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death_n	great_a	henry_n	king_n	6,493	5	4.0484	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71204	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 Vertot ... ; and done into English.; Histoire de la conjuration de Portugal en 1640. English	Vertot, abbé de, 1655-1735.	1700 (1700)	Wing V272; Wing H2177; ESTC R43002	41,466	186

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-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