the King of Aragon and the Pope consenting to it as has been hinted before In Sicily the Barons continu'd in Rebellion and had secur'd a great part of the Island No hopes remain'd of reducing them by fair means Therefore the King and Queen with the Duke of Monblanc the King's Father went over with a good Fleet to subdue the Rebels At first the Aragonians were successful but afterwards the Fortune of War was so chang'd that the King and Queen were forc'd into the Castle of Catanea and there besieg'd D. Bernard de Cabrera a Man then of great Note had been upon that Expedition but return'd into Aragon being appointed Admiral of a Fleet that King had fitted out to subdue Sardinia This Gentleman knowing what had happen'd in Sicily resolv'd to remedy it He gather'd a good Body of Catalonians and Gascons and for their Pay mortgag'd all his Estate He set sail and landed in Sicily when all was reduc'd to Extremity By his Conduct the Success was soon chang'd for in several Rencounters he overthrew the Enemy by which means the Island was reduc'd and against the Will of many return'd under the Dominion of Aragon as it has ever since continu'd to this Day and in all Probability is like to continue much longer The End of the Eighteenth Book THE History of SPAIN The Nineteenth BOOK CHAP. I. King Henry takes upon him the Government The Cortes at Madrid Discontents among the Nobility The death of the Master of Alcantara The Biscainers invade the Canary Islands The Plague at Madrid CAstile after so many violent Sorms of Discord was at length somewhat Calm All these Confusions proceeded from the many Hands employ'd in the Government To prevent these Mischiefs for the future the King resolv'd to take upon him the Administration of his Affairs tho as yet he wanted two Months of 14 Years of Age The time limited in his Father's Will Many perswaded him to take this Resolution some hoping to make their Advantage of his Youth and others because they were weary of the present Government At the beginning of August the King assembled the Nobility and Prelates in the Monastery of Huelgas where the Kings of Castile us'd to be Crown'd There he spoke to the whole Assembly signifying that he now took upon him the Government praying to God it might be for the Good of the Kingdom that he desir'd they would help his Youth with their Advice and that he there discharg'd the Governours of their Employment All the Commons as well as Noblemen and Prelates applauded his Resolution with great expressions of Joy and Satisfaction The Arch-bishop of Santiago made an Oration declaring how much all Men were delighted to see the King at Age to Govern and how justly the Governours had behav'd themselves in their Charge To this the King answer'd He was well satisfy'd of their Fidelity and would always make use of their Advice Many Strangers aspir'd to Ecclesiastical Preferments and the Popes bestow'd them on several without regard to Learning or Merits It had been often propos'd in the Cortes to remedy this Evil and as has been said it was in some Measure regulated in the Session at Guadalajara Yet still the Popes continu'd to use there Power as before This Affair was now again debated in the Cortes assembled for the Coronation of the King yet nothing could be determin'd for the present but that it might be settled with more deliberation the Cortes were again summon'd to meet at Madrid Mean while at the earnest request of the Biscainers the new King went in Person to take possession of the Lordship of Biscay In an Assembly of the principal Men the King granted that after the manner of Castile they might decide Controversies by Combat for still that ill Custom was in use This Year was remarkable for that the Enterprise of the Canaries was again taken in hand The Biscainers fitted out a Fleet and took a Survey of all those Islands learning their Names Prâ—duct and Value Then landing at Lançarote one of the Islands they overthrew the Islanders took their King and Queen with 160 of their Subjects This done they return'd into Spain the Vessels loaden not only with Captives but with Goat Skins and Wax wherewith those Islands abound to show the Habits Fruitfulness and Riches of those Islands and the Profit might be made of them if conquer'd as afterwards they were Mean while the Cortes met at Madrid and the King repair'd thither in November The first day of the Session in few Words he told them he had good Examples of his Progenitors to govern by that during his Minority civil Discord had almost ruin'd the Nation and he design'd with their Advice to remedy those Disorders that he would take care Mony should not take place of Merit and to see the Laws effectually put in Execution that the Revenue was exhausted and either new Taxes must be laid or the Grants made in his Nonage vacated His well fram'd Speech was pleasing to them all tho they perceiv'd he only spoke what his Favourites had put into his Mouth and many were offended they were not in the same Post The Men most in the King's esteem were John Hurtado de Mendoça Lord Steward of the Houshold James Lopez de ZunÌ„iga chief Justice and Ruy Lopez Davalos Lord Chamberlain They agreed among themselves a thing rare among Court Favourites Their chief Aim was to curb the King 's tender Years to take care or the Government and to protect the weaker against the great Ones It being propos'd to supply the King's wants the Commons answer'd the People were so exhausted they could bear no more Taxes yet they would grant the 20th Penny of all Merchandize and it were requisite to lessen the Number of standing Forces or at least their Pay as also to Retrench the Pensions of great Men. This was look'd upon as the bâ— Advice and all Pensions granted during the King's Minority were struck out of his Books Many concern'd in private resented this Reform but in publick all Men spoke well of it After this the King being now at Age was marry'd to Queen Catherine as was also Prince Ferdinand his Brother to the Lady Ellenor Countess of Albuquerque There was great rejoycing and thus the Cortes of Madrid broke up At the beginning of the Year 1394 the Plague being at Madrid the King remov'd to Illescas a pleasant and healthful Place in the mid-way betwixt Madrid and Toledo Hither the Arch-bishop of Toledo the Town being his came to pay his Respects to the King who receiv'd him graciously and he soon recover'd the Favour and Authority he was in before being excellently qualify'd to gain the Affections of Princes His Competitor the Archbishop of Santiago was so offended at the Honour done him that he withdrew from Court to his Town of Hamusco in old Castile meditating Revenge if an Opportunity were offer'd These Prelates were the most remarkable Men of
the Crown but I will make your Reigs short This said he call'd in the Executioners and 600 Souldiers he had in a readiness All were astonish'd but the Archbishop of Toledo fell on his Knees begging Pardon and all the rest follow'd his Example Seeing them at his Feet the King pardon'd them but kept them two Months Prisoners in the Castle till they deliver'd up all the Towns they held and refuâ—â—ed what they ow'd to the Crown This Example made the Nobility more Submissive than ever they had been He us'd greater Severity at Sevil for he 〈◊〉 1000 Men to be Executed for being guilty of the Tumults â—ais'd by the Earl of Niebla 〈◊〉 Peter Ponce He advanc'd his own and the Prince his Brother's Revenue so that great 〈◊〉 were every Year lay'd up in the Palace of Madrid to which he added those Towers that are still standing for its greater Security His is that saying I fear the Curses of the People more than the Enemy's Weapons Thus without oppressing his Subjects he gather'd great Treasure only by looking after his Revenue CHAP. VII The Crown offered to Prince Ferdinand he refuses it John the IId proclaimed King of Castile The Death of the Queen of Aragon The War of Granada Several Places taken by the Christians who also obtain a Victory at Sea After the 〈…〉 of the King's Interrment were perform'd with the Pomp and Majesty that was becoming the Nobility met as the Rebellious Custom was to appoint a Successor and do their Homage to him This was in the beginning of the Year 1407. Their Opinions vary'd and every one spoke according to his Inclination Many thought it hard to stay till a Prince then but 22 Months old came to Age. The late King's Will was read in which he â—â—dain'd that the Queen and Prince Ferdinand should govern the Kingdom and 〈◊〉 â—lectors to the young King James Lopez de Zuniga and John de Velasco were appoint 〈…〉 guard and educate him and the Bishop of Carthagena Lord Chancellor to be his Preceedor till he was 14 Years of Age. These three were commanded only to attend to the Education of the Child without intermedling with the Government Some said no part of this Will ought to be observ'd as being made but the day before the King dy'd when he was not absolutely Master of his Reason but his Brain disturb'd and that it was not reasonable to expose the Kingdom to so many Confusions as might arise upon this Account This was not only discours'd in private but in publick Meetings and about the Streets Every one condemn'd the Will and yet none car'd to expose himself too much by opposing it They 〈…〉 Prince Ferdinand as the only Man that could deliver them from the Misfortunes they apprehended yet they feard he would not consent to it because he was naturally very meek and modest which some call'd fear some laziness and others meanness of 〈…〉 The Absence of the Queen her 〈◊〉 and being a Foreigner made Men bold She 〈◊〉 then at Segovea with her Children over wholm'd with Grief for the Death of her Husband and in care for the Event of those Practices at Toledo The Nobility having consulted together resolv'd to try Prince Ferdinand and in the Name of them all Ruy Lopez Davaloâ— made a long Harangue offering him the Crown and pressing him to accept of it at their Hands After Ruy Lopez had done 〈◊〉 the other Nobles begg'd the same of him and there wanted not some who pretended 〈…〉 and Revelations to justify their Request The Prince with wonderful Modesty answer'd that a Crown was not so much to be coveted as to become infamous for the sake of it by wronging an innocent Child and a Widow Queen whom all ought protect Besides that of necessity Wars must ensue That he thank'd them for their good Will and in requital would give them a King which was his Brother's Son and his own Nephew and â—n his 〈…〉 would spare no Labour or Danger for the publick good but take upon him the Government as his Brother ordain'd Soon after he assembl'd the 〈…〉 and Prelates in the Chappel of D. Peter Tenorio which is in the Cloisters of the Cathedralâ— There Ruy Lopez the Constable thinking his Mind might be alter'd publickly ask'd him whom he would have proclaim'd King The Prince with some marks of Displeasure answer'd aloud Who but my Brother's Son Then the Standards were display'd as the Custom of Spain is in the Name of King John the IId and the Kings at Arms proclaim'd him first in the Assembly and then in all publick Places of the City Prince Ferdinand by this Action purchas'd an immortal Renown and his Moderation and Loyalty were highly extoll'd even by those that advis'd him to accept of the Crown and thus he made himself way to obtain other 〈…〉 which Heaven for his Virtue had reserv'd for him His Glory was so much 〈…〉 for that his Brother for some time before his Death had bore him ill-will giving Ear to the Insinuations of some Court Parasites True it is he was 〈…〉 concil'd and agreed that his Daughter Mary who might come to inherit the Crown 〈…〉 marry'd to D. Alonso the Prince's eldest Son which was Advantagious to both Brothers and for the common good of the Kingdom Queen Mary of Aragon dy'd on the 29th of December at Villareal a Town near Valencia to the great Grief of the King her Husband and all that Country for her extraordinary Parts Her Body was bury'd with the usual Magnificence at Poblete the Burial place of those Kings Of four Children she had three dy'd Young which were James John and Margaret Only Martin was left then King of Sicily who applying himself wholly to the Affairs of that Island without regard to his Health as being Young and offering himself freely to all Dangers as being of a great Spirit soon after was snatch'd away and left his Subjects overwhelm'd in Troubles Prince Ferdinand having setl'd 〈◊〉 at Toledo on the 1st of January went thence to Segovia to visit the Queen and take 〈…〉 in all things relating to the Administration of the Government That all things might be done with the greater Majesty and Authority he summon'd thither the Cortes and accordingly the Nobles Prelates and Commons met there Several Affairs were consider'd of by them Particularly the Education of the young King was committed to the Queen she pressing for it tho it was contrary to the Will of the late King Henry To John de Valasco and James Lopez de Zuniga in lieu of that Employment taken from them they gave the Sum of 6000 Florins each A small Recompence for so great a Trust but Necessity oblig'd them to comply with the Will of the Queen and Prince nor was it safe to oppose them who had the Power of the Government The 〈◊〉 design'd against the Moors was also taken into Consideration and in February the Christians made an Incursion into
20 Days Of Disposition he was Robust and of Spirit Lively The latter part of his Life was stained with a leud Appetite tho he was past acting for he fixed his Affection upon a handsome young Woman called Frances Rose whom he design'd to have formerly Married to that D. Jayme de Aragon who was Executed at Barcelona In his Will made 10 Years before his Death he ordained several godly Works to be performed Particularly the Erecting Two Monasteries of the Order of St. Hierome which are famous at this time One of them is St. Engracia at Zaragoça the other St. Mary de Belpuch in Catalonia his Son exactly performing all that he had ordained He also ordered that the Grandsons of his Son Ferdinand tho' by a Daughter should Inherit the Crown of Aragon and take place of their Mothers CHAP. VIII Elenor Queen of Navarre The troubles of that Kingdom and her Death The Countess of Medellin raises Tumults in Castile Portugueses overthrown by the Castilians Heretical Opinions Started and Condemned in Spain King Ferdinand goes into Aragon BY the Death of the King of Aragon his Dominions were divided Aragon fell to King Ferdinand and Navarre to the Princess Elenor in the Right of her Mother She had been 7 Years a Widow and consequently exposed to great Misfortunes That Kingdom was still divided betwixt the old Factions The Biamonteses Enemies to the new Queen were most prevalent These troubles seemed to be a Judgment for the Murders committed upon Charles Prince of Viana the Princess Blanch his Sister and the Bishop of Pamplona Queen Ellenor Reigned not a whole Month. She was more Fortunate in her Issue than in her Life for she had 4 Sons Gaston John Peter and James and 5 Daughters Mary Joanna Marguerite Catherine and Ellenor we shall briefly speak of them all great Families being descended from them Gaston died as was said before and left two Children Francis Phebus and Catherine who both Reigned in Navarre successively John was Lord of Narbonne which he bought of his Father and had Issue Gaston and Germana Gaston was killed at the Battle of Ravenna where he was General for Luis the 12th of France Germana Married King Firdinand after the death of his first Wife Peter applied himself to learning and piety and Pope Sixtus made him a Cardinal James followed the War and was never Married Mary the Eldest Daughter was Married to William Marquess of Monferrat Joanna to John Earl of Armagnac Margaret to Francis Duke of Britany and had Issue Ann and Elizabeth Ann the Heiress being Married first to Charles the 8th and after his death to Luis the 12th of France joined that Dukedom and Kingdom Catherine 4th Daughter to Queen Ellenor Married Gaston de Faux Earl of Candale and brought forth 2 Sons and a Daughter called Anne Married to Ladislaus King of Hungary Ellenor the Youngest Daughter died a Maid Queen Ellenor died on the 12th of February at Tudela where she began her Reign In her Will she Ordained out of her own Money a Monastery of Franciscans should be Built at Tafalla and that her Body should be Buried there and the Bones of her Mother Queen Blanch be also Translated thither from the Monastery of Nuestra SenÌ„ora de Nieva in Old Castile where they were deposited The Revenue was so exhausted that she was forced to Sell her Jewels to Live Francis Phebus so called for his extraordinary Beauty being but 11 Years of Age succeeded her His Mother the Lady Magdalen and his Uncle Peter the Cardinal had the Administration of the Government till he came to Years and discharged their Trust Prudently in those difficult Times The late Queen during her Troubles had no help from her Brother the King of Castile therefore she made no mention of him in her Will but directed the Governors to Adhere to France as they did which was the Cause they soon lost that Kingdom Thus much of Navarre In Castile some new Oppinions in matters of Religion were broached One Peter Oxomensis a Professor of Divinity at Salamanca was the Author By Order of Pope Sixtus the Archbishop of Toledo assembled several Persons of great Learning at Alcala where he Refided who all Condemned those new Opinions and the Author was Excommunicated unless he recanted Sentence was given on the 24th of May and soon after Pope Sixtus confirmed it by his Bull. John Prexanus a famous Divine in that Age. afterwards Bishop of Cuidad Rodrigo wrote a Book against the said Peter The Marquisate of Villena was now the Seat of War for the Marquess because Covenants were not performed with him had recourse to Arms and relieved the Town of Chinchilla besieged by the King's Forces Peter Ruiz de Alarcon who Commanded a Party of the King 's was defeated near Alberca by Peter de Baeça and D. George Manrique who in another Skirmish with Peter de Baeça was Wounded of which hurt he afterwards died A great pitty that so ripe a Wit should be so soon cut off Hereupon the Marquess was liable as having been in Arms against the King's Forces He excused himself laying the blame upon the Insolency of those Officers who forced him to do so and pleaded he had no dealings either with the King of Portugal or Archbishop of Toledo These excuses whether True or Counterfeit prevented any farther proceedings against him In this War there happned an extraordinary accident worth Relating The King's Party had hanged 6 of the Prisoners they took In revenge John Berrio an Officer of the Marquess ordered as many of those he had taken to be put to death in the same manner The Prisoners cast Lots and among the rest it fell to the share of one of 2 Brothers that were Prisoners who had a Wife and Children to die The other Brother who was a Batchellor begged to be put to death in his place and so it was done after they had both long and with many Tears contended about it King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth received the News of King John's Death and their own Accession to the Crown of Aragon in Estremadura where they were quelling the Tumults raised by the Countess of Medellin and D. Alonso de Mâ—nrey The Countess had a Spirit above a Woman for she kept her own Son D. John Portocarrero some years a Prisoner and at last turned him out of Doors which was the cause she was in Arms fearing lest she should be obliged to restore the Earldom to her Son who laid Claim to it as his Father's Inheritance She also designed to keep the City Merida in which she had a Garison D. Alonso was digusted that the Mastership of Alcantara was taken from him and given to D. John de ZunÌ„iga upon which Pretence he seized several Towns belonging to that Military Order The King provided for the War with Portugal which it was feared would prove more bloody than before yet both Parties being exhausted a Treaty was proposed This was the more Welcome to
Otranto and Trana which lay convenient for their Trade in the East King Ferdinand of Spain provided for the War in Russillon To this purpose the Cortes met the last Year at Taraçona and resolved to assist the King with 200 Men at Arms and 300 Horse for 3 Years After this the Cortes of Catalonia assembled at Tortosa and sate till the beginning of the Year 1496. They also granted Supplies The two Matches with the House of Austria were also forwarded because the Archduke's Inclination lay another way Still the War in Naples continued for tho' the French were few in Number yet they had some considerable Places of Strength In 〈◊〉 Gonçalo Fernandez was strong and straitned the French very much Near Eboli the French defeated 4000 Neapolitans which made them sole Masters of the Field in that Country To raise Money they resolved to march into Apulia and receive the Duties upon Cattel which is one of the best Branches of the Revenue The King was at Benevento his Forces dispersed and went thence to Foxia to prevent the Design of the French The Marquess of Mantua with the Forces of Venice join'd him Fabricio attempting the same with 600 Swissers had most of his Men cut off by the French whereupon they grew so bold as to offer the King Battel at Foxia He refused but some small Skirmishes hapned betwixt them The French marched on to receive the Duty some they had and some the King got the rest was lost Gonçalo Fernandez being possessed of almost all Calabria had cooped the Lord Aubeni up in the extream part of that Province yet the King called him away to strike at the Head In his Place he left Cardinal Luis d' Aragon the King 's Cousin-German The Country-people thought to secure the Passes but the Spaniards being well versed in that way of Mountain-fight made a great Slaughter of them near a Town of Calabria called Muran There they understood that some of the Barons of the French Faction lay not far off at a Town called Lacino and designed to relieve the Castle of Confenza Gonçalo de Cordova marched all night surprized the Town killed many of those Nobles and sent the rest Prisoners to the King The French besieged Xerula 10 Miles from Benevento and the King sate down before Frangito The French came to relieve this Place at such time as the King's Forces entred and burnt it to lose no time in Plundering Both Armies stood in sight of one another on two Hills neither daring to pass the Valley that lay betwixt them Tho' the French were weak the King resolved not to fight till Gonçalo de Cordova had joined him which he did notwithstanding the Duke of Monpensier laboured to hinder it On Midsummer day he came up with the King who then lay before Amalfi whither the French were then retired He viewed the Place and on the 1st of July attacked the Enemies Guard upon the Mills and drove them away destroying the Mills which gained him such mighty Reputation that the Italians began to call him the Great Captain and looked upon him as Superiour to all other Officers This Siege was carried on with such Vigour that the Duke of Monpensier was forced to surrender upon Articles which were That if within 30 days he were not relieved from France he would withdraw all the Forces out of the Kingdom with their Goods Arms and Horses and deliver up all Places except Gaeta Venosa and Taranto and those Towns which the Lord of Aubeni and the Duke de Monte were possessed of Upon this Condition the King was obliged to give the French free Passage by Sea and Land This was agreed in July and afterwards performed accordingly It is worth observing That in Original Capitulations signed on both Sides they gave Gonçalo Fernandez the Title of Great Captain Nevertheless few of the French ever reached home The Duke of Monpensier died at Puzol Virginius Ursinus contrary to the Capitulation was apprehended by the Pope's Order with his Son John Jordan and other Italian Lords It troubled the King that his Word was broke and that he could not relieve them yet he durst not disobey the Pope who commanded it and whose Nephew John Borgia the Cardinal and Bishop of Melfi followed the Army as his Legate during this War and the Duke of Gandia Commanded the Forces of the Pope During the absence of the Great Captain the Affairs of Calabria grew into a worse Posture which obliged him to return thither He coming into that Province the greatest part whereof the Enemy was again possessed of so distressed them that the Lord Aubeni was forced to subscribe to the Conditions made with the Duke of Monpensier and return to France having gained the Reputation of a Brave but Unfortunate Commander in that he had to do with so great a Man as Gonçalo Fernandez At the same time that the Affairs of Naples began to have a more favourable Aspect that is about the middle of August departed this Life Queen Elizabeth Mother to the then Queen of Spain Her Body was deposited at Arevalo where she lived the latter part of her Life somewhat distracted Thence she was afterwards translated to the Church of the Carthusians at Burgos where her Husband King John II. of Castile lay buried Her Grandchild the Princess Joanna on the 22d of the same Month sailed from Laredo with a Fleet there provided to carry her to her Husband Philip Archduke of Austria The Queen her Mother bore her Company to the Sea Frederick Enriquez the Admiral carried her to Flanders were she was Nobly entertained This Year also the Pope gave to King Ferdinand of Spain the Title of Catholick King as Pius II. had before Honoured Luis XI King of France with the Name of Most Christian That is whereas before they used to write on the Pope's Bulls To the Illustrious King of Castile now they first wrote To the Catholick King of Spain This highly offended the Portugueses who said King Ferdinand was not King of it all their Kings possessing a great part The Dispute lasted till that Crown was united to Castile As soon as King Emanuel was seated on the Throne of Portugal he assembled the Cortes of the Kingdom at Montemor not far from Evora in order to settle the Government Thither came George the late King's Bastard-Son then but 14 Years of Age and with him his Tutor D. James d' Almeyda Great Prior of S. John The King received him with much Demonstration of Affection promising to look upon him as his own Child and to use him as such He immediately sent Ambassadors to the King of Spain to acquaint him with his Accession to the Crown and to the Pope to pay him Reverence as usual D. James de Sylva the King's Tutor and D. John Manuel his Foster-Brother were in great Esteem with the King D. James was created Earl of Portalegre D. John made Lord Chamberlain and afterwards became the King's greatest
he should have taken it and so the Breach had been the greater His chief care was to reestablish the Administration of Justice much depraved by the late Confusions He endeavoured to raise some Supplies of Money to help defray the past Expences and pay the Forces he was to keep on Foot which he Quartered about as might be least offensive to the People Some Companies of Spaniards whom he knew to be Insolent and Injurious he sent away to Spain in Two Ships He forgot not to repair the harms done during the War and particularly the Walls of Naples and Gasto Capua he secured with such Works as made it stronger than if it had been Walled These things he did to be in a readiness in case the Enemy should attempt any thing again and all was easie to him by reason of the great reputation he had gained not only in that Kingdom but throughout all Italy so that many Cities offered to side with Spain Genoa both the Factions of the Adornos and Fregosos consenting offered to revolt from the French so they were supplied with 2000 Spaniards Julian de Medicis Brother to Peter that was drowned in the River Garellano promised 100000 Ducats a Year from himself and his Party if he were restored to Florence whence at present he was Banished The Council of Pisa to avoid falling again into the Hands of the Florentines proposed either to submit themselves wholly to the Catholick King or to put themselves under his Protection The City Areço rather than continue subject to the Florentines made the same offers The Lord of Plombin a City tho' small yet of great importance for the defence of the Kingdom put himself under the Protection of Spain To be short Pandolfo Petrucci and Paul Ballon made the same Overtures for themselves and their Cities of Siena and Perusa Even in the City of Milan 600 of the Citizens offered their Service if he would attempt to Conquer that Dukedom All these practices were at an end by the Truce concluded in France by the Ambassadors Gralla and Antony Augustin for Three Years the Kingdom of Naples included The Catholick King Swore to observe it at Mejorada about the end of January One of the Articles was that the said Truce should be Proclaimed at Naples on the 25th of February which was not performed because the Great Captain would first have it made known to such as were still in Rebellion The Prince of Rosano would not admit of it but because the Commendary Solis on that score did not press Rosano he with his Forces sate down before Cherinthia where he did much harm Luis de Arsi tho' he admitted the Truce drove the Cattle of Andria and Barletta and took what Prisoners he could Our Commanders said that notwithstanding the Truce they might punish such of the Barons as committed any Insult after it and therefore pressed both them we have spoken of Venosa with its Castle was easily taken because Luis de Arsi left it unprovided when he retired thence to Trana and thence to France which in a Bravado he did with Colours flying and Beat of Drum Thus only Six Towns in that Kingdom and those remote from the Sea were left to the French The King of France pretended that all that was taken after the day appointed for proclaiming the Truce ought to be restored as unlawfully gained and suspected the Delay of proclaiming had been advisedly contrived to that purpose On the other side it was guessed he never intended to observe the Truce and had only contrived it to have the better Opportunity of taking the Spaniards at an Advantage which might well be believed because at the same time he had appointed John James Trivulcio his General in Italy besides 5000 Swissers and 500 Horse were daily expected out of France under the Command of the Lords of Aubigni and Alegre and the Marquess of Mantua and Duke of Ferrara raised all the Forces they could in Italy At the same time the Great Captain was dangerously sick which with the Report spread abroad of Re-establishing king Frederick and the Pope's soliciting to have him General of the French Forces gave occasion to People to discourse variously of matters of State and particularly the Coloneses took the Liberty to utter some bold Speeches All was again appeased by the Recovery of the Great Captain who pesently appyled himself to make all the necessary Prepations for a mighty War which was expected would break out again in that Kingdom All Italy and Spain suffered very much this Year by Famine and on the 5th of April being Good Friday there were great Earth-quakes in Castile and Andaluzia which overthrew many Buildings The greatest harm was done in some Towns on the Banks of the River Guadalquivir Lope Soarez de Albergaria Sailed from Lisbon with a good Fleet for India This same Year the Catholick King gave the Office of Lord High Steward to D. Bernard de Sandoval y Rojas Marquess of Denia of whose Family because often mention is made it will not be from the purpose to set down the latter part of their Genealogy Ferdinand Gutierrez de Sandoval who is said to have been chief Commendary of Castile was Father to D. James Gomez de Sandoval first Earl of Castro and Lord Lieutenant of Castile his Eldest Son was Ferdinand the Father of D. James Gomez de Sandoval whom King Ferdinand Created Marquess of Denia His Son was D. Bernard who we said was made Lord High Steward to the same King Ferdinand in which place he continued even after the King's death to Queen Joanna D. Bernard had by his Wife the Lady Frances Enriquez Four Sons and Six Daughters He had also a Bastard Son who for his good Parts came to be Archbishop of Sevil. Luis Eldest Son to D. Bernard was Father to Francis Earl of Lerma who died before him but left a Son called D. Francis Gomez de Sandoval who came to be Duke of Lerma and a Cardinal of whom we shall speak in another Place D. Ferdinand Youngest Son to the said Marquess had many Children and among them D. Bernard de Rojas y Sandoval Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo to whom that Church is obliged for restoring to it the Lieutenancy of CaÄ™orla after it had been many Years Alienated CHAP. IV. Perfidiousness of Duke Valentin who is as perfidiously sent into Spain by the Great Captain contrary to his promise and he ill represented to the King Projects of Peace betwixt France and Spain come to nothing THE Vâ—netians after the death of Pope Alexander had possessed themselves of several Cities in Romania and aimed at the rest Duke Valentin being no way able to oppose them agreed to deliver such Forts as remained in his power to Pope Julius who sent one Peter de Oviedo to take possession but the Duke changing his Mind gave private Orders to his Lieutenant at Cesana to Hang the said Peter He did so whereupon the Pope Arrested
to King Alonso He Reigned about 2 Years alone according to Garibay his Account for F. Mariana is not intelligible in this Place and had two Sons D. Ramiro and D. Garcia by his Wife Ninilon or Vrsenda to whom he was unlawfully Married tho' afterwards he left her and lived Chast the rest of his Life In other respects he was Modest and Temperate a Lover of his ease and averse to Business yet did one thing very pleasing and commendable which was declaring of D. Alonso who had been depos'd by Mauregatus his Companion in the Throne which according to Isidorus Pacensis who then liv'd was in the Year 791. After this Bermudo reign'd Four Years and Six Months This Prince was very remarkable for his continual Prosperity good Conduct Liberality Piety the Love of his People and Terror of his Enemies By his Valour the affairs of the Christians almost sunk were re-established for in the third Year of his Reign Alonso his Companion vanquish'd Mugayo General of the Moors who had broke into Asturias upon the Account that the King refus'd to pay the Tribute of the young Maids The Battle was fought near a Town call'd Ledas the Victory one of the greatest obtain'd in Spain for 70000. Infidels were kill'd by which the Christians were deliver'd from a great Oppression and the Moors diverted with other Wars could not revenge this loss About the same time many Towns about the Pyrenean Mountains were taken from the Moors by the Kings of Navarre and Charlemaigne the Famous King of France and Emperour Here again I am forced to follow the authority of Garibay my Author being ill Printed the fate of many Books Printed in Spain Issem King of Cordova sent a good Army under the Command of his General Abdelmelich to put a stop to these Proceedings who retook Girona in Catalonia and Narbonne on the Borders of France From hence the Bishop D. Roderick says the Moors caus'd Christians to bring Earth on their Shoulders which I suppose was Sand to bind their Mortar for to finish the great Mosque at Cordova This King also built another Bridge at Cordova near the Pallace and was the first of the Moorish Kings that took a Guard of Strangers which were 3000. Renegado Christians besides he entertain'd 2000. Eunuchs as his Menial Servants He dy'd in the Year 795. having Reign'd 26 Years 10 Months and 15 days and leaving behind the name of a Wise Just and Bountiful Prince and his Son Alhaca to succeed him CHAP. V. The Reign of D. Alonso the Chast The Nestorian Heresy reviv'd The King's Sister debauch'd he takes Lisbon Wars among the Moors Invention of the Body of St. James the Apostle and Defeat of Charlemaigne DUring these last Reigns Felix Bishop of Vrgel and his Disciple Elipandus Archbishop of Toledo reviv'd the false Doctrine of Nestorius Condemn'd at the Council of Ephesus They affirm'd that Christ our Lord as Man was only the adoptive Son of the Father and endeavour'd to spread these their Opinions but were Condemn'd by Councils held at Reginum of Bavaria now Ratisbon and at Francfort Felix dy'd obstinate at Lions in France What became of Elipandus is not known Some Years after Claudius a Spaniard Disciple of Felix and Bishop of Turin who lived in the Emperour Ludovicus Pius his Court with great Opinion of Learning among other things to the Opinions of the others added a new extravagancy saying that holy Images ought to be cast out of the Churches Jonas Aurelianensis his Contemporary wrote Learnedly against him King Bermudo was Bury'd at Oviedo where formerly his and his Wives Tombs were to be seen Thus D. Alonso was left to govern by himself It is a receiv'd Opinion that he aiming at a greater Purity of Life never had Carnal Knowledge of his Wife Berta He is said to have built the Cathedral of Oviedo but others write it was D. Bermudo who began it and the Inscription at the entrance as was said above attribute it to King Sylon Perhaps all three had a hand in the work and he who finish'd had all the honour of it Certain it is King Alonso enrich'd it with many Gifts and particularly with a curious gold Cross set with Stones made by the hands of Angels as the People imagin'd because after it was done they were never seen more The glorious beginnings of this Princes Reign were somewhat Eclyps'd by a Misfortune that hapned in the Royal Family which was that Da. Ximena the Kings Sister was privately Marry'd according to our Author but that had been no such mighty disaster and all other Historians write she was debauch'd by Sandia or Sancho Earl of Saldan̄a and by him had Bernard call'd Carpensis or del Carpio much fam'd for his Exploits in Spanish History The Earl being Convicted had his Eyes put out and was Condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment which he accordingly suffer'd in the Castle of Luna Da. Ximena was shut up in a Monastery of Nuns and yet care was taken to have the Child bred up in Asturias as if he had been the King 's own The Moors at this time were not idle for Zulema and Abdalla the new King's Unkles who till then had liv'd in Africk came over into Spain Abdalla who was the boldest came first and possess'd himself of the City Valencia deliver'd to him by the Inhabitants Zulema who was ready at the first call pass'd over to his Brothers assistance and both together after wasting all the Country adventur'd to give King Alhaca Battle It was fought obstinately on both sides and much Blood spilt but at last Zulema and many more being kill'd Abdalla fled to Valencia where he came to accommodation with the King and had a Revenue assign'd him to live upon according to his Quality delivering up his Sons as Hostages whom the Moorish King treated as became his Cousin-Germans and Marry'd his own Sister to one of them This discord among the Moors was advantagious to King Alonso for he took the City of Lisbon as many Foreign Authors write tho' ours make no mention of it and sent a solemn Embassy to Charlemaigne to whom Fruella and Basilicus the Principal Embassadors of the Booty taken in that City carried a rich Present from the King of Arms Horses and Captives besides a Moorish Tent of wonderful Greatness and Workmanship After this there ensu'd so great a Rebellion in his Kingdom that he was forc'd to retire for safety to the Monastery Abeliense situate in the most uncouth part of Galicia Thence by the help of Theudius a Man of great Power he recover'd all his Dominions with more honour than if that Misfortune had not befallen him But in my Opinion nothing was more honourable in the Reign of this King than the invention of the Body of the Holy Apostle St. James Which as is generally related happen'd in this manner Theodomirus Bishop of Iria Flavia hearing great Lights were seen in a wild part of a Mountain went
raged in his Army that few of them returned home to carry the News and be Witnesses of the Divine Vengeance This danger being over other new troubles hap'ned in Spain as great as any had been since it began to lift up its Head These were caused by the discord betwixt the King of Leon and the Earl D. Garcia who ought to have joyned their Power for the Publick good Mahomet governed the Kingdom of the Moors in the Name of Hissem the King his greatest Aim was to destroy the Christians D. Vela he that we said in the time of the Earl Fernan Gonzalez fled to the Moors now blew these Coals The Moors joyning their Forces with a Body of Christians that followed D. Vela entred the Territories of the Christians and passing the River Duero which for many Years had parted the two Nations incamped on the Banks of the River Astura or Estola that runs by Leon. King Bermudo tho' inferior to the Enemy gathering what Forces he could surprized them and entered their Camp where they Fought in disorder all in confusion Many of the Infidels were killed at the first on-set some gathering in small Bodies defended themselves other fled till the Moorish General getting together all he could drew them up without the Camp then charged the Christians who being but few in number and tired could not stand that shock In an instant the Fortune of the Day was changed the Victors were over-come and being closely pursued few of them got unhurt to Leon but many wounded The Town had been taken but that the Winter coming on obliged the Enemy to depart having gained much honour and plunder and resolving to return as soon as the Season would permit D. Bermudo because the City was weak caused the Bodies of the Saints and Kings to be translated to Oviedo and removed thither himself The care of fortifying and defending of Leon was committed to the Earl Guilien Gonzalez This disaster hap'ned in the Year 984. in which Miron Bishop of Girona Son to Miron Earl of Barcelona dyed In that Country a Body of Moors near the Castle of Moncada overthrew Borello Cousin to the Bishop Miron Above 500 Christians were slain the rest with the Earl Borello fled to Barcelona The following Year 985 was remarkable for destruction of the two Famous Cities Leon and Barcelona On the first of Day of July the Moors laid Siege to Bercelona and took it on the 6th day of the same Month many of the Citizens were carryed away into Slavery to Cordova but the City was soon recovered by the Christians Before it was taken Borcello got out to gather Forces to relieve it and having Mustered a good Body at Maresa and other Neighbouring Places regained the City The Earl Borello dyed eight Years after leaving by his two Wives Ledgardi and Aymcrudi two Sons Raymund and Armengauds the Eldest Earl of Barcelona the other of Vrgel and was head of the Noble Family of the Armengauds or Armengols in Catalonia of which in process of time there were many brave Commanders In the other part of Spain Mahomet proud with his last success gathering a powerful Army besieged Leon. The City held out almost a Year tho' continually battered with all sorts of Engines Earl Guillen Gonzalez made it appear of how great Consequence it is to have a brave Commander Being sick in Bed with the continual Fatigue of so many Months he was told the Town was in great danger by reason of a furious Assault that was then given he then caused himself to be carryed in a Chair to the place where the greatest danger was and so effectually encouraged his Soldiers that they made good their Ground for Three Days Then seeing the Town was entred he cast himself into the midst of the Infidels and dyed with his Sword in his hand The Barbarians inraged for the loss they had sustained put to the Sword all Sexes and Ages indifferently Men Women and Children and after plundering the City cast down the Walls and all other Works about it The same disaster befell Astorga Valencia del Campo the Monastery of Sahagun Gordon Alva Luna and other Towns and Villages which were taken plundered and burnt to the Ground Next breaking into Castile they took plundered and burnt Osma Berlanga and Atiença without meeting any Opposition Nevertheless such was the madness of the Christians that not regarding the publick Calamities they destroyed one another upon Private Feuds and Animosities For the Year following Seven most Noble Brothers called the Infantes de Lara were slain by the Treachery of their Unkle Ruy Velasquez without any regard of Consanguinity they being the Sons of his Sister Da. Sancha and by the Fathers side descended from D. James Porcellos Earl of Castile These 7 Brothers have been very famous no less for their Noble Actions than Unfortunate Death It fell out that Ruy Velasquez Lord of Barcelona Solemnizing his Marriage with Da. Lambra Cousin to the Earl Garci Fernandez at Burgos A great concourse of People was at the Wedding and among the rest the Earl Garci Fernandez and the seven Brothers with their Father A dispute arose betwixt Gonzalo the Youngest of the Brothers and Alvar Sanchez a Kinsman of Da Lambra yet so that no harm was then done yet Da. Lambra taking it upon herself to wreak her revenge in the Town of Barbadillo whither the Brothers out of respect went to accompany her she caused a Slave to throw a wet Cowcomber at Gonçalo which according to the Custom of Spain was a hainous affront The Slave fled for shelter to Da. Lambra but it availed him not for in her very Arms they killed him Ruy Velasquez who was then absent as soon as he came in a rage for the affront given his Wife studyed how to revenge himself upon the Seven Brothers He thought it best to ensnare those he design'd to destroy with the show of Friendship and therefore contrived that Gonzalo Gustio should be sent to Cordova upon pretence of receiving some Money of that King but in reality to have him destroyed to which effect he had writ a Letter in Arabick to the King who pitying the Noble Persons Grey-Hairs only caused him to be imprisoned His confinement was not so close but the King's Sister could come at him and on her 't is said he got Mudarra Gonzalez the Founder of the most Noble Family of Manriquez Ruy Velasquez his rage was not appeased with the harm done to Gonzalo Gustio Near to Almenara in the Territory of Arausana at the Foot of the Mountain Moncayo he laid the Seven Brothers in Ambush pretending to make an incursion into the Country of the Moors The Brothers suspected no harm but Nun̄o Salido their Tutor endeavoured to disswade them as fearing some Treachery yet his words were in vain With them were 200 Horse a small number for the Multitude of Moors that fell on him The Treason being discovered the Brothers fought
desperately not so much for any hopes of Victory as to revenge their own Deaths They were all killed and with them their Tutor Salido the Heads being sent to Cordova afforded a pleasant Spectacle to the King but a sad one to their Father to whom tho' wounded and disfigured they were shown This misfortune moving the King to Compassion he freely dismiss'd Gonzalo Gustio Mudarra begoten on the King's Sister being 14 Years of Age was by her sent to his Father and afterwards revenged the Death of his Brothers killing Ruy Velasquez Da. Lumbra his Wife the cause of all these mischiefs was stoned to Death and burnt Mudarra by revenging his Brothers gained the Love of his Mother-in-Law and all the Family to that degree that he inherited his Fathers Estate Besides Da. Sancha adopted him after this strange yet remarkable Manner The same day he was Baptized and Knighted by the Earl Garci Sanchez his Mother-in-Law resolving to adopt him put over him the Sleeve of a very large Smock and his Head coming out at the top of it she Kissed him and thus he was received into the Family and looked upon as her Son Ordon̄o was Son of Mudarra his Grandson was James Ordon̄ez de Lara he that fought the Sons of Arias Gonzala who defended their Country from the infamy of having killed King Sancho slain by Vellido Dolphos as shall be related in its place This James Ordon̄ez was Father to Earl Peter well known for the Love Queen Vrraca showed him and Grandfather to Amalaricus de Lara Lord of Molina from whom is descended the Family of Manriquez and even that of the Kings of Portugal by the Mother's side for Mafalda Daughter of Amalaricus was Marryed to D. Alonso the first of the name and first King of Portugal tho' some will have it that Mafalda was of the House of Savoy But more shall be said of this hereafter The Tomb of Mudarra is to be seen in the Cloister of the Monastery of S. Peter de Arlanza That Monastery and the other of S. Millan de la Cogulla are at Variance about which of them has the seven Brothers Spain was now at Peace after so many Combustions and there rather wanted the Power than the will to raise new ones This quiet lasted till the 7th Year after the Death of the seven Brothers which was the Year of our Lord 993. when the Moors wasted the Country of Portugal and breaking a new into Galicia again took and burnt the City Compostella Nor had they spared the Apostles Sepulcher but that a sudden Light which appeared over it terrifyed them The Bells as a Trophy of their Victory they caused to be carryed on the Backs of Christians to Cordova where for many Years they served instead of Lamps in the Mosque Divine Vengeance pursued them many dyed of the Flux many of the Plague and many at the hands of the Christians the King keeping close in their rear and doing them great harm Few returned home One of them was Mahomet the General This same Year dyed D. Garcia King of Navarre his Son Garci Sanchez called the Trembler as was said before succeeded him He Reigned 7 Years was very Famous for many Victories obtained Liberal or rather Prodigal which drained his Treasures and obliged him to lay new Taxes In the Monastery of S. Millan̄ there are Grants of this King let every one judge what credit is to be given to them In them 't is specified that he had a Brother called Gonzalo and that he with his Mother Vrraca had the Kingdom of Aragon which if true either that Dominion lasted not long or he dying without Issue it fell again to his Brother King Bermudo joyful with his success against the Moors began to consider that if the Forces of the Christians were united it were easie to gain upon the Infidels and keep them under Hereupon he sent Embassadors to the King of Navarre and Earl of Castile to invite them laying aside all Animosities to enter into a League with him for the common Good Those Princes readily agreed to such advantageous Proposals and a powerful Army was formed of the three Nations The King of Navarre came not in Person being as is supposed busie in setling his new acquired Kingdom King Bermudo tho' Sick of the Gout was carried in a Litter and with the Earl of Castile moved towards the Moors of whom they were informed that having raised new Forces and plunder'd great part of Galicia they now marched towards Castile Near a Town called Calacanaçor on the Frontiers of Castile and Leon the two Armies met and came to a Battle which was obstinately fought till Night parted them without discerning which side had the better only that the Moors marched away in silence by Night which show'd they had got the worst of it Besides it was more like a Flight than Retreat for they left much of their Baggage in the Camp and for haste droped no less along the way they marched It is said this misfortune went so much to the heart of the Moorish General Mahomet that he dy'd in the Valley of Begalcorax refusing to take any Sustenance in the Year of our Lord 998. This Man managed the Government of the Moors 25 Years for his King who minded nothing but his ease He was a Man of great Courage an Enemy to Idleness and entred the Territories of the Christians 52 several times coming off very often Victorious The same day the Battle was fought at Calacanaçor one in the Habit of a Fisherman was seen at Cordova on the Bank of the River Guadalquivir singing in Arabick and Spanish Metre At Calacanacor Almanzor lost the drum It was believ'd the Devil in Humane Shape proclaimed their Defeat because the People of Cordova endeavouring to lay hold of him he vanished like a Shadow The dead General 's Body was carried to Medinaçeli CHAP. VII The Death of King Bermudo the Gouty and beginning of the Reign of D. Alonso the Fifth King of Leon. Many Troubles among the Moors The Earl of Castile slain by the Infidels AFter the Death of Mahomet his Son Abdelmelic took upon him the Government of that Kingdom the same Year his Father dy'd and continued in that command 6 Years and 8 Months From this time forward the Kingdom of the Moors which had been supported by the Valour of Mahomet began visibly to decline Civil Discord the Bane of all Empires and bad Government were the cause of its decay Abdelmelic who was more inclinable to Peace than War took little notice of the first Eruptions of those Tumults which ought to have been suppressed in their first rise True it is immediately after his Father's Death he entred the Teritories of the Christians spreading a great Terror and threw down to the Ground all that had been built since the City Leon was last destroyed Yet the beginning of this War was more successful to the Moors than the end for
to lay hold of the opportunity his absence offered for enlarging his Dominions For the more security to his designs he entred into League with the Kings of Zaragoça Huesca and Tudela tho' Moors and joyn'd his Forces with theirs With them he broke into Navarre and laid Siege to Tafalla a Town of note It hap'ned D. Garcia at the same time returned from his Pilgrimage and gathering what Strength he could on a sudden fell upon his Brother with such fury that he forced him to fly out of Aragon without stopping till he came to Sobrarve His flight was with such precipitation that he was obliged to leap upon the next Horse that came to hand without Saddle or Bridle These were the beginnings of greater Troubles that ensued The Nobility of Leon were offended at Ferdinand King of Castile and stirred up their King D. Bermudo against him D. Bermudo himself was dissatisfied for that the other had Marry'd his Sister against his will and Conquered a considerable part of his Dominions as was said in the last Book There was a fair opportunity of taking revenge the Brothers being at variance and King Ferdinand's Force but very small Wherefore D. Bermudo gathers an Army and enters Castile D. Ferdinand called upon his Brother D. Garcia for Aid who came speedily to his relief Their Forces being joyn'd they advance towards their Enemy and Encamp'd in sight of him on the Banks of the River Carrion in the Valley of Tamaron near a Town called Lantada Both sides were eager to fight so there was no time lost but they presently came to a Battle which proved very bloody and great numbers were slain In the heat of the Action D. Bermudo resolutely broke into the midst of the Enemies designing to single out King Ferdinand but was wounded with a Spear whereof he fell down dead His Death put an end to the War for King Ferdinand after this Victory entred the Kingdom of Leon which then belonged to him of Right and easily possessed himself of it notwithstanding some opposition was made only in hatred to the Government of a Stranger But Courage without Strength is useless The City of Leon at first shut its Gates against the Conqueror but being wholly unprovided of all Necessaries to hold out a Siege soon surrendered The Citizens conducted the King with great Joy to the Church of S. Mary de Regla where he was Proclaimed and Crowned Servandus Bishop of Leon performed the Ceremony in the Year of Grace 1038. D. Ferdinand Reign'd in Leon 28 Years 6 Months and 12 Days and 12 Years more in Castile part before and part after the Death of his Father CHAP. II. Ferdinand of Castile and Leon the most powerful King of Spain Overthrows the Moors takes several Towns and ravages the Territories of the Infidels Ramiro King of Aragon Wars on his Brother of Navarre BY the addition of this new Kingdom D. Ferdinand became the most powerful King in Spain His Zeal for Religion and many Vertues which were no way inferior to his Power and Warlike Atchievements caused him to be called the Great and the Flattery of his People extended so far as to stile him Emperor Besides he was fortunate in a numerous Issue His first Child before he came to the Crown was D. Vrraca next D. Sancho who succeeded him then D. Elvira who was Married to the Count de Cabra after her D. Alonso who at last became sole Sovereign of all those Dominions and lastly D. Garcia the youngest all of them by one Wife These Children were educated with that care as became their Dignity D. Ferdinand having setled his Government enjoyed a perfect Peace but thought nothing could gain him more Reputation among his People or be more pleasing to God than to make War upon the Moors That part of the Country lying betwixt the Rivers Guadiana and Tagus and along the River Duero being then the Frontiers of the Moors was called Estremadura and still retains the name Having raised a considerable Army he marched towards those Borders as being the nearest and because the Moors then had made an Inroad into the Country of the Christians and taken a great Booty The King marched with such speed that he put them to flight and recovered all the Prey Then encouraged with success he marched into their Territories wasting all the Country about Merida and Badajoz without sparing any thing that came in his way but driving a vast number of Cattle and Prisoners Besides he took two Towns the one called Sena and the other Gani. In Portugal after a long Siege and vigorous Resistance made by the Moors the City Viseo surrendered The taking of this City was most grateful to the King not only in regard of its great importance but also because in it he found the Moor who as was said before killed his Father-in-law D. Alonso with a Dart he threw from the Wall His death the King now revenged on the Infidel putting out his Eyes cutting off both his Hands and one of his Feet At this time also were taken from the Moors the Castles of S. Martin and Taranço Hence the King went to the Church of S. James the Apostle to pay his Vows made and offer new ones to obtain that Saint's assistance for the future as he had till then This hap'ned the second Year after he was possessed of the Crown of Leon. The following Year which was of our Lord 1040. he commenced the War with greater heat than before by the Siege of Coimbra which at length was surrendred to him upon Discretion Want of all Necessaries obliged the Besieged to submit after enduring a Siege of seven Months which some Authors mistake and would make seven Years At that time it was one of the most famous Cities in Portugal now much more renown'd for Learning having been made an University by King John III. of Portugal who assigned great Revenues to it and it is one of the chiefest in Spain It is said the Monks of a Monastery called Lormanus or rather Lorvao were a great help towards carrying on the Siege by relieving the King's Army with great store of Provision they had laid up unknown to the Moors What return the King made is not known By the taking of this City the Territories of the Kingdom of Leon were extended to the River Mondego which runs thro' it and is called in Latin Monda The King gave the Government of this City and adjacent Country to one Sisnandus a Man well skilled in the manner of fighting with the Moors having served Benabet King of Sevil in his Wars against the Christians such was the corruption of that Age. After setling his Conquest the King again returned to visit the Church of St. James and offered part of the Spoil in acknowledgment for his Success past and to beg a continuance for the future This done he took a Progress to the principal Cities of Castile and Leon in manner
concluded betwixt those two Crowns Thus much concerning the Original of this Order of Knighthood I know some will have King Alonso the Chast and others King Ramiro to be the Founders of it long belong this time but they have no grounds for it In France after much trouble Peace was concluded betwixt the King of Aragon and Earl of Toulouze who was dissatisfied for that the King obstructed the Marriage of his Son with the Daughter of the late Earl of Provence The King gave him 3000 Marks of Silver to quit his pretensions and his Son Married the Sister of Trencavelle Viscount of Carcassonne her name was Beatrix Hugo Great Master of the Templers was very instrumental in making this Accommodation Castile after a long Oppression began now through the Valour of its King D. Alonso to lift up its head At the same time the power of the Moors declined The Almohades wholly taken up with the affairs of Africk had not leasure to mind Spain Besides Aven Jacob Successor to Abdelmon tho' of sufficient Valour yet equalled not his Father in good Fortune The King of Castile being now at Age resolved not to let slip so good an opportunity of inlargeing his Territories Having therefore taken his revenge on Navarre and Leon he consulted with the King of Aragon about carrying on the War against the Moors and it was determined to begin by the Conquest of Cuenca This City was built by the Moors on a high and Craggy Hill shut up on two sides by the Rivers Xucar and Huecar so that it is naturally impregnable The ascent is difficult the Streets narrow so steep that Horses cannot go in many of them In those days it had no Spring nor Wells at present Water has been brought to it from other Hills so that it was easie to keep the Town from Water but not practicable to assault it by reason of the Cragginess of the Ground Great preparations were made in both Kingdoms and many Captains of note and Prelates attended the Kings in this Expedition Among them Peter de Açagrd being now reconciled to the Kings was the first that took his Post before the City The Siege was begun with the Year and there being no Possibility of Battering or Assaulting the Town lasted long the Moors defending themselves in hopes of relief Provisions grew as scarce in the Camp as in the Town and they lived only upon plunder Besides there was no Money to pay the Soldiers and invite Vivandiers These difficulties moved the King of Castile to go to Burgos to raise Money The Cortes or Parliament being Assembled it was proposed that not only the Commonalty but Nobility and Gentry who used to be free from Taxes should pay to the King five Maravedies of Gold a Head for that the populace was before wasted with Taxes This advice was given by D. James de Haro Lord of Biscay whose Sister was Marryed to the King of Leon and brought him two Sons Sancho and Garcia Peter Earl of Lara opposed it and a great number of Nobility joyning him left the Assembly resolving to maintain their Priviledges by force of Arms. The King moved by this danger gave over that Tax It was agreed among the Nobles to make an Annual Feast to Peter of Lara and his Successors in Memory of this Mutinous exploit Whilst these debates were at Burgos the Siege having lasted Nine Months Cuenca was at last taken in the Month of September 1177. This same Year was Fortunate to Navarre in the Birth of Ferdinand of whom the Fruitful Queen Beatrix was delivered after she had brought Sancho Raymund Berengaria Teresa and Blanch. For the greater honour of the City Cuenca it was by consent of the Pope made a Bishoprick the Priviledges of Valera an Episcopal See in the time of the Goths being translated thither To the Citizens was granted the Priviledge of sending Representatives to the Cortes or Parliament In reward of their good Service the Aragonians were freed from the Homage they ow'd to Castile A League was concluded betwixt the two Kings against all Princes except him of Leon who was exempted in respect to his Kindred After Cuenca the War continuing Alarcon a place of no less strength was taken Also the Town of Iniesta better known for its Salt-Pits the Salt whereof is like Transparent Stone than for the goodness of the soil The Knights of St. James that they might be nearer the Moors were Ordered to settle their Monastery at Vcles whence King Ferdinand of Leon repenting what he had done would have had them return to their first Habitation After much debate it was agreed that Four Priests of that Order should be sent to Leon who should still be Subject to the Monastery of Vcles which they afterwards refused and Pope Vrban I. Ordered the Monasteries should be independent of one another only subject to the great Master of the Order Not long after these Knights were admitted to Portugal and had large Possessions given them They for many Years obey'd the Great Master of the Order till King Denis assigning them a Head of their own withdrew them from any dependance on Castile Tho' these things fell out in several Years they are put together to ease the Memory Let us return to the series of the History The King of Castile now built the City Plasencia on the Borders of his Kingdom and made it a Bishoprick The Walls of Toledo were repaired and the Town of Alarcos rebuilt All this hap'ned in the Year of our Lord 1178. At the same time Alonso King of Aragon upon the death of Giraldus Earl of Russillon who dy'd without Issue seized upon that Earldom and from thence forward stiled himself King of Aragon Earl of Barcelona and Russillon and Marquess of Provence On the 20th of March 1179. he set out from Perpignan towards Cazola where he was to have an interview with the King of Castile Here it was agreed that Valencia Xativa Denia and their Dependancies should belong to the Conquest of Aragon All the other Towns in the Kingdom of Murcia were assigned to Castile They also made a League against Sancho King of Navarre to his great loss for the Castillians took from him the Towns of Briviesca Cerezo Logron̄o and all that lies between the Mountains Doca and Calahorra To these Roderick the Archbishop adds Navarrete Thence the Army of Castile marched towards Leon where they plundered and wasted all the Country The King of Leon being too weak to defend himself Sollicited him of Aragon putting him in mind this was a breach of the Confederacy made at Cuenca There only wanted a pretence for the Kingdom of Aragon to break with Castile therefore he sent to demand Restitution of Hariza and its Castle and in case of refusal to declare War Great were the Apprehensions of a Bloody War yet the King of Castile's modesty prevented it for he restored Hariza and forbore carrying on the War
Authority Conrad Son to the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who was going a Pilgrimage and Raymund Earl of Toulouze were present at that Assembly and Knighted by the King according to the Custom of Spain A Match was also agreed upon betwixt Conrade and Berengaria the King's Daughter but at last it took no effect The Kings of Aragon and Navarre in the Month of September 1190. had a Conference at Borgia and there concluded a League against Castile Afterwards Leon and Portugal were drawn into the Confederacy at Huesca where the Embassadors of those two Crowns met the King of Aragon There to the former Articles it was added that none of those Princes should make Peace or Truce or declare War without the consent of the others The Treaty was signed in May 1191. This same Year Pope Clement III. departed this Life at Rome and Celestin III. succeeded him Gonzalo Archbishop of Toledo dy'd in August the same Year In his time King Alonso gave the Towns of Talamanca and Esquivias to that Church Martin Lopez for his extraordinary Actions and Generosity call'd the Great succeeded him This same Year the River Tagus was Frozen at Toledo a thing very rare in that Temperate Climate James Lopez de Haro Lord of Biscay the greatest among the Nobility of Castile and Governour of Briviesca Najara and Soria perswaded the King to assemble the Cortes or Parliament at Carrion in the Year 1192. for carrying on the War against the Moors Least the Kings of Leon and Navarre with whom Castile was at Variance should take any advantage while the King was employ'd against the Infidels a Peace was concluded with those Princes Then Martin Archbishop of Toledo was Ordered to Commence the War as a prelude to what follow'd In Aragon the Earl of Vrgel who since his Father's death had been out of the Kingdom upon account of the Enmity betwixt him and Ponce de Cabrera a Powerful Man now at length came and submitted himself to the King Gaston Earl of Bearne Marry'd a Daughter of Bernard Earl of Cominges and with her had in Dower the Lordship of Bigorre in Feof of the King of Aragon Berengarius Bishop of Tarragona was kill'd on the 16th of February 1194. by Michael de Moncada as is reported but the cause of their Enmity is not known On the 17th of June following dy'd at Pamplona Sancho King of Navarre for his more than Ordinary Learning Sirnamed the Wise His Body was bury'd with great Pomp in the Cathedral of that City He Reign'd 43 Years 7 Months and 6 Days By his Wife Sancha Aunt to the King of Castile he left Ferdinand Ramiro Berengaria Teresa Blanch and the eldest of them all that succeeded him was Sancho VIII King of Navarre who for the greatness of his Spirit and Warlike actions obtained the Title of the Strong He was also called The Confin'd for that towards his end he was long shut up in the Castle of Tudela by reason of a Cancer he had and would suffer no Body to see him There remain many Footsteps of his Magnificence and particularly he turned the Channel of the River Erbo to bring it to Tudela and built a Bridge over it He founded two Monasteries of Cistercians called Fitero and Oliva and a Church of the invocation of St. Mary at Roncesvalles for himself and his Successors to be Bury'd His Wife was Clemencia Daughter to Raymund IV. Earl of Toulouze by her he had Ferdinand who dy'd before his Father of a fall he had from his Horse in hunting and was bury'd in the Church of S. Mary at Tudela At the time of D. Sancho's Accession to the Crown all Spain was under the apprehension of a Bloody War Martin Archbishop of Toledo had broke into Andaluzia and made great havock putting all the Country to fire and Sword and no Body attempting to oppose him returned with a rich Booty The Moors incensed at this loss gathered all their Forces and Abenjoseph Mazemute Miramamolin of Africk came into Spain with a vast Multitude of Men for not only the Almohades but the Arabs and Ethiopians follow'd him This Inundation pass'd over Sierra Morena and incamped near Alarcos a Town built not long before by the Christians King Alonso was no ways daunted but having sent to the Kings of Leon and Navarre for aid advanced to Alarcos and pitch'd his Camp near the Enemy whose Multitude fill'd all those Hills and Plains Some advised to wait the coming of the two Kings others more hot would not give them any share in the honour of that Action The worst advice took place both Armies drew out and a Battle was fought near Alarcos upon Wednesday the 19th of June 1195. Great Bravery was shown on both sides but the Multitude of the Enemy prevailed our Army was put to flight great Numbers slain and among them Martin Martinez Great Master of Calatrava Some say Martin Archbishop of Toledo was in this fight James de Haro the Principal Promoter of this War behav'd himself ill and withdrew at the beginnig of the Battle to Alarcos either despairing of success or as some will have it being disgusted with the King for comparing the Gentry of Andaluzia to the Nobility of Castile in Bravery The Moors after the Victory not only took Alarcos but entred the Kingdom of Toledo as far as Yevenes which is Six Leagues from that City and then turned back In our days there remain only some ruins of Alarcos and a Church of Our Lady held in great Veneration it is supposed the Infidels destroyed that place This misfortune was deem'd a judgment of God on the King for that Neglecting his Wife he was fallen in Love with a Jewish Woman whom the Nobility in scorn caused to be killed The King being in a rage for the loss of her an Angel appeared to him in the same form he had one painted and with threats oblig'd him to give over that fondness In the Church of Illescas on the right hand of the High-Altar is a Chapel called the Angel with an Inscription signifying that to be the place where the Angel appear'd to King Alonso the Good so he is stiled The Kings of Leon and Navarre hearing of the disaster befallen at Alarcos drew back their Forces He of Leon visited King Alonso but he of Navarre returned without so much as Saluting him which affront the King of Castile highly resented and resolved to take revenge not only of the Moors but of the Navarrois CHAP. VIII King Alonso of Aragon dies and his Son Peter succeeds him The King of Leon divorc'd Castilians and Aragonians over-run Navarre Alonso King of Castile 's two Daughters Marry'd to the Kings of England and Leon. Plague and Famine in Spain THE following Year being 1196. dyed King Alonso of Aragon the second of the Spanish Kings in Power in Valour inferior to none He breath'd his last at Perpignan at a time his Kingdom enjoy'd Plenty and
some security for their Impartial Administration of the Government but no Bonds can contain Ambitious Spirits As soon as they were put into Power D. Alvaro the eldest of the three Brothers departed from Burgos where this Act of Renunciation was perform'd The first thing he did was to Banish certain Noblemen then he seized upon all publick Revenues and spar'd not those of the Church From lay Patrons who had the right of presenting to Benefices he took that Priviledge upon pretence of restoring the immunities of the Church He did all things by open force without any regard to the Laws or good of the Publick His Extravagancies were such as oblig'd Roderick Dean of Toledo and the Archbishop's Vicar to Excommunicate him This check drew him back a little and he made some reparation of damages yet his Mind was not alter'd He summoned the Cortes or Parliament to Valladolid whether resorted for the most part such as were of his Faction who in the name of the whole Kingdom only study'd to secure him the Government Many of the Nobility were offended that D. Alvaro should thus Usurp all the Power Particularly Lope de Haro Son to James de Haro and D. Gonzalo Ruiz Giron the Lord High-Steward resented this disorderly proceeding and having consulted together had recourse to Queen Berengaria complaining against her for resigning the Government and advising to reassume it before all things were brought to destruction Their words mov'd the Queen yet being a Woman she durst not oppose so great a Power as theirs was who had the Command of all the Forces in the Kingdom Therefore fearing least Violent Councils might produce greater mischiefs she thought it the best expedient to put the Three Brothers of Lara in Mind of the Oath they had taken when they entred upon the Goverment which they had much infringed This Admonition only served the more to provoke D. Alvaro who thereupon not only seiz'd upon the Queen's Lands but Commanded her to depart the Kingdom The Queen to prevent further mischief with her Sister Ellenor retired to the strong Castle of Otella near Palencia Many of the Nobility declar'd for her and continued firm till the Death of the King her Brother All this tended to an open breach and to increase the Division the Office of High-Steward was taken from D. Gonçalo Giron and given to Ferdinand de Lara D. Alvaro's Brother The King tho' young lik'd not these proceedings and studied how to make his escape to his Sister but it was in vain for D. Alvaro kept strict watch upon him Besides the more to gain his Favour he allured him with pleasures and talk'd of Marrying him To this purpose Embassadors were sent to conclude a Match for him with Malfada Sister to King Alonso of Portugal The Nuptials were Celebrated at Palencia Queen Berengaria was much concern'd at it because the King was so Young Therefore she writ to the Pope informing him how near of Kin the Marry'd Couple were The Pope upon this information appointed Tello Bishop of Palencia and Maurice of Burgos Commissioners to examine that affair and in case they found it as the Queen said to disannul the Marriage As soon as the Bishops received the Pope's Bull they examined the affair and finding the Kindred to be as had been said order'd them to be divorc'd Thus the Bride still a Virgin as is believ'd return'd to Portugal where in the Monastery of Rucha built by herself she spent the rest of her Life much afflicted not only for that disgrace but because D. Alvaro had presumed to offer to Marry her himself This in Castile in the Year of Grace 1216. in which dy'd Pope Innocent III. inferior to few of his Predecessors for Piety and Learning Honorius III. a Native of Rome succeeded him in whose time dy'd in that City Mary Queen of Aragon Mother to King Jaime Her Body was bury'd in the Vatican near the Tomb of St. Petronila In her Will she recommended her Son and Kingdom to the Pope as Universal Father That Kingdom being divided into Factions and the King being so Young stood in need of such Protection which that Pope afforded it as long as he liv'd At this time Raymund Earl of Provence being invited by his Subjects made his escape from the Castle of Monçon where he was kept as a Prisoner with the King of Aragon and getting safe into his Country appeased many differences that were among the Nobility for want of a Head every one striving to have a hand in the Government Thomas Earl of Maurienne of the House of Savoy had a Daughter called Beatrix who was Marry'd to this Raymund Earl of Provence By her he had Four Daughters three of them Marry'd to Kings and the fourth to an Emperor Raymund's Escape was the cause the King of Aragon was set at Liberty William Monredon Master of the Templers fear'd the King might in like manner be taken from him and then others would reap the benefit of setting him at Liberty whilst he should undergo the blame of having kept him confin'd He therefore consulted with Peter de Açagra Lord of Albaracin and with Peter Ahones both Men in great Power who joyn'd with themselves Aspargus Archbishop of Tarragona and William of Taraçona These in the Month of September resolved to set the King at Liberty and commit the Government of the Kingdom to him notwithstanding he was but Nine Year of Age and took an Oath to bind themselves to the performance hereof This was not done so privately but that Sancho the King's Unkle who then governed the Kingdom had notice of it and in a rage threatned to wash the way the King was to go with Blood With this resolution he march'd with a good Body of Men to Selga a Town on the road the King was to take This being known affrighted the King so that tho' in that tender Age he put on a Coat of Mail to fight if there were occasion D. Sancho tho' he could not have failed of success there being so small a Number with the King durst not attack them and the King having escap'd that danger went on to Huesca and thence to Zaragoca There and in all places he was received with great Joy all Men hoping his Liberty would put an end to the publick Calamities For the establishing of good Order it was requisite to raise Money the Revenues being wasted in the late troubles This want was supply'd by the Catalonians who raised the Tax called Bovaticum because it is laid on Oxen and other Cattle It is rare that this Tax is laid and notwithstanding King Peter had levy'd it three times yet it was now granted to his Son Jaime in the Year of Grace 1217. By these Means a sufficient Fund of Money was Furnished to supply the King's Wants and raise Forces to quell any Insurrection CHAP. V. Great disorders in Castile raised by the Family of Lara Young King Henry killed by the
to Toledo he sent a great Sum of Money to Cordova to relieve the Inhabitants who suffer'd want the Country about them lying still waste A Bushel of Wheat was worth 12 Maravedies and a Bushel of Barly 4 which in that Age was an extrordinary rate In the following Year 1239. we find there were two Eclypses of the Sun one on the 3d of June being Friday when the Sun at Noon day was so darkned as if it had been night The other on the 25th of the same Month as Bernard Guido an Aragonian Historian writes But there must be some mistake in this last for there could not be a Conjunction of the Sun and Moon at that time and nothing else can cause an Eclypse of the Sun Pliny affirms the Eclypse of the Moon cannot return till the 5th Month and that of the Sun till the 7th That Year was unlucky to Castile for the Death of two Notable Men. These were D. Lope de Haro to whom succeeded his Son James and D. Alvaro de Castro who made good our Party in Andaluzia This Gentleman perceiving the evil posture of Affairs went to Toledo to acquaint the King with it and being upon his return dy'd by the way at Orgaz During his absence 50 Soldiers under the Command of Alonso de Meneses D. Alvaro's Kinfman went out of the Castle of Martos to plunder Albamar chosen King of Arjona in the place of Abenhut having notice of that advantage laid Siege to the Castle D. Alvaro's Lady caus'd all the Women to Arm themselves and cast Stones from the Wall making show as if they had been Soldiers Thus they defended themselves till D. Alonso and his Company having Intelligence of their danger return'd and being encourag'd by one James Perez de Vargas of Toledo fought their way thro' the Enemy They being entred the Moorish King raised the Siege for want of Provisions The loss of those two great Men not a little perplex'd the King who upon it set out from Burgos travelling with all speed towards Cordova With him went his two Sons Alonso and Ferdinand Princes excellently qualified and now at age to bear Arms. At the same time King Jayme went to Montpellier to try if he could raise some Money in that City which he stood in need of no less than he of Castile besides he design'd to quiet that City then divided into Factions and punish the Mutiniers He compassed both his Designs Albamar the Moorish King to his other Dominions by the consent of the People joyn'd the famous City Granada and this was the beginning of that Kingdom which lasted till the age of our Grandfathers At Murcia the Citizens in hatred to Alhamar chose for their King one Humiel which gave occasion to the mortal Enmity that continu'd many Years betwixt those two Cities The Moors of Andaluzia tired out the Christians with false Alarms and Ambushes but would never come to a Battle On the contrary the King's Forces took from them many Towns Cities and Castles Among these were of Note Ezija Estepa Lucena Porcuna Marchena Cabra Ossuna and Vaena Places of less note are not worth nameing some of them were given to the Knights of Santiago and Calatrava and some to the Prelates and Nobles who serv'd the King in those Expeditions These losses put the Moors into the greatest consternation imaginable One of the Family of the Almohades whose Name is not known came now over out of Africk hoping to raise himself a Kingdom by revenging the harm done his Nation by the Christians but by some Policy he was taken tho' the manner or place where it was done is not set down in any History King Ferdinand having concluded a Truce for one Year with Albamar King of Granada after he had spent 13 Months in this Expedition return'd now to Toledo where his Wife and Mother receiv'd him with great Joy for his many Victories Thence he went to Burgos and translated the University of Palencia Founded by his Grandfather King Alonso to Salamanca He was induc'd to make this change by the conveniency of this City for Schollars the River Tormes coming up to it and supplying it with all Necessaries Besides this he had another reason which was to oblige the Kingdom of Leon within whose Limits Salamanca stands His Father Alonso King of Leon had there laid some small Foundation of an University that his Subjects might not be oblig'd to go for Learning to Castile Now thro' the Bounty of his Son Ferdinand and afterwards of his Grandson Alonso a great Favourer of Learning it so increased that no place in the World affords greater Rewards of Learning or has better Salaries for the Professors of Arts and Sciences D. James de Haro Lord of Biscay about this time Revolted twice the cause not known the goodness of King Ferdinand and care of his Son Alonso still reduc'd him bestowing greater Favours on him than before Respect was had to the Services of his Ancestors and it was of evil consequence to be imploy'd in Civil Broils when there was so fair an opportunity of Extirpating the Moors These things hap'ned in the Year of our Lord 1240. The same Year in the King's absence the Garison of Valencia under the Command of William de Aguillon and other Men of Note plundred the Territory of Xativa took Rebolledo by surprize and besieg'd the Castle of Chjo which stands on the Mountains and is an Inlet to a delightful and pleasant Plain 20000 Moors came to the Relief of it who charg'd the Christians with great Resolution but were overthrown and put to flight After this Victory the Castle was taken and demolished At the King's return the Moors complained of this breach of Truce and Reparation was made them No sooner did that Truce expire but the King entring their Country took the Castle of Bayren seated in a Valley that bears Sugar and Rice as does all the Territory of Gandia Villena was also taken and Castillon but Xativa tho' Besig'd held out In the midst of these Actions the King was called away to Affairs of greater moment in France Each having setled his Kingdom in the best manner time would permit The King of Arragon prepared to depart into France and he of Castile into Andaluzia A dangerous Sickness detain'd King Ferdinand at Burgos Alonso his eldest Son was sent before to carry on the War because the Truce was almost expired and the Frontiers must be Reliev'd lest they should be in danger Alonso being come to Toledo there met him Embassadors from Hudiel King of Murcia offering him that Kingdom upon these Conditions That Hudiel being taken into the Protection of the Kings of Castile should by them be defended from all Domestick and Foreign Enemies and particulary against Alhamar King of Granada whom of himself he was not able to withstand That during his Life he should enjoy half the Revenues of that Crown These Conditions were very advantagious It was
month dy'd D. Gonçalo Archbishop of Toledo D. Vasco or Blas then Bishop of Palâ—ncia succeeded him From Aguilar the King went to Cordova at such time as Dâ— Maria de Padilla was brought to Bed of â— Daughter call'd Beatrix Thence he return'd into the Kingdom of Toledo At Torrijos five Leagues from Toledo in a Turnament made for Joy of his Success and Birth of his Daughter the King receiv'd a Wound in his Hand which had like to have cost him his Life foâ— that the Surgeons could find no means to stop the Blood To this Town came D. Alonso â—â— Albuquerque who had been on an Embassy in Portugâ—â— and brought with him D. John de la 〈◊〉 whom the King receiv'd into Favour with demonstrations of Affection but could never â—â— prevail'd upon to restore him his Father in Laws Lands for he now began to be positive About this time the Lady Blanch of Borbon came to Valladolid accompany'd by the Viscount of Narbonnâ— and D. Frederick the Master of Santiago who went out to meet her D. Alonso de Albuquerque was for having the Marriage solemniz'd immediately He then was so absolute that at times he spoke disrespectful Words to the King and hastned his Marriage lest Da. Maria de Padilla's Relations should work him out of Favour and so it fell out Yet the Marriagew as solemniz'd on the 3d. of June At the same time in France another more fortunate Marriage was consummated betwixt Charles King of Navarre and the Lady Joanna eldest Daughter to the King of France A Match I say more happy for the 〈◊〉 they always had to one another and their Issue They had three Sons â—â—arles 〈◊〉 and Peter the second dyed young and three Daughters Mary Blaâ—ch and Joâ—â—n◠〈◊〉 liv'd 〈…〉 Years the other two were Match'd to great Princes Before he was Marry'd King Charlâ—s had a Bastard-Son called Leo of whom are descended the Marqueses of Cortes in Navarre The Marqueses of Falces in that Kingdom say they are descended from Peter the Kings lawful Son Scarce was King Peter married when he began to slight the Bride being wholly devoted to Da. Maria de Padilla Two Days after he prepar'd to go to the Castle of Montalvan on the Banks of Tagus where he had left his Minion The Queen his Mother and his Aunt Queen Ellenor conjur'd him not to forsake his Queen and give himself up to his Lust but he nothing mov'd said He did not design any such thing yet immediately took Horse and rode away without speaking to any body Count Henry D. Tello and the Princes of Aragon went with him for now the Nobility study'd to please and flatter him Only D. Giles de Albornos the Cardinal who had been Arch-Bishop of Toledo ceas'd not to reprove him till he became hateful to him Then with leave he retir'd to Cuença and thence went into France to Pope Innocent who had succeeded Pope Clement the last Year The King and Lady Mary Padilla from Montalvan went to Toledo At Valladolid it was consulted how to bring him back by force which he understanding was so offended at D. Alonso de Albuquerque the first mover of that Design that he was forc'd to appease him to deliver up his Son Giles as an Hostage At length through much intreaty of the Nobility he was perswaded to return to Valladolid to see the Queen but stay'd with her only two Days It was given out he was bewithc'd by a Jew with a Ribben so charm'd that it appear'd to the King like a Snake Some believ'd the King did not so suddenly quit his â—â—een without cause but because he discover'd Treachery in his Brother Frederick which I suppose is ment in regard to her Honour But all these are Surmises for there needs no stronger Witchcraft nor other Offence to draw a Man away than Love From Valladolid the King went away to Olmedo a Town in that Neighbourhood Thither by his Order came the Lady Mary de Padilla from Toledo and he never more had Compassion or so much as thought of the Queen his unfortunate Wife CHAP. IX King Peter of Castile removes his Officers punishes some Rebels and reduces several Towns The War of Sardinia where Diseases raging in the Aragonian Army that King clapâ— up a dishonourable Peace and returns to Aragon D. Alonso de Albuquerque being in disgrace spent some time upon his own Estate and then fearing the King would pursue him fled to Portugal D. Frederick Master of Santiâ—go had been discontented ever since the King caus'd his Mother to be put to death but being now reconcil'd came to Cuellar where the Court resided D. Tello his Brother at Segovia Marry'd Joanna Daughter to D. John de Lara and had with her the Lordship of Biscay The Kindred of Da. Maria de Padilla promoted this Match to oblige the King's Brothers who were Enemies to D. Alonso de Albuquerque Queen Blanch resided at Medina del Campo with the Queen her Mother-in-Law living like a Widow and spending her time in modest Recreations Thence she was by the King's Order remov'd to Arevalo and forbid conversing with her Mother-in-Law or any of the Nobility Peter Gudiel Bishop of Segovia and Tello Palomeque a Gentleman of Toledo were appointed to guard her The King chang'd the Officers of his Houshold and made James Garâ—â—a â—â— Padilla Brother to his Mistress Lord Chamberlain Alvaro â—â— Albornâ—z Cup-bearer and Peter Gonzalez Mendoça Taster These changes were made in hatred to D. Alonso de Albuquerque who had before many of his Creatures at Court. In Autumn the King went to Andaluzia and displac'd many great Men preferr'd by Alonso de Albuquerque The King was wholly govern'd by Dâ— Maria de Padilla and her Kindred and 〈…〉 Nobility even his Brothers made their Court to her This Winter the great Rains caus'd mighty Floods especially at Sevil where they made up all the Gates of the City lest it should break in At the beginning of the year 1354. D. John NunÌ„ez de Prado Master of Calâ—â—râ—â—a who had fled to Aragon came to Almagro the chief Town of that Order being invited by the King 's kind Letters There D. John de la Cerda who was in Favour made him Prisoâ—â— His greatest Crime was being a Friend to D. Alonso de Albuquerque and having perswaded the King to return to the Queen D. James de Padilla was immediately chosen Master and John Nunez put to Death at Maqueda The King seem'd sorâ—y for hiâ—â—â—ath but no body being question'd it was concluded to be done by his Comâ—â—â—d Nâ—â—â—â—he King invaded the Inheritance of D. Alonso de Albuquerque in which were manâ—â—â—rong â—â—aces Medeâ—â—â—n was besieg'd and the Governour not able to defend it surrender'd having first obtain'd his Master's Consent The Town of Albuquerque tho' besieg'd held out and D. Frederick and Count Henry were left at Badajoz to Blockade it The King went to Câ—cerâ—s and thence sent Embassadors to Alonso King of
that Age but their Ends were very different Their Birth Age Eloquence and greatness of Spirit were almost equal but their Practices were nothing alike He of Santiago us'd Craft Fawning and Liberality he of Toledo depended upon his Integrity and other good Arts. The former endeavoured to please and attract the great Ones the other was grave and austere The one gave the other had more to give the first protected Criminals the latter was for punishing Offenders The one was always watchful to serve his Friends and deny'd nothing he could perform the other pursu'd a strict Reformation of Abuses and lov'd Virtue The one resented that he had as he thought been wrongfully put by the Archbishoprick of Toledo the other was esteem'd for having obtain'd it without making any Interest for it Besides he was honour'd and fear'd by his Adversaries and tho often undermin'd by them yet he always triumph'd over all their Contrivances in the end It was grievous to the great Ones to have their Pensions retrench'd and therefore some rais'd Tumults in old Castile The Duke of Benavente went away from Madrid in a Passion and seiz'd upon the King 's and Church's Revenues wherever he could Garzi Gonçalez Herera the Marshal was sent to reduce him by fair means He had also orders to Treat with the Queen of Navarre and Earl of Gijon and Trastamara who design'd to join their Forces on the same score The Duke of Benavente answer'd he had left the Court because he could not endure to see Men rais'd from nothing to have all the Power and would not return unless the Children of the three Favourites were given him as Hostages Much to the same purpose was the answer of the other Mutiniers James Lopez de Zuniga was sent by the King to order the Archbishop of Santiago to Court for it was suspected he held Correspondence with the others He answer'd his antient Enmity with the Arch-bishop of Toledo would not permit him to come to Court whilst he was there The King of Navarre understanding the Confusions of Castile thought this a good Opportunity to recover his Wife His Embassadors propos'd their Business to the King of Castile at Atcala de Henares yet tho the King was displeas'd with the Queen he would not use any force towards her she excusing her self as she had done before Then the Embassadors propos'd at least that she should send two Daughters she had with her to their Father but neither was this obtain'd This Affair being over there came Embassadors from Portugal demanding to have the Capitulations of the Truce sign'd by certain Noblemen who had refus'd to sign before These were the Marques de Villena and the Earl of Gijon He of Villena said he would not sign because he had no hand in the Treaty He of Gijon before he sign'd demanded to have certain Towns in Portugal assign'd as his Wifes Portion deliver'd to him Thus the Embassadors return'd re infecta not without Jealousy of a Breach A new Accident of great Concern which happen'd caus'd the Danger that threaten'd from Portugal to be forgot D. Martin Yanez de la Barbuda who in Portugal where he was born was Deputy to the Master of the Knights of Avis left his Employ to side with Castile where he serv'd and in requital for his Service was made Master of Alcantara He was rash and inconsiderate John Sago a Hermit held in the Reputation of Sanctity for his retir'd Life told him by way of Revelation he should grow Famous and Great if he challeng'd the Moors upon account of Religion He was easily perswaded and sent to Granada to challenge that King to Combate in Person or if he refus'd to offer 20 or 30 or 100 Christians should Fight double the Number of Moors and that Religion should be esteem'd truest whose Party was Victorious The Moors affronted his Messengers and sent them away with Scorn He incens'd at it and relying on the Words of the Hermit gather'd 300 Horse and about 5000 Foot all raw Men and ill Arm'd The King knowing of it endeavour'd to disswade him as did the Brothers Alonso and James de Cordova Lords of Aguilar who went out to meet him on his March and labour'd to put him off from that mad Enterprize He was nothing mov'd but broke into the Territories of the Moors on the 26th of April and besieg'd the Tower of Egea on the very Frontires On a sudden the Moorish King came upon him with 5000 Horse and 120000 Foot At the sight of this Multitude the Christians dismay'd Most of the Foot being parted from the Horse were cut off only a few who fled at first escaping The Horse stood together long and above all the Master signaliz'd himself but the Number of the Enemy prevailing he was kill'd with all his Men none offering to turn his Back With the Moors Permission the Body of the Master was convey'd to Alcantara and there bury'd in the Cathedral with this Insoription on the Tomb which he had order'd to be carv'd himself Here lieth he into whose Heart fear never 〈◊〉 This Inscription being told to Charles the Vth he answer'd Doubtless that Gentleman never snuft a Candle with his Fingers Ferdinand Rodriguez de Villalobos an antient and bâ—â—re Man was Deputy to the Master of Calatrava The Knights meeting to choose a Master the King prevail'd to have him elected tho he was a Bastard which was much refented by many but the King's Will and the merit of the Elect prevail'd The Moors tho offended at this Breach of the Truce before they would openly declare War sent an Embassador to complain who found the King at St. Martin de Valdeiglesias The King answer'd that only the Master was to blame for that Attempt and that the Death of him and his Men was sufficient Satisfaction Thus the Moors were appeas'd CHAP. II. Another Rebellion in Castile quell'd by the King Pope Clement dyes and Benedict the XIIIth is elected which continues the Schism The strange Death of John King of Aragon THE Nobility of Old Castile were discontented and made Levies of Men on pretence of serving the King in the War that as has been said was fear'd from Granada but in reality to carry on a Rebellion At the same time the King came to Illescas with a great Retinue thither the Master of Calatrava brought the Marques of Villena to reconcile him to the King and with him came many Men of Note from Aragon He was receiv'd by the King with great Tokens of Affection and presently ask'd to be restor'd to the Honour of Constable conferr'd on him by King John and taken away during the present King's Minority by the Governours The King having taken Advice upon it answer'd he was pleas'd to grant his Request provided he would bear him Company into Old Castile whither he was going to reduce the Rebels He excus'd himself saying he was not provided for such an Expedition and return'd dissatisfy'd to Aragon In
Having ratify'd this agreement the Aragonians on their side chose Dominick Bishop of Huesca Francis de Aranda and Berengarius de Bardax The Catalonians appointed for them Sargarida Arch-bishop of Tarragona William de Valseca and Bernard Gualbe For Valâ—ncia were nam'd F. Vincent Ferrer of the Order of S. Dominick his Brother Boniface Ferrer a Carthusian and Peter Beltran These Judges immediately met and sent their Summons to the Candidates to appear warning such as refus'd that their Pretensions should be utterly lay'd aside Prince Ferdinand sent James Lopez de Zuniga Lord of Bejar and D. Sancho de Rojas Bishop of Palencia who is said by this and the like Negociations to have obtain'd the Earldom of Pernia which the Bishops of Palencia possess to this day For the Earl of Vrgel came Ximeno a Franciscan Bishop of Malta They were oblig'd to take an Oath that they would stand by the Decision of the 9 Judges Luis Duke of Anjou refus'd to appear resolving to make use of Force Besides he excepted against 4 of the Judges as partial Among the Candidates no account was made of Frederick Earl of Luna because he was a Bastard and had no great Interest D. Alonso de Aragon dy'd in the heat of this Dispute and his Son Alonso as also his Brother John Earl of Prades were easily put by being not so near of kin to the late Kings as the other pretenders On the behalf of the Earl of Vrgel it was pleaded That according to antient Custom Females ought wholly to be excluded from any pretension to the Crown and if that were allow'd their Sons could not pretend to the Right their Mothers had not Besides that King Martin in latter days had constituted the Earl Governour of the Kingdom and Constable a certain Sign he thought the Inheritance appertain'd to the said Earl and no other Prince Ferdinand's Agents as they were instructed by Vincent Arias Bishop of Plasencia and the most famous Civilian of that Age made no mention of the Prince's Right by the Female Line but pleaded That the Crown is inherited by Right of Blood therefore when the immediate Line fails and it must fall to one of the collateral Branches there must respect be had to the Sex and Age if they be within the same degree of Consaguinity so that the Male take place of the Female and the elder of the younger without regard to the Stock from which they proceed CHAP. II. Ferdmand Prince of Castile declar'd King of Aragon by the Judges and afterwards proclaim'd at Zaragoca He settles the Kingdom besieges and takes the Earl of Urgel who aspir'd to the Crown WHen the Judges had heard what each of the Competitors had to say and the case had been thoroughly argu'd they clos'd the Informations and conferr'd together about the Judgment they were to give They kept their Opinions private and held the People in suspence as desirous to see the end of that Debate To give Judgment with the Solemnity that was requisite and to the satisfaction of all Men they caus'd a large Scaffold to be erected before the Church so high that they might be seen all round Mass was said by the Bishop of Huesca as is usual in such Casts Then the Judges came out of the Church and seated themselves at the upper end of the Scaffold and in another place the Embassadors of the Candidates Pope Benedict was present and had a great Hand in the Affair F. Vincent Ferrer for his great Sanctity and paticular skill in preaching was employ'd to make a Speech to the People and pronounce the Sentence His Haraâ—gue being ended all Men were attentive to hear the new King nam'd Then F. Vincent with a loud Voice read the Decree of all the Judges which he had in Writing When he came to name Ferdinand the Shouts and Acclamations were so great they seem'd to rend the Skies and nothing else could be heard for a long time After they had somewhat ceas'd the Musick there ready sang the Te Deum This remarkable Act was perform'd on the last day of June which ended immediately Embassadors were sent to give Notice thereof to Prince Ferdinand and hasten his coming He was then at Cuenca in care for the Event of that Affair Embassadors came from all parts to Congratulate with him some out of Love others to temporize Particularly Sigismund the new Emperor elected the last May a Prince more fortunate in Peace than in War and famous for restoring Unity to the Church by putting an end to the Schism that had so long continu'd sent to give him Joy of his Accession to that Crown Prince Perdinand as soon as he had setled his private Affairs went away to Varagâ—\l = c \a in which City he was proclaim'd King on the 3d of September The Nobility did Homage and took the usual Oath of Allegiance to him and his eldest Son Prince Alonso whom they acknowledg'd true Heir of the Crown after the death of his Father giving him the Title of Prince of Girona in imitation of Castile whereas till then the eldest Sons of the Kings of Aragon were call'd Dukes of that City Of the Competitors to the Crown there came to that solemnity Frederick Earl of Luna and D. Alonso de Aragon the younger Duke of Gandia The Earl of Vrgel to excuse himself pretended Sickness but in reality thought to possess himself by force of Arms of the Crown which he said was wrongfully taken from him Of himself he was but weak nor had he any Allies to support him and therefore resolv'd to make use of the Assistance of the Duke of Clarence Son to the King of England 〈…〉 great Power at that time These Practices perplexed the new King considering 〈…〉 times a small Spark not quenched raises a great Flame However as soon as the Solomnity was over he thought fit in the first Place to apply himself to the Affairs of Sicily and Sardinia which were in danger of being lost The Genoeses tho they aim'd at the Conquest of Sardinia yet mov'd by the Fame that was spread abroad of the new King sent Baptista Gigala and Peter Perseo Embassadors to Congratulate with him By their means a Truce was established betwixt those two Nations for five Years In Sicily Bernard de Cabrera was Prisoner being surpriz'd by his Enemies at Palermo and put into the Castle of Mota near Tavormina He was kept more strictly than became his Quality or suited with his former Services but as he deserved for his insolent Design of marrying the Queen Dowager without considering her Dignity or his own Age which was far advanc'd Sancho Ruyz de Lâ—horri Admiral of the Sicilian Sea was the chief Man that oppos'd and brought him to this Condition The new King order'd the should be set at Liberty upon Condition he immediately departed out of Sicily and as soon as possible appear'd before him to answer to such things as should be lay'd to his Charge This
into possession of his Estate before his death This produced a new debate for Joanna Daughter to the Earl deceased and Wife to D. Luis the Earl of Benavente's Son claimed that Earldom Upon this account both Parties were in Arms. King Ferdinand Commanded them to stand to the determination of the Law threatning to fall upon him that should refuse yet he favoured the Grandson of the deceased who was in possession Whilst he was busie in Galicia the Moores near Malaga made a great slaughter of our Men which was the greatest loss we sustained during that War Peter Enriquez Lieutenant of Andaluzia having with the Assistance of the Earl of Cadiz recovered his Town of Can̄ete and Fortified it was desirous to be revenged upon the Moores D. Alonso de Aguilar and the Master of Santiago had also resolved to make an Incursion into the Moorish Territories The Earl of Cifuentes had attempted to recover Zahara but failed All these Commanders agreed to make an Inroad into the Territory of Malaga in three Bodies That Country is rich by reason of the Silken manufactures and therefore they hoped to make a considerable Booty Near Malaga there are certain uncouth Mountains called Axarquia over those Mountains they Marched plundered and burnt all the Country and some Parties of Horse advanced even in sight of Malaga This provoked the Citizens and the People of the Mountains assembled and secured all the Passes Our Men sought to retire but could not There were two Ways the longest by the Sea which was plainest but dangerous because of the Castle of Malaga and several Creeks that cross it The other through which they came was shorter but very difficult by reason of the Woods and Mountains Two Mountains particularly close up a deep Vally through the middle of which runs a River that parts them Our Men entred this Valley in a Consternation encumbred with the Booty when on the one side the Moores attacked them and on the other they saw the Pass secured by another Party which added much to their Fear They were Tyred with Marching two days Faint for want of Food and could neither go backwards nor forwards Many were killed with Arrows and Musket Shot the Moores being very good Marksmen Night coming on the Terror increased with the darkness and the continual shouts of the Enemy Then the Master of Santiago cryed out How long shall we suffer our selves Fellow-Soldiers to be Slaughtered like sheep Our Swords and our Valour must open the Way or at least let us endeavour to Sell our Lives dear and not die unrevenged Having spoke thus they began to ascend the Hill and with much difficulty reached to the Top. There the Fight was bloody and the Slaughter on our side great many Persons of Note were killed The Marquess of Cadiz found Guides who led him off through by-ways The Earl of Cifuentes his Squadron which brought up the Rear sustained most loss he and his Brother Peter de Silva were taken and carried to Granada Of 2700 Horse 800 were killed and among them 3 Brothers of the Marquess of Cadiz James Lope and Bertran besides others of his Relations Near twice as many were taken and of them 400 of the best Gentry in Spain Some few with the Master of Santiago escaped over the desert part of the Mountain and got to Antequera Others as chance led them made their way to other Places This Misfortune hapned upon the 21th of March being the Feast of St. Benedict usually a day of Joy in Spain but now converted into Sorrow Abohardil Brother to King Albohacen and Governor of Malaga who Commanded the Moores gained great Reputation by this extraordinary Success CHAP. III. The Moores defeated and Boabdil their King taken and afterwards released The Affaires of Navarre Pope Sixtus dies Innocent the Eighth succeeds him Marquess del Gasto and Pescara from whom Descended THE Sorrow conceived by The Christians for their loss was soon allayed by a greater Defeat they gave the Moores Albohazen and Boabdil the Two Moorish Kings did one another all the harm they could yet at the same time both endeavoured to gain the Affection of their People destroying the Christians To this purpose Boabdil having gathered a good Body entred the Territory of Ecija designing to surprize Lucena a Town more large and rich than strong Alatar his Father in Law who from a mean Condition rose by his Valour to that Honour gave this Advice James Fernandez de Cordova who was Lord of that Town and some others thereabouts understanding the design of the Moores gave advice of the danger he was in to his Unckle the Earl of Cabra But few Horse remained in those parts by reason of the late slaughter and the Inhabitants of Lucena were in a Consternation because their Walls were not Strong to make resistance The Moores came before the Town on the 21th of April The Governour coveyed the Townsmen into the upper Town and gave the guard of the lower to 200 Horse and 800 Foot he had got together They defended it so bravely that the Enemy dispairing of Success and in a rage for some Men they lost in the Attack vented their Fury upon the Olive Gardens Besides Hamet Abencerrage wasted the Lands of Mon̄tilla with 300 Horse He was samiliarly acquainted with James de Cordova the Family of the Abencerrages having resided at Cordova when they were Banished out of Granada Upon account of this acquaintance he had an interview with James de Cordova designing to circumvent him His fraud was disappointed by another policy The Governor seemed inclinable to surrender the Town and by that means gained time till the Count de Cabra could come to his Relief Upon the news of his approach the Enemy raised the Siege and began to March off with the Booty which was very great The besieged Sallyed and Charged their Rear to keep them in Play till the Earl of Cabra came up It will scarce be believed that tho' the Moores were Ten times the number of the Christians they did not stand the first shock A League and a half from Lucena and in the Way to Loxa is a pleasant Brook which then with the Summer Rains was swelled The Enemies Foot having passed this Brook began to fly only taking care to drive the Booty Their Horse tho' in a Consternation made a stand the King himself striving to encourage them All proved ineffectual for the Christians advancing they were Charged in Flank by D. Alonso de Aguilar who came from Antequera with 40 Horse and some few Foot The Enemy suddenly gave way and fled The King alighted off from a white Horse and endeavoured to hide himself among the Trees and Bushes on the Banks of the River Three Foot Soldiers found him and he discovered himself for fear of being killed He was secured and sent to Lucena In the pursuit which lasted till Night above 1000 Horse were killed and among them Alatar being 90 Years of Age
say he was informed by one Marcus Polus a Florentine and others that he found out by his Skill in Astrology that there were vast Countreys towards the West undiscovered These his thoughts he communicated first to the King of Portugal then to Henry VII of England and being slighted by them both came to the Court of King Ferdinand There he waited 7 years and at last after the subduing of the Kingdom of Granada obtained of the King 3 Ships to attempt this Discovery It is wonderful that so great an Undertaking was begun only with 17000 Duccats which the King was forced to borrow his Revenue was so far exhausted Columbus set sail on the 3d of August from Palos de Moguer and having touched at the Canaries after several days sail and many difficulties he discovered certain Islands which he called The Princes Islands He spent some days there and leaving some of his Company in a Fort he built under the Command of James de Arana returned to Spain with the News of what he had discovered and some Proofs of the Riches of the Country The following year he continued to discover many other Islands the chiefest whereof were Hispaniola and Cuba Besides he Coasted a great part of the Continent as well towards the Southern as Northern Pole Columbus died in the year of Grace 1500 a Man worthy of Immortal Praise He was made Admiral of the Indies and Duke of Veraguas Rewards due to his great Merit Several others continued these Discoveries as well during his Life as after his Death Among these Americus Vespusius a Florentine by order of Emanuel King of Portugal in the year 1500 discovered all Brasil which is a great part of that Continent After much of the Northern Coast had been discovered by several Persons Vasco Nun̄ez de Balboa born at Badajoz was the first that adventured to pass that narrow Neck of Land that lies between Nombre de Dios and Panama and so came to the South Sea in the year 1513. These Discoveries of Columbus and Americus Vespusius raised a Controversie betwixt the Crowns of Castile and Portugal the latter pretending all the Discovery of the New World appertained to him by Grants of several Popes and particularly of Eugenius IV. On the other side the King of Castile pleaded a Bull of Pope Alexander VI. in the year 1493 which assigned to him all the Lands to the Westward of an imaginary Line drawn 100 Leagues beyond the Islands of Cabo Verde This Grant was afterwards altered by another which ordained the said Line to be drawn 370 Leagues farther towards the West to the end that Brasil might fall within the Portugues Limits Hierome Ozorio Bishop of Silves in the Life of King Emanuel affirms the said Line was appointed to be drawn 36 Degrees West of the Meridian of Lisbon Upon this Determination was grounded another Dispute the Castillians pretending that the Molucco Islands whence the Spice is brought fell within their Limits as being within that half of the World assigned them All this the Portugueses deny and each Party bring Arguments to make good their Assertions Certain it is that Ferdinand Magallanes a Portugues being disgusted because his King did not Reward his Services done in India perswaded the Emperor Charles V. Grandson to King Ferdinand that a new way might be found to the Moluco Islands by the South West He had 5 Ships given him for this Enterprize and sailed from Sevil in the year 1519. Having touched at the Canaries he Coasted all along Brasil and found a Streight in 53 Degrees of South Latitude which of him is called the Streight of Magellan At the entrance of that Streight one of the Ships struck upon a Rock and was lost another weary of that long Voyage stole away by night and returned to Sevil. With the rest he passed the Streight and was himself with some of his Companions killed in an Island called Zubu Those that were left being too few to Man all the Ships burnt one and with the other two came to the Moluco Islands They loaded in the Island of Tidore but one of them being very leaky was lost The other coming round by the Cape of Good Hope at last arrived at Sevil 3 years after his departure The Ship was called the Victory the Master John Sebastian Cano a Biscainer whose Name ought never to be forgotten as being the first that sailed round the World Many afterwards attempted that same Voyage but the Profit not answering the Trouble it was laid aside as also because King John of Portugal lent the Emperor Charles V. 350000 Duccats upon Condition he and his Heirs should desist from that Undertaking till the Money were repayed On the Right Hand of that Neck of Land which we have said lies between the North and South Seas is the Kingdom of New Spain and the City Mexico its Metropolis seated in the midst of a Lake Over this and many other large Provinces and Kingdoms Reigned the mighty Emperor Montezuma whom Ferdinand Cortes in the year 1520 with wonderful Resolution apprehended and made Prisoner in his own Palace He being killed accidentally by a Stone cast at a Window where he was looking out to appease his People Cortes brought those vast Provinces under the subjection of Charles the Emperor gained himself Eternal Honour and left to his Successors the Marquesses del Valle a great Estate in the Kingdom of Mexico On the Left Hand of that Neck of Land Francis Pizarro in the year 1525 discovered the Kingdom of Peru and 6 years after Conquered it taking and putting to death Atabalipa Lord of that Country This is the richest Countrey for Mines of Gold and Silver hitherto discovered insomuch that all the Utensils of those People even to their Pots and Kettles were of these precious Mettals Pizarro shared not the vast Booty he got there fairly with James de Almagro his principal Companion in that Conquest and the rest of his Men and yet the meanest Soldier 's part came to 9000 Duccats which was the richest Plunder ever taken till that time His Force was about 300 Men who in Battle overthrew above 100000 Indians Riches and Plenty produced Pride and Insolence for Ferdinand Brother to Francis Pizarro understanding that Almagro openly complained of the Wrong done him and meditated Revenge he murdered him A Bastard Son of Almagro whom he had by an Indian and whose Name was James assaulted the House of Francis Pizarro in the City of Lima and killed him in revenge of his Father This was a bold Attempt and to punish it the Governour Christopher Vaca de Castro joined with Gonçalo Pizarro another Brother of the said Francis and with their Forces overthrew and killed the said James This Victory and his great Riches so puffed up Gonçalo Pizarro that he attempted to make himself absolute Lord of that Country Blasco Nun̄ez Vela was sent by the Emperor from Spain to be Viceroy of Peru him the Rebellious Spaniards took Prisoner and put
take him into his Protection This the Catholick King would not agree to because of the Treaty he had in hand with France which being at last concluded tho' King Frederick was willing the Match should go on the Catholick King would not consent King Frederick to secure himself against the French and divert them from their Pretensions to his Kingdom made large Offers to them The King of France proposed That to secure the Performance of what they should agree upon he should deliver up to him the Castle of Gaeta and that Frederick's Son should reside in his Court and marry Germana Daughter to the Earl of Narbonne or the Sister of Monsieur d' Angoulesme Besides he demanded a Million in ready Money and 25000 Ducats of yearly Tribute All heavy Conditions which that King could not condeâ—cend to tho' he was willing to give the Million demanded In fine none of these Matches was concluded At length the Pope dispenced with the King of Portugal and he was contracted by Proxy at Granada in August D. Alvaro de Portugal performing that Ceremony for him There was no manner of Solemnity or Publick Rejoycing In that City on the 12th of September the King passed a Grant to the Marquesses of Moya by virtue whereof the Cup that the King drinks out of on S. Luis's Day every Year belongs to them This was done in memory that upon that Day D. Andrew de Cabrara first Marquess of Moya delivered up to King Ferdinand all the Treasure of King Henry that was in his custody in the Castle of Segovia which was a great means to establish him in the Kingdom With the Princess as far as the Borders of Portugal went D. James Hurtado de Mendoça Archbishop of Sevil Patriarch of Alexandria and now made Cardinal of Spain as his Unkle had been he was also Brother to the Earl of Tendilla Also the Marquess of Villena and many other Lords bore her Company On the Borders of Portugal she was received by the Duke of Bragança tho' at that time he was disgusted because the King so highly favoured D. George de Portugal whom he had created Duke of Coimbra and given him to Wife Beatrix de Melo Daughter to D. Alvaro de Portugal and the Lady Philippa de Melo his Wife With the Duke of Bragança were many other Nobles She entred into that Kingdom upon the 20th of October and on the 30th of the same Month was married with great Solemnity at Alcaçar do Sal where the King waited her coming This Marriage was very fruitful for they had many Children as shall be declared in its place Soon after the Princess Margaret was married to Philibert Duke of Savoy but she was unfortunate in Husbands for he also died soon after The Soldan of Babylâ—â— signified some Discontent against the Catholick King because he made War against the Moors of Granada It was feared he might molest the Christians that lived in his Dominions and hinder the Pilgrimages to the Holy City Hierusalem For this reason the King resolved to send a solemn Embassie to give him Satisfaction Peter Martyr of Angleria a Milanese the King's Chaplain was chose for this Employment He did his Message discreetly and obtained of the Soldan all he desired He was out a Year and at his return was made Dean of Granada where he afterwards died and ordered himself to be buried sitting on a Chair with a Casula or Vestment made of a rich Silk the Soldan gave him He wrote Decades of the War of Granada of his Embassie and the Discovery of the West-Indies in which is to be seen more of Truth than Elegancy All Europe was in suspence waiting the Event of the War of Naples undertaken by the joint Forces of France and Spain for the Ruin of King Frederick and deprive him of that Rich and Noble Kingdom The Catholick King sent advice of his Resolution from Granada to the Great Captain on the 1st of March 1501. ordering him at the same time to leave the War against the Turk and return immediately with his Fleet to the Port of Meçina Soon after he sent him the Title of his Lieutenant in the Dukedoms of Apulia and Calabria To oppose the Turk he prevailed with the King of Portugal to send a Fleet to those Parts which he did under the Command of D. John de Meneses Earl of Taroça who by the way attempted the Port of Maçalquivir near Oran and being repulsed sailed on to the Island of Corfu whence he returned to Portugal without doing any thing It was also proposed to the King of France to send his Fleet against the Turks That King made choice of Luis d' Armagnac Duke of Nemours Earl of Armagnac and Guise to Command his Forces that were to invade Naples He would not give this Command to Luis de Luxembourg Earl of Ligni who sued for it lest he should cause some disorder by the Right he pretended to the Principality of Altamura The Duke of Nemours made some stay in France therefore the Lord of Aubeni who was made Lord High Constable of Naples moved with the French Forces out of Lombardy towards Naples and with him the Earl of Gayace a Man of great Quality who had fled from Naples At this time Francis de Rojas a very able Man was sent to succeed Laurence Suarez as Ambassador at Rome At the Emperor's Court had resided for some Years with that Character D. John Emanuel a Man of great Note but Turbulent In the Court of France John Michael Gralla was still resident and John Claver at Naples The Great Captain in pursuance of the Orders he had received repaired to Meçina with his Fleet thence he went to Palermo to order the Viceroy John de Lanuça to gather what Money and Forces he could for the Enterprize in hand Some Misunderstanding there hapned betwixt them as is usual where each arrogates to himself a Superiority but at last they agreed in what concerned the King's Service and the Great Captain having gathered what Force he could returned to Meçina where was the General Rendezvous The Great Captain was possessed in Calabria of the Dukedom of Monte de Santangelo given him by King Frederick when the late War was concluded Before he entred upon that Conquest he sent Captain Gençalo de Foces to excuse him to that King to restore to him that Dukedom and renounce the Oath of Allegiance he had taken to him for the same The King absolved him of his Oath yet gave him the Dukedom again wishing it were better for his sake upon condition he should not infest his Subjects from the Castles belonging to it This and the Intelligence his Ambassadors sent from Spain fully convinced King Frederick how near and certain his Ruin was He turned himself about and found no Loyalty in his Subjects no Strength in his Kingdom nor no Support from abroad He sent his Son Ferdinend to Taranto a strong City in the farthest part of Apulia and of all
those Times At the beginning of this Year Lucrecia de Borgia was married to the Heir of the Duke of Ferrara her Portion was 100000 Ducats The Archduke and his Wife by the way of Burgos Valladolid Medina and Segovia came to Madrid The Catholick King and Queen came from Andaluzia to Guadalupe There to oblige Duke Valentine and in him the Pope they gave him the City Andria and other Lands in Naples with the Title of Prince It was also proposed that the Kings of Spain and France should settle an Estate upon King Frederick and his Children The King and Queen came to Toledo upon the 22d of April as did the Princes on the 7th of May having been stayed some days at Olias by reason of the Archduke's Indisposition At Toledo on the 22d of May they were sworn Heirs of the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon in a great Assembly of Prelates and Noblemen They were tied in case they Inherited those Kingdoms to Govern them according to their ancient and known Laws At the same time that Spain rejoiced at the coming of these Princes England lamented the Death of Prince Arthur The Princess his Wife was supposed to be lest a Maid tho' they lived together as Man and Wife for 5 Months But the Prince was only 14 Years of Age and of so weak a Constitution that it gave sufficient Grounds to believe this might be true Ferdinand Duke d' Estrada was sent by the Catholick King to Condole with King Henry and to propose that the Princess might be married to his Second Son But he neither restored her Portion nor could for some time be brought to conclude that Match which afterwards proved so unfortunate Soon after the News was brought of that Prince's Death Mary Queen of Portugal was delivered at Lisbon of a Son whom they named John He afterwards Inherited his Father's Kingdom and was a most Renowned Prince CHAP. VI. Further Actions of the Great Captain at Naples The Duke of Calabria contrary to Articles sent into Spain The French and Spanish Generals Consult their Kings and have a Conference to Adjust Differences in the Division of Naples The beginning of the War betwixt them THE Great Captain as has been said laid Siege to Taranto some months before this time In that Town was the Duke of Calabria well provided to hold out Nevertheless the first day the Town was invested a Treaty was begun and at length the Duke by the means of Octavian de Santis concluded a Truce for Two months that he might have time to consult his Father both sides giving Hostages that nothing should be done to the prejudice of the other in the mean while Afterwards because the Messengers sent to King Frederick were not come back the Truce was prolonged till the end of the year upon the same Articles as before This Term also expiring without any Answer the Truce was still continued for Two months longer and the City put into the keeping of Bindo de Ptoiomeis a Subject of the Catholick King in whom the Great Captain reposed great Trust upon Condition that after that time the City should be surrendred without any farther delay but that the Duke with all his Treasure and Family should be free At the same time the Castle of Gerachi a Place of great importance 3 Leagues from the Sea was surrendred and the Prince of Salerno came to Treat with the Great Captain about coming over to his Party provided he and the Prince of Bisignano might be restored to their Estates He also demanded the Earldom of Lauria and 5000 Duccats Pension which his Predecessors used to be allowed by the Kings of Naples All these were extravagant Demands and denoted he had but a small Inclination to submit Many of the Barons who had withdrawn with King Frederick to Ischia came over now to the Great Captain Of them he admitted such as he thought were most important for his King's Service and among them Prosper and Fabricius Colona being informed the Venetians endeavoured to draw them into their Service D. James de Mendoça and In̄igo de Ayala took the City and Castle of Manfredonia by Intelligence they held with the Governour that was to keep that place for King Frederick notwithstanding the Lord of Alegre was marching at the same time to Relieve the Besieged At last the City Taranto according to Articles was delivered with its Castles to the great Captain And because one of the Articles of Surrender was That the Duke might have liberty to depart whither he pleased for the present he went to Bari which still held out for his Father tho the City was weak and the Castle but a plain House resolving to stay there for his Orders without which he would not do any thing The Great Captain earnestly desired to reconcile him to the Catholick King that be might not go to France which might cause some Troubles Proposals were made and he offered him 30000 Duccats a year for ever part in the Kingdom of Naples and part in Spain which was all he asked or could expect in that Condition The Duke liked the Offer but would conclude nothing without his Father's Consent Soon after the Dutchess Dowager of Milan his Cousin rather than to go to Sicily whither she was invited with the Queen of Hungary her Aunt retired to that City This Lady prevailed with the Duke to write a Letter to the great Captain praying him that notwithstanding the Capitulation by which he was at liberty to dispose of himself he would send him over to the Catholick King because he found his Father's Designs were not for his Advantage and yet he was not willing to act any thing publickly in opposition to him It is to be believed the Duke did not continue long in this mind for his Father by Letter pressed the Great Captain according to what had been Capitulated to give his Son his full Liberty urging that it was not like a Gentleman to break his Word and that he ought to remember how much he had been his Friend in the time of his Prosperity The Great Captain who kept a Guard upon him that he might not escape to the end to bring him to his Will besides the Revenue he had offered before now promised in the Name of the Catholick King to Marry him either to the Queen of Naples his Neece or with the Princess of Wales both very advantageous Proposals It was suspected that the Earl of Ponteza D. John de Guevera who always stuck by the Duke led him which way he pleased The Duke tho he went about Apulia in appearance free yet was so guarded that he could not get away nor scarce go a Hunting In fine this Business was so contrived that at Duke was brought back to Toranto and thence John de Conchillos had Orders to carry him in a Gally to Sicily and so to Spain it being believed Matters would be the better adjusted betwixt the Parties themselves and that the Duke
Forces against him and that he aspersed him giving out that he kept the Queen Prisoner and obstructed the proceedings of the Inquisition favouring those it had Apprehended and that all this was Invented to render him Odious to his Subjects The difficulty obstructing the Interview was that King Philip's Party would before they met know whether the Catholick King would Consent to altering some Articles of the late Agreement and which those were but the Catholick King was very reserved and would not lay himself open to any till he met with his Son-in-law The Archbishop of Toledo on the one side and Monsieur de Villar with D. John Manuel on the other by Commission from their Masters Treated of Reconciling all Differences Their Designs were nothing alike and therefore they could not agree The Archbishop acted sincerely as became his Dignity and the good Opinion conceived of his Life The others subtilly laboured to do all things for the Advantage of their Master or at least to protract time hoping at length the Catholick King being forsaken by all Men would be forced to depart that Kingdom and retire to his own The Archbishop despairing of coming to any Conclusion advised the Catholick King to withdraw towards the Kingdom of Toledo There he offered to deliver up to him all his Towns and Castles affirming that by reason of the great distance before King Philip's Party could come to him the Heat and want of Provisions would disperse them and the Enmity which daily increased betwixt the Flemmings and Castillians would turn to his Advantage King Ferdinand would not consent but rather was jealous that the Archbishop designed to leave him as the rest had done He resolved at any rate to see his Son in Law who was now come to Verin and thence sent D. James de Guevara to the Catholick King then at Rionegro to desire he would forbear going to meet him for so it behoved Still King Ferdinand persisted in his Resolution He said his Son-in-Law could not take it ill that he came to see him since it was in a Peaceable manner whereas he was prepared for War Since it could not be avoided Monsieur de Villar and D. John Manuel resolved to go meet him and fix a day for the Interview The Duke of Alva was sent to King Philip as a Hostage for D. John Manuel tho the colour was he went to Adjust some Affairs Mean while King Philip removed to Puebla de Sanabria and King Ferdinand to Asturianos which are but two Leagues distant Monsieur de Villar and D. John being come to Asturianos the King spoke lovingly to them without the least sign of Discontent As to the Agreement he answered in such manner as made it appear the fault should not lie at his Door if all things were not done to the satisfaction of his Son-in-Law It was agreed the Interview should be the next day in a Wood that is betwixt Puebla de Sanabria and Asturianos near a Farm called Ramessal The Kings set out as had been appointed but with very unlike Attendance King Ferdinand with about 200 of his Followers mounted upon Mules and without Arms in Peaceable manner King Philip in a Warlike posture Toward Puebla de Sanabria were drawn up about 2000 Pikemen besides the Country People and a good number of Horse that followed the Nobility About 1000 Germans advanced to see the Country was clear After these followed King Philip's Domesticks and he after them on Horseback Armed under his Cloaths On his Right Hand was the Archbishop of Toledo and on his Left D. John Manuel Before he came up King Ferdinand placed himself on a rising Ground to see the Company pass by The Grandees and other Nobles came to Kiss his Hand whom he received with a pleasant Countenance He Embraced the Earl of Benavente and feeling his Armour said smiling My Lord How comes it you are grown so fat He answered Sir the Times are the cause of it To Garzilasso he said Garzia What are you so too He replied By God Sir we are all so Then came King Philip who tho he shewed some Discontent in his Looks offered to alight and Kiss his Father in Law 's Hand but he prevented Embracing and Kissing him with great Signs of Affection and a pleasant Countenance To Confer together they went into a Chappel that was hard by and with them the Archbishop of Toledo and D. John Manuel The Archbishop with his usual Freedom said to D. John It is not convenient for Private Men to be present at the Conference of Princes let us both be gone D. John could not gainsay him Being both together at the Door the Archbishop bid him go out for he would be Porter Then he shut the Door and sat down by it After the usual Civilities the Kings fell to Business and the Catholick King told King Philip it was not for want of Business or Riches that he had pretended to govern Castile for he had enough of both and should advance himself little by taking from his Children but that he had done it as being better acquainted with the Humours of the People by his long Experience however he was willing to comply and resign all up to him He advised him to be careful in the Choice of his Ministers and Counsellors and recommended to him the Archbishop of Toledo as a Man fit to be trusted King Philip answered as he had been before instructed and Thanked his Father in Law for his Advice Thus they took Leave having been together two hours without so much as naming Queen Joanna In fine they parted more dissatisfied then they met This Interview was upon Saturday the 20th of June CHAP. X. The Two Kings of Spain agree and join in League Joanna King Philip 's Queen Distracted through Jealousie Troubles in Castile King Ferdinand and his Queen go to Zaragoza Jealousies started against the Great Captain King Philip dies BOth Kings continued their Journey at 3 or 4 Leagues distance from one another King Philip came to Benavente on Midsummer-Day King Ferdinand still pressed to conclude in Friendly manner At last their Commissioners agreed the Catholick King should quit the Government of Castile and retire to Aragon still retaining the 3 Masterships and what other Leagacies the Queen had left in her Will Upon these Terms they concluded a League Defensive and Offensive King Ferdinand Swore to this League on the 27th of June at Villafasila in the presence of the Archbishop of Toledo D. John Manuel and Monsieur de Villar Next day King Philip also Swore it In private they both Signed a Writing declaring the Queen's incapacity to Govern The Catholick King protested he consented against his Will being in the power of his Son in Law and then went away to Tordesillas There on the first of July he published Declarations declaring his Design had always been to resign up the Government which he now accordingly performed How this suits with the Protestation
Favourite A Proclamation was published to restore to their Liberty all the Jews who as was said before were unjustly made Slaves by his Predecessor He sent Men and Ammunition into Africk where the Portugueses had Ceuta taken by King John I. and Tangier and Arzila taken by King Alonso Unkle to Emanuel D. John de Meneses Governour of Arzila because some of the neighbouring Villages did not bring in their wonted Contributions joined with the Commander of Tangier and marched against them They were unexpectedly set upon by Barata and Almanderino two Moorish Commanders yet tho' the Enemy were much more numerous they put them to the rout All this hapned before the Cortes of Montemor broke up which could not put an end to the Business in hand because the Plague raging there the King was forced at the beginning of this Year to remove to Setuval to meet his two Widow-Sisters Queen Ellenor and the Dutchess of Bragança There it was proposed that D. Alvaro Brother to the late Duke of Bragança and that Duke's Children who were in Castile since nothing could be proved against them should be restored to their Estates King Ferdinand of Spain sollicited for them and the King's Sisters begged it with Tears especially the Dutchess as most concerned as also his Mother the Dutchess of Viseo The King was unwilling so soon to alter his Predecessor's Decrees and to disoblige those that were in Possession of those banished Persons Estates but at last overcome with so many Intreaties he made up their Losses other ways so that none might have cause to complain It was proposed to marry the King who was 26 Years of Age when he Inherited the Crown No Match seemed so advantageous as with Castile King Ferdinand was willing but would not give him his Eldest Daughter the Second was gone to Flanders and the Lady Catherine Contracted in England so he offered the Lady Mary The Portugues took it ill that any Prince should be preferred before him besides he took a liking to the Lady Elizabeth when she was in Portugal Upon account of this Treaty the Catholick King demanded of him That he should enter into the League against France and the Princess That he should banish the Moors and Jews As to the King's Request he excused himself pleading the ancient Friendship betwixt France and Portugal yet he was willing to join in a League for the Defence of Spain but would not involve himself in Quarrels that concerned him not He condescended to the Desires of the Princess tho' many opposed it And accordingly about the end of the Year set out a Proclamation commanding all the Moors and Jews to depart by a time limitted or else they should be made Slaves All the Moors without hesitation went over to Africk In the Business of the Jews there was more difficulty for soon after the King ordered all their Children under 14 Years of Age to be taken from them and Baptized A Practice not at all justifiable because none ought to be forced to become Christians nor Children to be taken from their Parents The rest were so hardly used that great Numbers were Baptized but it was a constrained Conversion Leave was also obtained of the Pope for the Commendaries of the Three Military Orders in that Kingdom to Marry so that they were only obliged to Conjugal Chastity There were sufficient Causes to obtain this Liberty and yet many condemned it Certain it is this made way for the spending the Revenues of those Orders otherwise than had been intended for what used to be employed in the War was now consumed in Pleasure and Luxury CHAP. VII The death of Ferdinand King of Naples The Emperor passes into Italy The Popes Forces defeated by the Ursini The death of the Duke of Gandia The Marriage of Prince John of Spain Proposals concerning settling the Kingdom of Naples THE Wars in Italy were not likely to cease The King of England by reason of the Match agreed upon with Spain resolved to enter into the League against France The Emperor gave out he would go himself into Italy to settle the Affairs of Lombardy and Tuscany This moved the Duke of Milan to think of forsaking the French Interest and the more for that about this time died the Dauphin of France a young Child and the King being sickly it was to be feared that Crown would come to the Duke of Orleans his greatest Enemy These reasons inclined him to adhere to the Confederate Princes In the Kingdom of Naples the Venetians possessed some part of Apulia The great Captain held Rijoles Amantia and other Places of Calabria for the Catholick King Notwithstanding the late Capitulation the French were still possessed of some Towns To reduce all the Kingdom King Ferdinand sent D. Cesar de Aragon his Father's Bastard Brother to Taranto and commanded the Duke of Urbin who served him in this War to repair to Abruzzo when having in a short time subdued most of that Province he went away to Rome with Prosper Colona Gaeta was a business of more concern for tho' the Earl of Trivento and the Venetian Gallies pressed it by Sea they advanced not much It was proposed to Besiege the Place by Land when King Ferdinand fell Sick of a flux at Soma which so increased that being carried to Naples he died on the 7th of October Frederick his Uncle then at Castellon understanding his death immediately repaired to Naples and was proclaimed King the very day his Nephew died His first care was to aâ—â—ee with the Princes of Salerno and Bisignano as also the Earls of Lauria and Melito the great Enemies of the House of Aragon Many Princes began to have an Eye towards that Crown and particularly the Catholick King whose Title began to be urged both at Rome and Naples but to no effect at that time for the Pope and other Princes had rather have a weak King for their Neighbour than the Power of Spain The Great Captain who might have done something in the Affair was employed at the Siege of the Castle of Cosenza which he hoped suddenly to be Master of and thus to secure all that Province Soon after having subdued Calabria and taken that Fort he went to Nola and leaving his Forces there visited the Queens comforting them for the death of the King The new King sat down before Gaeta with all his Forces It hapned the Lord of Aubenie who was going by Land to Rome came thither at such time as the besieged were much streightned he entred the Town and caused it to be surrendred upon Articles The French departed in a Galleon and Two Ships Loaden with the Booty and Plate taken out of the Churches One of the Ships perished in a Storm the other ran aground near Terracina which was looked upon as a Judgment On the other side the Emperor as he had agreed passed the Alps and entred Lombardy with 1000 Horse and 5000 Foot The Duke of Milan with his Forces joined him
had joined the Turks with 34 Sail. These small Vessels sailing under the Shore the Portugueses descryed only 5 Ships which they thought to belong to Alonso de Albuquerque whom they expected Part of the Enemies Fleet entred the Harbour and that day was spent in Cannonading one another Next day Laurence de Almeyda Attacks Mir Hozem's Admiral Gally but could not grapple by reason it was Ebb and the Enemy lay in shoal Water He sustained much loss because the Enemies Vessel was higher Decked and was himself wounded with Two Darts Pelayo de Sousa and James Perez took each of them one of the Enemies Gallies and thus that day ended The day following Melique came into the Port with his Vessels whereupon the Portugueses at midnight resolved to put out to Sea But the Enemy perceiving them move fell upon them and so pierced the Admiral which was the last that she made much Water and what was worse ran a Ground and the Water Ebbing none of the others could come in to assist her The Enemy Cannonaded her till such time as Laurence de Almeyda being killed with a Cannon-shot and 80 of 100 Men he had the other 20 with the Ship were taken The rest put to Sea and recovered the Port of Cananor whence they sent advice of what had hapned to the Governor This Battle was fought towards the end of the Year Almeyda and Albuquerque came both to Cananor and Albuquerque contending to take upon him the Government according to the King's Order Almeyda sent him Prisoner to Cochin This done he gathered the greatest Fleet he could at Onor burnt several Ships of Calicut destroyed the City Dabul and many Vessels there and on the 5th of January 1509 sailed towards Diu a Port of Cambaya where the Enemy lay Mir Hozem placed himself in shoal-water under the Cannon of the City He had at this time 3 Caracs 3 Galleons 6 Gallies and 4 Ships of Cambaya besides Melique's small Vessels Almeyda had in all 19 Sail and in them 1300 Portugueses and 400 Malabars The Two Fleets Cannonaded one another but could not draw near because the Weather was calm Next day they engaged and after a very bloody Dispute the Portugueses obtained the Victory Of the Enemy 4000 were slain of which number were all the 800 Mamalucs except only 22. Three of their great Ships were sunk besides many small Vessels Two Galleons Two Gallies and Four great Ships were taken The Commanders Mir Hozem and Melique escaped On our side 32 were killed and 300 wounded This done Almeyda returned to Cochin where there was much contention about the Government which was ended by Ferdinand Coutinho who this Year sailed from Lisbon with 15 Ships and Orders to put Alonso de Albequerque in Possession of the Government as was accordingly done From Valladolid the Catholick King went to Arcos where he found the Queen his Daughter so ill Lodged that the last Winter she fell sick through the coldness of the Room she lay in In February he removed her to Tordesillas and with her the Body of her Husband which was afterwards by her Son the Emperor Charles the V buried in the Royal Chapel at Granada The Queen lived out the rest of her days in that Town Queen Joanna's Condition was such she might better be counted among the Dead than the Living Her two Sisters ran different Fortunes The Queen of Portugal lived happy abounding in Riches and having a numerous Issue and this very Year she was delivered of a Son called Alonso who was afterwards a Gardinal but died young The Princess of Wales in England neither Widow nor Wife was hardly used by her Father-in-Law who hoped that way to induce her Father to give him in Marriage his other Daughter Joanna Queen of Castile The King's death which hapned upon the 21st of April for the present put an end to those Discontents Soon after the Match before agreed upon betwixt this Lady and the Prince of Wales after his Father's Death King Henry VIII was consummated That Princess had no Inclination to this Match but it was for the Conveniency of both Kings King Henry was of a graceful Presence but very Lewd especially towards his latter days insomuch that to gratifie his Lust he cast off all Obedience to the Church and made way for all the Confusion that afterwards hapned in that Kingdom Whilst Queen Catherine was yet living tho' he had by her a Daughter called Mary upon pretence she had been married to his Brother and that the Pope could not dispence to marry her he put her away and publickly married Anne of Bullen whom afterwards he convicted of Adultery and executed By her he had Elizabeth afterwards Queen Next he married Jane Seymour who died in Childbed but her Son lived and was called Edward VI. His Fourth Wife was Anne of Cleves from whom he was Divorced and to that purpose made a Law which allowed of Divorces His Fifth Wife was Anne Howard who was put to death for Adultery The last was the Lady Catherine Parr from whom he was not divorced nor had any Children by her death putting an end to his wicked Courses King Ferdinand made publick rejoycing at Valladolid upon the News of the Marriage of his Daughter on Midsummer-day He also agreed that Prince Charles should marry that King's Sister and ordered Gutierre Gomez his Ambassador to Compliment her upon the same At Valladolid Queen Germana was delivered of a Son on the 3d of May he was called John Prince of Aragon but died within a few Hours His Body was deposited in the Monastery of S. Paul in that City and thence translated to Poblete the ancient Burial-place of the Kings of Aragon The Catholick King prepared to make War upon the Venetians and grounded the Justice of his Proceedings principally upon Two Points The first That those Cities the Venetians were possessed of in Apulia were mortagaged to them by Ferdinand II. King of Naples and that they neither performed the Conditions of the Mortgage nor would restore those Places when the Money was tendred to them The second was That the Catholick King had been at a greater Expence either in gaining Cephalonia for that Republick or in the War made upon France on their account and upon promise that they would allow him 50000 Ducats a Year towards the Charge of that War which Debt tho' it had been demanded of them they would never pay nor so much as acknowledge CHAP. VII The Cardinal of Spain takes Oran in Africk The War against the Venetians and their Losses They recover Padua and other Places GReat Preparations were made throughout all Spain for the Conquest of Africk and the Cardinal of Spain did not only furnish Money towards it but designed to go over in Person The Rendezvous of the Forces was at Carthagena Stores of Ammunition and Provisions were made there and at Malaga About 14000 Men were gathered as well Horse as Foot The Principal Commanders were James de
Vera who had charge of the Artillery D. Alonso de Granada Vanegas Lord of Campo Tejar who Commanded the Forces of Andaluzia and Colonel Hierome Vianelo accounted an able Seaman Count Peter Navarro was General and there was a great Number of Gentlemen Volunteers The Fleet consisting of 10 Galleys and 80 other Vessels met at Carthagena the last Month. Before they set sail some Disputes arose betwixt the Cardinal and the Earl on account that the former bestowed some Commands on his Servants which the other had before promised to others Some Persons interposing the Count swore to obey the Cardinal in all things On the 16th of May they set Sail from Carthagena and the next day being the Feast of the Ascension entred the Port of Mazalquivir It was declared their Design was upon Oran a famous City in the Kingdom of Tremecen containing about 6000 Inhabitants seated near the Sea partly in a Valley and partly on the side of a Hill encompassed with a strong Wall the Streets all contrived after the rude manner of the Moors distant from the City of Tremecen 140 Miles and opposite to Carthagena It was once one of the most Principal Marts on that Coast by reason of the great resort of Genoese and Catalonian Merchants and was so rich as to maintain a small Fleet which infested the Coast of Andaluzia Our Fleet entred the Harbour at Night and the next Morning began to land the Men. They drew them up in Four Bodies each containing 2500 Men with the Horse upon the Flanks Mean while the Cardinal was in the Church of Mazalquivir but when they were ready to join Battel with the Moors that came to hinder their Approach to the City he came out mounted upon a Mule the Clergy and Religious attending him One F. Ferdinand of the Order of S. Francis carried the Cross with a Sword girt upon his Habit as had all the others by the Cardinal's Order He encouraged the Men offering to lead them into the midst of the Enemy but the Commanders begged of him to offer up his Prayers to God for them whilst they fought He complied and returning to Mazalquivir continued at Prayers in the Chapel of S. Michael all the time of the Battel It was Three in the Afternoon and the Earl being doubtful whether it were not better to delay the Fight till next day advised with the Cardinal who was of Opinion not to suffer the Soldiers to cool The Signal being given they began to march up the Hill and tho' the Moors to the Number of 12000 besides the Recruits that constantly came to them cast down all sorts of Weapons upon them they gained Ground Some Soldiers of Guadalajara advanced contrary to Order one of whom was killed and the rest forced to retire That Man's Head being cut off was carried to the City and there rolled about the Streets the Rabble crying the Alfaquin so they called the Cardinal was killed till a Christian Slave who knew the Cardinal by sight undeceived them Our Horse began to Skirmish with the Enemy among whom our Cannon did some execution and then the Foot came on driving them tho' the Hill was uncouth till they came to certain Conducts of Water There they halted a while and removing their Cannon to the highest part of the Hill with that and their Swords put the Moors to flight pursuing them beyond the City because the Gates were shut against them A great number of Moors sallied out under the Leading of the Mezuar or Governour of Oran and whilst these were hotly engaged some of our Men attempted to scale the Walls the Inhabitants opposing them They that were in the Galleys attacking the side next the Sea had leisure to make themselves Masters of certain Towers and all the Alcaçava Thus the City was entred by the Christians and plundered Those Moors that fought in the Field seeing the Spanish Colours upon the Walls thought to have got into the Town but some of our Men sallying they were taken in the middle and a great Slaughter made 4000 of them were killed and about 5000 taken This Victory was looked upon as miraculous because of the Disorder of our Men but much more because immediately after the Mezuar of Tremecen came with such a Multitude that it would have been impossible to have taken the City had he come sooner This Success was attributed to the Prayers of the Cardinal who entred the City with Joy and Consecrated the Great Mosque by the Name of S. Mary of Victory After which he returned the next day with his Galleys to Carthagena He left the Command of that City to Peter Navarro till the King's Pleasure were known From Carthagena he sent the King an account of the Victory and went himself to his Town of Alcala where he entred more like a Religious Man than a Conqueror nor permitting any manner of Publick Reception to be made for him By the League concluded at Cambray it was agreed that each of the Confederate Princes should begin to War upon the Venetians on his side by the First of April at farthest King Ferdinand sent Colonel Zamudio with 2000 chosen Foot to compleat those at Naples to 5000. All things proceeded very slowly because the Earl of Ribagorça was looked upon as a Person unfit for that Undertaking or for the Government as also because it was discovered that the Barons of that Kingdom conspired to shake off the Spanish Government Fabricius Colona also advised not to attempt any thing upon the Towns of the Venetians in Apulia till there was a Fleet ready to hinder them from Relief by Sea which was looked upon as Treacherous or at least very weak Counsel The King of France sent la Trimouille with Forces over the Alpes as soon as the Season would permit and himself on the First of May made his Entry into Milan Having gathered his Army consisting of 40000 Men he entred the Territories of the Venetians and took several Towns The Venetians had raised 50000 Men under the Command of the Earl of Petillano and Bartholomew d' Albiano Two Great Generals of the Family of the Ursini and Subjects to the King of Spain for their Estates in Naples Near Rivolta the Two Armies met and engaged The Fight was long doubtful till the Venetian Foot being broke by the French Artillery and then charged by the Horse they were forced to fly A great Number was killed Count Petillano with a few escaped Bartholomew d' Albiano and many more were taken This Victory called of Giaradada was very Famous and in Memory of it the King caused a Chapel to be built in that Place calling it S. Mary of Victory Immediately upon it the Cities of Crema Cremona Bergamo and Bressa were surrendered to the French which was all they pretended to according to the Articles of the League The Pope's Forces took Solarolo Frença Arimino Ravena and Servia which was all that belonged to him The Earl of Ribagorça had gathered his