into the Cittie riding vppon a white Courser by Saint Anthonies gate of the same cittie which hee sound vnprouided of all manner of victuals wherewith he caused them presently to bee furnished so as without the aboue-named defeate necessity would haue enforced them to haue yeelded By this peace which happened so opportunely the miseries of Cattalonia were ended which had troubled the whole State of Arragon for the space of tenne yeares He which shewed most prowesse and performed the notablest exploites in this warre was Don Alphonso of Arragon Duke of Villa hermosa a Prince worthie of great prayse and high commendation who dyed afterwards in the seruice of his brother King Fernand raigning in Castile D. Alphonso of Arragon his posteritie at a place called Linares leauing his sonne Don Alphonso of Arragon heire to his Dutchie of Villa hermosa who was Knight of the Order of Saint Iames and a Daughter called Donna Maria of Arragon who was maaried to the Prince of Salerne Hee had out of wedlocke Don Iohn of Arragon Earle of Luna Captaine of the Castle of Amposta Don Alphonso of Arragon who was Bishop of Tortosa and afterward Arch-bishoppe of Tarragone Don Fernand of Arragon Prior of Saint Iohns of Cattalonia together with Donna Leonora of Arragon wife to the Earle of Albayda This peace was no sooner concluded but the King had newes of a new rumult raised in Nauarre Nauarre whereinto the Princesse his daughter voluntarily had runne herselfe with great danger and many of her seruants lost their liues It happened after this manner Iohn d' Athondo the Kings Auditour of his accounts and Cittizen of Pampelona with Michaell Ollacarizqueta and others of the same cittie seruants to the King and the Princesse and of the Faction of Grammont did vndertake in hatred and disgrace of the contrarie partie of Beaumont who possessed the Cittie of Pampelona to bring the Princesse Donna Leonora into the same Practises of D. Leonora Couatesse of Foix. with troupes of souldiers and to make her peaceable and absolute Ladie thereof they hauing then communicated together about their plot it was thought fit that the Princesse should come in a morning before day to the Iewes gate otherwise called the Tower of the royall gate and the Marshall Don Pedro of Nauarre should make himselfe Master of the two next towers The appoynted time beeing come the Princesse with her attendants found the gate opened by those of Grammont Rashnesse of D. Leonora through the which beeing brought in the Marshall possessed the two Towers with three-score and tenne Gentlemen and on a suddaine they beganne to crie God saue the Princesse God sane the Princesse at this rumour those of Beaumont albeit they were amazed at so vnlooked-for an accident happening in the night ranne to armes and behaued themselues in such sort as they not onely hindred their enemies from further entring into the cittie but enforced the Princesse and her people to get them thence in great hast for the most part of the souldiers which should haue followed her were not yet arriued Hauing recouered the gate they beseeged the Marshall Don Pedro and his souldiers which were in the two towers who at the first would not yeeld but in the end when they sawe the Cannon was readie to play vppon them they were content to parley The Princesse fearing least some euill might happen to the Marshall and those that were beseeged with him sent word to the Cittizens that what was done was by her speciall commaundement and therefore intreated them to do them no hurt At the last they yeelded vppon promise made that they should all depart with their Armes without any harme either in word or deed which notwithstanding they were all taken and shut vp in the Kings prisons of the cittie The Marshall with his followers slayne where soone after they were cruelly and perfidiously stabd to death with daggers and it is reported that the Marshall was slaine by the hands of Philip of Beaumont brother to the Earle of Lerin This act did very much displease the Princesse who commaunded that the same gate should euer after be called the gate of treason or the traytors gate and in some sort to reuenge that wrong they proceeded against the Earle of Lerin and against Don Iohn of Beaumont Prior of Saint Iohns and Chancellor of the Kingdome and against Don Philip and their breethren and Don Iohn Earle of Luza Charles of Artieda and his children Arnold d' Otza the Prouosts and Iurates of Pampelona with others their allyes and complices who by the iudgement and authoritie of the King and his Councell were condemned to death depriuation of honours defamation of their houses and confiscation of their goods as guiltie of high treason The Records of those times taxe the Earle of Lerin saying that hee to the end hee might the better enioy the cittie had driuen thence the Kings and Princesses seruants and had established therein Officers and souldiers such as were at his deuotion contrary to their authoritie whose iurisdiction hee did vsurpe vexing and tyrannizing the Kingdome That by the fauour and ayde of the Earle the Guipuscoans had ouerthrowne the forts of Larraun Lecunberry Leyça and Gorriti and that hee beeing sundrie times sent for by the Princesse to come to the Parliament and Assembly of the Estates of the Kingdome would neuer obey her commaundement That the Earle of Foix hauing sent his children Iohn and Peter of Foix both in his owne name and the Princesse to perswade him to returne to his due obedience hee did reiect their admonishments and derided Pope Pauls commandement in that behalfe the which things full of contumacie and contempt had induced the Princesse to make that attempt Others thinke that her owne extreame ambition and desire to beare rule did more mooue her than any of the Earles misdemeanours which were not lightly to bee esteemed On the other side the Earle of Lerin and his Faction did arraigne and condemne others of their aduerse partie and as for the Marshals death hee excused himselfe saying that he came to seeke him and had done his best to surprise the Cittie and to cut the throates of those of Beaumont who were in the same yet for all that this could not excuse his breach of promise The King afterward recompenced Iohn d' Athondo with a perpetuall rent to him and his heires of sixe-score golden Florens by the yere of the coyne of Arragon and besides that did permit him to beare in a quarter of his coate the royall of Armes of Nauarre To Michael Ollacarizqueta was likewise giuen other rewards This sedition happened in Pampelona about the end of the yeare one thousand foure hundred seuenty one Concerning the affaires of Castile Castile about the time that Toledo and other Citties of the Kingdome did reuolt the which wee lately mentioned Donna Maria of Portocarrero wife to Don Iohn de Pacheco Marquis of Villena and Master of Saint
head and face at the sword This â—â—empt full of difficulty Spaniards defeated at Pâ—â—ente de Burgos beeing seconded by the Generall their brauest men which defended that plaace being ouerthrown their whole armie fell presently to rour and the English had 〈◊〉 chase three miles foure sundrie waies The Generals Standard with the Kings armes was taken what number of the enemy was slaine was not certain but only by coniecture how many two thousand men for of so many consisted the foreward in such a poursute might kill And to increase the number hauing giuen ouer the execution and returning to their stands they found many hidden in the vineyards and hedges whom they slue And Colonell Medkerke beeing sent with his Regiment three miles farther to a cloyster which he burnt and spoyled he found two hundred men there which he put to the sword The English lost onely one Captaine Cooper and a priuate souldier The execution beeing past the Generall sent three parts of the armie three seurall waies to spoyle and burnt so as the countrie round about was on fire They found good store of victuals and munition in the campe with some plate rich apparell and other booties which they had left behind them Thus the English armie returned to the Groine bringing small comfort to the Spaniards that were within it and the next day the shipt their Ordinance and then they set fire vppon euery house in the base towne and on the Cloister so as they left not any one standing And on the eight of May the English imbarked their armie without losse of one man which had they not beaten the Spaniards at Puente de Burgos they could not possibly haue done they hauing as it seemed an intent to charge the English when they should imbarke the Commissarie confessing that the first night of their landing the Marquis of Seralba did write vnto the Earle of Altemira the Earle of Andrada and to Terneis de Sentisso to bring all the forces they could rayse wherewith they might either beseege the English in the base towne if they tooke it or lye betwixt them and their imbarking place and so fight with them vppon an aduantage they hauing aboue 25000. souldiers vnder their commands The English armie leauing the Groine English leaue the Groine on the thirteenth of May there came vnto the Fleete the Earle of Essex his brother Master VValter Deuereux Sir Roger Williams Colonell generall of the foote Sir Philip Butler and Sir Edward Wingfield The Earle hauing put himselfe into that action contrarie to the opinion of the world and with the hazard of his fortune yet much to his honour After which the armie went and landed at Penecha in Portugall within shot of the castle The enemie beeing fiue companies of Spaniards vnder the commaund of the Earle of Fuentes sallyed out of the towne and came to the water side as the English landed But the Earle of Essex with his brother and Sir Roger Williams hauing landed men enough to make two troupes they left one to go by the waters side leading the other ouer the sand-hilles which the enemie discouering they retired further into the land that they might haue the better meanes to passe away yet they did it in such sort as beeing charged they came to the push of the pike where they slue an English Captaine These Spaniards beeing fledde the English entred the towne which was neither fortified nor defended by any man The Generall summoned the Castle that night which was held by a Portuguese called Antonio d' Aurid who promised to yeeld it so as he might bee assured that Don Antonio was landed and so he did Thither came some Friars and poore men to their new king promising within two dayes good supplies of horse and foote Hauing stayd at Penecha one day the Generals resolued that the armie should march by land to Lisbone vnder the conduct of Generall Norris and that Generall Drake should meete him in the riuer with the Fleete that there should bee a companie left to guard the Castle and fiue in the shippes After which conclusion hee marched with fourteene Regiments towards Lisbone commandement beeing giuen from the Generall that no man should spoyle the countrie nor take any thing from a Portuguese the which was very streightly obserued so as the souldiers grew to some want of victualles in their march but vppon complaint made vnto the King it was better supplyed In sixe dayes march the armie came to Lisbone without any incounter of the enemie who was betwixt them and the cittie but they dislodged as they approched Beeing come to the suburbes of Lisbone English armie comes to Lisbone Sir Roger Williams and Captaine Anthony Wingfield with some thirtie shotte scowred the streetes neere vnto the Towne where they found not any but old folkes and beggers crying Viua el Rey Don Antonio and their houses shut vp the inhabitants hauing carried much of their wealth into the town and fired some houses by the water side full of Corne and other prouision for that the English should not make vse of it The whole armie beeing quartred in the suburbes the souldiers beeing tyred with their sixe dayes march and desirous of rest that night the enemie beeing aduertised thereof sallyed foorth about one of the clocke and came vppon the English by three seuerall streetes but especially vppon Collonell Brets quarter who beeing as most of the Companies at his rest made all the hast hee could to draw his men into armes in which charge hee was slaine with some other Captaines of his Regiment but there was such resistance made in all quarters as they were suddenly put to a foule retreate and chased euen to the Cittie gates where they loft many of their best Commaunders In this salley the Spaniards lost treble the number of the English and some of good qualitie During their march Generall Drake came with the Fleete to Cascais where hee entred without any resistance the Inhabitants beeing fledde with their goods to the mountaines Cascais entred by the English but the Generall sent a Portuguese vnto them to offer them all fauour if they would acknowledge their king and supply the wants of his armie which offer they willingly embraced sending two chiefe men to signifie their loyaltie to Don Antonio and their loue to the English Whereuppon the Generall landed his Companies but the castle was held still by 65. Spaniards The day after the Spaniards salley Generall Norris called a Councell to aduise whether it were fit to attend there for the horse and foote which the King of Portugall had promised and to send some conuenient troupes to Cascais to fetch their Ordinance and munition which was with their shippes The opinions of the Commaunders were diuers some fedde with a vaine hope of Don Antonio thought it best to stay there and to send some three thousand men for the Ordinance Others despayring of all succours from Portugall perswaded to march away and
not to stay vppon any vaine hopes The Generall beeing loth to haue an imputation layed vppon him for his too great hast or to loose any more time vppon don Antonio's promises tould them that although the expedition of Portugall was not the onely desseigne of their iourney but an aduenture the good successe whereof might get them great wealth and much honour wherin they had done so much as whatsoeuer happened it could not blemish their credits and reputations Yet in regard of the Kings last promise that hee should haue that night three thousand men armed of his Countrie hee would not dislodge that night And if they came that he might send the like number for his munition and resolue to trie his fortune for the Towne If they came not he thought it not fit to diuide his forces by sending any to Cascais knowing how boldly they had sallyed foorth the day before and that there were more souldiers armed within the towne then was in their campe And that before their men could returne from Cascais they expected more supplies for the duke of Bragança and Don Francisco of Toledo were attended with great succours whereuppon he concluded to march away the next morning if the promised supplies came not that night yet all the Portugueses which came vnto their king would not make a cornet of horse and two hundred foote The Generall attended the effect of the Kings promise vnto the last houre and hee sought to perswade him to stay eight daies longer in which time he might haue ingaged himselfe and receiued an affront attempting a towne that was well fortified and great troupes of men in it So as the next day seeing no Portugueses appeare to ioyne with them English armie retires from Lisbone as was promised the English Generall gaue order to march away the Earle of Essex and Sir Roger Williams making a stand vntill that the whole armie was drawne into field and so they marched out of the suburbes Captaine Anthony Wingfield and Richard Wingfield beeing in the reere of them with some shot after which the Battalions marched in order that night to Cascais In their march that day the Galleys of Lisbone did somewhat annoy them their way lying along the riuer and followed them vntill they were past Saint Iulians spending many shot but doing little or no harme The horse-men followed them afarre off and cut off many sicke men which were not able to hold march hauing no carriages for them Hauing beene two dayes at Cascais they were aduertised by a Friar that the Spaniards came marching strongly towards them and were at Saint Iulians wherewith the Earle of Essex and the Generals were much pleased desiring nothing more then to fight with them Challenge sent by the English General to the Spanish Whereuppon the English General sent away a messenger with a trumpet that night who carried a challenge to the Spanish Generall wherein he gaue them the lye for that they reported that the English had retired disorderly and with feare from Lisbone challenging him to meete him the next morning with his whole armie if he durst attend his comming and there to trie the iustnesse of their quatrell by battell by whom also the Earle of Essex preferring the honour of his countrie before all other respects sent a challenge to any one of his qualitie that would meete in the head of their Battailes single or with more companie to trie their fortunes offering assurance for their returne and honorable vsage The English Generall put his armie in a readinesse by three of the clocke in the morning and marched to the place where they incamped but they had dislodged in the night in great disorder and feare as the Generall was the next day informed so as the troupes followed them to Lisbone but could not get any answer to his letters they threatening to hang him for that he presumed to bring such a message but fearing the like measure to their prisoners they sent him away without answer The armie beeing come to Cascais the Castle was summoned where the Captaine promised to yeeld it vppon sight of the Cannon and not otherwise Whereuppon the Generall caused three or foure peeces of batterie to bee brought where after the first volley Castle of Cascais yeelded to the English they compounded to depart with their Armes did baggage he had in the Castle one Cannon two Culuerins one Basiliske and three or foure field-peeces three-score and fiue souldiers with good store of victuals and munition which hee might haue kept longer then the English had any intent to stay the armie beeing imbarked and readie to set sayle the fort was blowne vp Whilest they lay there in the roade the Fleete in sixe dayes fetched in to the number of three-score Hulkes laden with Spanish commodities as it seemed for the Kings prouision and were going for Lisbone their chiefe lading was corne Masts Cables Copper and Waxe among which some were of great burthen very well built for sayling hauing no great lading in them and therefore it was thought they were brought to supply the Kings decayed Nauie Into the which the English that were in flie-boates were shipped and the flie-boates sent home with an offer of Corne for their hire And then they sent shippes to fetch their men which they had left at Penecha where as the enemy entred presently There were nine Galleys sent from Andalusia to strengthen the riuer of Lisbone who in their returne set vppon some shippes that were becalmed and farre from the Fleete but they did no great harme The Fleet by reason of the wind went to the Islands of Bayonne Vigo taken by the English where they landed two thousand men beeing all that were able to fight and marched to the Towne of Vigo which beeing entred by Captaine Anthony Wingfield hee found the streetes full of Barricadoes but not any one to defend them for hee found but one man in the towne they beeing fledde away to Bayonne the Generall with some others beeing entred into Vigo they sent some Captaines out to spoyle and burne the Countrie which they did seuen or eight miles in length In the towne they found not any thing but wine all their goods beeing carried away and in the morning the Colonell generall hauing drawne the Companies out of the towne he caused euery house to be set on fire and then they imbarked againe and returned home into England The Duke of Sauoy had an intent to beseege Geneua which he pretended to bee his in which attempt he craued ayde from the King of Spaine his father-in-law King of Spaine sends forces to the Duke of Sauoy to beseege Geneua who sent vnto him out of the Dutchie of Milan Pyrrho Malaezzi with fiue thousand foot who went vnto him with all speed from Naples hee had Alexander Sforza with a good number of horse and Paul Sforza with foote and from the countrey of Cremona William of Lodron with fiue thousand Germaines
THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF SPAINE Containing all the memorable things that haue past in the Realmes of Castille Leon Nauarre Arragon Portugall Granado c. and by what meanes they were vnited and so continue vnder Philip the third King of Spaine now raigning Written in French by LEVVIS DE MAYERNE TVRQVET vnto the yeare 1583 Translated into English and continued vnto these times by EDVVARD GRIMESTON Esquire LONDON Printed by A. Islip and G. Eld Anno Dom. 1612. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND MOST WORTHY OF ALL HONORS AND ALL TITLES ROBERT Earle of Salisburie Lord High Treasurer of England c. THOMAS Earle of Suffolke Lord Chamberlaine to his Maiestie MY most Honoured Lords I might iustly feare that my continuall desire to acknowledge my dutie vnto your LL. by some acceptable kind of seruice would be held importunitie if your Noble dispositions and mine owne experience in particular of your Honours gratefull acceptance of the meanest seruice that is well meant had not freed me from that feare and enabled my weake faculties to adde this vnto the rest of my oblations which I consecrate vnto your LL. vpon the Altar of my deuotion I must confesse that your fauorable reception of my French and Netherland Histories hath added courage to my will to passe the Pyrenee Mountaines and to take a suruey of this Historie of Spaine the which I held in my weake judgement for many respects as worthie the knowledge of our Nation as any other It is a generall Historie of all the Continent of Spaine wherein the seuerall Histories of those seuerall Kingdomes as they were in former times distinctly diuided and gouerned by diuers Princes are vnited being collected out of all the best authors that haue written of that subiect These considerations I say were the inspiring meanes to moue me to vndertake the traduction of this Historie of Spaine and haue giuen me resolution and constancie to finish it and to send it forth to the view of the world The worke I hope will giue good content it being a faithful relation of so many variable and strange accidents as haue happened in those Countries during the manie alterations and changes of that State and the long and cruell wars betwixt the Moores Spaniards If I in my plaine maner of translation haue not giuen it that grace which a more eloquent penne might haue done I most humbly craue pardon and intreat that my desire to benefit others may giue satisfaction for my disabilitie and defects I haue presumed to shroud the fruites of my poore endeuors vnder your LL. countenance and protection desiring to leaue a testimonie to all posteritie how much I am Your LL. deuoted in all duetie and seruice EDVVARD GRIMESTON To the Reader GEntlemen in the last edition of the Historie of France I did willingly omit all matters acted by the Spaniards wherein the French were not principally interressed hauing then a resolution to make the Histories of those countries distinct and priuat And for that I would not leaue you long in suspence I promised within the yeare to publish this Historie of Spaine wherein notwithstanding my publique seruice and many other difficulties I haue forced my selfe to keepe my word and to giue you satisfaction though it be with some preiudice to my health I will not vse many complements in the behalfe of the Author his worke shall plead for himselfe This Historie was written by a Frenchman who is yet liuing a man of grauitie and iudgement It is no translation but a collection out of the best writers that haue treated of that subiect his chiefe Authors were Stephen Garebay Ierome Surites Mariana Ambrose Morales Iohn Vasee a Fleming with many other Spanish Italian Latin writers out of all which he hath compyled this worke and as it were vnited and tyed together the discourse of all these realmes with a continued style by reason of the warre accords marriages and other treaties and alliances which they haue had common among them yet hath he so distinguished them as seeing them all you may easily read any one seuerally by it selfe by the direction of notes and inscriptions set in the margent at euerie section or breach whereby you may choose what belongs to Nauarre Portugall Castille or to any other of those realmes and read the Historie apart from the beginning to the end The antiquitie of this Spanish Nation wherof he hath breefely made mention in the beginning of the first Booke he confesseth to be obscure and vncertaine and the writers thereof ignorant or negligent so as it may be his discourse agreeth not with some authors which treat of the same men of whom he maketh mention as of Hercules Cacus Gerion Denis and such like but he pleads thus much for himselfe that he could not contemne nor reiect the Spanish authors which haue so written of them the which are to be receiued as obserued and produced by them This Historie comes but to the winning of the Terceres which was in the yeare 1583 he hath finished the rest vnto these times I my selfe haue seene it in his studie at Paris but he hath not yet put it to the Presse so as I haue beene constrained in the continuance thereof to helpe my selfe out of the best that haue written of these later times wherein I haue been assisted by some worthie gentlemen in the relation of some great actions and haue continued the Historie vnto my Lord Admirals returne out of Spaine You must not hold it strange if you find a great part of Philip the seconds raigne barren of any great actions done in Spaine his chiefe designes were against foreine States imploying his brauest men abroad either against France England or the vnited Prouinces at the Indies or at Sea all which actions are either related here or in their distinct Histories I must aduertise the Reader that from the yeare 1530 I haue not directly followed my Author for I haue both inserted diuers things out of other Authors whereof he makes no mention and haue related some more at large then he hath done for your better satisfaction as I haue found them written in other approued Authors My last suit must be for my selfe and the Printer yet will I not vse any great circumstances to captiuate your fauors in mine owne behalfe my stile I confesse is plaine and harsh it were folly nay madnesse in me to seeke to conceale it being so well knowne vnto you yet let me intreat so much fauor at your hands that as I haue spent my spirits to giue you content so you will spare your spleenes and censure fauorably vntill you come to the like tryall then shall you find that either by your owne mistaking or by the errors of the Presse you shall haue iust cause to sue for the like grace which is to supply all escapes and errors with your iudicious reading And so I rest Yours E. G. A GENERALL HISTORIE OF SPAINE Collected out of diuers Authors as well
said against whom D. Fernand hauing fortified himselfe with the succours of the Biscaines and of their Lord D. Lope Diaz who was grandchild to D. Suria and sonne to D. Inigo surnamed Esguerra which signifieth deafe in the countrey language and with other friends his neighbors he presented himselfe in battaile neere to Hazignas where they fought three seuerall daies with great obstinacie on either side but in the end the Moores were vanquished Moores defeated and lost more men than they had done in the former battailes The Spanish writers make mention here of another apparition of S. Iaques fighting for the Christians against the Infidels to whom they attribute the honor of this victorie The king D. Sancho being restored Leon. he married D. Theresa and hauing punished some confederats of this rebellion he made a generall assemblie of noblemen both of his subjects and allies at Leon. D. Fernand Gonsales could not well excuse himselfe wherefore he went well accompanied and was notwithstanding verie honourably entertained by the king They report That among other exquisit things which D. Fernand brought out of Castille to make shew of in that Court he had a goodly horse and one of the best Goshawkes that could be seene whereof the king was wonderfully desirous causing some to entreat the Earle to sell them to him and that he should aske what price he pleased The Earle answered That he would willingly giue them vnto the king but he would not sell them but the king would not receiue them of gift but made such meanes by his friends to buy them as in the end there was a price set A rash baragaine made betwixt Princes in sport and entertained by force which was to be payed at a certaine time vpon condition That if the king failed at the day of payment the summe agreed vpon should be doubled to the benefit of the creditor of which accord there were letters drawne and signed The rest of the time which D. Fernand remained in the king D. Sancho his Court was spent in pleasure In the end of the Assembly there was a particular treatie of the marriage of D. Fernand a widower with D. Sancha the Infanta of Nauarre daughter to D. Sancho Abarca and sister to D. Garcia then raigning in Nauarre and Arragon This marriage was propounded by the Queene Theresa mother to the king D. Sancho Gordo and sister to D. Sancha not for any loue she bare to the Earle of Castille but to intrap him in the snares which she had prepared for him in hatred and reuenge of the death of king Sancho Abarca her father whom he had slaine in warre as we haue said before The Earle consented to this marriage and tooke his leaue of the King and Queene and of the Noblemen of the Court and went into Castille to prepare himselfe for his future marriage but he found that during his absence the Nauarrois had spoyled his countrey and done manie acts of hostilitie against his subjects whereof he complained first by embassages and messages Warre betwixt Castille and Nauarre and demaunded restitution of that which had beene taken but it was in vaine Wherefore being a prince full of courage he went presently to armes and entred into the territories of Nauarre where he encountred an armie of Nauarrois and defeated it and so righted himselfe The treatie of marriage was still continued Nauarre by the meanes of the Queene mother of Leon sister to D. Sancha Insanta of Nauarre who had plotted with the king D. Garcia Sanches her brother to entrap the Earle vnder this colour of marriage and to be reuenged of him at their pleasures There was such sending on either part as in the end the Earle was persuaded to goe into Nauarre to conclude this marriage and hauing agreed with D. Garcia king of Nauarre That their enterview should be at a place called Cireugna either of them accompanied with fiue knights onely The Earle being arriued the king came with fiue and thirtie horsemen wherefore the Earle seeing himselfe thus surprised thought to saue himselfe in an hermitage neere adjoyning D. Fernand Earle of Castille surprised in Naâ—arre and detained prisoner but the holinesse of the place could not defend him but he was besieged and forced to yeeld vpon condition they should not put him to death Being taken he was shut vp in a sort called Chasteau Vieil or the old castle and but hardly entreated A while after an Italian knight of Lumbardie going in pilgrimage to Saint Iaques of Compostella that way and hearing that the Eatle D. Fernand was detained prisoner there he was verie desirous to see him for that he had heard so much same of his vertues and valour and at length found meanes to speake with him At his departure from thence this knight went to the Infanta D. Sancha who was both faire and louelie whose heart he did so mollifie with good words as she began to loue and to desire D. Fernands libertie and companie This Ladie moued with this affection D. Fernand of Castille deliuered out of prison wrought in such sort as one night she deliuered him out of prison hauing plighted their faithes and promised marriage one vnto the other without the priuitie of the king D. Garcia Sanches and together tooke their way to Castille where they had scarce entred the limits but they met with great troupes of souldiours These were the Earles subjects who vpon the newes of his imprisonment had assembled themselues together in armes and hauing made an Image like vnto their Lord they had all taken a solemne oath before it That not any one of them should returne vnto his house vntill the Earle were deliuered â—oue of subiects to their Prince and that whosoeuer should doe otherwise should bee held for a traitor Being thus resolued they came into Nauarre when as they had this happie encountet of the Earle D. Fernand and the Countesse D. Sancha his spouse whom they receiued with all the honour and signes of joy that the place and their furniture would permit The king D. Garcia Sanches being aduertised of his sisters flight Castille and the Earles deliuerie was wonderfully incensed he leuied an armie and entred into the territories of Castille whereas the Earle came to encounter him with a great power and gaue him battaile in the which the Nauarrois were defeated and the king D. Garcia taken prisoner being ouerthrowne with the blow of a launce Nauarrois defeated and the king D. Garcia Sanches taken prisoner by the Earle himselfe who had sought for him and encountred him in the sight So he was led to Burgos and there remained thirteene moneths in safe keeping Then at the entreatie of the Countesse D. Sancha he was set at libertie and sent into his countrey honourably attended Yet for all this the quarrels betwixt Castille and Nauarre were not ended for a while after the Earle D. Fernand being gone to Leon the king
fourescore and ten An. 990. or according to the inscription of his tombe nine hundred fourescore and fiue Then D. Sancho his sonne surnamed Garcia was earle without any contradiction and except this disodience against his father he was a good Prince and loued his subiects 19 Whosoeuer was mother to D. Sancho either Abba Ogna or Sancha daughter to the knight which was slaine by D. Garcia or else allied to the Emperour Henrie there is a tragicall act reported of her in the Histories of Spaine That being widow to her husband D. Garcia Fernandes shee fell in loue with a Prince of the Moores whom shee had heard was verie sufficient in Venus sports A dishonest desire of a countesse of Castille and her impietie against her son so as shee had a secret treatie with him to marie him promising to the end they might with more ease effect their designe to make away her sonne by poyson vpon the first opportunitie But God would haue this wickednesse discouered to the earle D. Sancho the day before it should bee put in execution Wherefore being verie carefull of all things as the mother and the sonne dined together on the day appointed the earle calling for drinke they brought him a cup full of wine mingled with poyson Then dissembling what hee knew he intreated his mother to drinke first as if hee would doe her honour but shee refusing it hee still persisted Custoâ— to make the women drinke first in Spaine and in the end forced her to drinke this poyson whereof shee died The generall Chronicle sayes That thereof grew a custome in Castille to make the women drinke first the which is obserued at this day in Biscaie and other parts in Spaine by way of ciuilitie This accident was the cause which made the earle D. Sancho to build the conuent of Saint Sautour of Ogna where he placed Nunnes and made a daughter of his called D. Tygrida Abbesse thinking thereby to expiate his offence for that he had hastened his mothers death Since there were Monks put in this monasterie and the women were transported elsewhere by the king D. Sancho the elder Genealogie of Castille sonne in law to this eale D. Sancho Garcia and husband to D. Nugna for the earle had by his wife D. Vrraca one sonne who was called D. Garcia who was earle of Castille after him and three daughters D. Nugna who was queene of Nauarre D. Theresa queene of Leon wife to D. Bermond the third and last of that name these two sisters were elder than the Infant D. Garcia and the third was the aboue named D. Tygrida Abbesse of this monasterie of S. Sauiour 20 Whilest these things past in Castille Cattelogne the Moores entred Cattelogne with a great power about the yeare 986 and gaue a great rout to the earle D. Borel who thought to repulse them neere to Moncada and Matabous After which they besieged Barcelone Barcelone take and ruined by the Moores and tooke it by force with all the pitifull spectacles of crueltie couetousnesse and infamie that are vsed in the like case doing the like in many other places Then laden with spoyles and drawing after them an infinit number of poore Christian slaues they returned into their countrey The earle who was retired into the mountaines hauing gathered together all the horse and foot he could returned to Barcelone tooke it againe and recouered all the places which the Moores had taken Cattelogne was againe inuaded by the Moores which held Tortosa Lerida Fraga and other places being joyned with them of the Isle of Majorca who once againe defeated the earle D. Borel and thinking to saue himselfe with about threescore horse he was pursued and being forced to shut himselfe vp in the castle of Gautha Earle of Barcelone slaine by the Moores neere to Galdes he was forced and slaine there with all those that were in his companie in the yeare 993 hauing beene earle of Barcelone six and twentie yeares where his sonne D. Raymond Borel succeeded him We find that Lothaire king of France vnder the soueraigntie of which kingdome the earledome of Barcelone was at that time granted a great priuiledge to the monasterie of S. Cucufat in the vallies neere to Barcelone giuen at Compiegne in the yeare 987. But returning to D. Sancho Garcia Castille earle of Castille he being loath to leaue his fathers death vnreuenged confirmed the league which his predecessor had made with Leon and Nauarre and in the yeare 992 entred into the Moores countrey by the realine of Toledo with a great armie ruining and spoyling all where he past as the enemies had done in Leon and Castille passing on into diuers other jurisdictions where he had good opportunitie to ruine burne kill and carrie away what he pleased for that the Arabians were then full of factions for the soueraigntie There was no head order nor councell to oppose against the violence of this incensed earle The exploits conqueâ—s of D. Sancho earle of Castille vpoÌ„ the Moores so as he ransomed many townes and drew great summes of money from them as well to spare their countrey as to redeeme prisoners He tooke the towne of Sepulueda which was then a frontier for the Moores towards the strait of Sumosierra Hee granted many priuiledges to the inhabitants thereof restoring them to their auncient jurisdictions He recouered the townes of Pennafiel Maderuelo Monteio Gormas Osma and Saint Esteua which places had beene lost after the battell where his father D. Garcia was slaine The earle did all these braue exploits against the Moores but some hold and not without reason that they were before the death of the countesse his mother who at the returne of this voyage which was in the yeare 992 had newes what this aboue mentioned Prince of the Moores could doe with women of whom she grew so far in loue as she forgot all pietie and honour and in the end lost her life His name is not written by any Author If the earle did much annoy the Moores by open warre he did no lesse by secret practises entertaining factions among them to trouble their estate and make them more easie to be spoyled 21 There were great seditions among the Arabians after the death of Abdemelic Abundasin Captaine generall Moores or Constable to king Hizen for hauing beene substituted in the place of his brother called Abderramen and shewing himselfe too seuere and proud in his commaunds his place seeming also to be of too great authoritie he was slaine by the souldiers which bred great quarels and factions D. Sancho earle of Castille and D. Alphonso king of Leon The declining of the Moores Monarchie in Spaine by their diuisions sought by all meanes possible to entertaine these diuisions sometimes fauouring one partie somtimes another so as from that time the Arabians power began greatly to decline in Spaine as it had beene alreadie dismembred in the East by their discord and furious
Daroca by the king D. Alphonso Sarrâ—gessa taken and the Earle of Prouence who according vnto Surites the Writer of the Historie of Arragon was there with sixe hundred horse contrarie to that which the Spaniards say so as the Moores despayring of all succours beganne to parle and to treate of conditions to yeeld Some notwithstauding to do more honor to the Clergie of those times say that D. William Gaston Bishop of Pampelone generall of the souldiers of Nauarre behaued himselfe so in his quarter as hauing made a great and spacious breach he entred the towne by force the Moores making wonderfull resistance with their king Almocauen who was slaine among the ruines This great cittie was taken in December in the aforesayd yeare 1118. where the king D. Alphonso entring Episcopal seate restored to Sarragossa he lodged in the pallace of the kings of the Moores called Açuda nere vnto the Port of Toledo beginning to settle the estate thereof to make it the Capitall cittie of all the Realmes which he enioyed or that he might conquer hereafter intituling himselfe king of Sarragossa His chiefe care was to settle the Clergie and to inrich that Order which had serued him much in the seege of the towne wherefore the Mosque Maior was then consecrated for a cathedrall Church vnder the name of S. Sauueur and one Pedro de Libana was chosen Bishop confirmed by Pope Gelasius then raigning They found many Christians Musarabes in Sarragossa who had liued there among the Arabians with great liberty of their Religion the which they did exercise in a very ancient church called Nostre Dame del Pilar we reade in the Histories of Arragon and in the writings of Ierom Surita that the Lords of Bearne and the earls of Perche did long enioy very great priuiledges in the cittie of Sarragossa by the grant of D. Alphonso This king and Emperour of Spaine granted great liberties and priuiledges to this cittie to prouoke strangers to come and dwell there namely the priuiledge of gentrie and the lawes and Iustice of Arragon and in time of factions and seditions to chuse for their Councell certaine Syndics Protectors of the people As for the dignitie called Iustice of Arragon Diguitie of chiefe Iustice in Arragon which was vsed in the time of D. Pelro Ximenes it is a Magistrate the gardien and protector of the publike libertie against the violence of great men yea to suppresse the excesse and tyrannyes of Kings with soueraigne iurisdiction instrituted in the infancie and beginning of principalities and Christian Estates in Spaine after the inuasion of the Moores when as the kings not by succession of bloud and birth but by their valour and vertues were chosen to be ready and faithfull Gouernors of the affaires as well ofwarre as of Iustice according vnto certaine simple lawes and as then militarie propounded vnder the title of the court or law of Sobrarbre This Magistrate was first called Iustice maior entertained and augmented both in dignitie and authoritie from time to time by good kings There were great gifts and fees giuen also by this great king vnto the Earle of Bigorre in recompence of the good offices he had done him in this warre These things thus done hee went and layed feege before Tarrassone Tarrassone taken from the Moores the which made no great resistance seeing that the neighbour places were come into the power of the Christians Beeing yelded it receiued the ancient Episcopall seate and one D. Michel was chosen Bishop This towne which in former times had belonged to the Crowne of Nauarre by this last conquest was annexed to that of Arragon D. Alphonso continuing his conquests tooke the places and forts which were along the riuer of Xalon and in the end tooke the towne of Calatajub into the which he put a great garrison as a place which frontred vpon the Moores on the mountaines of Cuenca Molina Valencia and Castile he cleansed that which remained of the Moorish faction vpon the riuer of Xiloca vnto Daroca he repayred and peopled Montreal whereas this deuout king instituted an Order of Knights in imitation of the Templers of Ierusalem which was called S. Saluator affigning them rents and reuenues to the end they should employ themselues couragiously to roote out the Infidels in Spaine Order of knights at S. Sauuiour as he had propounded King D. Alphonso did these great exploites vnto the yeare 1120 at which time the Moores were dispossessed of all which doth now belong to Arragon But in Cattelogne there yet remained the king of Lerlda and Fraga called Aben Gama Cattâ—logee or Barcelone whose forces were not to be contemned and the which were as a thorne in the foot of the Estates of Arragon but more to Raymond Arnould Earle of Barcelone who was a good and a valiant Knight and who had receiued no small blessings from God hauing by vnexpected meanes recouered the lands which were vsurped from him during his minoritie and augmented his Estates by new successions of the Earledome of Cerdagne of the towne of Tarragone and euen newly of the County of Besalu by the decease of D. Bernand Guillen by reason of which prosperities he intitled himselfe Marquis of Spaineu Earle of Cerdagne Besal and afterwards of Prouence and Aâ—millan by the death of Gilbert his father-in law who had no other heire then D. Doulce wife to D. Raymond It is likely that by this meanes he got the Countie of Prouence whereof as a fee of the Empire he was inuested by the Emperour Henry the 5. as we haue sayd As for those lands which he held in Languedoc as Carcassone and others some Authors write that the vicious Bernard of Aton hauing vsurped them vnder a counterfeit promise to hold them of him and to do him homage hee afterwards made this acknowledgement to William Earle of Poictiers vsurper of the Contie of Tholousa but D. Raymond forced him by armes to submit himselfe vnto him In Portugall Cont Henry had defeuded his country against the Moores wisely and valiantly Portugall and had gouerned with all iustice and honor vnder the soueraigntie of the King D. Alphonso Henrques 2. Earle of Portugal or Emperour Don Alphonso vntill the yeare 1112. that he died in Galicia in the towne of Astorga and was interred at Braga in S. Maries church leauing for heire D. Alphonso Henriques his eldest sonne about eighteene yeares old D. Theresa the Countesse widow to whom the Earledome of Portugall did belong in proprietie shewing her indiscretion married soone after to a knight of a noble house called Don Bermond Paez de Transtamara with whom hauing liued some time by a disordered appetite The desestable marriage of the Countesse of Portugall or some other damnable occasion she left him and married againe with a brother of his called D. Fernando Paez of Transtamara D. Bermond beeing thus forsaken and as it were striuing with his wife who should be most incestuous hee
married her eldest daughter and sister to D. Alphonso Henriques called D. Theresa Henriques These goodly exploites were done among Christians in the house of Portugal which was but now growing for expiation whereof they say that Fernando Paez who had taken away his liuing brothers wife built a Monasterie at Sobrado in Galicia nine leagues from Saint Iaques a pennance and satisfaction taught by the pastors of those times to miserable contemners of Gods lawes and ordonances The young Earle Don Alphonso beeing much troubled with these excesses and moreouer seeing himselfe contemned and out of all credit and fauour for that the adulterous and incestuous D. Fernando intitled himselfe Earle of Portugal in the right of his wife he went to armes against him the euent you shall heare hereafter If this Countesse were vnchast in her seuerall marriages Nauarre Castile Arragon c. her sister D. Vrraca shewed her selfe as loose and disloyall to her husband King Don Alphonso so as this Prince who was endowed with great vertue and wisedome was forced to restraine her in the fort of Castellar neeâ—e vnto Sarragossa from whence shee sought by all meanes to escape as shee did with the helpe of some discontented Noblemen of Castile with whome shee retired into her Inheritance where shee tooke councell to bee diuorced from the King her husband making her pretext that shee had beene married against her will and by constraint and moreouer that shee was his cousin germaine remooued and therefore the marriage could not be lawful without dispensation fro the church of Rome the which in those dayes was not much vsed Of this Councel were the Archbishop of Toledo the Bishops of Bourgos Leon Palence and others who were al dispossest chased away and banished by D. Alphonso and with them the Abbot of S. Facunds whose Abbey was giuen to D. Ramir the kings brother Wherefore the Nobilitie and Estates of Castile considering what troubles and miseries would ensue if this desseigne were put in execution against the king D. Alphonso they would not giue their consents but took their Queene with all respect and conducted her into Arragon to her husband who dissembled the wrongs she had done him receiued her into-fauor but as she continued her leud life forgetting more and more the honor of her self house which should haue bin more deare vnto such a Princesse Queene D. Vrraca vnchast then her life the king in the and caused her to be conducted to the towne of Soria chased her from his company for euer notwithstanding he kept still many strong places in Castile not caring much for the gouernment of the Realme Without doubt this king was of a great courage and gaue good proofes that he did more esteeme vertue and his honor D. Vrrace chasd away by the king D. Alphonso her husband then all worldly goods dispossessing himselfe of so great iurisdictions as those of Castile Leon Toledo and others which D. Vrraca had brought him who being setled in her countries began to shew some tokens of amendment gouerning her selfe by the aduice and counsell of D. Pedro Ansures and other knights of greatest wisdome and fame among the Nobility of Castile Hauing then assembled her estates she complained that many forts were kept from her demaunding their aduice and ayde to recouer them Those which were kept by Captains and gouernors Castillans were presently yeelded vnto her without attending any commaundement from the king D. Alphonso in hatrred that he had chased away the Queene Among others D. Pedro Ansures presently after the restitution of some places by him went to the king who was at Castellar where coming before him beeing mounted vppon a white horse and clad all in scarlet hee lighted and holding a halter in his hand hee sayed vnto him Castile separatted That hee had done vnto his Queene the naturall and soueraigne Princesse of Castile the dutie of faithfull vassall yet hauing failed vnto the king to whome hee had sworne fealtie and homage hee had brought vnto him both hand and mouth the instruments of the oath which hee had made vnto him to the end that his Maiestie might dispose of them and of his whole bodie at his Highnesse pleasure and command King Don Alphonso alwaies like himselfe although vppon sufficient grounds he were discontented with the yeelding vp of these forts shewing no good countenance vnto the Earle yet vppon his first speech hee pardoned him yeelding to the counsell of the wise Magnanimity of King D. Alphonso who commended much the loyaltie and integritie of this knight the which should serue as a President to posteritie wherefore he was sent backe with honor into Castile After this D. Vrraca did nothing of merit for falling to her old desseigne of diuorce she obtained it by the authoritie of Pope Pascal Of whose commandement and Bulls Don Diego Gelmirio Bishop of Compostella was minister and executioner Thus finding her selfe without restraint in her lust luxuriousnesse she exceeded strangely She had familiar and dishonest conuersation with D. Gomes Earle of Candespina who had in former times pretended to be her husband Nauarre Castille Arragon c. who was secretly deliuered of a sonne gotten by him and was for that cause called D. Fernand Hurtado from whome as they say is descended the house of Hurtados a noble family of Spaine Although that some doubt hereof yet it is most certaine that the Earle D. Gomes had in a short time the whole gouernement of the Realme and disposed of all the affaires both of warre and peace at his pleasure conuersing as familiarly with the Queene as if she had beene his wife and yet another Knight called D. Pedro de Lara sonne to Don Ordogno Earle of Lara who entred combat at the seege of Zamora against the three sonnes of Aria Gonçalo after the decease of the king D. Sancho did insinuate himselfe in the Queenes fauour and was in a short time one of her greatest minions whereof the earle D. Gomes was very iealous The dissolute and vnchast life of D. Vrraca was so publikely knowne to all the world as king D. Alphonso mooued with a iust disdaine both for it and for the aboue-mentioned diuorce resolued to enter into Castile with an armie putting all to fire and sword Queene D. Vrraca vnchast beeing much incensed as well at the dissolute life of the Queene as at the Castillans basenesse who obeyed her bearing them also a spleene for that they had deliuered her those places which he had giuen them in gard There went against him to field the Queenes two fauorites D. Gomes and D. Pedro with the forces of Castile and Leon who hauing incountred the kings armie consisting of Nauarrois and Arragonois D. Vrraca chased away by the King D. Alphonso her husband they came to fight neare vnto Candespina and not farre from Sepulueda D. Pedro who led the foreward was first charged who abandoned his men basely vpon the first incounter and
his owne hand Onely hee wanted the happinesse to haue children but his brother D. Ruy Fernandes called the Bald had foure D. Fernand D. Aluar D. Pedro and D. Guttiere surnamed Ruys and one daughter called D. Sancha Ruys married to D. Aluaro Ruys de Gusman These factions declaring themselues euery one stood vpon his gard and for that it was not easie to dissolue that which D. Sancho had decreed by his testament nor to wrest the authority from them of Castro by force being in possession the brothers of Lara found meanes to circumuent the good knight D. Guttiere Fernandes by goodly perswasions saying that for the good of the general peace he should bee content with those honours hee had and suffer the Earle D. Manriques to keepe the Kings person the which should in no sort blemish his authority Indiscretion of D. Guttiere Fernandes but should giue great reputation vnto the Earle who was a noble man of that quality as hee well deserued it all the foure brothers promising and swearing vnto him that they would alwaies preserue and defend the honour and authority which was due to his reuerent age D. Guttiere deceiued with these good words deliuered the King into the hands of these foure brethren who remained with D. Garcia d' Acia as the eldest the rest hauing at that time no meanes to contradict it but soone after they had an oportunity to get the King from him for D. Garcia who was not cunning nor of a bad disposition beeing entred into some termes and difficulty touching the entertainment of the yong Kings house and the necessary prouisions of money for his Estate with the brothers of Lara they wrought in such manner as hee resigned this burthensome charge vnto them the which they willingly accepted as a thing which they had long affected wherein the Earle D. Garcia did some-what wrong his honour and faile of his dutie as well as D. Guttiere Fernandes de Castro had done so the King came into the power of D. Manriques de Lara These alterations vnfit for the dignity of the young King discontented D. Guttiere and withall those of Lara beganne to faile in that which they had promised him wherefore he let them vnderstand that he would haue the King D. Alphonso againe to nourish and breed him vp according to the disposition of the King D. Sanchos will but they mocked him as a man which had lost his sences Wherevpon these two houses went to armes and drew vnto them their kinsmen friends and partisans giuing way and meanes to all the lewd people of the country to commit a thousand insolencies following the one or the other faction as it is vsuall in ciuill warres And moreouer they made a passage for D. Fernand King of Leon to enter into the territories of Castille where hee committed great excesse vnder pretext to pacefie the warres betwixt these two houses of Castro and Lara for beeing entred with an army he seized vpon those forts which were neerest vnto his fronters of Leon along the riuer of Duero and passing on further beecaused the Earle D. Manriques and his brethren to dislodge who carried the King D. Alphonso with them to Soria During these tumults D. Guttiere Fernandes de Castro died and was buried in the Monastery of Saint Christopher of Encas after whole decease the Earle D. Manriques caused his Nephewes D. Fernand D. Aluaro D. Pedro and D. Guttiere Ruis to be sommoned to deliuer vp into his hands the places belonging vnto the crowne the which they held and had commanded vnto their vncles death but they made answere that they were not bound to deliuer them vp seeing that the will of the deceased King was that they should hold them vntill the King D. Alphonso were full fifteene yeeres old There vpon D. Manrique commanded that the body of D. Guttiâ—re Fernandes should bee vnterred and charging him with fellony and treason against the King and crown hee sought to haue him found guilty His foure Nephewes imbraced the cause and defended both themselues and their deceased vncle saying that they neither had nor did commit any fellony in retayning of those places seeing it was according to the last will and testament of the King D. Sincho the which they had neuer demanded of their vncle lyuing The Lords of the councell who were Iudges in this cause gaue sentence that there was not any fellony committed and therefore they ordained that the body of D. Guttiere which had beene against the law of Nations inhumainely pulled out of his graue should bee laied in againe Their contentions were so great and the miseries which ensued so infinit as prest by necessity they were forced to ingage all the reuenues of Castille and Toledo for twelue yeeres vnto King Fernand and in the end the Earle D. Manriques bound himselfe to deliuer vnto the King of Leon Treachery of D. Manriques de Lara against his Prince and country the person of young D. Alphonso his Lord and to make him his vassal And to performe his promise he led the King D. Fernand to Soria where hauing propounded certaine reasons in an assembly of the Noblemen of Castille to perswade them that it was expedient the Kings person should bee put into his vncles custody they deliuered him vnto him protesting that they put him into his hands being a free Prince and therefore they intreated him to maintaine him in his liberty The Noblemen durst not herein contradict the King D. Fernand being within the country and in armes The young Infant beeing carried in a gentlemans armes beganne to weepe and cry out wherefore they carried him backe to the lodging to giue him an aple or some such like thing to please him At that time there was present D. Pedro Nugnes Almexir a hardy and generous knight who beeing greeued at this trecherous act of the Earle D. Manrique gaue order that whilest they dandled the child to still him they should bring him a good horse behinde the Kings lodging then approching neere vnto the young Prince Pero Nugnes a faithful vassal making shew to flatter him hee tooke him in his armes and slipping away by some secret passage well knowne to him he carried him to his horse and so fled with him to the towne of Saint Estienne of Gormas doing this act for the liberty of his King with such dexterity and diligence whilest that the King D. Fernand attended the Infants returne as he was gon a good way before it was discouered This beeing knowne by the King D. Fernand hee grew into a great rage and vsing threats he commanded D. Manrique and the rest of his faction to giue order that the child might bee found out and brought againe wheresoeuer he were wherevpon the Earle D. Manrique and his brethren vnder collour of seeking their King D. Alphonso had meanes to get out of Soria where all was in Combustion Being arriued at Saint Estienne de Gormas that night they seized againe of
much ballance their affaires by the succours he gaue by sea vnto the French hauing sent a good number of ships of warre vnder the command of Ambrose Becanegra a Genouois his Admirall who stopped the passage in such sort betwixt France and England as besides many small prizes which he had taken he defeated a fleet of English about that time and tooke sixe and thirty of their vessels neere vnto Rochel by which victorie Rochel came vnder the obedience of the French king Rochel yeelded to the French and the greatest part of the prey and prisoners were carried into Spaine among the which was the Earle of Pembrooke Generall of the army Besides which succours the king Don Henry being come from Burgos to Saint Ander he sent Don Ruy Diaz of Rojas into the Prouince of Guipuscoa to make ready a new army of 40. ships the which he sent soone after vnder the command of the same Ruy Diaz to the French K. who came to Rochel and hauing ioyned with a French Captaine called Iohn Calais who had about twenty Barkes all together came and set vpon another fleet of English whom they likewise put to rout and then Don Ruy Diaz returned a victor into Spaine so as the English had reason to seeke to diuide the king of Castile from him of France and to draw him vnto their partie Pope Gregorie the eleuenth presumed to interpose his authoritie in these Princes quarrels the which did not please them Hauing made an accord betwixt the Kings of Castile and Nauarre he would also reconcile the controuersies that were betwixt Castile and Arragon and to this end hee sent the Cardinall of Cominges into Spaine who prest the two Kings to send their Deputies to debate their cause before him Don Henry named for his part the bishop of Burgos and Don Aluar Garcia of Albornoz Lord Steward of his house the king of Arragon deputed the bishop of Lerida and Don Râ—â—mond Alamâ—n Ceruillon who agreed that thâ— Colledge of Cardinals should determine this controuersie But these Princes beeing better aduised that it was not fit their quarels should be decided by the Court of Rome they tooke a better course to agree betwixt themselues The towne of Tuy which had for many mâ—â—eths refused to obey D. Henry now submitted about this peace of Arragon But the warre was renewed betwixt Castile and Portugal by reason of many prizes taken in the port of Lisbone Portugal and at sea of ships and merchants of Biscay Guipuscoa and Asturia and also for that the King Don Fernand gaue a retreat vnto the banished men of Castile concerning matters of State and also that hee had contemned the marriage concluded betwixt him and Donna Leonora of Castile to marrie Donna Leonora Telles of Meneses Neece to the Earle of Barcelos a Lady of great beautie but much inferiour in qualitie to the Infanta Donna Leonora of Castile and Donna Leonora of Arragon whom he might haue had with great profit to his Realme and to himselfe honour Hee contemned these marriages Marriage vnlawful of the king of Poâ—tugal taking away his subiects wise which had beene very beneficiall to himselfe and to his Realme of Portugall to marrie this Ladie offending God and all good lawes for he tooke her violently from her husband Laurence Vasques of Acugna forcing him to flie into Castile where he past the remainder of his dayes in exile carrying commonly hornes of siluer on his hat to witnesse the lust and infamy of his Prince yet some to excuse this fact write that the king caused this marriage to be dissolued by the Popes authoritie as vnlawfull by reason of the neerenesse of consanguinitie of the which notwithstanding there was issued one sonne called Aluaro of Acugna The king was made sure vnto her in the presence of the Earle of Barcelos and a â—â—ster of hers called Don Mary who had mannaged this marriage and to whom the king had imparted his loues When this marriage was published in Lisbone the inhabitants incensed that the king had left so profitable and honorable a marriage Tumult at Lisbon for the kings mariage as that of Castile began to mutine and hauing taken Fernand Vasques of Acugna for their Captaine they sent 300. armed men about the kings pallace and gaue the king to vnderstand in the behalfe of the citty that hee should leaue this woman else they would take her and do vnto her as their Predecessors had done to the king D. Sancho Capello in the like case The king fearing the furie of this multitude answered them mildly that in what they did they were good subiects being iealous of his honour and thanked them for their good will but he let them vnderstand that D. Leonora Telles was not his married wife and intreated them to retire vntill the next day when he would talke to them more amply of that businesse in the Monasterie of S. Dominicke This blast being blowne ouer the king parted by night out of Lisbone and carried D. Leonora Telles with him into the countrie betwixt Duero and Minio and retiring towards Porto he lodged neere vnto it in the Monasterie of Leza where he married this Lady publikely not caring how his subiects tooke it He commanded that all men should acknowledge her and call her Queene and gaue her the townes of Almadra Sintra Torresuedras Atognia Ouiedos Alanguer Abrantes Villa viciosa and many other places All in the end yeelded to it without murmuring seing it was the kings pleasure and D. Leonora had the title of Queene giuen her by all men but by D. Denis the kings brother who would neuer kisse her hand saying That it was her duty to kisse his whereat the King D. Fernand was so incensed as if Don Denis had not retired presently by the meanes of those that were then present he had stab'd him with his dagger for this cause the Infant retired himselfe for euer after into Castile When as D. Leonora Telles saw her selfe installed Queene shee made a diligent search who had bin the chiefe motiues of the mutiny at Lisbon and vnderstanding that they were of the family of Vasques of Acugna she ceased not to pursue them with a deadly hatred vntill she had forced many of them to flie into Castile Of this marriage betwixt the king D. Fernand and D. Leonora Telles issued D. Beatrix Genealogie of Portugal who was married to D. Iohn the first King of Castile borne at Coimbra and afterwards a son and a daughter who died yong some Authors hold that they were borne in adulterie committed by the Queene with D. Iohn Fernandes of Andeiro a knight of Gallicia borne at Corunua Moreouer the king before this marriage had a daughter called D. Izabel The king D. Henry hauing these causes of discontent against the king of Portugall he gaue him to vnderstand by his ambassadors that he could not take it in good part that he had retired his rebellious subiects of which he demanded
To the Earle of Barçelos son she procured the suruiuance of his fathers Estate in the same county or gouernm the of Barçelos a brother of hers was made Earle or Gouernor of Viane and D. Henry her brother in law Earle of Seaa To D. Lope Diaz de Soze her Nephew sonne to Donna Maria Telles her sister and to Aluar Diaz de Soza she caused to bee giuen the dignity of great maister of Christ. Don Henry of Albuquerque whose sisters were married to the brethren of this Queene D. Leonora Telles was by her fauor maister of Saint Iames. She caused D. Ieanne Telles of Meneses her bastard sister who was commanderesse of Sanctos to be married to D. Iohn Alphonso Pimentâ—l and Bragança to be giuen vnto him She married D. Agnes Botello one of her gentlewomen and her kinswoman being of a Noble family to Pero Rodriguez of Fonseca giuing him the castle of Oliuencia She also concluded the marriages of D. Mencia Vasquoz Coutina with Mâ—rtin Gonçales of Tuy and of D. Theresa of Meyra with Fernand Gonçales of Soça giuing vnto the last the castle of Chaues and to the other that of Portel She made D. Atuar Peyre of Castro Castellan Earle or Goueruor of Aroyolos and procured many fauours and graces for D. Fernand de Castro his elder brother They say that by her meanes the King on a time sent a present to Iohn Alphonso of Muxica beeing in the towne of Ebora of thirty horse thirty armors complete thirty mulets thirty pounds of gold a hundred and thirty markes of siluer and foure mulets laden with tapistry and other rich furniture adding therevnto as an hereditarie guift the towne of Torresuedras Such also was the fauour shee bare vnto Don Fernand of Andeiro a Knight of Galicia who was come to serue the King her husband in his last warres against Castile as besides that hee was made an Earle hee had the neerest place next to her selfe in the Kings fauour so as by his meanes many Gentlemen were gratefied and aduanced in Portugal and moreouer hee liued in such familiarity as hee lodged in the same lodging with the King and Queene and did often remaine alone with her a long time whereat many murmured and grew iealous saying that their conuersation ws not honest and the Portugois did beleeue that the children which shee bare were not the King D. Fernands a Prince which was vnsound and of a weake complexion but begotten by stealth by this Earle of Oren. Finally she wrought so as all the dignities honours and forts of Portugal were in the hands of her kinsmen friends and allies But to what fury doth the desire of commaund thrust a woman vnto The Portugal authors write that the Infant Don Iohn the Kings brother beeing in loue with Donna Maria Telles of Meneses the Queenes sister who had managed the loue betwixt the King and her a widow woman and mother to Don Lope Diaz Soça but faire and pleasing hee serued her and sought her loue the which shee could not refuse Don Iohn beeing a Knight in the floure of his age goodly also and full of grace yet shee was thus farre discreet that before shee would yeeld to that which hee desired hee promised to marrie her secretly the which beeing afterwards made knowne vnto the Queene shee was much discontented it may bee desiring that Don Iohn who was much beloued of the Portugalls should marrie Donna Beatrix her daughter fearing that if the King her husband should die hee should bee chosen King and her daughter reiected or that shee her selfe did beare him some good will and seeing her husband ill disposed had an intent to marry him if her husband died that shee mought reigne still Policy cruell and detestable of the Queene D. Leonora Telles wherefore being transported with these passions she began to practise the death by a notable cruelty and detestable stratagemme of her who had raised her vp conspiring with Don Iohn Alphonso Telles her brother Admirall of Portugall to perswade the Infant Don Iohn that Donna Maria Telles who said shee was his wife abandoned her selfe to other men to his great dishonour in whom they wrought such an impression as this simple and ill aduised Knight transported with extreame iealousie came in a morning to Coimbra where this Lady did remaine where entring furiously into the house after that hee had forced her chamber doore finding not any signes of that which had beene told him he slue his miserable wife most barbarously who called to God for aide but in vaine holding vp her hands to her inraged husband This was the reward which Donna Maria Telles of Meneses had hauing beene the broker of that vnfortunate marriage and as it were the Gardien of the Queene Donna Leonoras loues who not content therewith came to complaine vnto the King of Don Iohn for the death of her sister and preuailed so as he was forced to absent himselfe from court and to keepe himselfe secret in places of hard accesse for his safety yet finding not himselfe well secured he retired into Castile for Gonçal Telles brother to the deceased and her sonne D. Lope Diaz de Sosa the Earle of Barcellos and his brother the Earle of Viana with other of her kinsfolkes sought to kill him to reuenge the death of Donna Maria. Besides these excesses Treachery of the Queene D. Leonora against the maister of Auiz the Queene Donna Leonora attempted the death of D. Iohn maister of Auiz the King her husbands base brother a Knight of great valour who had neuer offended her but only in conceit that he onely did crosse her deseignes To effect her wicked intent shee caused letters to bee counterfetted in the name of the maister and of a gentleman called Gançalo Vasques of Azebedo his cousin and very familiar beeing of the Kings councell whom shee would also draw into this danger These letters were directed to the King of Castile and did treat of matters against the seruice of the King D. Fernand whom she did aduertise that they had beene surprized vpon the frontiers The King giuing credit to her malice that he had taken councell of his wife and of D. Iohn Fernandes of Andeyro Imprisonment of the maister of Auiz and of D. Goncal Vasques he commanded that the maister of Auiz and Gonçal Vasques should be apprehended and put into the tower of the castle of Ebora where they were kept rigorously in chaines the maister being ignorant of the cause of this his misery As for D. Gonçal Vasques he remembred that hee had giuen eare vnto his wife telling him that on a time D. Gonçal Telles the Queenes brother and D. Iohn Fernand of Andeyro her mignon entring into her chamber all sweating shee gaue them a kerchife she had vpon her to wipe themselues withall and that D. Iohn Fernandes approching neere vnto her spake certaine lasciuious words which being heard by the wife of Don Gonçal Vasques and reported by her vnto her
armie the which beeing within a league and a halfe of that of Portugal there were many things propounded to end their quarrels without a battell but they were all without effect for the king of Castile finding himselfe strong had a desire to fight promising vnto himselfe all aduantages and yet his captaines were of another opinion and among others Monsieur de Rie Chamberlaine to the French king and his ambassador with the King of Castile a Gentleman 70. yeares old and a captaine of great experience saying that his men were wearie and it was late and that the Portugall army in the which were 2200. men at armes and 10000. foote were camped in a place of strength from whence if he would haue patience hee should see them soone dislodg for want of victuals beeing aduertised that they had not any meate but for that night that vppon their dislodging he should haue better oportunitie to fight with them if they went to affront them in the place where they were it was likely they should reape more shame then honor But notwithstanding all these reasons hee would needes fight Battel of Aliubarot and the Castillans defeated wherefore the Castillans hauing put their armies in battell they were receiued couragiously by the Portugals along the mountaines of Maos in the fields nere vnto the village of Aljubarot where at the first charge notwithstanding all the indeauour of the Portugall fore-ward they gaue ground to the Castillans but the new king of Portugal flying thither with his squadron not onely fortified his men but also charging the enemie with great courage who thought they had won all and fought without order carelesly he brake them and put them to a shamefull flight with great slaughter the king of Castile himself being in danger who fled 11. leagues that night vnto S. Iren where he arriued at the breake of day in great perplexity and then recouering the sea-shoare hee caused himselfe to be carryed to Seuile Polydore Virgil in his Historie of England failes in the discourse of his battell saying that Edmond Earle of Cambridge was there with good troupes of English for the new king of Portugal against him of Castile and giues the honour of the battell to the English but it appeares by all the Spanish Writers more credible in matters of Spaine then strangers that the comming of the Earle of Cambridge into Portugall was not at that time but in the life of g Fernand. Neither were there any French troupes for the king of Castile as some Authors make mention Vpon the place of battell there was an Hermitage built to S. George who is held to be the patron and protector of Portugal as also of Arragon as S. Iames is of Castile and this victorie is more celebrated by the Portugals then any they euer had for that by reason thereof they were freed from the subiection of Castile Noblemen of Castile slaine in the battell it is called the battel of Aljubarote or of S. George In this battell there dyed many Noblemen of Castile and among others Don Pedro of Arragon sonne to the Constable of Castile D. Iohn of Castile Lord of Aguilar del campo son to D. Tello L. of Biscay D. Fernand of Castile a yong Prince son to D. Sancho Earle of Albuquerque Peter Dias Damas Prior of S. Iohn D. Diego Manrique Gouernor generall of the fronter of Castile D. Pedro of Mendoça a Lord Steward of the king of Castiles house Don Iohn Fernandes of Touar high Admiral D. Diego Gomes Sarmiento Gouernor of Galicia Pedro Carillo Marshall of Castile D. Aluar Gonçalis of Sandoual and his brother Fernand Gonçales D. Iohn Ramir of Areillan Iohn Ortiz of Cueua Gonçalo of Cerbantes Ruy Braue and Fernand Carillo and of the Portugals following the partie of Castile D. Iohn Alphonso Sello Portugals slain of the Castillans side Admirall of Portugall brother to the Queene D. Leonora D. Pero Aluarez Pereira Master of the Order of Calatraua and his brother D. Diego Aluarez Pereira brothers to D. Nugno Aluarez Constable of Portual Gonçal Vasques of Azeuedo with Aluar Gonçales his sonne and others There dyed also in this defeate Monsieur de Rie Ambassador for the French king and his Chamberlaine Great was the spoile of the Castillans campe many prisoners caryed away by the Portugals who hung vp their ensignes other spoils for trophees in the Monasterie of Alcouaça and in the chiefe church at Braga and at the carmes at Lisbon the which were afterwards founded by the Constable D. Nugno Aluarez Pereira and among others the royal Standard of Castile was taken As for those which escaped the battell some gathered themselues together in S. Iren and some of them recouered Castile as well as they could They of S. Iren hauing past the riuer of Tayo with D. Gonçal Nugnes of Guzman Master of Alcantara who was since made Master of the Calatraua they ioyned with the forces of Nauarre and France which the Infant Don Charles of Nauarre brought to the king of Castile his brother-in-law but too late wherfore they returned all together into Castile hauing made all the spoile they could in the Realme of Portugal the which by this battel of Aljubarote remained assured for the king Don Iohn the tenth in number and the first of that name hauing attained to that royall dignitie to the which in the beginning he did not aspire and that with the consent of the Nobilitie and States of the countrie The end of the sixteenth Booke SEMPER EADEM THE SEVENTEENTH BOOK of the Generall History of Spaine The Contens 1 DOn Iohn Master of the Knights of Auiz chosen king of Portugall the tenth in number and the first of that name 2 Continuation of the warre betwixt Castile and Portugal in the which the English assisted the one and the French the other 3 Whence the title of a Prince in Spaine growes 4 D. Charles the third of that name and 31. king of Nauarre 5 Marriage of Prince Henry of Castile and Katherine of Lancaster 6 Exploits of D. Iohn King of Portugal in Castile and a truce betwixt the two Realmes 7 Tyrannous priuiledges of the Nobility of Arragon Troubles in Sardynia Estates at Monçon policie of Sybile Queene of Arragon authoritie of the Iustice Maior 8 Contention betwixt the Arragonois and Angeuins for the rights of Majorca Adoption of Lewis of Anjou by Queene Ione the first of Naples who sold Auignon to the Pope and what followed 9 D. Iohn the first of that name and 14. King of Arragon his acknowledgement to the Pope in Auignon during the Schisme Estates in Arragon 10 Marriage of Don Martin of Arragon sonne to the Infant Don Martin with the heire of Sicily 11 Lisbon made an Arch-bishopricke 12 Estates of Castile at Guadalajara Orders concerning souldiers and iustice Erections of Dukedomes and other Decrees 13 The stay of D. Leonora Queene of Nauarre wife to D. Charles the third in Castile
reigne came and kist his hands being accompanied with a hundred Knights and Squiers of the country of Valencia which he had aduentured through the absence of the Earle of Transtamara his competitor who was in disgrace with the King D. Henry The Marquis hauing purged himselfe of such things as might bee obiected against him D. Alphonso of Arragon receiued gratiously by the king of Castile and made many excuses for his not comming to court he made sute to be restored to his Office of Constable of Castile which had beene taken from him by the gouernors to conferre it vpon D. Pedro Earle of Transtamara to the preiudice of his honour and dignity to whom the King gaue a gratious answere assuring him that he would order his affaires with all equity and Iustice then he intreated him to passe the mountaines and to come with him into Castile the Old but the Marquis excused him selfe saying that he was not come so well appointed as he desired to doe him seruice but if he gaue him meanes he would returne willingly to serue him So he returned into his country not well satisfied with the King D. Henry who made no account to restore him to his office of Constable but soone after by the aduice of the Archbishop of Toledo he tooke from him the title of Marquis of Villena for that it seemed not safe nor profitable for the Estate of Castile that a Marquisate frontering vpon a forraine Realme should remaine in the hands of a Knight who had so strict an alliance as the Marquis D. Alphonso had with the Kings and Realme of Arragon From Illesca the King past to Vailledolit where he was aduertised that the duke of Benauent was at Cisneros with six hundred Launces and two thousand foote and the Archbishop of Saint Iames in Amusco with other six hundred Launces and one thousand foote Many were of opinion that the Kings forces should be led against them to fight with them but the sounder iudgment disswasded al fighting if it were possible for the realm should loose of either side besides the hazard where into the King should thrust both his Estate and life by a battaile to the which a Prince must neuer come against his subiects vnlesse he be forced by ineuitable necessity This aduice preuailed and there were sent vnto the Archbishop of Saint Iames and at his request Iohn Hurtado and Diego Lopes of Mendoça to Calabaçanos with whom they wrought so as they drew him to court vpon assurance whereas the Arachbishop did also obtaine a safe-conduit for the Duke of Benauent to whom he went himselfe and brought him to court The duke being in the Kings presence Duke of Benauent comes to court and seekes to purge himselfe sought to free himselfe of the accusations which were laied against him First he maintayned that he had taken none of the Kings reuenues within his iurisdiction but what was due vnto him the which should not be held so great a crime seeing that many prelats and others of lesse quallity then himselfe had often vsed it and were not drawn into questioÌ„ As for the men of war which he had gathered together he had therein followed the general command for feare of war with the Moores after the defeat of the maister of Alcantara and if he had beene at Roa to see the Queene of Nauarre his sister it was not preiudicial to the realm nor contrary to the Kngs seruice These excuses were held neither good nor true by the king who notwithstanding told him that he would willingly forget al that was past Conditions propounded to the Duke of Benauent so as he would from threnceforth liue in peace and obedience propounding vnto him these conditions That if it were found he had leauied more money then had beene assigned him at the last Estates held at Madrid he should restore it vnto the king or to such as it did belong that he should cause D. Pedro to come to court whom the King pardoned for that which did concerne him restoring to others their interests that the duke should giue his two base sonnes in hostage and should leaue in deposito the castles of Medina del Riosecco and Tordehumos for foure yeeres with this clause that if he raised any tumults those places should come vnto the King That if he shold fal from the Kings seruice certain Knights of his houshold shold promise swear to turne vnto the kings party that the pension of an hundred 15. thousand Marauidis graunted vnto the Duke at the Estates at Madrid should be augmented to fiue hundred thousand that for the seuenty thousand frankes of gold which had beene promised him for his marriage the King gaue him the reuenues of Valencede Campo the which Iohn of Portugal had till then enioyed and now he tooke it from him for that hee had beene a practiser and confederat against his Estate These things being thus ordred the duke and the Archibishop went from court and being come to Cisneros the duke ratefied all and dismist his troupes retayning only a hundred launces for the Kings seruice Within few daies after D Alphonso Henriques came vnto the King being at Vailledolit D. Pedro Earle of â—ranstamara comes to court with a letter of credit from the Constable D. Pedro Earle of Transtamara his brother telling the King that if it pleased him to giue some assurance vnto the Earle hee would come to court wherevpon the King assured him and hee came presently freeing himselfe of many things whereof he had beene accused then he complained of D. Alhonso Earle of Gijon who had forcebly taken from him the towne of Paredes of Naua which the deceased King D. Iohn had giuen him in exchange for the towne of Alua de Tormes which he had taken from him to giue it to D. Iohn Infant to Portugal The King gaue the Constable a good reception promising to prouide for all things according vnto Iustice and presently he went in person to Paredes of Naua which place he deliuered into the hands of Ruy Lopes of Aualos his Lord Chamberlaine and did sommon his vncle D. Alphonso Earle of Gijon to appeere within threescore daies and to produce what right he had to this place wherevpon Iustice should be done him but if he did not appeere it should be adiudged to D. Pedro. The King did also presse him to sweare the Articles of the truce of Portugal as other Noblemen Prelats and Knights had done according to the capitulation the which the Earle would not doe but sought excuses and euasions wherewith the King was very much discontented This was a matter of great importance for the Marquis of Villena and the Earle of Gijon refusing to sweare the Articles the King of Portugal pretended that the truce was of no force and that the hostages were forfeited vnto him So as he refused the oth which the Marquis after his refusall would haue taken when as hee came to court saying
his last acts Kings in Spaine mentioned in this eighteenth Booke ARRAGON 15. D. Martin 1. 16. D. Fernand 1. 17. D. Alphon 5. CASTILE and LEON 18. D. Iohn 2. and the 39. NAVARRE 32. D. Iohn 1. IN the reigne of King Henry the third it often appeered how vaine the enterprises of bad subiects are against a vertuous and innocent Prince for God did preserue this poore pupill from the ambitious rage of his Tutors Princes Prelats and great Lords of Castile ruining them by their owne discord And he did so much honour the royall Maiesty as when as this young Prince had taken vpon him the gouernment of the realme at the age of foureteene yeeres he deliuered them into his hands to punish them as their obstinate rebellion and ingratitude had deserued Being freed as we haue said of the Duke of Benauent the Queene of Nauarre and the Archbishop of Saint Iames and hauing by their example reduced the Earle of Transtamara and the Archbishop of Toledo to their duties there onely remained D. Alphonso Earle of Gijon his vncle who was reduced to that extremity as he was forced to vndergoe the censure of a strange Prince in a cause which concerned his honor his goods and his liberty the which he might haue enioyed with reputation yea much augmented his dignity if he had contained himselfe with modesty in the fauor of D. Henry King of Castile his naturall Prince According to the accord made at the seege of Gijon the King sent his Ambassadors to the French King to debate the causes he had to dispossesse D. Alphonso who hauing staied many daies in the court of France Proceeding against the Earl of Gijon the Earle of Gijon nor his Attorney appeering and the time of the assignation being expired they prepared for their returne when they had newes that their aduerse party was come to the coast of Brittaine and was comming towards Paris wherefore to giue more countenance to their cause they attended Being arriued hee spake with King Charles for his iustification accusing the King his Nephew that he sought to take his portion from him lying in Asturia Leon and Castile the which was asigned him by the deceased King D. Iohn his brother adding many other charges and excesse wherevnto the Ambassadors answered pertinently laying open the Earles ingratitude rebellion and conspiracy against the King his Lord and benefactor who had drawne him out of prison and restored him to all his goods the which King Iohn had iustly taken from him adding therevnto pensions Estates and honours and accusing him in particular of the violent vsurpation of the towne of Paredes of Naua and other tyranicall actions done by him hauing also refused to signe the truce of Portugal with many others acts of contempt and fellony concluding that hee ought to loose the Earldome of Gijon and to be wholy left to the discretion and will of the King his Lord so as in the proofes of these crimes exhibited by the Ambassadors in defence of their Princes actions hauing not any thing to reply publikely he gaue the Lords of the French Kings councell secretly to vnderstand that the ill will which the King his Nephew bare him incensed by his bad councellors who werre corrupt and mercenary proceeded from nothing else but that hee had alwaies opposed himselfe to the practises and secret intelligences which they had with the English in league with whom they would draw the King of Castile to the preiudice of the friendship and ancient alliance which was betwixt the houses of Castile and France wherefore he intreated them to deale so with King Charles as he would iudge fauorably of his cause causing his Estates and Lands to be restored to him againe promising all his life time to doe him good and loyal seruice The King desirous to reconcile Princes that wee neere in bloud caused the Ambassadors to be treated with about a prorogation of the assignation for they had protested that the time prefixt being expired through the Earles negligence and contempt to whom the King their master had caused three hundred thousand marauidis to be deliuered for the charges of his voiage and to take from him all excuse that they could no more appeere before him as before their Iudge yet they said that seeing the King of Castile their Lord had submitted himselfe vnto his Iudgment for the brotherly loue that was betwixt them notwithstanding that many of his councell had diswaded him holding it a disparragement for the soueraigne Prince to contend with his vassall and subiects before a strange Iudge and out of his country and iurisdiction They were of opinion that if the Earle Don Alphonso did willingly deliuer the towne of Gijon vnto the King of Castile and submit himselfe to his will and mercy that by his intercession the Earle should obtaine a safe conduit and assurance to come into Castile and so he should treat of his affaires more profitably then by any other course They withall made a request vnto King Charles in the name of the King their Lord that for the league which was betwixt the two Kings and realmes he would be pleased to command D. Alphonso to depart his country which the French King could not refuse and therefore he caused notice to be giuen vnto the Earle that he should retire himselfe commanding all Gouernors of Prouinces especially of port towns not to giue him any fauor or aide wherefore he went away in poore estate kept himself some daies about Rochelle The six monthes of truce concluded betwixt the King and him being many daies before expired and yet the Ambassadors had not written any thing concerning the conclusion of this sute there were some troupes of horse and foote sent about Gijon after which the King came with greater forces both by land and sea the which did so presse the place as the Contesse Donna Isabella of Portugal yeelded it compounding for her life and liberty and of some Knights that were within it and the deliuery of her sonne D. Henry whom the King held in hostage In the meane time letters came out of France from the Ambassadors contayning what had past in this cause wherewith the King was wel satisfied The miserable Countesse Isabella daughter to D. Fernand King of Portugal being destitute of all meanes went into France to her husband D. Alphonso who was poore Gijon yeelded vnto the King and the Earle dispossest and banished into France and without any helpe or fauour but from the Vicontesse of Touars in whose country he liued in the towne of Marant After the taking of Gijon the King went to Seuile to treat a truce with the Moores being sollicited by King Mahumet then reigning in Granado the third after the death of Mahumet the old who was bruted to haue poisoned the King D. Henry the second and this was his succession Mahumet Guadix the tenth King of Granado MAhumet surnamed Guadix after the death of Mahumet the Old his
whereof were the Admirall Don Frederic Don Pedro Manriques Gouernor of Leon Don Iohn Ramir of Ariellan Lord of Los Cameros Don Pedro of Quingnones Merin Maior of the Asturia's Don Diego of Estuniga sonne to the Earle of Ledesma Don Roderigo of Castagneda Lord of Fuente Duegna and Don Pedro Mendoça Lord of Almacan who drew many others vnto their league namely the Earle of Ledesma who had his lands fronting vpon Eccia The King called soldiars from all parts to suppresse this tumult among the rest hee was speedily serued by the Nobility of Andalusia to whom the confederates did write very dutifull and respectiue letters intreating him to cause the Constable to dislodge from Court before that hee grew so powerfull as hee might be preiudiciall both to him and his realme There was in truth some reason to suppresse the boldnesse and greatnesse of this man who was insolent couetous and not very faithfull to his Prince the which was well knowne to the King and to many of his Councell D Aluaro de Luna the Constable insolent couetous and trecherous but hee had them all so tyed vnto him as not any one could attempt against him nor consent willingly to that which should displease him wherefore an answer was made vnto the letter quite contrary to that which the Noblemen of the league demanded with whom there newly ioyned Don Lewis de la Cerde Earle of Medina Celi and Don Pedro of Castile Bishop of Osma who had seazed vpon many places as Don Pedro of Quignones had done of the Citty of Leon so as the whole realme was full of seditions and tumults all in generall imputing the fault vnto the constable partly with reason and partly without The King being at Roa vsed all dilligence to assemble forces to be the stronger writing letters to Toledo and other great townes admonishing them of their duties and to be faithfull vnto him In the meane time the Marshall D. Intgo Ortiz of Estuniga brother to the Earle of Ledesma entred into Vailledolit with fiue hundred men at armes and seized on the towne in the name of the confederate Lords On the other side the King was aduertised that the King of Nauarre and D. Henry his brother were entred into Castile with fiue hundred men at armes and not knowing vpon what pretext considering the accord lately concluded betwixt them he sent vnto them intreating them to ioyne with him and to come to court the King of Nauarre consented and came to the king to Cuellar with sixe horse onely whereat the whole court did much reioyce They came at the instance of the confederate Lords and also incited with a desire to recouer that which they had lost in Castile by meanes of the present troubles in whose company was the Earle of Castro The King of Nauarre beeing seperated from the rest and come vnto the king receiued great honour and good vsage but the Infant D. Henry aduanced not but staied with the troupes the which hee led to Pegnafiel where they opened him the gates the King hauing so commanded and soone after hee had conference with the king of Nauarre his brother at Minquela neere to Cuellar there beeing good correspondency betwixt them although they made no shew of it for the King of Nauarre continued with the King of Castile and hee retired to Vailledolit to the Lords of the League there was much trouble and many enterviewes of Noblemen of either part with great leauies of souldiars to the oppression of the people and yet there was no meanes to make an accord the confederates insisting still that the constable should bee banished from court the which was a hard matter to effect The Admirall and the Infant D. Henry sent to challenge the constable and he accepted the combate but yet they did not fight The King did sollicit D. Henry promising him that if he would bee of his party he would make him maister of Saint Iames and would giue him other things for the which the Infant gaue him thankes letting him vnderstand that whatsoeuer he did was for his seruice In these treaties of pacification the greatest difficulty was in the restitution of lands forfeited Lands of confiscation giuen away â—iâ—der the peace the which had beene distributed to many yea to some of the confederats who would not restore them at the least without recompence Being in these garboiles and out of hope of any accord they had newes that D. Roderigo of Villandrado first Earle of Ribadeo who had some yeeres before serued Charles the seuenth the French King with great reputation and honour was come into Castile bringing with him three thousand souldiars to serue and succor King Iohn his naturall Lord wherefore all treaties of accord ceasing the Kings of Castile and Nauarre went as farre as Pegnafiel to meet him with some troupes to assure him from the surprises of the confederats who sent the Earle of Ledesma with fifteene hundred horse to attend him at a passage This supply and other occasions together with the dilligence of certaine religious men who sought to reconcile these Noblemen made the parties more tractable so as in October 1439. a peace was concluded An. 1439. vpon these conditions That the constable D. Aluaro de Luna should absent himselfe from court for sixe monthes and that the king of Castile should recompence the king of Nauarre and D. Henry his brother for the lands he had taken from them and the processe and proceedings made against them that were in armes disanulled that the townes and sorts held by the confederats should bee restored These things being concluded at Castro Nugno the constable to fullfill the Article which concerned him parted from court leauing most of the kings councell which fauored him discontented The Noblemen dismist their souldiars and the king parted from Castro Nugno to goe vnto Toro In the meane time the Infanta D. Catherina wife to D. Henry died in child-bed There was no peace firmly setled by this accord for the king being possest by a councel made by the constable was held in distrust and the courtiers in continuall iealousie He caused some of them which had followed the confederate Lords to be imprisoned at Salamanca and to take Segobia from Ray Dìaz of Mendoça who held it he gaue it to the Prince of the Asturia's his sonne The King of Nauarre and his brother D. Henry seeing these proceedings they went from Madrigal towards the court but the King sent to forbid them to come there and to the end they should not finde him at Salamanca he dislodged and went to Bonilla de la Serra from whence hee sent to demaund a saufe-conduit of the Noblemen for Don Guttiere Gomes of Toledo Archbishop of Seuile whom hee ment to send to treat with them the which beeing willingly granted the Archbishop came to Madrigal with some of the King councel but they returned without any conclusion wherefore the King of Nauarre and the Infant his
night the constable and his brother beeing in gard and not caring to goe the round themselues but relying vpon an other they gaue him entry by a place called Our Lady of Antigua The confederats army was then growne to be aboue fiue thousand men at armes and light horse Medina del Campo surprized by the confederat Lords and the Constable almost taken and a great number of foote wherefore the King of Nauarre and the confederate Lords entred furiously into the towne with these forces against the which there was no offer to make defence for the King knowing well that they had no quarrell but to the constable he commanded him his brother the maister of Alcantara and others of his faction to saue themselues by an other port opposite to that where their enemies entred wherein they shewed themselues nothing obstinate These being gon the King retired himselfe to the place of Saint Antolin without any care or trouble for them that entred who came presently to kisse his hands first the Admirall the Earle of Benauent and other Noblemen and captaines then the King of Nauarre who as a King made onely a reuerence but did not kisse his hand at which time there was no signe of discontentment but the King did looke of them all with a cheerefull countenance The constables lodging and of the rest of his faction were sackt and the Queenes of Castile and Portugall sisters did aduertise Don Gomes Guttiere of Toledo Archbishop of Seuile and his Nephew Don Fernando Aluares of Toledo Earle of Alba the first of that house which carried that title and Don Lopes of Bariento Bishop of Segobia that they should retire from Court for that they were too much affected to the Constables party the which they did the next day and all the Officers which had beene preferred vnto the King by the Constable were dismist And to make a good end of these troubles the Kings of Castile and Nauarre and the other Princes and Noblemen which were at Medina made a compromise in the hands of Mary Queene of Castile Don Henry Prince of the Asturia's the Admirall and of Don Garcia Aluares of Toledo who concluded as followeth Constable dismist the Couâ—t for six yeeres That the Constable Don Aluaro de Lunn Earle of Saint Stephens should absent himselfe from Court for the space of sixe yeeres next ensuing appointing him for his aboade his houses of Saint Martin of Val d'Eglise or Riaca That he should not write any letters to the King but concerning his owne businesse whereof hee should send a coppie vnto the Queene of Castile and to the Prince her sonne That during the said time hee should not make any league nor confederacie That all Knights which had followed him should retire to their houses and none to remaine about him but his household seruants Notwithstanding the Constable and the Archbishop of Toledo his brother might retaine for the space of thirty daies after notice giuen them of this sentence either of them fifty men at armes And for the execution thereof the Constable should leaue in deposito the castles of St. Stephen Aillon Maderuelo Ganga Rojas Maqueda Montalban Castle of Bayuela and Escalona which places should remaine during the said sixe yeeres in the custody of certaine Knights And for a greater caution the Constable should deliuer Don Iohn de Luna his sonne and heire in hostage to the Earle of Benauent during the said time That after the Constable should haue accomplished the aboue mentioned conditions the townes and places which the confederats held belonging vnto the King should be yeelded vp and the garrisons depart That the King should restore priuate men to their goods honours and dignities whereof hee had depriued them by reason of these troubles All guifts and grants made by the King since the first of September in the yeere 1438. vnto this present yeere 1441. should be reuoked and held for voide except to certaine persons of respect That all that were partisans to the Constable should be put out of the Kings councell who should be named by the King of Nauarre the Earles of Ledesma and Beneuent Inigo Lopes of Mendoça and Ruy Diaz of Mendoça That all souldiars should presently retire and no longer hold the field That the King of Castile should recompence him of Nauarre for the losses he had sustained in his lands in Castile during the seditions and that he should pay the souldiars which the King of Nauarre and his partisans had brought by reason thereof These with some other Articles were concluded the third of Iuly this yeere 1441. and were confirmed by the king of Castile thinking thereby to end the confusions whereinto he like a yong Prince had plunged his Estate by fauoring and supporting his mignon to much who was both indiscreet and insolent to the contempt of the Princes of his bloud and the chiefe Noblemen of the Kingdome who notwithstanding vnder collour of prouiding for the publike good tended all to their priuate Soone after the King beeing at Castro Xeris the Licentiate Alphonso Ruis of Villena came vnto him with procuration from the Constable who allowed and accepted of the sentence requiring to haue men sent to receiue the hostages After all this the Kings went to Burgos where they spent some time in feasts and sports and to auoide all iealousie which might cause troubles and diuisions amongst the Noblemen they made an accord amongst them that not any one should affect to be more familiar with the King then an other notwithstanding the Admirall D. Frederic began to be very gracious with the King of Castile nor without iealousie of the King of Nauarre who would willingly haue raised some stirs after the accustomed manner but his impaciency was restrained by the Earle of Castro his ancient and faithfull seruant who gaue him to vnderstand that it must needs redound to his proffit and of other Noblemen of the league And to make a stricter bonde hee aduised him seeing that Queene Blanche his wife was newly deceased to marry D. Ioane the Admirals daughter and he propounded vnto him an other marriage betwixt the Infant D. Henry his brother and D. Beatrice daughter to D. Roderigo Alphonso Pimentel Earle of Benauent these Noblemen still practising the Constables ruine which in the end they saw Blanch Queene of Nauarre after that she had conducted her daughter to the Prince of the Asturia's into Castile Nauarre she parted no more thence In the absence of the King her husband and hers D. Charles their sonne gouerned the Realme of Nauarre being assisted by good councell She was a religious Princesse and much giuen to deuotion and pilgrimages Death of D. Bâ—anch Queen of Nauarre especially to places dedicated to the Virgin Mary whether shee made some voiages during the aboue mentioned troubles wherein spending her time it happened that she died at Santa Maria de Nieua in the yeere 1442. It is doubtfull amongst the Spaniards where her body was
honors and riches who were issued from base and obscure families Thus King Henry at the age of one and thirty yeeres was proclaimed King at Valiodolite in the presence of D. Iohn of Pacheco Marques of Villena his most priuate and familliar friend and his brother D. Pedro Giron Maister of â—alatraua D. Ruy Diaz of Mendoza great Maister of the household to the late King D. Iohn D. Pedrod ' Aguilar Lord of Priego and of Cagnette the Marshal D. Diego Fernandes of Cordoua Lord of Baena and other Noblemen which were then at the Court. The beginning of his reigne was very plausible by reason that he did enlarge of his owne accord without being therevnto solicited by any one D. Garcia Alâ—ares of Toledo Earle of Alua and D. Diego Manriques Earle of Treuigno restoring them to all their former riches honours and dignities and hauing made a certaine speech to the Lords that were then about him they gaue him great and humble thankes reputing that demonstration of his clemency as an high fauour and so with al reuerence kissed his hands He displaced none of all those which were in any office or place of dignity during the life of his father but receiued them into his seruice in the selfe same quality that they were in before In regard whereof all men thought the Kingdome happy being fallne into the hands of so good so curteous and liberall a Prince and they did yeeld infinite thankes vnto God the only giuer of so desired and necessary a fauour for the Realmes of Castile and Leon. Diuers great Lords so soone as they heard of the death of King Iohn came in all hast to mourne with him for the same to do him reuerence and to take the oth of alleageance due to the new King The Ecclesiasticall persons were D. Alphonso Carillo d' Acugna Archbishop of Toledo D. Roderigo de Luna Archbishop of Saint Iames D. Alphonso Fonseca Archbishop of Seuil D. Alphonso de Carthagena Bishop of Burgos Frier Lopes de Barriento Bishop of Cuenca D. Alphonso de Madrigalls called Tostado the most renowned Bishop of Auila D. Pedro Baca Bishop of Leon D. Pedro of Castile Bishop of Palença D. Gonçall of Illesca Bishop of Cordoua D. Lewis d' Acugna Bishop of Segobia D. Inigo Manrique Bishop of Ouiedo with diuers other prelats The secular Lords were D. Fernand de Velasco Earle of Haro D. Alphonso Pimentell Earle of Benauent D. Gaston de la Cerde Earle of Medina Celi D. Diego Manrique Earle of Treuigno D. Iohn Manrique Earle of Castagneda D. Roderigo Manrique Earle of Paredes D. Gabriell Manrique Earle of Osorno D. Aluaro of Estuniga Earle of Plaisance whose father was newly dead much about the time of the Constables decease D. Pedro Aluares Osorio Earle of Transtamara D. Pedro d' Acugna Earle of Valencia an other D. Pedro d' Acugna Lord of Duegnas and Tariego brother to the Archbishop D. Alphonso Carillo D. Iohn de Sylua Standard-bearer to the King and many others who with the deputies of townes and Prouinces there assembled sware to the Kings fealty and homage after the accustomed manner Now the King being desirous to suppresse al fore-passed quarrels and to settle a firme peace in his dominions The King of Nauarre and other Lords pacified recompenced repealed by the new king D. Henry did at his comming to the crowne send Ambassadors to the King of Nauarre who greatly complained because of the confiscation of all his goods in Castile wherevpon it was concluded that in recompence of all the wrongs that hee could pretend he should haue certaine yeerely pensions assigned him out of the ordinary reuenue of the Kingdome of Castile in regard of which assignation he should deliuer vp into the King of Castiles hands the townes of Atiença La Pegna de Alcaçar it was likewise agreed vpon that the Admirall D. Frederic D. Iohn of Touar Lord of Berlanga the children of the Earle of Castro lately dead and all the Knights and others which were fled out of the Kingdome by reason of the late warres should be repealed and restored to all their goods and lands These things were soone effected and the Admirall with the rest returned to Valiodolit to kisse the Kings hands who receiued them very graciously and yet for all that did put them in minde of the faith and obedience due to Kings to the end they might the better remember it afterward and so with his free pardon dismissed them And besides all this the better to confirme his peace on all sides with Christian Princes he sent Ambassadors into Italy to Alphonso King of Arragon to the end to renue the leagues and antient alliances betwixt the crownes of Castile and Arragon who were receiued and entertained with great honour a notable argument whereof was that as the Ambassadors of Castile and the Commissioners of Arragon stood vpon termes who should be first named in the instruments and writings the King D. Alphonso decreed that the precedency should be giuen to Castile Castile presâ—râ— before Arragon in regard that he himselfe reigning ouer the Arragonois was a Prince issued from the stocke of Castile an antient race of the Kings of Gothes so that in all the writings which did concerne the league and alliance the King of Castile was first named the which his Ambassadors at their returne certified to him and his councell to their exceeding ioy and contentment But notwithstanding these good beginnings if the reigne of the late King Iohn was turbulent and troublesome and if euer Spaine was Spaine was seene to be shaken with furious tempests The gentleness of a Prince not accompanied with iustice seuerity is both hurtful to him selfe and his Estaâ—e it was now most of all by the miserable gouernment of his sonne King Henry whose clemency and carelesse gentlenesse was the onely cause thereof making him to forget the other part of the duty of a Prince which is Iustice by meanes whereof he fell into the contempt of the great ones of his Court and namely of his most priuate minions so that both hee and his Kingdome fell into very dangerous streights At the beginning he and his affaires were gouerned by D. Iohn de Pacheco Marquis of Villena a wise rich and discreet person and one well seene in the mannaging of state-affaires likewise by the Archbishop of Seuil D. Alphonso de Fonseca a prelate of an excellent wit but lesse graue then beseemed the place and ranke he held by whom for certaine yeeres space the Kingdome was well gouerned to the contentment of all men The first martiall enterprise attempted in the reigne of King Henry was against the Moores of Granado ouer whom reigned Ismael Moores and Castile the same who had taken the crowne from Mahumet the Lame for the execution whereof King Henry assembled the Estates of his kingdome in the city of Cuellar vnto whom hauing propounded what he ment to doe D. Iatgo Lopes de
constrayned them to returne into their owne territories Now King Iohns comming with his army beeing knowne in Nauarre encouraged those of Grammont and did greatly amaze the Beaumonto is who knew very well that they should not be able to resist such great forces wherefore taking counsell about the affaires with the Earle of Foix they aduised him to make an agreement with the King his father-in-law who had already resolued after his death to leaue the kingdome to his daughter Donna Leonora and to permit him to enjoy it awhile who by reason of his extreame age could not hold out long therefore he should be content to haue patience and to suffer the King to enioy the title of King of Nauarre the small time he had to liue The Earle was easily drawne thereto for he saw no hope of victorie if hee should haue persisted in his rash enterprise by armes then they began to capitulate setting downe articles Queen Ioane her last confession which shall be hereafter mentioned Before the finall conclusion whereof King Iohn beeing alreadie returned to Tarragona to view his forces and to take order for the warre of Barcelona his wife Queene Ioane being a long time tormented with a canker which consumed her drew neere her end It is reported that when shee kuew shee must needs dye fetching diuers sighs and grones remembring her son Prince Fernand shee sayd Death of the younger Gaston de Foix at Libâ—rna O my son thou hast cost me deare and it is constantly affirmed that â—he did confesse to haue procured and hastened the death of Prince Charles wherwith the king was so highly offended with her as he would neuer afterward looke vpon her yet neuerthelesse her ambition gaue her this content to see before her death her son Prince Fernand made king of Sicill her body according to her will was buried in the Monasterie of Pobleta about this time in the yeare 1469. hapned the lamentable death of Gaston of Foix the younger An. 1469. eldest son to the Earle Gaston and to the Princesse Leonora who should haue succeeded them in the kingdome of Nauarre There was a great assembly of Princes Knights at Liborne nere to Bourdeaux who there met to honor accompany Charles of France brother to Lewis the 11. newly reconciled to him and promoted to the Dutchy of Guyenne after the ciuill war this young Knight Gaston running at tilt which was performed in most costly and sumptuous maner was run with the splinter of a lance into the bravres wherof he dyed to the great griefe of as many as knew him but especially of duke Charles whose sister he had married whose name was Magdalen she being likewise sister to Lewis by whom he had two children to wit Francis Phaebus who was king of Nauar and Earle of Foix and Catherine his sister who succeeded her brother dying without heires Happily it shall not be amisse to set downe here the succession of the house of Foix which hath inherited the kingdome of Nauar fetching it as far as Histories make mention thereof to the which as we haue sayd the Segneury of Bearn was vnited about the yeare 1286. Wee finde that the countrey of Foix was erected into an Earledome about the yeare 1462. by Raymond Originall and continuance of the house of Foix. Earle of Tholousa who inuested therewith Bernard youngest sonne to Roger Earle of Carcassone and to Adela his wife of this Bernard and of Beatrice daughter to the Earle of Beziers was borne Roger who was second Earle of Foix who begat an other Roger his successor in the Countie of Foix second of that name father to Roger the third whom he had by Eximena his second wife hauing first of all married a Lady of Prouence called Estinetta Of Roger the third and of Cicelie daughter to Earle Raymond of Barcelona was borne Raymond Roger who married a Lady called Phillip by whom hee had a sonne called Roger Bernard who succeeded him in the Earledome of Foix and a daughter called Esclrmonde married to the King of Majorca This Raymond Roger caused his lawfull wife to suffer many indignities at the request of a Concubine who was of the religion of the Albigeois Roger Bernard was then Earle of Foix after his father the sixt in number about the yeare 1223. and was surnamed the great Hee married Brunixenda daughter to the Earle of Castelbon by whom hee had Roger called Rotfer Earle of Foix after him Esclermond wife to the Vicount of Cardona and Cicely wife to the Earle of Vrgell Roger Rotfer seanenth Earle of Foix and fift of the name married Brunixenda daughter to the Vicount on whom he begat Roger Bernard the sixt of that name and eight Earle of Foix of him and of Manigarda of Narbona were borne an other Roger Bernard who succeeded in the Earledome Agnes who was wife to Esquibat Earle of Bigorre and Phillip married to Arnold of Spaine Vicount of Conserans Roger Bernard seauenth of the name and ninth Earle of Foix came to the Earledome after the decease of his father about the yeer 1262. who married Marguerit daughter to Gaston de Moncada Lord of Bearne and of Martha de Foix by whose meanes he came to vnite the Lordship of Bearne to the Earledome of Foix by the consent of the estates of Bearne to the preiudice of the Earle of Armagnac who had married the elder daughter of Marguerite whom Gaston disinherited in disdaine that her husband the Earle of Armignac did not helpe him in certaine warres that hee made as well as his other sonne in lawe the Earle of Foix. Now Roger Bernard had by his wife Marguerite of Bearne foure children to weet Gaston the elder who was Earle of Foix after his father the tenth in number and the first of that house who enioyed the Lordship of Bearne Brunixenda wife to Helie of Perigort Constance married to Anthonie de Leui Lord of Mirepoix and Ioane who married Peter sonne to King Iames of Arragon Gaston then the first of that name Earle of Foix and Lord of Bearne married Ioane daughter to Lewis of France Earle of Eureux and of Marguerite of Artois from whom issued Gaston heire to the Earledome Roger Bernard Vicount of Castelbon father of Mathew and of Isabell of Castelbon who succeeded one after an other in the Earledome of Foix and Robert Bishop of Vaur He had also a bastard sonne named the Wolfe Lord of Arauath who begat Blanche wife to Iohn de Gaulti or Grailhij Capdau de Buch. Gaston the second the eleuenth Earle of Foix and second Lord of Bearne of this family had by his wife Elenor daughter to the Earle of Comming Gaston Phoebus who succeeded his father in the yeare 1344. the fourth of that name and hauing married Agnes daughter to King Philip of Nauarre had by her one onely sonne whose murtherer hee was hauing found about him a box of poison which his Vncle King Charles of Nauarre had giuen him to
Roderigo Manriques against the Marquis who intended to beseege them the which they obtayned moreouer the King and Queene sent vnto them the Bishop of Auila and the Lord of Coca and Alaexos who were both of them called Alphonso de Fonseca The Marquis fearing least other places might reuolt by the example of Alcarras solicited the Kings of Portugall to make hast and hauing taken Donna Ioane whome he termed Queene out of Escalona hee brought her by Trugillo vnto Plaisance whereas King Alfonso of Portugall arriued with an army of fiue thousand horse The army of Portugall entreth into Castill of all sorts and fifteene thousand foote Hee was attended on by the Archbishoppe of Lisbone the Bishoppe of Ebora and Coimbra and many other Prelats and Church-men who are alwaie desirous to bee where stirres and tumults are albeit the true followers of Christ Iesus haue peace in greatest recommendation more-ouer there were with him the Constable and Marshall of Portugall the Duke of Bragança and his brother the Earle of Faro the Earles of Villa-real Penela Marialua and Pegnamaçor with a great number of other Nobility desirous to serue their King to winne honour and to encrease their estates by the enlargement of so great a conquest as they hoped to make vpon the Kingdomes of Castile and Leon with the teritories annexed there-vnto the most part of whome hauing vpon this vncertaine ground sold or morgaged their lands and liuings The King of Portugall and Donna Ioane were betrothed each to other in the Citty of Playsance The king of Portugall and Donna Ioane betrothed each to other protesting to craue a dispensation from the Pope there were present Don Diego de Estuniga Duke of Areualo and his brother the Earle of Miranda and King Alfonso and Donna Ioane were at that act and ceremony called and intitled King and Queene of Castile and Leon. King Alfonso at his departure out of Portugal least his Sonne the Prince Don Iohn Regent and gouernor there Geneologie of Portugal who was newly made father to a Sonne by his wife Donna Leonor who was named Alfonso being borne at Lisbone in the yeare 1475. An. 1475. King Fernand and Queene Isabell did like-wise intitle themselues Kings of Portugall and of the Algarues and either-fide did beare the armes of both the Kingdomes indifferently The gouernors of the frontiers were commanded to inuade one another which they readily executed with great cruelty and to the great spoyle of the realme of Portugall the people of Castile putting all to fire and sword that were neere to their borders especially on the coast of Badajos where the Castle of Nodar was taken from the Portugalls and Martin de Sepulueda one of the foure and twenty of Siuill was made gouernor thereof who from thence made sharpe warre vpon the Portugois and yet in the end hee proued scarce faithfull to his Kings Don Alfonso of Montroy Treasorer of the order of Alcantara who seemed him-selfe Maister thereof did on the other-side winne Algretta In like manner Don Alfonso de Cardegna great commander of Leon who called him-selfe maister of Saint Iames did with sundry troupes of horse forrage and spoile the fronters of Portugall and brought great booties from thence Don Pero Aluares de Soto mayor shewed him-selfe on the King of Portugalls side and tooke Tuy calling him-selfe Vicount thereof and tooke also Bayon of Minio sundry other exploits of warre with burning of houses and robberies were committed on the frontiers by this enraged multitude Now the king of Portugall did perceaue that the warre was likely to last longer and bee more difficult than hee had expected and almost despairing of ending it with honour vnles hee had the aide and supply of some greater power hee sought by all meanes to incite the French King Lewis the leauenth to breake his alliance with the Kings of Castile Toro deliueâ—ed to the King of Portugall and to assaille them on that side of Guipuscoa the which hee obtayned as hereafter shal be mentioned In the meane time hauing receiued the Citty of Toro by the treason of Iohn Vlloa hee assayled the Castle and tooke it by force and by the like treason made him-selfe Maister of Zamora the which was deliuered vnto him by Iohn de Porras one of the chiefe cittizens thereof whose Sonne in law named Alfonso de Valencia beeing Mashall was Captayne of the Castle who had rather trust to the vncertaine promises of the King of Portugall Zamâ—ra in the power of the King Portugal than respecting his owne honour relie vpon the offers of King Fernand and Queene Isabell from Zamora King Alfonso came backe to Toro where his new betrothed wife and her mother Queene Ioane lay who was sister to this King who dyed about that time and was very honorably buried at Madrid in the monastery of S. Francis The Kings Fernand and Izabella greatly apprehending the wrongs and losses which they daily sustained they hasted on their subiects and souldiers to suppresse the Portugois or else to fight with them Great numbers of Lords Knights and men at armes came to Vailliodolit where the whole bodie of the armie from all places of Spayne was assembled Andalusia excepted in which Prouince the quarrell did still continue betwixt the Duke of Medina Sidonia and the Marquis of Cales and betwixt the Earle of Cabrera and Don Alphonso of Aguilar and there was some likeli-hood that the Marquis and Don Alphonso would take the Marquis of Villena's part their brother-in-law The men of note that were come to Vailliodolit were these Don Pedro Gâ—nçal of Mendoza Cardinall of Spayne and his breethren Don Diego Hurtado of Mendoza Duke of Infantasgo Don Inigo Lopes of Mendoza Earle of Tendilla Don Lorenzo Suares Earle of Crugna Don Pedro de Velasco Constable of Castile Don Alphonso Henriques high Admirall Don Garcy Aluares of Toledo Duke of Alua Don Roderigo Alphonso Pimentel Earle of Benauent Don Henry Henriques Earle of Alua de Lista Don Pedro Manrique Earle of Treuigno Don Iohn Manrique Earle of Castagneda and his brother Don Gabriel Manrique Earle of Osorno Don Pedro Aluares of Osorio Marquis of Astorga D. Diego Lopes Sarmiento Earle of Salinas Don Pedro of Mendoza Earle of Montagu D. Alphonso d'Areillan Earle of Aguilar Don Pedro of Acugna Earle of Buendia with other Lords ecclesiasticall and temporall Don Bertrand de la Cueua Duke of Albuquerque remayned neuter knowing not how to resolue he would willingly haue adhered to the King of Portugall who was to bee husband to her who was reputed to be his daughter but he durst not yet for all that at the last he tooke the partie of king Fernand and Queene Izabella by meanes whereof diuers did take their parts who before that time were doubtfull what to do Garcy Lopes of Padilla Treasurer of Alcantara who was the last Master of that Order and Don Diego of Castile with diuers Knights and Commanders came to the Kings and Queenes
aduertizing him that if that Castle which was the fort of the Cittie of the Kingdome were lost he should neuer hope to raigne in Castile therefore it behooued him to come and succour it when the king of Portugal vnderstood thus much he gathered together as great forces as he could conueniently and marched towards Areualo where the Arch-bishoppe of Tolledo and the Marquis of Villena did meete him with troupes of chosen souldiers who againe did sweare vnto him not to acknowledge any other King in Castile but himselfe Queene Izabella was at the same time newly come to Vailliodolit out of Leon where shee had displaced the Captaine of the towers of the same cittie whome she knew to haue intelligence with the Portugois and placed an other in his roome and hearing of King Alphonso's comming to Areualo and that the aboue-named Lords were ioyned with him shee speedily sent Don Iohn de Silua Earle of Cifuentes to Olmedo and Don Guttiere of Cardegna to Medina del Campo to the end to hinder the enemies from enterprising vpon those places and to wearie them The Earle of Cifuentes who was young hotte and desirous to winne honour would contrarie to the aduice of the elder and more experienced Captaines needes runne to Areualo and there to lay an ambush for the enemie but hee was discouered and the enemie came foorth vppon him with greater forces so as hee was constrayned with great dishonour to returne backe to Olmedo beeing defeated and ashamed The Earle of Cifuentes defeatâ—d by the Portugoâ—s After this victory the King of Portugall the Arch-bishoppe of Toledo the Marquis of Villena and other Lords marched towards Pegnafiel a towne belonging to the Earle of Vregna where they remayned expecting some other companies which were to be ioyned to their army Vppon this occasion Queene Izabella came to Palença with the Cardinall of Spaine the Admirall the Earle of Benauent and others from whence shee sent the Earle of Benauent with certaine men at armes who lodged in Baltanas a towne neere to Pegnafiel and from thence made continuall roades cutting off those which carried victuals to the Portugals campe who were greatly distressed thereby wherefore the King of Portugall sent to assayle the same place where the Portugals sought so furiously as notwithstanding the great resistance which the Earle and his souldiers made The Earle of 〈◊〉 taken prisoner they entred and tooke it and brought away the Earle of Benauent prisoner beeing wounded to the campelying at Pegnafiel with diuers other braue Knights These two ouerthrowes of the Earles of Cifuentes and Benauent did greatly trouble the Queen who was aduised for the best to go to Burgos to the king her husband where the castle still held out and made wonderfull resistance The king of Portugall in the meane time made no hast to succour it for he was inferiour in forces to the armie of the Kings his aduersaries and withall hee greatly feared that the cittie of Zamora stood not firme for his seruice therefore hee chose the safest way which was to returne to Areualo with purpose to put greater garrisons into Zamora and Toro Donna Leonora Pimentell Dutchesse of Areualo who was sister to the Earle of Benauent and a Ladie of great woorth obtayned her brothers libertie of King Alphonso agreeing vppon his ransome and promised that he should no more serue the King and Queene in those warres for assurance whereof he gaue the townes of Portillo Villalua and Majorga in pawne and albeit the king promised great honours and rewards to the Earle of Benauent to the end to draw him to his seruice yet he would neuer consent thereto but in regard of this mishap he remayned as neuter The yeare one thousand An. 1476. foure hundred seuenty sixe those of Ocagna beeing kept short by the Garrisons of the Marquis of Villena and tyred with their oppressions returned to the seruice of the King and Queene beeing ayded and fauoured by the Earle of Cifuentes and by Don Iohn de Ribera who came thither with great troupes of souldiers Queene Izabella gaue the gouernement of that place to the Earle of Paredes enemie and competitor to the Marquis who beeing by little and little dispossest of what hee held did greatly complaine thereof to the king of Portugall saying that he had sustained those losses by beeing in his seruice and he did request him to passe on with his forces to Madrid assuring him that by the assistance of the Archb. of Toledo the Master of Calatraua and with the forces of the same kingdome of Toledo which took his part not onely in a short time to recouer what was taken from him but that his affaires would prosper the better The King of Portugall hauing had therevpon the aduise of the Lords and Captaines of his army was aduised not to leaue the hilly country on that side of Burgos for whosoeuer was possessed thereof might boldly terme himselfe Maister of Castill and Leon and withall if he should seeme to march towards Toledo the enemy would say that he did run away from them wherefore he entertayned the Marquis with promise to aide him in all he could and more-ouer to recompence him with great guifts and honours prouided that hee would take some good order for his affaires and in some sort prouide for the present danger From that time the Marquis who felt his losses and saw no hope of rising againe The Marquis of Villena beginneth to incline to King Ferdinand Queene Isabels side began to thinke vpon fit meanes to returne to the King and Queenes seruice At the same time the Citty of Zamora did seeke some fit occasion to rebell against the King of Portugal whereof hee stood in some doubt and vsed such dilligence for the discouery of their practizes as hee had notice of a plot which they had layd for the which he caused foure of the chiefest Cittizens to be put to death Yet notwithstanding Francis de valdez Captaine of the bridge of Zamora beeing solicited by Queene Izabell did promise to deliuer that forte into her hand and withall to giue her entry into the Citty but that it behooued King Ferdinand to bee present in person at soe great an enterprise The King was not slacke at such an occasion but leauing his brother Don Alphonso of Arragon and the Constable at the siege of the Castle of Burgos hee came thither in a disguised habit beeing accompanied with three horsse-men by the way of Valiodolit causing it to be giuen out that he was sicke and kept his chamber Although this enterprise seemed to be kept close yet the King of Portugall had notice thereof and did meane to put a new supply of such as he durst trust into the bridge vnder collour of sending certaine soldiers forth in the night a boot haling but the Captaine would not suffer them to passe bidding them come in the day time saying that the night is euer dangerous to strong places and passages of
the king left the duke of Guimaranes within Toro and marched towards Zamora on the other side opposite to the Castle the riuer beeing betwixt them and hauing planted his campe round about the bridge hee did thereby hinder all men from comming foorth of the cittie on that side The placing of the campe seemed strange to king Fernand for the Portugals could no way from thence helpe those of the Castle nor yet hinder his armie much lesse could they come to battaile The King of Portugals vanity and it seemed that he did rather seeke vainly to be accounted bold and valiant by lodging so neere his enemie than to perform any worthie act as it appeared by that which hee did write to the French king the Pope and to diuers other Princes as also by that which hee published throughout all Spaine Queene Izabella sent the Duke of Villa-hermosa her brother-in-law and the Constable with two thousand horse to Fuente del Sabuco and to Alaheyos to keepe and cutte off the enemies campe from victualles and to distresse it In the meane time there wanted no mediatours for peace betwixt both the kings but it was in vaine and to no purpose The Portugall armie hauing for the space of fifteene dayes beene abroade in the fields in the dead time of cold winter the king Alphonso determined to returne to Toro And to to the end he might do it safely he sent Don Aluaro of Portugall sonne to the Duke of Bragança and the Licentiate Anthonie Nugnes of Cite Roderigo to the King of Castile to treate of a peace vppon certaine conditions which beeing refused them they had in charge to demaund a truce for a few dayes thereby to bring matters to a finall agreement This was but a pollicie to auoyd battaile and to be able to bring his armie in safetie backe to Toro There were sundrie opinions thereuppon and at the last they were answered that the truce which should be graunted should bee but short and if there were nothing concluded betwixt the two Kings King Alphonso of Portugal dislâ—dgeth froÌ„ before Zamora hee of Portugall might bee well assured not to bee suffered to depart thence with so great ease as hee imagined King Alphonso hauing vnderstood this answer beganne to dislodge secretly the same night the next day the scoutes seeing the place emptie aduertized the King that the enemie was dislodged who foorth-with commaunded the Captaines to leade the armie foorth into the field and to follow them the presse was so great at the passage of the bridge and at the going ouer the riuer of Duero by boate and other-waies as the soldiers could conueniently as a good part of the day was spent before the armie could passe the riuer and much time was afterward lost in ranging the battaile into wings and squadrons which was ordered after this manner They made a squadron of the kings Guard Battel betwixt the Spaniaâ—ds and Portugois and of the troupes of horse of Lemos and Salamanca of the Townes of Olmedo Valiodolit Medina del Campo with others which was commaunded by the great Master Don Henry Henriques On the right hand of this squadron were sixe battaillions the first was conducted by Don Aluaro of Mendoza who a little before that time was created Earle of Castro Xeris and Don Guttiere of Cardegnas and Rodrigo of Vlloa the second by the two Alphonso's of Fonseca the one Bishoppe of Auila and the other Lord of Coca and Alaexos the third by Pedro de Guzman the fourth by Bernard Franc the fifth by Don Pedro de Velasco and the sixt by Vasco de Biâ—ar brother to the Bishoppe of Salamanca On the left hand the Cardinal of Spaine ledde the first battalion the second the Duke of Alua the third the Earle of Alua de Lista the fourth Don Garcia Osorio who brought thither the troupes of the Marquis of Astorga his Nephew betwixt these two the foote-men were placed and in this manner the army marched on vnto the hilles which are betwixt Zamora and Toro and there it stayed It was thought that the Portugals making such hast would bee at Toro before the Spanish armie should passe these hilles and a Councell beeing called to determine what was best to be done the most part were of opinion to turne backe againe and to content themselues to haue gained the honour that the enemies had fled from them but the Cardinall of Spayne beeing a wise man and of an exceeding great spirit thinking that they did iudge amisse of the King of Portugals desseignes intreated the king to suffer him to goe to the toppe of those hilles with certaine troupes of horse for discouerie who hauing obtayned leaue and beeing gotten vp to a very high place hee espyed the armie of Portugall in order of battaile without any trouble or confusion at all Returning then to the king he told him that the enemies meant nothing lesse then to flie and that hee had seene them standing in good and martiall order wayting if any would follow to fight with them Whereuppon euery man beeing placed and ranked in his order and squadron the armie with great courage and resolution marched on The king of Portugall descrying the Spaniards marching towards them caused his people foorth-with to make a stand and with great magnanimitie to turne their faces towards them resoluing rather to dye fighting then to retirie with shame Hee was at the same time stronger in horse-men than king Ferdinand wherefore after hee had diuided his squadrons betwixt himselfe his sonne the Prince the Bishoppe of Ebora the Earles of Phâ—ro Villa-reall and other Captaines and encouraged the Knights and souldiers with a large and well-composed speech putting them in mind of the victorie which King Iohn the first wonne from the Spaniards at Aljubarotta he caused them to march forward to the fight The chiefe strength and flower of the Portugall Cauallerie lay in the squadron of Prince Iohn against whom King Fernand caused the sixth battaillion on his right hand to aduance themselues altogether albeit that D. Alphonso de Fonseca first of all and Don Aluaro de Mendoça Earle of Castro after him had requested the honour to bee the first that might charge them The Portugals which were in that squadron ioyned with those whom the Bishop of Ebora conducted made so braue a resistance as the Spaniards turned their backes so as at this first incounter the victory seemed to be on the King of Portugals side the Spaniards being sore hurt by the Artillery and by the Crosse-bowes of the Portugall-footemen These being retired the other squadrons gaue in vpon the residew of the Portugall army with better successe Notwithstanding that the valor of either side made the fight doubtfull for three houres space In the end the Portugalls not being able to hold out beganne to giue backe and were disordred and put to flight taking the high-way towards Toro as fast as they could gallop but being pursued there was a great slaughter
the kingdomes of Castile in which space it was beseeged by the Duke sent thither with certaine companies by the Queene This same yeare King Ferdinand and Queene Isabell their affaires prospering did celebrate and keepe the assembly of the estates at Madrigall where Donna Isabell there onely daughter at that time was sworne vnto and acknowledged after the antient accustomed manner of Spaine Princesse of the Astiuria's and eldest lawfull heire to the Kingdomes of Castile and Leon and the dependances thereof in case no male child were borne vnto them And in regard of the great zeale and affection they did beare to iustice which had greate neede of their aide and assistance the whole state of Spaine being so disordered and full of confusion as they which were strongest In what cases the prouosts of Castle may giue iudgement would without any feare of punishment exercise infinite kinds of cruelties vpon the weaker sort it was decreed for the preuenting thereof to renew and authorise the brother-hoods and companies of the communalties To the prouosts and iudiciall seates whereof authority should be giuen to giue iudgement in fiue cases that is to say for murther inforced theft or those which should be hurt in the country or places farre from any dwelling Secondly they might iudge the selfe same crimes committed in the townes and villages in case the offender should flie away Thirdly the breaking open of doores and walles scaling and burning of houses Fourthly the rape and violence offered to women or maides of what age or condition soeuer And fiftly for rebelling against the Ministers of iustice executing their charge which brother-hoods should haue their prouosts and iudges in the townes and their Ministers in all places of their iurisdiction and whereas any controuersie should arise betwixt the ordinary Iudges and those prouosts vpon the enquiry and knowledge of offences such differences should be iudged by the Kings Councell Don Lope de Ribas Bishop of Carthagena was chosen chiefe president of all those brotherhoods and it was decreed that an imposition should bee laide vpon the people for the entertainement of the souldiars and officers of these Iudges euery twentith house to finde one horseman so as by that meanes a power of two thousand horse was leauied to assist the Iudges and to purge and clense the country from theeues and robbers Of whom Don Alphonso of Arragon Duke of Villahermosa the Kings brother was captaine generall These things beeing thus ordered did neuerthelesse displease sundry of the great Lords of Spaine but the Constable was well pleased therewith who was the first that commanded his owne tennants to contribute towards the payment of these companies whose example diuers other great Lords did follow afterward Now the King of Portugall had furnished Toro Cantalapiedra and Castro Nugno with good and strong garrisons which did greatly molest all the country there abouts especially that of Cantalapiedra where Alphonso Peres de Biuero was gouernour who made continuall courses vpon the territory of Medina Salamanca and other places which to remedy King Fernand resolued to beseege it and sent thither the Duke of Villahermosa his brother and Don Pedro Manrique Earle of Treuigno with Artillery to batter it The seege being planted and the Canon playing on either side the beseeged who found themselues shut in demaunded aide of King Alphonso who did forrage and ouer runne the territory of Salamanca thinking by that meanes both to diuert the army from before Cantalapiedra and to succour the beseeged but it fell not out according to his desseigne for the Earle of Treuigno marched against the forragers and did beate them backe and yet the beseeged in Cantalapiedra were still as much distressed as before It was treated concerning the exchange of prisoners wherefore the Earle of Benauent was freed from his oth which hee made not to beare armes for King Fernand in that warre and so the Earle of Pegnamaçor was deliuered forth of prison the seege raised from before Cantalapiedra and the Licentiate Antonio Nugnes of Ciudad Rodrigo was restored to his goods and the garrisons of that place were not to beare armes for a yeere afterward The King and Queene gaue to the Earle of Benauent foure millions of Marauedis towards the charges hee had beene at and confirmed his former guift of the city of Corunna or the Groine but the Inhabitants taking armes did resist him intending to maintaine themselues vnder the demaines of the crowne without acknowledging any subalterne Lord and draue those forth of the castle which held it for the Earl The same time king Fernand was sent for into Arragon by King Iohn his father whither he did make a short iourney because his wars in Castile but especially in Guipuscoa concerned him very nerely he made a quick returne to victoria for the Frenchmen remained still in that Prouince burning the country to driue whom away the King and Queene raised an army of fity thousand men the most part of them being footmen out of the Prouinces of Guipuscoa Alaua Biscay Asturia and from other places on the confines of Burgos Vpon the report of this great preparation the French men retired to Bayonne with intent and threatning to returne againe the spring following At the same time Nauarre the faction of Beaumont and Grammont in the Kingdome of Nauarre were at as deadly warre as euer Lewis of Beaumont coueâ—s the Realme of Nauarre and the quarrell betwixt Don Lewis of Beaumont Earle of Lerin and Pedro of Peralta the Constable was pursued with all rigour and extremity the Earle of Lerin beganne to treat with King Fernand to make him King of Nauarre and to deliuer into his hands the city of Pampelona with other fortresses of the fame country sending certaine Knights of Nauarre vnto him to victoria to offer him his seruice with all that hee did possesse the King did curteously entertaine those Knightes thanked both the Earle and them for their offers and good will but concerning the rest hee said that hee would not lay claime to anothers right for the Realme of Nauare did in right belong to his sister the Princesse Leonora and after her decease to her Sonnes Sonne Francis Phoebus Earle of Foix and Lord of Bearne and withall because King Iohn his father did enioy the toyall authority thereof during his life therefore to enterprise any thing against the right of those persons vnto whome hee did owe so much honour and respect it would not onely be a sinne but impiety and sacriledge so as by no meanes hee would harken therevnto saying moreouer that hee was much greeued to see the inueterate hatred betwixt the Earle and the Constable and that hee would willingly take the paines to make them friends thinking it an office worthy of him King Ferdinand meditates a peace betwixt the factions of Beaument and Gramont to procure the peace and quiet of that Kingdome which was ruined by the confusions of the ciuill warres
if Don Ramir Nugnes had done any thing for the recouery of his honour it was not a fault that did deserue to haue him spoiled of his patrimony and goods left him by his predecessors therefore he besought the Queene to proceed in this businesse by order of law and if that Don Ramir should be found guilty Quarrell betweene D. Ramâ—r Nugnes de Guzman and D. Frederike Henriques then to punish him with these speeches they entertained La Font and gained time to the end that Don Ramir might haue leasure to fortifie himselfe Whilest La Font went to the Court the souldiars did much hurt in the country neere to Torall and prouoked the Inhabitants and souldiars which were within the towne to come forth and skirmish with them albeit that Don Pedro de Guzman with-held them from so doing as much as in him lay for hee would not giue that aduantage to Don Ramires aduersaries to say that those of Torall had fought against the Queenes forces who commaunded Alphonso de Quintanilla to vse all fit meanes that hee could to take the towne and castle of Torall Alphonso hauing demaunded to speake with Don Pedro de Guzman and Pero Nugnes his Nephew acquainted them with the Queenes resolution exhorting them not to delay the time till they brought the canon they answered that they would in no sort shew themselues rebellious to the Queenes commaundement but they onely entreated that Don Ramir might be proceeded against by the ordinary meanes of Iustice which beeing graunted they were ready not onely to yeeld vp Torall but the castle of Auiados in like manner and namely if need required to put Don Ramirs person into the hands of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in hostage or to Don Gomes Suares de Figueroa Earle of Feria the which was agreed vpon betwixt them and signed by a Notarie and a truce made betwixt the beseegers and beseeged whilest that Alphonso de Quintillana might goe and come from the Court That Queene was at the same time gone to Cordoua wherefore Alphonso being come to Valiodolit and hauing conferred with the Admirall sent the dispatch to Cordoua to the Queene who appointed for depositor of D. Ramirs lands and person the Earle of Feria who had married D. Constance D. Ramirs Aunt the Earle accepted it vpon condition that he should be aduertized fiue and twenty daies before the sentence should bee pronounced and that the Kings should promise him by writing not to demaund Don Ramirs person during the time of the processe for he would assure him whilest he was in his power On the other side Don Ramir sent to the King of Portugall to know whether that if it should happen that a sentence should be pronounced against him which might touch his life and honour hee would permit him to come into his Kingdome and Court in safety These things being graunted Don Ramir was brought to the castle of the towne of Feria for greater surety and there kept in prison vntill his processe was ready to be iudged and then the Kings according to their promise did aduertize the Earle of Feria thereof at the appointed time who sent Don Ramir well accompanied into Portugall where King Iohn the second of that name did then reigne who entertained him very curteously as shal be hereafter declared Queene Isabella as hath beene said made a voyage into Arragon The States of Arragon sweare to Prince Iohn and carried thither with her her husband Iohn Prince of the Asturia's and was receiued into the city of Calatajub with great and magnificent triumph whether the King came not long after who at the same time was at Barcelona with the Lords and Deputies of the States of Arragon by whom Prince Iohn was likewise sworne vnto and acknowledged for Prince of Girona heire vnto Castile and Arragon and true successor in these Kingdomes the Kings in like manner did sweare and promise to maintaine the rights priuiledges and exemptions of the country That being done they went to Saragossa where they made as triumphant an entry as at Calatajub Thither was newes brought of the death of the great Turke Mahumet of the succession of his sonne Bajazet in that Empire and of the discord betwixt him and his brother Zemin and also how that King Fernand of Naples had recouered the towne of Ottranto which Acomat Bascia had taken from him the yeere before For all which desired newes the Kings yeelded thankes vnto God by generall processions after the accustomed manner Estates at Barcelona and Valencia The Kings did in like manner assemble the Estates at Barcelona and Valencia where the like othes were made vnto Prince Iohn as next future heire but touching the subsidies they demaunded it was impossible to obtaine any and they were faine on the contrary to grant many things to the people and in diuerse sorts to supply their wants being but poore euer since the last warre that the Cattelans made against the King Don Iohn Don Iohn the second of that name and 13. King of Portugall ABout the same time died Alphonso King of Portugall at Sintra who since the last warres betwixt him and Castile Portugal had euer led a melancholy and discontented life he lay sicke fiue and twenty daies and deceased the three and fortith yeere of his reigne being of the age of nine and forty yeeres and seuen monthes his body was buried with great solemnitie and funerall pompe in the royall Monastery of the battaile of the Order of the Friers preachers the Catholike Kings remayning still at Barcelona did there celebrate his obsequies After him reigned his sonne D. Iohn father to D. Alphonso who did not succeed him because he died before his father as hereafter shal be mentioned King Fernand hauing ordered the affaires of Arragon Castile Cattalonia and Valencia returned with the Queene his wife into Castile where during her absence the Constable and the Admirall were appointed Viceroys who committed the Earles of Luna and Valence to prison in regard of certaine tumults and seditions which they had raised in the Kingdome of Leon. The Court remayning at that time at Medina del Campo happened as hath beene heretofore declared the reuenge of D. Ramir Nugnes de Guzman against the Admirall There arose at the same time a new contention betwixt the Kings of Castile and the Pope wherein they shewed no want of courage The Episcopall Sea of Cuença was vacant by the decease of the Bishop Pope Sixtus gaue it to a Nephew of his borne in Genoa Cardinall of the title of Saint George without the knowledge or consent of the Kings who being highly displeased that the Bishoprikes and great benifices of Spaine should be possessed by strangers against the ancient decrees of the Estates of the Kingdome obserued from time to time did hinder this Cardinall from taking possession of the Bishoprike and gaue the Pope to vnderstand how preiudiciall it might be to the Realmes of Spaine whereof the Pope making
whether they had called the estates of the realm and there took a new oath causing their eldest sonne D. Charles to be sworn heire to the crown of Castille Leon Granado In these princes were vnited vnto the realms of Castille and Leon and there dependances the great estates of the low countries and Burgundy and afterwards Arragon Sicile Sardynia and Naplâ—s At Vailledolit there were many noblemen honored with the order of the golden fleece The gard of the castle of Segobia was taken from the marquesse of Moya guien to D. Iohn Manuell who was much fauored by the kings who being at Tudele of Duero there appeared a strange comet in the firmament foreshewing as they said afterwards the approching death of king Philip which happened soon after in the city of Burgos to the generall griefe of all his subiects the comet still raigning whereunto he did attribute his death Death of Philip King of Castille saying often in his paines and agonies Hâ— cometâ— hâ— cometa He died in the floure of his age in the constables house this yere 1506 hauing raigned 1 yere and ten monthes his body was laied many yeres after by the commandement of the Emperour Charles his sonne in the royal chappel of Granado hauing remained in diuers places This summer which was very drie there died in Castille D. Guttiere of Toledo bishop of Plaisance to whome succeeded D. Gomes of Toledo sonne to D. Guttiere de Solis earle of Coria 7 At the time of the death of the king D. Philip Voyage of king Ferdinand into Italy king Ferdinand was at sea sayling towards Italie for after the enteruiew of these two princes the order taken for the gouernment of Castille he went to Cattelonia where hauing caused a goodly fleet to bee made readie at Barcelona he imbarked to go and visit the realms of Naples of Sicile hauing conceiued a iealousie that the great captaine did fauor the designes of the king of Castille his son in law for hauing sent often for him to come into Spaine hee had still delaied it with excuses as he thought At his departure out of Castille he was abandoned by all the great men except the duke of Alua who did accompany him to the frontiers of Arragon He who shewed himselfe most faithfull of all the noblemen A faithfull seruant was D. Bernard of Rojas and Sandoual marquesse of Denia who neuer abandoned him neither aliue nor dead for hee retired many of his officers and houshold seruants which had no maintenance It was concluded by the last accord made betwixt him and king Philip that the realme of Naples although it had been conquered by the means and forces of Castile more then by those of Arragon should remain to the crown of Arragon Being therefore ready to set saile towards his realme of Naples Sinceritie of the great Captaine he receiued letters from the great captaine by the which hee did assure him of his sincerity and seruice and did aduertise him of the estate of the country wherewith he was so wel satisfied as he did confirme all his former gifts vnto him added new yea he was much more pleased with him for that contrary to the opinion of many he came and met him at the port of Genoua for both the Pope and all the Potentates of Italy thought that he was gone from Naples with an intent to retyre himselfe into Castile and not to see king Ferdinand as if he feared to looke on him The king being staied there some daies by reason of coÌ„trary winds he had news of his son in laws death for the which he seemed verie sorrowful notwithstanding that he was prest by the widow queen D. Ioane his daughter to returne into Spaine yet he went on his voyage to Naples where he entred in great pompe Entrie of king Ferdinand into Naples vnder a canopie of cloth of gold the city wall being beaten down for the more state hauing all the honors and ceremonies accustomed at the receptions of new kings he staied 7. months there to the great content of the whole realm and of all the Potentates of Italie who possest with an opinion of his justice and equity sent to visit him by ambassadors and made him arbitrator of many coÌ„trouersies that were among them The Neapolitanes offered him great summes of money and other commodities but he would not accept â—ny but 30000 ducats for the charges of his voyage Hee would not at that time breake with the VenetiaÌ„s for the Popes pleasure or of any others and yet they detained certain places from him referring that quarel to a more conuenient time He pacifed and ended many quarrels and pretensions of Barons yea of the Angeuin party who were yet dispossest of their goods which had been confiscated past into priuate mens hands to whome they had been giuen in recompence of their seruices and that which he could not end he left in charge to the Viceroy D. Iohn of Arragon earle of Ribagorsa whom he left in the place of Gonsall Fernandes of Cordoua the great Captain whome he caused to imbarke with him at his returne and carried him into Spaine being iealous of the honor which he had gotten in the conquest of the realme In regard of the realm of Sicile he made many good lawes but he could not goe thither in person being prest by the queen D. Ioane his daughter the councel cities and comminalties of Castille to return into Spaine D. Ioane queene of Castille toucht in her senâ—es for this poore princesse besides her affliction for the death of her husband had other infirmities which she did inherit from her grandmother by the mothers side D. Isabella of Portugall wherefore finding her selfe vnable to gouern so great a state she put all ouer into the hands of D. Franciso Ximenes Archbishop of Toledo primate of Spain Councell of Castille of doctor D. Alfonso Suarez de la Fuente del Sauz bishop of Iaen president of the kings councell Garcia of Muxica licentiate in the laws born in the prouince of Guipuscoa doctor Pedro of Orepesa a most religious Baron the licentiat Fernando Telles doctor Laurence Galindez of Carnail the licentiate Lewis of Polanco with others of the councel who took charge of the affairs in the absence of the king D. Ferdinand her father the Prince D. Charles who was then bred vp in Flanders being yet a childe of 7 yeres old Pope Iulie staied many daies in the castle of Ostia thinking that K. Ferdinand would land there to see him but he excused himselfe by reason of the smal intelligence that was betwixt them for the king hauing demanded of him the confirmation inuestiture of the realm of Naples he would not graunt it but with heauier conditions then other kings of Arragon his predecessors had held it Queen Germain did accoÌ„pany the king her husband in al this voyage who sailing towards Spaine they
leaue the dishes full of meat in her chamber not suffering them to carrie any one away so as the meat corrupting made a stinking sauour then by little he procured her to lie in a bed hee persuaded her to goe abroad to church and made her to haue some feeling and apprehension that shee was a Queene and so acknowledged and so by little and little made her familiar brought her to a more milde and humane kinde of life the which did much please king Charles her sonne who thanked Cardinall Ximenes by his letters The displeasure which Lewis Ferrier had conceiued for his displacing was augmented by the dismission of his sonne from the gouernement of Toledo for his misdemeanors and negligence which caused infinite confusions in whose place the earle of Palma of the family of Portocarrero was made gouernour a man worthy of great honour who was receiued notwithstanding the oppositions of the faction of Ayala for the citie of Toledo hath beene long diuided into two factions of Sylua and of Ayala This was pacified by the diligence of the earle of Fuensalida who was one of the heads of it a deare friend to Cardinall Ximenes Doctor Gallego being sent to Toledo to informe of the life and behauiour of the gouernour of Ferrier Ministers of iustice punished exemplary displaced by the Cardinall and the kings councell by a memorable example and shewing his auncient seueritie hee caused some officers and ministers of justice to be publikely whipt being conuicted of corruption and other crimes and would haue punished Arroios treasurer of the Calatraua more grieuously if hee had not fled away being accused of infinite villanies rapes violences committed about his commandery of Zoria whereof being depriued by sentence the Cardinal gaue it vnto Sancho Cabrera By these offices of peity and justice the Cardinall made himselfe to be obeied feared beloued and reuerenced in Castille keeping the realme in peace and prouiding in the meane time for those things which might serue for future and vnexpected accidents Hee appointed arcenals or storehouses for artillerie engines and all munition of warre in three places of Spain Storehouses for munition in Spaine At Medina del Campo beyond the mountaines in Castille the old in the realm of Toledo at Alcala of Henares and at Malaga in Granado that when any tumult or sedition should arise they might haue speedy meanes to suppresse it As for that of Medina del Campo it is most certaine that it was then made He had an humour to haue coyned a peece of money on the which should be grauen the Image of Saint Francis but the kings councell holding it to be somewhat ambitious in the Cardinall who was a frier opposed themselues He began a commendable and most profitable thing in all great estates that is hee obtained a decree from king Charles by the which there was commandement giuen to bring in all sort of registers accomps memorials instructions such like writings Search of ancient writings by Cardinall Ximenes concerning the publike affaires of the realm or the state of the kings house which might be in the haÌ„ds of the counsellers and soueraign Iudges or of those which had beene imployed in embassages to foreine Princes and common-weales and other persons whatsoeuer to be kept in certaine places to be vsed when time and necessity should require the which if it had been executed posteritie had beene better satisfied of that which had past in precedent times and better informed of that which was to be done By some little which was done according to this decree the Cardinal came to the knowledge of many things especially of that which concerned the militarie orders of Spaine as the reuenues ancient rights of the masters of their tables of the common money of commanderies the duties of commanders their justice and Chapters which things were vnknowne to the kings officers the masterships hauing beene retained and held by kings and then annexed to the crowne so as there were infinite fraudes and abuses committed which gaue occasion to the great commanders of those orders to make oppositions and to seeke to exempt themselues out of the Cardinalls power yea of the king himselfe the prouision of Coâ—â—â—deries was one of the quarrels which they debated saying that it should bee Canonically done according vnto the orders which they held and not giuen to any but to them of them orders respectiuely but it is hard to kicke against the power of kings wherefore all that the commanders could alleage was easily refelled by the Cardinall who could giue good interpretations to their Papall Bulles and other instructions which they produced Through the Cardinalls diligence by the reuision of the ancient accompts hee found that there had been imbezeled from the king aboue forty Millions of Marauidis euerie yeare Husbandrie of Cardinall Ximenes the fraud consisting chiefly in that the commanders were in old time to assist their masters in the warres against the moores with a certaine number of Souldiers entertained at their charges the which they concealed and freed themselues leauing the care and charge to the king Finding that some townes belonging to these masterships had beene vsurped hee restored them to the kings reuenues wherein he did chiefly make vse of the labour and diligence of Touilla and Cabrera commanders of the orders of Calatraua He made inquirie of the manners and carriage of the judges of those orders and censured them displacing some and instituting others Hee had resolued to doe the like to them of the Chanceries and great councells as wel following the court as of Vailledolit Granado Gallcia and others with speciall commandement from the king which hee had procured to that end hee did with great diligence and seueritie cut off many gifts fees and entertainments which were not greatly necessarie the which did much ease the kings cofers not fearing to offend his greatest and dearest friends for the profit of his Prince wherby he purchased many enemies finally imitating the emperor Seuerus a most worthy Prince he wold not haue any one receiue wages from the king nor to haue an office in the state that were not profitable and necessarie for the common-weale and he disapointed all those rats which did but deuour retaining onely in court the Iudges or Councellors of the great Chancâ—lie the officers and ordinarie ministers of the roiall Pallace the garrisons of the frontiers the foure prouosts of justice whome they call Alcaydes and their archers the marshall of the lodgings and harbingers gards of the body and such like But it is doubtfull touching the taking away of officers fees whether he did it of his owne motion or by the kings commandement for hee complained by some letters to the king for that they gaue him alwaies an odious charge to take away and neuer to giue any thing But howsoeuer he was of opinion that sparing was most necessarie and commendable in a prince who must
sat him down at one of the corners of the field accoÌ„pained with 12 knights sending the like number to the other opposit corner commanding them that they shold not remoue froÌ„ thence before the end of the combat To either of the other two corners he sent 3 noblemen of quality instructed in like maner Then hauing commanded silence one of the marshals of the field cried out with a loud voice in the emperours name going to euery one of the 4 corners that it was forbidden vpon pain of death for any one to make a noise whilest the champions did fight nor to make any signe by deed voice or word neither in spitting coffing blowing of the nose neezing or whistling nor by beating of hands or feet lifting vp of the hands nor by shaking of the head or any motion of the bodie to giue them aduertisement courage feare or amazement nor otherwise to instruct them in what they haue to do except their godfathers in their charge duty And then the two kinghts entred the field in compleat armor holding in their hands their battel axes their swords by their sides Peter Toreilla the first for that he was challenger accompained with his godfather presented himself before the constable who demanded of him what he was for what cause he was entred so armed hauing receiued his answer he caused him to put off his head peece to know him then he caused him to put it on againe sent him to one of the corners of the camp where he was receiued by the three noblemen that were plast there Then he past to the other corner opposit being set in the midest of the 12 knights that were left there by him he made the like demands ceremonies to Ierom Anca who was also presented vnto him by his godfather from theÌ„ce sent to the other corner right against his aduersary wher he was in like maner receiued by 3 noblemen After al this the constable went to his first seat then the truÌ„pets did sound again which hauing done the knights which shold fight their godfathers fel vpoÌ„ their knees praied which done either of the godfathers hauing imbraced his chaÌ„pion exhorted him to fight valianâ—ly he bad him farewel then they rerired into their PauillioÌ„s After which one cried out that they shold let the good champions go Then they came affronted one another couragiously fighting a long time with their battel axes somtimes one reeling somtimes another vntil they had broken them in peeces Being thus vnarmed they had no leasure to draw their swords they were so neere one vnto another so as they fell to handy gripes one seeking to ouerthrow another But the emperor who would not lose theÌ„ cast his rod in sign that they shold part them saying that they had done enough and that he held them both for good knights wherupon all they that were set at the foure corners being 30 in al ran but they had great difficulty to part them they wer so incensed one against another crying contendiâ—g for honor and victorie whereas either of them thought he had the aduantage In the end the respect of the emperour made them retire yet wold they not be friends but threatned one another bitterly contemning the constables persuasions who told them that they shold rest satisfied reuerence the emperours testimony who had pronounced with his own mouth that either of theÌ„ had behaued him self valiantly had done his duty so as their honors were vntoucht The emperor was coÌ„strained throgh their obstinacy to send them both to prison froÌ„ whence they parted not vntil they were reoÌ„ciled at the least in shew for they were neuer perfect friends If of two bad things we must chuse the one as some think it necessary the maner of coÌ„bats practised in the time of our predecessors wold seem more tollerable then that which is vsed at this day for in that they made a certain kind of trial of doubtful things The princes leue or of his lieutenants was required who first of al took knowledge whether the cause did merit that two men of quality and honor shold hazard their liues who might serue the publike in better affaies or their Soueraigne or their owne families If after mature deliberation they held it fit to grant the combate they came vnto it with great ceremonies as we haue shewed witnessing that in those times they made no little esteem of the life of men They did carefully procurea certain equality preuenting surprises by any aduaÌ„tage in armes strength and dexterity of horse or otherwise They made them sweare that there was no â—lander in them but that they came to fight for a iust quarel to defend their honors The point wherin it did confist in those daies was to reuerence God their princes the lords of the â—ee Point of honour of the ancients to be loyal true to al men curteous 〈◊〉 modest amoÌ„g friends valiant couragious against their enemies in war If it were known that in this point of honor any one were falsly blamed or wronged by deed with aduantage of time place or company with vnequall and extraordinary armes or that hee had otherwise iust cause to complaine they caused speedy reparation to be done of the wrong as the cause required either by the lawe or militarie customes which did neuer allow the combate when there was any other remedy Much lesâ—e did they suffer a gentlemaÌ„ of honor to come to the vncertain triall of armes with one that was conuicted of rashnes or manifest slander He that was vanquished in the combat was held guilty of that wherof he was accused or a slanderer alyar if he did liue he was punished ignominiously by degradation sometimes by death The combat was most coÌ„monly continued or staied according to the pleasure of the prince or of iudges that were appointed who most commonly did part the champions before they came to the extremity declaring them both vpon the place to be good hardie knights which did also shew a wise affection to preserue the nobility to better vses If any were found so froward disobedient as notable to get leaue to fight in the countrie of their natural prince should go vnto some other soueraign neere or far off to grant them a place of combat hauing fought they were not to return into their country for they were held for mutins yea felons guilty of high treason there was great difficulty to obtain letters of abolitioÌ„ for such offeÌ„ces Moderne combats and the Maximes of the point of honour at this day But in our daies al this is out of vse their proceedings in combats is very different For if it happen that any man offend another without cause or reason the point of honor is that he must maintaine his deed not giue any excuse nor confesse that he hath erred for that were
the next day but somewhat late towards Tremessen lodging two leagues from the citie being continually molested by the Moores with often charging and flying away The king was in Tremessen where hee had leuied what souldiers he could both of horse and foot hauing entertained about 400 Turkes which were in garrison vpon that coast so as the next morning the earle did with great iudgement put his men in battell left that being farre inferiour in nuÌ„ber to the enemy he should be inuironed by so great a multitude disordered being charged in front flanke and rere and therefore he so disposed of his troupes both horse and foot as they might fight and succour one another fortifying his rereward as much as might be for that he vnderstood they had laied an ambush and would charge them behind They had sent the woman and children with their richest mooueables into the mountaines which were neere to preserue them whatsoeuer should happen and the king hauing disposed of his troupes would not be present at the battell but attend the euent in a place of safetie The two armies being ioyned the Spaniards shewed no lesse valour then was needful the enemies foreward being greater then all their army and although the Moores in the beginning shewed great resolutioÌ„ discharged a great volley of shot yet they did it so disorderly and so far of as there was not any one slain and but three lightly hurt the Spaniards giuing them no time to charge again the horse coÌ„ming vpon them with great violence the fight continued about two houres and the General hauing placed some loose shot in the head of the foreward they made a great spoile of the Moores and Turkes so as in the end the enemy was put to rout on that side whilest that they fought with great obstinacy in the rereward Thither the earle sent two companies who charged with such resolution as the Spaniards taking new courage the enemie being amazed hauing seen their companions put to rout the battell was ended hauing continued about three houres the Christians won the victorie but there was no great slaughter of the Moores who desired rather to saue themselues by flight than by fighting obstinatly to giue their enemies any cause to feare a new incounter King of Tâ—emessen defeated by the Spaniards flâ—â—s The king of Tremessen who expected the doubtfull euent of this battel hauing a signe giuen him by smoak that it was lost he prouided for his safety by flight among the rest the earle of Alcadette did win great honor in this battell both for his valor and iudgement being worthily imitated by his three sons D Alfonso D Francisco D. Aluaro the first leading a part of the foreward the secoÌ„d of the rereward D. Alfonso of Villaruolo marshall of the field D. Martin of Cordoua D. Iohn Pacieco with other noblemen of marke were much commended for their prowesse that day This victorie was won the fift of Februarie the victor hauing lost few men and most of them were slaine with crosbows whereof there were not aboue a hundred among the Moores and aboue fiue thousand Harquebuziers The Spaniards desirous to enter the Towne the generall sought to stay them that night fearing the slaughter would be great or there wold be some great disorder committed in the sacke wherfore he lodged the army without the towne among certain Oliue trees giuing good instructions vnto the captains to preuent all dangers which might grow by their too great confidence of the victorie or the disorders which doe accompany spoiling as it hath often fallen out either by the small authority of the generall or by indiscretion on want of militarie discipline About this time the state of Tunes which the emperor had conquered and restored to Muley Hascen fell into great combustions 1545 he hauing only retained Goulette Moores 42. with an homage and small tribute for the kings of Spain Muley Hascen king of Tunes dispossest again as we haue said The occasion was that Muley Hascen being desirous to confer with the emperor had past into Sicile with an intent to come vnto him to Genoa or wheresoeuer he should be at his last passage out of Spaine after which hee came to Naples and meaning to continue his course by sea he was staied there some daies by a tempest during the which D. Pedro de Toledo viceroy of Naples receiued a commandement to will him not to depart from thence vntill hee receiued farther newes from the emperour who was busied with the warres of France and would not haue any thing to diuert him This king as it was reported had a meaning to demand some forces against the Turkes which held Constantine a towne within his realme the which was rich and strong and did much annoy him and for that at the time of his passage into Sicile Barberousse was at Marseille hee feared also that in his returne he would fall vpon him He thought in like maner that in leauing the countrie he should auoid some great accident wherewith the starres did threaten him if hee remained in Afrike at that season this prince being studious of Astrologie Moores curious and superstitious and too credulous of such diuinations During his absence such as loued him not and desired some Innouation in the state bruted it out that the king was dead at Naples after that he had beene baptized and prest his Sonne Amida who had the command of certaine garrisons which were appointed to withstand the inuasions of the Turkes and the thefts of the Alarabes which did adhere vnto them to hasten his comming vnto the Citie Sonne dispossesseth the father and to seaze vpon the Castle and his fathers treasure before that his younger brother called Mahumet who remained in hostage at Goulette should preuent him and make himselfe king with the helpe of Francis de Touar then Gouernour of the fort Amida did easily credit that which it may bee he desired and although in the beginning he found some resistance which was made him by the Manufette of Tunes Amida incestuous who as it is were the kings Lieutenant general in that Countrie yet in the end hee preuailed and slue all his fathers friends seruants yea hee abused his wiues and concubines These newes being broght to Naples Muley Hascen was much troubled making great hast to depart he made great instance to haue some forces the which hee obtained of the viceroy who suffered him to leuie 1800 men such as were banished condemned by justice to whom impunitie was promised if they went to this war they had a gentleman of the countrie appointed for their commander whose name was Baptista Lofredo with which troupe the King did assure himselfe that hee should bee able to surprise his rebellious sonne before hee were setled Being come to Goulette the Gouernour sought to dissuade him from going into the Towne no not to approach too neere before hee vnderstood
he did owe the Genouois to 12. His liberalitie hath appeared in recompensing the merits of many of his seruants His liberalitie He made his Schoolemaster Primat of the Church of Spaine as his father had aduanced his vnto the Popedom There are few such princes now that vse such requitals There are no more Alexanders That is 480000 crownes who gaue eight hundred talents to his Schoolemaster Arislotle Kings haue long hands but few haue them so large after this proportion The king of Spaine did neuer leaue any goodlie action either of learning justice or warre without reward Hee did not onely doe good vnto the good to make them better but also to the bad least they should grow worse But he did neuer aduance them hee loued to fauours disproportionable to their condition He did much for Ruy Gomes for the loue of his wife the princesse of Eboly Yet this liberalitie did neuer make a passage for him to great affaires He was verie circumspect in the distinction of great charges especially of such as concerned the administration of justice whereon as Plato said depends the safetie and ruine of an Estate And although that the earle of Chinchon being bred vp with him in his youth should haue expected more than any other yet he obtained nothing but what he held fit for his qualitie Honours ruine them that deserue them not He was woont to say That all stomackes were not fit to disgest great fortunes and that ill meat did not corrupt sooner and turne to bad humors than honour in a soule without merit As for his constancie against afflictions 〈…〉 for tune could neuer shake him In two diuers accidents happening at two diuers times he shewed the constancie of his mind and the equalitie of his affections neither puffing him vp insolently in prosperitie nor deiecting himselfe basely in aduersitie When the post brought him newes of the victorie of Lepanto His great moderation in prosperitie he thought to see him much transported with joy but hee made no shew of any alteration and hauing vnderstood the order and successe of the battell hee spake these words coldly D. Iohn hath hazarded much Now when another post did bring him newes of the losse of that great nauie at sea thinking it would haue plunged him into a gulph of cares and perturbations at the report of so fatall an accident hee was not a whit mooued His constancie in aduersitie saying onely That hee had sent it against men and not against the windes and waues Vulgar spirits are transported with choler at euerie crosse accident this vnmatchable losse doth not trouble this prince who continued his deuotion in his Oratorie Some other would haue torne his haire and haue whipt the Ocean as Xerxes did The duke of Medina Sidonia Generall of this armie sending to know his pleasure if hee would haue him come and giue an account of his charge he answered That hee should first goe home to his house to refresh and rest himselfe before he came to Court It were fit we should see the backside of this Medaile Vices of the K. of Spaine and speake something of the errours and vices of this prince as well as of his vertues seeing it is fit to speake all for examples sake yet it is not good to trouble the rest of the dead Nicons image ouerthrew him that strooke it with a staffe A dead stone did reuenge the injurie that was done vnto a dead man It is sufficient to say That as this prince was commended for many great vertues so hee was blamed in his youth of great dissolution to voluptuousnesse and a violent propension to crueltie These two vices doe seldome abandon one another Euerie voluptuous prince is cruell if necessitie constraine him This plague doth infect and blemish the glorie of vertues how bright soeuer they be in the life of a prince Victorinus might haue beene compared to the best Emperours yea hee should surpasse Traian in bountie Antonine in clemencie Nerua in grauitie Vespasian in sparing of his treasure Pertinax and Seuerus in the integritie of his life and in the seueritie of militarie discipline but all these vertues were so quencht by voluptuousnesse as no man durst speake vnto him The king of Spaine hath put many to death in the excesse and first fits of his choler King of Spaine 〈◊〉 and distrustfull He was as suspitious distrustfull and cruell as euer any was He did not allow the prince his sonne to speake with the Infanta his daughter but by permission and in the presence of their gouernors The jealousie of Soueraigne power makes no distinction of person nor spareth not his owne bloud as appeared by his owne sonne and Sultan Solyman caused his sonne Mustafa to bee strangled for that the Ianizaries made great acclamations of joy at his returne from the warres of Persia. Some write of him That besides the aboue named vices he was fearefull doubtfull close and a dissembler ambitious and proud beyond the condition of man and nothing religious of his word in matters of Estate the duke of Vilhermosa and the marquesse of Fuentes are good witnesses he put them to death after that he had pardoned them the reuolt of Arragon And those words which he spake in his last instruction to his sonne speaking of the Low Countries doe verifie it It is true said hee I haue giuen them to your sister but it imports not you haue an hundred â—â—asions which you may vse in time His ambition appeared in that he affected the Empire by all possible meanes which not able to obtaine he sought the title of Emperour of Spaine yea some write That he was resolued to goe vnto the Indies to take vpon him the title of Emperour of America After all his ambitious proiects against Africke his attempts against England and Ireland and his intelligences with the Turkes Barbarians and Persians whom hee hath sought to diuide and to make vse of euen against Christian princes yet in the end he was forced to confesse That all the power and pompe of this world was meere vanitie He had foure wiues but he was vnfortunat in the first the which was Marie princesse of Portugall His wiues and children who bare him one sonne whose name was Charles but his life was short and vnfortunat and his end violent being charged by the Inquisition to haue thought ill of the Faith and to haue had intelligence with Chastillion Admirall of France and with the prince of Orange touching the Low Countries His second wife was Marie queene of England by whom hee had no issue His third was Elizabeth of France surnamed by the Spaniards the Queene of Peace who brought him two daughters the Infanta D. Isabella Clara Eugenia now Archduchesse of Austria and Ladie of the Low Countries and the Infanta D. Catherina Michelle who was duchesse of Sauoy His fourth wife was Anne of Austria daughter to the Emperour Maximilian and his owne neece
should compell them to enter into churches vnlesse they would but if they did enter they should performe those dueties and reuerence which are vsed towards the holy Sacrament of the Altar being there and if they should see the Sacrament comming towards them in any street they shall doe reuerence by bowing their knees or else they shall passe aside by some other street or turne into some house 3 If any of the said persons being masters or masters mates or any other officers of ships which be not their owne doe exceed in any of these things the Inquisition proceeding against them by office is onely to sequester their own proper goods and are to leaue the ships and all other goods not belonging to the offenders free and the same was to be vnderstood for all traders and factors During this treatie betwixt England and Spaine Discomodities for the cessation of traffique the defence of traffique betwixt France and the dominions of the king of Spaine and the Archdukes was verie troublesome The French suffered great discommodities and the Spaniards found this restraint heauie and insupportable for that all things grew exceeding deere and the tradesmen murmured and grew almost desperat The Pope commaunded his Nuntio to deale in this businesse and to reconcile these princes but the French king would not yeeld to any thing vntill that the Spaniards who had first troubled the water had cleered it againe in reuoking the imposition of thirtie in the hundred which made the libertie of traffique a meere seruitude and the profit an assured losse This was verie seuere and rigorous It is in euerie kind bitter vnto the marchant couetousnesse hauing changed the first cause as well as the quantitie of customes and imposts At the first they were paied onely to haue free libertie and assurance of passage from one place vnto another and for that princes haue vnder their protection the highwayes for the which they are called Royall they did acknowledge this right of protection with some duetie Such impositions for so necessarie causes are just others are not and yet they must be borne being not lawfull for the subiect to murmure against the customes and imposts wherewith the prince doth charge him They said That the Spaniards which are long in their consultations and constant in their resolutions would neuer reuoke this imposition for that they would not loose the reputation of constancie in their lawes Coâ—merce set at liberty in France and bee noted of inconstancie and lightnesse by applying themselues to the time and affaires But there was no remedie the deputies of the two kings and Archdukes meeting tooke off the imposition and set the commerce free The peace being fully concluded betwixt England and Spaine and sworne by the king of England in the presence of the king of Spaines Commissioners Constable of Castille returns into Spaine the Constable of Castille hauing receiued great honour in England both in his entertainment and presents giuen him from the king returned into Flanders much satisfied in himselfe to carrie home with him such joyfull tidings From thence hee past into France where the French king vsed him so royally as hee afterwards said That hee had entertained him as a king and intreated him as a kinsman In the yeare a thousand six hundred and foure the king of Great Britaine sent the earle of Nottingham 1605 high Admirall of England Earle of Notingham sent into Spaine into Spaine to take the Catholike kings oath for the confirmation of the peace as hee did the earle of Hartford vnto the Archdukes to the same end The sayd earle of Nottingham being attended on by a gallant traine of noblemen knights and gentlemen arriued at the Groine where hee was no sooner discouered from the land but D. Lewis de Carilla de Toledo marquesse of Carascena Gouernour both of the towne and of the countrey of Gallicia gaue order for his entertainment the which was verie royally performed At his comming into the harbour a fort vpon the North side of the towne did first salute him with twentie peeces of ordnance then a fort lately built vpon a rocke with six and thirtie peeces and lastly from the towne and castle with aboue thirtie peeces of ordnance And the earles ship with the whole fleet beeing at an anchor requiâ—ed them with all their ordnance Presently after the Gouernour sent foure chiefe officers of the towne with D. Iohn de Pacheco his brother and D. Lewis de Carilla de Toledo his onely sonne to welcome the earle After some time spent in complements the Gouernour himselfe came aboord the earles ship in a barge the maâ—iners and rowers being in blew silke cassockes and cappes and the barge couered with blew veluet After hee had saluted the earle he told him That the king his master had giuen vnto him an especiall charge to haue a respect who he was that came embassadour from whom hee came and to whom hee was sent and that he should doe euerie thing for the honour of these three persons not sparing any thing that might be fit for his Lordships entertainment Wherefore hee did intreat the earle to goe to land the which he did forbeare vntill the next day so as that night hee sent vnto his Lordship a present of fish fruits bread and such commodities as the countrey yeelded On Tuesday He lands at the Groine the sixteenth of Aprill the earle of Nottingham prepared to goe to shore to his lodging which was appointed in the gouernours house The gouernour hauing taken care to receiue his Lordship in most honourable manner had vpon notice of his comming to the Groine caused a bridge of timber being aboue fortie yards long to be built and painted the which was garnished with many penciles of silke of diuers colours The way into the towne was set on either side with boughes of bayes and Orange trees and strewed with rushes and flowers The whole garrison of the towne and other companies that were drawne out of the countrey were there readie to make a gard for him His Lordship being readie to land the gouernour sent diuers of the Commaunders to let him vnderstand that he and the magistrats of the towne would attend him on the bridge Whereupon the earle tooke his barge and being followed by his whole traine went vnto the bridge where the Spaniards entertained the English as they landed the haultboyes and shagbots playing all the while Being all landed they entred into the towne an English man and a Spaniard marching together in verie good order At their entrance into the towne they were saluted with a great volley of shot both great and small and so they went on foot to the gouernours house where when the earle entred there were many chambers shot off During the earle of Nottinghams stay at the Groine hee solemnized Saint Georges feast the which was performed with the greater state for that the people came thither in troupes to see that