he may forbeare to specifie much more then I haue done of the humours of the head and principall members of that prouince whereof he writes But if all this sufficeth not to iustimine me I make God iudge of the sinceritie of mine hart and the indifferencie I haue strictly obserued THE GENEALOGIE OF THE Kings of Portugall from the beginning of that Kingdome vnto the ende of the house of Portugall with the pretendants to that Crowne HENRIE issued from Besançon first Earle of Portugall married with Therasie daughter to Alphonse the sixt King of Castile about the yeere of our Lord 1090. by whom he had Alphonse Henrie which was the first king Therasie Henrie and one other daughter married to Ferdinand Mendes 1. Alphonse Henrie first Duke and King of Portugall sonne to the saide Henrie he succeeded his father about the yeere 1112. he tooke vpon him the title of King about the yeere 1139. he raigned in all about 72. yeeres he married with Malfade Manrique de Lara by whom he had issue Sanches who was after King Vrraca Queene of Leon. Therasie Countesse of Flanders Malfade 2. Sanches the first sonne to the said Alphonse about the yeere 1184. he raigned 28. yeeres he married Aldoncia daughter to Count Raimond Berenger of Barcelone by whom he had Alphonse King Ferdinand Earle of Flaunders Peter Earle of Vrgel in Arragon Henrie Therasie wife to Alphonse of Leon. Malfade Queene of Castile Sanches a Nunne Blanche and Berenguela 3. Alphonse the second sonne to Sanches the yeere 1212. he raigned 11. yeeres and married Vrraca of Castile daughter to Alphonse the noble by whom he had Sanche King Alphonse King Ferdinand Leonor Queene of Denmarke 4. Sanche the second called Capello sonne to Alphonse the second the yeere 1223. he raigned in troubles vnto the yeere 1257. he married Mencia Lopez by whom he had no children he died in Castile incapable to rule 5. Alphonse the third called the Braue brother to Sanche the second of a regent he made himselfe King about the yeere 1257. raigned 22. yeeres he married with Matilde Countesse of Boloigne in Picardie by whom he had Ferdinand or Peter Robert in her life time he married with Beatrice bastard daughter to Alphonse the 10. called the wise King of Castile by whom he had Denis King Alphonse Blanche a Nunne Constance 6. Denis sonne to Alphonse the third the yeere 1279. he raigned 48. yeeres and was married to Isabella daughter to Peter King of Arragon by whom he had Constance Queene of Castile Alphonse who was after King Peter Earle of Portalegre 7. Alphonse the fourth sonne to Denis in the yeere 1325. he raigned 32. yeeres and married Beatrice of Castile by whom he had Peter that was King Marie Alphonse Denis Iean Eluira Queene of Aarragon 8. Peter called the cruell sonne to Alphonse the fourth the yeere 1357. hee raigned 10. yeeres and married Blanche daughter to Peter King of Castile whom he put away and after married with Constance daughter to Iean Emanuell by whom he had Lewis who died yoong Ferdinand King Marie wife to Ferdinand of Arragon Beatrice died yoong And of Agnes de Castro a supposed wife he had Alphonse Iean Denis Beatrice Countesse of Albuquerque And by Therasie Gallega his concubine he had Iean who was King 9. Ferdinand sonne to Peter the yeere 1367. he raigned about 17. yeeres and married Leonor Telles de Meneses by whom he had Beatrice Queene of Castile 10. Iean called of good memorie sonne to the said Peter the yeere 1383. he raigned about 49. yeeres and married with Philip daughter to Iean of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by whom he had Blanche Alphonse Edward King Peter Duke of Coimbra who had by Isabell of Arragon his wife Peter that was Constable Iean King of Cypres Isabell Queene of Portugall Philip a Nunne Ieams a Cardinall Beatrice wife to the Lord of Rauestein Henrie Duke of Viseo Isabell Dutchesse of Burgundie Iean master of Saint Iaques Ferdinand master of the order called d' Auis or Saint Benet 11. Edouard sonne to Iean the yeere 1433. he raigned 5. yeeres he married Leonor of Arragon daughter to Ferdinand the 1. by whom he had Alphonse King Ferdinand Duke of Viseo who had by his wife Philip. Leonor wife to Frederike the 3. Emperour Catherine Iean Queene of Castile Beatrice wife to Iean Master of Saint Iaques Leonor Queene Dominique Emanuell King Isabell Dutchesse of Bragance 12. Alphonse the fift called the Affrican soone to Edward the yeere 1438. he raigned 43. yeeres hee married Isabell daughter to Peter Duke of Coimbra his vncle by whom he had Iean who liued but a while Ieanne Iean King 13. Iean the 2. son to Alphonse the 5. the yeere 1481. he raigned 14. yeeres and married Leonor daughter to Ferdinand Duke of Viseo by whom he had Alphonse who died before his father 14. Emanuell soone to Ferdinand Duke of Viseo borne in the yeere 1468. began to raigne in the yeere 1495. and raigned fiue yeeres he died at Lisbone the third of September 1521. he married Isabell the eldest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabell King and Queene of Castile by whom he had Michaell who died yoong and to his second wife he tooke Marie sister of the said Isabell by whom he had Iean who was after King Isabell wife to Charles the 5. Emperor of whom is issued Philip King of Spaine Beatrice wife to Charles the third Duke of Sauoy from whom issued Emanuell Phillibert father to Charles Emanuell now Duke of Sauoy Lewis father to Anthonie the Bastard Henrie Cardinall King Alphonse Cardinall Katherine Ferdinand Edward husband to Isabell daughter to Iean Duke of Bragance by whom he had Marie wife to Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma father to Rainuce now Duke of Parma and Katherine wife to Iean the second Duke of Bragance sonne to Theodose Anthonie who died soone after his birth And of Elenor daughter to Philip Archduke of Austria sister to Charles the fift he had Charles who died yoong Marie who died a maide of the age of 56. yeeres 15. Iean the third sonne to Emanuell and of Marie his wife borne the 7. of Iune 1502. he began to raigne the 15. of December 1521. and raigned 36. yeeres he died the 27. of Iune 1557. and married with Katherine sister to Charles the 5. Emperour the 5. of September 1525. by whom he had Alphonse Marie the first wife to Philip the second King of Spaine of whom issued Charles that is dead Katherine Beatrice Emanuell Philip. Iean Prince of Portugall who had by Ieanne daughter to Charles the fift Emperour Sebastien who was King Anthonie 16. Sebastien sonne to Prince Iean borne the 20. of Ianuarie 1554. he began to raigne the yeere 1557. and raigned 21. yeeres he died in the battell against the Moores the 7. of August 1578. being vnmarried 17. Henrie Cardinall and Primat of Portugall sonne to King Emanuell by Marie his wife borne the 16. of Ianuarie 1512. in the yeere 1578. he raigned
particular or for want of iudgement did counsell him to warre it was concluded And although his owne weakenes was vnknowne vnto himselfe yet was he aduised by others to take a companion and to drawe the Catholique King into this action belieuing it were easily performed the State of Affrick being of greater importance for his kingdome which was adioining to it then for Portugall He desired greatly to marrie to haue issue although his Phisicions feared much he was vnable for generation and woulde willingly haue taken one of the daughters of the Catholique King whereof they had giuen him an assured hope for these two causes he desired to enter parle with him sending Peter D' Alcasoua as Embassadour vnto him with commandement to treat of three points that is for aide in the action of Affrick for the marriage of his daughter and for an enteruiew The Embassador departed and effected with great diligence the charge his maister had giuen him and hauing attended some time in this court he obtained all three the promise of marriage with one of his daughters when she shoulde come to yeeres for as yet they were too yoong That the Catholique King should goe to Guadalupa to meete with King Sebastian And as for succours he shoulde furnish men galleies to vndertake the enterprize of Alarache the which was spoken very coldly For the Catholique King knowing the Portugals to presume beyond their strength and holding it nothing safe to vndertake this action of Affrick without great forces he laboured what he could by letters to temper this heate disswading him with many reasons if not from the enterprize at the least not to go himselfe in person but this yoong Prince resting immooueable in his counsels and most obstinate in his opinion did still importune him by letters Phillip confirmed the succours of men and galleis so as the Turke should sende no men into Italy and that they shoulde vndertake Alarache in the yeere 1577. the whole being referred vnto their enteruiew at Guadalupa The Embassadour returnes home more fauoured then euer seeming to haue effected more then was thought or looked for In both Courts they make no great delaies but take their way for Guadalupa where both kings arriue with no great traines but with the chiefe Noblemen and Gentlemen of their Realmes There the Portugals who arriued last were receiued with great shewes of loue finding in all places of Castill where they passed the kings expresse commandement to receiue him of Portugall as his owne proper person so as at Badagios and in other places where he past the chiefe men went to meete him the prisons were opened and he conducted to his lodging vnder a cloth of estate The Catholique King tooke great pleasure to see yoong Sebastian whom he entertained as his host laying aside all tearms fitte for a greater King entreating each other equally in maiestie talking particularly of the warre being both profitable and honorable for the Realmes of Spaine The Catholique King did not disswade him yet he aduised him not to goe in person excusing himselfe that he could giue no great succour by reason of the continuall charge he was put to in Italy to resist the Turke but Sebastian being fully resolued to goe and admitting no excuse Phillip desirous to please him accorded with him in this sort That the generall opinion being and especially of the Duke of Alua that this action woulde require 15000. foote not Portugals but of other nations trained vp in warre deuided into Italians Germaines Spaniards that the king of Portugall should entertaine ten thousand and the Catholique King fiue thousand furnishing the enterprize with fiftie galleis alwaies prouided if the Turke sent not an armie into Italy and thatthey should goe vnto Allarache without entring into the maine land and this to be attempted in the yeere 1577 otherwise he should not be bound to any thing This treatie being ended euery one returned from whence he came In Portugall they made slowe preparatiues to warre and in the first beginning their money failed them for that the reuenewes of the Crowne are small and ill imploied The whole Realme vpon the maine land yeelding but a million and one hundreth thousand duckets a yeere The greatest part in customes the which be vnreasonable paying for all things twentie in the hundreth except fish which paieth the one halfe The new found lands as Saint Thomas Myna Brazil and the Indies yeeld but a million at the most which makes in all two millions and one hundreth thousand duckats which comes to the Crowne And although the Indies yeelde one other million of rent yet make they neither receipt nor paiment thereof being whollie reteined there for the entertaining of armies and garrisons Of these two millions and a hundreth thousand duckats there remaines nothing at the yeeres end in Court and if the King vse any liberalitie his charge exceeds the reuenewes for that they receiue without order and spende without measure For these Kings were neuer so happie as to be serued with men of iudgement and discretion who could order the reuenewes and expences but giuing the charge alwaies vnto Noblemen who were aduanced thereunto by fauour and not by merite an ordinarie custome in that countrey they studied to maintaine themselues in that throne by other meanes letting the reuenewes of the Crowne goe as it woulde So as what in wages of officers rents created recompence for life priuiledges which they call Giuros sold by him entertaining of Fortresses in Affrick preparation of nauies and expences of the Court all is spent They went therefore seeking heere and there for money forcing the people to contribute and the chiefe Citizens extraordinarily for although they gathered much by this meanes yet they did drawe vpon them the curses and exclamations of the people being most affectionate and obedient to their King but nothing preuailed against the burning desire of officers They exacted from the Clergie the thirde part of their reuenewes whereunto they would not yeeld yet seeing the Pope yeelded vnto the Kings affections they granted a hundreth and fiftie thousand duckats They granted vnto the new Christians paying two hundreth fiue twentie thousand duckats that which before had been for a time granted often since denied that for sinning against the Inquisition they shoulde not loose their goods as they did They imposed a newe custome vpon the salt and exacted money from the Nobilitie and Gentlemen of the Realme against their auncient customes many being by this meanes vniustly vexed Amongst other Noblemen the King sent to Frauncis de Melo Earle of Tentuguel who excusing himselfe did write vnto the King with greater libertie then possiblie reason woulde allowe For noting greatly the demand of money which they had made vnto him as vniust he said it agreed not with the vertues with which his highnes was indued neither did it seeme reasonable that they whose fathers had beene helpers to conquer the Realme shoulde be
he called him bastard with many other reasons whereby he concluded that he declared Anthony these be the proper wordes of the sentence not lawfull but illegitimate And touching the pretended marriage and legitimation hee imposed him perpetuall silence still reseruing to himselfe power to proceede against the witnesses and himselfe as he shoulde thinke conuenient This sentence being pronounced the king sent Edward de Castelbianco chiefe of the Sergeants to Crato with commission to apprehende the Prior prisoner But some imagined this was rather a shew of the king to amaze him then for any other effect iudging as it hapned that he would not be found Nowe was the Catholique king more effectually satisfied touching the interest he had to this Realme for although in the beginning the Doctors had resolued him that the succession appertained vnto him yet desirous to know with more grounde the opinion of learned men of other prouinces especially of Portugall who waighing and disputing the reasons of euery pretendent with their contrarieties and tearmes had resolued amongst them that Philip was vndoubtedly the successour being the eldest kinsman that Henry had a male and lawfull and that with these qualities he did surpasse and exclude all the competitours one after an other They helde Anthonie directly to be vnlawfull hauing alwaies liued in that opinion and was so held by his Father Lewes at his death as it appeered by his testament that although he had demaunded his legitimation at Rome and had obtained it yet coulde not any roiall or pontificiall legitimation serue for the succession of a kingdome They discharged themselues of Phillibert Duke of Sauoy in fewe words saying onely that he was yoonger of yeeres and sonne of a yonger sister then the Empresse Mother to the Catholique King They denied the reasons of eldership whereon Rainucius did ground himselfe saying moreouer they might well graunt it without danger for that the same Doctors which fauoured this lawe do not vnderstande it shoulde take place if the same person from whom they woulde transport it did not enioy it And forasmuch as Edward was deceased many yeeres before Henry succeeded or euer thought to come vnto the Crowne he could haue no interest nor any considerable hope that might come to his descēdents so as they made small account of al that Rainucius could alleage touching the linnage eldership imaginary degrees and transmissions saying that such as groūd thēselues most vpon these subtilities do leane stil vpon representations without the which they are of smal moment prouing that Rainucius coulde not aide himselfe with representation being out of the degree wherein the lawes allow it and therefore remained inferior to Philip. Against the Dutchesse they alleaged that kingdomes appertaining to the ancient lawes of nations the succession ought not to be ruled by the Ciuill lawe full of fictions and subtileties the which were framed by the Emperours many yeeres since And although souereigne Princes did bring them in for the good gouernment of their subiects yet had they not altered the simple naturall rules of the succession the which they affirmed shoulde be obserued in this case as it had beene before the birth of Iustinian who was the author of these representations And although some Doctors woulde rashly make the succession of Realmes subiect to ciuill institutions yet according to this consideration they made Philips title vndoubtfull and those which helde this opinion were learned men and more curious of antiquitie then are commonly our ordinarie Lawyers But least they shoulde seeme to take that course to auoide the lawes they woulde also withdrawe themselues within the tearmes of the Ciuill lawe as if it were a matter in controuersie betwixt two persons for a priuate possession There did they prooue that in Realmes more properly then in any other thing they succeeded by right as they call it of consanguinitie that is to say hauing regard vnto the first instituter and that following this law they shoulde consider the persons of the pretendents by themselues without representations or respect of their fathers as if they were childrē of the last possessor in which sort Philip remained in stead of the eldest vnto Henry They said also that if they should yeelde that which the Dutchesse pretends that they succeede not in Realmes by right of consanguinitie but by that which they call inheritance hauing regarde vnto the last possessor yet coulde she not be equall vnto Philip for that the representation where with she pretends to helpe herselfe doth not extend to the Nephew but in concurrents with the same vncle according to the most auncient most approoued and most grounded opinion They added moreouer that the succession of kingdomes not onely by the right of nations as is formerly related but also by the same Ciuill lawe is exempt from al representations being not brought in by custom And although the Dutchesse may represent the degree of her Father notwithstanding it were impossible she should represent the qualitie of a male being a harde matter that a woman equall onely in degree and in all other things inferiour shoulde pretend to be preferred before a man in administration of Realmes and that her priuate defect shoulde hurt her lesse then to Philip that of his Mother It was therefore resolued that of all the Nephewes of king Emanuel he that should be founde to be eldest a male and lawfull shoulde precead the rest and this was the Catholique King And although the pretention of the people and of the most Christian Queene were held vaine and onely mooued to trouble Philip yet did they answere them formally Against the people they saide that they had no greater priuiledge of election within this Realme then in the rest of Spaine the which all fall by succession when there is any lawfully descended of the bloud royall And that in Portugal they haue lesse libertie then the rest growing from the gifts of the kings of Castill and from the conquest of the kings of Portugall And forasmuch as the people hath not giuē the realme to their first kings there could not any thing chance whereby they should name or choose one And for that which they alleage of the electiō of king Iohn the first they answered that not onely this reason did not serue them but thereby it did appeere that the realme in that case was successiue hauing leauing apart that it was rather a violent crie of cōquering Partizants then a free election themselues secretly confessed that they had no right to choose whilest there remained any one lawfully descended of the Roiall issue inferring that Beatrice Queene of Castill was a bastard and that the Realme was in the same estate wherein other Realmes of succession may choose their King all the kinsemen of the last deceased being extinct They pleaded against the most Christian Queene that her pretention was improbable and prescribed seeing that the successours of the Earle of Bulloigne had neuer made any
he should preuaile in recompence of the discontentment he had to be drawen from Italy Many beleeued the King would goe to this war in person both for the inclination they see in him as for some other signes which were apparant for he not only caused his armes and pauillions to be readie but also commaunded Ferrant de Silua Conte de Cifuentes Guidon Maior of Castill with the Standard Royall to furnish himself the which in that Realme is not accustomed to be carried but in the Squadron where the King is in person but in this case it behooued him to remaine irresolute and to gouerne himselfe according to the necessitie and occasions which time should discouer In this hope of things the King commaunded a Secretarie of the councell of warre to write to the Duke of Alua demaunding of him if he were able to serue in this enterprise whereunto making answere that in that which concerned his Maiestie he neuer made reckoning of his health hee was commaunded to prepare himselfe within three daies and to goe to the campe the which he putting in execution he went to Barrazas a village ten miles from the court which was at Madrill hauing no leaue to come thither but that which caused admiration the king hauing at the same time caused the Prince Diego his sonne to be sworne by all the estates in a Chappell although with ordinarie ceremonies yet with lesse pompe then of custome did not admit the saide Duke to the oath being so neere and so great a personage He did neither write vnto him nor treated with him concerning these warres but long after So as the Duke marching with the armie finding himselfe not fully released from the prison wherein he had beene saide that the King had sent him to conquer Realmes drawing after him chaines and fetters such was the seueritie of Philip and the obedience of so great a minister All Spaine was pleased with this election for besides the deliuery of the Duke which followed they esteemed not the valour of their soldiers without a Commaunder to their mindes and in the Dukes person they helde any armie good The Generall being dispatched the King prouided all things for his iourney into Portugall he caused a daughter borne at that time to be secretly baptized and hauing made the saide prince of Castill to be sworne without calling or the presence of Ferrant de Sylua to his great discontentment the King went to Guadalupa being now the time of Lent vnder colour to performe the obsequies of King Henry there and so to draw neere vnto Portugall to giue encouragement to his affaires and thus did he write to all the principall cities in Spaine He departed from Madrill in coach almost all alone without giuing order for the Queenes departure or for the officers of his Courte notwithstanding cherishing her dearely After he had passed two daies seeming conuenient and a great signe of amitie that being now to enter into Portugall he shoulde be accompanied with his Queene he called her vnto him The Duke was now gone to Glierena where a part of his armie lay being in farre lesser numbers then had beene leuied for that discommodities and sicknesse had consumed many and many places were voide by the Captaines pollicie being in all but fower thousand fiue hundreth Italians three thousand fiue hundreth Germaines and three thousand Spaniards come out of Italy and other seauen thousand newly raised with fifteene hundreth horse which being a body long before prepared for a matter so well foreseene seemed to him but small But the Duke trusting more to the qualitie then the quantitie of his soldiers desired to haue them fewer and of more experience and these seemed in a manner all without knowledge and therefore the King at his entreatie commanded that all the soldiers which were come out of Flaunders into Italy should passe into Spaine being such whom he knew and had tried in the warres yet they arriued not in time but returned backe The Duke saide that surmounting the enimie in horse he would vndertake this warre with twelue thousand foote well experienced neither did he value the great number of the Portugals which assembled as it was giuen out making reckoning to waste them by policie to conquer them without battaile The King being come to Guadalupa there arriued the Bishop of Coimbra and Emanuel de Melo Embassadors from the Gouernours of Portugall The King with his Councell were doubtfull in what sort to honor them some would haue them treated like subiects without respecting them as Embassadors Others would not haue any thing altered of the ordinarie course obserued in those causes yet not to discourage them it was resolued they should be heard as Embassadors with their heads couered and that the King should put off his hat yet the King had written before to the Gouernors that he would treat with their Commissaries as with subiects These laboured by a long speech to perswade the King to lay aside armes they saide that King Henry had greatly desired to end the question of succession by the ordinarie course of iustice but that death had preuented him he had in the States held at Lisbone in the yeere 1579. not onely chosen Gouernors and defenders of the Realme but the States had also named fower twentie Iudges whereof the King had chosen eleuen to iudge definitiuely the cause of succession if he died before the effecting it the which after hapned and that the matter being brought to that passe the realme remained quiet and peaceable resolute to obey and acknowledge for their Lord and King him in whose fauour sentence should be giuen conformable to the oath which the whole Realme had taken in the said estates the which was after ministred to the same Gouernors in the great church at Lisbone when as the coffer which contained the nomination was opened and therefore they were readie to administer iustice and to acknowledge for King him vnto whom the realme shoulde be iudged by right to appertaine and being thus affected they beseeched his maiesty to command his embassadors to assist iudicially to the cause in the conclusion thereof But the King being assured of his right prouided of forces and seeming no blot to his conscience made answere that he was well pleased with the shew of zeale to the publike good of these realmes and that he was perswaded that what they had propounded proceeded from a good inclination that he would haue bin glad their demand had bin such as he might haue satisfied them the which he wil do alwaies in matter that shall be iust tending to the generall or particular good of these realmes But the equitie of his cause being so apparant to the world remaining no lawfull or competent iudge they neither ought nor could performe the oath which they saide they had taken seeing it were an apparant preiudice to his title and a domage to his owne realmes and therefore he
about a yeere and a halfe and died in the beginning of the yeere 1580. he was the last of the house of Portugall to whom succeeded 18. Philip sonne to Charles the fift Emperour and of Isabell King of Spaine c. borne the 7. of May 1527. c. THE VNITING OF THE REALME OF PORTVGALL TO THE CROWNE OF CASTILL The Contents of the first Booke The originall of the Realme of Portugall the description thereof with their newe conquests The life of King Sebastian his first voyage into Affrick his enteruiew with the Catholique King at Guadalupa the preparatiues of warre made at Lisbone for the enterprize of Affrick the kings departure from Portugall with his armie I Vndertake the Historie of the Realme of PORTVGALL from the time that king Sebastian the first passed into Affrick with a mightie armie to make warre against the Moores which inhabite Mauritania Tingitana till that after many afflictions this Realme was vnited to those of Spaine vnder Phillip the second king of Castill A subiect of importance for the generall state by the increase of power to so mightie a king yea considerable for the diuers accidents hapned in so short a time contrarie to common hope and profitable by the examples of the instabilitie of this worlde and the dangers that Princes and people runne into by their ill grounded resolutions I hope to relate these euents sincerely with truth hauing beene present at the greatest part and receiued the rest from a faithfull Reporter I am voide of passion an enimie to the vncorrupt writing of Historiographers being neither borne in any of those countries nor subiect or vassall to any king or prince But before I enter into the welspring of those warres I haue thought it conuenient to make a briefe relation of the state of the Realme of the scituation beginnings enterprises and such like to the end that being to report the fall we may withall see the rising thereof by what meanes it encreased and was supported how and when it declined and finally altered his forme The description of the Realme of Portugall POrtugall is a part of Spaine lying vpon the furthest borders of the Ocean It bordereth vpon the East with the kingdome of Castill vpon the West with the great Ocean vpon the North with Gallicia and towards the South with the Atlantike sea and Andelouzia The late writers haue deuided it into sixe countries which they call Comarques that is beyond the riuer of Tagus Estremadura betwixt Duero and Minies and this with the countrie which stretcheth to Coimbra is the ancient Portugall behinde the mountaines Beira and Algarues which last hath also the Title of a kingdome It containes in circuit 850. miles whereof 400. run along the Sea shore the rest is maine land which maketh it in forme long and narrow It hath in it eighteene cities with many great villages and castles in number aboue 470. Three of these cities haue Archbishopricks Braga Lisbone and Euora whereof the first is Lord both spirituall and temporall Nine haue their Bishopricks Coimbra Lamego Visco Porto Miranda Portalegro Guarda Leiria and Eluas the other fiue remaine without dignitie and those are Bragança Tauira Lagos Faro and Silues These last fower be in the kingdome of Algarues whereof one Bishop hath the Title It is watered with many riuers whereof two are most famous Tagus and Duero the first runneth by the walles of Lisbone and sixe or seuen miles off dischargeth it selfe into the Sea the other doth the like by the citie of Porto and two miles from thence falleth into the Ocean from their mouthes vnto the citie they are no riuers but as it were armes and bosomes of the Sea and most assured and capable portes for many great ships which may saile farre vp against the streame but further in that of Lisbone then of the other whereas many great vessels passe fifteene or twentie miles vp beyonde the towne besides these two portes twentie miles from Lisbone towards the South is Settuual which hath a small Tower at the entrie thereof with a port capable of many ships And in Algarues is Tauira Lagos and Villeneuue these three are of reasonable capacitie the rest are lesse with many pleasant plashes The seate of the countrie is commodious for all partes of the world being in the middest of many great kingdomes fit for the ancient and later nauigations For turning towards the West they discouer directly Gallicya Biscay Fraunce England Germanie the other Northerne Regions Before them lieth the Islands of Azores otherwise called Terceres the fortunate Islands with the countries called the West Indies On the left hād lieth Andelouzia the Streits of Gibraltar by the which they enter into the Mediterranean Sea for the Nauigation of Italie and Greece And leauing the Streits coasting Affrick on the left hand they discouer many nations and new people vnknowne to the auncient who beleeued that the burning Zone was inhabitable from which places many ships arriue at Lisbone with great riches chieflie from the East Indies the which the Portugalles themselues as we shall declare hereafter conquered besides their traffiqne with the kingdome of Castile which lieth behinde them Lisbone is the best and chiefest of all their Cities on the which the whole Realme dependes It is verie populous yea many beleeue that of all the cities of Christendome except Paris it containes the greatest number of people The aire is verie wholesome and temperate distant from the Equinoctiall nine and thirtie degrees and with the ebbing and flowing of the salt water which is great vpon that coast there bloweth alwaies a temperate winde which doth refresh it It is neither wholie plaine nor all mountaines but deuided into fiue small hilles betwixt th' one and the other of these the plaine extends vnto the Riuer It hath beene walled whereof some part continues to this day but for that it hath beene since much augmented that part without the walles exceedes the other in greatnes There stands vpon an high hill a very ancient castell which hath no other strength in it but his height nor any guard but is reserued as a prison for noble men At the mouth of Tagus on the citie side stands a Fortresse built after the newest manner which they cal the rocke of Saint Iulian made to defend the entrie of the Riuer The fruite it bringeth foorth surpasseth all their neighbours in bountie and although it yeeldeth not corne sufficient to feede them yet haue they prouision daily out of Fraunce and Germanie The whole Realme is at this present greatly inhabited being replenished with manie Noblemen and Gentlemen and much building of ships and vessels for sundrie Nauigations Besides the order of the knights of Saint Iaques and Alcantara or of Saint Bennet which they call d'Auis of a place so named these carrie a red crosse and these a greene like vnto the Knights of Castill when as the Templers were suppressed they did institute another order with the
same reuenewes which they call the Knights of Christ bearing a red crosse and in the midst a white the which are bound to goe to the warre against infidels to whome Pope Alexander the sixth did since graunt libertie to marrie And their Kings hauing encreased their reuenewes a great part of their Nobilitie affected this order although they haue many times receiued men base and vnworthie A great part of this Realme was sometimes vnited to the crowne of Castill but in the yeere of our Lord one thousand one hundreth and tenne Alphons the sixth being King that part towards the north was separated giuing it in marriage for a certaine tribute to Henrie nephew to the Earle of Burgundie borne at Besanson marrying Therasie his bastard daughter for that comming out of Fraunce with Count Raimond of Tholouse his vncle who was after Earle of Gallicia he went to the warres which the Castillians had against the Moores that possessed Spaine And although some deriue the originall of this Count Henrie from Hungarie others from Aragon and from other places yet this is the most approoued opinion But it hapneth in the originall of Kings as of great riuers whose mouthes are knowne but not their springs Portugall was then obscure vntilled poore and reduced into streight limits yet Alphons Henry sonne vnto this first Earle did greatly augment it by his valiant exploits taking many places from the Moores by force against whom hauing woone a great victorie in a pitched battaile he was proclaimed King by his soldiors in a place called Campo d'Ourique and following his victorie woone Saint Arem and Lisbone remaining peaceable Lord of the Realme he had the title of King confirmed by Pope Alexander the fourth for a certaine small tribute Their first king which succeeded him named Alphonso the thirde did no lesse augment it by another meanes For hauing before his comming to the Crowne married with Matilda Countesse of Boloigne in Picardie being now in possession of the Realme he put her away of his owne proper motion and without cause taking to wife Beatrice bastard daughter to Alphonso the tenth King of Castill surnamed the wise to haue in dowrie with her as indeed he had the kingdome of Algarues So as their lymits being extended as they be at this present and the Moores subdued who kept them in martiall exercise they began since to make war with the Kings of Castill although their Dominions were alwaies greater then the Portugals the which they did so often and with such obstinacie that these nations all of one continent issued from one stocke of one language were enflamed one against the other with so mortall a hatred that it remaineth euen vntill this daie but more with the Portugals then the Spaniards And although these late warres did breede them more honor then profit yet were they not without some vtilitie for that this continuall exercise did maintaine them in discipline and keepe them from delights and idlenes capitall enimies to any State Since which time they haue not remained idle but inured vnto war wonne vnto themselues some honour vnder Iohn the first at the perswasion of Henry his sonne they laboured to take from the Moores certaine places in Affricke the which succeeded happily For in time they became Maisters in Mauritania Tingitana of the townes of Ceute Tanger and Arzilla and this is that auncient Zillia and other places which since they haue either lost or abandoned to the Moores as they did Arzilla being of great charge and small profit They onely maintained and defended the two first and built towards the West Mazagon being seated at the mouth of Hercules straites for holding those places the Moores should not harbor so neere vnto Spaine but they serue as a buckler vnto that Prouince By reason of these euents they extended their hopes yet further so as the Ilands of Madera not farre distant and the Terceres lying from Lishbone 850. miles in the fortie degree of latitude then vntilled and vninhabited were by them discouered and peopled And not yet content especially the said Henry who aspiring to higher matters though with lesse hope then the effect which followed they began sailing through the Ocean to coast Affricke searching new countries and nations So as running along that coast by the space of many yeeres they went on so far that comming to the other Hemisphere they discouered all Ethiopia And although Alphonso the fifth of that name and the twelfth King renewed the war against the Spaniard yet did they not discontinue their nauigation to their great good but in the end hauing made peace with the catholique King Ferdinand in the yeere of our Lord 1479. they had more leisure to think of their new conquest It is worth the obseruing that in capitulations then made it was particularly specified that the peace was concluded for a hundreth yeeres and one naming alwaies a certaine for an vncertaine But this prooued a prophesie for it continued iust a hundreth yeeres one for so much time passed from those wars vnto this which I vndertake to write if the words of the Treatie agree with the qualitie of the euent The Realme was greatly strengthened both with people and wealth and since encreased more when as Ferdinand and Isabell King and Queene of Castill in the yeere 1482. expelled the lewes out of their Dominions being then in great numbers they agreed with Iohn the second successor to Alphonso the fifth and obtained libertie paying eight duckats for euerie person to enter into his countrey vpon condition to depart at a certaine time prefixed and that the King should appoint them shipping to transport them So as vpon those conditions which were not fully obserued there entred about 20000. families and in euery one ten persons at the least the time of their departure expired and not performed many remained slaues others either vnwilling to depart or to loose their goods were baptized as the rest had done that remayned in Castill So as vnder the name of new Christians the greatest part remayned in Portugall vnknowen being vndistinguished and allyed for money with some Noblemen of the countrey they laboured to be admitted for citizens And although according vnto reason of State this manner of peopling were not good being of a nation different in blood and law the which in multiplying might cause an important diuision being many in number yet brought it great profit to the Crowne Since in the time of Emanuell the fourteenth King who began to raigne in the yeere 1495. they continued their new nauigation with greater feruencie and more quiet For the Castillians being growen mightier by meanes of the forces annexed to their Crowne and hauing by new alliances drawen vnto them the loue of the Portugales the one durst no more contend the other suffered them to liue in peace His predecessors hauing many yeeres coasted along Affricke they built a fort at Argin tooke the Islands of Hesperides which now are called
of an expert souldiour of many things touching the gouernment of Armies wherein Aldana did amply satisfie him The King now beleeuing he should be well able to execute all he vnderstood not knowing the difference betwixt saying and doing the winter come he gaue Aldana leaue to depart honouring him with a chaine of gold of one thousand duckats making him promise to returne when he should need his seruice In this meane time for the yeere following Sebastian by the meanes of Gomez de Sylua his Embassadour at Rome treated with the great Duke of Tuscane to leuie in his Territories three or fower thousande foote accepting in part the offer which the great Duke had made vnto him not long before by his Embassadors but the effect followed not He sent likewise Sebastian de Costa into Flaunders to VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange who being chosen head of the Flemmings against the Catholique King commanded in those parts entreating him to assist him with three of fower thousand Germaines He likewise dispatched fower coronels throughout his Realme of Portugall to leuie twelue thousand foote and those were Michael de Norogna Iames Lopez de Sequeira Frauncis de Tauora and Vasco de Silueira the which had neuer beene at the warres He assembled some Spaniards which came at the brute of warres and of this voyage whereof he gathered a good number without the consent of Philip and in Castill it selfe without any noise of drum he enrolled many souldiers for this warre which caused Philip to punish some Captaines afterwardes But notwithstanding all these goodly shewes no man beleeued it woulde take effect for besides they did esteeme the Kings forces too feeble to attempt any warre much more beyond the sea whereas the charge woulde be greater they did conceiue that when the Catholique King the Cardinall Henry Queene Katherine and the people should see all lets taken away they would not suffer the King to go in person which made euery man suppose that after the expence of much mony it would vanish to nothing as it had hapned the last yeere and some yeeres before with the armie of Edward the Kings vncle prepared for the same Countries of Affrick and some other enterprises But forasmuch as we can hardly resist the diuine powers it seemed that all things did second the effect of this enterprise the Queene a Ladie of bountie and great value who as well for the loue she bare vnto the King being bred in her bosome as to content Philip her nephew who was the sonne of her brother did vehemently disswade this enterprise she died The Pope forasmuch as this warre was attempted against Infidels giuing succours in time of need opened his spirituall treasures granting the Bull of the Croysada which till that time was not brought into the Realme The ships of the Indies returned home to a safe Port very rich The Prince of Orange although he were sufficiently busied in the low Countries yet shewing how little he esteemed the forces of the Catholique King graunted out of his troupes the three thousand foote which were demaunded so as all things seemed to yeeld vnto the Kings wil. All that time which was the ninth of Nouember there appeered in the Zodiaque in the signe of Libra neere vnto the station of Mars the goodliest greatest Comet that hath beene seene in many ages the which happening in the progresse of this war amazed many who looking to examples past said it was a signe of vnhappy successe and that cōming from a corrupt aire it did endomage the delicat bodies of Princes And for as much as the auncient Captaines with their diuines did interpret it to good not for that they beleeued it but to incourage their souldiers the Portugall likewise taking it for a fauour said that this Comet spake vnto the King saying Accometa which is to say in the Portugall toong let him assayle them not hauing any such beliefe but for flatterie fearing more the Kings choler by reason of his rough inclination then the heauens Philip at that time by a certaine treatie of peace had pacified the war of the Low-Countries where Don Iohn de Austria his bastard brother was gouernour who seeming not absolute Master of the people and the Prince of Orange his aduersarie not well satisfied desiring rather to be Lord of all then gouernor of a part they began new practizes against the conuentions agreed on And Don Iohns letters being surprised the which he had written into Spaine by the Lords of the countrey they discouered that vpon the Princes fortifying of some places in Holland he had an other intention then he made shew of who finding his letters surprised and his purposes laid open desirous as he said to subdue them by armes he thought it not safe to remaine vnarmed in those parts So as one day seeming to goe take the aire he retired himselfe to Namur vpon the frontire of Flanders towards Lorraine with his greatest fauorites and there discouering his minde and dismissing such as he trusted not he suddenly called backe the Spanish foot the which according to the Articles of peace were departed and scarse arriued in Italie and hauing made a newe leuie of Wallons and Germaines the warre began in those parts more cruell then before and with greater disaduantage for the King for that in the conformitie of the treatie of pacification they had left all the fortresses in the hands of the Flemmings By reason of these new broiles for that the war of Affrick was deferred a yeere more then was agreed on the Catholike King framed an excuse to denie his promised succours to the King of Portugall shewing that it behooued him to prouide in Flanders for his honour and the safety of his brother hoping by this meanes to diuert him from the enterprise but it preuailed nothing for the other being rash resolued in any sort to vndertake it whether he had his expected succours or not thinking being yoong with his owne forces and the Italians and Germanes which hee attended to bee able to conquer the worlde This resolution displeased Philip and did much afflict him for being vnable to assist him he feared that without his aide the day would be perillous and seeing the danger increase he continued these good offices with more vehemencie either to breake off the enterprise or at least to disswade him from going in person whereupon he did write many letters of his owne hand full of loue he caused the Duke of Alua to write vnto him and in the end sent the Duke of Medina Celi one of the greatest in Spaine to doe his last endeuour to diuert him but all was in vaine he would attempt it at his owne cost although the Catholike King sent him not one souldier And for as much as good deedes are often taken in ill part some saide that all these demonstrations of King Philip were but coūterfeit that he wished Sebastian should go for howsoeuer it should succeed he
crowned King not knowing in the morning what the euening brings But it seemed to him that fortune began now to smile for that Albacarin the Moore who commanded for Mulei Moluc in Arzilla a towne vpon the borders of the sea sometimes belonging to the Portugals voluntarily abandoned to the Moores by the intercession of the Cheriffe Mahamet had deliuered it to the gouernour of Tanger whereof the King receiued great contentment and beleeued now the Moore had such as he saide affectionate to his partie At this time the Irishmen rebelled in diuers parts of that kingdome pretending the libertie of Religion and complained to Pope Gregory the 13. taking for their leader the Earle of Desmond and others as Oneale and some other of the sauage Irish affirming that if they were aided they could easily drawe the whole Island from the Queenes obedience The Pope did communicate this with the Catholique King exhorting him to vndertake this action as most godly to succour this people the which they resolued to do But forasmuch as the Queene of England did seeme in words friend vnto the king did as the Spaniards supposed couertly vnderhand assist the Prince of Orange in Flaunders against him the King woulde likewise march in the same path and make a couert warre against her they concluded to assist this people in the Popes name but secretly at the kings charge To this effect they leuied certaine footemen in the territories of the Church whereof sixe hundreth vnder the conduct of Thomas Stukeley an Englishman fled out of England for treason who a little before had obtained the title of a Marques from the Pope were embarked at Ciuitauechia in a ship of Genua to be transported into Ireland the which arriued at Lisbone in the time they made preparation in Portugall for the warre of Affrick the king hearing of their arriuall and that for want of money he could haue no Italians out of Tuscane desired to see them with an intent to retaine them vse them in the war of Affricke hauing caused them to disimbarke and to lodge at Oeiras neere to the mouth of Tagus he went one day to view them and although they were no chiefe men yet did he admire their order their speedie discharging of their Harquebuzes their disposition to handle the pike and their strict obedience and hauing had some conference with the saide Stukeley they perswaded him to promise to goe with him into Affrick The Catholique King for that he woulde not shew himselfe a partie woulde not contradict it The Pope was so farre off that before the newes coulde come vnto him he gaue them impresse and they remained for his seruice In this time the foote which were leuied by three Coronels approched to Lisbone the fourth which was Frauncis de Tauora shoulde imbarke in Algarues The three thousand Germaines which the Prince of Orange had granted were vnder the conduct of Martin of Burgundie Lord of Tamberg arriued within the mouth of Tagus in Flemmish ships and were lodged at Cascaies and thereabouts to the great amasement of the peasants not accustomed to the charges of warre King Sebastian before his departure desired to see the Duke of Alua whom he sent vnto but he excused himselfe vpon the King and the King at the entreatie of the Duke vpon the infirmitie of the old man so as his desire tooke no effect The Dukes friends tolde him he should haue accepted this fauour whereunto he answered that hauing knowne by the practises and discourses of Guadaluppa and by the Kings letters his resolution to passe into Affrick he thought it impossible to diuert him from that opinion that hauing beene discreet in his youth he woulde not in his declining age make himselfe author of the ruine which he did foresee of a King and kingdome Sebastian without any graue Counsellors hastened his departure impatient of the least delaies his forces being all assembled with the ships at Lisbone the souldiors which were scarce nine thousand were imbarked against their will The Noblemen and Gentlemen likewise had euery one a shippe armed wherein he should imbarque with those vnder his commaund but hardly were they drawne from their deere houses And although there were a certaine day for their departure appointed yet was it not obserued So as the King going one morning in great troupe to the cathedrall church with the Standard he ment to carrie into Affrick he caused it to be hallowed with great pompe and deliuered it to the master of his horse and so returning many beleeuing he would haue returned to the pallace he went directly to the galley wherein he woulde passe to hasten the rest saying that he woulde presently depart And although this were the xvij day of Iune in the yeere 1578. yet did he stay eight daies in the Port and neuer disimbarked preparing the rest of the soldiours who were no sooner readie then the day after Midsommer at what time hauing a prosperous winde the whole armie set saile to the great pleasure and contentment of the King who yoong and vnskilfull guided by some sinister starre or by that diuine permission which woulde punish this people went into Affrick to a dangerous although a glorious enterprise leauing the Realme emptied of money naked of Nobilitie without heires and in the hands of ill affected gouernours THE SECOND BOOKE The Contents of the second Booke The King of Portugals passage into Affricke his counsell and resolution to enter into the maine land the way his armie tooke the preparatiues for the warre of Mulei Moluc the qualitie and disposition of his campe the battaile of Alcazar the ouerthrowe of the Portugals the death of King Sebastian and of Moluc and the creation of King Henry THe King of Portugals departure from Lisbone was so mournefull that it gaue apparant signes of euill successe for in so great a number of men and of so diuers qualities there was not any one with a cheerefull countenance or that did willingly imbarke against the common custome in the beginnings of warre but all as it were presaging of ill euents complained they were forceablie drawne vnto it There was such a deadlie silence in the porte that during all the time of their abode in so great a number of shippes there was neither flute nor trumpet heard The Kings galley issuing foorth was carried downe with the currant and brake her rudder against a Flemmish ship a cannon shot from the towne slew one of his marriners in the boate so as if we shall giue credite to signes as the auncients did these seemed very ominous The first towne they touched vpon the maine lande was Lagos in Algarues where did imbarke the regiment which Frauncis de Tauora had leuied in those parts and certaine other vessels ioined to the armie so as in all one and other they made neere one thousand saile but except fiue galleis and fiftie other ships all the rest were vnarmed and the most of them were barkes
with much people on foote The Cardinall inuironed with a great multitude ascends the staires of the hospitall being entered the Church hauing heard Seruice and ended his praiers he seates himselfe in the chaire prepared on the scaffolde where presently Frauncis de Sada one of those that had bin gouernours put the Scepter in his hand and Michell de Mora Secretarie standing a little off said reading it with a loude voice that King Henrie by the death of King Sebastian did succeede in the Realme and therefore they had deliuered him the Scepter and that he was come to take the accustomed oath to maintaine and obserue vnto his people and to any other all liberties priuiledges and conuentions graunted by his predecessours which done the Secretarie kneeling before him with an open booke the King laide his hande thereon swearing so to do then did the Attabales sounde euery man crying Reale Reale for Henry King of Portugall this done he riseth with the same companie holding alwaies the Scepter in hande he returned to the pallace the Attabales sounding and the Herolds crying from time to time as before THE THIRDE BOOKE The Contents of the third Booke The descent of the Kings of Portugall The pretendants to the succession The resolutions of King Henrie And the peoples demaunds The voyage of the Duke of Ossuna into Portugall and other Embassadors from the Catholique King The imprisonment of the Duke of Alua The Catholique Kings letters to them of Lisbone The States of Portugall The grounds of the pretendants to the succession The sentence of Henry against Anthony Prior of Crato vpon his legitimation by vertue of the Popes Briefe The reasons of the Catholique King to the Realme against euerie one of the pretendants The preparatiues to warre of the Catholique King against the Realme of Portugall The suspension of the briefe The second sentence of Henry against Anthonie The alteration of King Henry his will concerning the succession And the Popes offers to the Catholique king MOst men from all the noted parts of the worlde had their mindes and iudgements turned vpon Portugall both for that hitherto the affaires of Sebastian were worthie attention as to see nowe Henry come to the Crowne who was olde and without successour which made all Princes doubte that the succession of this Realme might trouble the publike quiet for the Pretendants were diuers their actions differing all allied and all with groundes And although their forces were vnequall yet were they made equal by certaine respects But to the ende we may the better vnderstand the groundes of euery one of the pretendants I will make a little digression to report briefly the descent of these Kings And although from the first vnto Henry there raigned seauenteene yet doe I not thinke it necessarie to take their beginning but frō Emanuel forward who was the fourteenth who began his raigne in the yeere of our Lord 1495. for that of his onely progenie is issued the number of Princes that pretended to the Crowne This man had three wiues of the first which was Isabell daughter to Ferdinand King of Castill widow to Alphonse sonne to Iohn the second of Portugall he had no other children for she died in childbed but Michael who died in the cradle who had beene as they say the pillar and corner stone to vnite it and Spaine togither But by his death the Portugals lost the kingdomes of Castill and Arragon whereof Emanuel and Isabell his wife were sworne Princes the issue male of the bloud roiall being extinct in Castill His second wife which was Marie sister to Isabell third daughter of the saide Ferdinand brought him many children vz. sixe sonnes and two daughters Isabel was married to Charles the fifth Emperour Beatrice to Charles the thirde Duke of Sauoy Iohn did inherite the kingdome Lewes died without marrying leauing behinde him Anthony his bastard sonne he who as you shall heare anon was the cause of great miserie to his countrey by reason of his pretention to the Crowne Ferdinand deceased without heires so did Alphons who was Cardinall called by the title of Saint Blaise and Henry of the title of Saint Quatre Coronez this outliued all the rest and it is hee of whom we speake Edward tooke to wife Isabell daughter to Iaime Duke of Bragance by whome he had Marie which afterwardes was married to Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma and Katherine at this present wife to Iohn of Bragance he had likewise a sonne the which being borne after the death of his father who liued but fower yeeres in matrimonie was likewise called Edward This is he who disfauoured by Sebastian died at Euora in the yeere 1576. of his thirde wife which was Leonora daughter to king Philip the first of Castill archduke of Austria who was after married to Frauncis the first king of Fraunce he had none but Charles who died yoong and Marie who being about sixe and fiftie yeeres olde died a maide at Lisbone in the yeere 1578. But returning to Iohn the thirde sonne of the second wife who succeeded Emanuel in the kingdome he contracted marriage with Katherine sister to the Emperour Charles the fifth and had issue Marie who after was the first wife of Philip the second king of Castill now raigning from whom issued Charles who died yoong the which if he had liued without doubt had preceaded the Cardinall Henry in the succession of the crowne The saide Iohn and Katherine had many male children which died yoong one onely outliued the rest named Iohn who as some say died yoong with excessiue loue of his wife sister to the saide Philip leauing her great with childe and after deliuered of Sebastian during his grandfathers life who soone after passed to an other worlde and this is that Sebastian which died in Affrick Let vs now come to the pretentions The Catholique King as it is saide put himselfe foremost being borne of Isabell the eldest daughter of Emanuel And although as a Castillian he was naturally hated of that nation yet he supposed that being mightie compassing in the Realme with his dominions and the Portugals vnexpert he shoulde soone either by loue or force become master thereof Iohn Duke of Bragance challenged the Realme as the right of Katherine his wife alleaging he was neerer to the succession then the Catholique King being although a woman daughter to the said Edward brother to the saide Isabell And forasmuch as the Duke is the greatest personage of the Realme and his subiects most warlike trusting on the fauour of Henry who did then grace him and hauing small experience in the affaires of the worlde he held himselfe halfe in possession Alexander Prince of Parma sonne to Octauius Farnesse did pretend it for his eldest son Rhainucius as male issued from Marie the eldest daughter of the saide Edward sister to the saide Katherine And although his territories were farre off yet besides that some supposed the Church shoulde
fauour him it seemed the Portugals woulde be pleased to haue a yoong king whom they might breede vp after their owne manner But Anthony Prior of Crato sonne of Lewes who was brother to the saide Henrie sought the Crowne but with more vehemencie saying he was legitimate and no bastard as it was supposed And although he were without lands and disgraced by Henry yet being fauoured by the people he supposed that Henry dying he shoulde in despight of all the rest be crowned Emanuel Philibert Duke of Sauoy although sonne to Beatrice yoongest sister to the Catholique Kings Mother and yoonger then the saide King did not yet leaue off his pretentions but with greater modestie And for that amongst the pretendants straungers the Portugals were more inclined to him then to anie other it was supposed he woulde not let slippe the occasion And this inclination proceeded from the opinion they had that in regarde of the qualitie of his person he shoulde be fitter then anie other to defende them from their enimies and if neede were hee might vigorously resist King Philip if he shoulde stirre both by reason of his valour and for the meanes he had to molest him in his Duchie of Millaine ioyning vnto Piedmont vsing chiefly the alliance and neighbourhoode he had with Fraunce The peoples pretention was not vnconsidered for that the issue male of their Kings failing they pretended the election to belong to them they grounded it that women did neuer succeed but in an interreigne a woman was excluded and Iohn the first the tenth king of this Realme chosen by the people It seemed that this pretention shoulde not onely be contrarie to all pretendant strangers but also might breed a diuision within the Realme Katherine of Medecy widdowe to Henry the second King of Fraunce did likewise pretende saying that she was before all others by an action fetched a farre off but fortified with liuely reasons by her Embassadors The ground was That when as Sanches the second raigned in Portugall whom they called Cappello of the habite which he did vse Alphons his brother married with Matilda then Countesse of Bulloigne in Picardie And that after by the weakenes of Sanches the people with the consent of Pope Honorius the thirde then raigning called in Alphonse to be as tutor and gouernour of the Realme a testimony of the auncient Religion of this nation who euen in temporall matters did flie vnto the Pope And although at his cōming he did but vsurpe yet soone after the King dying without heires the Earle did lawfully inherite the Crowne hauing had before by his French wife some children who vnderstanding her husband to be King and not to returne any more to Bulloigne hauing prepared certaine ships she went to him into Portugall But for that Alphonse being now King did treat a marriage in Castill to haue the Kingdome of Algarues in dower as he after had without the consent of the Pope she was neither seene nor receiued by him So as all the other Portugall Kings which haue succeeded haue drawen their originall from this Alphonse and the children of his Castillian wife The Queenes Embassadours said That all the Kings which had succeeded him and his children had as Bastards vniustly inherited and that the kingdome ought to returne by direct line to the heires of the lawfull children of the said Alphonse and the Countesse of Bulloigne whom they said to be Queene Katherine of Medicy mother to King Henry the third daughter to Laurence of Medicy and of Magdalen of Bulloigne the onely remainder in direct line of that house and heire to that County the which although shee did not then possesse being incorporate by the Kings of Fraunce as a matter of importance seated vpon the limits of Flaunders and England yet they gaue vnto the Queene in recompence the Earledom of Lorangueil which shee now inioyeth They did likewise affirme but with small reason that the Pope did pretend alleadging that the Realme was not onely the spoile of the Cardinall but when as Alphonse who was the second Earle of Portugall obtained of the church the Title of a King hee bound himselfe to pay certaine markes of gold for a Tribute But heere of they made small reckoning These pretentions did much afflict the mindes of Princes and made the people feare some broyles vnderstanding that both the Queene of England was displeased against the Catholike King for the affaires of Ireland and that the King of Fraunce and the Turke were not contented to see King Philip become so mightie conquering a kingdome of so great importance On the other side Philip would not indure that any other but himselfe should become Lord for the neighbourhood of their countries supposing the least inconuenience that could happen was the ciuill warre betwixt the Duke of Bragrance and the Prior. But returning to the Cardinall Henrie being seated in the royall throne although he were of 67. yeeres of age and not healthful yet he looked about him and as it were determined from aboue that Portugall should fall by degrees to his declining hee did not prouide for the state according to the opinion that was conceiued of him but the Realme by reason of their miseries passed remayning as a bodie emptie and afflicted which needed a wise Phisition to restore it But as one mischiefe comes not alone the new King did more torment it for although many supposed that hee being olde a priest and of an exemplarie life hee should lay all passions aside and be more carefull to settle the state of the common wealth then he had found it yet notwithstanding he could not temper himselfe with such disposition as was fit for his yeeres and degree But as it often happens to such as haue beene oppressed who comming to rule seeke reuenge of their enimies euen so did he not imitating the example of Lewis the 12. King of Fraunce who disdained to requite the wrongs done him being Duke of Orleance hee resolued to reuenge the iniuries done him being Cardinal if they may be wel termed iniuries when as Princes be not respected of their inferiors as they ought For being not greatly fauoured by the King his predecessor the ministers and fauorites of his nephewe did not respect him as was fit not conceiuing being so old and Sebastian so yoong that euer he should haue attained to the Crowne By reason whereof he depriued almost all the officers of the court and some of them that did mannage the Kings Treasure of their offices and aduanced his owne seruants The first on whom he discharged the heat of his choler was Peter d' Alcasoua for that he did detest him from the time he was Secretorie and he Gouernor of the Realme during the nonage of Sebastian as also for that he thought to haue reason to punish him hauing beene an actor in these warres and seconded the Kings will and as one of his Chamberlaines had had the greatest charge
of Coimbra many allegations in her behalfe To effect this it was thought necessarie to cite all the pretendents to appeere and produce their reasons the which was sodainly put in execution although in the iudgement of many it was thought out of season seeming more conuenient first to conclude it in parliament and then to effect it whereby it was apparant that the king did gouerne himselfe daily without order or any constant resolution what he woulde doe He did yet foresee that dying before Philip as it was likely the Realme should remaine confused and without a Gouernour which shoulde rule the Realme during the interreigne and that the Noblemen and Commons shoulde presently sweare obedience vnto them and after examine the reasons of the pretendents And although they feared that King Philip woulde be displeased yet they hoped to satisfie him promising it shoulde no way preiudice his title nor any thing delay it but onely to proceede with more grounde as it was conuenient giuing out that King Henrie woulde marrie and send to Rome for a dispensation being a Priest so as being capable of issue it was not expedient to sweare a Prince This matter being concluded amongst fewe and of the chiefest within fewe daies after least it should not seeme to be done in priuate but with a general consent and to choose gouernours Henrie called to Court the three estates of the Realme that is the Clergie the Nobilitie and the Deputies of the cities and townes the which assembled the first day of Aprill in the yeere 1579. in the great hall of the pallace at Lisbone the King hauing before him nine Herolds accompanied with the Duke of Bragance and many Noblemen he went in the scarlet habite of a Cardinall retaining nothing of a king but the scepter being mounted vpon a scaffold of wood prepared at the vpper end of the hal fower steps higher then the Deputies he seated himselfe in a chaire prepared for him couered with cloth of gold vnder a cloth of estate of the same Euerie one being in his ranke according to their ancient degrees Alphonso de Castelbianco a priest stood vp by the Kings commandement at one of the endes of the scaffold who with a long speech after he had a little renewed the sorrowes of their forepassed miseries and mittigated them with hope of a future good hee forgot not to praise the King with all vertues adding that being weake he did not spare his life imploying it to what was profitable to the Realme he compared him in his gouernment to the King of heauen in his loue iustice pitty and sacrificing himselfe for his people he commended this assembly resembling it to the Councels and saide it coulde not erre he concluded the king had there assembled them to propound what was conuenient for the Realme to prouide for it with their aduise The first acte being ended it was decreed that daily the Clergie the Nobilitie and the Deputies of the Realme shoulde assemble a part the which they effected where they found diuersitie of opinions and very different one from an other some of them friendes to the conclusion woulde sodainly haue it determined to whom the Crowne appertained without hearing the pretendents allegations others held the parties should be cited and that they shoulde proceed with deliberation to sentence after instruction of the processe many enclined to haue gouernours others would not heare speake of them euery one taking the course neuer to agree The king hearing of this hauing called the chiefe of his Councell one after one and acquainting them with his resolution he shewed vnto them that it was so conuenient for the libertie of the Realme so as all difficulties accorded they concluded not to make any election of a Prince at that instant but the pretendents being heard the King shoulde iudge to whom the Realme belonged that he might be declared after his death And although God did suffer it may be for a punishment to the Portugals that the King held this Councell for the best yet experience did shewe that it was the woorst course they coulde haue taken for to put the cause in processe did breed vaine hopes in some of the pretendents which after were causes of great ruine to the crowne And to the end the motion of the kings marriage shoulde seeme to be spoken with some grounde they named vnto the estates Edward de Castelbianco to goe to Rome and treate with the Pope for his dispensation they did choose fifteene gentlemen vpon the backe of the rowle whereof the King with his owne hand shoulde write fiue of them which so chosen shoulde gouerne the Realme vntill it were decided who shoulde be King There was also about this nomination of the Gouernours no small controuersie betwixt the King and his Councell of estates for that the king would absolutely name the fiue the Councell woulde not consent vnto it but they would do it And when they were agreed that the Councell should name fifteene and the King choose fiue of them there grew a newe discord among them for the Councell desired to know who should be these fiue some woulde not onely haue them published but also during the Kings life put in possession of the gouernment that after they might be the better obeied but notwithstanding they resolued to keepe it secret yet generally they coniectured and truely who they were They chose also fower and twentie Iudges vpon the backe of the rowle of these the King did name eleuen to iudge the cause of the succession if he shoulde not determine it before his death This was held and chiefly by the Castillians a fault of importance the king shewing himselfe to be ignorant that his roiall iurisdiction did end with his life and that this naming of Gouernours was to rule after his death whereof they had an example with them of Elizabeth Queene of Castill who in vaine prescribed lawes for the gouernment of the Realme after her decease In this sorte the States ended and soone after the Duke of Bragance with the Nobilitie and the Deputies of the Realme sware obedience to such as the king had chosen Gouernours and to him that shoulde be declared king It would not be forgotten the manner of oath the Prior tooke for being called before the king and commanded to sweare to obey the forme aforesaid he answered that he would first speake vnto him The King replied that there was no neede but that he shoulde sweare the which he refusing to doe the king grewe in choler whereupon casting his eies vpon his friendes that were about him as who shoulde say that he was forced to lay his handes vpon the Euangelist against the opinion of many who beleeued he shoulde rather commit some disorder then sweare The Rowle of the Gouernours with the nomination vpon the backe of it was locked vp in a coffer and deliuered to the keeping of the Magistrate of the Chamber of Lisbone the people
mention thereof neither is it credible that since this pretention was incorporate to the crowne of so mightie a Realme such wise and mightie Princes as were Frauncis the first and Henry the second woulde haue forgotten to haue called it in question But the truth was the Countesse Matilda left no children as it appeeres in her Testament in the publike Registers of Portugall making therein no mention to leaue any by king Alphonse nor to haue had any and viewing the antiquities of the Realme they saide that a writer was abused who reported that a yoong childe buried in the church of Saint Dominico in Lisbone was her sonne and though it should be so yet doth it not contradict since she doth not affirme she had any children but that he died yoong They did likewise prooue that Matilda had not any by a formal request found in the same registers by the which all the Prelats of the Realme did beseech Pope Vrbane that it would please him to disanull the curse which he had laide vpon the Realme and that he woulde approoue the marriage of Beatrice the second wife of Alphonse that he would make their children legitimate that there might be no hinderance in the succession of this Realme whereby they concluded that if there had beene any lawfull children of Matilda they coulde not haue perswaded the Pope to preferre the bastards of Beatrice They added that these reasons were not vnknowne in Fraunce and that of late there had beene a booke printed of the genealogie of the houses of Medicy and Bulloigne continued vnto Katherine the most Christian Queene whereby it did cleerely appeere that Matilda had left no children by Alphonse her second husband hauing beene formerly married to Philip sonne of Philip Augustus king of Fraunce by which marriage she had one daughter named Iane who succeded not her mother in the Countie dying before her without issue So as Robert sonne of Alix sister to Matilda came to the succession and this is that Robert from whom they would drawe the descent of the Queene Mother being the Nephew not the sonne of Matilda So as not being prooued by any meanes that Alphonse the thirde had any children by his first bedde but the contrary by many reasons they saide the Queene had no reason to pretende neither had she done it in time Philip therefore being grounded in this action sendes into Portugall for assistants to the Duke Rodorik Vasquez and Lewes de Molina Doctors of the law and Auditors of his Councell roiall with the title of Embassadors to signifie vnto the King and to his Councell his apparant iustice with aduertisement not withstanding that they should do no acte whereby they might inferre that they acknowledge any iurisdiction in the king Being arriued and all the Agents of the Catholique King consulting togither they propounded the matter of succession in forme as they were commanded deliuering in writing vnto the king an ample allegation of the reasons of Philip But for that in the beginning they had founde the kings thoughts bending to the Dutchesse of Bragance they laboured long in vaine to make him capable of the iustice of their king They vsed all meanes they thought conuenient and heere in Mora perfourmed great offices not onely with the King and his fauorites but with the Gentlemen and Noblemen of qualitie so as many with liuely reasons giuing to one offering to an other by effects wordes and writings he drew all he coulde to the Catholique Kings deuotion It seemed that this manner of sounding the Nobilitie with money and promises did then serue to purpose And although the course which the king helde for the attaining of his pretention seemed vnto him expedient yet did he not so relie thereon as knowing the Portugals to be restie he woulde omit force for that seeing the indisposition of Henry he sought to winne time and so to prepare himselfe that if he shoulde chaunce to die at such time when as the Portugals woulde not yeeld him the Crowne quietly he might sodainly take possession thereof by force But hauing learned by experience in the warre of Granado the losse of Golette and the defence of Malta that one nation alone sheweth not so great a courage as vnited with another this competencie seruing as a spurre to animate them he resolued to prepare to warre with the forces of diuers nations as if he had beene certaine that of necessitie he must winne this Realme by conquest And although the generall opinion were that fewe men woulde serue against the vnexperienced Portugals and that he shoulde not finde any resistance against his force yet knowing that there is not any humaine force but may be vanquished hee resolued to make an armie of fortie thousand foote considering that although the Portugals were such as it was saide yet being at home and by reason of the hatred and furie of the whole Realme they might in one day drawe togither aboue seuentie thousand men for any expedition and therefore it behooued him to be strong He therefore commaunds Inico Lopez de Mendosa Marques of Moundegiar then Viceroy at Naples to keepe in a readines his Spanish foote with the ships and munition for Portugall he leuied nine thousand Italians vnder the commaund of Peter de Medicy brother to Frauncis the great Duke of Tuscayne hee brought downe sixe thousand Germaines with Counte Ierome of Lodrone and although he might haue raised in Spaine a great number of men of all sorts yet trusting onely to his entertained soldiers he leuied the greatest forces he coulde purposing to ioine to those Spaniards that were but fresh water soldiers some of those that had beene in Italy and such as were come from the warres of Flaunders But these things were effected with more ease and lesse nombers then were appointed For although the Viceroy of Naples did in the beginning very carefully prouide for it yet after hee grew colde abandoning all hauing intelligence that the King had chosen to succeed him in his charge Iohn de Suniga great commander of Castill and that he shoulde returne into Spaine yet the soldiers were inrolled and conducted with armes and munition to Gibraltar and other places of Andelouzia thereabouts from whence they marched after to the confines of Portugall the number chiefly of Italians being greatly diminished with hunger and other discommodities not without consideration that nine thousand men seeme much in Spaine And although they arriued a yeere later then the king had commanded yet came they sooner then necessity required for Henry yet liuing they were long idle But this preuention was done like a valiant and wise Prince maintaining an armie vpon the confines of his owne Realme without vse thereof during a mans life attending his naturall death when as no man is yet so neere death but may liue some yeeres The Catholique King preferring the danger to be vnarmed and Henry deceasing before his expences gaue this testimonie not onely of his wisdome
his disfauour retaining still the right of armes by reason whereof in this suspence he forbare still to giue the Nuncio his answere vntill that being better assured of the disposition of Henry he made answere that his interest being so apparant and the King so well enclined there needed not any mediation the which if it were requisite he woulde accept of this office of the good zeale of his holines The indisposition of Henry and the disquietnes of his minde did much afflict him so as he resembled a lampe neere extinct the which sometimes yeelds a great light sometimes seemes quite out They feared he shoulde die of an accident which hapned and therefore his Counsell thought good not to attende his death for the declaration of the Gouernours but to put them as it were in possession the which was partly executed For the King being halfe dead they brought vnto him the coffer wherein the Rowle was kept with the names of the Gouernours in the great Church of Lisbone and hauing opened it they founde them to be George Dalmeda archbishop of Lisbone Frauncis de Sada first groome of the Kings chamber Iean Tello Iean Mascaregnas and Diego Lopez de Sosa President of the Counsell of Iustice of the citie who tooke their oathes to gouerne according to the lawes of the Realme and to the limited commission which Henry had particularly set downe This diligence bredde aswell in the peoples mindes as in the Catholique Kings a iealousie of the kings death and the rather for that two daies before they woulde not suffer any to see him supposing they woulde keepe it secret vntill they had taken counsell put the Gouernours in possession and prepared for defence And although it were presently knowne that the King was yet liuing and so amended that he had almost recouered his former health yet the generall opinion being that he coulde not liue long all mens mindes were in suspence in this Realme THE FOVRTH BOOKE The Contents of the fourth Booke The Castillians and Portugals discourse vpon the state of Portugall the vehemencie of the plague the estate of Almerin the death of King Henry the Regency of the Gouernours the practise of Anthonie to be chosen King the Testament of Henry the diligence of the Catholique King to vnderstande if he might with a safe conscience make warre the election of the Duke of Alua as generall of the enterprise and the priuileges the Catholique King offered if they woulde deliuer him the Realme THe Catholique King in the meane time kept his armie togither in Spaine with greater paines and more charge then he had done else where for the countrey being not greatly fertile he was enforced to fetch victuals from other parts being then about the ende of Nouember 1579. there was then no assuraunce of things whereby they might either dismisse their armie or imploy it For although king Henry was yet liuing and well affected yet the Portugals being most obstinate against the Castillians he desired not to liue any longer doubtfull of the succession as well for the charge as for the euent and therefore he ceased not continually to importune Henry to declare him Successor obiecting many reasons why he was bound to do it and propounding many inconueniences which woulde follow not doing it the which was spoken in doubtfull tearmes whereby it seemed he woulde make the equitie of his cause apparant by force And although this entreatie seemed somewhat to threaten yet did it nothing displease Henry suffering it expresly to bee published that the people might beleeue he was forced to this declaration The whole Realme was discontented to see Henry dying the Catholique King armed and the small remainder of time spent in matters of light importance whereof their discourses and opinions were as diuers as they were different in passions The Priors partisans being in a manner all of base qualitie hauing their reason darkned and not setled in opinion saide that he was legitimate and that the Crowne appertained vnto him but that the king of his absolute authoritie hating him woulde depriue him and that all his fauorites did concurre in this resolution For the King hauing alwaies persecuted Anthony by their aduise they feared that he comming to raigne woulde take such reuenge as they deserued and therefore preferring their owne securitie before the libertie of their countrey they woulde take the Realme from him and giue it to a stranger Many others alleaged that although hee were a bastard yet they ought to giue him the Realme being the neerest allied of the bloud royall Others in whom hatred to their neighbours preuailed more then any other inclination saide that whosoeuer had interest to the Realme yet shoulde they by no meanes giue it to the Catholique King but rather come to armes vaunting themselues to be valiant They added moreouer that they woulde demaund aide from Fraunce and England whereof they were assured and hauing them they doubted not to seate a King at their pleasures There were some yet fewe but of iudgement who comparing the forces of Portugall with Castill founde they coulde not flie the yoke of the Catholique King and although with great griefe yet they hoped it might prooue a gentle amitie and that these Realmes vnited togither Portugall might reape great profit by the commerce traffique Many spake after their owne humors saying that Anthony leauing the habite of Saint Iean shoulde marrie with the daughter of the Duke of Bragance and being vnited togither they needed not to feare Others gaue out that the Catholique King woulde be contented to giue his seconde sonne to the Portugals for their king to be brought vp amongst them the which they shoulde accept for were it whosoeuer it were sufficient to haue a King alone And some say that Henry laboured to effect this but Philip soone resolued him saying that he coulde not do it but to preiudice the Prince his eldest sonne fearing by this meanes to leaue a seminarie of diuision in Spaine betwixt his descendents The perswasion of the Catholique Kings Agents with the Nobility were of great effect by reason whereof there were few Gentlemen amidst this diuersitie of opinion but either did willingly encline to the said King or corrupted held their peace and retired themselues from Court auoiding all occasion to declare themselues Of the fiue Gouernours chosen three were drawne to the Catholique Kings deuotion and although we should not be amazed to see the common people who by custome inconstant and without iudgement holde the woorser part yet did it breed a woonder in many that the Portugals in generall euery one according to his qualitie framed in their mindes a resolution contrarie to that which by reason they ought to haue done in a matter of so great importance in the which they should haue taken greater consideration For that some discoursed without passion that the Nobilitie accustomed to be respected of the King shoulde flie the obedience of the Catholique King being
credible that Philip according to his custome woulde with lawes and his power keepe them vnder and contrariwise that the people shoulde embrace him whom he doth equally fauour yeelding them equall iustice And yet notwithstanding the greater part followed the contrarie for the Nobilitie did embrace Philip and the people fled him For satisfaction whereof and to reclaime them from the opinion they held the Agents of the Catholique King were desirous besides the diligence they had vsed to publish throughout the Realme the Kings title and the mildenes of his yoke seeming not sufficient for the content of the common people to haue priuately imparted it to many Their aduersaries amongst the which was the magistrate of the Chamber of Lisbone woulde willingly haue taken occasion to publish vnto the worlde their contrarie reasons whereon they grounded but it was not tolerated neither for the one nor the other to speake publikely in the assemblies of the people for besides that it was prohibited euery one durst not freely discouer his intention For this occasion diuers fell to write the grounds of their partie by discourse and letters And although writings breede not so firme an impression in the minde as the voice yet their discourse published did perswade with greater efficacie then they had done by speaking for that writings came to the hands of more men then wordes could haue done where reading and examining them they wrought great effects There were many of these letters seene without authors and although some were friuolous and without sense yet the better sorte which followed the Catholique kings partie tended to satisfie the people and to terrifie the motiues thereof by the greatnes of the action and the perill of warre They did particularly touch one after another the reasons of the pretendents and refuting them all shewed that the Catholique King did precead They made no small adoo about the processe of Anthony saying that he was a bastard although he had beene declared legitimate and to precead Philip yet shoulde they neuer satisfie the worlde but they woulde surmise some cosinage deuised to take the Crowne from him who ought to enioy it They disprooued the reasons of such as maintained the election of the King to be in the people hauing a lawfull successor bringing in examples of the Popes authoritie in the nomination of Kings as well of Alphonso the first as of the Earle of Bulloigne And if Iohn the first were chosen king it was after a battaile woone the Portugals affirming there were no lawfull successors but bastards illegitimate but by their owne reason they said it was apparant there was now no question of the election seeing there remained a lawful kinseman They laboured to make knowne that God hauing called vnto him two and twentie successors which did all precead the Catholique king that his pleasure was by vniting of Portugall to the Realmes of Castill to fortifie an arme of the Church to resist all the outragious attempts of infidels and heretikes But leauing the iustice and will of God aside they discoursed examining the honors and blames the losses and profits which by the one or other meanes might happen as for honor they shoulde not take for any disgrace and obedience which fell by lawfull succession alleaging that the States of Castill when as king Emanuell did inherite being strong enough to defende themselues if they woulde receiued him curteously And when as the Archduke of Austria although a Germaine did succeed him they did the like They mocked at such as said that Castill should be vnited to Portugall but not Portugal to Castill proouing that no Portugall euer came neere this Court but he was embraced greatlie honoured many of the principall houses of Castill being issued from Portugall They did contradict with liuely reasons such as feared to be oppressed like to the estates of Flaunders Naples and Millaine saying that in Flaunders they had alwaies vsed the people with great kindnes that they had beene gouerned by their owne nation that the Spaniards had no charge there That many of the principall had rebelled against the church of Rome against their king the which he woulde not suffer that in this enterprise more for that which concerned the good of the Church then for any other respect the King had spent 50. millions of gold and that hauing for enimies both Germany Flaunders England they could not take these countries from the Kings possession but hauing meanes graunting free libertie of Religion to be absolute Lord and to reape thereby great profit he would not accept thereof onely for the remorse of his conscience preferring the seruice of God before all other respects They saide that the Neapolitanes and Millanoyes had beene conquered by force weake of themselues and enuironed with enimies that they were not burdened neither coulde he do lesse then maintaine garrisons inferring thereby that if they were peaceably inherited they shoulde haue libertie like good and faithfull subiects and maintaine with more force that which their fathers had gotten without feare of any thing whatsoeuer but if they suffered themselues to be conquered by armes they should be Neapolitanes Millanoyes and possiblie woorse They commended the Portugals as faithfull obedient and indued with commendable parts blaming the basenes of such as were not ashamed to thinke they coulde be ill intreated of any prince whatsoeuer They said that since Philip was resolute and that hee had written to the cities of the Realme the assurance of his action seeing that in fourteene yeeres hee had neuer abandoned the enterprise in Flaunders being farre off hauing so many kings opposite and the Flemmings suing to be subiect vnder iust conditions that it is not credible he woulde desist from Portugall being so neare so weake without succours and hauing so great an interest they reported with ioy the deeds of the Spaniards saying that when as Spaine takes armes he doth imprison the king of Fraunce and the greatest of Germanie makes the Turke to turne his backe takes from him Malta dissolues his armies maintaines continually in Flaunders an armie sounde and lustie breaking and dispersing his enimies and yet the Noblemen of Spaine remaine quietly in their houses From their valour they came to the consideration how Portugall woulde resist so great a Monarch entreating them with affectionate words to haue regard thereunto They saide that the comfort of men of iudgement was to see the small force of the Portugals for if it were greater they might for a time make some resistance considering their obstinacie iudging that in the beginning of this warre the kings of the Indies woulde presently become Lords of the sea coast the Moores woulde assaile the places of Affricke the French and English woulde attempt the Islands some woulde vsurpe on one side some of another not onely to the losse of the Realme but of all Christendome They brought in the example of King Sebastian shewing that he was lost for not measuring
should call him before eleuen So as being turned on the other side he remained somtime but being called by the Religious he asked againe what it was a clocke being answered that it was eleuen O giue me said he that candell for now my hower is come and taking it in his hand died soone after hauing raigned seuenteene moneths This was the last King of Portugall in whom ended the direct masculine line And as the first Lord of Portugall although vnder the Title of an Earle was called Henrie so doth it seeme the last should be so termed He was thin of bodie small of stature and leane of his face as for his wit it was indifferent indued besides the Latine toong with some knowledge He was alwaies held to be chast and did neuer blemish this angelicall vertue but with the desire of marriage in his latter daies He was accounted sparing giuing rather then denying for he refused seldome but he gaue sparingly he was ambitious of all iurisdiction as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuil zealous in Religion and the faith yet in the reformation of religious persons he was more stricte then was conuenient He was Bishop Gouernour of the Realme Inquisitor Maior legate Apostolique and King But the more he mounted the more he discouered his incapacitie suffering himselfe in greatest matters to be ruled by his ministers not being able to determine the cause of the succession Opinions were grafted in him with great obstinacie retayning a continuall remembrance of wrongs so as iustice was in him but an iniust execution of his owne passions and for this cause a religious man whom he had pressed to take vpon him a most strict course of life said vnto him that he would obey seeing there was no humaine helpe against his commandements seeing he had the wil of a man the authority of a Pope the execution of a king Finally he was indued with great vertues with fewer lesse vices yet were they equal for he had the vertues of an Ecclesiasticall person and the defects of a Prince during his life he was feared of many and beloued of few so as no man lamented his death onely such as were well affected desiring the cause had beene first decided before his decease had some feeling These things happened in Almeryn where suddenly the fiue named Gouernours did assemble to prouide for that which should be necessarie tearming themselues Gouernours and Protectors of the Realme of Portugal But in this beginning after the kings death they feared some mutinie of the people both at Almeryn and at Lisbone neither did the gouernours themselues nor the Catholique Kings Agents thinke themselues secure They hated the assembly of the Deputies of the Realme which were continued at Saint Arem both for that they held it as a superiour councell as also fearing it might cause some insurrection of the people and therefore they did still abuse them with words differing from their meanings for which cause they sent Martin Gonzalues de la Camera a gentleman of the church who in the time of Sebastian held the first place in the gouerument of the Realme which he could not continue for although he were not couetous of riches but full of integritie yet was he seuere and hard to be intreated that they held him inexorable Him they sent being a popular man and contrarie to the Catholike King whose words they thought should be of more credit then any others hauing particularly reported the Kings death hee said that the Gouernours chosen at the last estates began to looke vnto the gouernment and to giue order for things necessarie to the Realme And although the death of King Henrie were a great losse yet being in heauen he would mediate for them and that they should rest assured that with the greatest zeale and loue to their countrey they could they would indeuour to doe iustice as well to those of the Realme in the pretention they had to the election as also to the pretendents to the succession That they would deliuer them all writings whereof they had neede exhorting them to treat with peace and loue without causing of any mutinie were it neuer so small in any mans fauour and for the better ordering of that which concerned the common good they were well pleased they should put them in minde of any thing which they thought necessarie Hauing ended this speech all men keeping silence Phoebus Moniz answered that they were all assured that of the fiue Gouernours three were suspect for when the King laboured to bring the States to make agreement with King Philip they were not onely conformable to the will of Henrie but did vrge them and commended this resolution without respect of the libertie of the Realme seeking onely to please the Kings humour and their owne interest which being it was not reasonable to suffer such suspected Gouernours whom they were not bound to obey and this was the opinion of them all Martin replied that he was not of opinion they should then alter any thing for in steed of helping they should heape danger vpon danger and trouble vpon trouble that for a while they should be lookers on and if in time they should finde the Gouernours not to doe their duety as they ought they might then helpe with the same remedie seeing they had alwaies authoritie to doe it whereunto although Phoebus Moniz answered that this remedie could not alwais be applied for that the councel could not stil be vnited for the great charges they were at yet the reasons of Martin Gonzalues were of such force that they resolued not to alter the Gouernours as a matter scandalous but accepting what they had sent to be said vnto them that they should aduise what they thought necessarie they began suddenly to set downe in writing such Articles as they would haue perfourmed by the Gouernours The which were that leauing the aboade at Almerin they should goe to Saint Arem to be neerer neighbours more in quiet and in greater safetie that for the auoiding of charge and scandall they should discharge the Souldiers as vnnecessarie That presently they should sende Ambassadors to the Catholique King that as Gouernours of the Realme they would do iustice to the pretendents in the cause of succession the which his Maiestie should beleeue not suffering within his Realme any attempt against Portugall That they should presently prouide for the fortresses of the Realme as well vpon the sea as in other places sending trustie Captaines garrisons and necessarie munition and to euerie Prouince men of great authoritie to force men to defend and succour the weaker parts that they should send some vnto his holines giuing him to vnderstand the Kings death their succession to the gouernment of the Realme for the defence thereof against any one that would vsurpe it contrarie to equitie against the sentence which should be pronounced touching the succession beseeching him to write to the Catholique King to rest
binde such as had taken it so coulde it not excuse them from the bonde by the which they were tied to receiue him for King and that the allegations of the pretendents and their offer to stand to iudgement did not binde the King to acknowledge for iudge such as were not The Catholique King hauing viewed these reasons resolued to stay no longer frō taking possession of the Realme and therefore he caused his whole Armie to march to Cantigliana three miles from Badagios there to passe into Portugall where hee himselfe with the Queene woulde see it lodged for which effect he commaunded a scaffold to be made in open field where being mounted he set downe all the orders directed by the old Duke of Alua in the habit of a yoong souldier And although it seemed the King had resolued to stay at Badagios yet this matter was disputed amongst the curious with diuers reasons and besides the generall opnions of some who did maintaine that Kings ought to be personall in their enterprises they did alleage some other speciall reasons which did binde the king to goe with his armie They distinguished three qualities incident to the enterprise whereby the King shoulde go in person that is the importance of the pretention the hope of happie successe and the difficultie to execute it by a minister shewing that all three did concurre heerein seeing it was a question for a realme of importance rich and bordering vpon his other countries head of many rich estates and then in the way of greatnes That the hope of victorie was in all humaine consideration certaine both in regard of his iustice and force as also for the weakenes of his aduersaries That the difficulty to vndertake it by a minister was great and proper in that case the King not entering into Portugall to subdue cities but to winne their harts not playing the part of a conquerour but of lawfull Prince who entreth with necessarie forces to suppresse the ordinarie alterations of realmes newly gotten as he had protested to the Gouernors and estates of the realme that such offices for so important causes coulde not be committed but to the person of the eldest Prince being a commission vnfit for any childe or nephew much lesse for a captaine Generall being a Castillian of nation most imperious both by nature and for the great and important affaires which he had mannaged besides being for his owne particular hatefull to the Portugals They saide it was most certaine if the King entred the realme in person of friends he shoulde make faithfull subiects of newters friends and of enimies newters where as contrariwise the Duke woulde make his friendes newters his newters enimies and his enimies obstinate rebels With these reasons and others such as iudged the Kings presence necessarie in the enterprise fortified their opinions On the otherside it was saide that when the resolutions of the one side haue so great difficultie as they draw neere to impossibilities there is no disputing what is conuenient but of force they must obey necessitie that the question of the Kings entring into Portugall was of this nature seeing that by diuers accidents the strength of the armie was so weakened that it was both in quantitie and qualitie most different from that which had beene set downe for there wanted aboue sixe thousand souldiers of them which had been leuied the number of the Spaniards which came out of Italy was greatly diminished and there wanted halfe of those that were new raised and the bands that came from the lowe Countries could not arriue in time If these which were the strēgth of the armie had beene ioyned and the number appointed in the beginning assembled the King might wel haue perfourmed the enterprise in person for then had he made the way open for the succours of men munition from the frontiers vnto Settuual leauing garrisons in al places to receiue conduct them But wanting horse and foote necessarie for the action there was no other remedie but to runne the fortune of two great daungers The one was to conduct all the victuals with the armie which would cause a new and monstrous forme of Campe wanting horsemen to couer their carriages The other of no lesse importance was that the life of these men depended vpon the inconstancie of the sea and winde which shoulde conduct the armie from Andelouzia to Settuuall with the other victuals and munition to serue the want of those whom they transported And although the Duke contented himselfe with the number of his soldiers he did it trusting to his owne dexteritie and the ignorance of his enimies And if he hoped to surmount these dangers he grounded his opinion vpon the Portugals vnskilfulnes to preuent him entertaining him behinde with continuall skirmishes to conuoy him the which if they could effect were dangerous for there by they should force him to turne backe and fight with disaduantage of the place where they might be defeated or staied from passing the armie ouer the riuer of Tagus the which were to put a battaile in compremise for the humours which might daily arise besides there were some difficultie to ioine the two parts of the armie the one being at sea the other at land vneasie to ioine thē at a limited time the delay of 20. daies would hinder the effect for a yeeres imploiment so as they concluded that neither by reason of war nor of state the King ought to hazard his person in this enterprise for that neither industrie nor fortune be sufficient warrants for the safety of Princes who ought not to ground their resolutions vpon an others weakenes but vpon their owne proper forces Whilest that matters in Castill stoode on these termes and that the Portugals grew daily more arrogant and confused it was apparant with small insight how this realme ranne headlong into ruine For al being confounded with vanitie no man knew what he would do no man was resolute what he shoulde execute and if any were yet blinded they knewe not what course to take The Gouernours being at Settuuall assembled the estates being amazed to vnderstand the Duke of Alua was in fielde resolute to inuade the realme presently On the otherside that Anthony was at Saint Arem incensing the Deputies that they shoulde not go to the Estates practising the disorder which hapned after The Duke of Bragance pressed them shewing his griefes in publike it may be for not proceeding according to his humour The Embassadors of the Catholique King gaue them no time to breath Iohn Teglio was at Lisbone preparing for defence with whom they had no good intelligence They desired to content all men yet feared the peoples furie they laboured much and prouided for nothing The cities cried for armes to defend themselues or to haue permission to yeeld they answered in generall tearmes without any effect they receiued letters from the Duke of Alua who accused them of crueltie saying they
yoong licentious man who had mutined the people and the guard it selfe against them Such of the Nobilitie as abandoning their houses in those partes retired themselues were Fernand de Norogna Peeter de Meneses Edward de Castelbianco Diego Lopez de Sequeira Anthony de Castelbianco Lewes Caesar and some others Anthony hauing aduertisement of their departure passed the riuer and went thither Where he was receiued vnder a cannapie with signes of great ioy hauing giuen order to the fortification guard of that place as it seemed necessarie he returned to Lisbone against the aduise of som who persuaded him to assemble his forces to resist the enimie not to repasse Tagus But he did it not saying he woulde returne presently fearefull as many supposed and not holding himselfe assured on that side the riuer Cascaies and the fortresse of Saint Iulian did not yet obey him yet vnderstanding that Anthony was possessed of Settuual the wife of Anthony de Castro went from Cascaies after whose departure the citie yeelded and the captaine of the fortresse of Saint Iulian being written vnto by Anthony that he woulde giue him fower thousand duckats a yeere rent made answere that seeing the Gouernors had abandoned the realme and that he was proclaimed king he would hold it at his deuotion By reason whereof Bastien de Britto who serued as sergeant maior of the citie of Lisbone in the place of Peter de Cugna turned head who with certaine men gathered togither went by the commaundement of Anthony to encampe about this fortresse so as all places of importance about Lisbone remained at his obedience So did all others in those parts except the citie of Porto which obeied not yet The Duke of Bragance hauing foreseene the sedition which was practised at Settuual being departed as it is saide a little before the Gouernors flight and gone to Portel a place belonging vnto himselfe neere the frontiers of the realme towards Castill seeing iustice reduced to armes and himselfe disarmed he thought it nowe high time to treate with the Catholique King He sent therefore a Gentleman to represent vnto him howe peaceablie he had alwaies caried himselfe in the persuite of Iustice for Katherine his wife that he had neuer troubled the publike quiet nor in any thing surpassed the ordinarie tearmes of Iustice and reason and if he had not compounded with him the cause was for that he vnderstood his reasons were great neither had he meanes to do it by reason of the people who woulde haue withstoode him Notwithstanding he was nowe resolute if his Maiestie woulde make him a good composition to yeelde vnto him all the rights of the saide Katherine and that being agreed he woulde publikely sende one to treate with him He alleaged that his subiects being the thirde part of the realme he coulde make easie or greatly hinder the enterprise He saide that the Deputies of the realme had made offer vnto him that they would procure Anthony to leaue the title of King and vnite himselfe with him for the defence of the crowne and that in the end they should agree And that the said Anthony had sent to make great offers vnto him the which he woulde not accept not seeming reasonable vnto him He requested his Maiestie to commaund the armie not to endomage his countrey Heerein he spake truth for although he were a quiet and religious man yet the Philipins saide that although he had beene otherwise the King had no cause to feare his forces for albeit he had many subiects yet were they not all obedient vnto him That the Nobilitie abhorred his rule more then any other and that some of his kinsemen did him more hurt then good by reason of the emulation amongst the Nobilitie He relied much on the equitie of his cause yet feared he to bee forced by the kings power which he saw prepared supposing he would not receiue iudgement in the cause from any man This feare had induced him to write to all the great Potentates in Christendome shewing his reasons and demaunding succours The like office had he done with some Cardinals at Rome He had sent into Fraunce diuers copies of his allegations to the end they might be dispersed into England and other places making great instance to the two Queenes to succour him with mony munition captaines But his weakenes being knowne to both although hee gaue them to vnderstande he went to ioine with the Gouernors in defence they returned him nothing but curteous words And some say that not content to vse this diligence to such as were enuious of the kings good he did likewise write to his enimies and rebels desiring to treat with the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Alançon These things caused him more losse then profite as it happens commonly to those that will contend with mightie Princes and builde their foundations vpon the succours of their enimies ill willers who wil not commonly declare themselues except their companion be strong Heereupon it grewe that the King returned to the saide propositions so ample and artificiall an answere for as it was reported some of his letters had beene surprised by the Agents of the Catholique king and some other especially those he had written to Rome were sent to the King by them to whom he had written them He answered that he reioiced that in time he had auoided the sedition at Settuual being troubled with the danger and indignitie he might haue suffred That he knewe it to be true that in the persuite of the right of Katherine he had carried himselfe with due modestie but by refusing to agree with him were growne the inconueniences wherein now they were the which he would gladly they should rather haue foreseen then haue made triall of with so great disquietnes and dishonor vnto themselues for the which he was sory in regarde of the neerenes of bloud and affection he bare vnto the said Katherine That his offer to yeelde him his right was acceptable vnto him but he woulde haue them to vnderstand that there was no necessity to adde new actions to those which God had giuen him apparant to all the worlde That he had then wished for two reasons they coulde haue accepted of his liberalitie in recompence of their pretention The first was that he hoped by this meanes he shoulde not haue beene forced to enter armed into the realme and to make warre vpon his owne subiects which is one of the things that doth most trouble him But that good which might haue beene reaped by composition was nowe extinct by their slacknes seeing that his armie was alreadie entred the realme The second reason was the desire to encrease and prosper his house to do good to his children to auoide the ruine of the estate and the hazard to ouerthrow it whereof there was yet some remedie for being so desirous of his good that onely was sufficient to mooue him to doe them good He said
cloth of golde vnto the Cathedrall church the streetes being richly hanged were full of people who made shewe of great ioy for the Kings arriuall where hauing done his deuotion hee went in the same sortvnto the pallace accompanied with all the nobilitie on foote This realme within the space of two yeeres had as a man may say fiue kings a thing seldome or neuer happened in any other place and it seemed that God in so short a time had thus altered the state of things for the peoples punishment for all of them wasted their poore subiects Sebastian by his rashnes Henry by his irresolution the gouernours by feare and their priuate interest Anthonie by tyrannie and Philip by armes But when all was in a manner quiet he entred this citie the proper seate of their kings It was supposed the sorrowes and troubles passed shoulde now be conuerted into ioy and quietnes but for that it is an equall punishment to a people either to haue tyrants ruling by force or to make a bad election of gouernours The Portugals were scourged with this last rod desiring rather to be commanded by Anthonie being of so small might and with all other disgraces that proceeded from him then by the great power of Philip impatient to see him so slacke in deuiding amongst them the dignities commaunderies and reuenues of the crowne whereby they grew out of hope euer to draw such recompences from the Court of Castill as they had vsually drawen from that of Portugal And although he had giuen vnto Frauncis de Sada sometimes gouernour the title of Earle of Matosignos to Ferrant de Norogna that of Lignares which his father enioyed made as it is said Christopher de Mora one of his chamber and established Peter d'Alcasoua in his office of Chamberlaine contrarie to the decree of king Henry wherein although the king of himselfe were well inclined and resolued to dispatch euery one with greater liberalitie then the kings of Portugall had euer done yet this distribution according to the new decree appertaining to the Councell of state of Portugall wherein as it is said their opinions being diuerse and the respects of hatred and loue diuers nothing was resolued and the abundance of petitions caused these delaies for that euerie one either iustly or without cause demaunded recompence so as the whole realme did not seeme sufficient to content them the which being ill considered by many they said he would stay from giuing vntill he were assured of the Ilands and of Anthonies person But the king finding that these difficulties and the slacknes in proceeding grew by the excessiue number of Counsellors resolued according to the custome of former kings to referre the dispatch of such as demaunded recompence vnto two persons alone the which were Anthony Pignero Bishop of Leiria and to Christopher de Mora It may be seeming vnto him that these two amongst the other officers were most free from all priuate respects the Bishop for that he was neere his graue by reason of his age and infirmitie although of a sounde iudgement and without kinsemen and Mora being a creature of the kings bredde in Castill and helde for vertuous and fearing God The estate of the Terceraes grew daily woorse with whom all trafficke was interdict there was newes that this people being verie obstinate called in forraine succours resoluing in no sort to obey Philip They vnderstood that Peter Baldes was arriued and that the Kings letters with the rewarde he had carried for that nation were not receiued but contemned By reason whereof the King desirous to subdue them before the ende of this sommer and iudging the enterprise easie for that they had no trained soldiers armed certaine ships and furnished them with soldiers vnder the conduct of Lopo de Figueroa who staied not long before he departed with commission to attempt with Baldes to become master of the Ilands Baldes lay nowe about the Ilands expecting the Indian fleete his marriners had often both by day and night landed with their boates to steale grapes which were then ripe drawing sometimes neere the rockes vpon the which the Portugals had planted behinde a small rampire three or fower iron peeces they parlied often with them the one not fearing the other Peter de Baldes finding the Portugals carelesnes and being aduertised that some within the Ilands amongst a great multitude were well affected to the Catholique king had often resolued to sende some men on lande to the end that such as followed the kings partie who were saide to lie in the mountaines might ioine with them and altogither set vpon the citie of Angra or at the least so fortifie themselues at land as they shoulde not be repulsed But for as much as this resolution with so small a troupe was dangerous and against the Kings commission the which knowing well he did not execute yet hauing intelligence that Lopo de Figueroa was to be sent from Lisbone to vndertake this enterprise with a great number of men who being arriued hee shoulde be commaunded to obey he did confidently beleeue that at his comming either by loue or by force he woulde be master of this Iland and winne that honour whereunto he aspired So as such force hath the desire of honour hauing ill measured his forces against the Kings commaundement he made haste rashly to trie whether the resolution which hee had formerly conceiued woulde succeed well whereunto he was likewise perswaded by some of the Iland who as vnskilfull had their wils more ready then their power So as earely on Saint Iames his day in the morning hauing shipped in a manner all his soldiers in their boates hee sent them to lande whereas the marriners had beene accustomed to go betwixt Angra and Praia the which they call the house of Salga where hauing founde small or no resistance they landed easily and the Portugals who had the guarde of this artillerie fearefully fledde away The Castillians being now become masters thereof began to builde a small rampier of stone to the ende they might holde a more firme footing on lande and retire such as followed the Catholique kings partie but they had no time for the inhabitants of Angra hearing the Castillians were landed had giuen the allarum by bels and other great noise so as many of their stoutest issued foorth to skirmish and although they did no matter of importance many returning terrified or hurte yet did they keepe the enimie from fortifying who remaining in that place from the morning vntill afternoone there went not any one Portugall vnto them for although there were some disposed thereunto yet durst they not distrusting both the one and the other being chiefly terrified by the example of Iohn de Betancour one of the principals of that place who hauing conspired with aboue a hundreth citizens vpon a certaine day to runne armed through the citie and proclaine King Philip he supposed with his authoritie and the
the which is the more woorthie of admiration for that the diligence the King vsed to finde him out was admirable for all Iudges all Captaines and all soldiers were carefully imploied And although they had sometimes aduertisement of the place of his aboad and did follow him in a manner by his foote yet could they neuer finde him Ierom Mendosa with the help of Emanuel of Portugal in whom it was likelie that Anthony should trust treating an agreement laboured much to speake with him But although some of his familiar friends came vnto him somtimes at Alanquer somtimes at Vidigueira with hope they should meete yet did hee neuer discouer himselfe vnto them but the sleight execution of the punishment inflicted vpon such as did cōceale him did greatly preiudice their search for many therby did boldly receiue him The Duke of Alua his officers in the end of Lent had like to haue surprised him in Lisbon where the Duke had so many spies corrupted so many of his friends that it seemed vndoubtedly he shoulde fall into his hands but when as with greatest heate he shoulde haue pursued it he grew cold For vnderstanding that the king helde some regard of Mendoza his practise who with doubtfull hopes gaue him to vnderstande that the weeke before Easter the Prior woulde cast himselfe at the Kings feete hee feared to amaze him but the said Mendoza laboured in vaine For as it happens to him that feares Anthony distrusting all men performed nothing of what he promised neither went hee to any person where hee had appointed so as there neither followed the effect that was expected but they lost all hope to do any good Yet was it apparant that the affection which this nation bare vnto him was of great force for although that fortune preuailed in many more then faith yet in his afflictions and hauing so great an imposition laide vpon his person there was neuer any one amongst so many in whom he must of necessitie trust that euer sought to betraie him for hope of recompence although some laboured to saue themselues amongst which was Edward de Castro And therefore hee went safely throughout all the portes of the sea he was at Lisbone as it is saide where the king himselfe remained not finding meanes to imbarke some of his men being surprised hee went to Settuual where by the helpe of a woman hee hired a Flemmish ship for sixe hundreth crownes with the helpe of a religious man of the order of Saint Frauncis and with tenne of his faithfullest seruants he imbarked by night and so went to Caleis where wee may truely saie that God had not yet withdrawne his hand frō punishing of this nation and that this was as a scourge for by reason of the affection this people bare vnto him it was necessarie to keepe this people in awe with garrisons to the great hurt and ruine of the subiects Now was come the yeare 1581. at what time they expected the ships from the Indies Brasil Saint Thomas Cape Vert all other new found landes the which staied somewhat long and put them in some feare being looked for with greater desire then euer anie were Some feared they woulde not come others wished they shoulde come many helde opinion they shoulde willingly staie at the Terceres and from thence go into England the which if they should not willingly yeeld vnto touching vnaduisedly at the Ilands they shoulde bee forced thereunto by the Ilanders They were wished for both for the riches they carried as to vnderstande by them howe the people of those parts were addicted to the obedience of the Catholique king whereof many doubted Such as helde opinion they shoulde safely arriue at Lisbone saide that the Indies and other prouinces coulde not maintaine themselues without Spaine and shoulde bee forced to yeelde obedience to whomsoeuer that shoulde be Lorde of Portugall that they needed not feare the Terceres although they had spoiled some ships which they had taken or that had anchored there of their owne free will yet now the Castillian armie being master at sea vpon their discouerie they woulde conduct them to Lisbone not suffring them to approch the lande Such as supposed they woulde not come saide that the saide ships were departed from Lisbone in the yeere 1580. after King Henries death during the Gouernours raigne and that Lewes de Taide Earle of Toghia Viceroy of the Indies knowing there was a space-gouernement with likelihood of warre woulde attende the euent without yeelding obedience to any for that he woulde then shew it when he had intelligence who were king to be the more acceptable vnto him or hoping that amidst these tumults there woulde something remaine to his share But if notwithstanding he were resolued to sende them hee woulde appoint a captaine of his owne making and conformeable to his owne will with commission to obey him to whom he were most affected and that it were hard to iudge whom he wished most to be King besides that Emanuel de Melo being captaine Generall of the same armie when it departed from Portugall being a deuoted seruant to the Prior and had made shew to be of his faction it was likely that if he returned had any intelligēce of the Priors being in England the which he might easily vnderstande at the Ilands that he woulde saile thither the which if he coulde not performe in the same ships hee woulde then lande in the Ilands and after saile in other boats whether hee pleased with hope of gaine and bootie And although it were true that the Indians coulde not maintaine themselues yet Fraunce and England might more aboundanly furnish them and with greater profite then Portugall But for as much as in discoursing of matters which depends vpon an others will we cannot cōsider al causes of their errors a matter priuate to the diuine knowledge it fell out in an other manner then had beene discoursed For the Earle Viceroy of the Indies hauing by the same ships receiued letters from the Catholique King who enformed him of the equitie of his cause and of his intent with large promises whereunto and by the meanes of others which he receiued from the gouernors he gaue credite preferring them before such as he had receiued from Anthonie resolued to obey the King so as the ships departed and being arriued neere to the Terceres they came sailing without euer discouering of the kings armie for that Baldes discouraged with his ill successe at the Ilands could find no fit place to encounter thē True it is that after they had remained a whole day amongst those Ilands they were encountred by a French Barke sent from the Terceres who entreated the Captaines to go to Angra The Portugals demaunded the state of the realme that they might thereby know howe to gouerne themselues but for that there were none but marriners they coulde neither perswade dissemble nor speake the truth but contradicting themselues those of the fleete
vneasie landing beeing of all parts rough and inaccessible but in some fewe places which it was likely they woulde fortifie and guard They saide that the garrisons of strangers which they vnderstoode were there were they neuer so fewe with the inhabitants of the Iland were sufficient to hinder their landing They made great reckoning of the roughnes of the sea the which commonly suffreth not any ships to ride there aboue two moneths in the yeere concluding it was better deferre it then attempt it in vaine as they had twise done with small honor They said that the assurance of the enterprise consisted in delay for that the Iland shoulde bee neither stronger nor better furnished then it was at that instant seeing their strength is by nature that a great garrison cannot long liue there that by delaying the inhabitants themselues will be aduised for besides the insolencie of the French wanting their traffique with Spaine they shoulde growe so poore as they will soone acknowledge their errours That the ships from the Indies made so small stay at the Ilands as they had no neede of them but onely to take in fresh water wherewith they may furnish themselues at Saint Michaels These reasons helde the Catholique king in suspence and for that he was a friend to peace he enclined to delay but as the newes from Fraunce Flaunders and England did varie so did they hasten or slacke the preparation for the enterprise In this sorte and with no small trouble of minde the three first moneths in the yeere 1582. passed away but hauing intelligence at the spring that they did arme many ships both in Fraunce Flaunders and England and that they were meant for Portugall that the Turke notwithstanding his warre against the Sophy threatned to send forth his galleies that certaine troupes of foote were come out of Fraunce vnto the Marquisat of Salusses the King thought it expedient to arme both to performe this enterprise of the Ilands as for the guarde of many places where he might be endomaged He thought it a hard thing and vnwoorthie to suffer the states of the Low-Countries to be wrested from him by the Duke of Alançon without reuenge He did foresee that the charge would bee verie great and that he was furnished with little money and lesse credite for by meanes of the decree he had made against the merchants he was cause of more hurt to himselfe then to his creditors The prouisions it behooued him to make were all forced for hee could not doe lesse then prouide for Italy as well in regarde of the French as of the Turke Hee must of force entertaine an armie in Portugall for although the Realme were in shew quiet yet the Portugals being of a stirring humor he could not auoide to arme a nauie sufficient to encounter the Fleete He thought it necessarie to prouide for Flanders if not wholy to recouer those estates yet for feare he should loose more But that which troubled the King more then all the rest was the shippes which hee expected this yeere from the Indies and New-found lands fearing that the French hauing the aduantage of the Ilands might spoile them finding that some Pirat had not onely passed into that sea but also threatned to assaile the Iland of Saint Michael and that of the Maderes And therefore the King began to preuent all these dangers in this manner He mustred all the foote he could in Spaine and caused them to march towardes Portugall especially to the Prouince betwixt Doro and Minio to the gouernment whereof he sent Ferrant de Toledo Prior of Saint Iean He sent the Marquesse of Saint Croixe to Seuille to arme all the great ships hee could and to prepare some galleies In Biscay he commaunded eighteene Biscaine ships to be furnished to make their randeuous in Andelouzie where they prepared their galleies and built a good number of great boats to land their souldiers He wrote into Italy to the Viceroy of Naples and to the Gouernor of Millaine that either of them should leuie 6000. Italian foote He gaue order in Germany to bring downe 10000. Germanes vnder colour to sende these two nations into Flaunders And for to be assured of the Iland of Saint Michael although that Ambrose d'Aguiar were there with one Galeon hee sent thither Peter Peixotto with fiue other shippes who arriued there in good time for certaine French Pirats were assembled to assaile it the which they did not forbeare to attempt for Peixotto with his ships lying at anchor before the city of punta Delgada three French ships leauing other sixe behinde shewed themselues supposing that with his fiue ships he would not faile to fight with them three and as hee should retire the other sixe comming to succour them they might conquer them and after this victorie assaile the Iland being weake and vnarmed But this deuise succeeded not for Peixotto who desired not to fight but to preserue the Ilande all hee could would not come foorth against those three French ships the which hee forbare the rather for that the other sixe shippes which remained behinde discouered themselues so as the Frenchmen finding they coulde not deceiue the Portugals and their ambush as one may say being discouered being loath to retire without some booty they resolued to charge Peixotto as he laie at anchor But the winde grew scant to approch to land and the artillerie from a certaine weake forte would not suffer them to ioine But the Captaines shippe being of better saile then the rest drewe so neere that hee grappled with a Portugall where they fought aboue three howers with great slaughter on both sides but the French had beene victors if Ambrose d'Aguiar who was at lande foreseeing that the losse of the ships woulde be the ouerthrowe of the Iland had not succoured Peixotto by boats sending him aboue an hundred fiftie men with the which he defended himselfe and the French shippe vnloosing itselfe retired to the rest woorse handeled then the Portugall but it was supposed that if the winde had beene any thing stronger so as the other French ships mought haue come vp to the Portugals they had beene taken in the viewe of all the Iland And for that soone after there arriued eighteene Biscaine ships at Lisbone which the king had commaunded should be armed in that Prouince he sent fower of them with sixe hundreth men for the assurance of that Iland the which arriued soone after the departure of the French Sommer was nowe come and there was still newes from Fraunce that they made greater preparation for war arming many ships in all their ports at the instance of Anthony The Catholique kings affaires went slowlier forwardes then the importance of the cause required for that it seemed the Spaniards were not yet well assured whether the French woulde turne against Portugall and not goe to the Ilands yea some beleeued that making shew to do so they woulde take their course for
the yeere of our Lord 1466. Alphonse the fifth King of Portugal going into Fraunce to demaund succours of Lewis the eleuenth for the warres which he had against the Catholique King Ferdinand he obtained nothing at all but hauing spent some time in vaine returned home in dispaire But laying aside all olde examples it seemes that if the French should haue risen in fauour of Anthonie either to aide him sincerely or to vse him as an instrument to set footing in Portugall they might haue done it with better meanes in the yeere 1580. when possibly they might haue disquieted Philip in taking of possession or at the least kept him that yeere from passing the riuer of Tagus so as it seemed strange to see Fraunce send foorth so great an Army out of season in fauour of Anthonie a fugitiue But the estate of worldly affaires considered it seemes there are new reasons wherby the French should be more easily induced then they had beene then for to haue a brother to the King of Frannce in a manner to possesse the states of Flaunders and the Queene mother to pretend to the inheritance of the Realme of Portugall and to be mooued against Philip were all subiects to draw the French readie against this Realme and diuert the Spanish forces In this while the French army arriued at the Iland of Saint Michaell the fifteene of Iuly before the Spanish and drawing neere the village of Laguna there they cast anchor and landed aboute two thousand foote This Iland hath not aboue an hundred miles in circuit it is in forme so long and narrow that extending it selfe from East to West aboue fortie miles it hath not aboue twelue in breadth that part which looketh to the South is most fertill and best inhabited for towardes the North except one village which they call Riuiera the great there are fewe dwellings Vpon that part which is towardes the South beginning from the East and at the Cape which they call Morro running towards the West there are diuers habitations The first which is fiue and twentie miles from Morro they call Villa Franca wherein there are fiue hundred houses The second Acqua de Palo the third Laguna all smally peopled The fourth is the towne which they call Punta Delgada greater then the rest the which hath vpon the West a small Castle Betwixt these dwellings there runne into the sea some promontories the first before you come to Villa Franca is called Punta de Garza the second La Gallea betwixt the saide place and Acqua de Palo betwixt Laguna and the citie there are two others but lesse that is Pugnette and Teste de Chien At the point of Pugnette towardes Laguna as I haue saide the French landed and hauing spoiled the village they marched on to seeke for greater Pray A little before Ambrose D' Aguiar who had the place of Gouernour was deceased in the towne and although his wiues sonne would haue succeeded in the Gouernment yet it seemed that Peter Peixotto Captaine of the fiue ships was amongst the Portugals of greatest authoritie but Laurence Noghera a man of courage and valour was Captaine ouer the Spanish souldiers in that which concerned matters of warre All the inhabitants being fearefull had alreadie transported their wiues and goods vnto the mountaines and hauing discouered the Armie this feare increasing the towne remained emptie of all things The chiefe beeing assembled in counsell they resolued to run their ships on ground that the enimy might haue no vse of them and goe to field with their Spanish souldiers with the Biscayne marrines and such Portugals as would goe the which was not fully executed for the Biscaines would not suffer their ships to be broken and Peter Peixotto was vnwilling to haue his men defeated yet the souldiers put themselues in order to march against the French led by Noghera and Peixotto They had gathered togither aboue two thousand Portugals who with the Castillian souldiers and Biscaine mariners made neere three thousand but Laurence Noghera being doubtfull of the Portugals before their departure exhorted them with milde wordes to fight making shew of feare that they would abandon him but they made answere offering themselues with such willingnes and courage as he hoped to preuaile and therefore issuing foorth against the enemie he hoped to force them to retire The French drew neere vnto him but hauing intelligence by their auant courrers they resolued before they approched neerer to leaue the right way and goe to the citie and castle without fighting hoping to finde all vnfurnished for this cause hauing left the sea shoare they went more to land which being knowne to Noghera altering his course he went to encounter them The skirmish being begun when as the captaine hoped to vse his men hee saw his Portugals flie so as being vnable with his Castillians and Biscaines to withstande so great a force of the enimie he retired himselfe to the castell being wounded with the losse of some of his men where soone after hee died the remainder being in hope amongst the which the Bishop Peter de Castiglia behaued himselfe wisely to be able to defende themselues although they had more hope in the comming of the Catholique armie then in their forces Peter Peixotto although he were in credite amongst them yet fearing that all was lost stealing foorth by night with a carauell hee went to Lisbone to aduertise the Marquesse but it was not his happe to meete him yet was he for all this being a Portugall fauoured of the king There appeered at this time amongst the Ilands one of the Indian ships very rich yet the French were not so happie as to meete with it although it sailed almost in viewe of the Terceres for hauing intelligence by a French shippe of the occurrents of those parts hee left his right course and went to Cape Saint Vincent from thence to Lisbone in safetie The newes of these things which Peixotto brought to Lisbone did more confirme the hopes of the Anthonians then trouble the Castillians or their followers for those varied in their thoughts vpon euery small euent and to those who were more setled it seemed that hitherto the French had not onely done any thing of importance but contrarie to that which good soldiers ought to doe they had assailed this Iland For that it seemed their principal intention being to seaze vpon the Indian fleete or to cause a tumult within the realme they shoulde not busie themselues and spende time in any other action with small hope of gaine for that the Iland being weake and the towne without wals it was apparant that to be masters thereof with trouble were to labour in vaine for although they did subdue it yet the weakenesse and facilitie of landing will alwaies force them to obey whom soeuer shoulde bee master at sea besides they were in danger the Spanish fleete arriuing whilest they were troubled on lande their armie founde at
to spoile the Ilands as they had already done that of Saint Michaels and that the same armie hauing tried a battaile against his Maiesties the French had beene broken and ouercome in the which being taken eight and twentie noblemen and two and fiftie gentlemen and manie other marriners and soldiers he declared them taken as enimies to the quiet and publike good disturbers of the traffike and fauourers of his Maiesties rebels that as such and as publike pirats hee commaunded the Auditor generall of the armie that for their chasticement and for the example of others hee shoulde execute vpon them the punishment of naturall death beheading the Gentlemen and hanging the rest which passed the age of seuenteene yeeres being so conuenient both for the seruice of God and of the two kings This sentence seemed cruell to all such as heard it and chiefly vnto the Spanish soldiers both for that they feared the like might happen vnto thē an other day as also for that they would not lose the profit which many expected by the raunsome of the saide prisoners or else for their owne good inclination so as some of the soldiers laying aside all respect saide it was not well grounded for that there was no firme and inuiolable peace betwixt the Catholique King and most Christian but warre and that those were neither pirats nor theeues but valiant soldiers That there was no peace they prooued it by the warres of Flaunders more hot then euer where the French did in a manner possesse all the Catholique Kings patrimonie And that they were no pirats they prooued by the letters patents they had from the King vnder the which the ships and soldiers were enrolled besides the number and qualitie of these men were such as it appeered cleerely they woulde not haue attempted it of themselues if the king had not sent them And although betwixt the two crownes they dissembled many things the Christian King excusing himselfe sometimes vpon his mother sometimes vpon his brother that they were all deuises of Princes but for all that they were not without open warre the lawes whereof they saide was not so stricte as to commaund them to hang all their prisoners And this execution did so mooue the hearts of manie that some of the principall soldiers being assembled togither went with a commendable example vnto the Marques to make intercession for the life of their enimies who answered that the most Christian King had expresly commaunded that all Frenchmen that shoulde take armes against the Catholique King shoulde be corporally punished so as the same day these Gentlemen with a generall pittie and great seueritie were beheaded vpon the scaffolde and the marriners and soldiers hanged in diuers places and the pittie was the greater being apparant that they were all not onely valiant soldiers but Catholique and deuout Christians The blame of this seuere execution was not imputed to the Marques supposing that he had expresse commaundement from the King whom likewise they excused for hauing so determined seeing it was not to bee presumed that so many personages of importance should come with such an armie and remaine prisoners especially knowing that Philip by his owne inclination was not cruell yet on the other side they considered that the King in his minde shoulde haue conceiued a cruell disdaine against the French seeing that vnder the shadow of amitie peace and alliance Kings writing daily one to the orher greeuing and reioycing at their troubles and contents did not onely aide his rebels but also tooke his countries and sent so great an armie to endomage him And although that Princes do vsually dissemble and counterfeit in many things yet it seemed the French vnder a new kinde of dissimulation would make warre whereby they did inferre that this execution did nothing displease the King The armie being a little repaired here the Marques went to the I le of Coruo to meete with the Indian fleete and hauing past in view of the citie of Angra he put Anthonie and all the people into confusion for although the Marques content with the victorie would not thrust himselfe into a new danger yet Anthonie doubted that in the heat of the victorie he would pursue and assaile the Ilande in the which although he had men enough both of the nation and of the French yet were they fearfull and disordered and Anthonie himselfe at the same time prouided a light ship to imbarke if neede were These newes came slowly to Lisbone for the which they were in great care hauing newes of the fight by the meanes of a Zabra of Biscay but a French ship which had beene sore beaten by the gallion Saint Mathew being fled from the battel gaue assurance of the euent for beeing arriued disguised at Settuual he was discouered finding within her some Spanish souldiers dead in the bosome of one of them was written all that had passed in the armie since their departure from Lisbone vntill the time that he was slaine The Marques attended long about the Ilands for the Indian fleete whereof two being arriued the seas growing high he came with them to Lisbone to the great ioy of all the court where he was extraordinarily fauoured by the King Anthony after the Marques his departure remained more quiet in minde supposing that for one whole yeere he need not feare any enimie He greatly greeued for the death of the French prisoners fearing it would preiudice his cause in France But Emanuel de Silua pressed him to reuenge in hanging about fiftie or threescore Castillians which were there taken prisoners at diuers times the which he woulde not suffer being better enclined He was ill furnished with money although hee had great store of armes and munition For this consideration he daily all by the inuention of the saide Silua made rigorous commandements to draw money from the people and from such as did not follow him willingly He caused gold to be coined which hee valued at fiue and twentie roials although it weied but eight He made testons of siluer weighing a roiall and a halfe the which he made currant for halfe a duckat and the copper money which was woorth three in Portugall hee valued at tenne And for that many were retired to the mountaines to be free from troubles within the citie hee commaunded euery one to returne and if any deferred his comming longer then the time limited by his commaundement they presently seazed his goods Many for feare of the souldiers had carried and hidden their goods without the citie and therefore he commaunded euerie one to bring them backe againe whereby he gained much for he demaunded a loane of money of such as came and brought it backe and if any one obeyed not he sent Souldiers to search their goods and to spoile them with a thousand indignities It was a lamentable thing to see how the Church causes were handled for the religious men except the Iesuits imploied in militarie actions
retayned nothing of a priest but the habit and the name as for sermons confessions and such like things they came from them as from men which had not God before their eies And Anthonie himselfe during these afflictions had not his minde free from lasciuiousnes for the women of honour could hardly be free from his lustes hauing too familiar accesse into the monasterie of religious women amongst whom as well as amongst the men raigned the passions of the affaires of the Realme with no small scandall and great disorder and many of his as also of the French followed this his example Anthonie liued this kinde of life vntill the moneth of October irresolute what to doe To goe into Fraunce after the losse of so great a number of the nobilitie he helde it not safe neither knew he how he should be looked on for he feared as much the disdaine of particulars as he hoped in the protection of the Queene mother To remaine there he saw it a thing not able long to subsist with so great garrisons not hauing wherewithall to pay the souldiers nor in a manner how to furnish his expences He resolued therefore with such shippes as he had to depart for Fraunce but first would goe towardes the Madera and the Iland of Canarie that by spoyling of some weake places hee should content the souldiers with some weake pray For this cause hauing prepared about thirtie saile he not onely shipped his souldiers but with a new deuise he commaunded all the citizens which he suspected and all religious persons affected to the contrarie partie as the Iesuits and others to imbarke making this commaundement most rigorous to those that could least obserue it to the ende they should redeeme this voyage with money But all as vnprofitable in sea causes excused themselues with liuely reasons and entreaties but it preuailed nothing making answere to the yoonger that he had neede of them for his guarde and to the olde for counsell so as many sought to content him with money as hee desired euerie one according to his abilitie by meanes whereof they were freede from his commaundement But this inuention was soone counter-checkt by another for many desired to leaue the Iland to imbarke not with intention to follow the armie but to saile into Spaine Some of the Captaines of the shippes vnderstanding their mindes agreede with the Portugals not to deliuer any money to Anthonie for their stay in the Iland but paying them the like summe and much lesse they would land them in Portugall so as many trusting to the French and English not paying any thing to Anthonie imbarked with them agreeing for a certaine summe to be set on land Anthonie departed with this armie from the Terceres leauing Emanuel de Silua in his place with fiue hundred Frenchmen vnder the charge of Baptiste Florentin and Charles a French man their Captaines He arriued at the Iland of Saint Michael where hauing staied long thereabouts fearing the Spanish garrison there he durst not land being forced to leaue it by a storme that rose Then some of his English and French ships left him keeping promise with the Portugals that were imbarked with them In the meane time they had newes in Fraunce of the defeat of the armie and the death of so many prisoners which caused both in court and throughout the Realme a great griefe and disdaine and enflamed the French to reuenge and as they had Flaunders neere and matters in that estate as hath beene said there they discharged their choler neither did they forbeare after the returne of Anthonie to treat of a new preparation of an armie at sea for the sommer following It was giuen out in Spaine that the faction of Anthony and the French against Portugall was dashed and that they had weakned their forces yet did they not dismisse their hired ships At that time two galliasses being arriued from Naples it seemed the king would assemble a great armie for the next yeere and make himselfe absolute Lorde of the Ocean both in respect of the affaires of Anthony as to assure his ships from the Indies and newe founde landes from the French and English and to force the Iland The Catholique King desired to returne into Castill both for that he was called by the states of Arragon and to finish the marriage of his daughter with the Emperour as also for other business of the realme and was vpon the point to effect it in Nouember 1582. but he woulde first extend his pardon graunted at Tomar to such as had followed Anthony For this cause hauing excepted the religious persons and tenne others hee pardoned freely all the rest that shoulde present themselues within a certaine time but this wrought no effect for there came fewe and many said that the King being yet displeased could not make a free pardon This departure was after staied by the newes of the death of Diego his eldest sonne who as hee had beene sworne Prince of Portugall at the estates of Tomar hee woulde likewise that the same oath shoulde bee made in the person of Philip his second sonne being then sicke And for that he had no other issue male the succession masculine of these Realmes remaining in the breath of one only togither with the kings age and the disposition of the affaires of the world both the quiet seditious were in care But for the swearing of him he assembled the estates at Lisbone in the moneth of Februarie resolute to accomplish this ceremonie before his departure At that time the Duke of Alua consumed with a continuall feauer died in the pallace of Lisbone in the Kings owne quarter being of the age of threescore fourteene yeeres During his sicknes he was greatly fauoured of the King who did visite him a little before his death There is no doubt but the King apprehended the losse of such a seruant which bred no lesse discontentment in him then pleasing to his enimies But the Portugals obserued that the day following he went publikely to masse without any shew of discontent contrary to the custome of their kings who vpon the death of men of lesse qualitie hauing done any notable seruices to the crowne retired themselues for a time the which seemed the more strange for that King Emanuel vpon the death of a notable Pilote withdrew himselfe three daies But the actions of great Princes are so subiect to the censure of the vulgar as the wisest minister matter of discourse to the curious and malicious to slaunder them With him died as a man may say all the warlike discipline of Spaine for there remained not any one captaine equall vnto him He was of a goodly stature of visage leane and graue hee had rare gifts of nature and fortune the which he augmented much by arte he was of a noble minde of a readie and subtill spirite assured in iudgement and peaceable He was not greedy of worldly wealth sparing
in giuing but honourable in the expences of his house hee was a great dissembler of the disgraces of the Courte and cunning in their secret practises for so it behooued him to be to preuent such as were his competitors He was generally hated for that he treated proudlie with his inferiors and his equals hated his greatnes The ambition to purchase the Princes fauour a shelfe wherein proude mindes cast themselues was great in him for this respect it may be or for the preheminence and greatnes he pretended aboue all other officers the which made him odious hee was not much pleasing to Charles and lesse to Philip although from their birthes vntill their later daies he had serued them 60. yeeres But Princes loue them better whom they haue rewarded then such as haue serued them Hee was greatly enclined to warlike discipline wherein hee was so cunning as there was not any captaine of his nation in long time comparable vnto him and to conclude for his many yeeres and great experience there was not in a manner any one in the worlde but yeelded vnto him He was of great iudgement and dexteritie to encampe and make choice of a lodging so as alwaies with lesse forces then the enimies he kept them in awe he was so well experienced as he neuer refused battaile wheresoeuer he came Hee did willingly hazard his owne person but his soldiers with greater consideration trusting more to policie then fortune He was a rough inexorable executioner of the seuere lawes of war of whose pittifull crueltie depends the health of armies and the conseruation of States He was by nature enclined to vanquish without effusion of bloud and was imploied in warres conformable to his inclination for the greatest part of them being defensiue wherein a wise captaine should rather temporize and suffer the enimie to consume by the difficulties of warre in a strange countrey then to hazard an estate vpon so vnequall a game as is the winning of a battaile against him that hath but men to loose To this effect hee answered the councell of warre in the kingdome of Naples in the yeere 1558. when as the Frenchmen being expelled they woulde haue charged the enimie retiring hee saide hee woulde not hazarde the realme against a cassock of golde for such was then the habite of the Duke of Guise Lieutenant generall to Henry the seconde King of Fraunce yet some did blame him to be too warie in the execution of matters of importance in warre He serued his King in greater charges and with greater authority then euer any of their subiects and it may be there hath not beene in many ages a captaine which hath so long mannaged armes nor displaied his ensignes in so manie countries For he hath made warre in Italy Spaine and Fraunce in Hungarie Germanie Flaunders and Affrick although he were accustomed to say that he had done nothing seeng that he was neuer so happie as to see a Turkish armie But the last wars of Flaunders did somewhat obscure the glorie he had gotten for although as captaine he did warre valiantly yet he knew not as it hapned to him in other places howe to vse the victorie but arrogating too much vnto himselfe he caused a statue of brasse to be erected for him in the Cittadell of Antwerpe which the king caused afterwards to be beaten downe It appeeres that he coulde better carrie himselfe in aduersitie then prosperitie for in the one he had great force in the other too much conceite so as he reaped more commendations by afflictions then by victorie Hee shewed in dying the magnanimitie he had in his life and that which is of great moment hee shewed tokens of a religious Christian being happie that Frier Lewes of Granata that famous preacher whose diuine writings are pleasing to the worlde was present at his death They did substitute in his place Charles Borgia Duke of Gandia a man of greater vertue then experience The King had caused the bones of King Sebastian to be brought out of Affricke the which with King Henries that were at Almerin he woulde before his departure see solemnly interred in the church of Belem neere to the other Kings of Portugall and for that cause remained there three daies He caused also to be brought from diuers parts of the realme vnto the saide monasterie the bodies or at the least the ashes of his kinsfolkes the children and nephewes to King Emanuel who as a man may say dying resigned him the crowne that they might bee all kept togither There was made a most sumptuous obsequie with great shewes and all the religious persons in the name of Henry were present for the rest had beene performed before and in the funerall sermon Sebastians actes were likewise touched and Henry extremely commended the which was more pleasing being dead then the praises of Philip liuing and present wherein the Orator dilated much hauing first in particular set downe the branches of King Emanuel and brought the succession to the said Philip. I will not leaue heere to make mention as of a rare matter although it be somewhat from our purpose that in this yeere of our Lorde 1582. they did reckon ten daies lesse then in others for by the Popes decree all Christian princes obeying the Romish sea gaue commaundement to cut off ten daies in the moneth of October so as for the fift day they should generally write 15. the which was done to fitte the times to the meanes and principall aspects wherein the heauens were when as our Redeemer Iesus Christ suffered that they might celebrate Easter and the other feasts vpon their proper daies The which they had not formerly done for that the true course of the sunne which makes the yeere being certaine minuts of an hower lesse then the time which they vntill then had taken for a yeere it seemed that in the course of so manie yeeres so small a difference had mounted vnto ten daies so as by this equalitie it was made conformable to the time past The King beganne to vnburthen himselfe of the affaires of Portugall for to go into Castill and therefore the xxvj day of Ianuary in the yeere 1583. hauing assembled the estates of the realme they began in the pallace of Lisbone where after Alphonso de Castelbianco newly made Bishop of Algarues had briefly made the proposition shewing how much the King was grieued with the death of the Prince and the necessitie there was to sweare a newe Melchior d' Amaral one of the Deputies of the citie of Lisbone made answere in the behalfe of the whole realme shewing the desire and readines they had to performe this acte Whereupon the yoong Duke of Barcellos as Duke of Bragance beginning for his father with sword in hande did supplie the office of Constable kneeling downe before the King held foorth his hande to take the oath after the accustomed manner the which being likewise performed by all the rest this ceremonie
was ended He procured that the assemblie of Deputies for this effect shoulde not be called estates to the ende hee might take away all occasion of demaunding new things or to redemaund those which had beene required in the former estates and not graunted and therefore hee had contrarie to the custome sent into all places briefes of the procurations the Deputies should bring with them so drawne as they should not extend further then the swearing of the Prince and although it were so executed yet the estates did not forbeare especially he that was for the Deputies of the realme to reuiue the demaunds made at the estates helde at Tomar with some others and especially that it woulde please his Maiestie to shewe magnanimitie and clemencie in giuing a generall pardon to all such as were culpable of Anthonies offence saying it shoulde greatly profite and do little harme But whatsoeuer the cause was he neither satisfied them in this point nor in any other of importance He dispatched some Portugals which sought reward for although hee had giuen vnto many yet were they not content But notwithstanding all this care and diligence whether it were his faulte or his ministers or else the disposition of the suters or of all togither there remained many of them discontented part of them for that they were not recompenced and others for that they did not seeme to be recompenced according to their merits The Duke of Bragance at the assembly of the estates hoped to haue receiued recompence from the King which he supposed to haue deserued for although hee were rewarded yet was it not according to his expectation for aspiring to greater offices greater authoritie then he had it seemed the Kings wil was therein directly contrarie so as for that the recompences were small in regard of the greatnes of his hope they were not published but hee was suffered to replie that they might be after specified The Marques of Villa Real receiued likewise no contentment to his liking so as both remained ill satisfied and the Duke leauing the Court being long before sicke died soone after although the Portugals say that the griefe he conceiued of the weake recompence hee receiued from Philip hastened his daies The King at the time of his departure reformed the state of iustice publishing many newe lawes suffering the Portugals to attire themselues more freely with silke then other kings had done He made Cardinall Albert Archduke of Austria gouernour of the realme in his absence leauing him notwithstanding accompanied with three counsellors that is George d'Almada Archbishop of Lisbone Peter d'Ascasoua and Michael de Mora who was Secretorie of the realme newly created Notarie which they call of the puritie so great a charge as yet had neuer beene giuen but to the chiefest personages of the realme whereunto since the time of King Iohn the third that Michael de Silua Bishop of Viseu who was after Cardinall went to Rome in disgrace there was neuer any aduanced The King gaue procuration to the said Cardinall causing him to take an oath in the presence of the councell of State and of the magistrate of the Chamber of Lisbone to gouerne with iustice and to resigne him the realme at his returne The Empresse his sister who was to goe into Castill visiting first the Nunnes of the monasterie of Santos who may lawfully marrie she tooke foorth and carried with her Iulian d' Allan castro of the age of thirteene yeeres who by the decease of Maudlyn Girone her mother remained Dutchesse of Auero The Portugals were much grieued with this acte for although she said the King woulde prouide she should not marrie but with his liking yet notwithstanding she seemed to be rauished and manie feared that he woulde not marrie her in Castill When these things were ended the king departed the eleuenth of Februarie in the yeere 1583. the which greatly displeased the quiet and did glad the seditious for those feared least there shoulde grow some controuersie betwixt the people and the garrisons that the soldiers ill paied woulde mutine and that the Cardinals authoritie was not of such force as the kings presence to redresse it and contrariwise the rest hoped that the kings absence the small affection the people bare vnto them the oppression of the garrison and the great dearth woulde in the spring considering principally the army which was prepared in Fraunce minister matter of alteration although it now seemed that things succeeded in fauour of the kings intention hauing intelligence that in Flaunders the Duke of Alonçon seeking to assure himselfe of the citie of Anwerp wherein he was as Lord and Protector hauing his armie lodged thereabouts it had not succeeded for forcing of a gate and hauing drawne in three thousand French they were by the great valour of the Citizens repulsed and the one halfe slaine so as it seemed the Flemmings would no more trust the Duke but compound with the King Such Portugals as had receiued no answere to their demaunds doubted of all dispatch in the Kings absence but this feare was qualified by the opinion which they had conceiued that the Cardinall remaining gouernour they should be no lesse fauored by him then they had beene by the King himselfe albeit this hope soone vanished after the Kings departure for the Cardinall did not onely forbeare to vse the authoritie which hee seemed to haue left him but hee refused to signe the commaundements or other writings which concerned the affaires of the realme And although some beleeued that he had forborne to do it for that the king was yet vpon the way and not out of the realme vpon a respect of soueraigntie yet they were deceiued for the King being out of the realme he did not signe the which bred a great disdaine in the Portugals who pretended to holde the realme distinguished from that of Castill it seemed that this manner of gouernment which the king vsed from Madrill was a more strict vnion then they desired besides the troubles of their expeditions for the distance of the court And this disdaine was much augmented for that the king had placed in the councell of the reuenewes of the crowne which they terme d'Hazenda two counsellors Castillians of nation a doctor a merchant saying that it was vnseemely against their priuileges THE TENTH BOOKE The Contents of the tenth Booke In this last Booke is contained the death of Sanches d'Auila The sacke of the Ilands of Cape Vert The carriage of Emanuel de Silua Gouernour of the Terceres The preparatiō of king Philip to force the said Ilands The succours sent thither from Fraunce The fortification and the garrison The departure of the armie from Lisbone The description of the Iland of Terceres The arriuall there of the Spanish armie The assault skirmishes and taking of the Iland The yeelding of the French The taking of the Iland of Fayale and the obedience of all the rest How that Emanuel de Silua
lost his head and many others put to death And the returne of the armie to Andelouzia THE estate of the Realme after the Kings departure remained all that winter quiet and although the people had their mindes yet disquieted and some of the nobilitie not fully satisfied hauing left the kings court and the Cardinals likewise retyred themselues to their castles and houses yet no man durst shew any discontent The greatest part although they loued peace and desired the tranquillitie of the Realme yet were they in their hearts contented to see the Terceres make resistance and continue in the deuotion of Anthonie and the French supposing that whilest the King had any warres he would entreat them better and beare them more respect then they thought hee should doe if all were pacified neither preuailed it that the Portugalles were made much of in Castile and admitted neere the King as they had woonte to bee when hee was in Portugall nor yet that the saide King had it may bee to make the present gouernement conformeable to that was passed obtained from the Pope the authoritie of the Legate for the Cardinall euen as Henry enioied it the which bredde a great benefite to the realme for as it hapneth to passionate mindes they were not remooued from their opinion for the Cardinall being made Legate for two yeeres onely they feared that the time being expired they woulde take an occasion to recall him into Castill and so the Realme should be reduced into a prouince and that the king remaining at Madrill shoulde gouerne it At that time Sanches d'Auila died being stroke with a horse for that leauing chirurgerie he woulde be cured by a soldier with certaine blessings the which caused the Castillians to mourne for although he were but marshall generall of the fielde yet remaining after the death of the Duke of Alua of greatest knowledge amongst the Spaniards in the arte of warre there was not any man neere the Duke of Gandia of so great experience Hee was a man without feare and happie in warre esteemed by the Duke of Alua aboue all the soldiers of his time but this life which he had vnto his olde age so happily aduentured at the cannons mouth was nowe taken away by death vpon a small mischance In Fraunce it seemed that all the French were turned vnto the affaires of Flaunders affecting them more then Portugall and although there were an intent at the Priors instance to set foorth some ships of warre yet founde they therein coldenes and want of money whereby it appeered that whereas they attempted something it should not be to offend but rather to prouide for defence And although they had now intelligence that certaine French ships guided by the Portugals and especially by one Emanuel Serradas had inuaded the Ilands of Cape Vert and spoiled some part of them yet they made no account thereof vnderstanding they were but small barkes of pirates At the Terceres Emanuel de Silua was still gouernour who shewed himselfe an obstinate enimie to the Catholique King a faithfull minister to the Prior and a cruell persecutor of the Philippines Notwithstanding ill disposed of small iudgment and little experience With these his qualities he afflicted the poore people in diuers manners for the meanes which he inuented to borrow money to molest and condemne many persons were insupportable The pride arrogancie whereunto he was growen as it hapneth often in him that is not accustomed to commaund made him seeme inuincible and immortall the wrongs he committed were so infinite that iustice had lost her place the libertie his friendes and seruants tooke vpon them was without restraint the subiection and seruitude of those that did not flatter him was such as the slaues were more free I leaue the executions he committed vpon such as would haue compounded with the Catholique king and coulde not conceale their mindes for vsing many stratagemes to discouer their affections wherein as he founde any one lesse obstinate then himselfe hee was miserable being cruelly punished both in body and goods And for this occasion he caused manie to be slaine betraied by one Amador Vieira who hauing beene secretlie sent into this Iland by King Philip to continue his followers in their fidelitie to sounde the disposition of the people and to drawe all he coulde to his deuotion after he had wel executed his charge he reuealed vnto Silua such as had discouered themselues by whom they were miserablie afflicted And as tyrannie taught him he daily made newe ordinances and lawes in the name of Anthony the officers and ministers of iustice in the citie which were vsually chosen by voices he alone woulde haue the naming of them He was not onely contented to obserue those lawes which treated of high treason but also made a new lawe more seuere that such as did but talke of that matter shoulde suffer death and that such witnesses should serue although lesse in number then the auncient lawes had ordained He would haue the sentences in such cases registred by the Magistrate of the citie for a perpetuall memorie to all to terrifie and tyrannize the more There was within the Iland little aboue seauen hundreth French soldiers one onely company of English and about three thousand Portugals it was fortified on all partes where they might lande with aboue thirtie fortes and many trenches made with such arte and diligence as it seemed impossible to enter if they were guarded And although these thinges with the other qualities of the place made it vneasie to force yet Silua iudged it stronger then it was and did trust as a man of no experience more in the defenders then was conuenient In the meane time they prepared an armie for sea at Lisbone and assembled the Spanish soldiers to imploy them against this Iland vnder the command of the Marques of Saint a Croix being more in number both in ships and men then the yeere before besides there was speech to sende fowre galliasses and twelue galleies for which cause they shortned their yardes prouiding square sailes and of a thirde maste which they call the meane In Spaine there were diuers opinions concerning this armie making diuers discourses thereon both by worde and writing Such as were not to be imploied in this action to whom no part of the honour or praise did belong made it easie saying that the people were alreadie so wearied poore and oppressed by the garrisons as the armie should no sooner appeere but they woulde bee at the Kings deuotion And the cause why they did no sooner yeeld was the subiection wherein they were held and although they neither would nor coulde come to composition yet were they easie to force for the citie of Angra and all other places being dismantled and weake they had no other defence then the landing the which they supposed were impossible to hinder proouing by ancient and latter examples that in warre there was no meanes to stoppe