taken and so went back to Villa-viciosa and now he began to feel a Disquiet of Mind which hinder'd him from relishing the Pleasures of a private Life As soon as he was return'd he communicated to the Duchess his Wife the Propositions which had been made to him This Princess was of Spanish Extraction and Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia a Grandee of Spain and Governor of Andalusia She had by Nature a strong inclination to whatever was great and noble which in time was grown up to a boundless Passion for Glory The Old Duke finding mighty things were to be expected from her Wit and Courage had taken care to improve the Gifts of Nature by a suitable Education He plac'd about her the fittest Persons to inspire Ambition into her Breast which the World regards as something noble and the chief Virtue of a Prince She learnt several Tongues with a great deal of ease but nothing could come near that wondrous Sweetness with which she express'd her self in her natural Language In the Sound of her Voice and in every word she spoke was a secret Charm which ravish'd all who heard her Her Air was noble great and free full of a majestick Sweetness which at the same time inspir'd Love and Respect into those who were about her She took the Portuguese Air with so much ease she seem'd Born at Lisbon In the first place she was careful to win the Esteem of her Husband which she perfectly well did by the Austerity of her Life by a solid Devotion and a perfect Complaisance to his Relish She wav'd those Pleasures which are the ordinary Amusement of Persons of her Quality and Age and seem'd to employ her leisure Hours in those things which might embellish her Mind or improve her Judgment The Duke of Braganza was transported with the Happiness of enjoying so finish'd a Woman He had an infinite Esteem for her and an entire Confidence in her He never undertook any thing without consulting with her and therefore had a care not to engage in an Affair of this kind without her Advice and Opinion He discover'd to her the Plan of the Conspiracy the Names of the Persons privy to it their Zeal and Warmth and every Particular that had pass'd at Lisbon and the Conference at Almada He added That on the News of the Expedition into Catalonia he plainly saw the Nobility would revolt rather than be compell'd to leave their Country That it was to be fear'd upon his Refusal they would look out for another Head That notwithstanding he could not forbear confessing that the Danger of the Enterprize startled him That as often as he had thought of this Design at a distance the flattering Idea of Greatness had made an agreeable impression on his Mind but now he was upon the point of putting this in execution and running all the Risks of so hazardous an Undertaking he could not look without Dread on the Danger which he and his whole Family was about to throw himself into That the fickle Humour of the Multitude was not much to be rely'd on the Edge of whose Courage is taken off by the least Difficulty and they easily dispers'd by every Blast of Wind. That it was not sufficient for him to have the Nobility on his side unless they were supported by the Great Men of the Kingdom but very far from hoping they would come over to his Interest He could not but foresee they would be the most cruel of his Enemies the natural Pride of Mankind never suffering them to make a Master of one who has once been their Equal These Considerations with several other as the Power of Spain the small Assurance of Foreign Assistance ballanc'd his Passion for Government But the Duchess who had a greater Firmness of Mind and a more lively Ambition clos'd wholly with the Conspiracy The View of so great an Undertaking serv'd only to excite her Courage and rowse up her Ardent Thirst after Greatness She represented to her Husband with a great deal of Vehemence the undoubted Rights which he had to the Crown That in the deplorable State to which the Castillians had reduc'd Portugal a Man of his Rank and Quality could not dispense with remaining any longer indifferent That his Children and Posterity would reproach his Memory with a Pusillanimity beneath his Blood if he should lose so favourable an Opportunity After this she exaggerated to that Prince the sweetness of Reigning in a Country where he could not Obey without Fear the Charms of a Crown and the Facility of seizing it That in case he should miss of that Foreign Aid which had been offer'd to him he was Potent enough to expel the Spaniards especially at this Juncture when there was a Revolt in Catalonia In fine she so Skilfully shew'd him the Crown on its most glittering side that she determin'd him But in this she agreed with him to let the Number of the Conspirators encrease before he declar'd himself more positively and not to appear publickly in this Matter till the Moment of its Execution All this while the Court was not without some Disquiet The extraordinary Marks of Joy which the People of Lisbon had shewn on the Duke of Braganza's appearing amongst them had made a great Impression on the Minister He began to suspect private Clubs were held in that City and some Rumours which commonly precede great Events exceedingly encreas'd his uneasiness The King held several Councils on this Occasion in which it was resolv'd That for the effectual defeating the Portuguese Hopes of a Revolt the Duke of Braganza the only Person whom they had occasion to fear should forthwith be sent for to Madrid For this purpose the Conde Duke sent a Courier to him with this Message That the King had a Mind to be inform'd from himself and confer with him concerning the State of the Troops and Garisons in Portugal That he was mightily wish'd for at Court by his Friends and that he could not doubt he should be receiv'd in a manner suitable to his Birth and Merit No Clap of Thunder could have surpriz'd him more than this News The Earnestness and different Pretences they made use of to draw him out of Portugal confirm'd his suspicion they had a Design on his Person and were resolv'd to take him off They had left pretended Employs and false Caresses and were now come to positive Orders which would soon be follow'd by Force and Violence in case of Disobedience This put him into a Panick Fear imagining he was betray'd the usual Fate of those who have great Projects in their Head who still believe the World is busy in observing their Steps and guesses at the Secret of them Thus did that diffident Prince perplex himself thinking he was now plung'd in an Ocean of Trouble However to gain Time and have leisure to give the Conspirators notice of his Danger by the Advice of his Wife he sent a Gentleman of his House a Person of
or the City They seized on the Marquess de la Pueiba Major domo to the Vice-Queen and eldest Brother to the Marquess de Leganez Dom Didaco Cardevas Major-General Dom Fernant de Castro Intendant of the Marine the Marquess de Bainetto Gentleman Usher to the Vice-Queen and several Sea-Officers who were in the Port. All this was done with as little Disturbance as if they had been apprehended by Orders from the King of Spain No Man stirred to assist them and themselves were not in a Condition to resist being for the most part taken in their Beds In the next place Antonio de Saldania at the Head of his Friends with a vast Crowd following him went up to the sovereign Chamber of Justice He made a short Speech to the Company displaying the Happiness of Portugal that now had regained her Natural Lord telling them That Tyranny was now at an End That the Laws would be re-established and Justice have its ancient Course under the Government of so Wise and Just a Prince This Speech was received with a general Applause and answered by loud Acclamations and all Decrees made in the King of Spain's Name were changed and stiled By the Authority and in the Name of Dom Juan King of Portugal Whilst this Gentleman obliged the Chamber of Justice to own the Duke of Braganza for their King Dom Gaston Contingno set free those whom the Severity of the Spanish Ministers had confined These poor Men passing in one Moment from a gloomy Dungeon and the continual fear of Death to the delightful view of the Liberty of their Country transported with Gratitude and dreading the return of their Chains made up a new Company who did not shew less Ardour to establish the Throne of the Duke of Braganza than the Body of the Nobility who formed the first Design In the midst of this general Gladness which the Success of the Enterprize gave the Conspirators Pinto and several of the Chief were extreamly uneasie The Spaniards were still in the Citadel from whence they could batter the Town and soon give them occasion to repent of their hasty Joy Besides this was a Port where the King of Spain could re-enter the City at pleasure therefore thinking they had done nothing till they were Masters of the Place they went to the Vice-Queen and demanded an Order from her for the Governour to put that into their Hands She rejected the Proposition with Scorn reproaching them with their Rebellion and asking them disdainfully if they intended to make her an Accomplice D' Almeida mad at her Refusal all on Fire and his Eyes sparkling with Rage swore that if she did not sign this Order without farther delay he would instantly stab all the Spaniards they had in Custody The Princess surpris'd at the Passion of the Man and fearing so many People of Quality might lose their Lives thought the Governour knew his Duty too well to pay Obedience to an Order which he must needs see was extorted by Force and upon this Consideration she Signed it but this had a very different Effect from what she imagined The Spanish Governour Dom Louis del Campo a Man of small Resolution seeing so many of the Conspirators in Arms and follow'd by a vast Crowd of People who threatned to tear him and the whole Garrison in pieces if he did not instantly Surrender was glad to come off so cheaply and have so good a pretence to cover his Cowardice surrendred the Citadel and tamely delivered it into their Hands The Conspirators having thus secured all sides dispatched away Mendoza and the Master of the Horse to the Duke of Braganza to carry him the News and to assure him from the City that there was nothing wanting to compleat their Joy but the Presence of their King However this was not equally desired by all Persons The Great Men of the Kingdom could not see his Elevation without a secret Envy and most of the Nobility who had no share in the Conspiracy were silent waiting for the Issue before they would declare their Sentiments Nay some proceeded so far as to question whether that Prince would own an Action which would infallibly have such terrible Consequences Above all the rest the Creatures of Spain were in a strange Consternation not a Man of them daring to stir for fear of irritating the People furious with their new Liberty and every one kept himself close at Home till Time should shew what they had to Fear or Hope from the Designs of the Duke of Braganza But his Friends who were well informed of his Intentions pursued their way They met at the Palace to give Orders till their New Master should arrive and unanimously declared the Archbishop of Lisbon President of the Council and Lieutenant-General for the King He excused himself at first representing to them that the present State of the Kingdom required a General rather than a Man of his Character in such a Post But at length pretending to comply with the Importunity of his Friends he consented to take upon him the signing the Orders provided the Archbishop of Braga were appointed for his Colleague in the management of Business and all Dispatches till the King's Arrival By this Device that crafty and politick Prelate hoped under Colour of sharing an Authority with him to render the other an Accomplice and Criminal in the Eyes of the Spaniards if he accepted the Offer or in case he refused to ruin him with the King and render him Odious to the People and all Portugal as a declared Enemy of that Kingdom The Archbishop of Braga perceived the Snare laid for him but being wholly devoted to the Spaniards and in the Interests of the Vice-Queen he refused peremptorily to have any share in the Government So the Archbishop of Lisbon had it alone and Dom Miguel d' Almeida Pedro Mendoza and Dom Antonio d' Almada were appointed as Counsellors of State to assist him One of the first Cares of this Governour was to seize the three great Spanish Galleons in the Port of Lisbon For this purpose several Barks were fitted out into which the Youth of the City threw themselves They discover'd an eager desire to gain Honour in this Exploit but little Opposition was made the Officers and greatest part of the Soldiers being seized in the City at the Time when the Conspiracy broke out The same Evening he dispatched Couriers to exhort the People to give Thanks to God for the Recovery of their Liberty with Orders to the Magistrates of each City to proclaim the Duke of Braganza King of Portugal and secure all the Spaniards they could find In short he made all Preparations at Lisbon for the magnificent reception of their new Master The Archbishop gave notice to the Vice-Queen that it would be convenient she should leave the Palace and make room for the King and his Houshold and ordered an Apartment to be prepared for her in the Royal House of Xabregas at one end of
great Address and Fidelity to Madrid to assure the Minister he would suddenly attend the King To this Man he gave secret Instructions to invent from Time to Time different Pretences to excuse his Delay hoping to prevent the Storm by bringing the Conspiracy to ripeness As soon as this Gentleman was at Madrid he assur'd the King and First Minister that his Master follow'd him He took a great House which he furnish'd very richly and retain'd a great Number of Servants giving them Liveries by way of Advance laying out very considerable Sums of Money every day In short he omitted nothing to make them believe the Prince would come immediately and appear at Court in all the Splendor becoming a Person of his Rank Some few Days after he feign'd to have receiv'd Advice That he was very ill At last finding this would not hold longer he presented a Memorial to the First Minister praying in the Name of the Duke his Master the King would assign his Precedence in the Court. He thought this would take up some time to adjust and meet with Opposition from the Great Men who would intervene to maintain their Rights But the Minister who began to suspect these Delays soon remov'd all Difficulties and engag'd the King to declare in his Favour in every point for his Honour so desirous he was to draw him out of Portugal and see him at Madrid The Conspirators no sooner understood the Orders which the Duke had receiv'd from the Court but fearing he should obey them they sent Mendoza to confirm him and engage him more strictly to their Party They made choice of this Gentleman because being Governor of a Place near Villa-viciosa the pretence of going to his Government covered the secret Intention of this Journey from the Spaniards He took an opportunity of meeting that Prince a Hunting They struck into the Wood and stopping in a private place Mendoza laid before him the Danger which he expos'd himself to by going to Court That he would absolutely ruin the Hopes of the Nobility and People by putting himself with too rash a confidence into the Hands of his Enemies That there were a great Number of well-qualified Gentlemen who were resolv'd to sacrifice their Lives and Fortunes for his Service That they only expected notice from him when they should appear That the Critical minute was now come when he must chuse either to dye or wear a Crown That it was Hazardous to make any further Delays and he must not doubt an Affair of so great Importance which was entrusted in so many Hands must needs at length come to the Knowledge of the Spaniards The Duke reply'd That he was of his mind and that he might assure his Friends that he was resolv'd to put himself at their Head Mendoza return'd Post to Lisbon acquainted his Friends with the Success of his Voyage and that the Prince desir'd Pinto might come to him Him they sent away instantly with necessary Instructions to inform the Duke of the Scheme and Ways by which they intended to put their Project in Execution When Pinto came he acquainted him in what Confusion the Court at Lisbon was the Vice-Queen made high Complaints of the Insolence and Pride of Vasconcellos That she could not any longer endure that all the Dispatches from Spain should be Address'd to him while she being invested with a glittering Title had no real Authority This Complaint was the more to be regarded because That Princess was a Person of great Merit and every way capable of Discharging the Extent of her Trust but indeed the Greatness of her Genius and her other good Qualities were the principal Reason why she had so inconsiderable a share in the Government allow'd her Pinto observ'd to his Master how much this misunderstanding favour'd his Designs and that he could not lay hold of a fairer occasion than these Divisions at Court which would not give the Spanish Ministers leave to observe the Steps he should take The Duke who perceiv'd the Strength of his Reasons found himself likewise press'd by that Gentleman whom he sent to Madrid He receiv'd Letters from him every Day assuring him That he could not find new Colours for his Absence or delude the Minister who would not any longer hear his Excuses Thus seeing he had no Time to lose he resolv'd to rise without delay And now to gain Time for the disposing his Affairs he commanded his Agent to represent to the Conde Duke d'Olivarez That he should have been at Madrid before that time if he had had Money enough to bear the Expences of his Journey and enable him to make a Figure suitable to his Quality and Character and that as soon as he could raise the necessary Funds he would instantly come away for the Court. When he had sent the Dispatch he took Pinto with him into the Duchesses Apartment to consider of the most proper means to put their Design in execution And after some Debate the Duke resolv'd on this That it was necessary to secure Lisbon which being the Capital was the Spring which mov'd the whole Kingdom That on the same Day that City should declare for him he would cause himself to be proclaim'd King of Portugal in all the Cities of his Dependance That those of his Friends who were Governors of Forts should do the same in all Places where they Commanded and the Conspirators should raise the People in all the Towns and Villages which belong'd to them that so this General Insurrection diffusing it self like a Conflagration through every part of the Kingdom the Spaniards might not know whither to bend their Arms That he would fling his own Regiment into the Town of Elvas the Governor of which was at his Devotion That as for the manner of seizing Lisbon he could not prescribe any thing that Action depending wholly on the Time and other Circumstances when they should attempt it That however he was of the Opinion they ought to make their first Attacks on the Palace and secure the Person of the Vice-Queen and the rest of the Spaniards who might serve as Hostages for the Surrender of the Citadel which otherwise might very much incommode the Town after they were Masters of it He gave two Letters of Credence one to d'Almeida and the other to Mendoza in which he signify'd to them That he had entrusted the Bearer with his Intentions He only added That he hop'd they would be Faithful to the Assurances they had given him and act with Courage and Vigour in the Work they were about to undertake After this the Duke sent Pinto to Lisbon having first given him the highest Marks of Confidence he should enjoy the same Place in his Affection after a Revolution that he now had As soon as he came to Lisbon he deliver'd his Letters to d' Almeida and Mendoza who sent immediately to Le Mos and Coreé whom Pinto had formerly brought over to his Master's Interest These were two Rich Citizens
Manner of Living Here he would complain of that Idle Life in which he seem'd to be buried expressing his great Regret that the only Person who was able to remedy their Grievances should shew so little Affection to his Country or Concern for his Honours and observing these Discourses to make an impression on them he push'd Matters so far as to flatter some with the Glorious Title of the Asserters of the Liberty of their Country raising their indignation at the ill treatment of the Spaniard and to give other Hopes of advancing their Fortunes by a Revolution In short he manag'd the Temper of the People with so great Skill that being well assur'd of Divers privately he procur'd a Meeting of the Nobility with the Archbishop of Lisbon at their Head This Prelate was descended of one of the best Houses * D' Acugna in that Kingdom was a Man of Learning an able Statesman and belov'd by the People but hated by the Spaniards whom he hated no less because they had preferr'd the Archbishop of Braga * Dom Sebastian de Mattos de Noroguia a Creature of the Vice-queen whom they had made President of the Chamber of Opaco and given a share in the Administration of Affairs Dom Miguel d' Almeida was one of the most cOnsiderable Members of this Company This was a venerable Old Gentleman who had gain'd a mighty Esteem by his Worth He plac'd his Glory in preferring the Interest of his Country to his Fortunes and could not without Indignation see it enslav'd by Usurpers He persisted in this sense his whole Life with great Bravery and Resolution and neither the Advice of his Friends or the Intreaties of his Relations could ever induce him to go to the Palace or make his Court to the Spanish Ministers This Steddiness in his Conduct had created some Jealousy of him and determin'd Pinto to pitch on him to make his Declaration to being well assur'd he should not hazard any thing in making a Confidence with a Man of such a Character and one who was able to bring so great a Number of the Nobility over to his Party Dom Antonio d' Almada an intimate Friend to the Archbishop was there and Dom Lewis his Son Dom Lewis d' Acugna Nephew to that Prelate and married to the Daughter of Dom Antonio d' Almada the Master of the Horse Mello Dom George his Brother Pedro Mendoza Dom Rodrigo de Saa High Chamberlain and divers Officers of the Royal Family whose Place were become empty Title since Portugal had lost her Natural Kings At this Meeting the Archbishop who was naturally Eloquent display'd the calamitous State of that Kingdom He represented to them How Philip the Second to secure his Conquest had destroy'd an infinite Number of the Nobility That He had not spared the Church witness the Famous Brief of Absolution * Câ—nestagio which he had obtain'd of the Pope for the Murther of Two thousand Priests and Religious persons whom he had put to Death to secure his Usurpation That since those Dismal Times the Spaniards had not changed their Measures That they had taken off a great many Worthy persons for no other Crime but their Love to their Country That no Man present had his Life or Estate secure to him That the Great Men were excluded from the Government destitute of Employ and neglected That the Church had been fill'd with a scandalous Clergy since Vasconcellos had bestow'd Benefices as Rewards on his Creatures That the People were oppress'd with Taxes the Country wanted Hands to Till it and the Cities were desolate being exhausted by those Forces which were sent into Catalonia That these Orders to Summon the Nobility under a Pretence of attending the King was the last shift the Minister could use to take off the Remains of those Gentlemen whom he conceiv'd might be an Obstacle to his pernicious Designs That the least Misfortune which could befal them must be a tedious Banishment and they must wear away their Lives in the Heart of Castile while new Colonies were possess'd of their Estates at Home That for his part in this deplorable state of Things he should chuse to dye rather than see the entire Ruin and Destruction of his Country if he had not some Hopes of so many Worthy Persons were not met together to no purpose This Speech reviv'd in the Company the uneasy Memory of those Grievances they had so long labour'd under Every one was earnest to give some Instances of the Cruelties of Vasconcellos Some had lost their Estates by his Injustice others had been turn'd out of their Hereditary Places and Governments to make room for his Creatures divers of them had for a long time groan'd in Prison to satisfy the Jealousy of the Spanish Ministers some were concern'd for the Loss for their Fathers Brothers Friends detain'd at Madrid or sent into Catalonia as Hostages for the Fidelity of their Countrymen In short there was no one in this publick Cause who had not some private Injury to revenge The Expedition into Catalonia incens'd them and rais'd their Indignation to the last degree They saw plainly this did not proceed from any Necessity which constrain'd the Spaniards to make use of their Assistance but a design of that Court to ruin them by so long a March These Considerations joyn'd with the Hopes of Revenging so many Affronts as they had receiv'd determin'd them and made them resolve to take all proper Measures to throw off a Yoke which they sound too heavy to bear and being depriv'd of all Hopes of mitigating their unhappy Condition they reproach'd their Patience as a Baseness and Meanness of Spirit and unanimously agreed there was a necessity of driving out the Spaniard but were divided what Form of Government they ought to prefer One part of the Company were for a Republick like that of Holland another part were inclin'd to have a King and of this Number some propos'd the Duke of Braganza others the Marquess de Villareal and others the Duke d' Aveiro all three Princes of the Royal Blood of Portugal each delivering his Mind as his Fancy or Interest led him But the Archbishop who was devoted to the House of Braganza dextrously using the Authority of his Character made a Remonstrance not without some Vehemence alledging That the Choice of Government was not Arbitrary That they could not in Conscience break that Oath of Fidelity which they had taken to Spain except it were to do Justice to the Rightful Heir of that Crown which all the World knew was the Duke of Braganza and therefore they must resolve to acknowledge him as their King or for ever remain under the Dominion of Spain In the next place he desir'd them to reflect on the Power the great Wealth and the vast Number of Vassals of that Prince on whom one Third of that Kingdom depended urging They could never hope to drive out the Spaniards unless they had him at their
for another he turned in a Rage to Menezes crying Dogs How dare you strike at me The other without replying redoubled his Thrusts and laid him on the Ground weltring in his Blood However these Wounds did not prove Mortal and he escaped at that time to lose his Life after with more Ignominy by the Hands of the common Executioner The Conspirators having thus treated the Commissary who had stopt them for a small while on the Stairs forced into the Secretaries Chamber He had then with him Diego Garcez Palleia a Captain of Foot who seeing such a multitude of People enter Armed and enraged mistrusted a design on the Life of Vasconcellos Tho' he had no obligation to that Minister the generosity of his Temper made him throw himself out of the Door with his Sword in his Hand to dispute the Entry of the Conspirators and give the Secretary time to make his Escape but receiving a Hurt in his Arm and being disabled from holding his Sword and opprest by the Multitude he threw himself out of a Window and had the good Luck to escape with Life Immediately the Conspirators rushed in a Crowd into the Secretaries Lodgings they searched for him every where overturned the Beds opened the Coffers and every one was eager to have the Honour of the first Blow However all this while he was no where to be found and the Conspirators were reduced to Despair and enraged to think he should thus escape their Vengeance till an Old Woman Servant being threatned with Death pointed to a Wall in which several Arms were hid and here they found him buried in Papers The Consternation he was in at the apprehension of immediate Death which he saw before him would not suffer him to speak the least Word Dom Rodrigo de Saa gave him the first shot with a Pistol after which the rest of the Conspirators stabbed him and threw his Body out of the Window crying The Tyrant is dispatched God preserve our Liberty and Dom John King of Portugal The Crowd about the Palace seeing them throw out the Body received it with great Shouts and Acclamations Every one offer'd some Indignity to the lifeless Trunk as if by this means they hoped to revenge the Oppression of their Country and give a Blow to Tyranny This was the Fate of Michael Vasconcellos a Portugueze by Birth but an Enemy to his Country and a Spaniard by his Inclination He had by Nature an admirable Genius for Business was a Man of great Ability and Application of a marvellous Industry fruitful in Inventing new Methods of drawing Money from the People and by consequence void of all Pity Inflexible and Rigorous even to Cruelty He had no regard to Kindred Friends or other Considerations No Man had any Ascendant over him he was insensible to all Pleasures and incapable of being touched with any Remorse of Conscience He had heaped together immense Wealth by his Place part of which was plunder'd in the Heat of the Sedition the People pretending to do themselves Right for the Damages they sustained during his Ministery Pinto without losing Time marched to join the other Confederates who were order'd to make themselves Masters of the Palace and seize the Person of the Vice-Queen He found this was done already and that all Parts of their Design had been crown'd with equal Success In short those who were appointed to attack the Apartment of the Princess presenting themselves before the Gates and the furious Multitude threatning to set fire to them if they did not forthwith open them the Vice-Queen attended with her Maids of Honour and the Archbishop of Braga presented her self at her Chamber-Door flattering her self that her Presence would appease the Nobility and oblige the People to withdraw Gentlemen said she advancing towards the principal of the Conspirators the Secretary has justly drawn on himself the Odium of the People and your Indignation by his haughty and insolent Carriage and now his Death has deliver'd you from so hateful a Minister methinks your Resentment ought to be satisfied Consider Gentlemen these Disorders may as hitherto be imputed to your Hatred against the Secretary but if you persist any longer in this Tumultuous manner you will be guilty of Rebellion and render me unable to make any Defence for you to the King Dom Antonio de Menezes replied That it was a Folly to think that so many People of Rank had appeared in Arms to take away the Life of a Wretch who ought to have lost it by the Hands of the common Hangman That they were met together to restore the Duke of Braganza to a Crown that rightfully belonged to him and had been usurped by Strangers and they would sacrifice their Lives with Pleasure to replace him on the Throne She was about to reply and interpose the King's Authority but d' Almeida fearing that any longer Parley might abate the Heat of the Conspirators interrupted her telling her in short Portugal owned no other King than the Duke of Braganza and the Conspirators immediately gave a shout each striving to outvie the other God save Don John King of Portugal The Vice-Queen seeing the Torrent had broke all bounds thought she should find more Obedience in the City and that her Presence would have more Influence on the People and Townsmen when the Conspirators were not there to encourage them But as she offered to go down Don Carlos Norogna intreated her to keep in her Chamber assuring her she should be served with the same Respect as if she had still the Command of the Kingdom telling her He did not judge it by any means convenient to expose the Person of so great a Princess to the Insults of the Multitude who were all in Tumult and full of Zeal for their Liberty She soon understood she was his Prisoner and vext demanded in a disdainful manner And what can the Mobb do to me To which Norogna replied in a very great Passion Nothing Madam but throw your Highness out of the Windows The Archbishop of Braga was incensed at these words of Norogna and snatching a Sword from a Soldier near him attempted in an outragious manner to throw himself thro' the Conspirators to kill him and revenge the Affront done to the Vice-Queen but Dom Miguel d' Almeida embracing him conjured him to consider the danger to which he exposed himself and taking him aside by force told him his Life had not cost nothing That he had had a great deal of difficulty in obtaining it from the Conspirators to whom his Person was odious enough that he had no farther need to exasperate them by a Piece of Bravery so ill-timed and so little agreeable to a Person of his Character By this means he was perswaded to withdraw and dissemble his Passion hoping Time would give him a more favourable occasion of shewing his Resentment and his Devotion to the Interest of Spain The rest of the Conspirators secured the Spaniards who were in the Palace
the Town The Princess left the Palace as soon as she received this Message but with a haughty Air not speaking one word and past thro' the City thither And now far from a Crowd of Courtiers attending her she had scarce any of her Domestick Servants with her only the Archbishop of Braga steady to her Interests gave her publick Marks of it on this Occasion at a time when he could not do it without an apparent hazard of his Life In the mean time the Duke of Braganza endured great Convulsions of Mind reflecting on his uncertain Destiny and at once his Breast was fill'd with all the various Images with which Hope can flatter or Fear torment a doubtful Mind The distance of Villa Viciosa which is thirty Leagues from Lisbon prevented his being informed of what passed so soon as he earnestly wished All he knew was that his Life and Fortune lay at Stake and that Critical Minute must decide his Fate He had resolved at first as was noted above to raise all the Cities under his Dependencies but after he judged it better to expect News from Lisbon and act his Part conformably to what should pass there There only remained the Kingdom of Algarba and the City and Citadel of Elvas which he could retire to if Success fail'd in the Capital City and if the Plot should miscarry he thought he should easily excuse himself from having a share in it at a Time when the Spaniards would be glad to have him Innocent He had planted several Couriers on the Road to Lisbon and tho' he expected News every Hour he had past the whole Day and a great part of the Night in disturbance till at length Mendoza and Mello with extream diligence arrived at Villa Viciosa They threw themselves instantly at the Prince's Feet and by this respectuous Action and the Joy which shone in their Face they discover'd to him sooner than they could by any Expressions that he was King of Portugal They would have given him an exact Account of the Success of their Enterprize but the Prince without giving them Time to enter into the particulars of this Affair conducted them with some Impatience into the Dutchesses Apartment These two Lords complimented her in the same manner as if she had already been upon the Throne and assured her of the Hearty Wishes of her Subjects and as a Mark they own'd her for their Sovereign they treated her with the Title of Her Majesty which was the more agreeable since the Kings of Portugal before that Time had only taken that of Highness It is easie to judge how mighty was the Joy of the Prince and Princess if we reflect on the great uneasiness they were freed from and the high Station they were raised to The Castle resounded with Acclamations and the News spread it self every where in a Moment And the same Day he was proclaimed King of Portugal in all the Cities of his Dependances Alphonso de Mello did as much in the City of Elvas whole Crowds came in to pay their Duty to their new King and probably these first Homages tho' paid in a confused and disorderly manner did not less please that Prince than those after on a Publick Day of Ceremony The King set forward for Lisbon with the same Equipage which seem'd design'd for the Court of Spain He was accompanied by the Marquess de Ferrara his Kinsman the Count de Vimiosa and a great number of Persons of Quality which met him there He left the Queen his Wife at Villa Viciosa to keep the Province firm to his Obedience He found the Ways lined on both sides with an infinite number of People which flocked to see him and had the pleasure to hear the Shouts of the People wishing his Prosperity and loading the Spaniards with all the Curses they could invent The whole Body of the Nobility the Great Officers of the Crown and the first Magistrates went out in several Bodies to receive him at a great distance from Lisbon and he enter'd the City amidst the Acclamations and Applause of the People follow'd by a numerous and magnificent Court fill'd with Joy At Night were several Fire-works in divers publick Places of the Town Each Citizen had one before his Door and the Windows shone with an infinity of Candles and Flambeaux that the whole City seemed one Flame which made a Spaniard say That Prince was very Fortunate to gain so fair a Kingdom for a Bonefire The Insurrection at Lisbon was instantly followed by the General Revolt of the whole Kingdom and the Revolution was so speedy and general that each City seemed to have a Plot ripe for Execution after the Example of their Capital Couriers arrived hourly with Advice that Cities and entire Provinces had expelled the Spaniards and submitted to the King The Governours of the other Places had not more Resolution than him of Lisbon and either for want of Troops or other Warlike Provisions or for want of Courage they went off shamefully and for the most part without once Firing Every one feared the Fate of Vasconcellos and nothing appeared so terrible as an enraged Multitude In short they fled like so many Criminals escaped out of Prison and not one Spaniard was to be seen in the whole Kingdom except those who were detained and all this in less than a Fortnight's Time Dom Fernand de la Cueva Governor of the Citadel of Sir Juan at the Mouth of the Tago was the only Person who made some resistance and pretended to keep the Place for the King his Master This Garrison composed only of Spaniards and commanded by brave Officers made a vigorous Opposition upon the first Approaches of the Portugueses To reduce this Place they thought it necessary to Besiege it in Form and for this purpose brought their Canon down from Lisbon the Trenches were opened and they made their Advances as far as the Counterscarp notwithstanding the continual Fire and frequent Sallies of the Besieged but a Treaty being the safest and shortest way to gain the Place the King in fine made the Governour such advantageous Offers that he had not Power to stand out any longer He was dazled with the great Summs offered and having a Commend of the Order of Christ which the King promised to conferr on him In short the Articles were agreed on and the Place Surrendred notwithstanding the endeavours of the Officers to the contrary who refused to Sign the Capitulation Of this number was Dom Rodrigo de Cha lon a young Gentleman of Andalusia of great Valour who commanded a Spanish Terce in that Place and offered to hold out three Weeks longer till they should receive Aid from Spain which they had Intelligence were put to Sea under the Command of the Duke of Maqueda The King thought it best not to deferr his Coronation any longer to confirm his Authority and render his Person more August to the People The Ceremony was observed on the 15th of December with
the rest of the Spanish Ministers might nevertheless do it when his Authority was better settled But the most potent Motive that put him upon any considerable Action was his Zeal for the Vice-Queen He could not endure to see that Princess in Prison in a place where he thought She had a Right to Reign but above all he was exasperated to be refused admittance to her which was denied him and divers other Persons of Quality when it was found She only made use of this Liberty to inspire Rebellion into those who resorted to her This Proceeding seemed to him Tyrannical and an intolerable Hardship and he could not but represent to himself that Princess every Moment demanding her Liberty from him as a just Return for those Favours he had received from her These Reflections kindled a Rage in the Breast of this Prelate and made him resolve to employ all means to express his Gratitude and Revenge her on her Enemies And considering it would be difficult to surprize or corrupt the Guards set over her he resolved to go directly to the Spring and by killing the King to restore at once that Princess her Liberty and her former Authority Having concluded on this Design he applied himself to find means to put his Project in execution as soon as possible fearing he should not long continue in his Place of President of the Palace and be oblig'd to retire to Braga He concluded strait he must take a different Step from that which the King had taken He never hoped to gain the People by reason of their natural Hatred to the Spaniards on the other side the restoring of the King being the Work of the Nobility it was certain they would never engage in a Conspiracy of this kind he plainly found he could only apply himself to the Great Men who were not concerned in this Revolution and uneasie at the Duke of Braganza's Fortunes And therefore having first secured Protection of the Minister of Spain he cast his Eyes on the Marquess of Villareal He represented to that Prince That the New King being of a timorous and diffident Temper would lay hold of all Opportunities to ruin or at least diminish the Greatness of his Family to secure the Crown to his own Posterity That He and the Duke d' Aveiro both of the Blood Royal of Portugal had no Employs conferr'd on them whilst all Places of Profit and Trust in the Kingdom were given as a Recompence to a parcel of Seditious Fellows That all Men of Honour were concerned to see him thus contemptuously used That he must consume his Life in a mean inactivity and be buried in the Solitude of his Country-Seat That He ought to consider his High Birth and Fortunes rendred him too Great to be a Subject to so petty a King That He had lost in the King of Spain a Master who had several Kingdoms and Governments in his disposal and was able to give him an Employment suitable to the Greatness of his Condition Seeing this Discourse made an Impression on the Mind of that Prince He added That he had Order from the Court of Spain to promise him the Vice-Royalty of Portugal as the Reward of his Fidelity However this was not in any manner the Intention of that Prelate who aimed at nothing more than the Liberty and Restoration of the Dutchess of Mantua But more powerful Motives were necessary to engage the Marquess de Villareal The Considerations which the Archbishop laid before him prevailed with him to be the Head of the Conspiracy with the Duke of Camino his Son The Archbishop being well assured of these two Princes engaged the Grand Inquisitor his intimate Friend This Man was of great Consequence to the Archbishop's Design because with him he brought in all the Officers of the Inquisition a Race of Men which have ever been more formidable to Honest Men than Rascals and bear a great sway amongst the Portuguese He labour'd to convince him it was his Duty reminding him of his Oath of Fidelity to the King of Spain which he pretended he ought not to break in favour of a Rebel Farther he urged it could not be his Interest to adhere to the New King since neither of them could hope long to enjoy their Places under a Prince who conferr'd all Employs on his own Creatures He spent some more Months in gaining over more Conspirators The principal of which were the Commissary La Crusada the Count d' Armamar Nephew to the Archbishop the Count de Ballerais Dom Augustin Emanuel Antonio Correa the same Commissary of Vasconcellos whom Menezes had given divers Stabs on the breaking out of the Plot Lorenzo Pidez Carrable Keeper of the Royal Treasury all Creatures of the Spaniards to whom they owed their Places and Fortunes which they could not hope to retain long without the return of the Spanish Government The Jews who are very numerous at Lisbon and live there by making an outward shew of the Christian Religion had a share in this Conspiracy The King had lately refused very considerable Sums which they had offer'd him to put a stop to the Proceedings of the Inquisition and to obtain a Permission for the publick Profession of their Religion The Archbishop craftily made use of their Resentment to engage them in this Enterprize He had private Conferences with several of the Chiefs of the Party who dreaded to think they had thus unseasonably declared themselves and by this means exposed themselves to the Severities of the Inquisition This Crafty Prelate improv'd the Confusion they were in to his Advantage and immediately assur'd them of his Protection with the Grand Inquisitor whom they all knew to be at his Devotion In the next place he endeavour'd to raise a Jealousie insinuating That a Prince who affected Bigotry would certainly drive them out of Portugal and promised them Liberty of Conscience and a Synagogue in the Kingdom if they would contribute to the Restoration of the late Government So violent was the Passion of the Archbishop he did not blush to use the assistance of the Enemies of JESUS CHRIST to dethrone his rightful Prince and perhaps this was the first time the inquisition ever acted in concert with the Synagogue The Conspirators after various Projects at last resolved on this which was the sense of the Archbishop and had been agreed between him and the Prime Minister of Spain That in the dead of the Night of the Fifth of August the Jews should set Fire to the four Corners of the Palace and at the same time to several Houses in different Parts of the City to keep the People employ'd in quenching those next their own Dwellings That the Conspirators should throw themselves into the Palace under Colour of assisting to extinguish the Fire and in the midst of that Hurry and Confusion which attends Accidents of this kind they should thrust in near the King's Person and so stab him That the Duke of Camino should in the mean