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
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
He dispatch'd away a Gentleman at the same time to the Vice-Queen to give her notice of his Departure He writ to the First Minister to assure him that he would be at Court within Eight days at farthest and to have all things represented to the best advantage he brib'd the Courier with a Sum under a pretence of a Gratuity for his Care and Dispatch in bringing the King's Orders to him At the same time he acquainted the Conspirators with these fresh Orders laying before them the Necessity of putting their Designs in execution on the Day which was agreed on for fear of being prevented by the Spaniards But there was an Obstacle which hinder'd them from attempting any thing so suddenly There was a Man of Quality at Lisbon who shew'd on all Occasions a violent Hatred of the Spanish Government He would ever be Railing against them calling them Tyrants and Usurpers and declaiming against their Injustice and Oppression above all he would ever be venting his Spleen on the Expedition into Catalonia and making a Thousand dismal Prognosticks on it D' Almada having frequently convers'd with him did not believe any Man could more heartily wish the Prosperity of Portugal or would be more transported to hear of any Designs on foot for the effectual Restoring of its Liberty But Gods how he was astonish'd when taking him aside to acquaint him with this Conspiracy He found him as fearful and backward in Action as he had appear'd daring in Words He began now to excuse himself from having any share in this matter or being concern'd in this Plot pretending there was no good Grounds to proceed on and the same Person who so Bold and Brave when the Thing was remote was now become timorous and scar'd at the Prospect of the least Danger Where says he to d' Almada are those Forces which are necessary to support a Design of this nature What Army have you to oppose the Spanish Troops which will be poured into the Country upon the first Motion of this kind What Great Men have you to appear at the Head of you Or have they a Fund sufficient to bear the Expence of a Civil War I 'm afraid that instead of Restoring the Liberties of Portugal your Attempt will only prove destructive to it and furnish the Spaniards with a Pretence which they have long sought for to accomplish the Ruin of this Kingdom D' Almada who expected nothing less than Expressions of this kind enrag'd to find he had trusted his Secret in so ill hands gave no other Answer but drawing his Sword his Eyes sparkling with Rage reply'd False Man either thou shalt take my Life together with my Secret or I will make thee an Example for having thus surpriz'd my Credulity by thy Lyes and Imposture The other who always held it Prudent to avoid the Danger which was nearest at the sight of a drawn Sword consented to all that d' Almada had propos'd and offer'd to enter into the Conspiracy finding Reasons to invalidate those he first gave he swore with repeated Oaths again to keep the Secret inviolably In short he forgot nothing that might persuade d' Almada that it was neither Courage nor want of Resentment against the Spaniards which had kept him from agreeing to the Proposal as soon as he had made it However d'Almada did not dare to rely on his Oaths and Assurances but was mightily disturb'd at this Accident And keeping a watchful Eye on this Man he gave notice to the Conspirators of this Adventure The Alarm was soon spread and several Reflexions were made on the Levity and Inconstancy of this Man and they began to fear That the View of Danger or the Hopes of a Great Recompence should induce him to prove Treacherous in spite of all their Care for Prevention On this Consideration they resolv'd to defer the Execution of their Plot and oblig'd Pinto to write to his Master to forbear till he receiv'd farther News from them But Pinto who very well knew of what Importance it is to defer the Day in Matters of this Nature writ privately to that Prince to have no Regard to his Letter as proceeding only from a Panick Fear in the Conspirators which would certainly vanish before the Messenger could arrive at Villa-viciosa And so it happen'd for the next Morning finding every one continue unshaken they began to be asham'd of taking so hot an Alarm and he who was the chief Cause of this Uneasiness being a little better settled either by a greater Generosity of Temper or Apprehension of the bad Consequence of accusing so many Great Men they resolv'd to adhere to the Day first agreed on But scarce was this Difficulty over but another arose which did not create less Disquiet amongst them Pinto had taken Care to place divers of the Conspirators about the Palace to observe all that pass'd These as they appear'd to walk idly up and down the Night before the Execution which was to begin with the Death of Vasconcellos saw that Minister Embark on the Tago None besides the Conspirators could have drawn any Conclusion from this since a Thousand several Occasions in which they had not the least share might carry him over the River But their Jealousy was so great that an Alarm was instantly spread amongst them They immediately concluded this Crafty Politick Minister who had his Spies in every Corner had discover'd something of their Plot. They made no Doubt his going over the Water was with design to send some of the Troops which Quarter'd in the Neighbouring Villages into the Town The Images of the most terrible Punishments and the Horrors of Death presented it self to their Imaginations they fancied their Houses surrounded with Officers of Justice and some began to think of flying into Africk or England to escape the Cruelty of the Spaniards They pass'd away part of the Night under these terrible Apprehensions as it were between Life and Death when some of the Conspirators who kept about the Court came to inform them That the Secretary was return'd with Hautboys Sounding before him he only having been at an Entertainment on the other side of the Water This News put an End to all their anxious Thoughts and made them all joyful and so each Man departed being well assur'd there was nothing stirring in the Palace and that all there slept in a profound Security not once dreaming of the next Day 's Action It was very late when they parted and from that time to the Minute of the Execution there were but a few Hours of Night notwithstanding a considerable Accident happen'd in that Space which shews us how full of Uncertainty and Hazard all Enterprizes are where the Fear of Punishment or the Hope of Reward may tempt Men to be Treacherous and Faithless George Mello Brother to the Master of the Horse most commonly lodg'd at the House of one of his Relations in one of the Subburbs at a small Distance from the City This
THE HISTORY OF THE Revolution in Portugal In the Year 1640. Or An Account of their Revolt from Spain And setting the Crown on the Head of Don John of Braganza Father to Don Pedro the Present King and Catharine Queen Dowager of England Written in French by the excellent Pen of the Abbot Vertat Author of the History of the Revolution in Sweden And done into English LONDON Printed for Mat. Gilliflower Tim. Goodwin Mat. Wotton Rich. Parker and Benj. Tooke 1700. The Introduction AMong the Principal Events of this last Age none deserves our Attention more than the Revolt of Portugal in the Year One Thousand Six Hundred and Forty The Unanimity Zeal and Secrecy with which this Conspiracy was carried on for a long time between Persons of different Ages Sexes and Qualities the Ardour for recovering their Liberties which animated them to encounter Difficulties in appearance insuperable and lastly the compleat Success and the little Blood lost in the execution of this mighty Enterprize makes it truly admirable and surprising This small Fragment as it were torn from the general History of the Times was written in French not very long since as an Essay by the Abbot Vertat since Author of the History of the Revolutions of Sweden both which Pieces have been received with the Applause of the Publick The Materials out of which he has compiled this small Volume are for the most part * Portugal restaurado de Menezes Caet Passarel Lusitania reparata de Macedo Mercure Francois de Renandot Siry et Recueil de Relations extraordinaires Printed Accounts Journals Gazettes and the Relations of Persons who were at Lisbon when this Drama was acted Most of these are indeed ill enough writ but have receiv'd a new Life and Lustre since they have been touch'd by his Incomparable Pen. I might in this place commend the Vivacity Politeness and Fidelity with which this little Piece is writ but I shall rather chuse to give the Reader a view of the State of Affairs which lead to that Revolution which is the Subject of it Portugal was first erected in the Year 1139. into a Kingdom by Alphonso I. who after he had defeated the Moors refused to pay that Homage to Spain which his Father had done After him Alphonso III his Great Grandson had Algarva given him in Dowry with the Princess Beatrix Daughter to Alphonso the Tenth King of Castile which still gives a Title to the Heir Apparent of the Crown Thus Portugal continued an Independant Kingdom Governed by its own Princes till the Brave Sebastian unfortunately perished in the Battel of Alcazar Aug. 4. 1578. without leaving any Issue behind him The Cardinal Dom Henry his Great Uncle succeeded to the Throne whose Reign lasted but sixteen Months After his Death divers Princes and Princesses pretended to the Crown Catharine Dutchess of Braganza Philip the Second King of Spain the Duke of Parma the Duke of Savoy and Dom Antonio Grand Prior of Crete were all descended from Dom Emanuel Father of the Cardinal King but in different Degrees There was only the Dutchess of Braganza and the K. of Spain in the same Degree and nearest the Crown Catharine was Daughter to the Infant Edward and Philip was Son to the Empress Elizabeth both Children to Dom Emanuel The Grand Prior was only Natural Son to the Infant Dom Lewis Second Son of Dom Emanuel but his Party gave out there was a secret Marriage between that Prince and his Mother Catharine de Medicis Queen of France sent a Deputation to the States to represent her Title as descended from Alphonso III. King of Portugal and Maud Countess of Bolonia The Pope too put in and drew an Advantage from King Henry's dying a Cardinal but all these Pretensions were little considered All were agreed and the most able Lawyers had determined that the apparent Right was in the Dutchess of Braganza not only because the Laws of the Kingdom exclude Foreigners from succeeding to the Crown but likewise by the Right of Lineal Descent as Daughter of the Infant Edward whose Title could not be disputed by the Empress Elizabeth his Sister Mother to the King of Spain And doubtless this Dutchess would have been acknowledged as Queen of Portugal had she had the Power necessary to assert her Rightful Pretensions THE HISTORY OF THE Revolution IN PORTUGAL In the Year 1640. THE Spaniards had been near * Since the Year 1581. Threescore Years in Possession of the Crown of Portugal Philip the Second King of Spain after the Death of Henry Cardinal-King had forced it from the House of Braganza by the help of a Formidable Army the best Argument to support a bad Title This Kingdom was by degrees become a Province of Spain and the Portuguese seem'd for ever to despair of shaking off their Chains The Great Men did not dare to appear in a Splendor suitable to their Rank or demand a due Respect for fear of raising Jealousies in the Spanish Ministers at a time when the Consideration of a man's Wealth Family or Merit were enough to render him suspected and expose him to ill Usage The Gentry were banish'd to their Country Seats and the People oppress'd with Excessive Taxes It was a Maxim with the Conde Duke d' Olivarez First Minister to Philip the Fourth King of Spain That New Conquests ought to be exhausted He knew very well the Ancient and Natural Antipathy of these Neighbouring Nations must needs render the Spanish Government hateful to the Portuguese and that Nation could never tamely see all Places in the State fill'd with Strangers or Fellows of mean Extraction whose only Merit was their entire Devotion to the Court. For this Reason he thought the best way to establish his Master's Power was To exclude the Nobility and Gentry from all Employs and Publick Trust and by insensibly impoverishing the People to leave them incapable of attempting any Alteration in the State Besides this He judged it necessary to drain the Kingdom of the Flower of their Youth and the best who could bear Arms and to employ them in Foreign Wars to prevent such Dangerous People from disturbing the Repose of the Government This Conduct which possibly might have succeeded if it had been carried to a certain pitch being strained too high had a quite contrary effect which proceeded partly from the Distress in which the Court was at that time and partly from the Temper then of the First Minister naturally stiff and inflexible They began now to disregard all Measures with Portugal disdaining to use the ordinary Pretences for raising Money on a People In short they seem'd more to exact a Contribution in an Enemy's Country than a just Imposition on Subjects The Portuguese having nothing more to lose and despairing to see an end or mitigation of their Misery as long as they continued in their present condition began now to think of freeing themselves from the Severity of their cruel Masters which they had ever esteem'd Usurpers
who had a mighty Authority with the People they had pass'd through most of the Offices of the City and had a great Number of Workmen who depended on them These Men had taken a great deal of Pains to foment and cherish in the Minds of the Townsmen an Aversion to the Spaniards by Rumors they daily spread of Taxes intended to be rais'd the beginning of the next Year They had discharg'd several of their Workmen especially the most Mutinous pretending the Badness of Trade would not suffer them to employ them they could not keep them any longer while their Real Intent was by Necessity and Starving to prepare them for an Insurrection And the better to accomplish their Ends they supply'd these starving Wretches from Time to Time keeping them at their Devotion Besides this these Men held a private Correspondence with the principal Persons in all Parts of the Town by the help of which they assur'd the Conspirators That upon notice given the Night before the Execution they would engage to raise the People at any Hour they should assign Pinto being thus assur'd of the Inferior People began to look to the other Conspirators whom he urg'd to be ready upon the first Alarm desiring they would secure their Friends under pretence of some private Quarrel without making them privy to the design in which they should be employ'd In this Conduct he gave proof of an Extraordinary Prudence there being abundance of People who have Courage and Resolution when the Sword is in their hands who are not able in cold Blood to bear the weight of so important a Secret Thus finding every one firm undaunted and impatient to be reveng'd on the Spaniards he conferr'd with d' Almeida Mendoza d' Almada and Mello who finding all things in such a condition as they wish'd agreed on Saturday * 1st Decemb. 1640. the First of December for the Execution They gave notice to the Duke of Braganza of this Resolve that so he might cause himself to be proclaim'd King in the Province of Alenteio which almost entirely depended on him and agreed before the Company broke up to have another Meeting * 25th of November to take the last Measures for the Action The 25th of November at night they met at Braganza House as they had agreed They found they could account on a hundred and fifty Gentlemen the most part of which were the Heads of their Families with all their Domesticks and about Two hundred Citizens and Tradesmen and they concluded by the Interest of these they should bring the greatest Part of the People over to them The Death of Vasconcellos was resolv'd on as a Victim due to the Resentment of the Portuguese and some propos'd to treat the Archbishop of Braga after the same manner They represented him as a Man whose great Abilities render'd him formidable That it was not to be thought he could stand as an unconcern'd Spectator in this publick Confusion That possibly he might put himself at the Head of the Spaniards and their Creatures and whilst they were busy in making themselves Masters of the Palace he might throw himself into the Citadel or come to the Assistance of the Vice-Queen to whom all the World knew he was devoted That in an Affair of this Nature it was a great Imprudence to leave Enemies behind them That such a Conduct might possibly give them occasion to repent severely of their ill-tim'd and mistaken Pity These Reasons drew the greatest part of the Company to consent to his Death and this Prelate had suffer'd the same Fate as Vasconcelles if Dom Miguel d' Almeida had not taken his part He remonstrated to the Conspirators That the Death of a Man of his Character and in so high a Dignity would render them odious to all the World That such an Action would draw on the Duke of Braganza the Hatred of the Clergy and Inquisition a Race of Men formidable to the greatest Princes and add the Reproach of an Excommunicated Person to that of Rebel and Usurper That the Prince himself would be deeply affected to see his Accession to the Throne blemish'd by so bloody an Action That Himself would have an Eye over him and take effectual care to prevent his undertaking any thing to the prejudice of the publick Interest In short he spoke so much in his Favour that he obtain'd the Life of that Prelate of his Friends who could not refuse any thing to a Man of his Worth Nothing farther remain'd to be adjusted but the Order they should march in and the Manner of making the first Attack At last it was resolv'd to throw themselves in four different Parties into so many several Parts of the Palace and make themselves Masters of the several Avenues to cut off all Communication and prevent the Spaniards from bringing any Assistance That Dom Miguel d' Almeida should attack the German Guard before the Palace-Gates That the Great Master of the Horse Mello his Brother and Dom Estean d' Acugna at the Head of the Townsmen should surprize a Spanish Company which kept Guard every Day before the Fort That Feillo de Menezes Emanuel Saa the Great Chamberlain should make themselves Masters of Vasconcello's Apartment whom they should forthwith dispatch That Dom Antonio d' Almada Mendoza Dom Carlos Norogna and Antonio de Salsania should secure the Person of the Vice-Queen and all the Spaniards in the Palace to serve as Hostages if there should be occasion That whilst each one was busy in making themselves Masters of the Posts assign'd them some few Horse should be detach'd away who with some principal Citizens should proclaim Dom John Duke of Braganza King of Portugal That when the Multitude was drawn into the Streets they should throw themselves where any Opposition should happen to be made Thus they broke up with a Resolution to meet on Saturday the First of December some at Dom Miguel d' Almeida's and others at d' Almada's and Mendoza's Houses where the Conspirators were to Arm themselves While the Friends of the Duke of Braganza were thus busy at Lisbon in advancing his Affairs he himself was employ'd in securing the Provinces the First Minister alarm'd by these Delays dispatch'd away a Courier with express Orders for him to come immediately to Court and to prevent his making any pretence of Want of Money he sent with him an Order for Ten Thousand Ducats on the Royal Treasury This was plain and intelligible Language The Duke could not defer his Journey without justly rendring himself suspected He could not with any Colour of Reason dispense with obeying the King's Message and had Grounds to conclude That all farther Delays would soon bring some unwelcome Orders from Madrid which would break all his Measures and ruin his Enterprize And therefore to make an Appearance of complying with the King 's pressing Commands he order'd the greatest part of his Household to set forward for Madrid He gave all necessary Orders during his Absence
Duke of Camino confessed their Guilt to avoid the Torture The Judges condemned the two last to be Beheaded and the rest to be Hang'd and Quarter'd and reserved the Sentence of the Church-men for the King The King summoned a Council immediately and told his Ministers he feared the Punishment of so many Persons of Rank tho' they were Guilty might have bad Consequences That the chief Conspirators being of several of the first Houses of the Kingdom their Kindred would be so many secret Enemies of the Government and the desire to revenge their Death would be the unhappy source of perpetual Plots That the Death of Count Egmont in Flanders and of the Guises in France had both fatal Consequences that to Pardon some and inflict a less severe Punishment than Death would win the Hearts of all Persons and oblige them their Relations and Friends to act by motives of Gratitude That however his private Opinion was for Mildness he had assembled them to have their sense and resolved to proceed as they judged best The Marquis de Ferrara was for having them Executed without delay He asserted with vehemence that a Prince on these Occasions ought to hear nothing but Justice that Mildness was dangerous and to pardon Criminals of this kind would be thought a Weakness in a Prince proceeding more from a Fear of their powerful Friends than a natural Goodness That Impunity would bring the present Government into Contempt and encourage their Friends to deliver them out of Prison and possibly to push Matters further That an Example of Severity was necessary upon his Accession to the Crown to deterr others from the like Attempt That this Offence was not only against the King's Person but against the State and a design to subvert the Government That he ought to consider more the Justice he owed his People than his Inclination to Clemency at a Time when the Preservation of his Person and the Publick Safety were inseparable All the Council being of the same Opinion the King yielded and the Sentence was executed the next Day The Archbishop of Lisbon interceeded for the Life of one of his Friends and sollicited the Queen with all the Assurance of a Man who thought nothing could be refused to his Services But the Queen who understood very well the necessity of impartial Justice how much a distinction of this Nature would exasperate the Friends of the rest only replied with a Tone which shewed her inflexible Resolution My Lord the greatest Favour I can grant you is to forget that you ever spoke to me of this Matter The King fearing to draw the Court of Rome on him and being willing to make use of the good Graces of the Holy Father that he might own him as King changed the Punishment of the Archbishop of Braga and the Grand Inquisitor into a perpetual Prison The Archbishop died of Grief because his design had miscarried The Vice-Queen was delivered to the Spaniards and the first Minister of Spain seeing clandestine ways unable to destroy the King of Portugal was resolved to attack him by open force But this too was still unsuccessful This Prince kept a considerable number of Troops on his Frontier commanded by the best Generals and composed of a great number of Foreign Officers and Voluntiers whom his Bounty had drawn into his Service Besides this he had the dexterity to make Pensioners in the very Council of Spain who served him effectually and disposed Matters so that those Generals who were ordered to attack Portugal were never in a Condition to attempt any thing considerable to its prejudice Thus he reigned seventeen Years the Delight of his Subjects and the Terror of Spain After his Death the Queen a Princess of Courage and great Skill in the Affairs of Government gloriously kept the Crown and Fortune for her Children She shone with full Splendor on the Throne during the whole time of her Regency and shewed all those Qualities in their brightest Lustre which made her one of the most Illustrious Princesses that ever reigned The Conduct and the Art of Government were her chiefest Care and her constant Study She applied her self with great assiduity to unmask the several Characters and guess by the most nice and fine outsides the most conceal'd Intentions and if at any time she happen'd to be deceiv'd she would trace the several Steps to find the Original Mistake By her extraordinary Diligence she had attain'd to great Skill and Judgment the Spanish * Ad haec politicas artes bonos malos Regiminis dolos dominationis arcana humani latibula ingenii non modo intelligere Mulier sed pertractare quoque provehere tam Naturâ quam Disciplinâ mirifice instructa fuit Caetan Passar de Bello Lusitan Historians as well as the Portugueze do her the Justice to own she could see the naked Hearts of her Courtiers tho' veiled with the most artful Dissimulation In short where there appear'd any thing Great or Glorious to attempt she wanted neither Courage to conquer all Difficulties or Wit to find means to obtain what she desired and there was nothing farther to be wished for in this matchless Woman except a more true Notion of real Greatness or higher Motives than Fame and Glory The Court of Spain thinking the Regency the most favourable opportunity to regain their lost Power in Portugal bent the force of their Arms on that Kingdom The Pensioners of the late King in the Councils of Madrid who had hitherto diverted the Storm were dead and the Regent had no way left but to prepare for War She obtain'd of the Princes her Allies the best Generals and the most experienced Officers The weight of Affairs did not make any Impression on her Her Capacity Wit and steady Courage were proof against all Adventures Nothing but the Throne she fill'd could have ever shewn the great Genius of this Princess wise in her Counsels impenetrable in her Designs rigid and inflexible in maintaining every Point of her just Authority The People had a great Affection to her Government Fear and Respect kept the Great Men of the Kingdom in a perfect Submission Never Troops were in better Condition or better Disciplin'd Her Orders were executed as punctually as if she had been at the Head of her Army in Person Every one knew Offences to the prejudice of the Queen's Affairs were never pardon'd All Men were diligent in doing their Duty She would know every thing read all Dispatches and nothing escaped her Care and Providence To conclude She put every thing in so good Order in the time of her Regency that King Alphonso her Son upon his entring into the Government found the Kingdom in a Condition to maintain a War against Spain with Advantage his Generals won great Battels and ever beat their Enemies so that some time after the Abdication of that Prince Spain wearied with so fruitless and expensive War was constrained to desire a Peace of Dom Pedro his Brother now reigning and own him Rightful King of Portugal and that Crown independant FINIS ERRATA PAge 4. line pen. dele then p. 6. for Moguel r. Miguel p. 11. after the Crown insert were not Criminal p. 16. for Ozono 1. Ozorio MEmoirs of the most Material Transactions in England for the last Hundred Years preceding the Revolution in 1688. By James Wellwood M. D. Physician in Ordinary to His Majesty and Fellow of the College of Physicians London Printed for Tim. Goodwin at the Queen's-Head against St. Dunstan's-Church in Fleet-street