words In Castile this succession gaue great matter whereof both to muse and to talke both in priuate and in publike for that the king caused the Estate of Portugall to be vnited to his other Realmes and Dominions not caring how nor in what fashion it were done so it were effected The which the Nobilitie tooke very ill in so much as it seeemeth that all the great men of Spaine since the time of Charles the fifth to this day could not away nor like of the greatnesse of the king because thereof it hath proceeded that hee maketh lesse reckoning of them then did the ancient kings of Castile and hee constraineth them to be equall to their inferiours as well in iustice as otherwise If Don Antonio king of Portugall were liuing hee could witnesse how after that the enemie was entred into Portugall with a huge armie and had taken Lisbon hee being then in the towne of Badaios many Lords of Castile did offer him to haue entrance into the sayd towne and did promise him all their best aide and assistance to seize vpon the enemie himselfe The which the said Prince could not effect nor put in execution for that within few dayes after he was dispossessed of all the realme in the citie of Puerto of Portugall He could also certifie vs how that seeing in these parts many great Lords of Castile did send vnto him offring him their seruice and assistance in case that he would set foot in Portugall the which matter he communicated if I bee not deceiued to the king and principall Lords of France and principally to the estate and Councell of England Notwithstanding touching this desire of libertie it is a matter which doth principally touch the Princes great Lords and Hijos de Algo of Spaine For as concerning those masters of the long robe and the rascall sort of Castilians they take a pleasure in this their slauery and seruitude vnder the king because they alone doe command and rule all and triumphing ouer others haue the principall and chiefe managing of all the affaires of the Realme yea and euen the gouernment of the king himselfe in their owne hands And although they doe hate him most extremely and doe wish ill enough to his person yet notwithstanding they doe wish so well to their owne country and doe so delight to see themselues to haue the command ouer all others that if they know any thing either in publike or in priuat which might hinder and endamage his tyrannie they will not faile onely in regard thereof to aduertise him of it such is the naturall disposition of the Castilians Iosephus de bello Iudaice lib. 1. cap. 3. who being issued and sprung
Portugall hee vsed this speech vnto him Captaine Ferras I would gladly know what should be the cause that made you to follow the partie of the French against me seeing wee are of one and the same Nation for albeit you be a Portugall and I a Castillian yet are we both Spaniards The Colonell made him this answere Sir when the Portugals doe trauaile abroad out of their owne countrey whether they be rich or poore their onely end and scope is to get them honour and reputation For mine owne part I had the meanes to liue honestly in my countrey like a Gentleman neuerthelesse being resolued to see the world I began to cast my account with my selfe what course I were best to take Hauing made my reckoning I conceiued with my selfe that I should purchase me more honour by bearing Armes against the greatest Captaine of the World then in taking of his part to serue against any other and for this cause I tooke Armes against your Maiestie The Emperour smyling sayd I beleeue that this is not the cause but rather the old rancour and hatred which the Portugals beare to the Castillians Portugall answered him againe in great choller Sir An excellent answere of a Portugall to Charles the 5. I sweare vnto your Maiestie That neyther for good nor for bad I trouble not my minde with the Castillians not so much as to thinke of them The Emperour making semblance as though this answere did content him did embrace him many times and often but hee iudged of the Portugall as his affection led him for hee had enough of the bloud of a Castillian by his mothers side to make him to hate him A little Leauen c. And thus may you see the vntruth of Conestagio His Historie is well written and in a good style but most false and full of passion for hee both reprehendeth and iniurieth all those of whom hee speaketh yea euen King Philip himselfe in whose fauour hee wrote it and for this cause principally it was forbidden in Portugall But leauing Conestagio now that we haue shewed how the Castillian Nation is much more maligne and peruerse then all the other people of Spaine I will tell you one thing worthy to be noted ere wee proceed which doth more neerely touch the Portugall Nation than any of the rest that is That all those Nations generally are so desirous of libertie that they doe seeke by all meanes possible to obtayne it being readie to receiue euen the Deuils themselues if they would be readie to further and fauour them in the same And yet if any strange Nation should passe into Spaine to any other end they would vse the vttermost of their endeuours to stop their passage and to hinder their entrance making little or no reckoning of their liues and much lesse of their goods and substance When I doe speake of causing strange Nations to passe into Spaine I must tell you thus much That they shall be much more welcome and finde better entertainment of the people of the Countrey when they shall be mingled many and diuers Nations together then if one should goe thither alone for that this diuersitie will take from them all conceit and suspition which they might otherwise haue that their comming were to make a conquest of their countrey and not to procure their libertie and freedome and so they would vndoubtedly receiue them ioyfully and with all assurance In like manner if the Tyrant should commaund them to goe to the warres out of their owne countrey especially if it were for their Religion they would serue him more faithfully then did Auila and Simancas in Castile or Celorico the Castle of Coimbre in Portugall For proofe hereof The meaning hereof is expounded in the end of this Treatise you may remember how in the yeere 1588. the King of Castile in his Fleet and Armie by Sea that came vpon the Coast of France sent two Regiments of Portugals each of them consisting of eight hundred men or thereabouts The loyaltie of the Portugals These forces notwithstanding that in regard of his vsurpation of the countrey they were enemies to him yet hauing promised to serue him faithfully in this voyage in the fight which they had against the Englishmen and Flemings they did make such proofe of their valour that they did farre excell all the rest of the Army in prowesse and deedes of Armes and they alone did more for the seruice of the King of Castile then all the residue of his Allyes insomuch that there was none of them who had command and gouernment in the Army that were receiued with honour by the King Catholike saue only the Portugall Colonels Portugall Colonels in the Armie of the yeere 1588. namely Gasper de Sousa and Antonie Perera The which Perera before that time had serued and fought most valiantly for the defence of the libertie of his Countrey and for the seruice of his true and naturall King against the said King of Castile at such time as hee entred into Portugall with a mightie Army to inuade it In the yeere 1582. when Don Aluar de Bassana Marquesse de Santa Cruce did encounter vpon the Sea with the Lord de Stroce those which fought best and shewed themselues most valiant was the Marquesse de Fauare Marquesse of Fauare a Portugall most true and faithfull to his Countrey and to his King and by whose counsaile and aduertisements a certaine great and excellent seruitor of the estate and of the King Don Antonio had his life preserued besides certaine other Gentlemen his countreymen Who tooke the Ship called the Reuenge The taking of the Reuenge of England belonging to the Queene of England euen Don Lewes Coutigno a Lord of Portugall who before time had beene most true and faithfull to his Countrey and for the defence of his King fighting against the Duke de Alua had receiued many mortall wounds in the battaile of Alcantara the same day that Lisbon was lost which was in the yeere 1580. and the 26. of August And for the more distinct and cleare demonstration of the truth of this matter I will recite vnto you a most true Historie In the yeere 1589. Don Anthonie King of Portugall accompanied with the Englishmen and Hollanders made a Voyage into Portugall and casting anchor in the Hauen of Penicha they of the Castle began to play with their Ordinance vpon the armie but the Captaine of the Castle Anthonio de Arauio a Portugall being ascertained that the king Don Anthonio was in that armie he forbad the Cannoniers to shoot any more and caused a white Ensigne to be put forth vpon sight whereof Don Anthonio commanded that euery man should goe on shore and take their way towards the Towne the which they did not without some resistance made by certaine companies of Castillians who in the end were forced to retyre with the losse of some of their people The first that arriued to the Towne was
touching your incredulitie and the opinion which you haue that the loue of a mans countrey doth easily deceiue them and make the remedie of their miseries and seruitude to seeme easie surely wee may with good reason call this incredulitie a blind â—nueiglement and darknesse of vnderstanding and therefore I come once againe to say as I haue sayd and I doe againe and againe aduise you That to send a good and well conducted Armie into Spaine or other parts of his Dominions will be the onely meane to resist and withstand the enemie to breake the course of his designes to beat downe his pride and to destroy his puissance And albeit that this may well be granted to follow by that which hath beene aboue spoken yet I will proue it by one other example onely which being most true maketh very much to our intended purpose Henry Count of Trastamara The Histories of Castise Portugall England c. the bastard sonne of Alphonsus the Iusticier by the aide of the French had slaine the King Don Pedro his lawfull brother Of this Peter there remayned two daughters The youngest Isabel espoused Edmond de Langley the fifth sonne of Edward the third King of England This Edmond hauing gotten sundry victories in fauâ—ur of the Portugals who accompanied him against the Castillians in Spaine did manage those affaires with such prudence and wisdome that he constrayned the sayd Henry King of Castile to accept and receiue of Fernand King of Portugall who was in a manner brought to vtter destruction both he and his whole Realme such conditions of peace as were most ignominious and dishonourable and very preiudiciall both to himselfe his vassalls and subiects In regard of which his notable deedes and deserts the said Edmond was afterwards made Duke of Yorke by Richard the second King of England his Nephew the sonne of Edward the Blacke Prince his eldest brother in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the yere of Christ 1386. Of these two Edmond and Isabell descended the Queene of England likewise named Isabell The other daughter being the eldest of King Peter and called Constance espoused Iohn of Gaunt the fourth brother of the sayd Edmond both by father and mother and Duke of Lancaster by his first wife Blanche who had by him Henry the fourth afterwards King of England and two daughters of which the eldest Philip was Queene of Portugall the wife of Ivan the Bastard Of John of Gaunt and Constance was borne one onely daughter called Katherine of whom we shall hereafter make further mention The said John of Gaunt in regard of his wife Constance did entitle himselfe King of Castile and Leon Guaribay lib. 15. cap. 25. and for the obtayning of his right to that Kingdome hee passed from Gascoigne which was then vnder the Dominion of the English into Spaine with eighteene thousand footmen and two thousand horse where with the aide of the Portugals who were his good friends he tooke the Groigne From thence he went into Portugal out of which he entred into Castile marching euen to the Citie of Burgos which was distant from the place of his departure more then a hundred and twentie Leagues The entry and inuasion of the English with the Portugals into Castile And from the time of his first arriuall he tooke and made himselfe Lord of all the Cities Townes and Castles which hee found in his way besides such as being farther off did come to render and yeeld themselues for very feare and terror And he might easily haue passed on much further if his people had not died who by reason of their disorder which they kept and by their ill rule and demeaning of themselues were oppressed with extreame famine whereof ensued this plague and pestilence amongst them And they were reduced to such necessitie of Victuals The amitie of the French and English out of their owne Countreyes that they were constrayned to haue recourse euen to the Campe of their enemies where then was in fauour of the King Iohn of Castile Lewes Duke of Burbon accompanied with the French forces of whom they demaunded reliefe for the sustentation of their poore and wretched liues The which being perceiued by John the Bastard then elected King of Portugall he complayned to the Duke of Lancaster telling him that he held it not good nor conuenient that his souldiers should goe to entreat with the enemie affirming that these might more endomage him then the others and that therefore he should immediately recall them and forbid them to haue any communication conference or parley with any of the contrary party otherwise that hee would fight against them altogether The valour of Iohn the Bastard King of Portugall Thomas Walsingham and would cause them all to be put to the sword the one for the loue of the other Thomas Walsingham an English Historiographer doth set it downe in these very words and he sayth that the King of Portugall had then with him foure thousand Portugals well armed Some haue esteemed the saying of this Historiographer as very ridiculous or as a meere Brauado onely The valour of the Portugals but they are much deceiued for these foure thousand Portugals hauing their King for their Chiefetaine and Leader had beene sufficient to defeat twentie thousand Castillians The same King with fiue thousand An Historie worthie the marking and so many Portugals and a hundred and fiftie Englishmen did defeat the said Iohn King of Castile both of them being present in person in the battaile of Aljibarot and put him to flight hauing with him foure and thirtie thousand fighting men of the which died vpon the place twelue thousand and there were of prisoners ten thousand taken by foure thousand and so many Portugals and a thousand Englishmen who remained masters of the field for there died in the fight about a thousand Portugals and fiue hundred English who fought as if they had beene Lyons About the same time Don Nunalvres Pereira This Historie is well worthie the marking the battell was called the battel of Valverde Constable of Portugall with three thousand footmen and a thousand horse defeated fiue and twentie thousand Castillians and slew and tooke the principall and chiefe men of Castile The same King before that he came to reigne and afterwards had many victories vpon his enemies no lesse admirable then that other insomuch that a certaine Nobleman of Castile being in speech one day and deuising with his King which was the said John he sayd vnto him Sir I cannot conceiue the cause why the King of Portugall with so few men hath so often vanquished you seeing that you haue alwayes had fiue or six against one of them The King answered him The cause is for that the King of Portugall doth fight against me being accompanied with his children and I combat against him being accompanied with my subiects I am King and Lord of Castile and hee is King and Lord of the
common and publike good and many great Lords and Princes with them against Charles the fifth The communalty of Castile in armes against Charls the 5. by reason of the great excessiue and new exactions and imposts laid vpon them the Embassadors of the said Princes and of many Cities and Townes of Castile came to the King of Portugall Don Emanuell praying him that hee would vouchsafe to take and acknowledge them for his vassals and Subiects The true amity of Emanuel King of Portugall to Charles the 5. for that they were desirous to haue him to their King and Lord but he would not onely not receiue their offer but he gaue them good counsell and admonition shewing them how they ought to conforme themselues in obedience to their King And to other of the Princes Cities and Townes of Castile which taking part with the said Charles came vnto him likewise for his ayde he gaue them both money artillery powder and other munition for the warre Some say that the said King Don Emanuell did lend them 500000 duckats and many peeces of artillery which was an occasion that they which were risen in armes did fall to an accord and agreement with their Prince Anno 1522. and thereof it ensued that Charles the fifth did againe vsurpe the Realme of Nauarre which Mounsieur Andrew de Foix had before restored and set at liberty the King Don Emanuell neuer suspecting nor doubting of any such matter intended by him And Philip now likewise for his part hath rewarded Portugall with the like good turne as hee hath done the like to France and now lately a great part of Christendome to whom he was not meanely bounden When the said Charles the fifth passed to Goletta in the yeere 1535 who tooke it The taking of Goletta with 22 other ships of warre That did the Gallion Cagafuego of Portugall which the King Don Iohn the third had commanded to accompany the Infant Don Lewes his yonger brother How came it to passe that the same Charles the fift tooke the Towne of Tunes The taking of Tunes the capitall and chiefe City of the Realme of Lybia was it not with the assistance and ayde of the said Infant and his Portugals The taking of Pignon de Belles by the Portugals Who was it that tooke Pignon de Belles with the residue not aboue 35 yeeres since for the King of Castile euen Francisco Bareto Generall of the Gallies of Portugall and the Captaine Diego Lopez de Sequeira his Nephew with the Portugals of his company The warre of Granado finished by the Portugals Who finished and gaue an â—nd to the oppression of Castile in the behalfe of the Granadians that were reuolted in Granada in the yeeres 1566. 67. and 68 That did 7 or 8 thousand Portugals send for a succour by the King Don Sebastian Philip King of Castile knoweth all this full well and that is the cause that he laboureth and paineth himselfe with so grear care and diligence to keepe this Monarchy of Portugall pretending not onely to vsurpe it to tyrannize ouer it and to plucke it by force and violence out of the hands of the Portugals but to take from them also their honour their glory and their valour for hee seeth well that hauing the Portugals on his side hee shall be able by their meanes to satisfie his ambitious humour and yet shall they not haue the honour due vnto them for their prowesse but hee attributeth all to the generosity of his Castilians So hath he tyrannized and doth yet still tyrannize ouer the honour of the Arragonnois the Catalans the Valentians the Nauarrois and other the Nations of Spaine and onely his Castilians which cary the name of Spaniards and are so called by those that are ignorant and know not the difference that is between the seuerall Nations of Spaine they I say are those Lyons those Tygers and conquerours of the World But we will come to the conclusion of this part of our Treatise touching Portugall the most precious and chiefest pearle of his Crowne It was my chance to be one day in his company with a personage of great estate who is daily at great charges and doth spend good store of duckats to haue notice and intelligence of that which passeth abroad in the World and hee did assure me for a certaine and vndoubted truth that one of the greatest fauourites of the King of Castile did demand of him this question What should be the cause that he suffered Freezland A question moued by a gentleman to the King of Castile and many Townes of other Prouinces of no small importance to be lost and to fall into the hands and into the power and subiection of Heretikes by meanes whereof they were constrained to forsake the true Religion a thing worthy to be lamented onely to succour the Princes and Townes of the League and to entertaine the warre a foote still in France Whereunto the King smiling answered Let them alone let them take Freezland and all the rest The answer of the King of Castile that which most toucheth me is the keeping of Portugall which if I doe as I hope I shall I will cut them out so much worke and giue them so much to doe in their owne Countrey that they shall not easily come neere mine and I doubt not at length but to haue the rest also for know this that if I keepe and possesse Portugall in peace and quietnesse they shall not onely not be able to liue without me but I shall make them in the end to be my subiects and to become tributaries vnto me and therefore let it not grieue you to see what is lost for all will be recouered well enough in time and leaue the care thereof to me alone The French Translatour Philip seeing himselfe Lord of so great a Monarchy doth aspire by all meanes he may to the Realmes of France and of England and of other Prouinces and hee doth reape so great contentment in his ambitious thoughts and purposes that hee cannot but discouer his conceit in that behalfe insomuch that not onely they of his Councell but his particular priuate Souldiers doe know it After the taking of the I le of Terceras the Captaines which accompanied the Marquesse de Santa Cruce in that iourney said openly Now that we haue all Portugall England is ours and by liitle and little wee shall gaine France also For proofe whereof wee haue neede of no other witnesse then that which his owne Writer Conestagio saith in continuing his Historie before the taking of the said Terceras where he hath these words Conestagio lib. 7. in fine But the King hauing so lately gotten the possession of Portugall and seeing the Portugals not yet very quiet he thought it best to pacifie that Realme before he intended any other enterprise And he said that by keeping his men in armes in those quarters hee should bridle not onely Portugall but
depriued of their right by Sancho their Vncle the yonger brother of their father Fernand Castile tyrannized the 2. time and â—eon the first time who died hauing the gouernment of the Realme of Castile and Leon in the absence of his sayd father Alphonsus which then was gone into Italy there to sollicit his friends and to make meanes for the Empire As soone as Fernand was dead the sayd Sancho tooke vpon him the gouernment Ierom Gudiel in the History of the Girons Garib lib 13. cap. 16. getting the possession of many cities and towns in Castile against the will of Alphonsus his father who dying at Seuill vpon a friday the 2. of Aprill 1284. cursed his sonne Sancho calling him disobedient rebellious vsurper and a tyrant and pronounced and named for the true and right heires of his Realmes and Seigniories his grand-children Alphonsus and Fernand and in case they should die without children then Philip the hardie King of France his cousine German remoued the sonne of the sayd S. Lewes his Vncle. But neither the curses nor denuntiations of the father nor the feare of God could make Sancho to render or restore to the others their right but he still detained it and left for his heire his sonne Fernand the fourth of that name Alphonsus surnamed the Iusticier king of Castile the sonne of the sayd Fernand and the grand-child of Sancho amongst many tyrannous acts by him exercised is reported to haue committed one act most vnworthy not onely of a king but of a man euen of most vile and base condition for that it was an action full of notable treasons and infidelitie Don Iuan le Tuerto Lord of Biscay murthered For hauing inuited Don Iuan le Tuerto that is to say the squint eyed Lord of Biscay to dine with him he caused him most cruelly to be murthered in the yeare 1327. And albeit he had begun to discharge himselfe of this murther for a season yet he could not disguise nor couer his tyranny Gariba lib. 14 cap. 4. Biscay tyrannized for that afterwards hee caused him to bee condemned as a traitor and confifcated his lands and Seigniories and within a short time he seized vpon them all namely about a fourescore townes and castles The same Alphonsus caused Don Aluar Nugnes Osorio his Gouernour to be slaine who had before receiued of him many great honours and fauours and afterwards being as certained of his death which was in the yeare 1328 hee seized vpon all his liuings The Countieâ— de Trastamares vsurped The Countie thereof slaine Garib lib. 14. cap. 5. Castles and great Treasures and vpn the Countie de Trastamara and within a few dayes after he caused him to be condemned at Tordehumos as a traitor and hauing made him to bee digged vp out of his graue hee willed his body should bee burned and his goods confiscated Henrie the 2. a bastard sonne of this Alphonsus Count de Trastamara slue his brother Peter of whom we haue formerly spoken and possessed himselfe of the Realmes of Castile and Leon â—â—â—â—e tyranâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 third 〈◊〉 Leon 〈…〉 disinheriting his Neeces Constance and Jsabel who with a solemne oath had beene acknowledged Princesses and heires of Castile first by the estates assembled at Seuill to that end and purpose and afterwards at Albuberca 1363. And if it had beene true that these two sisters had no right in the said realmes because hee alledged them to be bastards by the same reason had the sayd Henrie much lesse right and interest in them for he was not only a bastard but murtherer also of his owne brother And in such like case was Fernand King of Portugall the great grand child of Sancho aboue named right inheritor to the said realmes as was the king Don Peter his cousine german remoued and cousin german also for Beatrix the mother of Peter was the sister of Peter the father of Fernand. For this cause Samora Toco Cindad-Rodrigo and other citties and townes of the realmes of Castile and Leon did call in the said Fernand and offered to receiue him for their king especially the realme of Galitia which was wholly resolued to render it selfe vnto him And for this reason did Fernand go in person to take possession of the Groigne The History of Fernand king of Portugall anno 1369. and he might as well haue seized vpon the other places and holds if the Portugalls would haue consented thereunto For they did purposely oppose themselues against the desire and will of their King for two reasons the first was because they had good tryall and experience that there wanted much of that valour in Fernand which was in the father and his auncestors the second was The Portugals haue an ill opinion of the Castilians because the Castilian Nation is so maligne and peruerse as the Portugals doe hold it for a maxime among themselues that it is dangerous to haue any thing to doe with them yea to haue any command ouer them as hath beene before touched And I say yet once againe that their nature is so maligne and peruerse that the venome and poyson thereof doth so spread it selfe abroad that they which are their next neighbours and borderers doe feele the reuerberation of their malignitie and malitious disposition insomuth The malignity of the Castilians that some of them when they leaue and abandon their owne countrey and doe withdraw themselues into strange and forraine lands are more wicked and malicious more dangerous and more to bee feared then the very Castilians themselues In the yeare 1474. after the death of Henrie the fourth king of Castile Jsabel the sister the wife of Fernand king of Arragon did most tyrannically get possession of the Realmes of Castile and Leon and of their other Seigniories excluding Jane the daughter of the sayd Henrie her brother who in the yeare 1461. had been acknowledged Princesse and inheritrix of the said Realmes for default of heire males in a full assembly of the three estates which were assembled to that end at Madrill by the commandement of her father And the first persons which tooke the oath of fidelitie and did so acknowledge her were the infant Don Alphoâ—sus and the sayd Isabel the brother and sister of the sayd king after whom all the residue did the like euery one in order according to their degrees And after that shee was againe the second time acknowledged Princesse and heire of the sayd Realmes in Val-de-Loçoia after diligent enquiry made vpon the legittimation of the sayd Princesse which was done by the Cardinall de Alby a Frenchman who to that effect was come into Castile by the commandement of King Lewes the eleuenth of France the which Cardinal in the presence of all the Princes and Lords of the Realme hauing caused the mother to be sworne and take her oath demanded of her if the Princesse Dame Jane her daughter were the daughter of the King her husband whereunto shee answered vpon
of Pisa and many learned personages haue adiudged it to Katherine Dutchesse of Bragancia in Portugall The sonnes of Katherin Dutchesse of Bragancia 1. The Duke Theodosius 2. Edward 3. Alexander 4. Philip. the lawfull daughter of the Infant Don Edward brother to the mother of his Catholike Maiesty which Katherine is at this day yet liuing and hath foure sonnes good and sound Catholikes learned wise goodly and couragious Gentlemen and two o◠three daughters And the Vniuersity of Pauy hath adiudged it to Raynuncio now at this present Duke of Parma the sonne of Mary the eldest sister of the said Katherine the said Mary being deceased a long time before her Vncle Henry I suppose that I haue most cleerely and sufficiently shewed the tyranny which all Spaine hath endured and suffered vnder the predecessors of King Philip the Catholike and as for that which the West Indies hath suffered vnder himselfe as also all the rest whereof hee doth write himselfe Lord by what title and pretence they haue beene gotten it is well knowne euen to the little children who doe openly cry and speake of it in the streetes and both Naples Sicily Millan Vtreich Guelders Zutphen and other the Prouinces of the Low Countries and the Countries of high Almaine all which haue beene tyrannized by him and his Auncestors doe manifestly proue and verifie it so that it seemeth vnto me that I haue made good and sufficient proofe by these Histories and examples that tyranny is the first and principall heritage of his Catholike Maiesty euen of Don Philip of Austria and that it is as proper and naturall vnto him as laughter is vnto a man and that it belongeth vnto him properly and inseparably Wherefore now that wee haue made knowne his tyranny me thinketh it would not be amisse nor impertinent to our purpose most Christian Kings to entreat somewhat touching his cruelty for asmuch as Spaine did neuer yet find his like or equall as the flesh and bloud thereof hath too too well tried and had the experience All Bookes all men and euen his owne mischieuous and wicked actions Of the cruelty of King Philip. doe euery where yeeld open and abundant testimonies of his cruelty If Iulius Caesar as it is reported of him were cause of the death of more then a million of men they which haue beene acquainted with the cariage behauiour of this tyrant will confesse that he hath been the death and destruction of a farre greater number Caesar was extreamely grieued to see Pompey his enemy dead And as Antigonus when his sonne Alcinous presented him with the head of Pyrrhus slaine at the entry of the City of Argos did sharpely reproue him Plutarch Filiumque nefarium barbarum vocauit calling him a wicked and barbarous sonne so Caesar in imitation of his example seeing the signet and the ring of Pompey did of pure compassion fall a weeping in so much as he was resolued to make warre vpon Ptolomey because he had slaine Pompey traiterously and hee did so much that hee caused him in the end to be the instrument of his owne death See hereafter Philip on the contrary doth not onely not grieue at the death of his seruants friends cousens nephewes brother sonne and wife but hee doth reioyce and triumph at the same yea he doth procure and aduance it giuing great summes of money excessiue rewards and great honours vnto the executioners and ministers of his cruelty and for the satisfying of his pernicious ambition when there is any thing whatsoeuer be it neuer so little that toucheth him he maketh no exception of persons be it Pope Nuncio Bishop Monke or other Ecclesiasticall person hee poysoneth them all without feare of God or shame of man The Translator Of his seruants and friends he hath caused to be made away the Counties of Egmont and of Horne the Lord Mountigny and the Marquesse of Bergues with many other Noblemen and Gentlemen whose bloud is yet fresh in remembrance the Prince of Orange Marke Anthony Colonna Don Iohn de la Nuca great Justicier of Arragon the Duke de Villa Hermosa the Marquesse de Fuentes Don Iohn de Luna c. his Cousin the Emperour Maximilian his Nephewes by his Sisters Don Sebastian King of Portugall and Don Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma Don Iohn Duke of Bragantia his brother Don Iohn de Austria his sonne the Prince Charles his eldest sonne his wife Isabel Sister to the three last Kings of France deceased Pope Sixtus the fift Alexander Formenti Nuntio in Portugall sent thither by Pope Gregory the 13. as he was on his returne towards Rome in his passage through Castile The Archbishop of Toledo Of Bishops Monkes and Ecclesiasticall persons Don Bartholmew Carrance Archb. of Toledo of whom we haue lately spoken being his owne master a man of so great authority and excellency that by the space of many yeeres Spain hath not brought forth his like This good Catholike was the cause of his imprisonment so strict and so long as all the world knoweth this good Christian in imitatiō of Nero did persecute this personage with most notable hatred and rigour till such time as for verie griefe and sorrow he died at Rome the Doctor Frier Hector Pinto Prouinciall of the order of S. Ierome in Portugall and ordinary professour of the holy Scriptures in the Vniuersitie of Coimbre whose great learning is sufficiently witnessed by the most godly and graue writings which he hath sent into the world being imprisoned in Portugall by the commandement of his Catholike Maiestie some of his friends who were well affectioned to the Castilian partie did earnestly intreat and perswade him to retract and recant that which he had publikely read and preached and to declare that his said Maiestie was lawfull heire of the said Realme of Portugall the which he would not doe notwithstanding all the prayers and perswasions of his said friends to whom he made this answer That which I haue sayd I haue sayd true it is Hector Pinto his speech touching King Philip his vsurpation of Portugall that Philip hath not any right in the succession of this Crowne but inuading and intruding vpon the same in such sort as he hath done without staying till the cause were lawfully and orderly heard and decided he hath committed violence and tyrannie and therefore J for my part doe not acknowledge him for my king but rather for a tyrant and vsurper Whereupon his friends gaue him to vnderstand that this would be a verie dangerous thing for him to maintaine for said they they will leade you away into Castile bound hand and foote and fettered in iron and there wil they make you languish away in misery and in the end th re to die without all hope euer to see Portugall againe Whereunto he answered Little doth that trouble me howbeit that it be an extreme griefe vnto mee to end my daies out of my deare countrey and that
hath extended Religion in Affrique hee hath euen of late against the institutions of the order of the Knights of the Religion of Iesus Christ and others concluded and made peace in Barbarie with the Infidels to the intent hee might with the more commoditie make warre in Europe against the Christians And what doeth hee at this day against the Turke but onely dallie and trifle with him Touching the third of your propositions histories doe well recount and all men may assure themselues how much hee loueth the Ecclesiasticall persons and what reuerence hee beareth to them that are religious In times past it was neuer seene that any Ecclesiasticall or religious person hath beene put to death in Spaine for any matters concerning the estate The greatest crueltie and most rigorous seuere iustice that the Arrian Princes shewed vppon them for being contrarie to their opinions was to imprison them and to keepe them enclosed within Monasteries True it is that of some of them they did put out the eyes and afterwards some Princes did cause them to be put to death secretly in prison but as for the gallowes and such like infamous deaths they knew not what it meant saue onely since the reigne of his Maiestie that will be held for so great and so good a Catholike And I for my part do beleeue that he is no lesse and yet I know he is but a very bad Christian for I make no doubt but he beleeueth all that which the holy Catholike Apostolike Romane Church our mother teacheth and instructeth vs howbeit I know full well that he doth not obserue any of the precepts commanded in the Decalogue And as concerning the rest of your allegations made in his excuse although that Philip hath builded vp a great number of Monasteries and many Churches endowing them with rich reuenues yet all this will not make me but that I must needes take him and acknowledge him for a notable tyrant and a most cruell Prince Historiographers haue written largely of the cruelty of Brunhault Brunhault caused ten kings of France to be put to death howbeit that some would excuse her and doe attribute this fault vnto the first Writers and they doe affirme that shee caused to be put to death ten seuerall Kings in France and many other persons of great quality Also they write of her that shee caused a great number of Churches to be builded and did prouide them of so great goods and riches that it is a very strange thing to be reported See what Gaguin Gaguin writeth thereof in so much that if a man would compare the charge and expences of Brunhault with the meanes shee had he would greatly maruell how this woman was able in one age to build so many Temples and assigne vnto them also so good and large reuenues Now Brunhault hath deserued another manner of praise and commendation for vsing so great liberality towards the Church then doth Philip because shee gaue of her owne and Philip giueth of other mens In Spaine they finde great fault with those that will steale a sheepe and will giue the feete for Gods sake and so doth his Catholike Maiesty hee draweth from the Clergy Tercias Subsidio Pila Escusado in so much See the meaning of these words a little after that of ten he taketh at the least fiue and one Prelate payeth more vnto him then 2000 labourers or 4000 Gentlemen See then how liberall he is to the Clergy and by the meanes of these feete of his sheepe hee buildeth vp Monasteries and other Churches and endoweth them with great reuenues Moreouer who is he that hath medled with setting to sale the Townes and Castles which were of the iurisdiction and vassals of the Church It is your great friend Philip whom you accompt so vertuous and so Catholike The Translator Tercias is the third part of the rent which a Prelate receiueth yeerely out of his Benefice or Spirituall liuing Subsidio is an ouerplus and certaine summe which he payeth out of the two third parts which remaine and of other reuenues appertaining to his estate Pila is that summe which he taketh of all the Parish Churches in Spaine namely of euery Parishioner that is of them that are of any wealth he taketh the tithes or tenth part And some of the regular persons who doe possesse anâ— hâ—ritages in the same Parish doe helpe to pay this tribute after the rate The Regulars themselues doe pay tithe also of all that which they possesse euen to the Apples Oranges and other fruits of their Gardens Escusado is a certaine summe which the Clergy both Ecclesiastical and Regular persons because they may not beare armes doe pay vnto the King Catholike to be excused in that behalfe Obiection I know well you will reply vnto me and alledge that the rents of the Churches of Spaine are so great and excessiue that although the Prelates doe pay vnto their King the one halfe of them yet they doe all of them still continue and remaine rich because there be some Prelates in Spaine which haue greater reuenues yeerely then 50 or 60 Prelats in France Answer Hereunto I answer that although it be so yet his Catholike Maiesty may not spoile the Church of her goods which Princes and others Catholike and deuout persons haue giuen vnto her And if the dowry of any Damosell or maiden be priuiledged how much more ought that so to be which is giuen to God and to our Lady and to the Saints who as Histories doe specifie haue foughten visibly and really and haue beene seene in sundry battels personally doing of great miracles And therefore seeing that his Catholike Maiesty doth take away from the Churches that which is giuen them for the causes and reasons by vs alledged he committeth fraud and sacriledge which may be an occasion that hee himselfe may happen ere he die or his successors for him to repay the same againe For this cause did Nebuchadnezzar wander vp and downe for many yeeres in the fields in the shape of a brute beast Daniel 4. and Balthazar his sonne saw that horrible vision of a hand writing vpon a wall his future death and destruction Daniel 5. Acts 5. Ananias and Saphira his wife fell downe dead at the feete of Saint Peter We haue many examples touching this matter in the holy Scriptures and many more in pâ—ophane Writers and there is a great number of them euen in Spaine especially in Castile The Queene Dame Viraca the Daughter of Alphonsus the sixt Emperour The common Histories of Spaine going out of the Church of S. Isidore with the riches which shee had taken thence fell downe dead at the Church doore Don Alphonsus the warriour her Husband for the like matter was vanquished by the Moores in the battell of Fraga and was neuer more seene nor heard of after that time neither aliue nor dead The King Don Henry brother germane to the mother of Saint Lewes being but a ladde
fiue thousand Marauedis which was at that time no small reuenue in comparison of that it is at this pay being about 12 duckats and a halfe allowing 400 Marauedis to each duckat and gratified him with sundry other gifts and great honours Fernand wrote vnto Jsabel the successe of this battell giuing her to vnderstand that if the Prince had not come the King his Father had beene taken Whereupon he returned him this answer that if the Cockerell had not come the Cocke had beene taken and hereof came that prouerbe which wee told you Guaribay sâ—tteth downe these last words and confesseth the very truth Neuerthelesse touching the residue of the History he reporteth a thousand vntruths which may be verified by the History which Damian de Goyes hath written of this Prince Don Juan in the which he saith Damianus de Goyes in the life of the Prince Don Iuan. that the Prince would haue kept and remained in the field where the battell was foughten by the space of three dayes if the Archbishop of Toledo had not disswaded him who with great instance and earnest entreaty caused him to retire into the City because the weather was extreame cold and his men were sore trauelled and wearied and had beene ouer-watched for want of sleepe And he said vnto him Sir your Highnesse hath kept the Field long enough these three houres you haue staied here are as good as three dayes and one houre is as much as three Some write that in memory of this victory King Edward the fourth of England sent vnto this Prince the order of the Garter And the Castillians had such ill successe continually against the Portugals that to grace themselues because the King Alphonso was defeated and forsooke the field though his sonne held the field and remained vanquisher yet they shame not to attribute vnto themselues the honour and victory of this battell Alphonsus Raymond the onely sonne of Vrraca the daughter of Alphonsus the sixt surnamed the Emperor was borne in Auila Auila a City of Castile and was nourished and kept by them of the City during the raigne of Alphonsus King of Aragon called the warriour together with his wife Vrraca Queene of Castile Mother of the said Raymond Now there were great reuolts and troubles in Castile in the which they of Auila following the party of Raymond against the said Alphonsus his Father in Law did so much that the Father in Law was dispossessed of the gouernment and the Sonne in Law was installed in the siege royall And for this cause this word hath passed for a common prouerbe The fidelity of Auila and Auila is for the King Simancas Touching Simancas you are to vnderstand that in the yeere 1463 Henry the 4 raigning in Castile at the perswasion of some of the Princes many other Cities and Townes did reuolt from him and grew into a rebellion which they called The league of the Princes and they entituled themselues Princes of the League And in imitation hereof did Philip King of Castile in the yeere 1582 baptize the League which hath beene the occasion of so many mischiefes and afflictions of which Fraunce hath especially tasted and had experience for these nine yeeres last past This is that League which hath wrought so great damage to the Church of Rome and hath so ruinated and pulled it downe as it shall neede many hundreds of yeeres to restore it againe But to our matter in processe of time the Souldiers of the Kings Army being greatly augmented and their puissance much increased they came to the City of Toro and the King hauing aduertisement that they of the League were issued out of Valladolid and that hauing broken downe and razed the walles of Begnafleur they were gone to Simancas he sent presently Iohn Hernandes Galiude his Captaine Generall with 3000 Horses for the succours of the Towne which being entred into Simancas were besieged by them of the League who notwithstanding were more afraid then those whom they had besieged The Lackies within the Towne who shewed themselues to be of a wonderfull good courage hauing assembled themselues one day in a great number and mocking those that had besieged them did make a picture which represented the Archbishop of Toledo whom because he was a Rebell against his King and Lord they called Don Opas the brother of the Count Iulian who caused the Moores to enter into Spaine against the King Rodericke After which one of the Lackies being appointed for a Iudge Iudgement giuen by the Lackies against the Archbishop of Toledo sate himselfe downe on the iudgement seat commanding the prisoner to be brought before him which was the picture of the Archbishop and he gaue iudgement vpon him in this manner For as much as Don Alphonso Carillo Archbishop of Toledo Guar. lib. 17. cap. 14. following the steppes of the Bishop Don Opas the destroyer of Spaine hath beene a Traytor to his King and naturall Lord rebelling against him with his places and Fortresses and with the money which he put into his hands to doe him seruice For these causes hauing seene and considered of his deserts by his triall wherein hath appeared his wicked practises and felonious offences we doe therefore condemne him to be burned and that he be first trayled and drawne through the streetes and publike places of Simancas and that in the execution thereof the common cryer shall cry and proclaime with a loud voice This is the iustice commanded to be done namely that this cruell Don Opas shall be burnt for his offence and trespasse because hauing receiued diuers places fortresses and monies of his King hee hath notwithstanding reuolted and rebelled against him Quien tal haze que tal pague That is to say So doe so haue The iudgement being pronounced another Lackey taking the picture between his armes with an open cry threw it forth of the Towne hauing in his company more then three hundred Lackies and immediately two of their company made a great fire to burne it not farre from the campe of the enemy who looked on whilest they were doing of it and whilest the picture was in burning all the Lackies together with open throat cryed and sang Esta es Simancas Don Opas Trahidor Y no Penaflor Which is to say This is Simancas Don Opas O thou Traitour And not Pegnastor With many other speeches to that purpose Which song of theirs was for a long time after vsed in Castile and was commonly sung both in the Court and throughout all that Realme Celorico After that the Portugals had deposed Don Sancho surnamed Capelo from his Realme and Kingdome Don Alphonso his brother who was then County of Bologne vpon the Sea was chosen Gouernour of Portugall by the same Portugals This election which they made together with the deposition of the said Sancho was approued and confirmed by Pope Innocent the 4 in a Councell held at Lyons which was the cause that the said Alphonso went
then his owne proper safety and that the Princes of Italy doe seeke his friendship and amity which I hope they will doe continually in regard of the publike good that may ensue thereby he iudgeth and not amisse that it may turne to his domage and detriment and that it may be an occasion to breake off the course of his great designes and enterprises Viz. The House of Austria which is indamaged by the Turke For this cause doth hee reioyce at the losses and misaduentures of the Christians notwithstanding that the mischiefe doe light vpon his owne flesh and bloud in so much that the prosperity of the Infidels maketh him the more proud and haughty And this is it that hath made him so hardy The Embassador of Venice ill intreated by the Castillian as to giue ill entreatie to the Embassadour of Venice if it be true that is reported if hee be not hindred ere long hee will giue worse entertainment to all other without any exception of persons Hee thinketh that Almaine and Italie especially in their afflictions and troubles will haue need of his helpe and assistance by reason whereof he is perswaded that they will not resolue themselues to follow and fauour the partie of the most Christian king by meanes whereof hee shall bee well able to effect his affaires in France If hee had beene disposed to hinder the Turke from making warre in Europe hee might very well haue done it by molesting and disquieting him in the East Indies as the true and lawfull kings of Portugall haue done Hee needed haue done no more but haue ioyned with Xatama the great King of Persia the friend of the Portugals for to keepe the Turke in awe and within compasse Infinite are the praises wherewith Historiographers haue celebrated the victory which D. Stephen de Gama a Portugall The victorie of Stephen de Gama against the Turkes Gouernour of the East Indies did obtaine against the Turke vpon whom hee made warre for that effect and purpose This battell was fought at the foot of Mount Synay Gama made many knights at the foote of Mount Sinay after which the said Gama made many Portugals knights for bearing themselues valiantly in that battell amongst the which there were two of speciall marke who being issued of noble parents did leaue behind them an immortall memorie of their honour and glorie The one of them was called Don Juan de Castre The victory of Don Iohn de Castre who afterwards being Viceroy of the said East Indies did get that famous victory which you may read of in the life of the king Don Emanuel in the which with lesse then foure thousand Portugals he defeated an infinite number of enemies and put to flight Moiecatan Constable of Cambaia who being sent by the king Mamud his Lord and maister with foureteene thousand men to succour the citie of Diu which held the Portugals besieged within the Castle he was constrained to leaue 300. of his men dead vpon the place hauing lost the Guydon royall with all their baggage Iuzarcan the yonger a great Lord in those parts was taken prisoner and Raman the Gouernour of the said citie which was great goodly and populous was there slaine and the Portugals made themselues absolute Lords of the citie Of this valorous Captaine Don Iuan de Castre who is now at this present in France is the grand child and he also hath beene as faithfull to his king and countrey as the said Don Iuan his grandfather The other of those two knights was called Don Lewes de Altaida Don Lewes de Altayda afterwards Countie of Aâ—ouguia who being in Almaign at the battle which the Imperialists gaue to the Duke of Saxonie and the Princes of his partie Anno Dom. 1548. 24. Aprill Charles the fift did him great honour by reason he surmounted all the rest in that iourney and recouered the imperiall Guydon which the enemies had once gained in so much that the Emperour gaue him all the honour of this victorie according as himselfe wrote vnto Don Juan the third king of Portugall his brother in law Don Lewes de Altaida Gouernour of the East Indies the first time and cousen German who had sent him thither for his Embassador and this noble man was twice Viceroy of the East Indies First in the life time of Don Sebastian at which time hee defended it against all the forces of Asia both Moores and Paynims had made a league against the Portugals who both by defending themselues an assailing of their enemies did purchase perpetuall and immortall glory Don Lewes Viceroy the second time Afterwards being made Viceroy the second time after the death of the King Sebastian during the raigne of King Henry and knowing that the people of Portugall had chosen and appointed certaine Gouernours to gouern and defend the realme after the death of the said Henry and that they had named ceâ—taine Iudges also to decide the cause touching the difference vpon the succession of that kingdome he said openly I for my part will not yeeld vp the Indies to any other His saying touching the possession of Portugall and the East Indies then to whom the Realme of Portugall shall be adiudged Insomuch as some say that they which followed the partie of the Castilian knowing well that the Iudge would neuer admit him to the succession of Portugall and being drawne on by the counsell perswasions and faire promises of the Castilian himselfe which were sent vnto them ouer land adde hereunto the notable diligence and industrie which he vseth in all his affaires They caused the said Lewes to bee made away with poyson so died that valiant and faithfull Portugall Don Lewes de Alcaida poysoned and there succeeded him in that gouernment a most vngratefull and notable Traitour who presently after deliuered vp the Indies to the enemy To the intent the happy memory of Don Stephan de Gama might be preserued there is an Epitaph set in a Pallace builded by Gama himselfe after his returne from the Indies neere to the towne of Setuval in Portugall which in the Portugall language though somewhat glossely is thus written Quem Cauelleyros armou O pé do monte Sinay Stephan de Gama his Epitaph Vâ—io acabar aquy That is to say He which made so many Knights At the foot of Mount Sinay Here as you see now doth he lie But to our purpose At this day Philip hath more force more puissance and many more commodities to hinder the Turke on that side of the East Indies from making warres in Europe then all the other kings of Portugall haue had heretofore Howbeit as that is not the way to aduance his ambitious desires so cannot he abide in any case to heare thereof For though it were a good deede and well done yet it will not be any helpe vnto him towards the preseruation of this his Monarchy of Portugall which he hath vsurped with so many
be engrauen with this superscription Philippus Hispaniarum Rex wherein hee imitated the sayde Fernand his great graund-father who tooke so great paines to gaine or rather to vsurpe this honourable title that many strangers of forraine natioas did liberally giue it vnto him who neither knew nor would vnderstand what aduantage the same would bring vnto the tyrant and what detriment the nobilitie peoples and prouinces of Spaine should suffer by allowing the same title vnto him So that herein may bee seene most apparantly the notable tyranny of the predecessors of the king Catholike now raigning who after they had for a while suppressed the right of others to the intent themselues might tyranize ouer those Realmes yet would afterwards seeke againe to reuiue and to retaine that very right and title which they had before most iniuriously vsurped A thing certainly which may induce vs rather to sigh and to lament then to conceiue any pleasure and delight to see the Princes of the earth which beare the name and title of Catholickes to bee neuerthelesse so bad Christians and so insupportable tyrants as is this Philip the King of Castile Which is the cause that all the Ecclesiasticall and regular persons of Portugall doe hate him so extremely that when the commandement was giuen them that in certaine of their prayers and in their Canonicall houres they should expressely pronounce the name Philip for the King knew well that vnder the name of King vsed indeterminately they did in their hearts vnderstand and pray for Don Anthonio They tooke his commandement in so ill part that they could not bee brought to doe it But in the end they seeing themselues pressed by the commandement of the Bishops and Prelates they did at length pronounce his name but with such disdaine and in dignitie as I am ashamed to speake it notwithstanding because these matters doe well concurre together and it is not from our purpose and besides because hee that shall rehearse them is not to be blamed for the reciting for that hee is bound to represent them onely in manner and forme as they were done I haue determined to recount vnto you two examples concerning this matter of the which we doe now intreat The Archbishop of Lisbon hauing giuen out and published the Kings commandement afore mentioned through out all the Churches of Lisbon in the yeere 1582. the first of Ianuary vpon the day of the three Kings next ensuing a certaine Curate as he was saying a solemne Masse in his Parish Church with great pompe and solemnity and the Church full of people when hee came to the end of the prayer which is vsually said after Gloria in excelsis in singing of these words Et Famulum tuum regem nostrum that is thy seruant our King he suddenly stopped and turning himselfe towards the Deacon and Subdeacon he spake vnto them with loud voyce Tell me tell me how call you this Diuell And they answering him Philip he named Philip and so went on with his Masse At the same time it happened that a religious person of the order of S. Dominicke making mention of the King in a certaine prayer without naming him by his name of Philip and being commanded by his Prelate vnder paine of contempt and disobedience that he should name him by his proper name he then repeated it saying Et Famulum tuum regem nostrum Philippum Ducem Albensem Sanchum de Auila Rodericum Sapata caeterósque omnes diabolos c. That is to say And thy seruant our King Philip the Duke de Alua Sancho de Auila and Rodericke Sapata and all the other Diuels When I rehearsed this vnto a Nobleman of good account with whom I communicated the greatest part of this discourse hee wondered greatly vsing this exclamation Iesu doe the Priests and Religious persons of Portugall thus hate his Catholike Maiesty This is a strange thing and I maruell much that they hating him so extreamely and being of such strength and puissance in their Countrey for the most part of them are Noblemen and Gentlemen and some of them great Princes that they doe not cause the people to rise in armes against that Tyrant I answered him the cause is for that albeit they haue neuer so iust a cause to take armes yet the Portugals are a people of great patience and sufferance towards their Prince and they doe also goe to the warres with so ill a will howbeit that being once in the warres they proue very good Souldiers that they had rather goe to hanging Neuerthelesse if they should once rise against the Castilian they would defend themselues in such manner that hee should neuer more be able to suppresse them The whole substance of the matter is that they doe once grow to a resolution and that they set hand to the worke which if they once doe I beleeue that they will make as great a wall betweene Portugall and Castile as they of China did in times past make betweene them and the Tartarians and if it were but onely to content the soule of their King Iohn the second Iohn the 2. the scourge of the Castilians named The man and King of peace named The man and King of peace who was the scourge and plague of the Castilians and of him is yet spoken that old prouerbe Jf the Chicke had not come the Cocke had beene taken This Prince knowing the manners the life and the tyrannicall actions of the Castilian was wont to say that hee did greatly desire to see betweene Portugall and Castile The griefe and discoÌ„tentment of King Iohn the 2. of Portugall a wall feared vp so high as might reach vp to Heauen protesting that the thing that most grieued him in this World was for that the Sunne did first passe by Castile before it came into Portugall and that which made him quite and cleane out of all patience was because he knew not how to remedy it The Nobleman to whom I recounted all these things giuing me great thankes said vnto me Certainely I am very glad and doe thanke you heartily for acquainting me with these particulars which are things worthy to be remembred and such as I haue not at any time heard or seene written But I doe not vnderstand quoth he what should be meant by that prouerbe aboue mentioned If the Chicke had not come the Cocke had beene taken as that also which you haue spoken of the loyalty of Auila and Simancas in Castile of Celorico and of the Castle of Coimbre in Portugall and of the King of Castile and the Castilians and of the Cities and Townes Monsieur quoth I againe I would gladly declare the same vnto you but I feare lest I be blamed for making such long digressions for I am so well acquainted with the disposition of men that I am not ignorant in how many parts of this my discourse they may accuse me in that behalâ—e and therefore I pray you to suffer me first to make an
end and then after the conclusion of this Treatise I will satisfie your desire particularly and at good leysure for I doe assure you I would keepe silence concerning many things in this worke were it not most requisite and needfull that they should be spoken of and published for the better attaining to that which I intend and purpose the which I doe perswade my selfe that both you my masters of England and likewise of France and you also my masters the Princes of Europe who are all of you highly interessed in the greatnesse of the Castilian will embrace cheerefully and with open armes if you be not altogether without iudgement and vnderstanding But it is now meet that we pursue the proofe and demonstration of the tyranny of King Philip which calleth himselfe the King Catholike We haue lately shewed how King Philip by vsurpation and tyranny non solum in modo sed in genere as the Ciuilians vse to speake of his predecessors doth possesse the Realmes of Castile of Leon of Galicia of Toledo of Siuill of Cordona of Murcia c. with some other Prouinces contained within the precincts and streights of his Realme Let vs now come to the Realmes of Aragon of Valentia the Counties of Barcelona of Cerdonia and Roussillon and the Isles of Maiorica Minorica and Sardinia Aragon Valentia c tyrannized Fernand the Infant of Castile the graund Father of Fernand aboue named vsurped all these Realmes and seigniories of the which he depriued Isabel Countesse of Vrgell his owne Aunt sister to his Mother which Isabel had also one Daughter named Isabel which maried with Don Peter the Infant of Portugall the younger sonne of John the bastard King of the said Realme Of Peter and Isabel was borne the Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall The Lord Don Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon poysoned by Iohn which Don Peter by reason of his Mothers right and other auncesters was called and acknowledged by the Catalognians for their King and Lord. And after hee had reigned ouer them for the space of fiue yeeres and more he was poysoned by Iohn the second of that name sonne of the first Ferdinand whom we named to be the successour of Alphonsus King of Arragon his elder brother Charles the 4. the rightfull King of Nauarre empoysoned by his stepmother This Iohn was a notable Tyrant and hee retained the Kingdome of Nauarre tyrannously after the death of the Queen Blaunch his wife the right heire of the said Realme against the rightfull title of Charles his owne sonne vnto whom that Realme ought to haue descended by the death of his mother as it did likewise fall vnto Lewes Hutin by the death of his mother Jane who dyed eight yeeres before her Husband Philip the faire For this cause the said Charles being a most curteous and vertuous Prince had great difference and suite with his Father who caused him to be poysoned by his stepmother Jane the Daughter of Don Federike the second Admirall of Castile The Translator The grandmother of King Philip on Charles his Fathers side was the graund daughter of this Iohn and this Iane from whom principaly hee hath learned and retained the art and science of poysoning so perfectly that not onely to the said Iohn the Graundfather of his Graundmother and to the said Iane his wife but euen to all his predecessors he may giue forty fiue and a fault at that game and yet be no looser were they neuer so cunning in that art and science Of Peter Constable of Portugall and King of Aragon there was no lawfull issue remaining for the line of Jsabel his mother was extinguished in John the second King of Portugall by reason whereof the right of that Realme and all the Seigniories depending thereupon ought to descend and doe appertaine to the most excellent Dukes of Loraine as the true and rightfull heires of Yoland Dutchesse of Anion The Duke of Loraine the right heire of the Kingdome of Arragon the wife of Leweâ— Grandfather in the fift degree of the said excellent Duke of Loraine now liuing the which Yoland was the lawfull Daughter of Iohn King of Aragon the eldest sonne of Peter the ceremonious King of that Realme who was also the Father of Martin which raigned after the said Iohn his elder brother and was the true heire of this Crowne and of all the demaines thereof by the death of her elder sister the wife of the Earle of Foix of whom shee had neither sonne nor daughter The Realme of Nauarre was vsurped as is reported by diuers Historians Nauarre vsuâ—ped euen Spaniards themselues vpon false informations by Fernand the great Grandfather of King Philip which Fernand was one of the Masters of Machiauel Fernand the 5 king of Castile one of the masters of Machiauell In his Booke of the Councels Councellers of Princes Dis 14. par 11. as Bartholmew Philip doth tell vs in that Booke which he caused to be imprinted in the yeere 1585 where he hath these words Those Princes which do fully resolue themselues to preuaile and grow great by force of armes ought to imitate the Catholike Don Fernand the fift of that name King of Castile who held himselfe apart and gaue the looking on to the warres which the Princes of Christendome made one vpon another to see what issue and what forces they should haue to the intent hee might aide and succour those which were weakest and hee would not suffer any to grow great or puissant in Italy who pretended to be Lords and Commaunders there neither would hee at any time enter into any leagues made by the Princes of Christendome vnlesse he might make some profit and benefit thereby vnto himselfe This was Lewes the 12. of that name For this cause he would not make warre vpon Lewes King of France when Pope Iulius the Emperour and the Swissers did warre against him for that hee thought he should not aduantage himselfe by the diminution of that Realme if the aduersaries of the said Lewes should make themselues great by his losses and yet being perswaded that the said French King would augment his estate Let the French King and the Princes and Potentates of Europe consider this well by making warre vpon the Realme of Naples hee entred into league against the King of Fraunce with the Emperour and the King of England The Booke whereof I speake was dedicated by the Authour to Albert Cardinall of Austria when hee was Vice-roy of Portugall who is the third Graundchild of the said Fernand both on the Fathers and Mothers side Portugal and her demaines tyrannized Now how Philip himselfe hath tyrannized and vsurped the Realme of Portugall and the Seigniories which are dependant thereupon raising himselfe into a great and mighty Monarchy and yet ill considered or knowne by strange and forraigne Princes all Bookes in generall doe sound it forth and the Vniuersities of Coimbre of Bologna and
foretold and as it were prophecied as the prinâ—ipall counsellers of estate both in Fraunce in England can well testifie both all this which is come to passe in this behalfe and hath also foreshewed all that which hath beene lost in Fraunce and to what end and issue things will grow at the last if there be not some better order taken in these affaires And I beleeue that if they were demanded the question they will tell you how I haue passed away my time with as great griefe and discontentment as a man possibly might do to see the enemy daily to prosper and to waxe more proud and arrogant by your owne proper sufferance consent and wilfulnesse for this cause I am in a manner wholly resolued to leaue and abandon the conuersation of men to retire withdraw my selfe into some solitary mountaine Notwithstanding because I know and am acquainted with all that hath befalne for these 50 yeeres last past in the greatest part of Europe I doe therefore tell you as one that hath had experience of these matters that as yet you may recouer if you will all that which hitherto you haue lost and both deliuer your friends and bridle your enemies And you may take such order that the time to come shall be more happy and fortunate vnto you then the time already past hath beene And moreouer I doe assure you that sithens the losse of great part of Christendome wonne by the Turke the late losse of the most part of Germany the hereditary possession of the King of Bohemia all Switzerland with the great hazard of losing all the Netherlands who are now striuing for breath against the King of Spaines mighty powers now in the field which I for my part doe thinke to haue proceeded from the very hand of God as of your louing Father who by a fatherly loue doth chastise you to the end you should awaken you out of your security and negligence I haue beene euer since resolued to set downe in writing that which I haue so often pronounced by word of mouth to so many persons of speciall marke and quality before that euer they did entreat me thereunto And this is the cause that if this my writing doe not produce that publike good and that effect which I desire I protest that from henceforth I will for euer hold my peace and be silent Neuerthelesse I most humbly beseech your Christian Maiesties and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe and all the great Lords and Officers of the Crownes of England and of Fraunce that it would please you to descend into your selues and at your leisure according to your accustomed prudence and wisdome to consider that good fortune and felicity doth not consist so much in the conquest and subduing of great Seigniories and large dominions for the time present with an intent to leaue the same to your successors but rather to assure confirme and preserue them for the time to come to your children and posterity to the intent that when it shall please God to call you hence they may quietly and peaceably enioy them in peace and tranquility without any trouble disquiet or hinderance For it is a farre greater vertue to preserue and keepe that which is gotten then to get and purchase new things daily Non minor est virtus quà m quarere parta tuêri The poore Pilgrime beaten by Time and pesecuted by Fortune P. Ol. I am resolued to make warre vpon the Castillian wherein if you also will beare a part assure your selfe you may account me as one of your most faithfull and surest friends But if you once grow to any termes of peace and amity with him then seeke you some other with whom ye may deliberate vpon that matter AN EXPLICATION OF THE PILGRIME VPON THE PROVERB IF THE COCKErell had not come the Cock had not bene taken And of the loyaltie of Auila and Simanchas in Castile and of Celorico and the Castell of Coimbre in Portugall Item What the diuersitie is betweene the King of Castile and of Spaine and who they bee whom wee call Castillians and what is vnderstood by Cities and Townes HEnry the fourth King of Castile of whom wee haue before spoken being at the point of death If the Cockerel had not come the Cock had not beene taken named foure Executors of his Testament to gouerne the Realme after his death and to marrie his daughter the Ladie Iane two of which Executors to wit Don Aluaro de Estugniga Duke de Areualo and Don Diego Lapez Pacheco Marquis de Vâ—llena ioyning with the Archbishop of Toledo named Don Alphonso Carrillo Don Bertrand de la Cueua Duke de Albuquerke the Maister of Calatraua Don Rodrigo Telles Giron Countie de Vâ—egne Don Iohn Telles Giron hif brother Marquisse of Calis Don Alphonso de Aguilar and manie other great Lords with foureteene Cities of Castile sent vnto Don Alphonso the Affrican King of Portugall praying him that he would take to wife the said Queene Dame Iane the which the King of Portugall accepted against the willes and good liking of many of his Realmes who would not by any manner of meanes haue to doe nor meddle with the Castillians By reason of this mariage in the yeere 1475 Don Alphonso went into the Lands and Countrey of his said wife where he had many encounters and combats with Fernand King of Arragon the Husband of Jsabel the pretended Queene of Castile and with his people till such time as they encountered in the battell which was foughten neere the City of Toro The battell of Toro in March 1476 which was ordered in this manner the King Alphonso had made one Campe of the Lords and Nobles of the Realmes of Castile and Leon with some Portugals the Prince Don Juan his sonne who was come to the succours of his Father had made another Campe of his Portugals without any Castillians mingled amongst them The King Fernand made also two campes the one of the Castillians which tooke his part and his wiues and the other of Arragonois the Catalans the Valencians and such other peoples and Nations as were the subiects of his owne Realmes and Seigniories whereof himselfe was Lord and commaunder Fernand encountring with Alphonso defeated and ouercame him and hauing taken his Guidon royall made him forsake the field and to betake himselfe to flight But the Prince Don Iuan gaue in and charged so resolutely vpon the Castillians that he made them to flie and hauing slaine many of them vpon the place he tooke a great number of prisoners and himselfe remaining whole and entire with his Forces did with singular hardinesse and magnanimity assaile Ferdinand also the vanquisher of his Father and making him to flie did recouer againe the Guydon royall which the said Alphonso his Father had lost The History of Portugall saith that the Prince did great honour vnto a Knight which saued the said Guydon and gaue him an yeerely rent or annuity of