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A57342 The Rise & fall of the late eminent and powerful favorite of Spain, the Count Olivares ; the unparallel'd imposture of Michael de Molina, executed at Madrid in the year 1641 ; the right and title of the present Kind of Portugall Don John the fourth, with the most memorable passages of his reign unto the year 1644 translated out of the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese by Edw. Chamberlayne ... Chamberlayne, Edward, 1616-1703. 1653 (1653) Wing R1533; ESTC R24148 60,098 190

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returned his Majesty rode forward with incredible acclamations and applause the Ladies out of the Windowes throwing down Flowers and sweet Waters upon their heads with a thousand benedictions c. In this pomp his Majesty was received at the Cathedral Church by the Archbishop in his Pontificalibus whence his devotions being ended he returned to his Palace with the like solemn magnificence The kingdome of Portugall being thus established care was taken to give timely notice hereof to all places under their subjection in all parts of the world so that not long after the King was with unexpressible joy proclaimed in the Island Madera in Porto Santo in Mazagan and Aer upon the coast of Africa in the Island of St Michael in the kingdome of Angola in the Tercera Islands although the Governor there made some resistance at first in Brasile in all the East Indies and as far as China On the 8 of January following with the like pompous solemnity the three Estates took an oath to the Prince in these words We acknowledge and receive for our true and Naturall Prince the high and excellent Prince D. Theodosio Son Heir and successor of our soveraign Lord the King and as his true and naturall subjects and vassals we doe him homage in the hands of the King and after the death of our soveraign Lord the King we will acknowledge and receive him for our true and naturall King and Soveraign of those kingdomes of Portugal and Algarbe and beyond sea in Africa Lord of Guine of the Conquests Navigations and Commerce in Ethiopia Arabia Persia India c. we will obey his Commands and Decrees in all and through all both high and low we will make war and maintain peace with all those that his Highness shal command us And all this we swear to God upon the holy Crosse and the holy Gospel Next day the King being placed on his Royal Throne there was an Assembly of the three estates in their rich Robes where D. Emanuel de Acugna Bishop of Elvas made a most eloquent speech the substance whereof was That one of the first Laws of Nature was the uniting of men together from whence Cities and kingdomes had their original and by which they after defended themselves in warres and maintained themselves in peace that for this cause his Majesty had called this Assembly to consult for the better service of God defence in warre and government in peace that there could be no service of God without union in Religion no defence without union amongst Men no Regular government without union of Councels That his Majesty did expect to be informed by his loyal subjects what was for the good of the State That they were to render thankes to the Almighty who had given them a King that would govern by the known Laws That his Majesty did not esteem those Tributes lawful that were paid with tears and therefore did from this present take off from his subjects all tribute that ever have been imposed by the kings of Castile because his Majesty will not reign over our goods nor over our heads nor over our priviledges but over our hearts hoping that you will find out a more sweet expedient to defend your Countrey against your potent enemy who threatneth to make us all slaves and to destroy and annihilate our Nation Let us therefore considering his Majesties goodnesse and our own honour manifest at once unto the whole world that as never subjects had such a gracious king so never king had such loyal subjects Then standing up the most ancient officer of the Chamber of Lisbon in the name of the three Estates who all stood up likewise returned humble thanks to his Majesty for his gracious bounty professing withall that they did not onely offer up their goods but consecrate their lives to his Majesties service that his Majesty might freely dispose of the one and the other to his service according to his pleasure c. In pursuance whereof they voted that two millions should be presently levyed by the kingdome but his Majesty not being willing that any money should be imposed upon the subject as a tax all men strove who should advance most freely so that in few dayes there were brought in 4 millions of gold not to pay souldiers for all offered their service to pursue the war gratis at their own charges but to maintain the splendor of the King and Kingdom The next resolution of this Assembly was to dispatch Ambassadors to all States of Christendom to enter into confederations for the better establishment of the Kingdom and reputation of the King In the first place his Majesty considering how much it did import to correspond with Catalonia that so they might joyntly not only defend themselves but also molest Castile which being as it were between the two arms of Portugal and Catalonia must needs be easily incommodated by them both at Sea and Land thither was sent Ambassador Father Ignatius Mascarenas a Jesuit with another Father of the same Order to offer them all assistance and supplies for their maintenance and defence against the Catholick King which Ambassy did so incredibly rejoyce and encourage the Catalonians that the very next day they obtained a most signal victory by couragiously defending themselves against the Spanish Army of 25000. men under the conduct of the Marquiss de los Veles The next was a most solemn Ambassage to the most Christian King Lewis 13. for which high employment were chosen two personages of great worth D. Francisco de Mello and D. Antonio Coello de Caravallio the one for his exquisite judgment and experience in State affairs and the other for his noble spirit and eminent knowledg in the Civil Law most fit to undertake so important a charge These two personages attended with a magnificent train landed at Rochel and upon the 15 of March made a most solemn entrance into Paris being met and conducted by 134. Coaches besides much Nobility on Horseback unto the Palace appointed for Extraordinary Ambassadors where they were entertained in a sumptuous manner at the Kings charges from thence were they carried by the Duke of Cheureuse and the Count of Brulon in the Kings Coaches unto his Majesty then at St Germains to receive their first Audience which was performed with extraordinary respect for upon the Ambassadors entrance into the presence chamber his Majesty rose out of his Chair and came forward three steps to receive them nor would the King suffer them to deliver their Ambassy vncovered or to kiss his hand at their departure but insteed thereof embraced them in his arms with a chearfull countenance promising them all the assistance that lay in his power From the Kings presence they were conducted to a Dinner provided for them and after that to the Lodgings of the Queen who sitting in a chair without armes rose up and coming forward two or three steps received them most courteously not permitting them to speak untill they
were covered Amongst other discourse D. Francisco de Mello told her Majesty that he feared his Embassy would not be acceptable for that his Master had deprived her brother of one of his Kingdoms whereto her Majesty replyd that although she was sister to the King of Spain yet she was wife to the King of France and thereupon began to speak Spanish which the Ambassador observing demanded wherefore her Majesty had not vouchsafed them that favour sooner it being a language better understood by them the Queen answered for fear they should be daunted to hear her speak Spanish the Ambassador to improve the jest replyd Como a tam grande Senora si pero como a Castillana no. It was true considering her greatness but not her Countrey whereat her Majesty smiling went on promising them all favour and wishing many happy dayes to King John and the Prince his son thus having delivered to her Majesty a Letter from the Queen of Portugal they took leave to go visit the most Eminent Cardinal Richelieu who being advertised of their coming came forward to the third chamber to meet them and there received them with expressions of great affection after which he conducted them into his own Chamber where all three being sate his Eminence a personage for his most admirable abilities worthy to live many ages discovered divers affairs of importance to the Ambassadors and they o● the other side made his Eminence understand how highly it imported that the two Crowns of France and Portugal should be united by an indissoluble league and amity considering that the primary and principal aim of the house of Austria whose branches were spread over Europe was not only to be the greatest but the only Monarch of Christendom for which end it never made scruple to usurp Kingdoms and States upon the weakest pretences imaginable as have appeared in the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily and Navarre the Dutchy of Milan and several other States more lately in Germany the seizing upon the Valtelline that so being Master of that passage he may upon any opportunity lead an Army of high Germans into Italy Moreover considering the vast power and interest this Family hath not only in all the other States of Italy and Germany and in the Low Countries but also in almost all America it must be confessed that they have a large foundation of their imaginary universal Monarchy yet no one thing gave them so great hopes as the possession of Portugal First because by the addition of that Kingdom they became absolute Masters not only of all Spain but of all the East Indies of all the Eastern Trade of Ethiopia Persia Arabia China Iapan and all that incredible wealth that was raised out of the Portugal Traffique whereby the Austrian greatness if not their Monarchy was principally sustained therefore that it much concerned all States to endeavour not only to put a stop to the growth of that monstrous tree but to cut off some arms thereof that it may the less damnify and annoy the lesser trees that grow by it that to do this none was more concerned or more able then the Kingdom of France united with the Kingdom of Portugal which having bin reputed the right arm as Catalonia was the left of that huge Austrian Colossus and now separated from it and joyned with France will be able to do as great service against it as ever it hath been forced to do for it not only by assaulting the Spaniard at home in his own house but by intercepting the Plate-Fleet which coming from the West Indies must necessarily pass by the gates of their Enemies the Tereera Islands and so run a hazard to be lost or else be at the charges of an extraordinary Convoy Having thus discoursed with his Eminence of those and other weighty affairs he was pleased to offer not only all the assistance of the most Christian King but that he would disburse of his own for the Service of Portugal that he would presently send thither a Fleet of twenty Sail with his Nephews Admiral and Ambassador extraordinary whereupon the Ambassadors taking leave they were accompanied by his Eminence as far as the stairs which the Ambassadors endeavouring to hinder the Cardinal told them that the Ambassadors of Portugal were to be treated with no less respect then those of the Emperor or Pope Some few days after in the house of the Grand Chancellour there was appointed a Junta of the Ambassadors with his Majesties Commissioners together with the Secretary Chavigny where was soon concluded a peace and league between the Crown of France and Portugal and the Ambassadors with much courtesie and satisfaction dismissed It very much concerned the kingdome of Portugall to maintain amity and peace with the Crown of England not only for the Navigation and Commerce of both States but also for other particular ends in the present conjuncture of affairs principally to break the good correspondency that was at present maintained between the Crowns of Spain and England For this purpose in March 1641. were dispatcht for England Don Antonio de Almada and D r Francisco de Andrada Leiton personages of great abilities who arriving safe in spite of the Dunkerkers that chased them in England were received with demonstrations of great courtesie notwithstanding the earnest labouring of the Spanish Resident to the contrary It is true that his Majesty of England was so tender of his honour and conscience that he answered D r Antonio de Sosa Secretary to the Ambassadors sent before to make way that he would be first satisfied by what right and title his Master was made King of Portugal before he would accept of the Ambassage Whereupon the Secretary being one of the most exquisite wits of this age in the space of twenty four hours drew up and presented to his Majesty a writing which declared at large what here in substance ensueth Upon the death of King Henry the Cardinall without issue many pretended together with the Infanta Donna Catherine Dutchess of Braganza and Grandmother to this present King to the Crown of Portugal but all their pretences wanting foundation soon fell except that of Philip the second King of Spain who propt up his with force King Henry was Uncle equally neer to both but with this difference Catherine was the daughter of a son named Edward and Philip was sonne of a daughter named Isabella brother and sister to King Henry King Philip pleaded that he being in equall degree with Catherine was to be preferred for his sex Catherine replyed That the constitution of that kingdom allowing females to succeed and withall the benefit of representation in all Inheritances she representing Edward must exclude Philip by the very same right that her Father if he were living would exclude Philips mother This conclusion is infallible in jure whereto Philip answered That succession of kingdoms descending jure sanguinis there was allowed no representation Catherine destroyed that foundation alledging That the succession
so that Olivarez now was said to bee sole Servant as sole Master of his Catholique Majesty at which time he was in his third Seventh year or grand Climacterical of his Favor for he declined and fell soon after beyond the hopes and expectation but on this side the desires and wishes of the w●ole Monarchy Because the Fall of this huge tall Cedar was so late and eminent the manner of his Fall the Ropes and Engines made use of together with the Persons that put their Hands to this work shall bee more particularly related The favour of the Count Olivarez duke of St Lucar which had continued twenty two yeares had cast so deep roots in the heart of the King that all the world believed it to be as immoveable as the old Oak that resists all storms and that it was never to be shaken neither by the Winds of Envie nor the Whirlwinds of persecution nor yet by the Tempests which of ten arise in Kings Courts by the conspiracies and conjurations of those who are ambitious of rule that which upheld this common conceite was the naturall inclination which the King had from his youth to the person and rare endowments of the Lord Duke an inclination which proceeded as some judged rather out of a kinde of respect then bare amity because the affection towards him which upon all ocasions he expressed was not a token of singular love only but of a certain fear to doe any thing that might give the least disgust to him which was no small diminution of his Royal greatnes and seemed to overthrow the very order which Nature and the lawes doth establish twixt King and subject insomuch that some out of respect to his Majesty would not question his prudence but rather believe and publish that this so strong passion could not be effected without some kind of witchcraft but the Dukes known vertues were sufficient to convince such popular slanders The first motives of the disgrace of the Lord Duke were the unfortunate successes of the Monarchy of Spain whilst he had the managing thereof In the losse of Ormus Goa and all those other vast dominions in the East Indies the losse of Brasile and the Terceras Ilands of the Kingdome of Portugal and the Principality of Catalonia the two most populous and fertile parts of all that Continent of Rossillion and a part of Burgundy of Hesdin and Arras in Flanders of divers strong Towns in Luxemburg of that most important Place Brisach The impoverishment and almost ruin of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicily and of the Dutchy of Milan the losse of above two hundred ships at sea the extorting from the subject by First fruits One part whereof was employed towards the raising of Armies that were soon lost and to rigge Navies that were soon destroyed the other part hoarded up in the Coffers of the Vice Royes Governours Generalls and other Ministers of state his creatures ●ll these things laid together made the world desire to see the recovery of these losses built upon his ruins by his fall to see the rise of the Monarchy and by his disgrace and ruin to set up the reputation of the King and reformation of the State But desires effect little there must be vigourous endeavours to remove such a favourit with a resolution to ruin or be ruined no medium there Chi vuoll appicar il sonaglio alla gatta when none other durst venture to hang the bell about the Cats neck it was undertaken by the Queen It happened that the King going in person to his Army in Catalonia the Queen was left Governesse at Madrid where she had opportunity to employ and make known her rare qualities and endowments for abateing the austere gravity of the Spanyard and mixing it with the courtesy of the French she oft visited the souldiery about Madrid discoursed with the Captains took order for their pay encouraged them to serve faithfully the King caused Justice to be administred with integrity gave often audience to all sortes discontented none in the raysing moneyes and in all affaires behaved her selfe with such an heroick discretion that all men esteemed her the most deserving Queen that ever Spain had the fame of her merit that had been buryed so many years arrived to the Kings eare at his return to Madrid where shee took occasion to speake of the Interest of the Monarchy of the losse of Kingdomes and ruin of Armyes the want of money the continuall complaints of subjects and that the King might not imagine she spake in opposition to the Duke shee authorized all with the testimonies of some of the principall Ministers of state who had already agreed to second her so soon as she had broken the ice amongst whom was the Count de Castrillo who was the more forward herein not only because he was a lover of the Publick but also because he was brother to the Marques de Carpio who maried the Dukes sister whereby he had Don Lewes de Haro the present favorit who was the only nephew of the Duke yet disinherited by him to the end he might advance his bastard The King considering their discourse began to be perswaded at length that if the Duke had any longer the Managery of the state all would come to ruin hereupon every day abateing the fervour of his affections towards him he would sometimes reproach the Duke that hee was ill informed and sometimes that hee was a most unfortunate man The Duke fore-seeing his declination demanded leave to retire himself from the Court whereto the King answered coldly my Lord we ought both of us to devise some remedy for these misfortunes In the mean time it was noysed abroad that the favour of the Duke was so shaken that one shock more would down with it to the ground all men blessing and commending the Queen crying that the Isabells were ever fortunat to the Monarchy of Spain Isabell of Portugall wife of King John the 2 d overthrew the insolent favour of Alvares de Luna and discharged her husbands Kingdom of the tyranny of that favorite Isabella de Castile demonstrated to Ferdinand her Husband that in the Kings Court the Kings favourite ought to be none but the Queen that the subjects were born only to obey and the King to command and that the happy removall of this most puissant favourite could bee hoped from no other hand but of Isabella de Burbon When a Tree is falling every one cryes Down with it A Lady that was once the Kings Nurce Donna Anna de Guevara partly out of zeal to the Kings service and partly to be revenged on the Dutchess as the King was to pass by night from his Lodgings to the Queens she put herself in the passage casting herself at the kings feet having protested that she was not there to demand any grace at his Majesties hands but to render to the Crown of Spain the greatest service that it could receive she said that her motherly
affection enforced her to discover to his Majesty what perhaps many others durst not for human respects The King giving her leave to speak freely she represented unto him the generall affliction of his people the calamity of his Kingdoms the abuses committed in his Revenues the many losses on every side and the sad condition of the whole Monarchy of Spain shewing him that these evils were the judgments of God upon him for suffering the government of his Kingdoms which God had appointed for him onely to continue in the hands of another that now it was high time that his Majesty should be out of his minority and that he should not incense the wrath of God against him by suffering his poor subjects to be abused at least that he would have compassion on the Prince his Son who ran an hazard to be simple King of Castile or lesse concluding that if she had offended his Majesty by her liberty of speech she was ready to receive punishment being well content having given her milk for the good of her King to sacrifice her blood for the good of the Realms of her Prince The King having hearkned unto her with much attention answered Haveis hablado verdades You have told me the truth After this appears upon the Stage for perfecting the Catastrophe of the Dukes Tragedy the Infanta Margarite de Savoy Dutchess of Savoy who had been so roughly handled by the Duke both before after her leaving Portugall being secretly come from Ocania where she had been in a manner confined and arrived at Court the Duke did his utmost to debar her audience with the King and to discredit her in the Councell of State and would not vouchsafe to visit her Neverthelesse the Queen invited her to come to her Lodgeings and took order that she should have opportuity to speak with the King for two hours space The Infanta gave God thanks for her safe deliverance out of the hands of the Portugals that after so great sufferings she might once more appear in the presence of his Majesty to make known her innocence and the failings and errors of others made a brief Relation of all things past in Portugall making it appear that she was innocent and that the losse of Portugall was to be attributed to the carelesnesse and negligence if not to the intention of the Duke The Queen in the mean time failed not to help out the Infanta in all her discourse which left so deep an impression in the heart of the King that it may truly be said That the mortall wound was given that very day to the favour of the Duke To dispatch him the sooner it was represented to the King what little respect the Grandees bare now to his Majesty not waiting upon him as they were wont but all retiring themselves The King asked the Marquess of Carpio what was the reason hereof Who replied That being little accounted of by the Duke they judged it more meet to forbear the services they owed to his Majesty then to lie under the suspition of the Duke and to give him occasion by their residence at Court to make them feel the effects of his jealousie To help forward there happened a memorable accident in Segovia where six men masked entring by force into the Governors house who imagining them to be Robbers offered them money and all that he had so they would not defile his wife and defloure his daughters One of them answered That they were not come to rob him but to serve the King and delivering a paper into his hands told him that if he would save his life t he should go immediatly to Madrid and present this Writing not to the Duke but to the King himself that it contained affairs very secret and of great importance to the State and to the service of his Majesty and would not depart till they saw him upon his way to Madrid threatning to kill him if he performed not that whereto he was obliged as a subject and as a Minister of the Kings Being arrived he had audience of the King and so was sent back to his Government It was judged by the circumstances that the contents of the Writing was very prejudiciall to the Duke Hereunto may be added one thing more that might probably have a strong influence upon the spirit of the King for the removall of his Favourite The Marquess of Grana Ambassador in Madrid for the Emperour bringing with him the hereditary valour of the House of Caretti the courage prudence and conduct of Affairs whereof he hath given sufficient testimonies in the military imployments which he hath had many years in Italy in Flanders and in Germany together with his great gift of five Languages which he speaks as if they were all naturall hath gained him a great esteem with all men And the liberty which he used in speaking of the affairs of the State although it proceeded from the natural ingenuity and zeal towards the interest of the House of Austria rendring him odious to the Duke whose ears had been accustomed to hear onely applauses full of flattery and not the plain sincere truth having now an opportunity to revenge himself with Justice did it to the purpose For having received a letter from the Emperour to the King that the affairs of the House of Austria grew worse and worse every day so that if speedy order were not taken all would be ruined that his Majesty ought to consider wel the quality of the person that had made him lose Portugall Catalonia and so many other Dominions c. He presently communicates the same to the Queen together with his instructions that he had a part of what he should doe therein for the Letter was open and so had audience of the King where it may well be imagined with what violence and ardor he prest the affair against his enemy To all these assaults that came upon the neck one of another this was none of the least that the Prince Don Balthazar Carlos the only son of the King was now going into the fourteenth year of his Age yet to the great astonishment of all the world he continued under the tuition of Women without any Officers and servants given him after the manner of Princes whereas at the same time one of the Kings base sons of the same age had a Court formed him was declared Generalissimo of Portugall Prince of the Sea and Grand Prior of Castile for the order of Malta and named Don John de Austria and had the Marquess of Castanieda given him for his Governor whereat the people murmured greatly For this Don John was begotten upon a Woman of base Extraction called la Calderona a Comedian not handsome but of extraordinary pleasantness who is since made a Nunne The Youth being of excellent parts and like to make a gallant Man was much affected by the King though he be quite of another complexion The King having before been earnest to have
of the Count de Olivarez and of the Dutchy of St. Lucar so soon as it shall please his Majesty in acknowledgement of his services to make him a Grandee of Spain because the Title of Duke in Castile is not given but to those that may stand covered in the Kings presence Olivarez advertized all Ambassadors and Grandees hereof to the great displeasure of all his Family and Kindred then resolves to marry him with one of the principall Ladies of Spain To which end he cast his eye upon the first Lady of the Court Donna Juana de Velasco daughter to the Constable of Castile who for Nobleness of blood is not to be equalled by any the Subjects of that Kingdome For he shews in the Arms of his Predecessors five Royall Quarrers To accomplish this match it was necessary to annull the former marriage by an order from Rome The Pope deputes the Bishop of Avila with full power who notwithstanding the Protests of the woman gave sentence against her because she was not married by her own Parson although some more conscientious Divines gave their opinions in favour of the woman and that the marriage was good and valuable but the authority of the Favourite prevailed over these reasons and the marriage was solemnly broken In pursuance whereof Olivarez treated for a match with the said Lady and in spite of her Father and Kindred obtained her for his Bastard And here one might observe the base spirits of Flatterers for all the Grandees all the Nobility of the Court all Officers of State went to give Don Henry el para bien or joy of his marriage treating him by the Title of Excellency and giving him respect fitter for a King then a subject In the mean time he became so rediculous a personage in his carriag that not being accustomed to such ceremonies he often fell into great absurdities which made some Italians say Don Harrigo era un Facchino vestito da ReSpagnuolo That Don Henry was a plowman dressed like a King A Pallace was provided for Duke Henry so rich and sumpteous that never any Grandee of Spain had the like Presents were sent him from all persons and all Places the Duke of Medina de las Torres sent him a present valued at twenty five thousand Crownes Don Henry received the Habit of Alcantara with a Commanderie of ten thousand Crownes and was declared a gentleman of the Kings bed chamber with promise to have the Charge of President of the Indies and all to make way for to be governour to the Prince for which porpose the Prince was kept under the government of the Duchesse of Olivares and no Court formed longer then the ordinary and accustomed time Now the hatred was so generall and so great against D. Henry who could not forbear his base carriage and behaviour that the people sang publickly Enriquez de dos Nombres y dos Mugeres Hijo de dos Padres y dos Madres Valgate el Diablo el Hombre que mas quisieres Harry a Man of two Names and two Wives a Son of two Fathers and two Mothers The Divell take him that owns thee The declaring of this Bastard heir to Olivarez greatly displeased the Marquess of Carpio who married Olivarez sister because hereby was dis●inherited the right Heir Don Lewis de Haro son to the said Marquess already declared so an honest Gentleman and of good parts and at present sole Favourite in the Court of Spain Upon the fall of the Conde Duke Don Henry immediatly lost the Title of Excellency his great train and the Kings favour and from a great Idoll became a Man of Clouts scorned by all men The Constable intended to take home his daughter and to declare the former marriage valuable But some Nobles with whom he advised thereof telling him that he should forbear such attempt for the former marriage being declared valuable his daughter will be declared an Adulteress whereto he answered I had rather Donna Juana were taken for my daughter and a Whore then chast and wife of such a Fellow Not long after D. Henry died without issue and his Father the Conde Duke of grief ended his dayes at the House where he was confined the one ending like a Comet after a great blaze for a short time the other like a Candle after a long time in a snuff Next followeth the unparalleld Case of Michael de Molina Exemplum sine Exemplo OR The unparalleld IMPOSTVRE OF Michaell de Molina Executed at Madrid in the Year 1641 Faithfully Translated out of the SPANISH LONDON Printed for Tho. Heath 1653. Exemplum sine Exemplo OR The unparallel'd CASE OF Michael de Molina Executed at Madrid in the Year 1641. Faithfully Translated out of the SPANISH MIchael de Molina born of honest parents at Cuenea a City in the Kingdom of Castile bred there in the Jesuits Colledg and after at the University of Alcala de Henares to try his fortune went thence to Court where to gain a living speedily he undertooke to give secret intelligence to the secretaries of the severall Ambassadours then residing at that Court and to give the more credit to his reports gave out That he was servant to Andrew de Rojas Cavalier of the order of Santiago and secretary of the Councell of State insomuch that he forged letters feigned discourses framed intelligences fitted for the purposes and affayres of the Ambassadors wherewith he dealt counterfeited the Kings hand invented Cyphers made consultations and orders to the number of 345 severall Papers and all with that dexterity that he deceived and abused not only the secretaryes of the Emperour the Venetian and French Ambassadours but also and most of all Don Lorenço Coqui secretary to the late Don Lorenço Campegi Nuntio to the Pope in whose house he was at length apprehended upon whose apprehension and search of his papers he told the officers That if the tenour of those papers should be looked upon as jests and conceits he should not speed so ill but if as a crime it would appear so great that one life would not be enough to pay for the same And his Majesty takeing notice that the busines was of that importance that the like had not been heard or found in any History Commanded that there should be on purpose a Court of Justice composed of two of the chiefe Nobility and two of the Cheife Judges before whom when the said Michael de Molina was sufficiently convinced and had made a large confession which for its matchlesse strangenes shall be verbatim set down he was sentenced as followeth IN the town of Madrid July 31 1641. the Lords of his Majestyes Counsell who by particular order have taken cognizance of the accusation given in by Don Marcellino Faria de Guzman Atturney nominated by his Majesty for this cause against Michael de Molina late of Cuenca prisoner in the Gaole of this Court for offences and high treason committed by him whereof he hath been accused doe condemne the said
de Olivarez Duke of Saint Lucar that the best way to continue that Nation in subjection and peace was to abolish all their priviledges which were but so many encouragements to oppose the Kings designes in pursuance whereof the Dutchess of Mantua was made Governor of Portugal although she was neither Daughter Sister Aunt or Neece to the King the great Offices were bestowed upon Castilians Italians and other Forreigners pensions out of the Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical promotions were also given to strangers the governments of Castles and Towns were put into the hands of Castilians new Impositions were laid upon the people the Revenues of the kingdome were imployed for the use of the Court at Madrid c. And that this design of Olivarez might be no way hindred the Nobility and ablest men of the Kingdome were drawn forth some to Court some to employments in Warre and some to prisons where they were destined to slaughter as appeared by a Letter written from Madrid to Vasconzellos his Agent at Lisbon where he saith por los cuernos de los Fidalgos que ya stan aqui bien puede V. M. rezar un pater noster por sus almas mus por aquellos que no han querido venir me recomendo As for those rascally Gentlemen of Portugal which are here already you may bid God have mercy on their souls but commend me to those that would not come But this hard dealing with the Nobility already called forth of forth of the kingdome and the calling for more gave the first occasion to some of the Noblemen to assemble together where they resolve Not only to stay at home but to have a King at home whereupon the Duke of Braganza Grandchild of the fore-mentioned Katherine by the name of Don John the Fourth now raigning was advanced to the Crown as is at large related in the life of Olivarez and therefore needs not here to be repeated Only hereunto shall be annexed the most memorable passages that have happened since hee came to the Crown The Kingdome of Portugall having been possessed by three Kings of Spaine successively from the yeare 1580. untill the year 1640. not full sixty years according to the prophecy of St Bernard for before Philip the second was received and sworn their King it was April 1581. whereas the present king of Portugall Don John the fourth was proclaimed on the first of December 1640. being then at Villaviciosa his Country-house upon the fifth of the same Month without any pomp or guard he entred into Lisbon yet with so great security as if he had been guarded with a most invincible Army whereupon he said That to be King and Soveraign of the Portugall Nation there was no neeed off any other Guard or Armes then the hearts of the people So soon as it was known in Lisbon that the King was arrived the concourse of People was so great before the Palace and the joy so extreme that for a time they seemed to be transported out of themselves some leaping others dancing some kissing the Kings hand others throwing themselves down at his Foot all shouting and crying Viva viva el Rey Dom Joam el quarto nosso Senhor God save the king D. John the fourth our Soveraigne Lord. That Evening all the Cannons were discharged and so many Fireworks and Lights that the Night was turned into Day whereat a Spanish Gentleman said Es possible que se quita un Reyno a el Rey D Felipe con solas Luminarias y vivas sin mas exercito in poder Gran senal y efeto sin duda del brazo de Dios todo poderoso Is it possible that king Philip should be deprived of a whole kingdome with only Lights and Fire-works without a powerfull Army Certainly this is an evident token of the Almighties power Upon the fifteenth following was the King solemnly crowned in the great place before his Palace upon a Theater wheron was raised a great Scaffold and upon that a lesser whereon was placed three steps higher a Chaire of State under a Canopy all covered over with cloth of Gold about Midday came forth his Majesty in a Suit of Chesnut-coloured Velvet embroidered with Gold and Buttons of Diamonds about his Neck a Collar of great value whereunto hung the habit of the chief order of Knighthood called El Orden de Christo He was girded with a gilt Sword his Robe was cloth of Gold lined with White wrought with Gold flowers his Train was born up by the Lord Chamberlain D. John Roderiguez before his Majesty was the Sword borne by D. Francis de Mello Marquis of Ferreira high Constable of the kingdome and before him the kings Banner displayed by Fernando Telles de Meneses as knight Marshall and before him the Marquis of Govea D. Manrique de Sylva Steward of the kings House with all the Grandees Nobility and Gentry before all went Portugall king at Arms with the Heralds Pursevants c. His Majesty being sate in his Chaire with a Crystall Scepter in his right Hand whereon stood the high Constable and behind the Chair the Lord Chamberlain There was placed before him a Table covered with cloth of Gold with a Cushion thereon and upon the cushion a Cross of Gold with a Missall then the Archbishops of Lisbon and Braga with the Inquisitor-Generall kneeling down upon a Cushion made his Oath to the kingdome as followeth WE swear and promise by the grace of God to Rule and Govern you well and justly and to administer unto you Justice as far as Humane frailty will permit to maintain unto you your Customes Priviledges and Liberties granted unto you by the Kings our Predecessors So God help Us and this his holy Gospel After this taken by the King the three Estates Clergy Nobility and Commons swore Allegiance to his Majesty in these words One for every Estate said I Swear by this holy Gospell of God toucht corporally with my Hand that I receive for our King and lawfull Soveraign the High and Mighty King Don John the Fourth our Soveraigne and doe Homage unto him according to the use and custome of his Kingdome This Ceremony being past Francis de Lucena Secretary of State standing in the middle of the Scaffold with a lowd voyce declared That his Majesty accepted the Oath and Homage which they had made Then the King at Arms having cried O yez thrice Ferdinando Telles de Meneses knight Marshal with a lowd voyce said Royal Royal Royal for the high and mighty Lord King John the fourth our Soveraigne and the Heralds with all the people ecchoed Royal Royal Royal Then all the Drummes Trumpets and Fifes sounding his Majesty came off the Theater and mounting on Horseback rode under a most rich Cloth of State towards the great Church with all his Grandees and Nobles before him bare headed on foot By the way in a great open place were presented unto the King together with an eloquent Harangue the keyes of the Citie which being
that the person of Don Duarte should be secured and how much it behoved his Imperial Majesty in this particular to shew his affection to the Catholick King his brother and to the whole house of Austria shewing that this Prince was the main prop of the house of Braganza that God had left this only remedy in the hands of the house of Austria whereby Portugal may be reduced to obedience that it would be a great error not to make use of this opportunity that if he should escape out of their hands he might by his great insight in Warlick affairs assist his brother and thereby much infest the Catholick King The Emperor having heard this discourse of Mello was at first so farr from being perswaded that he answered him he abhorred the breach of publick Faith and the violation of Hospitality that this would be against the Liberties of the Empire and against his own honor to imprison a Prince for no fault but on the contrary that had deserved so well of the Empire and to whom his Majesty confessed himself very much obliged The Arch-Duke Leopold brother to the Emperor did so farr detest the motion that he said he washt his hands of so foule and shamefull an act yet Mello not at all discouraged pursues his design corrupting with sums of money the Count of Tratmansdorff and some other pensioners to the Crown of Spain but they at length ashamed of the imployment Mello resolves upon a more subtil invention which was to perswade the Emperor to hearken to one Father Diego de Quiroga who of a Souldier turned Monk and was now Confessor to the Empress this Father being wont to give his opinion of such actions as these according to the rules of Interest of State would perswade the Emperor not only that with good conscience he might secure the person of Don Duarte but that for divirs reasons of State he ought to do it His Imperial Majesty at first very unsatisfied in the business was resolved not to do it but by the importunity of Mello and the ghostly perswasions of Quiroga he was at length induced to alter his resolution and to give order to D. Lewes Gonzaga that he should go to Leipen the Princes quarters and to summon him to Ratisbon in the mean time to prevent the ill impression that this would cause in the minds of all men of honor and honesty it was reported abroad that D. Duarte was fled for some misdemeanor and thereupon proposal was made of sixteen thousand crowns to any man that could bring him alive or dead of which the Prince being ignorant escaped very narrowly the hands of some of those people that went searching for him in hopes of the proposed reward when he was com to Ratisbon he was cast into a vile prison appointed only for persons of mean quality and all his Servants imprisoned D. de Francisco de Mello not content herewith now sollicites the Emperor afresh that he may be delivered into the Spaniards hands and sent prisoner to Milain whereto his Majesty would not hearken but on the contrary sent a message to D. Duarte promising upon his word not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard but to procure speedily his liberty But his ill usage increasing D. Duarte made all the means possible to get audience of the Emperor which would never be granted nor was it any wonder for there is no face mere ugly or more terrible to the offender tehn the face offended hereupon the Infante made his protestation calling God and man to witness the wrong and injurie done unto him by the Emperor to whom he was neither subject by any obligation or birth that when his brother was made King of Portugal he was in the Emperors service wholly ignorant of any designe of his brothers that if the King of Spain was offended he might revenge himself upon the person offending that that business no way concerned the Emperor All which particulars were acknowledged by his Imperial Majesty by a messenger sent to Don Duarte in prison assuring him again that he should not be delivered into the hands of his enemies yet that his liberty could not be granted for some reasons of State whereupon D. Francisco de Sosa Coutigno Ambassador extraordinary from Portugal to Swethland in the name of the King his Master represented at large to the Diet at Ratisbon the whole proceeding requiring justice and libirty for the Infante But nothing can prevail against Interest the effects of all Manifesto's Petitions and Intercessions were that the Infante was removed from place to place and sent farther off where he had still harder usage only the Emperor seemed yet immutable in his resolution not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard untill the most powerfull means in this world to conquer all difficulties was used which is money for upon promise of forty thousand crowns the Emperor contrary to the immunities of the Empire to the rules of hospitality to the priviledge of free Princes to the Law of Nations and contrary to his word and promise so often reiterated yeilded that the most innocent Prince should be sent whether the Catholick King should think meet so he was hurried away towards the State of Milain to remain prisoner in that Castle by the way as he entred into the Spanish Territories he was received by the Count de Siruela the Governor of that state wherethe Commissary of the Emperor took his leav to return to whom D. Duarte said openly Tell thy Master that I am more sorry that I have served so unworthy a Prince then to see my self a prisoner sold into the hands of my enemies but that the just Judg of the World will one day suffer the like dealing towards his children who are no more privildged for being of the house of Austria then my self that am of the blood royal of Portugal and that posterity will judg of him and of me The Emperor in his instructions to those that convoyed the Infante gave express order that in case their prisoner made any attempt to escape they should kill him upon the place Being arrived at Milain he was clapt up in the prison where all the Rogues and Banditi are to be kept with a guard in the same chamber so rude that he could hardly take any sleep Any man of honor would have been pierced to the very soul with this harsh treaty how much more a Prince of so high blood who knew himself descended from so many glorious Kings and allyed to the greatest Princes of Europe for which cause the Kings ever treated the house of Braganza much different from the Grandees of Spain giving them the respect due to soveraign Princes in so much that Philip the second who desired to a base that Family always received the Duke of Braganza under the same cloth of State within the Royal Curtain in all publick Assemblies allowing him always a chair with a cushion and as oft as
he went to visit his Majesty he would go to receive the Duke as farr as the middle of the chamber Besides the Princes of this Family had always a guard of their own to wait upon them even in the Kings Court. This then was the reward of that unfortunate prince for having left his Countrey Kindred Friends Interest fot having served the Emperour eight yeares at his own proper charges for having ventured his life upon all occasions with the formost expecting no other pay then thanks and no other recompence then honor Yet there wanted not some to defend the Emperour in this action alledging that it was no new thing for that Charls Duke of Burgundy had in the same manner delivered up the Count de St. Paul to the King of France who put him to death whereunto it was answered That all the misfortune of that Prince is by Philip de Comines and others attributed to that foul fact Ex isto tempore saith one nihil Carolo prospere successit sed calamitati accessit calamitas donec victus ab Helvetiis ad Nanecium miserrime trucidatus est When D. John the present King of Portugal had been fully informed how his brother was treated he was resolved to revenge himselfe by Arms but the Castilians beginning to make incursions upon all the borders of Porougal diverting his thoughts made him look neerer home to put the kingdome into a posture of Defence to fortifie his chiefe Townes and to train up all the people to the use of Arms. The Castilians in the inroads that they made into Portugal laid all waste before them spared neither sex nor age upon the taking of any place which so inraged the Portugals that to revenge themselves they did the like in an incursion into Galitia During these extremities of Barbarisme upon the confines of the kingdome there was wonderful tranquillity and unanimity at home onely some few thought themselves so farre obliged to the Catholick King as to re-establish him in his Throne amongst whom D. Sebastian de Matos Archbishop of Braga a creature of the Count de Olivarez was the principal who at the beginning of the revolt opposed himself so much that divers Gentlemen were once resolved to send him after Vazconzellos This Prelat having imparted his designe to D. Lewis de Meneses Marquess de Villa Real an ambitious man and to his sonne the Duke de Camigna both discontented becaus they thought themselvs not preferred according to their merits perswaded them that it was a most unworthy thing to suffer themselves to be subject to a fellow-subject but rather return to the obedience and loyalty of their ancient Soveraign who is able to bestow upon a deserving man more in one day then the Duke of Braganza in an hundred years c. Insomuch that they were soon gained Next the Archbishop draws in D. Augustine Manuele a man of noble blood excellent parts necessitous and never yet employed in any business all notable motives to make a man embrace desperate designes After him was assaulted Pietro de Baeza an upstart Christian as they call those Christians whose ancestors were once Jewes this Gentleman famous for his vast riches and his great intimacy with that eminent Favourite the Count Olivarez was wont to say That Olivarez favour would one day advance him either to high honor or else to a high gallows which proved precisely true as will appear anon These with some few other Conspirators oft assembled themselves privatly to consider how their designs might be speedily put in execution for which purpose some were of opinion that many more were to be drawn into the plot But then it was feared on the one side that thereby the design might be discovered on the other side that there was a necessity thereof for that without communicating to others the business rested onely in the Idaea Others advised that the assistance of the King of Spain was to be got in readiness but that then the King of Portugal would make as great preparations and so render that way difficult yet some replied that thereby the Spaniard by way of intelligence might be the more easily let in but that seemed as difficult because the whole Militia was in the hands of persons most trusty to the King Another time they had thoughts of taking the King out of the way by some sudden violent death which by some more moderate was opposed and that rather some way was to be invented to cause his Majesty to renounce his title to the Crown and to retire himself out of the danger represented unto him In this wavering condition most of them inclined to a mediocrity although the same in all eminent attempts is the very stepmother of good success Moderate resolutions are the most of all pernitions where a designe is to begin with execution Yet some more valorous and less wary then the rest were of opinion that they should presently set upon the the work and leave the successe to the disposition of Fortune insomuch that of many Irons that were in the fire none was yet hot Amongst the conspirators divers of them notwithstanding his Majesties express prohibition kept secret correspondence with the Court at Madrid by the means of divers persons much suspected The King of Portugal who had alwayes an eye upon the Archbishop of Braga and the Marquess de Villa Real knowing their disaffection from the beginning at length intercepts some of their Letters wherein was discovered the names of the conspirators and the whole treaty wherefore his Majesty desiring to secure all their persons at once without any noyse gave order that by sound of Trumpet and Drum as the custome is it should be proclaimed That his Majesty intended to goe abroad forth of the Citie whereupon all the Nobility out of their great affection to his Majesty were soon assembled to wait upon him When the King saw them all ready he commanded first to call a Councell of State where some of the conspirators assisted being there sate he caused them all to be arrested one by one without the least disturbance which certainly could otherwise have been hardly prevented for if the conspiracy had been known before the persons were in custody there would not have been so much danger of their escape as to have been immediatly without expecting the course of justice torn in pieces by the people Besides the wisdome of his Majesty would that by the usual forms of Justice their crime might be as manifest to the world as their punishment So so on as these were safe in prison his Majesty proclaimed a pardon to all complices of this conspiracy that should come in within four days and confess their fault but the diligence of the King had been so exquisite that there was not one man left to take the benefit of that grace Not many days after they were all solemnly arraigned found guilty of high Treason condemned and executed in manner following Upon the last of August 1641.
the Marquis de Villa real the Duke de Camigna his son the Count de Armamac and D. Augustin Manuele were led along a Gallery made of purpose to the Scaffold whereupon were built two stories one above another upon the uppermost there were placed two chairs upon the second story one chair and upon the Skaffold it self another First was led forth the Marquiss in a long black baies cloak and his servants in mourning who after he had prayed for a good space upon his knees rose up and having made a long speech demanded if there were no hopes of pardon upon which all the people cryed out let him die let him die for a Traytor then the Executioner according to the manner with a loud voice proclaimed This is the Justice that the King our Soveraign Lord commands to be executed upon the person of Don Lewes de Meneses sometime Marquiss of Villa Real that his throat be cut as a Traytor to his Majesty Nobility and people of this Kingdom that for his crime his goods be confiscated and his memory banished out of the world Whereat all the people cryed Justice which the Marquiss hearing with much gravity demanded pardon of all the spectators desiring them to assist him with their prayers to God for a pardon of this and all his other sins then turning to a father Jesuit his Confessor prayed him that in his behalf he would present himself at his Majesties feet and beseech him out of his goodness that he would vouchsafe to forgive him this hainous offence committed against him and the whole Kingdom after which sitting down in the chair his arms and legs were tied to the arms and legs of the chair then leaning his head over the back of the chair the Executioner with a knife cut his throat after covering him with a black silk In the same manner upon the same Skaffold appeared his son the Duke of Camigna attended with all his servants in mourning passing by his fathers corps he kneeled down and several times kissed his feet begging of the people the suffrage of one Pater noster for his fathers soul then sitting down in the other chair after the proclamation of the Executioner received the same punishment The Judges would have had both their necks to be cut behind but his Majesty would not give way thereunto being a punishment too ignominious in Portugal for persons of their quality After these appeared the Count of Armamac attended with one only servant who in the chair placed in the lower story received the same punishment as also D. Augustin Manuele upon the skaffold below The same day Pietro de Baeza and one Melchior Correa de Franca being drawn at an horse tail to the place of execution were hanged upon a gallowes extraordinary high Upon a lower gallowes in the same place were hanged Diego de Brito Nabo and Antonio Valente the quarters of these four last mentioned were hung up at the gates of the City and their heads set up near the frontiers of the Kingdom In September following for the same crime were likewise executed Antonio Cogamigno and Antonio Correa the later of which all the time of his imprisonment was an example of penitence feeding only upon bread and water and whipping himself every day with continual prayers to God for pardon of that and his other sins The Archbishop of Braga the Bishop of Martiria and the Bishop of Malacca and Fryer Emanuel de Macedo although they were complices in the same conspiracy yet because they were Ecclesiastical persons were not put to death as they deserved but reserved in prison untill the Popes pleasure were known concerning them The Archbishop during his imprisonment did oft acknowledg his offence by Letters to his Majesty desiring that himself might suffer so that the others might be spared in regard that what they had done was rather in obedience to him then ill will to his Majesty Upon his death-bed in prison which happened about three years after the fact committed he gave order that so soon as he was dead his last Will and Testament should be carried to the King wherein he besought his Majesty that he would vouchsafe of his goodness to pardon him the Treason committed by him against his Majesty and his native Country and that he would let his body be buried without the Church of any parish of Lisbon without any inscription or tombe stone that so there might remain no memory of a man that had been a Traytor to his King and to his Country A good example of Christian humility and of admonition to others not to meddle with the like affairs for attempts of this nature are like hot irons which insteed of heating scorch the hands of those that handle them This so exemplary punishment and rigorous justice inflicted upon the forenamed delinquents did not only establish the Kingdom and secure the Family and Person of the King but also strook a terror into all the Kings Enemies if there were any left and excited the Kings friends to love him and watch over him the more diligently The mutual incursions upon the frontiers between the Castillians and Portugals still continued with great animosity and violence About this time although there was a truce concluded between Portugal and Holland as afore expressed and a great Navy sent from Holland to assist the Portugal against the Spaniard yet there passed high acts of hostility between the two Nations in Africa and America beyond the Line for the Hollanders seeing the disunion of Portugal from Castile made all possible haste to finish the conquest of those parts before a perfect peace should be concluded with Portugal that so in the Treaty they might pretend reason that all things should continue in the state they were then found to this end during all quiet and peaceable commerce between the two Nations in the Kingdom of Angola the Hollander surprised the Portugals that were Governors of the place killing divers and robbing all of the great wealth there found of which perfidiousnesse and of the barbarous usage towards the prisoners there taken complaint was made to the States at the Hague but without any satisfaction In the mean time the Catholick King was very sollicitous for the recovery of Portugal for the effecting whereof he did not consult only with his greatest Statists at home but also with those abroad from one of whom he received this ensuing Letter By the Letter which your Majesty was pleased to write unto me on the 6 of March past I am commanded to deliver my advice touching the best expedient for the recovery of Portugal Sir the Clemency used by King Philip the second your Majesties Grandfather towards the Kingdom of Portugal was a fatal presage of the present calamities and future destruct on not only of Spain but the whole Spanish Monarchy because that Kingdom was only in name but never really Conquered remaining rich and aboundant with the same if not greater priviledges then
before The Grandees and Nobles at home the people not at all crushed and which is more then all the Government in the hands of natives and all his Majesties other Subjects excluded from all places of power honor or profit Sir the holy Scripture which is the mirror and rule of our actions teacheth that when Salmanasar conquered the Kingdon of Israel he did carry away not only the Royal Family but transported all the Nobility and People into divers Provinces of his own kingdoms and into the new Conquests sent new inhabitants yet the Israelites were never such inveterate enemies to the Assyrians as the Portugals with Divellish madnesse have shewed themselves against the interest and conveniences of this Monarch Moreover in the same Scripture it is read That Nebuchadonosor having conquered Jerusalem transplanted all that he found in that kingdom leaving onely a few miserable inconsiderable people to remain there So Athalia Queen of Judah saw no other way to preserve a kingdom newly conquered but by extinguishing all the generation upon whom the Jews could cast their eyes in hopes of revolt And Jehu King elected by God extinguisht all the family of Ahab together with all his dependents friends and acquaintance not sparing so much as the Priests These Sir are the Rules that the holy Scripture teacheth to be practised upon the Families and People that abhor the dominion of their own Soveraignes It was Sir very fatall to stand expecting and hoping for better times and opportunities for the securing of Portugal In the year 1638. observing the ill affection of that Nation my advice was that without any delay that kingdome was to be secured by force of Armes others were of the same judgements but Fate would have it that for fear of new troubles by delayes way should be made for a Rebellion then which there could not have been a greater although that form of Government which was expedient for the Spanish Monarchy and was alwayes held necessary for preserving that Crown had been put in execution with the greatest violence imaginable But when a Jewel is gone the main inquiry should be by what means it may be found again not how it came to be lost The first means then of recovering that Crown may be what your Majesties Grandfather made use of to buy your rights of your own subjects by Gifts and Promises wherein your Majesty is to be as prodigall as the Portugals are insolent in expecting and demanding and indeed experience teacheth that that Nation is so addicted to their own interest that more may be effected this way then by a powerfull Army to him will they be subject who wil give most or from whom most can be expected herein prodigality wil be good husbandry For when Portugal shal be returned to the obedience of your Majesty all that wealth which hath been bestowed amongst them wil return likewise The second means is by force of Armes but this wil be difficult at present by reason of the severall engagements of this Monarchy elsewhere I suppose Sir that in case Portugal should be conquered by force all their conquests in the Indies c. wil remain in their hands for thither wil they all fly and from thence they wil be alwayes ready to assist our enemies wherefore it would be very expedient for your Majesties service that a Truce were first made with the Hollanders upon condition that they make warre upon the Portugal in the Indies and have what ever they can conquer Whence will arise this commodity that they will want the wealth of their conquests your Majesty being disengaged with the Hollander wil the sooner conquer them at home and the Hollander wil onely come to receive to day at the hand of your Majesty what to morrow the Portugal must deliver up unto them At the same time the Hollanders and Flemings may scour the Coasts of Portugal and the English be invited to a more frequent navigation into the East Indies and China whereby the Portugal Trade there may easily be ruined The third way is That the Pope be perswaded to thunder his Excommunications against the House of Braganza and against the whole Kingdom as perjured and perturbators of the publick peace animating all Christian Princes to assist in the regaining that kingdom upon pretence of advancing the Catholick Faith Moreover diffidencies and jealousies between the Duke of Braganza and the people may easily be fomented by the means of Merchants strangers and by Flemings and Burgundians under the name of French And to effect these diffidencies the better a Treaty may really be begun with the Duke which being discovered by the people though it be before the Duke could know therof they will destroy him and all his Family and in such case the civill dissentions will open a way for your Majesty to recover your right Desperate evils must have Desperate remedies the kingdome of Portugal is the canker of the Spanish Monarchy therefore Ense recidendum est ne pars syncera trahatur Let not your Majesty defer the right remedy the greatest rigor is here the greatest charity and to have no charity is to have much prudency to bury this Hydra in its own ashes will be triumph enogh to live without this arm is better then to have it employed against its own head Let your Majesty never believeor hope better of that nation then you have seen these 60 years past never think to keep that Countrey if not planted with other people the detestation against your Majesties government is hereditary The interest of the King Sir it very ample and hath no bounds against Rebels every action is just and honourable that tends to the recovery of the Kings right Moreover a Truce is to be made with the Catalonians wherby they being freed from the tumultuous courses of warre will have time to take notice of the French insolencies and growing weary of that yoke wil at length easily embrace the next opportunity to return to their obedience which once effected will make the whole people of Portugall waver between hopes and fears and beget variety of opinions amongst them which for the conquering of kingdoms the Emperour Julian was wont to say is much more advantageous then the power of an Army as the Grandfather of your Majesty found in the succession of Portugal To this may be added that it will be very expedient that your Majesty name Bishops to dispose of all Governments and Offices of that Crown to the the most confiding persons in that kingdom for this will beget distrust amongst them all and the ignorant people not knowing whom to trust will put all into confusion whereby your Majesties service will be more easily advanced Thus in obedience to your Majesties Com mands I have imparted my weak advice wherin if I have erred your Majesties goodness will attribute it to my want of abilities n●t of affection God preserve the Catholick and Royall person of your Majesty as the Christian world and
●e your Majesties subjects have need But to return to the affairs of Portugal which were at this time a little discomposed by the generall discontent and distast taken at the Secretary of State Don Francisco de Lucena who having lived long in the Court of Spain was at length by Olivarez means made Under-Secretary to Vazconcellos and for his readiness to proclaim King John and his abilities in that place his Majesty continned him there relying upon him with so great affection and confidence that although some had advertised his Majesty that he held correspondence with the Court at Madrid yet he would not suspect his integrity untill the whole three Estates being again assembled upon urgent occasions openly fused all Acts that should passe the hands of Secretary Lucena and gave his Majesty to understand That untill Lucena were brought to triall there should be no further proceeding in the Assembly of Estates whereat his Majesty was much moved yet out of his prudency resolved to give satisfaction to his subjects by delivering his Secretary up to justice but that he might have a fair procceding the King sate in person during the examination of witnesses in the mean time by the Post came secret information to his Majesty whereupon were imprisoned the brocher and three servants of the Secretary together with an English Monk and a Cavalier of the habit Not long after Lucena was arraigned and found guilty of betraying his trust intelligence with the enemy negligence of timely advertising the Infante Don Duarte to retire out of Germany c. for which he was condemned and executed in a publick place in Lisbon where he protested to the very last his innocency touching any treachery towards his Majesty With the death of the Secretary the three Estates were satisfied and according to his Majesties command had assembled themselves Septem 18. 1643. taking their places in their wonted manner the Dukes upon velvet Chairs without Armes the Marquesses upon Forms covered with red Cloth the Earls upon Forms covered with ordinary Cloth the Prelats apart upon Forms covered with velvet and all the Deputies of Cities and Towns upon plain forms in order on both sides with a passage in the middle Being all sate Don Emanuel d● Acugna Dean of his Majesties Chappell rose up and after reverence made to the King placed upon his Throne delivered an elegant speech the sum whereof was That in the space of 60 years that the Kingdom was under the power of the Kings of Castile there had been but two assemblies of Estates the first to enslave them the next to abuse them But since they were under the obedience of the present King whom God preserve within the space of two years they have had two Assemblies the former to settle their liberties the present to beget a right understanding between the King and his people wherein they had all freedom to demand what ever was necessary that the world might see that they are now no longer slaves but children no longer strangers but natives and that they are under rather a loving father then a severe soveraign In the former Assembly said he his Majesty took all the Customs and left the defence of the kingdom to your hands you ordered what seemed good unto your selves you made choyce of a general assistance by way of contribution but in the levying thereof the first payment was found uneffectuall the second unequal the third unsufficient whence arose some complaints some imagining that the fault procceded from the unequal division of the contribution others from the change of value in money and commodities and others from the disorderly gathering and disbursing the whole I may easily say if there were any error committed yet it might be excusable for that Never had any weighty affair its conception and perfection at once Then shall errors cease to be in Government when men shall cease to be in the world These things are to be endured with the same patience that Drowths Dearths Inundations and such other disorders in Nature for the wit of man cannot hold forth a remedy for all diseases But certainly there will be no ground of reprehension though much of admiration to him that shall consider how his Majesty entred upon a Kingdom exhausted by the Castilians of money and other necessaries for offence or defence and yet how in lesse then one year and a halfe we should want neither shipping nor Artillery nor Horse nor Arms nor Fortifications nor Armies upon the Frontiers Three powerfull Fleets put to Sea divers honorable and extraordinary Ambassages besides many other secret yet necessary expences all which will astonish any understanding man Now to● the end that the people may have full satisfaction his Majesty commadded that before farther proceeding it be made appear particularly how all the money received hath been laid out and then it is expected and the present state of affairs requireth that we all contribute liberally considering that these charges are but for a time but our liberties are for ever that we shall never have a better opportunity to destroy our enemy that Nature teacheth to hazard an arm to save the whole body the Merchants at sea cast away one part of their goods sometimes to save the rest we are now on shipboard in a storm our goods our lives our liberties our honour our Countrey are all in danger Moreover the barbarous usage of the King of Castile towards the Infante Don Duarte calls upon this Assembly for revenge that we spend not onely our mony but our bloud in affection to him and that we make our enemies spend theirs in satisfaction for him c. The three Estates encouraged by this Harange took a good order for the redressing of all grievances and advancing his Majesties service that soon after an Army of twenty thousand Foot and three thousand Horse were upon their march with the King in the head thereof resolved to make the feat of war in Castile which was performed with much gallantry and as much success In the mean time news was brought to his Majesty of the birth of his second sonne but first child after he came to the Crown for which cause he was baptized with as great pomp as could be devised and was named Alfonso About the same time there arrived from the Indies some rich Galeons that brought news with what generall applause and excesse of joy his Majesty was proclaimed throughout all those Countries But because all men understand not how considerable the severall dominions belonging to the Crown of Portugal and now in the possession of King John are I thought fit here to make a brief narration thereof The Crown of Portugal at this day enjoys considerable estates in the East Indies that they may be called a mighty Empire for to say nothing of Madera Tercera and St Michael Islands so long time possessed by the Portugal nation they have made themselves masters of many strong places in Africa as in Guinea