Commotions acting as it were the part of a Massaniello by Law Great things are told concerning those that bore this Office during the War King John the 4th being observed to be a little remiss in the Affairs of Government and too intent upon his Sports 't is reported that he once going to ride out into the Country to Hunt the Juis do Povo laid hands on the Reigns of his Horses Bridle and oblig'd his Majesty to stay at home and mind his Business nor will this seem strange if his Power were so great as they say it is to this Day that he could at a Words speaking raise the whole Posse of the Commonalty The Envoy found the Person that was then in Place to be an honest well meaning Man and ready to concurr with him in his Design on which as one of a moderate Capacity might easily be made to understand the Happiness of his Country depended and this Man showed himself so very Zealous and Industrious to promote it that his Picture is to be seen at this Day amongst theirs who were more immediately concern'd in making the Peace The Envoy took care likewise to have his Party amongst the Peoples Representatives in Cortes which were assembled some time after Alfonso had been Deposed his Table was open for the Members and he had his Cabals with them the Effects whereof appear'd as soon as the Business came under Debate The Letters of the Spanish Noblemen were answer'd with Powers from the Queen Regent to the Marquess de Eliche to enter upon a Treaty with the Prince of Portugal to the intire satisfaction of that Kingdom Letters to this purpose were no sooner come but care was taken to have the Contents of them publish'd every where both in City and Country the News was welcomed by the People who now hoped to see a speedy end of their Miseries with such Publick Demonstrations of Joys as it deserv'd which the Court in vain laboured to suppress Mr. de S. Romain had now great occasion to bestir himself but he found the People so prepossessed already that all his Artifices were like to have no effect upon them he therefore sets forth a Memorial directed to the Prince the Ministers and the Cortesoens or Members of Cortes wherein he Declares That the Prince could not break the League with France and consequently not make Peace with Spain both because in taking the Government into his hands he took upon himself the Obligations of the Crown to maintain the Treaty made between his Brother and the King of Spain and in consideration of the great Benefits confer'd on Portugal by His Most Christian Majesty who had given innumerable Demonstrations of his Friendship to that Kingdom having spent his Treasures and the Blood of his Subjects in its Defenec and likewise because it was impossible for an advantageous Peace with Spain to be made with security in the form Proposed since the Intervention of the King of France was wanting wherein alone consisted the certainty that the Promises and Conditions of the Treaty should be kept That the Castillians whilst they dreaded the Armies of France and Portugal would indeed to free themselves from the Danger they were in submit to any Terms that the Prince as a Conqueror should impose But a few days of Delay could be no loss in this Conjuncture and since France was not far off he advised the Prince to send thither a Copy of the Spanish Proposals and when he had received an Answer from thence he might then consult what was most conducive to his Subject's Good As for the Spaniards they minded nothing but their own Interests and as they had shown upon several Occasions would never stand to the Treaty but while they were under an Impossibility to carry on the War That their Ancient and inbred Hatred was now mightily increased by the Miseries which the Valient Portugueses had brought upon them and therefore they in all future Ages would be indeavouring either by Force or Art or Alliances to reunite the Crown of Portugal to Castille and all this in order to take their Revenge in so cruel a manner as to destory the very Memory of the Nobility by scattering over the face of the Earth such of them as should escape their Tortures and Poisons and to impoverish the People to that Degree that they should have nothing left to enable them any more to shake off their heavy and Tyrannical Yoke The Marquess de Eliche who had his Agents abroad was one of the first that got a sight of this Memorial and he immediately drew up an Answer to it which he took care to have dispers'd throughout the Kingdom In it he sets forth That the French Artifices to augment their own Power by weakning their Neighbours were Notorious to the World of which there was no need to go far for a Proof none doubting but that they had succour'd Portugal in this last War to the end only that by other Mens Hands they might beat down the formidable Power of Castille in order to become themselves too strong for both Parties That this and no other was their Design was demonstrated by their Proceedings after the Peace made at the Pirenees where the King of France in Person gave his Word to King Philip the 4th and confirm'd the same in the Capitulations of Marriage between him and that King's Daughter that he would give no Succours to Portugal against Castille and at the same time assisted that Kingdom with Money Generals Officers and Soldiers that having obtain'd an Advantagious Match with the Princess of Spain under an Obligation containing the most binding Clauses the Law could afford and confirm'd with the most dreadful Oaths that neither he nor his Successors would make any claim of Inheritance to the Kingdoms or Dominions of Castille he was now contrary to his Promise and the Treaty making War against that Monarchy That he laboured to obstruct the Peace with Portugal in order to divide the Forces of Spain that he might the more easily seize upon that Crown in case the Succession should fail That he might with the same injustice attempt the Conquest of Portugal under the same Pretext that he used in breaking with Spain viz. it s not being in his Power to Defraude his Successors of their Right That though he now oppos'd King Philip's Right to that Crown he would doubtless make use of it hereafter as a Colour for his unjust Invasion That the Prince did not make the League with France which as 't was Notorious was clapt up upon some secret Designs without the Peoples consent That if the King of France could make War upon Castille on pretence of his want of Power to deprive his Heirs of the Succession belonging to them with how much greater Reason was the Prince oblig'd not to deny his People the Blessings of an Advantageous and Honourable Peace after a cruel War of Seven and Twenty Years which had hitherto been carried on for
been demonstrated to them that Popes did not Tacitly consent to the Election of Bishops in which for so many Ages together they had nothing at all to do no more than a King of France has to do in the choice of a King of Poland and would the Poles think we be content to abandon their Country to the mischiefs of an Interregnum and submit their Necks to the Yoke of a Foreign Tyrant because it can never be made out that their Kings have not been made by his Tacit Consent but when I see People laying so much stress upon the Tacit Consent of the Popes for my part I do not at all wonder that they ascribe so much virtue to a Rule in the Pope's Chancery that it shall be able to destroy the whole Hierarchy and turn into an Arbitrary lawless Tyranny that most Regular and Beautiful frame of Government which hath obtain'd in the Church ever since the Apostles days However these Reasons such as they were satisfi'd the three Estates of Portugal so that instead of helping themselves as they might and ought they took up with a Resolution to throw themselves wholly at the Holy Father's Mercy and in conclusion of their Bleatings declar'd That they would wrestle with Christ's Vicar the Roman Angel the Figure of God on Earth exerting all the vigour that their love and necessity inspired them with till they got from him his Blessing and would never let go their hold till his Apostolical Hand was upon them and till he offered his most Holy Feet to their Mouths The Pope finding them to be thus resolv'd thought he was sure enough of them and therefore let 'em Bleat and Bray too as they pleased for him for his part he would trouble his Head no more about them all his concern was how to oblige and humour the boisterous Spaniards who by their rugged behaviour were ever and anon threatning him into a Compliance with their unjust and unreasonable Pretensions He knew not what mischief they might do him While the Portugueses took care to satisfie Him that he had nothing to fear from them and I do not find but that they sent in their Money in the usual course so that he lost but little excepting what was to be got by the Bishop's Bulls which yet as the Spaniards would perswade him was like to come speedily in all in a lump they feeding him all along with hopes that they should make a quick dispatch of the War In this state did the Affairs of Portugal at Rome continue for part of Urban the 8th's Pontificat all Innocent the 10th's and Alexander the 7th's and till the latter end of Clement the 9th's and during the whole Reigns of this King's Father and Brother but upon Dom Pedro's coming to the Government the Spaniards having made Peace with Portugal and acknowledg'd the King's Title left his Holiness at Liberty to do so likewise And now Portugal having no such need as before of the Pope's Protection or Favour and being more at Liberty to make Returns of the ill usage it had receiv'd the Blessings of Rome began to shour down upon that favourite Kingdom without measure Clement the 9th had a happy Opportunity before he died to signalize his Fatherly Tenderness or rather indulgence towards his present Majesty and make full amends for all the Rigour used by former Popes towards his Father and Brother for a little before the conclusion of the Peace Alfonso was deposed in the manner as hath been related and Dom Pedro possest of his Throne and a little after of his Bed by marrying the Queen the King his Brother still living and here was a large Field for the Apostolical Graces For now it was not only the King's Title that was to be acknowledged but the Prince his Right to his Brother's Wife and Kingdom and his Highness found in the Pope all the easiness he could desire This Prince did but mention in a Letter written on another occasion his design of sending an Ambassador to pay his Obedience and his Holiness returns answer That his Ambassador upon his coming to Rome should as he thought but just meet with a kind and honourable Reception no scruple was made about the Prince's Right of sending one no enquiry into the manner of his taking upon him the Government nor so much as mention made of the Clause sine Praejudicio Tertij How different was this usage from what his Father met with King John had an undoubted Right to the Crown and the same was manifest to the World yet his Ministers were called to account at Rome to show the grounds of their Master's Title whereas the Reasons for deposing King Alfonso and placing Dom Pedro in the Throne whatever they were were not as yet well known to the Publick and yet after all King John was treated like a Traitor and a Robber and it was but just that Dom Pedro's Ambassador upon the first intimation of his coming should meet with a kind and honourable Reception at Rome The World is not to be informed now what work they used to make at Rome in Causes of Divorce especially between Royal Parties and one would think his Holiness might have taken some time to consider of it before he gave way to a Marriage which I believe never had a Precedent in the Christian World But here we have an instance of a Queens casting off her Husband without the least Difficulty and both that and her Marriage with her living Husband's Brother confirm'd by his Holiness with as much Facility as if these were things done every day of course so that it cannot be denied but the submissive Compliance of this Pope with the Will and Pleasure of the Portuguese Court now in the time of its Prosperity did equal at least if not exceed the insolence of his Predecessors towards that Nation in its distress It is certain that Clement did not a little value himself upon his having thus far stretch'd the plenitude of his Power in Dom Pedro's Favour he thought he had done enough to atone for all Offences and to inspire this Prince with as great Devotion towards the Holy See as any of his Predecessors have had before him Certainly saith he to him in his Letter on this occasion Certainly we have labour'd to do you all the Favour in the present Cause that the sacred Canons will permit and we receive the greatest content upon finding You so well pleased with this Pontificial Kindness But in Truth the thanks you give with so much Piety and Affection are no more than are due the thing it self consider'd so that we with Justice require that you acknowledge your self indebted for it to the Goodness of the Holy See and you will perfectly comply with this Obligation if you go on to show as truly you do on all occasions a greater concern and affection for whatsoever hath Relation to the Holy See and the Catholick Religion imitating herein the Ancient Devotion of
could desire or wish for insomuch that the Messineses in our days did not think themselves more happy in the French Friendship at the first Engagement than the Portugueses did at that time A perpetual Peace was presently concluded between the two Crowns each obliging himself to distress the Common Enemy by all possible means to this end the King of France was to send twenty Men of War to join so many of the King of Portugals But I do not find that any great matter came of this Agreement unless it were the taking of Port Longone for the French in 1646. when they perswaded the Portugueses to join them with a Squadron of their Ships for it does not appear that the Portugueses for the space of almost twenty years received the least assistance from France but they were left to shift for themselves unexperienced as they were and unprovided of all Military Preparations They were all that time exposed to the first fury of the Spaniards at their own home while in all other Parts of their Dominions the French were possessing themselves of their Frontier Towns 'T is true the Portugueses were encouraged all along with very large Promises of intended succours but these Promises were turn'd into Excuses as often as they had occasion to make tryal of what their Friends would do for them when they desired a supply of Money towards the Charges of the War the French were in want themselves when they asked for Auxiliary Troops the French on their Part would have Money for them and required such excessive Summs that the Portugueses though they were brought in their necessity to bid high could never come up to their Price Once indeed Mazarin was for sending them a far greater supply of Men than they desired for when the treaty of Munster was on foot while the French were thinking of making their Peace the Cardinal was very desirous to have the War transferred into Portugal and to discharge into that Kingdom the Soldiery that might prove burthensom to France But the Portugueses had no mind to have more French among them than they knew how to deal with and gave his Eminence to understand that they were afraid in case they should accept his offer of being more oppressed by their Friends than they were already by their Enemies so that after almost twenty years spent in Negotiations I do not find that there was so much as one Company of French Soldiers in the Portuguese Service Being thus left to themselves to bear the Brunt of the War they were still encouraged with hopes that their Allies whensoever they made Peace would not fail to procure very advantageous Terms for them who contributed so much as they did to divert and weaken the Enemy At their first making an Alliance with France they found the Ministers of that Court so extreamly obliging and ready to do more for them than they demanded that they did not then think it necessary to press them upon this Point But coming afterwards to perceive their Error they obtained a Promise of Louis the 13th to make with them a League offensive and Defensive and in order thereto a Treaty was entered upon with Richelieu but when they were in a fair way to bring it to a Conclusion that Cardinal died to their great Misfortune For he being of a far more generous Temper than his Successor they had doubtless received better Usage from him than they afterwards met with at the French Court. Mazarin indeed who succeded him in the Ministry was used on all occasions to go beyond him in fair Promises but to come very short in Performances He when the Portugueses proposed the League to him finding them already embarkt so far that there was no drawing back for them would by no means hearken to their Proposal telling them that the Alliance already made was sufficient to enter into new Engagements would argue a Distrust between the two Kings whereas his most Christian Majesty had so tender a concern for his Friends that nothing should be wanting on his part for their Preservation however he did not put them out of Hopes but that such a League as they desired should be concluded some time or other but when they afterwards grew urgent with him he fed them still with Promises or put them off with Delays and sometimes he would keep them in Play by amusing them with all the Formalities of a Treaty which went forwards or was broken off according to the several occasions he had for them While there was any Prospect of concluding a Peace or Truce between the French and Spaniards at Munster the Cardinal was thinking to dispose the French Troops in the manner now mentioned for which and other Reasons he judged it convenient to have Portugal excluded out of the Peace But the Portugueses at the same time were the more importunate with him to get themselves comprehended and to that end solicited with greater earnestness than ever the Ratification of the so long promised League and they pressed so very hard upon him that his Eminence was at a loss how to put by their importunities his Excuses were now spent or by being often used had lost their force and he was reduced to his last shifts for a new one The King of Portugal at last furnished him with one it was indeed such a one as a Body would think was very remote and odd however it served the Cardinal's Turn for that time There stands at Villa Viçosa the ancient seat of the Dukes of Bragança an old Lady of the Conception the most ancient of all the Ladies bearing that Title throughout Spain to whom the Dukes have all along had a most singular Devotion and as they thought not without Reason she having serv'd them in place of a Lar to the Family For as I remember I have been told by one that had reason to know the concerns of that House there have no considerable Alterations happened in the Family but this Image as it hath been believed since hath some way or other given them notice of it before hand King John after he had been pretty well settled in the Throne began to remember his old Penates and thought he could do no less in gratitude for the Favours received from this Lady than devote himself and all his Dominions to the Immaculate Conception declaring the Lady of that Appellation Protectress and Guardian of the Kingdom obliging himself and his Successors to pay her at her House at Villa Viçosa the annual Tribute of fifty Crowns of Gold as an acknowledgment of their Homage and withal according to the Custom of ancient Chivalry he made a solemn Vow to defend her Immaculate Conception with his Arms. Not content to do this himself he obliged the three Estates of the Kingdom assembled in Cortes to enter into an Association to the same purpose every Member engaging himself by Oath to hold and maintain that Important Article At the same time it was Declared
and Enacted by his Majesty That whosoever should attempt any thing against it in case he were a Subject he should be unnaturalized and cast out of the Kingdom if he were a King he desired that God's Curse and his own might light upon him that he might not be reckoned among his Descendents hoping through the Divine Favour that he would be thrown down from the Throne and dispoiled of the Royal Dignity This Act passed the 5th of March in the year 1646. Hitherto all things went smoothly on there being nothing in the Association but what the generality of the Portugueses were willing to assent to and maintain with their Lives and Fortunes But the King would needs have the Dominican Fryars swear to it Men that are Thomists upon Oath and whose Order had all along asserted a contrary Doctrine to that which the King would now force upon them This Business was in Agitation while the Portugueses were adjusting all things in order to conclude the League with France But Mazarin had now what he look'd for a Pretext to break off the Treaty for his Eminence sent the King word that he thought it a very strange thing for him to put such a hardship upon the Dominicans But the King continued in his Resolution which the Cardinal took very ill at his hands but the King in this case made no Account of his Anger for as the Conde da Ericeyra saith his Devotion to our Lady was such that no Politick Consideration could make him desist from his Purpose and doubtless the Cardinal foresaw as much or else he had put his Invention to the rack to find out some other occasion for a Quarrel But the Congress at Munster being upon the point to break up and things remaining in the same state as before between France and Spain the Cardinal was for bringing on again the Treaty of a League with Portugal but still he insisted upon unreasonable Conditions and among others would have cautionary Towns put into the French hands with two Harbours that were capable of the greatest Fleets He was encouraged to make this Demand by the famous Jesuit Antonio Vieira who had been sent to Paris to assist at the Conferences with the French Ministers with Power to make what Proposals he in his own Discretion thought fit and the Father was so very forward in making large Promises that the Cardinal thought he could not be too exorbitant in his Demands and they made such a bargin of it between them that the Ambassador was fain to interpose and put a stop to their Proceedings by declaring that he would sooner have his hands cut off than sign what the Jesuit was agreeing to After this manner did his Eminence play fast and loose with his Friends till the year 1655. when the Spaniards had like to have done their Enemies of Portugal a kindness which they found it impossible to do for themselves for if the Portugueses had made use of the advantage which the Spaniards had put into their hands they might have managed the Cardinal as they pleased and brought him to Terms of their own prescribing The Spaniards in order to make mischief in Portugal and incense the People against the Court gave out that they had made an offer of Peace to the King and found him of himself willing enough to hearken thereto but that he was imposed upon by his Ministers who for their own Interests were still putting him upon continuing the War This Report coming to the Cardinal's Ears gave him the Alarm and raised a suspicion in him that there might be some under-hand Negotiation carrying on between Spain and Portugal which if such a thing there was might spoil all his designs He therefore dispatches away the Chevalier de Sainte Foy to adjust the League on Condition that the King of Portugal would engage himself to a vigorous Prosecution of the War to which end he should be furnished with Money for the Expense of the next Campagne but withall the Envoy was ordered to complain how little Portugal minded the Interests of France and of the several infractions of the Capitulations already made between the two Crowns and to let fall some hints of the King 's being suspected of having an Understanding with the common Enemy The good King took care to vindicate himself from this unjust Aspersion which the Castillians by their Calumnies had cast upon him and clear'd himself so well that St. Foy began to perceive that there was no occasion for a League and so found out Pretences to defer the Conclusion of it Hereupon King John dispatches away an Irish Fryar with the Character of his Envoy I suppose to satisfie the Court of France of his Innocence but with express orders to hasten the Conclusion of the League and it seems the Irish Polititian acquitted himself of the first part of his Commission so much to the Cardinal's satisfaction that his Eminence would hear no talk of what he had to say further and so Frey Domingos do Rosario for that was his Fryars name I think his true one was O Dally was sent back again and ordered to tell his Master that he should make his Peace with Spain himself if he would and think no more of a League with France This was the last Negotiation between France and Portugal in the Reign of King John the 4th the first King of the House of Bragança and let the Reader judge how far he was obliged to France for his Establimment upon the Throne After his death there was little entercourse between the two Courts the French leaving the Widdow and the Orphan to shift for themselves till the Treaty of the Pirenees was drawing on and then the Cardinal had a further occasion for Portugal During the course of this long War Spain had lost several important places to the French which they expected to have restored to them at the Peace or some Compensation for them at least For the Spaniards had not yet been accustomed to make Peace on such Terms as they have since been used to they stood likewise obliged by Treaty made with the Prince of Conde at his first putting himself into their service never to lay down their Arms till he was restored to all the Places and Governments possest by him in France when he first came over to them The French on the other side were as unwilling to part with the places in Question as the Spaniards were to yield them up and as for the Prince of Conde neither the King nor the Cardinal could be prevailed with to put him in a condition to give them the like trouble again as he had done formerly for they were not without some jealousy that he had a mind to be playing over his old Game again and should he come off so well after all the Bustle he had made in the Kingdom others might in after times be tempted to follow his Example So that unless some Expedient could be found out to satisfy
both Parties here were insuperable Difficulties to obstruct the Peace and a Peace the Cardinal was resolved to have as well for his own private Conveniencies as to settle the state of the Nation that was then as he thought or pretended breaking out into new Disorders The Spaniards on their side were as willing to end the War as the French could be so as it might be done with their Honour safe they were sensible enough of their own feeble Condition they saw that two or three Campagnes more were like to prove the total Ruin of their Monarchy Besides they were impatiently eager to be turning the whole force of their Arms against Portugal which they made sure of over running with ease could they be once at liberty from the French and they were the more hasty to come to an Accomodation with them for that the Pope began to be troublesome The Ears of Alexander the 7th were a little more open than those of his Predecessors to the Bleatings of Portugal and he gave notice to the Cardinals of the Spanish Faction that something must be done to end the Dispute or he should be forc'd to acknowledge that King who succeeding a Father that had reign'd sixteen years could not be made to pass with the World for an Usurper Thus were the minds of both Parties disposed for a Peace but how should they come by it Who could remove the Obstacles that lay in the way and satisfy those irreconcileable Pretensions from which neither Party would recede To bring all this about the Cardinal had his Wits at work he now began on a sudden to be mighty Zealous for the poor King of Portugal whose Ruin was thought infallible should the French forsake him and therefore his Eminence would seem for some time to be as earnest for his Preservation as the Spaniards were bent upon his Destruction both Parties agreeing in this that should Portugal be excluded from the Peace it would of course fall into the Hands of the Spaniards so that in effect this Orphan Prince and all that belong'd to him seem'd to be now wholly at the Cardinal's Disposal since to exclude them from the Peace was then thought to be the same thing in effect as to give them up to the Spaniards and these he had to set against the Prince of Conde and the places demanded by the Spaniards and he made his Advantage of them For in all the Negotiations in Order to a Peace when the Spaniards thought much of yielding up their Towns and Provinces the French sometimes would mind them of a whole Kingdom and the Dominions thereunto belonging which they were ready to give in Exchange for their Conquests When the Spaniards interceded for the Prince of Conde the French when other Arguments fail'd would speak for the King of Portugal But there was this Difference between them the Spaniards always began with the Prince of Conde the French answered Portugal in their own Defence the Spaniards got conditions for the Prince not such as they pretended to but very Honourable considering how ill the Prince had deserv'd at the hands of his King The Cardinal engaged his Master's Word his Faith and his Honour that Portugal should be utterly abandon'd for him The Spaniards to the very last were passionately Urgent to get something more still for their Friend the French surrendred us theirs at the first Overtures of a Treaty the Spaniards were in earnest the French had only a Turn of their own to serve The first Advance that appears to have been made to any purpose on either side towards a Peace was in 1658. when the Marquis de Lionne was sent to Madrid to treat with the Ministers of that Court what Monsieur de Lionne's Instructions were Mazarin best knew who in a Letter to the Pope concerning this Affair told his Holiness That if Spain by his Authority could be brought to abate of their Pretensions in favour of the Prince of Conde the Peace was upon concluding since all other points were adjusted Monsieur de Lionne having orders to abandon Portugal in case Spain would not be so obstinate in behalf of the Prince but Spain could not not be prevail'd upon and so that Treaty was broke off I have seen no particular account how this Business was manag'd at the Treaty of Madrid perhaps it was then that the Offer was made by the French to restore their Conquests and re-establish the Prince in his Governments on Condition that the King of Portugal should remain in peaceable Possession of his Dominions for that such an Offer was made some time or other we must believe because it is so affirm'd in the 60th Article of the Pirenean Treaty but whenever it was made the French were assur'd it would not be accepted as I believe I shall presently make appear The Treaty of Madrid broken off by the Spaniards persisting to Espouse the Prince of Conde's Interests the French on their side were for sticking close to their Allies and gave out that they were resolved never to abandon them For the Marquis de Lionne a little after declar'd publickly at the Diet of Francfort that the King of France neither could nor would make any Peace without the Intervention of his Allies viz. of England Portugal Savoy and Modena and in effect they were about renewing their League with the Rump Parliament of England then restored to their Seats after Cromwell's Death They were likewise treating about a Match between their King and Madam Margaret Prince 〈…〉 and seem'd to be so much in earnest 〈…〉 an interview between the two Cou 〈…〉 the King appeared to be so much taken with the Lady that many thought a Marriage was like to ensue About the same time the Count de Cominges Ambassador Extraordinary from France at Lisbon was Negotiating another Match between the same King and the Infanta of Portugal and that was likewise in such great forwardness that Preparations were making for the Wedding and several things got ready which served afterwards when that Princess was Married into another Country and all this to bring on a third Match between the same King and the Infanta of Spain which had been in Treaty ever since the first Overtures of Peace were made and both these Treaties with Spain viz. of Marriage and Peace had such a mutual Dependance on each other that they were necessarily to proceed or break off together The Advances that the French made towards a conclusion of the Match with Savoy startled the Court of Madrid for should they go on there could be no hopes of a Peace and France in all probability would in that case enter into new Engagements with Portugal wherefore Don Antonio Pimentel was sent Post to Lions whose presence there presently broke off all other Treaties and revived those with Spain The Spaniards yielding at last to the necessity of their Affairs and accepting of the French Proposals in relation to the Prince of Conde which were that he should
be permitted to return into France and be restor'd to the King's Favour but remain depriv'd of his Governments The Court hereupon removing to Paris the principal Articles were there adjusted that were afterwards confirm'd by the two great Ministers at the Pirenees But the Allies of France seem to have been quite forgot at this Treaty of Paris as it was called at least no mention made of Portugal unless it were in that Article whereby the French oblig'd themselves to abandon it but that Article had then none of the fine Preamble before it which now sets it off so much to advantage in the printed Copys of the Pirenean Treaty While these things were transacted the Conde de Soure was coming Ambassador extraordinary from Portugal with such Instructions as show'd that the Queen Regent was intirely satisfied of the sincere Affection of her intended Son-in-law for he was ordered to demand no less then 4000 Foot form'd into six Regiments and 1000 Horse and all to be paid by his most Christian Majesty even while they were in the Portuguese service or if France could not spare so much Money he was at least to raise the Men in that Kingdom He was likewise to choose out two General Officers and engage them in his Master's service Cardinal Mazarin undertaking for their Fidelity and Ability he was also to put the last hand to the League that had been so long in Agitation there being little Cause to doubt but that it would now be soon brought to happy Conclusion But the Ambassador upon his arrival at Havre de Grace was surprized with the News that a Truce had been Proclaim'd between the Crowns of France and Spain and a day fixt for a Conferences between the Cardinal and Don Luis de Haro in order to conclude the Peace When he was got to Roan he receiv'd a Message from the Portuguese Agent more mortifying than what he had heard before for the Agent having acquainted the Cardinal of the Ambassador's arrival was bid to advise him to come Incognito to Paris his Eminence doubting whether it was convenient to receive a Publick Embassy from Portugal whose Interests France was obliged to abandon by the Peace to be made with Spain Upon his coming to Paris the Cardinal entirely disabus'd him and put an end to all the hopes they had hitherto been feeding themselves with in Portugal for now there was no more talk of the League with France nor of any conditions to be made with Spain but such as the Cardinal might be assured that the Portugueses would never be brought to accept of so far was the Ambassador from obtaining the 5000 Men he came to Demand that he could not prevail to have two General Officers of that Nation The Cardinal having so much Honour left as to tell the Ambassador that should he recommend French Men to him in case the Peace with Spain ensued the Portugueses might well question their Fidelity and the Spaniards his Sincerity However he named to him two that were of other Nations whom he advis'd him to Treat with they being Persons of known Valour and Conduct and in all respects qualified to Command in the Posts they were design'd for The Ambassador took his advise after having consulted with Marsh Turenne who knew the Men and highly approv'd of the choice the first That the Ambassador treated with was the Earl of Inchiquin who presently embark'd for Portugal but had the misfortune to be taken in his Passage by the Algerines and after having regain'd his Liberty he had been but a little while at Lisbon when the News came of King Charles his Restoration which occasion'd his Return home He was design'd afterwards to Command the Forces which that King sent to the assistance of Portugal but he did not continue long there The other was the Famous Count afterwards Marshal and late Duke of Schonberg who when he came to have the Command of Men that were worthy of such a Leader soon chang'd the face of things in Portugal and restored the most desperate Affairs of that Nation to such a state that the Spaniards who now made sure of over running it were glad to sue for a Peace and the French who at this time were casting off the Portugueses with so much contempt thought fit to court their Alliance but those by whom the Count effected all this were not French men and the Cardinal was no Prophet At present he had so little consideration for Portugal that when he was presented with a Memorial containing twenty seven Reasons why France ought not to make Peace with Spain without including Portugal his Eminence having now gain'd his ends could not find so much as one Reason among all the seven and twenty that was conclusive though the Portugueses pretended to a Promise under the Hand and Seal of King Louis 13th After this came on the Conferences between the Cardinal and Don Luis de Haro at the Pirenees there indeed the Cardinal would sometimes put in a word for the King of Portugal but it was only in order to keep Don Luis quiet when he had nothing else to defend himself withal from the Persecutions of that Minister who notwithstanding what had been agreed upon at Paris and consented to in Spain could not help making some motion or other in almost every Conference for the Prince of Conde and sometimes he would do it with so much Vehemence that the Treaty was several times like to be broken off purely on this Account even when all other Matters were adjusted For Don Luis was so very tender of his Master's Honour which seem'd to him to ly at stake on this single point that he thought he could never do enough to retrieve it one would think were we to judge of the Conduct of these two great Men as 't is represented in Mazarin's Letters that on this occasion he had changed Characters with the Cardinal Don Luis is represented at other times as having all the distinguishing qualities of a Spaniard and the Cardinal on all other occasions complains of him for being stiff slow and cold but when he makes him Pleading for the Prince of Conde he represents him as transform'd into another Man He would then become supple on a sudden using all the most Insinuating and Engaging ways of Address to gain upon the Cardinal he would Caress Court and Flatter him enduring his Repulses without the least Resentment as long as he thought it possible to bring him to a Compliance and as he found all would not do he would then begin to take Fire grow Impatient and break out into the most passionate Complaints as unable to bear the Reproach that his Master must be forc'd to abandon his Allie The Cardinal did not show himself so very passionate for the honour of his Master or the safety of his Allie had the Affair of Portugal gone as much to his Heart it is not unlikely but the Italian would have fawn'd and cringed as much and winded
himself into as many shapes to gain his ends as the Spaniard They that know any thing of Cardinal Mazarin's former Conduct would surely have expected a great deal more of this from him than from a Person of Don Luis de Haro's Character and Quality It s true his Eminence was at this time at the very heighth of his Greatness and Glory and might think it beneath him to be playing over his old tricks he would now be thought to have put off the Italian and pretended much to the Promptitude and Vivacity of a Frenchman but then had he any concern for his Allie he would surely have receiv'd some warmth from all that heat He observed in Don Luis at least that natural Vanity of his which was at this time encreased to as great a height as the station he was in could raise it should have put him upon doing something for a Prince who had no other Dependence but upon him and what could there have been more Glorious for this proud Great Man who had a Crown'd Head for his Client being so sensible as he was that the Eyes of all Christendom were upon him Princes and Nations expecting their Fate in the Issue of his Proceedings than instead of wrangling and squabbling about the exchange of every little Bicocque to be pleading the Cause of a Distressed and Orphan King But alas he did not lay the Cause of Portugal to heart at all nor concern himself for its Preservation He had used that People before so basely that he seem'd to desire their Destruction no less than the Spaniards themselves He contented himself sometimes to repell the most lively instances of Don Luis for the Prince of Conde by telling with all the Coldness and Phleme imaginable That his Master was so desirous of Peace that he had no such Considerations for the King of Portugal as he expressed for the Prince and that his Master might in Justice use the Prince of Conde in the same manner as the Spaniards intended to serve the King of Portugal It s true that in one of the first Conferences when he had no other way to put by the Importunities of Don Luis he told him knowing very well as he saith himself in his Letter to Mr. Le Tellier that he should not be taken at his Word that since he was so very Passionate for the Interests of the Prince he himself had one Proposal to make and would desire the King his Master's Consent which should be more advantageous to the Prince than any thing Don Luis had yet desired The Spaniard over joy'd at this News was impatient to know what the Proposal might be the Cardinal told him He would desire the King of France to restore the Prince and his Son the Duke of Anguien to all their Charges and Governments on Condition that the Catholick King would leave Portugal in the state it was then in The Offer was rejected with all the Indignation that the Cardinal look'd for and had he not thought as much it never had been made for as his Eminence saith to Mr. Le Tellier when he made this bold or hardy Proposal as he calls it he knew it would not be accepted Now if the French did not think it worth their while to rescue the Kingdom of Portugal from apparent Ruin at so small an Expence as giving the Prince of Conde his Employments again it is more unlikely still that they should be wiling both to do that and yield up the many strong Towns and some entire Provinces that they had possess'd themselves of in a five and twenty years War and this it is that tempts me to believe that the Proposal mention'd in the 60th Article of this Treaty was never made in earnest the Cardinal in the same Letter gives a little more light into this Mystery he saith there That he made these offers to let Don Luis see what vast Advances his Master had made towards a Peace and of what consequence his yielding in the point of Portugal was since rather than do that he would be content to restore the Prince to his Governments and give up all his Conquests and it is a great Ease to me continues he that when Don Luis is reckoning up the great Advantages the King gets by this Peace counting the Places and Provinces that remain to his Majesty that I can answer him again that all he said was nothing in Comparison to the Concession we make in the Article of Portugal though he gives a hint to Mr. Le Tellier by the by that for certain Reasons unknown to the Spaniards all this was no such great matter neither as he endeavour'd to make them believe I do not find by his Letters that he made this Hardy Proposal as he calls it any more during the whole time of the Treaty but I find him afterwards directing Mr. De Lionne to word the Preamble of the Article in the same manner as it now stands the Body it seems was adjusted before at the Treaties of Madrid and Paris so that possibly the Preamble had no better grounds for it than the occasional Discourse of which I have now given an account let the Reader then judge what we are to make of this formal Declaration vid. the 60th Article of the Treaty of the Pirenees That his most Christian Majesty desiring with an extreme Passion to see the Kingdom of Portugal enjoy the same Repose that other Christian States acquire by this present Treaty had to that end propos'd a good number of Ways and Expedients which he thought might be to the satisfaction of his Catholick Majesty among which notwithstanding as hath been said that he is under no sort of Engagement in this affair he hath gone so far as to be willing to deprive himself of the Principal Fruit of that happy Success which his Arms have had during the course of a long War offering besides the Places which he restores by this present Treaty to his Catholick Majesty to surrender up all the Conquests in general that his said Arms have made in this War and to re-establish entirely Monsieur the Prince of Conde provided and on condition that the Affairs of the Kingdom of Portugal might be left in the state they are in at present c. I cannot pretend to tell what the many Ways and Expedients here mention'd were finding little or nothing said of them in the Accounts of the Treaty that are yet extant or in the Cardinal's Letters who seems to have given an account of all the most material Passages and yet he mentions but one expedient as propos'd by himself and he saith too that he offered that rather to divert Don Luis from pressing him in behalf of the Prince than out of hopes that it would be accepted He made it on this occasion Don Luis had been very urgent with him that since the Prince could not be restored to his Charges and Governments in France he might be allow'd to accept of a
Countries lying convenient for France he laid claim to them in his Queen 's Right who being a Child of the first Venter ought as 't was said according to the Laws of those Countries to have inherited them from her Father who died the last year in Exclusion to the Male Issue by a second Marriage 'T is true that Princess had at her Marriage made a formal Renunciation of any Right or Title that might accrue to her to her Father's Dominions either in whole or in part But in all other respects the French King found himself in a condition to make good his Claim his Armies after a long breathing time had now recovered new Vigour His Brother-in-law the King of Spain was then but an Infant under Government of his Mother and the Widow and the Orphan were like to make but a feeble Resistance for their best Troops had been drawn from Flanders and consumed in this fatal War with Portugal but however for fear lest the Spaniards were not yet humbled enough to be securely trampled upon or if there were none else to fall upon them at the same time might make some dying Efforts to repell so unjust an assailant as they no doubt would take his most Christian Majesty to be It was judged convenient that while he was engaging himself in this hazardous Enterprize the Portugueses should be set on to keep the Spaniards in Play and animated to follow those deadly Blows they had already given them with a more vigorous prosecution of the War And therefore it was that France proposed the League Offensive and Defensive to this Court But to perswade the Portugueses to imbrace the Proposal was thought and with a great deal of Reason to be no easy matter for as much pleas'd and elevated with their Victories as they were they had as great cause as ever to wish for a Peace That poor People had been in Arms for these five and twenty years and were now harass'd out and almost spent in defending their Country a small Country indeed yet but thinly Peopled and stretched out in length with a Frontier of a hundred Leagues which must be continually guarded or lie exposed to the Enemies incursions In this long War their Youth had been destroyed their Lands laid wast their Stocks consumed and their Moneys brought to an end so that should the War continue let their Victories be never so many it must necessarily in a short time compleat their Ruin To a People in such a case all talk of prolonging the War must sound so harsh that it could not be imagin'd they should hear of it with any Patience and that which gave the French greater cause still to despair of gaining their ends on the Portugueses these had now for some time been flattering themselves with hopes that they should see a speedy end of their Miseries The stomachs of the Spaniards were by this time come down and they desired a Peace as much as the Portugueses Sir Richard Fanshaw the English Ambassador at Madrid had wrought so effectually upon them that the Articles were drawing up and all things making ready for a Treaty Sir Richard's Secretary had been in Portugal to give notice to that Court of what he was doing for them at Madrid and he had signified by Letters that he was preparing for his Journey to Lisbon in order to set the last hand to the Treaty These Tidings had been received in Portugal with the welcome they deserv'd and the blessed Messenger of Peace as Sir Richard was then call'd was look'd for with impatience They thought their Condition upon his coming would be a kind of Heaven to what it then was He being as one of the great Ministers express'd it to let them in to the Beatifick Vision The Portugueses being thus disposed the French saw plainly that it would be to no purpose to make any direct motion to them for carrying on the War so that in order to bring the Design about it was thought convenient to take a Compass and all their Talk was of Peace while they were preparing themselves and inciting their Friends to War or if War was mention'd it was only by the bye and as a last reserve in order to procure for Portugal a more firm lasting and honourable Peace But to secure this 't was pretended that a League with France was absolutely necessary for Portugal France being alone able as they said to procure good Conditions from the Spaniards and to see they should be well observ'd To this purpose had Messieurs Turenne and Colbert been several times discoursing with the Portuguese Minister at Paris And that the Portugueses might be sensible that nothing but their Good was aimed at the French Ambassador at Madrid who was there making the most solemn Protestations that the Pirenean Treaty should be kept inviolable had Orders likewise to interpose his Master's good Offices and make a tender of his Mediation to compose all Differences with Portugal and put an end to the War This offer being hearkned to as 't was pretended the Marquess de Sande then at Paris adjusting King Alfonso's Marriage and having the Character of an Ambassador for that business only was sent for to the secret Audience before mention'd and told that the Queen Regent of Spain had accepted of the Mediation and that in case such Proposals were made by that Court as were fit to be accepted the French Ambassador there had Orders to make a Journey to Lisbon and conclude the Peace or if any thing should detain him he was to communicate the Proposals to the Abbè de S. Romain at Lisbon who should impart them to the Portuguese Ministers there being no doubt but that the Peace would be soon adjusted considering to what a miserable condition the Portugueses had reduced the Spanish Monarchy But then his Majesty did not think it adviseable for them to take up with any doubtful or fallacious Truce and in conclusion bid the Marquess assure the King of Portugal that in case a Peace ensued He himself would be the Guarant if a War he would both bear a share in the Expences and become the King of Portugal's Companion in the Field Monsieur de S. Romain had the good fortune to arrive in Portugal and got Audience at the Court which was then at Salva Terra before Sir Richard Fanshaw came there and he displayed all his Eloquence in setting forth that the King his Master had so sincere an Affection for Portugal that understanding the Spaniards were coming to an Accommodation he was very desirous to see the Peace adjusted on condition that the Proposals made by Spain were Advantageous and Honourable but in case they should prove otherwise he was ready to assist the Portugueses with his Troops Fleets and Money at their choice and as their Occasions should require These fine Words as they were not wholly lost yet had not that effect upon the Court as to dispose them for a League with France they were wishing still
but lately come out of the destructive War that they had been prosecuting against each other took the Alarm and together with the Swede made the famous Triple Alliance in order to oblige his most Christian Majesty to lay down his Arms. This made that King begin to show some Deference to Pope Clement the 9th's Solicitation for a Peace and it was agreed upon by the Parties concern'd that a Congress of their Ministers should be held in order to adjust all Differences of this Agreement the French King gives notice to his Ally the Prince Regent of Portugal to the end that he should send thither his Plenipotentiary to act in concert with the French Minister And now to all appearance were the Portugueses in much the same condition as they had been at the Pirenean Treaty having no other hopes of a Pea 〈…〉 e but what the French should procure for them and what reason could they have to think otherwise but that they should be sacrificed in the same manner as they were then and sold for some of the controverted Places in Flanders Philipville and Marienburg were their Price then as such of their Writers that are most partial to France have declar'd to the World possibly the Spaniards might bid higher for them now and how could the Portugueses be sure that they would not be taken at their Word They had the French Faith indeed for their security and that engaged to them by the late League in a more solemn manner then formerly but not in so solemn a manner as it had been given before to the Spaniards when it was sworn in the manner before related That France would wholly Cast them off and not afford them the least Succors They were promis'd its true that if they would but put themselves wholly upon the French and leave them to make their Peace they should have such Conditions got for them as were both advantagious and honourable but then if France should think her self oblig'd to have greater regard to her own Interest and Conveniency then to all other Engagements and that such a thing was possible some former Transactions had sufficiently proved In that case why might the little Kingdom of Sardinia be once more thought to be a pretty convenient Retreat for a King of Portugal or the Office of Constable of Castille an honourable Employment for a Duke of Bragança But in case France should think it convenient to continue her self or keep Portugal embroil'd in the War then all that the Spaniards could give or the Portugueses ask might not be thought to be either honourable or safe it was not thought so upon Tryal as shall be made appear anon But however the Portugueses had now their Hands tied up and could do nothing towards their own Relief To the French they had given themselves and for any thing they saw to the French they must Trust The Prince was consulting about the choice of a Minister whom he should send as his Plenipotentiary to Aix la Chapelle when on a sudden they receiv'd an unexpected Deliverance from these their pretended Friends brought them by the same Hand that had rescued them from their Victorious though perhaps less Dangerous Enemies but this likewise must be spoken of in another Chapter These are the most memorable Transactions that have passed between the two Crowns since that of Portugal hath been in the House of Bragança and they afford us one Single instance of the so much talkt of French Friendship viz. the sending of their Troops into that Kingdom upon conclusion of the Pirenean Treaty an action which the French or all People in the World should be the last to remember they were ashamed as they had a great deal of reason to own it at the Time and the success that attended their Auxiliaries hath given them little cause to glory in it since but this kindness if it was meant for such has been more than out balanc'd by the hard usage which the Portugueses have met with at their hands for certainly never were People so trick'd abus'd and trifled withal as the Portugueses were during the whole course of Mazarin's Ministry never were Allies so dishonourably sacrific'd as they were to an enrag'd Enemy at the Pirenean Treaty for I think I have made it plain that they were then design'd to be utterly abandon'd and as for this last Business of the League and Treaty of Peace the French could have no other regard to Portugal than to make that Kingdom to its own great Prejudice subservient to all their designs So that it must have been by other means than Offices of true Friendship that the French have all along supported their Interest in Portugal and many are of Opinion that their Money hath had as free a course into this Kingdom as into any other part of Europe But other Instruments are likewise made use of and those of two very different kinds from each other but considering the Genius of the Portuguese Nation it is very hard to determine which of them are the most likely to succeed These are 1st the Ladies that are continually sent hither to marry with Persons of Quality who when they match out of their own Families do usually supply themselves with Wives from France and to say the truth they have been furnish'd out of some of the best Houses in that Kingdom and 't is reported that the French King to encourage these Alliances between the two Courts allows every Lady a Portion which perhaps contributes not a little to render them acceptable to the Portuguese Nobility who for the most part are not very easy in their Fortunes and when they marry among themselves have seldom any Money with their Wives for in Portugal Blood serves instead of a Portion It is hard to give a particular account what services these Ladies do for the Crown of France but the Portuguese Writer that sets forth his King's Pretensions to Spain gives a broad hint of what may be expected from them for he says that of the several methods used by the French to gain their ends upon those they have to deal with that of sending French Wives to govern them is the most infallible and that they have found this a surer way to succeed than all inveigling Perswasions or specious appearances of Advantage and that it excels the force even of secret Bribes for as he saith they in Consequence of their having married French Women shall be so bewitched that seeing and knowing they shall seek their own Ruin as if led thereto by a fatal kind of Necessity It is true this Portuguese speaks in the Person of a Spanish Noble Man and lays the Scene in that Court where I believe there are as yet but very few if any such Marriages so that there is cause to suspect that he speaks so feelingly from the Experience of his own Country However by his leave one that looks upon things at some distance may be tempted to question whether
that end only That if Self-defence made the War be hitherto accounted Just yet when it could be continued upon no other Pretence then the Conquest of other Kingdoms to which neither Portugal nor France had any Right it would become unjust displeasing to God and consequently unprosperous In Conclusion he declared that his Powers were restrained to a limited time for that Spring coming on the Queen Regent was about disposing of her Forces as she should judge convenient wherefore he desired that the Prince would appoint Persons to confer with him about the Treaty of Peace or else he should look upon himself as disingag'd from his Commission leaving upon the Prince's Conscience all the Mischiefs of the War with the Damages and Inconveniencies sustain'd by the Prisoners who filled the Gaols at that time In this Paper Combat the Spaniards had all the Advantage they could desire unless it were among such as either out of Interest or for some secret Reasons were for having the War continue The Officers of the Army would fain have had it prosecuted with Vigour that Portugal by the Conquest of the Neighbouring Kingdoms might re-imbourse it self for the damages it had sustained in the Sixty Years of the Spanish Usurpation The Ecclesiasticks the Cortesoens and the People were more Loud and Clamourous for a Peace as thinking the War would become Unjust if it continued any longer it being the common Voice to be heard at that time from the Pulpits and in the Streets that Castille might have some Pretensions upon Portugal but Portugal could have none upon Castille But the Court held out still as being or seeming at least to be utterly against the Peace and that possibly because the Prince thought himself oblig'd by the French League perhaps the Queen might be afraid to disoblige France by consenting to the Peace while the Cause of her Divorce and of her intended second Marriage was depending before that Court for should that Court be dissatisfied with her Conduct who could tell but that Monsieur de Lionne might never have found out the Clause in the Pope's Bull which at last inabled Cardinal Vendome to grant the Dispensation This Business was hotly debated on both sides when the Earl of Sandwich unexpectedly arrived at Lisbon from Madrid with full Power from the King of England and the Queen Regent of Spain to conclude the Peace His Excellency by his Presence and Authority soon put an end to the Dispute for by this time they that were for the Treaty had made their Party so strong that nothing could withstand them the Cortes plyed the Prince with three several Addresses for a Peace and upon his demurring to give his Answer The Juis do Povo came and peremptorily demanded his Consent The Juis waited likewise on the Earl and upon his Knees assured his Excellency of the Favour and Protection of the People in all his Proceedings and as 't is said he went to the French Ambassador likewise to assure him that in case he did any thing to obstruct the Peace he must expect to have his House pulled down about his Ears In short the Earl of Sandwich by his prudent Management so order'd the Matter that in a very few daies all things were adjusted for his Powers given him at Madrid bear Date the Fifth of January 1668. and the Peace was Concluded and Sign'd the Thirteenth of February following to the unspeakable Joy of the Parties concern'd By this Peace the Portugueses became an Independant People and were restored to the same Condition with respect to Spain as they had been in under the most flourishing Reigns of their former Kings at the same time when their Deliverance from the Spanish Yoke was compleated they were set at liberty likewise from the French League which might have proved the more intolerable Bondage of the two and all this without being brought under any Engagements to their Deliverers the obligations of Gratitude excepted Those indeed are the strongest of all other Tyes upon generous Minds but then they are often complied with by a bare Acknowledgment of the Benefits receiv'd Having mention'd the Benefits conferr'd on the Portuguese Nation by ours it may be expected that an Account should be given of those receiv'd from them It must be acknowledg'd to their Honour that on several occasions they show'd a generous concern for our Kings Charles the First and Second in their Distress doing them many good Offices by their Ministers both in England and elsewhere and that they gave a Hospitable Reception to the Princes Robert and Maurice in their Port of Lisbon though they were like to suffer no small Damage thereby themselves the Remembrance of which things proved no doubt a great Motive to King Charles the Second to take them into his Protection But as to Returns in Kind thanks be to God our Nation was never in a condition to need them and the Forces of Portugal are so limited that little can be expected from thence upon any the most urgent Occasion Their Concurrence indeed might have serv'd to a good purpose in the Leagues that have been made of late against the common Enemy if on no other account but the conveniency of their Habours which in a War by Sea must have been of a mighty Advantage to the side they adhered to But they thought it was for their Interest all along to continue Neuters and our Princes have not thought fit to oblige them to Declare though in Defence of the common Liberty in which they had as great a concern as others We suffered them to enjoy the Benefit of Trade which we lost our selves while we were engaged in their Defence we did not make the least offer to compel them to take Party while they were wholly at our Discretion we being Lords of all the Seas about them the Ocean and the Mediterranean as well as our own Channel Such a compulsion would have been to destroy our own Gift and take from them that Independency we had maintain'd them in It is the Property of another Monarch to treat as his Vassals such Sovereigns as he takes into his his Protection to get them into his Power by assisting them and then to serve himself of them in working out the Ruin of their Neighbours and their own among the rest whereas our Princes have taken another Course and far from making their Benefits uneasy to the Receivers or snares to entrap them withal have treated them as Sovereigns whom they raised to their own Level and therefore notwithstanding their advantage of so much greater Power they have abstain'd from every thing that carried the least appearance of Constraint as thinking it beneath themselves to require such a Submission even to their just demands as might lessen the Majesty of a Crown'd Head Such a generous Proceeding must needs have wrought very much upon a Prince of so great a Soul as his Portuguese Majesty is known to have and laid stronger Obligations upon him than all other
was given for a Reason the last Lateran Council and other Canons of their Church had made it unlawful for any Prince to receive Tribute from the Clergy without the Pope's leave even tho' it were voluntarily offer'd by themselves as this had been by the Ecclesiastical as well as the two other Estates in Cortes And since that time at the end of every Sixth Year a Breve hath been procured from Rome for continuing the Taxes for Six Years longer therein the Pope impowers the Nuncio residing at Lisbon to use his Apostolical Authority in obliging the Clergy to pay them This Breve is of course published in Portugal and tho' it chiefly regards the Clergy yet it is not unlikely but it may be design'd to induce the People likewise to pay their Taxes quietly without putting the King and the Three Estates of the Realm to the trouble of meeting together in Cortes For it must needs be a great Argument among them that the thing is but just and reasonable since the Holy Father consents to and approves of it and it weighs much with them no doubt when they consider why his Holiness grants the Breve which as 't is declared in the Narrative of it is The Exchequers being exhausted by the vast Expences that the Crown hath been continually at for the maintenance and propagation of the Catholick Faith in the Dominions abroad especially in Brazil and the East-Indies where the Dutch Hereticks and other Infidels were endeavouring to extirpate it Which Reason is said to continue still or rather to become more strongly urgent every time there is occasion for a new Breve The Pope gives Commission to his Nuncio to enquire into the Truth of this and other Allegations as that the Three Estates the Clergy more especially have given their Consent the Nuncio cites the King's Procurator before him and puts him upon the Proof He shews that the Nobility and People have agreed to the continuance of the Taxes because they still pay them and that the whole Body of the Clergy are likewise willing because the Bishops have given their Consent which as he pretends to prove withal comprehends that of all the rest But it does not appear how he makes good the Main Point viz. The Danger that the Catholick Faith is in from the Dutch Hereticks and other Infidels As for the Dutch they renew'd their Peace with Portugal in the Year 1669 and have kept it ever since However the Nuncio is entirely satisfied with the Proofs whatever they be and thereupon gives order for the Execution of the Breve requiring Obedience thereto from all Persons Secular as well as Ecclesiastical upon pain of the greater Excommunication and 500 Crowns applicable to the Reverend Chamber Apostolick as the Words of the Order run Under the Title of Monopolies we may reduce the other part of the Supply granted at the same time which was an Impost upon Tobacco made into Snuff by which 500000 Crowns per Annum were design'd to be rais'd In order to make this Sum the King had the whole Trade of Snuff put into his own Hands and it became almost as great a Crime in Portugal for any to Make Snuff for themselves as 't is with us in England to Coin Money tho' People almost universally take it here This Monopoly was let out to Farm to the Duke of Cadaval the principal Person in the Kingdom next His Majesty and it was so managed that 't is said the King receiv'd much more than double the Value of what it was given for The Tobacco as it come from Brazil was bought up for the King at a Teston and half or less per Pound and sold out in Snuff for 16 or 20 and sometimes more the best and 14 the more ordinary sort But 't is said that this Trade is now laid aside and an Equivalent with the Advantage of 600 000 tax'd upon Tobacco in Rolls The King hath likewise in his Hands a great part of the Trade from Foreign Plantations as that of Elephants Teeth from Africa of Wood from Brazil Besides great Duties upon Sugar and of all Goods coming from the East-Indies This last Trade is indeed but of little worth for he hath several times offered to make it over to a Company of Merchants but could never get a sufficient Number of Subscribers The King is likewise Grand Master of the Orders of Knighthood in his Kingdom and has the disposal of all the Commenda's belonging to them viz. of the Order of Christ which in Portugal succeeded to that of the Knights-Templers and is still in possession of their Lands and hath 454 Commenda's belonging to it 2dly The Order of St. Jago which hath 60 Commenda's and those of considerable Profit 3dly Of Avis which hath 43 and these esteem'd very rich Besides the King hath the disposal of the Commenda's in his Kingdom that belong to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem commonly called the Knights of Malta the chief of which viz. the Priory of Crato accounted one of the richest in the World is at present bestowed upon Dom Francisco the King 's Second Son I reckon these among the King's Revenues because they are put to the same use as the greatest part by much of his other Incomes are viz. given away in Pensions or Rewards for Services But the Kings of Portugal have for this last Century made use of one extraordinary way to raise Money which among all Ways and Means perhaps hath never been thought of by any other Temporal Prince the Kings of Spain excepted who first brought it up in this Kingdom and this is by selling Indulgences to the People for the Pardon of their Sins and the Deliverance of their own or their Relations Souls out of Purgatory The Popes having been for some time shamed out of this Trade by the Noise that Luther made in the World the Kings of Spain thought fit to take it up and have made more Money of it with less Scandal To this end Philip the Second after he had got Possession of the Crown of Portugal obtained Bulls of Pope Gregory the 14th in the Year 1591 which since that time have been publish'd almost every Year in Portugal And the Profits arising from them are become a part of the Standing Revenues of the Crown And indeed they may well be accounted a very considerable part of them The Substance of these three Bulls are all contain'd in one which carries for Title The Bull of the Holy Croisade But they are retailed out to the People under the Names of The Bull for the Living The Bull of Composition And The Bull for the Dead They have their general Name from the Croisade as if they were granted for carrying on the Holy War and were we to judge of the Levies I mean of Money that are here made one would think that War was still prosecuted with as great Vigour as it was 500 Years ago It 's true indeed that the Kings of Portugal even
Conti he took occasion to reproach him for having lost his Respect to the King by using this Violence in a Place that ought to be accounted Sacred upon which such hard words pass'd between them that had not the Queen Mother made up the Quarrel afterwards 't was fear'd that they would have come to Blows this Discourse happen'd while he was endeavouring to get in to the King to acquaint him of what they were doing about his Court and had he not found all the Passages Guarded he might have spoil'd the Design But in the Conference he had presently afterwards with the King 't is said he laid the Project of that entire Defeat which in a few days he gave the whole Party For the present he prevail'd with the King to dissemble his Resentments which contrary to his Custom he did and carried it fair with his Mother and her Creatures so that all things seem'd to be well again The Queen was highly applauded by the Courtiers for her prudent Resolution and Conduct and those vile Creatures that Conti had rais'd took it extreamly ill that they were not thought fit to be employ'd in the Action But some wiser than the rest were a little startled at the King 's ordering the Conde to wait another Week tho' others were of Opinion that the Conde did not think himself safe unless about the King's Person But the Alarm was more general on the Monday after this Transaction which had pass'd on Saturday the 16th of June 1662 when the King taking occasion according to his custom to go to Alcantara but in greater State than ordinary the Conde from thence wrote to the Secretary of State in an imperious Stile that it was the King's Pleasure to know what they had done with Conti whether any Order had been given to put him to Death and whether Manoel Antunes one of his Associates had been arrested but at Evening the King return'd visited and caress'd his Mother and on Tuesday all things were quiet again On Wednesday about Twelve a Clock the Plot broke out for the King at that unseasonable Hour when People in this Country at this time of the Year are going to sleep taking the Conde with him in his Litter withdraws privately to Alcantara and thence sends to the Court for his Guards and afterwards for Necessaries to fit up his Lodgings Summons the Nobility to come and attend his Person first those that he thought best affected to him and afterwards all in general dispatches away Expresses to the Commanders of his Army and Garrisons to give them notice That he had taken the Government into his own hands By this hardy Enterprize the Conde in a few hours time entirely defeated the Queens most numerous and powerful Party and broke all the Measures which that Princess the most accomplisht of her Sex in the Arts of Policy had been concerting for several Years Not that her accustomed Prudence fail'd her on this occasion for she did all that could be expected from one of her Character to preserve her Authority and the Conde who got the better of the day was not a little oblig'd for his Success to his good Fortune For at first News of what was doing at Alcantara the Queen plac'd a Guard at the Passage from the City to that place called her Confidents about her and assembl'd the Council giving out Orders at the same time that none should go near the King 'till they had been first with her And she was so well obey'd that the Fortune of the Day was for some time in Ballance and it was towards Evening when the Conde found his Design had taken so little effect that he was thinking to secure the King and himself in St. Julian's Castle For notwithstanding his sending out the Summons with such an Air of Authority there were no more than two Noblemen of the Secret and it grew late before a Man besides them appear'd at Alcantara But this was not known at Lisbon nor had the adverse Party so much time to recollect themselves as to consult one another's Sentiments or be inform'd how People stood affected it was hard for them to think such Summons could have been sent unless some under-hand Assurance had been given that they would be obey'd and no Man could know how far others were engaged or might comply but every one might be assured that his own Fortunes were spoil'd should he be found among the last that came in While things were thus in suspence at the Court and at Alcantara two Persons gave the Turn to the King's side the one was Antonio de Sousa de Macedo a faithful Servant of the King and a true Friend of the Conde's of whom I shall afterwards have occasion to speak but he being not so considerable for his Birth or Quality his Example was the less likely to draw others after him The other was a great Lord who proved afterwards the most bitter Enemy the King had in the World but at this time contrary to his Intentions did him a most important piece of Service This was the Marquess of Cascaes would needs be going to Alcantara contrary to the Queen's Order that he might see what they were doing there and return to give Her Majesty an account But other People could not see upon what Design he went so that he having thus broke the Ice several followed his Example who drew many after 'em that were not sent for as well as of those that were The King's Party growing apparently the stronger the Highway to Alcantara was fill'd with Herds of such as think the strongest must surely be in the right all Men striving to get foremost to assure his Majesty of the great Zeal which they for their parts always had for his Service 'T is not my Business to give the Particulars of this Revolution In short the Queen after fome struggle found her self obliged to make a formal Surrender of the Government into the King's Hands the following Friday The Conde having thus gotten possession of the Government tho' he had discovered much of the Young Man in the Attempt yet in the Management of Affairs he proceeded with all the Flegm and Prudence of an old experienc'd States-man It 's true that in the beginning he found it necessary for the King's Safety and his own to use some Rigor in making great Alterations at Court The leading Men of the Queen's Party as they had more or less incurr'd the King's Displeasure were either banish'd into remote Parts of the Kingdom removed from their Places forbid the Court or excused their Attendance but notwithstanding the Murmurs of the interessed Persons and their Dependants he managed things so well that in a short time he became exceeding popular He found the State at the Brink of Ruin being in all appearance reduced to the last Extremity by a War of Two and twenty Years standing The Spaniards after they had made Peace with the French falling in upon Portugal with the choice
Vieira were well tasted by those of the Spanish Party at Rome at a time when the Enmity between the two Nations was at the highest but now all Animosities being laid aside perhaps the same or others of a like nature may be hearkned to at Madrid and incline those of that Court to distinguish the King of Portugal from among the rest that are Candidates for the Succession There was one Scruple that the Portugueses made themselves at that time they were unwilling to consent to a Re-union unless Lisbon was to be the Capital of the Spanish Monarchy but certainly the Spaniards if they knew their own Interests in case they agreed in other things would readily gratify them in this Point Lisbon by its Scituation so near the Sea and upon the noblest River in the World seems designed by Nature for the great Emporium of Europe and were it in the hands of a People that knew how to improve their Advantage it would go near to draw to it self the Trade and Riches of the World Philip the 2d was sensible of this and therefore when he came to take Possession of the Kingdom he promised and as it was thought designed that instead of keeping his Court at Madrid a 100 Leagues within the Land Lisbon should be thence forward the place of his Residence and in order thereto he began the Structure of a most magnificent Palace but it was well for Christendom that he continued not in this Resolution and that his Son Philip the 3d. took it not up after him for perhaps nothing could have contributed more to bring about the design they had laid of an Universal Monarchy I shall conclude this Chapter with this one Remark that it seems fatal to the Spanish Monarchy to owe her Preservation from utter Ruin to those who have brought her to a Condition in which she is unable to help her self they were the English that first humbled the Spaniards when in the very heighth of their Pride and from them do they now expect Relief in this their Extremity By that expensive War in the Low Countrys carried on successively by the three Philips this Monarchy was brought into a languishing State and the Dutch have since stood in the gap between it and destruction the Portugueses at last gave that Monarchy its mortal Wound since which it hath never been able to hold up its Head the French indeed had endeavour'd to do the the same in that long War which preceded the Peace of the Pirenees but did not effect it for the Spaniards stood upon the level with them at that Treaty it is true some thought their Ruin might have been then compleated had that War according to Mr. Turenne's Advice been continued a little longer and Don Luis de Haro if it be true what is reported of him was much of the same Opinion but Cardinal Mazarin was ambitious to have that Spanish Minister and all the World sensible of the Superiority of his Genius and so interrupted the course of Turenne's Victories and would needs meet Don Luis on the Frontiers that they might have a publick Tryal of each others Politicks Don Luis met the Cardinal and gave his Eminence occasion to make as great a flourish as he pleased of all his rare Talents but when the Peace came to be Sign'd he could hold out no longer nor forbear crying to his Friends Spain was lost but is now safe So that the French left to their abandon'd Friends of Portugal the Honour of working out the destruction of the Spanish Monarchy which by the help of their Allies they did effectually at the two decisive Battles of Ameixial and Montesclaros the Spaniards having never after been able to stand upon their own legs but as they were crutch'd up by the English and Dutch who ever since have had them lying on their hands as a Punishment for what they did towards bringing them into this deplorable Condition and now it seems that the Portuguses have their turn come to contribute on their parts to the Relief of this distressed Nation and who knows but the Spanish Monarchy may at last receive its Cure from the Hand that gave it the last and deepest Wound and recover new Life and Vigour by means of the Portugueses who have been the immediate occasion of its fall OF THE INTERESTS OF PORTUGAL With Relation to FRANCE SInce the Revolt of Portugal from the Spaniards there hath been till now of late an Appearance of a very close Union between This and the Crown of France which seemed to be so well cemented as if nothing were able to separate them and indeed were the common Opinion of the World true concerning the Obligations of the Portuguese Nation to the French it would be no wonder if their Friendship was in Effect so great as it appeared For they would then stand engaged to each other by the most endearing Tyes in the World France would have cause to account of Portugal as a Creature of its own raising and the House of Bragança would owe its establishment upon the Throne to his most Christian Majesty What greater Testimony of a sincere and cordial Affection can there be expected from one Ally to another than that which France gave to Portugal in the Preamble to the 60th Article in the Pirenean Treaty that very Article whereby Portugal was abandoned to the mercy of the Spaniards for therein his most Christian Majesty declares himself to be so passionately concerned for the good of this Kingdom that on condition he could but procure for it the Benefits of Peace he was willing among other things to yield up all the Conquests he had gain'd in the course of a tedious War of twenty five years continuance and all this out of pure Generosity He being as 't is there declared under no other sort of Engagement than that of his own Good-will But upon a Review of the Transactions that have pass'd between the two Crowns it will perhaps be found that the obligations of Portugal to France have not been so very great as the World is apt to imagine It cannot be denied but that the French have all along exceeded other People by far in their Professions of Kindness to this Nation but it will appear that those Professions have not always been accompanied with suitable Effects and it must have been some other means besides real Acts of Friendship whereby they have supported their Interest and Party in this Kingdom I shall in conclusion of this Chapter show as well as I am able what those means were When the Portuguses had shaken off the Spanish Yoke they found the French ingaged in a War against the same Nation and they look'd for mighty assistance from them considering the Diversion they were like to give to the common Enemy and in effect the Ambassadors sent by King John to that Court were received by Cardinal Richelieu with all the Demonstrations of kindness imaginable his Promises out running all that they
Charge of Constable of Castille with other such like Honours This surely is not the Language of one who was designing to send Forces to her assistance to animate her to carry on the War so that it seems to be an unjust Aspersion upon his Memory to say that he made this Peace with a purpose to violate it as soon as it was Sign'd there is indeed cause enough to suspect that he was not so passionately concern'd for the Well-fare of his Master's Allie as is pretended in the Article or rather he may be justly accused of the greatest Inhumanity to say no worse who when he thought this Family was in so deplorable a Condition as he describes and the Castillians so disposed to an Accommodation procured no better terms for them as he certainly might have done while the Treaty lasted and the business of the Prince of Conde was in agitation But still he clears himself of that which would have rendered him more infamous to Posterity of engaging his Master in so black a Crime as is a premeditated willful Perjury But by whose fault soever it was this is certain That the Peace was no sooner ratified on both sides confirm'd by the Marriage between the French King and the Infanta of Spain and sworn to at the high Altar before the Sacrament which was exposed on this occasion but while the People were every where making publick Demonstrations of their Joy for so happy a Conclusion of a long and calamitous War great Numbers of the most expert Officers in the Kingdom Gentlemen Soldiers Engineers Miners were marching towards Havre de Grace in order to Embark for Portugal These were afterwards follow'd by the choice of the King's Troops till at last the French Auxiliaries in Portugal amounted to near 6000 effective Men. But this was none of the Cardinal 's doing for as little as he kept his faith with the Portugueses he dealt more sincerely with the Spaniards for he sent the Marquis de Choup upon the Message mention'd in his Letters to perswade the Queen Regent to surrender up the Kingdom in hopes that the Dukes of Brogança should hereafter be made perpetual Governors or Vice Roys of Portugal and these were all the Instructions he gave the Marquis as the Marquis declar'd when he arrived at Lisbon where he met with such a cold Reception as his Message deserv'd so far was he from giving any underhand encouragement to the Portugueses to carry on the War as some Writers affirm he did with great Injustice to the Cardinal It s true that while his Eminence was disabusing the Portuguese Ambassador as to all his former Promises he entertain'd him in hopes that ways might be found out for the French Troops to pass into Portugal after the Peace was made with Spain but when the Count de Harcourt offer'd the same Ambassador to put himself with two Regiments into the Portuguese service in case he could but have the Tacit Consent of France he was not only denied by the Cardinal but told that if he persisted in the Design he should forfeit the place of Grand Ecuyer which had been granted to his Son the Count d' Armagnac so that the Cardinal seems to be pretty clear of this so great and direct a Violation of the new made Treaty Nor is it to be thought that his Master could have any hand in it for his most Christian Majesty to manifest to the World how disposed he was to observe the Oath he had so Religiously taken when it appeared that the Portuguese Ambassador was listing Men in France sent him repeated Orders to depart the Kingdom and some time afterwards commanded the Agent of the same Nation to be turn'd out likewise and publish'd his Edicts to recal home such Officers and Soldiers as were in the Portuguese service confiscating the Estates of the Disobedient 'T is true the Ambassador after he had been order'd to be gone continued sometime at Havre de Grace with no less then 600 Officers Gentlemen c. about him that he had raised for the service and they did not lie concealed all the while for the Inhabitants of the Town rose in a Mutiny against them for eating up their Provisions and when they and others after them arrived in Portugal they were under Military Discipline so that should they offer to obey their King's Edicts Count Schonberg who was their Leader might have hang'd them for Desertion and the Count for his part when he return'd into France was rewarded with a Marshals Bâton Levies were afterwards publickly made indeed for the same service but then it was done in Marshal Turenne's Name who took the Portuguese Affairs upon his account and when the Spaniards made loud complaints of it as a manifest infraction of the Treaty their Ambassador was put off with a cold and contemptuous Answer that it was but the Act of a private Person and that the Court did not concern it self in the Business The same thing its true was at last done openly and without Disguise but it does not appear where the fault lay then As the French succors arrived in Portugal the affairs of that Kingdom began to change face for if they were before as the Cardinal supposed them to be in a bad state they now fell from bad to worse The Portugueses while they were left to stand on their own Leggs had as meanly as the Cardinal thought of their condition bravely defended themselves and gain'd several very considerable Advantages over their Enemies particularly at the two famous Battles of Montijo in 1644. and Elvas in 1658. This last Victory was the more considerable for that it gave a check to the fury of the Spaniards when spur'd on by the Pope who pretended he must be forc'd to acknowledge that King's Title they made their utmost efforts to quiet his Holiness and destroy them out of hand and had the year before taken Olivença the most important Place for strength next to Elvas that the Portugueses had and that year Don Luis de Haro himself at the head of all the Forces he could muster together had obliged them to rise from the Siege of Badajoz at the very time when the place was reduc'd to Extremity but at the last they entirely routed Don Luis when he laid Siege to Elvas which defeat so disheartned the Spaniards that for the two following Years they gave the Portugueses little trouble it seems they thought fit to defer their Revenge till the Peace was made with the French and then they took it to some purpose on the Portugueses and the French together For in the Years 1661 and 62. Don John of Austria at the head of a small Army in all not amounting to 20000 but consisting of Veteran Troops drawn from Italy and Flanders entred Portugal Ravaging Spoiling and Burning all before him 't is true he never gain'd any set Battle for by all the Havock he made he never could provoke the Enemy to fight though he several times
commanded them to Retreat which they did in so gallant a manner as rais'd a Noble Emulation in the whole Army And since they that were neither Kill'd nor Wounded deserved no less Honour by what they did 't is fit it should be known who they were Of the first Regiment were Captains Francis More William Love Henry Boad and Andrew Maynard af the second besides Colonel Person were Lieutenant Colonel John Bellasise Major John Rumsey and Captains Richard Heafield and Charles Langley Certainly the English have behaved themselves with extraordinary Valour and to great satisfaction since their coming to assist us in this War and that which they are particularly esteem'd for is their orderly carriage towards the Portuguese Peasants in their Quarters On the second of this instant July enter'd the Port of Lisbon 150 foot Soldiers arrived from England which may in some measure repaire the Number of those that died in Valença but not satisfie our Regret for the loss of such Companions While the King of Englands Soldiers were fighting the Battles of Portugal his Ministers were no less busy in securing the Effects of their Victories by Negotiating the happy Peace which that Nation now enjoys King Charles had so great Commiseration for the Portugueses when in their most deplorable Condition that Sir Richard Fanshaw his Ambassador at Lisbon had Instructions from him in the beginning of the Year 1663. to interpose his good Offices and use all possible means in order to make their Peace with the Spaniard but the Spaniard was then Triumphant and could think of nothing but making a quick dispatch of the War When the Condition of Portugal began to mend Sir Richard was sent upon the same Errand to Madrid where 't is true he did not meet with that success as was expected in his Embassy for though upon Notice of his Arrival such Preparations were made for his Reception that the like had scarce ever been done for any Ambassador at that Court yet upon his coming near Madrid he found the Ministers mightily alter'd all of a sudden insomuch that it was six Weeks before he made his Publick Entry and the Court prov'd so untractable and unwilling to accommodate their Minds to their Fortunes that it was two Years before he could gain any thing upon them and when he had brought them to consent to a Treaty at last his Negotiations did not keep Pace with the Victories obtain'd in Portugal as appeared by the great disappointment he met with at Salvaterra in the beginning of the Year 1666. About the same time when our Ambassador was preparing for his Journey from Madrid to Portugal Sir Robert Southwel was sent as Envoy from King Charles to this latter Court to assist at the adjusting of the Peace between the two Crowns Upon his Arrival in Portugal he heard that Mr. de S. Romain had just got before him which made him hasten to Salvaterra where the Court then was His Instructions were of a fresher Date then the Ambassadors and consequently more accommodated to the state of the Portuguese Affairs at that time but the Ambassador being not yet come he found the Ministers unwilling to enter upon any Business before his Arrival they expecting from him such Conditions as should give them intire satisfaction The Ambassador not answering their Expectation but on the contrary highly disgusting them with the Title of his Project of Peace while Mr. de S. Romain was most profuse in his Promises of the mighty things that his Master would do for them the Treaty was wholly broke off for that time However Sir Robert Southwell applying himself to the Conde de Castelmelhor the next Morning after the Council had sent that hasty Answer formerly mention'd though he found him in a very great Heat yet had the Address to pacifie him and were it not that the Case was soon alter'd at Madrid he might have brought the Treaty on again The Conde expressed himself highly dissatisfied that it should be thought that they would ever Treat with Spain but upon equal terms saying That the Spaniards might perhaps conquer Portugal but should never conquer the Portugueses who for their parts would first leap into the Sea before they would come to any Accommodation unless it were made between King and King But the Envoy soon brought him to a Temper by representing that what the Ambassador had offer'd was only the first and rude Draught or the Embrio as it were of a Treaty so that there was little reason for him to be offended at the Inscription which was a thing of no Consequence it signifying nothing what Name or Title was given it now since No body ever Christen'd a Child before it was Born The Conde as he was pleased with the conceit so he would not deny but that it was apposite to the case in hand and the Envoy having assur'd him that his Instructions were ample enough to procure for Portugal all reasonable satisfaction it was agreed that a new Project of a Treaty should be drawn up which was done accordingly by the Ambassador and the Envoy together It contain'd the very same Articles which with some small alterations are now in force between the Crowns of Spain and Portugal With this they both took a journey to Madrid but the War newly broke out between England and France made that Court believe there was no such necessity as before of a Peace with Portugal and so nothing could be done then for that Year By the beginning of the next Year the Portugueses had concluded and sign'd their League with France It s true the Conde de Castelmelhor the supposed Author of that League on the Portuguese side was the same Year removed from the Ministry and the Court but this together with the other Changes that succeeded was brought about by the Queen and her Party who were more strongly ingaged in the Interests of France the Queen was so ingag'd both by Birth and Inclination and perhaps much more strongly yet as she hoped to be countenanc'd by the French Court in what she had done and was doing against her Husband and in her further design of marrying with the Prince so that the French Faction became now more predominent at Court then ever and they seem'd there not only averse to all thoughts of a Peace but afraid least any Overtures should come from Castille to put the People in mind of it wherefore the Frontiers were strictly guarded to hinder all Communication between the Subjects on both Kingdoms The precaution perhaps was needless for the Spaniads whether it was that their thoughts were wholy taken up with the War they had then with France or that they hoped when a Peace was made with that Crown by the Intervention of other Princes that they should be able after all to deal with Portugal made no Advances towards a Treaty This backwardness of the Parties concern'd was enough to make a Mediator out of love with his Office and might have given any
other Person then the Gentleman that then executed it just cause to despair of doing any good upon them However the English Envoy was not Idle to bring two Nations to a Peace and make them Happy though against their Wills after they had been destroying one another for seven and twenty Years together was an Enterprize so glorious for a young Minister to effect that one of Sir Robert Southwell's Character was not to be deter'd from the Attempt by any Difficulties but in order to accomplish his Design he was forc'd to go a great way about it was in vain to think of succeeding by any direct Application to either Court he was therefore fain to choose other Instruments to work with and his choice was so good and he manag'd them so well that he wrought out his ends by them by disposing both Courts for that Peace which was concluded in the beginning of the Year 1668. to the unspeakable satisfaction of the two Nations At the Battles of Amexial and Montescloros several great Persons of the most Illustrious Houses in Spain were taken Prisoners in the former Don Gaspar de Haro Marquess de Eliche five times Grande of Spain and Heir to the two great Favourites the Conde Duque de Olivares and Don Luis de Haro he being Son to the Latter Don Anielo de Gusman eldest Son of the Duke de Medina de las Torres and Don Juan Henriques Conde de Escalante at Montescleros Don Diego Correa General of the Cavallery and several other Persons of the first Quality These Noblemen had ever since their Misfortune been confined to the Castle of Lisbon where they were frequently visited by the English Envoy They had all along express'd a great Esteem for our Nation and would sometimes Treat our Officers amongst them acknowledging them for their Conquerors for they would by no means allow that Title to the Portugueses The Envoy having contracted a more particular Acquaintance and Familiarity with them thought they might be of great use to him in prevailing upon the Court of Madrid to renew the Treaty he saw that their Prison was very uneasie to them and that they were impatient to be at Liberty of which they could have little hopes till the Peace was made and the knew their nearest Relations to be Men of the greatest Power in Spain who might by their Solicitation be prevail'd upon to think of a Peace Coming once amongst them he began to upbraid them in a familiar way for their Remisness in not endeavouring to free themselves from their wretched Confinement telling them that they seem'd to have a worse Opinion of their own Condition then some of the Fathers had concerning the state of those in Hell from whence as they thought there was some Redemption But he found them desparing of being ever able to regain their Liberty so far were they from entertaining any hopes of it that they told him if Origen had been a Spaniard he had never been so favourable in his Opinion however the Envoy to show that he did not advise them to Impossibilities undertook to overcome the greatest Difficulty and make way for a free intercourse between them and their Friends This offer incourag'd them to write their Minds to their Relations in Spain in order to set them at Work to bring on the Treaty of Peace again They delivered their Letters to the Envoy who so manag'd the matter that the Governour of Elvas one of his particular Acquaintance though wholly ignorant of the Design conveyed the Pacquet to a Servant of one of these Noblemen who was employed on the Frontiers to provide him with Necessaries But to get Answers to their Letters which they could not well expect by the same way the Envoy took another Course He had at that time an English Frigat watching for him in the River but he finding his Negotiations to be now in a fair way towards a happy Conclusion instead of imbarking for England order'd the Captain to make a Voyage to Cadiz sending on board him a Servant of his who had been frequently employed in Messages of a like Nature with another Pacquet from the Spanish Noblemen who arriving at Cadiz rode Post to Madrid where the Letters he brought with him soon produc'd their desired Effect Whilst the English Envoy was thus contriving ways to bring the Court of Spain to sue for a Peace he had a harder Game to play still which was to dispose that of Portugal to a Compliance it was to no purpose for him to motion the matter to that Court at a time when it was become wholly French As for the Nobility that were then uppermost they were either ingaged in the Queen's Party or had Commands in the Army which made it to be for their Interest to have the War continue But then there was at the same time in Portugal a Power superior to both these and he thought fit in this case of necessity to serve himself of that for the common Good of all The People ever since the Revolt from Spain had been in Possession of an absolute kind of Sovereignty and had on several occasions exercised the same over those in Authority without Exception as all the late Turns and Changes in the State had been brought about by their means they pulling down and setting up as they pleased so they kept those they placed in the Government in subjection to their Wills Their Power was never more uncontroulable then whilst they were deposing King Alfonso and placing Prince Pedero in his room but had not yet fixt him in the Government They were at that time in a great Ferment and according as their Motions were directed by such as had the Art to manage them they were like to bear down all before them Now while the greatest Men in the Kingdom were tampering with them that by their means they might destroy one another the Envoy did not think it beneath him to be dealing with them too in order to preserve the whole Nation to this end he thought the fittest Instrment he could make use of was the Juis do Povo and therefore he took Acquaintance with him and to keep him well affected gave Orders that the Juis should have such Work as there was occasion for in the House that was proper for one of his Calling and he would sometimes condescend himself to Discourse the Man incouraging him to contribute on his part by that great Authority which belong'd to his Office towards settling the Nation by an Advantagious and Honourable Peace The Juis do Povo is accounted the chief Magistrate of Lisbon his Office somewhat resembling that of a Mayor he is not indeed of equal Dignity with my Lord Mayor of London which perhaps may be the reason why he hath a much greater Power for he must be of one of the meanest Hardicraft Trades whereby he is more fitly qualified to become the Peoples Head and he does not think himself too good to become the Ring-leader in Popular
Considerations could have done and consequently if the English have not met with a suitable Treatment in his Kingdom the Fault ought to be laid wholly on his Ministers and Inferior Officers If the Priviledges of our Countrymen residing in Portugal granted and confirmed by so many of his Royal Ancestors and ratified by Solemn Treaties have of late Years been either manifestly violated or eluded by all the little Arts of Chicane if during the last War his Maritime Towns that were almost the only Ports in Christendom left free and exempt from our Dominion became Nests for French privateers and Irish Pyrates if by Reason of our Religious observation of the Peace with Portugal these Corsairs found a safer retreat at Lisbon O Porto and Faro than at Merseilles St. Maloes or Dunkirk and our Merchant Fleets were more infested upon the Portuguese Coasts than those of France or in the Straights if our Ships taken under their Castles and in their Rivers were carried up and dispos'd of in sight of the King's Palace whereas by an express Article in our Capitulations all English Ships by whomsoever taken when brought into any of the Portuguese Dominions were to be restored to the right Owners and lastly if on these and all other occasions a greater regard was had to the French Menaces when they could do nothing else but threaten than to our Complaints while we had the Remedy in our own hands if any of these things were so the Blame ought surely to be laid wholly upon the Ministers to whom the King as hath been said defers so much in the management of Affairs a Prince of his Portuguese Majesties Honour Justice and Prudence cannot be supposed to have had any part in such unaccountable Proceedings but whether any of these things were so it belongs to the Persons more nearly concern'd to make out In matters which fall more immediately under the common observation our English Traders residing in that Kingdom have great cause to be satisfy'd with the Portuguese Nation where they are treated with all the Respect and Civility they can look for by a People who cannot be insensible of the great Advantage that our Trade brings to their Conntry for we furnish them with Necessaries of Life in exchange for Supplies to our Luxury We Cloath them with our Woollen Manufactures and Feed them in a great Measure with our Fish from Newfoundland and in Exchange for these Commodities we rid the Country of their Wines and that at excessive Rates which all of the wiser and better sort among them think much better parted with at any rate than kept at home Nature having provided them a more wholsome and agreeable Liquor But it is not only the Benefit of Trade that recommends our Countrymen to the Portugueses their fair and generous Dealing in their Commerce used to gain them such Credit that Palavra de bum Ingrez the Word of an English Man hath been taken for the best Security its true that in the Inland Parts the horrid Ideas the People had of Hereticks as they take us to be made them look upon our Countrymen as a strange sort of Monsters insomuch that when our little Army first march'd into the Country the Peasants instead of blessing them as their Deliverers would watch for opportunities to do a mischief to the Straglers but the first Campagne ended they found them to be quite another sort of Creatures than they had imagined and began not only to take them for Men but for something more finding them to be as Peaceable and Gentle in their Quarters as they had been Fierce in the Field for instead of Domineering over their Landlords and playing the Tyrants as the French men did our Soldiers spent their time in serving the People they were quarter'd upon and doing any Work that was needful in the Family such an obliging Carriage in Men whose Bravery they had so much cause to admire so alter'd their Sentiments concerning these Hereticks that should an English man travel in the most unfrequented Parts of the Country where the English Name hath been scarce heard of either before or since the War he shall be received and caress'd with all the welcome the poor People can make when a French man shall run the Risque of being knock'd o' the Head I have mention'd this matter the rather because the Manners of our Countrymen seem to be so much changed of late Years that perhaps it will be as great News to them as any thing I have related for possibly the People of Ireland and Flanders may differ much from the Portugueses in their Opinion concerning our English Soldiery The common People about the City are not observed to be guilty of any Rudeness towards the English on account of their Religion such as have had cause to think themselves most exposed to affronts on this occasion having never met with any which in my Opinion ought in Justice to be ascribed to the Humanity of the Portuguese Nation after they have been a little conversant with us as well as to the Prudence of the Government It is true that opprobrious Language to Strangers is so severely prohibited that upon complaint made against any that shall call an English man Heretick no punishment short of Death or the Galleys will be thought too great for the Offence We had like to have seen the last Year an example of the King's Justice upon an Offender of this sort a certain Lawyer in his Pleadings was pleased to bestow upon the English the Titles of Hereticks Lutherans Schismaticks Excommunicated Persons c. Complaint hereof being made to His Majesty he gave command that the Lawyer should be Imprisoned in order to his further Chastisement the Man took Sanctuary in the Church but it was resolved in Council that his Crime was of that Nature that the Church could not protect him and an Order was given out to force him thence but the Criminal as I have been told since died soon after and so put a stop to further Proceedings And this makes me almost astonished at the Hardiness of the Inquisitors who in the preceding Year viz. 1697. took an occasion to publish an Edict in all Churches which is to be seen at this day on most of the Church Doors I am sure it was not long ago and is like to remain for many Years as other Orders of the Inquisition that stand by it have done it being Excommunication to take them down wherein the English in general are Stigmatized not only for Hereticks but for Usurpers likewise but this is an Offence of too heinous a Nature for a private Person to animadvert upon and therefore I shall content my self with having only mention'd it FINIS