was overthrown at the River Saledo by the Kings of Castile and Portugal where they obtained a great Victory with much Treasure and many Ensigns of Glory He had by his Queen Beatrice six Children Three Sons dyed in their Infancy the Fourth Don Pedro succeeded his Father in the Throne the other two were Daughters Mary who was Married to Alphonso King of Castile and Elenora espoused to Piedro the fourth King of Arragon King Alphonso being overloaded with the Burthen of 77 Years departed this Life Anno 1356 and was buried at Lisbon Eighthly Pedro the First of that Name the Eighth King of Portugal succeeded his Father Alphonso He was born at Lisbon Anno 1325 and was a-about 33 Years of Age when he came to the Government He was married to Constance Daughter to D. Juan Emanuel Son to Prince Emanuel Nephew to Ferdinand surnamed the Holy by whom he had one onely Son named Ferdinand who succeeded him in his Kingdom After the death of his Wife he fell in Love with Agnesa de Castro a most beautiful Woman descended of the Blood Royal by whom he had many Children among whom â—â— is John who was afterwards King of Portugal This Lady was put to death by his Father very unjustly but he brought those to condigne Punishment who had wrongfully accused her assoon as he came to the Crown It having caused long Wars between him and his Father But in the tenth Year of his Reign and about the 43d of his Age Anno 1367 he paid his Debt to Nature and was buried between the Bodies of his Wife and his Beloved Agnesia Ninthly Ferdinand the First of that Name and the ninth King of Portugal succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Portugal and Algarve He was born at Lisbon Anno 1347 the onely Son of Constance the Daughter of D. Emanuel he came to the Crown at the Age of 22 Years in the Year 1369. He wholly drove the Moors from the Confines of Algarve and addicted himself much to the planting the Wast Lands he erected a Monastery for Franciscan Friars in Sylva the chief City of that Territory About his time it was that Pedro King of Castile being thrust out of his Kingdom by his Bastard Brother Henry for his many tyrannical Outrages done upon his Subjects sued in vain to Ferdinand not being willing to assist him but was re-established in his Throne by the Valiant Prince Edward commonly called the Black Prince Ferdinand had but one Daughter onely that survived him who was married to Henry King of Castile and thereby excluded from the Right of Succession according to that Law made at Samego by the General Assembly of the Estates so that in this King ended the Legitimate Line of Henry Duke of Lorrain This King having now reigned 18 Years and lived 40 being seised by a violent Sickness gave up the Ghost Anno 1387 and was buried in the Cathedral Church of Lisbon Tenthly John the First Bastard Son to Pedro the First after the death of Ferdinand his Brother and Neece Beatrice uncapable of Succession by reason of her Marriage with a forreign Prince claimed the Crown as next of Blood but was for a while debarred by reason of his Illegitimation when afterwards considering that they might choose one less deserving they conferred the Crown upon him yet so as he should receive it not as his indubitable Right by Birth but as given him by Election Thus he obtained the Crown by the Name of John the First and was the Tenth King of Portugal He was born in Lisbon in the Year 1356 and entered into the Government in the 32 Year of his Age in the Year 1388 with very great Applause of the whole Kingdom Soon after his Coronation he married Philippa Daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster which he did to oppose Henry of Castile who claimed Portugal in Right of his Wife Beatrice by matching into that Family which had an equal if not greater Right to the Kingdom of Castile for that John Duke of Lancaster married the Eldest Daughter of Peter the murthered King of Castile and Leon. By Philippa he had a numerous Issue First Edward so named of his God-father Edward th Third of England who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Abstinency and Devotion John Pedro and the most Renowned Henry who was the First of the Portugal Nation that made any forreign Voyages he discovered the Azores Anno 1425 also the Islands of the Madera and sailing along the Coasts of Africa found the Way to Guiana King John reigned 47 Years being made Knight of the Garter as also his Sons the Infants Edward and Henry and dyed in the Year 1436 leaving the World full of his Glory Eleventhly Edward the First of that Name the Eleventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father he was Born at Braga Anno 1392 and came to the Crown about the Age of 44 Years or thereabouts He was married long before he came to the Crown and had four Children Ferdinand who dyed young Alphonso who succeeded him in the Kingdom Joane married to the King of Castile and Leon and Leonora married to the Emperor Ferdinand and was the Mother of the Emperor Maximilian He had but a short Reign of 5 Years and those with bad Success Twelfthly Alphonso the Fifth and the Twelfth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born at Lisbon about the Year 1420 and came to the Crown at the One and Twentieth Year of his Age in the Year 1441. He made Wars against the Moors in Barbary and took from them Tangier Alcazar and Arzilla which he fortified and kept He made Traffick famous encouraging Navigation which began to flourish with them exceedingly He left behind him several Children two of which succeeded him in the Kingdom John his eldest Son and Emanuel who reigned after his Brother He was a very affable and courteous Prince of a mild and gentle Disposition He dyed at Lisbon in the 43 Year of his Reign and 64 of his Life in the Year 1484. Thirteenthly John tho Second and Thirteenth King of Portugal succeeded his Father He was born about the Year 1456 and entred into the Government of the Kingdom at the Age of about 28 Years He made an Expedition into Barbary against the Moors with Success He sent out two Fleets for Discoveries one of which steered its Course along the Coast of Africa as far as Guinny where they made a Conquest of the Kingdom of Congo After he had reigned 14 Years with happy Success in all his Enterprises he dyed by a Fall from his Horse in Hunting leaving no Legitimate Issue Fourteenthly Emanuel the First and Fourteenth King of Portugal Brother to King John and Son to Alphonso succeeded He was born about the Year 1462 and took possession of the Crown about the Age of 32 Years He was bred up in all Sorts â—f Learning and was very Pious and Religious He was also a Lover of Navigation and set
the Prince made once more an attempt upon him but he was no more to be shaken now than he was at other times he only let the Three States know that on the 9th of June 1668 He would take his Oath to maintain the Laws of the Realm and he would then receive from them theirs of Fidelity This day being come they all Assembled in the Great Hall of the Guards where that Ceremony was done with all the Pomp requisite thereunto and the Prince took his Oath in these Terms I do swear and promise the Grace of God assisting to rule and govern well and Equitably and to administer to you Justice in all Cases as far as the frailty of Humane Nature will permit and to keep and preserve your good Customes Priviledges Graces Recompenses Liberties and Franchises which hath been given granted and Confirmed by the Kings my Predecessors And the Three States of the Realm took theirs in these Terms We swear upon the holy Evangelists which we touch with our hands that we do acknowledge and receive for our Governour and Regent of these Realms because of the perpetual Impuissance of his Majesty as we have adjudg'd the most High and most Excellent Prince Don Pedro Legitimate Son of the King Don John the Fourth and of the Queen Dona Lewysa his Wife Brother and Curator of the most high and most excellent King Don Alphonso the sixth and his True and Natural Successor to these Realms And as the True and Natural Subjects as we are of the Prince Don Pedro we make to him Faith and Homage in the same manner as we have made to the King Don John the Fourth his Father and to the King Don Alphonso the Sixth his Brother whom we do at this present deprive of his Government because of his Incapacity with the same Jurisdiction Power and Authority that any of the Kings and Lords of this Crown have ever had and wee will obey fully and wholly all his Orders and Judgments be they high or be they low Jurisdictions and we will make War with his Enemies for him and entertain Peace with his Allies as it shall please him without obeying any other King but him All this abovesaid we swear to before God by this Cross and by the Holy Evangelists which we touch with our Hands to observe on our parts fully and wholly And as a Mark of our Submission and Obedience and of our acknowledging his Royal Soveraign Jurisdiction we kiss the Hand of his Highness here present These Oaths being made all the Dispatches began to be expedited in the Name of the Prince as Governour Regent of the Realm in the same form as had been formerly done when the Infante Don Alphonso Count de Bologn was made Governour of this same Realm because of the Incapacity of his Brother having been acknowledg'd for such by the Kings of France Spain and England at whose Courts his Embassadors and Envoys had been received with all the prerogatives which they had given to Kings After this Act the Three States continued to deliberate about the Affairs of the Realm until the First day of August 1668. when they separated This change was approved of by all the People excepting some persons who had no reason to approve of it because of their Interest In truth the deposing the King Don Alphonso was maintained not only by those Reasons which have been rehearsed but for many others which they were willing to have Concealed besides the same thing hath happened heretofore in Portugal in the Person of Don Sanche the Second In France in that of Childerick Philip and Theoderick In England in that of King Edward In Germany in that of Charles le Gross In Denmark in that of Christian In the Realm of Naples in that of Charles and in many other Kingdoms As soon as the Prince and the Princess had Consummated their Marriage in good earnest which they had made by Virtue of the Dispensation which they had obtained of Monsieur the Cardinal of Vendosme Legat a Latere in France to the end that there might remain no scruple they sent Father Francis de Ville Jesuit to Clement the 9th to supplicate on their part that he would Confirm this Dispensation His Holiness having received this Request as a Testimony of respect render'd to the Holy Sea he ordained with his Paternal Love That they should expedite this Brief with this Superscription To Our Well-Beloved Sons Deigo de Sousa Chief Inquisitor in the Inquisition against the Hereticks in the Realms of Portugal and Algarves Antony de Mendosa Commissary-General of the Bull of the Croisaide and Deputy of the Inquisition Martin Alphonso de Mello Dean of the Metropolitan Church of Evora also Deputy of the Inquisition Lewis de Sousa Dean of the Church of Porto and Emanuel de Meneses Arch-deacon of the Metropolitan of Evora Clement the 9th Pope Sends Health and Apostolick Benediction to Our Well-beloved Sons The Charge of Pastor which God hath given to us Commands us that according to the understanding which he hath granted us we should provide according to the Laws of Justice and Prudence repose to all the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ and chiefly to the Great Ones And because we have understood by the tenour of a Request which hath been presented to us a little while since on the part of our Son in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Don Pedro Prince of Portugal and of our Daughter in Jesus Christ the most Beloved and most Noble Maria Isabella de Savoy Dutchess of Nemours That the said Princess after she had contracted a Marriage with our most Dear Son in Jesus Christ Alphonso the Illustrious King of Portugal and Algarves and lived with him about the space of six months as his Wife during which time she perceived his perpetual inability to consummâ—â— the said Marriage being pressed in her Conscience she hath been obliged to cause the said Marriage to be adjudged Null beginning her Process the Sea of the Archbishoprick being vacant before our Well beloved Sons the Vicar of the Chapter of the Metropolitan Church of Lisbon lawfully deputed and the Chapter and the Cannons of the same Church who hold by reason of the said vacancy an ordinary Jurisdiction and before several other Judges named by the same Chapter joyntly with the said Grand Vicar of the Chapter to the end that they might be the better instructed in that Affair and that they might deliberate thereon more maturely by whom there was given a Sentence that declared the said Marriage Nul because of the aforesaid Impotence which Sentence having been read and shewed to the King Alphonso was approved by him by word of Mouth and by Writing Moreover the aforesaid Princes Mary Isabel and the aforesaid Don Pedro Brother of the aforesaid King Alphonso being willing to Contract a Marriage together at the Requests of the States of the Realm who were at that time assembled at Lisbon to the end that
till he had a Son Born nor should wear a Crown on his Head nor take the Right-hand of his Wife 5. That it should be a binding Law for ever among the Portugals That the Crown might not descend to Forreigners if the Kings Eldest Daughter should Marry a Forreign Prince she should be be excluded from her right of Succession for that they would not have the Kingdom which they had obtained by their own Valour go out of the Race of the Portugals First Thus Alphonso the First obtained the Crown of the Kingdom of Porugal and within a while he added to his rown by Conquest after a five months iege the Rich and Populous City of Lisbon which ever since became the Capital City of his Kingdom and Place of Residence for him and his Successors He made divers other Acquists to the enlargment of his Dominions and being 90 years of Age in the year 1185 he Died leaving behind him Sancho his Son who succeeded in his Kingdom and two Daughters Uracca married to Ferdinand King of Leon and Therasia by some called Matiida Married to Philip the first Earl of Flanders These he had with Henry who dyed young by a second Wife for he had no Issue by Uracca the Daughter of Count Trastamarense Mafalda Sister to Amadeo Earl of Morenna Secondly Sancho the First and Second King of Portugal Son of Alphonso his only Legitimate Son that he had living born at Conimbra the 12th of November 1154 Succeeded his Father being Crowned the 12th of December 1185 three dayes after his Fathers Death He applyed himself much to the Setling of his Kingdom and to Tillage and Planting his Country therefore called the King of Husbandmen He by help of some Christian Souldiers put into Lisbon in their Voyage to the Holy Land Invaded Algarve and took the Chief City Sylva although he did not very long enjoy his Conquest but was driven thence by the Moors and had like to have lost his Kingdom of Portugal being furiously assaulted by the Moores He took to Wife the Daughter of Raymond Berengurio Count of Brachinona called Aldonsa by her he had 8 Children 3 Sons and 5 Daughters The Sons were Alphonso who succeeded in his Kingdom Ferdinand a Man of great Virtue and Parts Married to Joanna Countess of Flanders and Pietro Count of Irgelense The Daughters were Therasia Married to Alphonso King of Leon Mafalda to Henry the first King of Castile both after their Marriages turning Nuns Sancha became a Nun of the Order of Saint Francis who lived about this time Biancha and Beringilla who dyed young This King at 57 years of Age and in the 26th of his Reign dyed being accounted for his Virtue and Goodness among the best of the Portugal Kings Thirdly His Son Alphonso the second succeeded Born at Conimbra 1185 was about 27 years Old when Crowned King between whom and his Brothers and Sisters there were great Jarrs He was a Man of an high and very willful Spirit and in his latter dayes grew so unweldy and fat that he could not prosecute the Wars He Married Uracca the Daughter of Alphonso the Eighth King of Castile and Elenor Daughter of Henry King of England by her he had divers Children First Sancho who succeâ—ed him in his Kingdom Alphonso by Right of his Wife Duke of Bologna afterward also King of Portugal Ferdin and Count of Serpia Vincenzo dyed young Leonora a Daughter Married to the King of Dacia Alphonso in the 48 year of his Age and 21th of his Reign dyed Anno 1233. Fourthly Sancho the Second succeeded his Father and was Born in Conimbra the first of September 1207 being very sickly and unlikely to live but came to the Crown at twenty six years of Age spending most of his time in Baths and Hot-houses for the recovery of his Health He Married with Messa Lopez the Widdow of Alvaro de Castro She was accounted but an inferiour Match tho of Blood Royal being made by his Favourites who with the Assistance of the Queen by reason of the Kings weakness and indisposition made a Prey of the People and mightily oppressed them so that they were enforced to call to their Assistance Alphonsus the Kings Brother who coming from Bologna possest himself of the Kingdom Sancho being forced to retire to Toledo where addicting himself wholly to Devotion he dyed in the Year 1245 at 39 Years of his Age having reigned 13 Years Fifthly Alphonso the Third who succeeded his Brother was Born in Conimbra May 5. 1210 Educated with great Care and Diligence by his Father because of his Brothers Sickness He married Matilda Countess of Bologne Widow of Philipo Crispo and Daughter of Philipo Augustino He was a Man of great Parts but they were over shadowed by his Lusts For after he was setled in the Kingdom he repudiated his Wife and contracted a wicked Marriage with Beatrice the illegitimate Daughter of Alphonso the King of Castile and his Concubine Maria Villenia And notwithstanding the Threats of the Pope Alexander the 4th at the Tears and Complaints of the Dutchess of Bologne he caused her to be Crowned Queen and confirmed his Succession by the Birth of three Children Dionysio his eldest Son succeeded in the Kingdom Alphonso who married the Daughter of Prince Emanuel Son of Ferdinand King of Castile and Ferdinand who dyed young He very much infested the Moors increasing his Kingdom with the full Conquest of Algarve with much Glory and Reputation He died at Lisbon Anno 1279 at 69 Years of Age and 32 of his Reign accompting from his Brothers Death Sixthly Dionysius or Dennys his Son succeeded his Father He was born on the day of the Great Areopagite for whose sake they imposed that Name Anno 1260. He was a great and famous Poet. He was about 20 Years of Age when he came to the Crown and would by no means admit his Mother to the Administration of the Government He never oppressed his Subjects neither with Tribute or Taxes yet left to his Heir a full Exchequer He made many good Laws which are to this day observed The Order of the Templers was extinct in his Time and he first instituted the University at Conimbra He took to Wife Elizabeth Daughter to Peter King of Arragon who was most remarkable for her Sanctity by her he had Alphonso who succeeded him and Constance who was married to Ferdinand King of Castile After he had reigned 46 Years he dyed at the Age of 84 Years Anno 1235. Seventhly Alphonso the Fourth and the Seventh King of Portugal succeeded his Father and was born in Conimbria Anno 1290. He married with Beatrice Daughter to Sancho the Fourth King of Castile A Man given to hunting and disports to the neglect of his People but being at last made sensible of it he took the Reins into his hands and proved a good King About the Year 1340 Alboacen the potent Miramamolin of Morocco and Granada set himself against all Spain with an Army of 470000 Men but
the Nation But however upon the death of Henry which was in the year 1510 and in whom ended the male Line of the House of Lorrain Eighteenthly Philip the 2d K. of Spain obtained the Kingdom of Portugal and was the eighteenth King thereof For he had no sooner heard the news of Henry's death but he sent an Army having one ready for that purpose under Ferdinand de Toledo Duke D' Alva who were at the Walls of Lisbon before they were aware and so surprized them that they were not able to make any great resistance But they were forced to receive him for their King who coming hither himself in person was sworn to several Articles which seemed pleasing and beneficial to the Portugals and which it is thought he never intended to keep neither did he First That he should observe all Laws Liberties Priviledges and Customs granted to the People by the former Kings of Portugal Secondly That the Vice-King should be either a Son Brother Uncle or Nephew of the King or else a Native of Portugal Thirdly That all Offices of the Church and State and the Government of Towns and Places should be conferred on the Natives of Portugal and not upon Strangers Fourthly That all Countries now belonging to Portugal should so continue to the Commodity and Benefit of the Nation Fifthly That the Portugals should be admitted to the Offices of the Kings House as well as the Castilians Sixthly That he should send the Prince always to be bred up amongst them And thus he obtained the Crown of Portugal making the Emperors Son Albertus Arch-Duke of Austria and his Nephew Viceroy keeping it in quiet possession till he dyed Nineteenthly Philip the 3d K. of Spain succeeded his Father to that Crown and also to this of Portugal being the 18th King of Portugal In his Reign Antonio the Bastard being entertained by Q. Elizabeth of England and bountifully releived acknowledging him her Kinsman descended of the Blood Royal of England and House of Lancaster he remained here till the Wars broke out between King Philip and Q. Elizabeth when she sent Antonio with a Fleet under the Command of Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake with whom also went the Earl of Essex into Portugal where they landed and came before Lisbon but finding none ready to joyn with them as Antonio had made them believe after some exploits they were forced to return re infecta Thus he kept his Grown making the Portugals for fear and awe of his Power more than out of good will to subject and submit themselves to his yoak which they of tentimes discovered by their murmurings and repinings As soon as he was dead Twentiethly Philip the 4th his Son K. of Spain succeeded and was the 20th King of Portugal he committing all to the Government of his great Favourite Olivares by his way of policy different from his Father by seeking to establish the yoak more firm by tyranny and oppression at last lost the whole for the Portugals were very sensible of their slavery and hated the Spanish yoak to the death they perceived that the Kings of Spain had broke their words with them in all things and had now set over them a Woman to be their Governess Margaret di Mantona who had no relation at all to the Kings of Castile and though she of her self was a prudent woman yet she was swayed too much by the Secretary of State Vasconsellos a Spaniard one of mean extraction a proud fellow and one who sought by all ways the utter ruine of the Portugals and wholly to enslave them that the Portugals conspired together and were resolved to have a King of their own they were also encouraged to this by the revolt of the Catalonians from the Spaniard At last therefore finding the Government insufferable and their Grievances no longer to be born the smother'd fire broke forth into a flame upon the 1 of Feb. An. 1640 and all on a sudden the chief of the Nobility and Gentry and a world of the Commonalty led on by the Marquess of Ferrer and the Count of Vimiosa took Arms and coming to the Castle of Lisbon surprised the Guards being two Companies of Spaniards and two of Germans who affrighted at the suddenness of the Tumult and the Multitude made no resistance They soon entred securing the Governess and killing the Secretary Vasconsellos with some few more that made resistance shewing a great despight to the Secretary whom the common people cut all to pieces using his body in a most vile manner to satisfie their implacable rage This done they proclaim the Duke of Braganza King And thus the Kings of Spain lost the whole Dominion of Portugal all the rest of the Territories both abroad and at home in a few months returned wholly into the King of Portugal's hands and so have continu'd to this day the Spaniards keeping only the Town of Cexta in Affrica of all that justly belonged to the Portugal so great so full and so quick a change was hardly to be paralleld in past Ages and all through the natural hatred the Portuguize bore to the Spaniards Twenty one John the 4th Duke of Braganza thus came to the Crown who was the Grandson of John Duke of Bragance and Katherine the right and indubitable Heir of the House of Lorrain He was married to Lonysa Sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia a Woman of a noble heroick and masculine Spirit and whose prudence and courage was no small furtherance of the Dukes obtaining his Right saying That 't was better nobly to dy in adventuring for the Crown than to be made a slave by the Spanish Tyranny and to live always in fear of his Enemies They were both Crowned at Lisbon with great pomp and splendor and as they had obtained the Crown with much prudence and magnanimity so they kept it with courage and policy God blessing their Armys with victory and success all their days Thus I have given you a brief Accompt of the History of Portugal from the beginning to make way for the better understanding the following Relation of the Actions of the Son of King John Alphonso the sixth being the 22d King of that Nation and as they were remarkable and notorious I have given you a full and ample Relation thereof which you may find in the following Narrative A RELATION OF THE Troubles that happened in the Court OF PORTUGAL In the Years 1667 and 1668. AFTER the Re-establishment of Don John the Eighth Duke of Bragansa in the Throne of his Ancestors which the Castilians had taken from them the Portugals being glad that they had shaken off the yoak of their Dominion began to find the sweetness which they used to have when they lived under the Power of their own natural Princes This new King had then by his Wife Donna Lonysa Frances de Gusman but three Children the Prince Theodosius and the Infantas Joan and Catherine Three years after he increased his
perhaps Object to me That I ought to stay that I may have the Pleasure of having ended all these Affairs of which I speak But I answer to that That I shall relish them more sweetly in my Retreat And if they should pretend that I may be necessary to the State and that whatsoever Inquietude and whatsoever Pain it should cost me I ought not to Abandon it I further answer If all the People were resolved to Die to benefit the State I would willingly Die with them but that I should only bear the whole Burthen of all Affairs for the Ease of others is the thing that I would not do Would they could find another Remedy or that God would provide one and as I have all my Confidence in him I am sure he will be fauourable to my Intentions It seems to me that they will have hence-forward sufficient Abatements For want of Time and through abundance of Affairs I have not Time to declare my self so fully by word of Mouth Therefore I have wrote these lines to the end they may be the more leisurely Examined that I may receive good Counsel in order to my Retreat If I should Retire secretly they would believe that I flie away if I should do it openly they would imagine perhaps that I endeavour to be hindered and there will be enough found who will think they are obliged to hinder me Once again I demand of you sincere Counsel of all these things and I pray Heaven he will inlighten the Mind of those who are to give it to me In the mean time while they were considering of these things all things were disposed for the Embarquement of the new Queen and on the 23d of April 1662. those Vessels in which she was to go into England set Sail under the Conduct of Francisco de Melle de Torres since made Marquess of Sande Assoon as she was gone the Queen Regent resolved to separate the Infante from the King it not being reasonable he should be without Education especially in a Time in which the King appeared incapable of Governing the Realm And as it was the Custome to give to the Princes and to the Infantes a House fit for their Quality she had a mind the Infante Don Pedro should have one of his own When the Queen had begun to prescribe what Officers she would have chosen for him the Order they should keep and that she had sought out for him a Governor they perswaded the King she had grand Designs against him and that the Governor she would give to his Brother was a sign she intended to make him King since they used to be given only to Kings They endeavoured farther to insinuate into him he had the Right of choosing those who were to serve the Infante and not the Queen Notwithstanding this they prepared for him the House of Christopher de Moura Morquess of Castlerodrigo situate in a place called Cortreul and nominated for Gentlemen of his Chamber Martin Alfonse de Mello Count of St. Laurence Don John de Acosta Count de Soure Ruy de Moura Telles Don Rodrigo de Menesses George de Mello John Nunes de Achuna Count of St. Vincent for his Almoner Rodrigo D' Acunha de Saldanha Chaunter of the Cathedral Church in Lisbon and â—or Secretary Antony de Tavares This Change gave a Jealousie to the King as if his Mother and his Brother had a Design to have taken away his Crown For they made him believe that never any Infante of Portugal had had so great a House nor had ever been serv'd by Officers so considerable The distrust of the King was increased the more by the number of those who continually rendered their respects to the Infante he found to himself very few and his Palace almost a Desert But the Infante for all that was not wanting in his Duty but on the contrary waited on the King with more diligence than before in all publick places and into the Country when he went thither to Divert himself As he did not imitate his Debauches his Modesty passed for a Crime in the minds of those who feared that all his good qualities were but reproaches against the King They endeavoured to perswade him that the Infante covered much Pride under that seeming Modesty and all he did was but to make believe he was more worthy of the Crown than he The King becoming every day more disordered the Queen resolved to execute the Design which she had to quit the Government ordering for that end Pedro Vieira de Silva Secretary of State to finish all those Dispaches necessary for it But that Minister full of Zeal did remonstrate to her that this Affair did very well merit a serious Reflection and that he ought to propose it to the Councel of State which being done they answered That it was true the Age of the King gave him a Right to the Government of the State but the Malady which he had received when young had rendered him uncapable That he did no ways bridle himself at these Years but shewed only the evil qualities of his Mind and those Maxims so contrary to those which are necessary for Princes who will Rule well That to leave to him the Rule of the Kingdom would be to Abandon all to the imprudence of his Favorites for he would infallibly discharge it by them That if she should execute her resolution and leave her Son in the midst of the Tempest she would render unprofitable all the Precautions of the late King and would not answer that which all the World expected from her Prudence and her Zeal When the King himself should be of more Age and have more Experience and more noble Inclinations than he hath at last when he shall be capable of reigning he would still have need of her Councel and more especialiy then when he wants all these things she should not quit the Government if she would not have that Curse fall upon the Realm which the Scripture mentions of a young King These Reasons were far from shaking the Queens Resolutions and did the rather confirm them for they did not a little contribute to the fear she had to see her Credit diminished so she thought this Retreat which would save her from a Discontent from giving offence to the King and a scandal to the State could not be blamed by Persons of good sense Upon this the Ministers conjure her That since she would not change her Resolution yet at least to defer the Execution of it until they had taken away from about the King those who corrupted his Mind and fomented his Debauches because so long as he should hearken to the Discourses of those People his Irregularities would never cease That she should consider if they troubled the Government of a Queen the Mother and Tutress of the King and Regent of the Realm she had much reason to believe they would oppose the Conduct of those Ministers who should be obliged to obey
in 〈…〉 that which they feigned to discover 〈…〉 They named 〈…〉 it and for Judges John 〈…〉 Grand Chancellor of the 〈…〉 George de Silva 〈…〉 Montiero Rodrigâ—◠〈…〉 Councellors of Parliament 〈…〉 de Basto Judg of the Crown and 〈…〉 to the Count that they were Hatching something against him and as it is the custome of Favourites to interest their Masters in their Conservation he made the King believe they went about to take from him his Crown And at the same time there went a Report that he had discovered this Conspiracy by a Divine Revelation He accused the Queen who was in her Retirement the Duke de Cadaval who was at Tentugal the Count de Atouguia who was disgraced Sebastine Cesar de Meneses who was absent and Antony de Conti who was Banished It was then resolved that they should take the Informations of this pretended Conspiracy and a Commission was given to John Gabriel de Barros and to the Register Francisco de Fonseca Sinel Councellor of the Chamber Criminal it was Lewis Correa de Torres who gave in the first Deposition being Interrogated by the King who had his naked Sword in his Hand After this they extended it to very many other Persons of great Quality The Register was charged with a private Consultation to give to the Secretary Belchior de Andrade with a Superscription to the Queen with an Order from the King to carry it to her and to let him know her Answer the Secretary obeyed but the Queen would not see the Consultation and she bid them who brought it to carry it back to those who sent him without taking any other notice of it They then ordered Don Theodosius Mello Brother to the Duke of Cadaval that he should retire fifty Leagues from the Court and that Sebastian Cesar de Meneses should go into the Covent of Battaile until he should be ready to go to the Algarves and an Order sent to Antony de Conti to go to Porto After this they went to kiss the Kings Hand for his happy Deliverance and Success This Inquest lasted a long time either because they would be thought to do nothing in Passion or else to augment the Terror of the Accused in Exaggerating that which they feigned to discover every day They named Gabriel de Barros to Report it and for Judges John Velho Barreto Grand Chancellor of the Realm George de Silva Mascarenhas Pedro Fernandes Montiero Rodrigue Rodriguez de Lemos Councellors of Parliament Lewis Gomes de Basto Judg of the Crown and Finances Duarte Vas d'Ossorio one of the Four grand Provests of the Court Domingo Autunes John Lamprea de Vargus Councellors of Parliament George Privado de Faria Procurator of the Crown was also with them All these Judges met divers times in the Criminal Chamber Although the Informations did not Charge the Accused some would nevertheless perswade that they were not Innocent but the Integrity of the Judges was not to be shaken and almost all of them concluded in the favour of the Innocent The Accused often demanded to see what they were accused of but they would never deliver them any Copy of their Charges And that Information which ought to have been Cancell'd because it contained nothing of Proof against the Accused was Conserved by the credit of the Favourites as an armed Hand ready to discharge its Blow on some other Occasion on the Heads of the Accused After this success which let all the World see that the Credit of the Court was not to be Limited he was not afraid to leave the Apartment he had in the Palace and to take one more Splendid and answerable to the glory of his Fortune his Anti-chamber being thronged with Courtiers whilst the King 's was naked and empty By these ways and by others yet less Legitimate the Count de Castlemelhor had acquired so much power in the Realm that he lived no longer as a Subject so that the King who had formerly complained during the Regency of the Queen He was but a Statue of which she was the Organ might with much more Reason say the same thing of the Count. About this time Simon de Vasconcellos and Sousa the Favourites Brother carried himself so well about the Infante that when the Prince fell Sick in the Autumn following he performed about his Person the Functions of all the Gentlemen of his Chamber which made them seeing him respected before them to Retire under divers pretexts but the Count de Castlemelhor made the King recal them all except the Count de Ericeira although he was the most worthy to have been recalled because of his high Virtues and the greatness of his Wit After this Re-establishment Simon de Vasconcellos was also made Gentleman of the Chamber to the Infante and had also besides that a Brief for Superintendant of the House of the same Infante Sometime after Pedro Cesar de Meneses George de Mello Ruy de Figueredo de Alarcon and Antony de Miranda Anriquez retired themselves As for Don Diego de Meneses he took leave publickly which was thought so strange of by the Favourite that he menaced him with a Chastisement although he had for his excuse the Count de Ericeira who a little before had taken leave after the same manner And the Chastisement had soon followed the Menace had not an Affair happened which suspended the Resolution he had taken thereupon Ruy Fernandes de Almada was retired to execute his Charge of President of the Court in the City leaving in his place his Son Christopher de Almada Antony Cavide Secretary having also left the Service of the Infante John de Roxas de Azevedo who was at that time Councellor of the Inquests exercised his Charge Things being at this pass the Marquess de Sande arrived from France the 17th of March 1665. where he had been having passed out of England thither with the Articles of the Marriage of the King with the most Serene Princess de Nemours and an Order to Treat of a Marriage between the Infante and Mademoisselle de Bouillen Daughter to the Duke of Bouillen As this last was but as it were in Agitation upon a Letter which that Prince had wrote to the Marquess of Sande by the Importunity of the Favourites he declared he did not desire that Negotiation should be continued which did extremely surprise them To make him consent to the Marriage they told him that this Rupture would trouble the Repose of the Publick and that the Treaty which had been begun by virtue of his procuration could not be left off without breaking off the Kings also which would be a great prejudice to the State But the Prince in his own behalf told them That the Essence of Marriage consisted in the Consent of the Parties and that he had never given his to that And moreover he had not given his positive Word as they had made People believe but if it had been so before the Treaty should be concluded he
breath nothing but Blood and Slaughter These Braves the King named the one Fixos the other Porradas words invented in favour of this new Militia With these People he ran thorow the Streets and entered those scandalous Places where they did a thousand Violences to Women There was never a Night that they went out thus but on the Morning were recounted a hundred Tragick Stories In fine he was feared every where as a Wild Beast Although he saw these Prostitute Women at their Houses yet they did not forbear to bring them into the Palace to him He vaunted himself to have to do with them in such Excess that as it was above all likelihood so no Body believed any thing of it One Day being put in mind that he was to meet with a certain fair Gossip in the Church of our Lady de Rocher about one a Clock he went into his Litter with John de Conti and Francis de Sequeira the Groom of his Wardrobe to see for her there but missing of her she being gone to the Church of our Saviour he Commanded them to carry him thither passing through the narrow Street of St. Peter de Alfama they met the Coach of Martin Correa de Sa Vicout de Asseca The King being in great hast the Conductors of his Litter cried out to the Vicounts People to get out of the way with such Injurious words that they not being able to take it drew the others doing the like and the Combat grew so hot that the Vicount was forced to leave his Coach to help his People also Francis de Sequeira did the like from that of the Kings to help the others The King might with one word have made all this Disorder have ceased but however he would not but on the contrary being himself come forth of his Litter with John Conti he set a Pistol to the Throat of the Vicount who was already Wounded and had certainly kill'd him if the Pistol had taken fire So soon as the Vicount knew the King he kiss'd his Sword and falling upon his knees demanded Pardon but neither this Submission nor the Innocency of this Gentleman could hinder the King from giving him many outragious Speeches All the People were surprised to see the King was come abroad with so small a Company and that he would have kill'd one of his Subjects without any Cause and a Gentleman brought up with him in the Palace at Noon-day and in a publick place so that they perceived he took Pleasure to intermingle with these Quarrels and to Foment them which made every Body to fear the Danger to be general and every one to begin to be afraid for himself As the King increased in Age the more he was corrupted and the disorder came to that pass that by his example the more vertuous began to grow loose they began to quit virtue to embrace vice by example and emulation The Queen was obliged to have recourse to the Protection of Heaven having no other Remedy she was capable of for these misfortunes with which the Realm was threatned However she would try one human way more perswading her self if she could bring the King to the publick Audiences which she gave twice a week to the Subjects to the Councel and to Business he might be brought to be capable of governing the Realm but all was in vain for he was not able to apply himself to it for his pleasures They had perswaded him that he was not truly a King who parted with the Government to another and so long as the Queen hindred his Liberalities to those he loved the people believed that it was she who reigned and not he that he was now of age enough to govern the State himself for King Dennis had done it at the age of sixteen years and the Kings Alphonso at fifteen and Sebastian at fourteen and that it was insupportable they should refuse the King a thing that he had power to take himself By such discourses they filled the mind of the King with troublesom suspitions against the Queen The King was no sooner out of the Apartment they had given him but he let them know by what he did the kindness he had for Conti for he was not contented to have given him a Command a House in the Country and a right of Peerage but he also made him Gentleman of his House Knight of Christ and Groom of the Wardrobe Honours that were never granted but to persons that were illustrious by Birth and Merit He added at the same time to all these Favours an Apartment in the Palace that he might have communication with himself and the Arch-deaconry de Sobredello for John de Conti his Brother After this the Courtiers ran in heaps to render homage to Conti as a new Favourite and every one began to seek his Protection and to commend their most important Affairs to him The Queen her self was obliged to have recourse to his Credit in some Businesses which she was not able to effect of her self which was the only way to maintain him in that height to which Fortune had exalted him for this way he was able to manage the mind of that person who gave him most jealousy As the King was every day sensible of those infirmities which his sicknesses had caused the Physicians were of opinion that he should go again to the Baths of Obidus But he instead of bathing himself there did nothing but divert himself causing so much trouble and damage to all the Country about and committing himself such cruel actions that the people were fain to shut themselves up in their houses or else to fly and leave them that they might shun meeting him so much horror had they for him In the mean time the Queen falling sick and the Favorites and the King by some discourses having caused a suspition that he would take the Government they were afraid that this sickness would serve for a pretext to that design but instead of that he applyed himself to combat a Lion against a Bull but the Lion being so obstinate as not to be forced out of his Cage he made them bring so much wood and fire that they choak'd him with the smoak In the beginning of the Year 1661 the Count of Odemira his Governour dyed who was very much bewailed by all the people for the King after his death abandoned himself to all manner of evil Inclinations more than before although he was not Master of the Kings Spirit yet his Merit and his Address made those to stand in aw of him who had the most power over him They had about this time begun to treat of the Marriage of the most serene Infanta Catherine with his Majesty Charles the Second King of England not long before established in the Throne of his Ancestors Francisco de Mello de Torres Embassadour Extraordinary in England was charged with this Negotiation which the Spaniards endeavoured to hinder what they could
The Queen desired ardently to see this Marriage accomplished the Infante declared Prince and the Government of the State in the hands of the King to the end that she might loose her self from all Affairs of the World and to retire her self to a Covent that she might there be at leisure to give her self up to Prayer and Contemplation For this end she wrote with her own hand in her Natural Language the Reasons which made her take this Resolution This she shewed to one of her Ministers to know his Opinion of her Design And for that this Writing refutes the Calumnies which the Enemies of that Princess made use of to sullie her Reputation in publishing she would have taken away the Crown from the King to have given it to the Infante I have judged it necessary to Report it here By reason of the Uncertainty of Life every one being Obliged to endeavour his Health I have wished I might be able to find out a way to overcome the great Difficulties which have hindred me from Acquitting my self of that Duty and have filled my Mind with trouble There is nothing more troublesome nor hard than this Life of mine in which I may say there is something Extraordinary since contrary to the Order and Nature of Monarchy we are two that Reign But to say better I do not Reign but in Appearance whilst the King Reigns in Effect for I am Obliged to consent to all his Desires because he is more than an Infant and the Kingdom is his Besides this I am perswaded he would loose the Respects which he owes to me if â— should contradict his Desires So though I would have Justice rendred to every one it is not done because the King doth oppose it or they who Govern him After this what can I do to defend my self from such an Unhappiness but to withdraw my self from his presence and demand that after having made a serious Reflection on my Design they would give me such Councel as is most proper in the Condition I am in My Inclination carrys me to enter into a Religious House not out of Design because I can bear it no longer to free my self from a Slavery so long and troublesome as my Regency hath been I would have nothing to do and while I should be there I would not desire many Attendants only some few necessary and I would the Abbess should take care of my Revenue and she her self should Sign all things for me though I have no design to dismiss my Officers nor my Domesticks The Reason that makes me desire that the Abbess should have the Administration of my Revenue without my Officers intermedling proceeds from the great desire that I have to live in great Retiredness If I would not at first become a Religious it is because I fear to be engaged to follow the Rules of a Superiour in all Obedience though they are more sweet than those I have prescribed to my self And if it happen that the King would write to me or desire to see me though it would Combat the Resolution of my Retreat what should I then do that I might not offend on this occasion against Decency I well know the Inclination that I have for a Covent of the Order of St. Teresa but Donna Maria is an Obstacle to my entering into that of Carnide It is not that I could not live in the House where she is without any Repugnancy but as the manner of Life I would choose will not suffer me to have Communication with any Body if I should be in the House where she is I could not civily dispence with my self from answering the Respects which she would pay me If by chance I should be Melancholy as it may very well happen she might be perswaded she was the cause of it at least I should do to my self some Violence to dissemble it which would render me unhappy So that it is easie to judg by this I should not live in this House with all the Freedom I would As to that of the Carmelites of St. Albert I there find this difficulty the fewness of the Lodgings which they have for it seems to me to make a good choice of a Retreat in which one intends to end their days or wholly to shut themselves up within the Walls of the Palace according to the Custome of the Country one should make Election of a spacious and pleasant Place and one that had a Prospect towards the Sea would please me extreamly If instead of St. Teresa I should have recourse to St. Dominie whom I revere as an unfortunate Relation I find the Covent of Good Success of that Order which is most Commodious both because of its fair Situation and large Extent Nevertheless it hath an Inconvenience for as it stands at the Mouth of a River it will be the first Covent that will be exposed to the Violences of War All things well considered I think that I had better be at Lisborn than in any other place because it is a City in which there is no want of any Commodity without speaking of the great number of the Religious Virtuous and Learned Men which are there to be found for the ease of ones Conscience In the Lands of my Apanage there is no Place proper for my Design And as for my Building a Covent I have not patience enough for such an Enterprise besides as I hope that my Retreat will be happy and finding my strength decaying I would very suddenly execute my Resolution Having therefore no further care than about the manner of executing my Design I ask not Counsel about it because I am assured that it will not be Approved and that very many will desire me not to Abandon the State and the King though the most part of them will wish the contrary in their Souls Being certain that they are capable of such Disguisements I may fear every day lest they should order me to withdraw and in this fear I think it would be much better for me to do it by my own Motion There is nothing but the Infancy of my Children could have kept me in the World which now will be well enough my Daughter being Married it remains that I see the Infante declared Prince which is a thing I have long desired it being necessary to Assemble the States for that Cause But I must yet wait nevertheless maugre my Impatience till the departure of the Queen of England then I shall give Order about it As for the Peace with Spain I have no hope I shall be able to conclude it before my Retirement however I shall do all my endeavours to bring it to pass Besides after the departure of the Queen of England there will be Speech of nothing but War the report of which will not penetrate my Retirement but if I should defer any long time to quit the World they would have Reason to reproach me for leaving the State embroiled They may