120. horse with Lances and targets notwithstanding that the number of them which came was in a manner infinite Amongst whom there were many Gentlemen of good reâ—â—oning who because they were not clothed in Veluet and Satin but plainly after the fashion of the countrey were not knowne nor acknowledged by the strangers to be of that qualitie On the Friday the second of Iune The armie arriueth at Lisbon they came in the night time to Lisbon and were lodged in the suburbs of Saint Katherine which are so great that there were aboue 12000. persons of the Armie lodged there all at large and yet they held not the third part thereof The officers of the king Don Anthonio found A great suburbs that the Marchandize in this suburbs was worth more then foure millions to wit spices drugs sugers wines flesh corne 4. Millions of marchandize of the suburbs of Lisbon Biskets and other prouisions as Sir Roger Williams an English Colonell who was in this armie did witnesse afterwards in the towne of Manthu in the presence of many persons of good quality affirming that he had entred into most of the houses of the sayd suburbs with an English Marchant which is come forth of the citty and that the Marchandizes which he saw there were worth aboue sixe millions This suburbe is toward the West Lisbon 6. Millions in the which they were lodged contrary to the resolution which they had before set downe in a Councell held the day before about two leagues from the citie which resolution was that they should haue encampâ—d on the East side of the citie for two reasons one was to hinder the enemy that they should not haue any succours by land for that the armie by sea being on the West side and the sea vpon the South side and the mountaines of Sintre on the North side they could not possibly haue any intelligence from any part The other reason was for that being in that quarter on the East side they should cleare and free the way for the good people of Portugall to come and to haue recourse vnto their king Now in that they tooke vp their lodging on the West part was an occasion that the enemy might safely and at pleasure sally out of the towne with two hundred horse A sally of the Castilians who slew and tooke prisoners many Portugals and a great quanrity of victuals which were sent by the townes that tooke part with the king and they were an hindrance also to many others that they could not come to ioyne with him The Saterday following the third of Iune about two or three houres after mid day there issued out of the citie about two hundred horse and eight hundred foot some of the which entring within the streets of the suburbs and crying aloud God saue the king Don Anthonie The great negligence of the officers of the armie they came euen vnto one of the courts of Guard and there slue to the number of thirteene or foureteene for that they were lodged in the street without any Baricadoâ— made for the fortitying of their lodgings Notwithstanding the Portugals which followed the king hauing discouered them to be Castilians and not Portugals did giue the Alarme so hotly that a regiment of Englishmen with certaine Portugals making out towards the enemy did charge him with that fury that they made them betake themselues to plaine flight The repulse flight of the Castilians and slue of them vpon the place sixescore besides that they tooke fortie or fiftie of their horses and the flight of the Castilians was so hastie and headlong that in their entry into the Citie they left the gate of Saint Antan wide open In this encounter died an English Cauallier Colonel of a regiment named Bret a braue man and had great experience in the art Militarie Now for that the Generall Drake did not enter within the port or hauen of the citie vntill the Sunday following as was before resolued hee should haue done and for that also the most part of the souldiers had neither match nor powder left saue onely for the discharge of some two or three volley of shot The siege raised from before Lisbon the Lord Generall Norris was constrained to raise the siege and to retire his forces the Monday morning without any other thing attempted against the city The hope of the Portugals within the which the Portugals did expect to haue seene the ladders raised vp against the walls for to haue made an assault vpon the Castilians Don Rodrigo de Lobo executed by the Castilians in Lisbon And for this very cause the same day that the campe did rise Don Rodrigo Lobo a Gentleman issued of an honourable house and brother to the Baron de Aluito which is the onely Baron in Portugal a great Lord was made prisoner and lost his head The same monday being the fifth of Iune the army came to Cascais from whence they of the army made certaine sallies against the enemy who were so terrified that 50 Musquetiers English and 7. horsemen Portugals made 200. horse Castilians to dislodge from a village within a league and a halfe of Cascais and to flie to Lisbon in such post hast that they left behind them part of their Arms and baggage and their dinner ready dressed The Castle of Cascais rendred to the K. After that the Castle Cascais being rendred the King and the Generals in a councell held the twelfth of that moneth about noone whereat were present the Count de Essex with many other Lords all the chiefe Commanders of the Armie they resolued to returne againe to the Citie of Lisbon the day following which was the day of S. Anthonie A Councell held to returne to Lisbon a Portugall by birth surnamed Saint Anthonie of Padoa their resolution was thus set downe That the Lord Generall Norris with all such souldiers as are sound and lustie should march by land and in his company should bee the king and that the Generall Drake with the Mariners and all the hurt and sicke souldiers and such Gentlemen as were not able to march by land should goe by sea And to put the enemy in the greater disorder and confusion they should cause 2to passe on the other side of the Sea 300. Portugals and 800. English Which if they had put in execution without all doubt they had gained the Cittie notwithstanding that there were within it more then foure thousand Castilians who had conceiued a notable feare of the English and Portugals which were with the king and they of the cities likewise The victorie at the Groine as knowing well that at the Groigne 800. English with 200. Hollanders and few Portugals had defeated 10000. of their people amongst whom there were some thousand old souldiers which lay there and were the remainder of the Armie by sea set forth the yeere before besides the Countie de Andrada
all Spaine and France it selfe also and it may be hee would not otherwise haue failed to haue sent a good part of those forces euen for England at the least for Ireland Portugall the principal cause of all the warres By those last words aboue vsed by the King and the former recited examples may be easily discouered not onely the ingratitude of this peruerse and vn pleasing Catholike but wee may also collect and gather that Portugall is the principall cause of so many warres so many murthers and mischaunces and that if the same were wrung out of the hands and power of this tyrant the most Christian King and the other Princes of Christendome should dwell in peace the Potentates and common wealths of Europe should be in rest the Cardinals at Rome should not be at his direction nor the elections of the Popes at his will and pleasure ouer the which he doth so tyrannize that in each of them he maketh himselfe the first person and as the saying is preferreth himselfe before the holy Ghost There is neuer any election of a Pope How Philip doth germandise the elections of the Cardinals and Popes but he nameth some three foure or fiue persons to the end that the Conclaue of Cardinals should choose one of them was there euer seene greater impudency or presumption that a mortall man should dare vsurpe Gods office Ha most Christian King it is the part of your Maiesty to defend and maintaine the soueraigne and chiefe Bishops they are in their possession to be defended and preserued by the most Christian Kings of France and to that end haue they endowed them with so great priuiledges liberties and prerogatiues Banish therefore and driue away Sir this monster breake the head of this Serpent tame this Lyon and deliuer the Church from this so tyrannicall seruitude and hard captiuitie Restore vnto your pupils their wonted peace and liberty to the intent they may with hardinesse chastise the euill and vicious and without feare reward the good and vertuous How often haue the soueraigne Bishops desired to honour and doe good to some persons in recompence of their vertues and merits and to correct others for their vices and haue not beene able to performe either the one or the other Oftentimes against their wils haue the Popes permitted the wicked to triumph and more often haue they consented that the good should endure afflictions Who did better deserue to be made a Cardinall if I may not say Pope then that famous learned man Doctor Martin Aspilcueta of Nauarre Martin Aspilcueta a Nauarrois whose memory shall be eternall both for his doctrine and for his holinesse and vertue Neuerthelesse onely because Philip could not abide him for defending against him the cause of that reuerend Prelate Don. Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Fra. Bartholmew Carrance Archbishop of Toledo a religious person of the order of S. Dominicke Archbishop of Toledo and for maintaining also with many and strong reasons that the Portugals ought of right to choose their King by election and for prouing by most firme and infallible arguments that his Catholike Maiesty did possesse the Realme of Portugall by vniust and tyrannicall title was therefore thrust out of all and dyed in the estate of a poore and simple Priest Who did euer in all reason deserue better or more worthily to be strangled and burnt then N and yet because Philip would haue it so hee liueth still and triumpheth Wherefore most humbly I beseech both your Maiesties euen for the honour of GOD wherein your selues haue more interest then any other that you would vouchsafe to attend this matter of so great importance and that you would vndertake to leuy and make ready a good Armie to passe into Spaine and to consider withall how great is the prudence the industry and subtilty of this common enemy that your Maiesty would regard his actions his ambition and his tyranny that you would awaken and grow to a resolution knowing that you haue so great a tyrant to your Neighbour as of himselfe alone is greater then all others that euer were or which now are in the World Tyranny as natural to Phâ—lip as is laughter to a man all of them set together and who hath gotten like his predecessors all that which he possesseth by pure and plaine tyranny which is indeede so proper and naturall vnto him and doth belong vnto him as properly and vnseparably as laughter doth to a man Giue me leaue I pâ—ay you to proue that which I speake by most cleere and certaine Histories to the intent I may take away all occasion from those who are addicted to ill speaking and to deceitfull dealing to thinke or take me for a lyar for this that I say may be verified by all the Historiographers of Spaine both ancient and moderne which are worthy to be credited or haue any truth in them some of which doe liue yet at this day and it is no long time since they made their workes and imprinted them with the fauour and at the costs and charges of the said Philip. And this I will endeuour to proue as briefly as I can and I will shew how in all the Realmes and Prouinces which the King Catholike possesseth in Spaine whereof I my selfe being a Spaniard doe know somewhat hee possesseth and holdeth them by tyranny committed many times and often And for as much as to proue that which I intend it shall suffice to touch onely that which hath happened since the 380 yeeres last past I will not speake of any thing that hath befalne before the yeere of Christ 1217. Castile tyrannized â—he first time Henry King of Castile the sonne of Alphonsus the noble dying left his eldest sister Blaunch Queene of France which was the mother of S. Lewes who was then but two yeeres old Garibay lib. 22. cap 41. and his Father who was not yet King of France was occupied in the warres of England whither hee was called by them of that land against their King called King John who was reputed for a tyrant Henrie being dead as is sayd his youngest sister named Berangera the wife of Alphonsus King of Leon with her sonne Fernand encroched vpon the possession of the Realme of Castile and vsurped it against the right of the sayd Blanch her eldest sister and consequently against the sayd S. Lewes her nephew Fernand being dead Alphonsus his eldest sonne called Emperour of the West because some of the Electors of the Empire had elected him whereas the residue had chosen Richard the brother of Henrie the third King of England made an accord with the sayd S. Lewes the cousen German of his father touching the succession of Castile in this manner That Fernand the eldest sonne of Alphonsus should eâ—pouse Blanch the daughter of the sayd S. Lewes with condition that the children borne of that marriage should inherit Castile Of them twaine were issued Alphonsus and Fernand who were
your Maiestie to a gentleman who had the managing of this businesse and had made an ouerture thereof vnto you did gaine you the affections of all good Frenchmen who did thereupon imprint you in their hearts and much more when it was knowne that your Maiestie had aduertised the most Christian king of the same in the year 1583 Insomuch that his Maiesty did permit you the yeare following 1584. to make an assembly of the chiefe Heads and Lords of the religion at Mountaban where it was well knowne that your Maiesty did sharply reproue those which had plotted these troublesome practises and others which were seene afterwards to bee set abroach by the enemy in the yeare 1585. And that your Maiestie did then make an accord reciprocally neither to enterprise nor to deliberate vpon any thing the one against the other And it was reported that all the pretended reformed Churches in this assembly did require your Maiestie for their Chiefe and secondly Monsieur the Prince of Conde and that all this was done by the permission of the said most Christian King who did greatly repent himselfe that hee had let passe the oportunitie to giue aid and succours to the late king of Portugall for the recouerie of his Realme as himselfe declared to that stranger aboue mentioned being at Bloys in the yeere 1589. At which time he complained of the tyrannie and irreligion of Philip and sent him into England there to entreat vpon his affaires with the Queene and the King of Portugall vnto whom hee promised that the first thing which he would doe after he had recouered Paris should be to send an armie into Portugall and to make warre vpon the enemie within his owne countrey and to constraine him to demand peace as the English with the aid of the Portugals had at other times constrained his predecessors to doe the like And in case that the said King of Portugal did and should vndertake the Voyage as it was giuen him to vnderstand that he was so resolued he prayed him that so soone as he should be arriued thither he would aduertise him hereof to the intent The desire that the Frēch K. Henry the third had to restore Portugall to her libertie that immediately vpon his comming into Portugall or any other part of Spaine if he had but two thousand men yet hee would send them away with all speed because he knew full well and was most assured that if the enemie were once entangled in Spaine and kept busied at home hee should soone be rid of him in France as the euent did make it manifest For as soone as the newes came that the King of Portugall was at Lisbon the most Christian King for the accomplishing of his promise commanded the late Monsieur the Marshall de Biron that he should put himselfe in a readinesse to passe into Portugall with as great speed and diligence as was possible for to succour the Portugals and to giue aide to their rightfull King Don Anthonio to reestablish him in his Kingdome But God which with a iust and equall ballance doth weigh and examine all things did display his wondrous workes where and when it pleased him Portugall the gate of the war in France Hereof then we doe gather two things the first That the enemie to keepe Portugall hath brought and caused the ciuill Warre in France the second That our deliuerance and his ruine doe depend vpon this That there be sent a good army into Spaine whereof he is exceedingly afraid Wherefore most excellent Princes to deliuer your estates from the danger that threateneth them and to set them in assurance you ought to vndertake and to enterprise this Voyage so importune and so necessarie for all Christendome without hauing any regard to the charge thereof be it neuer so great considering that in not doing it and that presently you shall euery day more and more in time to come bring your selues into hazard and extreame danger Take example by the times fore-past and looke vpon the instructions contayned in Histories written by men no lesse curious then vigilant and well affectioned to the weale publike and in reading and vnderstanding them make your owne profit and benefit of them Agathocles after he had beene about seuen yeeres King of Sicily being enuironed both by Land and by Sea within the Citie of Syracusa by the Carthaginians and finding himselfe in great trouble and perplexitie How important a thing it is to make war vpon an enemy in his owne Countrey as being lately forsaken of many people of his owne Realme who had at the first beene partakers with him and perceiuing also that he wanted both victuals money and other necessarie munitions for the warre and that it was not possible for him to escape out of the hands of the Carthaginians if he did not vse some draught or deuice which had not erst beene put in practise He did at the last leaue within the Towne a brother of his owne to whom hee committed the commaund and charge thereof and left with him for the defence thereof a certaine number of men whom he knew to be well affected vnto him and taking with himselfe certaine other troopes he embarked them vnknowne to any whither hee went and setting sayle to Africke hee there landed where hee warred so couragiously vpon the Carthaginians as if they had beene but his equals And hauing at the first beginning defeated certaine of their Captaines that came against him he ouer-ran harried and wasted all their Countrey hee burnt and ransacked all their Townes Villages and houses of pleasure round about Carthage After which victorie and good fortune with a certaine number of souldiers Bandoliers and aduenturers which came and ioyned themselues with him a thing vsuall and ordinarie in such tumultuous and troublesome times he encamped within a League of Carthage By this stratageme his affaires did not onely prosper in Africke but throughout all Sicily also for Antander so was his brother named being certified of the good successe of Agathocles tooke courage vnto him and sallying out of Syracusa vpon the Carthaginians that besieged him hee woon their trenches and hauing slaine a great number of them hee made such hauocke amongst them that this their ouerthrow and the victories of Africke being spread abroad and reported from thenceforth all the strong-holds and places of Sicily that before held with the Carthaginians did then reuolt from them This was about 314. yeres before the birth of Christ and did altogether abandon them which was the occasion also that Agathocles returning victorious into Sicily did all the rest of his life time afterwards enioy it quietly and peaceably After the death of Agathocles and his partizans the Signiorie of Carthage continued the Warre for the Conquest of Sicilia in such sort that in the end they carryed it and held the whole Island in their possession which was about 277. yeeres before the birth of Christ Whereupon the Romanes considering of
the Protestant Princes and most Christian King of France to free your selfe from the encombrance of this burthen now laid vpon you and to send a good armie into Spaine for as much as by such a voyage well handled and to good purpose dependeth both the safety of your selues and the ruine of your enemy If you make warre vpon your enemy within Spaine hee shall be compelled to call home all his forces not onely from France the Low Countries but al those which he hath in Lombardy Naples Sicily Sardinia and other countries The meanes to ruinaâ—e the enemy we had good proofe and experience hereof euen of late For as soone as the Castilian saw the English possessâ—d of Calice hee did incontinently send for all his gallies of Naples Sicily and Genes He sent to intreate the grand master of Maltha to send him the Gallies appertaining to the knights of the Religion Which had been done if the French Gentlemen which were of the order had not opposed themselues against it He caused in all haste the Forces which hee had in Brittaine to passe into Spaine and there is no doubt but hee had likewise called home all those which he had in other countries if the English had remained there any longer time You see then most excellent Princes that by passing into Spaine you may withdraw from oâ—er your heads the sword of the Castilian and deliuer your country from his proud yoke and tyranny But you will say the enemy hath great and puissant forces and a great number of old and expert souldiers by whose meanes albeit they be farre off yet being called backe into Spaine he will greatly endamage and annoy you and consequently your voyage may proue vnprofitable and perhaps very dangerous and so you may be enforced to retire and returne home againe not onely with shame and confusion but which is more in great trouble and extreame perill But vnto this I answer Good and sound counsell First if you do all things with prudence and good aduise you reape thereby incredible profit and commoditie and the danger will be small or none at all Secondly that in Spaine there are many places vpon the Sea coast which you may easily take and command and whose situation is so strong by nature that if they be fortified by art and the industrie of man you shall defend and keepe them with a very small charge and much more easily then the enemy doth keepe Blauet in Brittaine and those will serue you for sure places of retrait Thirdly in Spaine there are many nations which do hate the Castilian extremely for that they haue beene tyrannized either by himselfe or by his predecessors and these when they shall see themselues aided and assisted in good earnest and to purpose for the great desire which they haue to be at libertie will soone take armes against the enemie Fourthly those Souldiers which are out of Spaine being called backe by their Lord and master cannot arriue there within foure moneths at the soonest and within two moneths may you arme and furnish fit and ready for the warres all those of the countrey which will take your part For this is most certaine that the very Climate of the countrey doth helpe and aide to make them able and actiue I my selfe and many others in Portugall haue sometimes seene a company of new souldiers at their first entring into garrison to seem rather a troupe of beggers and poore rascals rather then souldiers al of them being so poore naked and miserable as we had pittie to see them and yet within foure or fiue dayes after that they haue beene new apparelled and well appointed if you had seene them settled in the garrison you would haue said that they had beene great Gentlemen and they did carrie themselues with so good a grace and countenance as if they had beene braue and old trained souldiers I doe assure you that two moneths will suffice to them of the country to make them souldiers The greatest difficultie is to make them abide and not to feare the fire of the Hargubush Moreouer the Prouinces of Spaine are rich as all the world knoweth The nature of the naturall Spaniard and the inhabitants make not any account nor reckoning of their wealth when there is any question for the recouering of their libertie For in this case they will not spare to spend it liberally as was to be seene by the offer which they made to king Philip after that the Englishmen were retired from Calice and therefore by sending of money into these quarters they will gather together fiftie thousand men of warre to passe into Spaine for their succour defence and preseruation sooner then the enemie shall bee able to cause fiue thousand to come thither from any forraine partie If any man shall say that seeing two moneths are sufficient to make the naturall Spaniards good souldiers the enemy may therfore much sooner assemble and arme a great number of men then we shall get for succour I answer I would agree thereto if there were in Spaine armes sufficient wherewith to arme and furnish them but they are so rare and daintie there to be had that there bee many great townes notably well peopled within the which a man cannot finde fiftie Hargubushes Armes very rare in Spaine And if there were any store of armes to be had yet the Spaniards in Spaine would take armes sooner and much more cheerefully for their libertie then for the seruice of one that tyrannizeth ouer them Especially the Princes and great Lords who doe desire nothing so much as that there were some realme or prouince within Spaine in full and free libertie and which might be gouerned by it selfe to the intent it might serue them for a place of refuge and sanctuarie as they had the like in times past For Spaine being in manner as an Iland at this day the Princes Spaine in maner of an IlaÌ„d Lords and Gentlemen of marke cannot easily withdraw themselues from thence by meanes whereof they are held in great slauerie and subiection When there were seuerall kings in Nauarre Arragon and Portugall if the Castilians were at any difference with their king or the Nauarrois the Arragonois or Portugals with theirs they would haue retired themselues the one to the other by whose liberalitie they were euer prouided of all things needfull and necessary for the life of man and sometimes with greater ease and commodity then in their owne countrey as it happened in the time of Fernand king of Portugall and of Henrie the second king of Castile who slue his owne naturall and lawfull brother which was the cause that County Don Fernand de Casire and Don Alvar peres de Castre his brother Men Suares Grandmaster of Alcantara Suer Iuan de Parada Gouernour of the Realme of Galatia Petro Giron Grandfather of Calatraua Alonso Giron his Nephew and many other great Lords and Gentlemen with a great number of Cities
and Townes holding the party of the king deceased did conuey themselues into Portugall where they were receiued by the king Fernand and had most honourable entertainment with most notable fauours rich presents and incredible gifts which hee gaue vnto them most bountifully In so much that from thenceforth the Castres did continue still and inhabit in Portugall from whom are descended those which are there of that name now at this day Hierom Guliel cap. 23. fol. 81 pag. 2. The like happened to Diego Lopez Pacheco a Portugall albeit not for so iust and honourable a cause who going from Portugall into Castile for being charged with the death of the Queene Dame Iues de Castro in the time of the king Don Peter of Portugall hee was then created Lord of Beiar and his children also made Lords of other peoples of whom the Marquesse of Villana the Dukes of Escalon and many other great Lords haue their descent and originall In like manner in the time of king Juan of Portugall of happy memory Alias Iohn the Acugnas and Pimentels went into Castile and of them are descended directly in the line masculine the Dukes of Ossuna and Counties of Benauent and in a manner all the Princes and Lords of Castile and Dame Iulian de Lancastre Duchesse of Auero in Portugall Now at this day the Nobilitie of Spaine doth greatly want such places of refuge and sanctuarie and now The Nobilitie of Spain want places of refuge and sanctuary at this day the least Prouost or Marshall is sufficient to arrest the greatest Lord of the countrey yea though it were the brother of the King himselfe in so much that the Princes and Lords of Spaine doe as heartily desire to see some Realme or Prouince set at libertie as they doe their owne safetie The sorrow griefe of the Princes and Lords of Spaine to see the inuasion vsurpation of Portugal the desire they haue to see it at libertie None can tell how great an affliction and notable a misery famine is but hee that wanteth bread to eat and the Nobilitie of Spaine doth at this day with great griefe finde that to be true which they most of all feared in the time of Charles the fifth whose greatnesse they had euen then suspected and for this cause they did shew themselues mightily aggrieued at such time as King Philip did enterprise the vsurpation of Portugall Conestagio a Genouois in the booke which he hath written in fauour of the sayd Philip and which is intituled The vnion of the Realme of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile doth tell vs both the one and the other of these matters And although in that worke of his there be many true reports yet we doe know him for a great and notable Lyer and euen the very first word of that booke is an vntruth in that he hath entituled it The vnion of Portugall with the Crowne of Castile The oth of K. Philip. for king Philip in the assembly of estate which he held at Tomar in the yeare 1581. where the Portugals against their wills and by force did receiue him for their king promised and sware with a solemne oath neuer to intermingle the matter and affaires of Portugall with those of Castile The Explication of the Genealogy of the French K. now raigning The authour whereof was Frier Ioseph Texere but to keepe for euer the Monarchy of Portugall entire in the same estate and in the same manner as the kings his precessors had alwayes preserued and maintained it paying all the pensions fees and wages to all the officers of the kings house both Spirituall and Temporall in like sort as they were payd in the times of the true and good kings forepassed Somewhat of this matter a man may see in the end of the booke of Explication of the Genealogie of his most Christian Maiestie where it is spoken of the first king of Castile Moreouer the said Conestagio as a man of a maligne and peruerse spirit is a most vngratefull enemy of that nation which hath both aduanced and honoured him For wee knew him at Lisbon when he serued Anthonio Caulo and afterwards with Stephen Lercaro 3. fol. 62. a Marchant of Genoa He hath in his booke these words In Castile this succession gaue great matter whereof both to muse and to talke both in priuate and in publike for that the king caused the Estate of Portugall to be vnited to his other Realmes and Dominions not caring how nor in what fashion it were done so it were effected The which the Nobilitie tooke very ill in so much as it seeemeth that all the great men of Spaine since the time of Charles the fifth to this day could not away nor like of the greatnesse of the king because thereof it hath proceeded that hee maketh lesse reckoning of them then did the ancient kings of Castile and hee constraineth them to be equall to their inferiours as well in iustice as otherwise If Don Antonio king of Portugall were liuing hee could witnesse how after that the enemie was entred into Portugall with a huge armie and had taken Lisbon hee being then in the towne of Badaios many Lords of Castile did offer him to haue entrance into the sayd towne and did promise him all their best aide and assistance to seize vpon the enemie himselfe The which the said Prince could not effect nor put in execution for that within few dayes after he was dispossessed of all the realme in the citie of Puerto of Portugall He could also certifie vs how that seeing in these parts many great Lords of Castile did send vnto him offring him their seruice and assistance in case that he would set foot in Portugall the which matter he communicated if I bee not deceiued to the king and principall Lords of France and principally to the estate and Councell of England Notwithstanding touching this desire of libertie it is a matter which doth principally touch the Princes great Lords and Hijos de Algo of Spaine For as concerning those masters of the long robe and the rascall sort of Castilians they take a pleasure in this their slauery and seruitude vnder the king because they alone doe command and rule all and triumphing ouer others haue the principall and chiefe managing of all the affaires of the Realme yea and euen the gouernment of the king himselfe in their owne hands And although they doe hate him most extremely and doe wish ill enough to his person yet notwithstanding they doe wish so well to their owne country and doe so delight to see themselues to haue the command ouer all others that if they know any thing either in publike or in priuat which might hinder and endamage his tyrannie they will not faile onely in regard thereof to aduertise him of it such is the naturall disposition of the Castilians Iosephus de bello Iudaice lib. 1. cap. 3. who being issued and sprung
Portugall hee vsed this speech vnto him Captaine Ferras I would gladly know what should be the cause that made you to follow the partie of the French against me seeing wee are of one and the same Nation for albeit you be a Portugall and I a Castillian yet are we both Spaniards The Colonell made him this answere Sir when the Portugals doe trauaile abroad out of their owne countrey whether they be rich or poore their onely end and scope is to get them honour and reputation For mine owne part I had the meanes to liue honestly in my countrey like a Gentleman neuerthelesse being resolued to see the world I began to cast my account with my selfe what course I were best to take Hauing made my reckoning I conceiued with my selfe that I should purchase me more honour by bearing Armes against the greatest Captaine of the World then in taking of his part to serue against any other and for this cause I tooke Armes against your Maiestie The Emperour smyling sayd I beleeue that this is not the cause but rather the old rancour and hatred which the Portugals beare to the Castillians Portugall answered him againe in great choller Sir An excellent answere of a Portugall to Charles the 5. I sweare vnto your Maiestie That neyther for good nor for bad I trouble not my minde with the Castillians not so much as to thinke of them The Emperour making semblance as though this answere did content him did embrace him many times and often but hee iudged of the Portugall as his affection led him for hee had enough of the bloud of a Castillian by his mothers side to make him to hate him A little Leauen c. And thus may you see the vntruth of Conestagio His Historie is well written and in a good style but most false and full of passion for hee both reprehendeth and iniurieth all those of whom hee speaketh yea euen King Philip himselfe in whose fauour hee wrote it and for this cause principally it was forbidden in Portugall But leauing Conestagio now that we haue shewed how the Castillian Nation is much more maligne and peruerse then all the other people of Spaine I will tell you one thing worthy to be noted ere wee proceed which doth more neerely touch the Portugall Nation than any of the rest that is That all those Nations generally are so desirous of libertie that they doe seeke by all meanes possible to obtayne it being readie to receiue euen the Deuils themselues if they would be readie to further and fauour them in the same And yet if any strange Nation should passe into Spaine to any other end they would vse the vttermost of their endeuours to stop their passage and to hinder their entrance making little or no reckoning of their liues and much lesse of their goods and substance When I doe speake of causing strange Nations to passe into Spaine I must tell you thus much That they shall be much more welcome and finde better entertainment of the people of the Countrey when they shall be mingled many and diuers Nations together then if one should goe thither alone for that this diuersitie will take from them all conceit and suspition which they might otherwise haue that their comming were to make a conquest of their countrey and not to procure their libertie and freedome and so they would vndoubtedly receiue them ioyfully and with all assurance In like manner if the Tyrant should commaund them to goe to the warres out of their owne countrey especially if it were for their Religion they would serue him more faithfully then did Auila and Simancas in Castile or Celorico the Castle of Coimbre in Portugall For proofe hereof The meaning hereof is expounded in the end of this Treatise you may remember how in the yeere 1588. the King of Castile in his Fleet and Armie by Sea that came vpon the Coast of France sent two Regiments of Portugals each of them consisting of eight hundred men or thereabouts The loyaltie of the Portugals These forces notwithstanding that in regard of his vsurpation of the countrey they were enemies to him yet hauing promised to serue him faithfully in this voyage in the fight which they had against the Englishmen and Flemings they did make such proofe of their valour that they did farre excell all the rest of the Army in prowesse and deedes of Armes and they alone did more for the seruice of the King of Castile then all the residue of his Allyes insomuch that there was none of them who had command and gouernment in the Army that were receiued with honour by the King Catholike saue only the Portugall Colonels Portugall Colonels in the Armie of the yeere 1588. namely Gasper de Sousa and Antonie Perera The which Perera before that time had serued and fought most valiantly for the defence of the libertie of his Countrey and for the seruice of his true and naturall King against the said King of Castile at such time as hee entred into Portugall with a mightie Army to inuade it In the yeere 1582. when Don Aluar de Bassana Marquesse de Santa Cruce did encounter vpon the Sea with the Lord de Stroce those which fought best and shewed themselues most valiant was the Marquesse de Fauare Marquesse of Fauare a Portugall most true and faithfull to his Countrey and to his King and by whose counsaile and aduertisements a certaine great and excellent seruitor of the estate and of the King Don Antonio had his life preserued besides certaine other Gentlemen his countreymen Who tooke the Ship called the Reuenge The taking of the Reuenge of England belonging to the Queene of England euen Don Lewes Coutigno a Lord of Portugall who before time had beene most true and faithfull to his Countrey and for the defence of his King fighting against the Duke de Alua had receiued many mortall wounds in the battaile of Alcantara the same day that Lisbon was lost which was in the yeere 1580. and the 26. of August And for the more distinct and cleare demonstration of the truth of this matter I will recite vnto you a most true Historie In the yeere 1589. Don Anthonie King of Portugall accompanied with the Englishmen and Hollanders made a Voyage into Portugall and casting anchor in the Hauen of Penicha they of the Castle began to play with their Ordinance vpon the armie but the Captaine of the Castle Anthonio de Arauio a Portugall being ascertained that the king Don Anthonio was in that armie he forbad the Cannoniers to shoot any more and caused a white Ensigne to be put forth vpon sight whereof Don Anthonio commanded that euery man should goe on shore and take their way towards the Towne the which they did not without some resistance made by certaine companies of Castillians who in the end were forced to retyre with the losse of some of their people The first that arriued to the Towne was
amisse that the Moores should be in feare but it were more meet that the King your Maister did vnderstand to what end this Armie is leuyed for in very deede it is for Portugall The most Christian king and all the Princes and Potentates of Europe haue great reason to hinder that the Portugals doe not accord with the Castillians and that they giue them no occasion to lose the hope of their libertie And if the King Catholike my Lord doe make himselfe Maister of that Realme as hee verily hopeth for hee holdeth it in a manner as alreadie wrought and practised hee will bring to passe that not onely the most Christian King shall be inferior and tributarie vnto him but also all the other Princes of Europe shall bee subiect vnto him especially the seuen vnited Prouinces of the Low Countreyes and the Pope with all the Court of Rome shall doe nothing but what seemeth good vnto him because hauing added vnto his Empire the Monarchie of Portugall who can be able to resist him For this reason it will concerne the most Christian King and all other Christian Princes to ioyne themselues together as in a common cause for that otherwise the King my Maister will make himselfe Lord and the vniuersall Monarch of all the World whereby they shall be his subiects and wee shall be his slaues and vassalls perpetually This that wee haue here left recited doth prooue that which was before spoken and therefore to returne to the matter in hand I say in the fifth and last place that whensoeuer a great and puissant army shall be raised to passe into Spaine be the charge neuer so great if it do nothing else then wast and spoile the countrey and take some few cities and townes and if in regard thereof the Castilian be enforced to call home his forces which he holdeth in these parte of Europe for his owne defence though the comming of those his forces should cause our army to retire yet I should hold this for a very great benefit because that which cannot now be done with an hundred will then be done with ten men and the charge and expences will bee still lesse and lesse But it may be that some of your Maiesties subiects will say vnto me that this is a matter of great difficultie and at this time especially very hard to be done for that hauing the enemy here at hand euen at our backes there were small reason for vs to transport our forces into foraine parts This a good doubt and may be some trouble to men of a shallow and small vnderstanding and such as haue little iudgement to discourse vpon the state of matters but to them which know the depth and ground of things it will carry no apparance of danger But to the intent the trueth may the better appeare let vs reason together each with other by way of demanding and answering as is vsed in the Schooles A discourse or reasoning betweene the Author and a Frenchman touching the passing of an Armie into Spaine The Subiect Be it so if you please for I will heare you with a right good will The Pilgrim Say then what is it that you thinke will endamage you Subiect The enemy with his forces and with his intelligences Pilgrim But if you finde a meane to disnest him from hence who then can hurt you afterwards Subiect No body Pilgrim Doe then as I haue told you and without doubt the enemy will be gone from you Subiect That cannot bee Pilgrim Wherefore Subiect Wherefore say you How would you that we should goe into a strange and foraine country to warre vpon others and leaue our owne country in the power and puissance of our enemies If we send our forces into Spaine as you would perswade vs we should be vtterly vndone as I haue giuen you to vnderstand Pil. Good God how are you without iudgement and vnderstanding Take that which I tell you as I speake it and not as you conceiue it and answer me to one question categorically If there were now an armie raised to goe into Spaine to the making whereof let France spare some foure or fiue thousand men England three or foure thousand the Estates of Holland Zeland Freezland and all the rest of their Allies two or three thousand besides ships of which they haue great store and let some other Princes Potentates and Common-weales disburse some proportion of money for the aiding and furthering of this enterprise to these adde three or foure thousand Zwitzers or Lance knights and then tell me shall France bee vnprouided or shall England be dispeopled or shall the Estates be vnfurnished of men and shipping and without meanes to keepe the Seas or shall the other Princes and common-weales be reduced to such misery that they shall be vnable to hold their ordinary course in their affaires and proceedings but rather as they may well spare twice so many men to furnish them to passe into Spaine out of the seuerall Kingdomes and yet they are sufficient to imploy greater forces into other his dominions in the West and neuerthelesse powerfully maintaine their owne Sub. No I think not so Pilg. Why then doe you not that which concerneth you so neere and whereof dependeth the whole and onely remedy of your mischiefe and misery and wherein you for your part haue a greater interest then any of the rest Sub. Marry sir to make vp these thousands of men which you speak of there must be had great store of mony which will as hardly be had as they that haue it will be loth to depart with it Pilg. O how blind is this people and how deuoyd of counsell and prudence is this nation O that they would be wise and that they would vnderstand and prouide for things to come Our towne which the enemy may take to morrow next doth it not import vs more then 300000. crownes which is the most that wee shall neede for the furnishing of 4. or 5. thousand men If after the taking of Laon and the reducing of so many good townes there had been imployed 200000 crowns which are demanded for this enterprise it may bee you should haue had by this time more then three milllions in your purse and you should not haue lost al these towns in France of so great import Cambray Dourlan Calice Ardes Amiens and many other places with your great Admirall and so many braue gentlemen and Captaines which are now dead would stil haue liued to speake in French Moreouer doe not excuse your selfe and say for your discharge that a man cannot diuine what will follow for you haue beene too too much forewarned of matters as they haue fallen out and there is yet liuing a Lord one of the Councell who at Fountaine Belleau in May 1595. did by all meanes he could possibly deuise perswade the vndertaking of this enterprise alledging so many reasons and so euident that he plainly shewed how greatly it did import France
vpon the countrey of the enemie and to see our owne flaming with fire and spoiled and ransackt by our enemies Moreouer he which assaulteth is more couragious then hee which is put to his defence adde hereunto that the feare and astonishment is much the more and greater where it is not foreseene and preuented Now as soone as a man entreth within the enemies countrie he shall soone take knowledge both of the good and euill that may befall him therein he shal quickly discouer the commodities or the discommodities of the country Liu. Dec. 4. lib. â— Saying of P. Sulpitius to the Romans Remember well that which P. Sulpitius saide vnto the Romans and take it to your selues as if he had spoken it vnto you to wit That they had had good experience by that which was past how their warres were alwaies more happy and fortunate and their armies much more puissant in the countrey of the enemie then in their owne Hearken to the counsell which Hanniball gaue vnto Antiochus Idem Decad. 4. lib. 4. and make your profit thereof better then he did Assure your selfe that the countrie of the enemy will yeeld you souldiers who desire their libertie and will furnish you with victualls and all commodities for your armie Let the faults and ouersights of others make you wise doe as Cyrus did who cast himselfe away by contemning the counsell of Croesus Herodotus and by not making any recknoning of Tomyris his enemie Halicar lib. 1. Take heede that you doe not incurre more blame in this behalfe then all others and it may bee more deseruedly because you haue euer and doe daily vse too too much to contemne and not to regard your enemie Certainly this is the first and principall cause of the ruine of all estates when they contemne and set not by their enemies and when they will not hearken to any thing that shall bee alledged to the contrary For the question is not now of entring into a forraigne countrey to subdue and conquer it or to get to bee Lord and Master of it but onely to restore vnto libertie so many peoples and nations who doe crie and call for aide vnder the yoke and burthen of this tyranny and to deliuer your owne subiects from the armes of the enemie who hath gotten footing in the best and goodliest prouince of your realmes and kingdomes If you doe not as I aduise you I feare me least to morrow they will take yet some other of your townes and the next day another and so afterwards at one blow will seize vpon all the rest Take heed therefore to that which I tel you I would not haue you for the assailing of your enemie to leaue your selues vndefended but that in doing of one thing you do not let passe another because 4. or 5. thousand men which you men of Guyen Languedock Dauphine and other prouinces will not bring you to any such want of men but that you may haue meanes enough to defend your selues both in Picardie and elsewhere Thirdly to depriue a king from his Crowne and scepter and to dispossesse him of his realmes and dominions Two things do soone depriue a Prince of his crowne and scepter crueltie and licencious liuing when he is a tirant cruell or of a wicked licentious and lewd life there needeth no great forces Two thousand men which Charles the 8. King of France gaue vnto Henrie Earle of Richmond his cousine german remoued for he was the grand child of Katherine sister of Charles the 7. his grandfather who had to her first husband Henrie the fifth king of England were sufficient for the said Earle passing ouer into England to gather together men enough to bid battel to Richard the third in the which Richard was defeated and slaine most shamefully The cronicles of England by reason of hir crueltie and tyrannie Peter king of Castile the sonne of Alphonse the Iusticier The histories of Spaine for his tyrannie and many cruelties which hee committed got the sirname of cruell and was for the same cause slaine by his brother Henrie the bastard The crueltie which Christierne the second of that name Many histories brother in law to Charles the fifth vsed towards the principall and chiefe Nobles of Swethland made him lose the said Realme and consequently also the kingdomes of Denmarke and Norwaie which he was rightfull king and Soueraigne The kingdome of Spaine was taken from the King Roderike a most loose and licentious Prince The common historie of Spaine onely by twelue thousand Moores whom the Earle Iulian Captaine of the towne of Septa procured from Vlit king of Barbarie who in the yeare 713. passing into Spaine in Marchants ships had for their Chiefe and Generall Tarif Abâ—n Zarca who being blind of one eye gaue the name vnto the Towne of Tarifa which was before called Carteya and hauing destroyed the Towne of Seuill did take and ruinate many others both iâ—â—he Prouince of Boetica and in Portugall and did ouerthrow in set battell a cousin of the sayd king Roderike which Roderike himselfe afterwards assembling his forces vpon the riuer of Guadelethe on the seuenth of Iuly or according to others on the seuenth of September in the yeare 724. did giue battell vnto the Moores in the which hee was ouercome and vanquished and immediatly after he lost almost all Spaine The wicked liâ— of this king was the onely cause of this losse and of the ruine of that kingdome and especially because he had dishonoured Caua the daughter of the sayd Earle Julian who vpon this occasion finding himselfe grieuously outraged gaue free entry vnto the Moores by that towne of Septa which is as it were the key of Affrike and Europe Besides he did serue for a guide vnto them in that their inuasion At which time the said Mores had very good and happy successe in their affaires in Spaine by reason that they found the people not vsed nor accustomed to the warres as they are not now at this day likewise Antiochus the Great for his dissolute disordinate life at such time as he should haue set Greece at libertie and haue made warre vpon the Romaines for the assurance security of his owne Empire was reduced to such termes that he saw himselfe constrained in the end to accept peace of them vpon such conditons as pleased them And retiring himselfe out of Europe and Asia he was glad to withdraw himselfe into a corner as their vassall and tributary The Annalls of France Childericke for his voluptuous liuing and for seeking nothing but for his owne pleasures lost the Crowne and kingdome of France By all which examples sufficing as well as 6000. moe may be seene how little strength and small forces there doe need to trouble and ruinate the enemy in in Spaine which hath not at any time induced nor had any Prince so tyrannous and cruell nor of such wicked and licentious liuing Fourthly
touching your incredulitie and the opinion which you haue that the loue of a mans countrey doth easily deceiue them and make the remedie of their miseries and seruitude to seeme easie surely wee may with good reason call this incredulitie a blind â—nueiglement and darknesse of vnderstanding and therefore I come once againe to say as I haue sayd and I doe againe and againe aduise you That to send a good and well conducted Armie into Spaine or other parts of his Dominions will be the onely meane to resist and withstand the enemie to breake the course of his designes to beat downe his pride and to destroy his puissance And albeit that this may well be granted to follow by that which hath beene aboue spoken yet I will proue it by one other example onely which being most true maketh very much to our intended purpose Henry Count of Trastamara The Histories of Castise Portugall England c. the bastard sonne of Alphonsus the Iusticier by the aide of the French had slaine the King Don Pedro his lawfull brother Of this Peter there remayned two daughters The youngest Isabel espoused Edmond de Langley the fifth sonne of Edward the third King of England This Edmond hauing gotten sundry victories in fauâ—ur of the Portugals who accompanied him against the Castillians in Spaine did manage those affaires with such prudence and wisdome that he constrayned the sayd Henry King of Castile to accept and receiue of Fernand King of Portugall who was in a manner brought to vtter destruction both he and his whole Realme such conditions of peace as were most ignominious and dishonourable and very preiudiciall both to himselfe his vassalls and subiects In regard of which his notable deedes and deserts the said Edmond was afterwards made Duke of Yorke by Richard the second King of England his Nephew the sonne of Edward the Blacke Prince his eldest brother in a Parliament holden at Westminster in the yere of Christ 1386. Of these two Edmond and Isabell descended the Queene of England likewise named Isabell The other daughter being the eldest of King Peter and called Constance espoused Iohn of Gaunt the fourth brother of the sayd Edmond both by father and mother and Duke of Lancaster by his first wife Blanche who had by him Henry the fourth afterwards King of England and two daughters of which the eldest Philip was Queene of Portugall the wife of Ivan the Bastard Of John of Gaunt and Constance was borne one onely daughter called Katherine of whom we shall hereafter make further mention The said John of Gaunt in regard of his wife Constance did entitle himselfe King of Castile and Leon Guaribay lib. 15. cap. 25. and for the obtayning of his right to that Kingdome hee passed from Gascoigne which was then vnder the Dominion of the English into Spaine with eighteene thousand footmen and two thousand horse where with the aide of the Portugals who were his good friends he tooke the Groigne From thence he went into Portugal out of which he entred into Castile marching euen to the Citie of Burgos which was distant from the place of his departure more then a hundred and twentie Leagues The entry and inuasion of the English with the Portugals into Castile And from the time of his first arriuall he tooke and made himselfe Lord of all the Cities Townes and Castles which hee found in his way besides such as being farther off did come to render and yeeld themselues for very feare and terror And he might easily haue passed on much further if his people had not died who by reason of their disorder which they kept and by their ill rule and demeaning of themselues were oppressed with extreame famine whereof ensued this plague and pestilence amongst them And they were reduced to such necessitie of Victuals The amitie of the French and English out of their owne Countreyes that they were constrayned to haue recourse euen to the Campe of their enemies where then was in fauour of the King Iohn of Castile Lewes Duke of Burbon accompanied with the French forces of whom they demaunded reliefe for the sustentation of their poore and wretched liues The which being perceiued by John the Bastard then elected King of Portugall he complayned to the Duke of Lancaster telling him that he held it not good nor conuenient that his souldiers should goe to entreat with the enemie affirming that these might more endomage him then the others and that therefore he should immediately recall them and forbid them to haue any communication conference or parley with any of the contrary party otherwise that hee would fight against them altogether The valour of Iohn the Bastard King of Portugall Thomas Walsingham and would cause them all to be put to the sword the one for the loue of the other Thomas Walsingham an English Historiographer doth set it downe in these very words and he sayth that the King of Portugall had then with him foure thousand Portugals well armed Some haue esteemed the saying of this Historiographer as very ridiculous or as a meere Brauado onely The valour of the Portugals but they are much deceiued for these foure thousand Portugals hauing their King for their Chiefetaine and Leader had beene sufficient to defeat twentie thousand Castillians The same King with fiue thousand An Historie worthie the marking and so many Portugals and a hundred and fiftie Englishmen did defeat the said Iohn King of Castile both of them being present in person in the battaile of Aljibarot and put him to flight hauing with him foure and thirtie thousand fighting men of the which died vpon the place twelue thousand and there were of prisoners ten thousand taken by foure thousand and so many Portugals and a thousand Englishmen who remained masters of the field for there died in the fight about a thousand Portugals and fiue hundred English who fought as if they had beene Lyons About the same time Don Nunalvres Pereira This Historie is well worthie the marking the battell was called the battel of Valverde Constable of Portugall with three thousand footmen and a thousand horse defeated fiue and twentie thousand Castillians and slew and tooke the principall and chiefe men of Castile The same King before that he came to reigne and afterwards had many victories vpon his enemies no lesse admirable then that other insomuch that a certaine Nobleman of Castile being in speech one day and deuising with his King which was the said John he sayd vnto him Sir I cannot conceiue the cause why the King of Portugall with so few men hath so often vanquished you seeing that you haue alwayes had fiue or six against one of them The King answered him The cause is for that the King of Portugall doth fight against me being accompanied with his children and I combat against him being accompanied with my subiects I am King and Lord of Castile and hee is King and Lord of the