affection enforced her to discover to his Majesty what perhaps many others durst not for human respects The King giving her leave to speak freely she represented unto him the generall affliction of his people the calamity of his Kingdoms the abuses committed in his Revenues the many losses on every side and the sad condition of the whole Monarchy of Spain shewing him that these evils were the judgments of God upon him for suffering the government of his Kingdoms which God had appointed for him onely to continue in the hands of another that now it was high time that his Majesty should be out of his minority and that he should not incense the wrath of God against him by suffering his poor subjects to be abused at least that he would have compassion on the Prince his Son who ran an hazard to be simple King of Castile or lesse concluding that if she had offended his Majesty by her liberty of speech she was ready to receive punishment being well content having given her milk for the good of her King to sacrifice her blood for the good of the Realms of her Prince The King having hearkned unto her with much attention answered Haveis hablado verdades You have told me the truth After this appears upon the Stage for perfecting the Catastrophe of the Dukes Tragedy the Infanta Margarite de Savoy Dutchess of Savoy who had been so roughly handled by the Duke both before after her leaving Portugall being secretly come from Ocania where she had been in a manner confined and arrived at Court the Duke did his utmost to debar her audience with the King and to discredit her in the Councell of State and would not vouchsafe to visit her Neverthelesse the Queen invited her to come to her Lodgeings and took order that she should have opportuity to speak with the King for two hours space The Infanta gave God thanks for her safe deliverance out of the hands of the Portugals that after so great sufferings she might once more appear in the presence of his Majesty to make known her innocence and the failings and errors of others made a brief Relation of all things past in Portugall making it appear that she was innocent and that the losse of Portugall was to be attributed to the carelesnesse and negligence if not to the intention of the Duke The Queen in the mean time failed not to help out the Infanta in all her discourse which left so deep an impression in the heart of the King that it may truly be said That the mortall wound was given that very day to the favour of the Duke To dispatch him the sooner it was represented to the King what little respect the Grandees bare now to his Majesty not waiting upon him as they were wont but all retiring themselves The King asked the Marquess of Carpio what was the reason hereof Who replied That being little accounted of by the Duke they judged it more meet to forbear the services they owed to his Majesty then to lie under the suspition of the Duke and to give him occasion by their residence at Court to make them feel the effects of his jealousie To help forward there happened a memorable accident in Segovia where six men masked entring by force into the Governors house who imagining them to be Robbers offered them money and all that he had so they would not defile his wife and defloure his daughters One of them answered That they were not come to rob him but to serve the King and delivering a paper into his hands told him that if he would save his life t he should go immediatly to Madrid and present this Writing not to the Duke but to the King himself that it contained affairs very secret and of great importance to the State and to the service of his Majesty and would not depart till they saw him upon his way to Madrid threatning to kill him if he performed not that whereto he was obliged as a subject and as a Minister of the Kings Being arrived he had audience of the King and so was sent back to his Government It was judged by the circumstances that the contents of the Writing was very prejudiciall to the Duke Hereunto may be added one thing more that might probably have a strong influence upon the spirit of the King for the removall of his Favourite The Marquess of Grana Ambassador in Madrid for the Emperour bringing with him the hereditary valour of the House of Caretti the courage prudence and conduct of Affairs whereof he hath given sufficient testimonies in the military imployments which he hath had many years in Italy in Flanders and in Germany together with his great gift of five Languages which he speaks as if they were all naturall hath gained him a great esteem with all men And the liberty which he used in speaking of the affairs of the State although it proceeded from the natural ingenuity and zeal towards the interest of the House of Austria rendring him odious to the Duke whose ears had been accustomed to hear onely applauses full of flattery and not the plain sincere truth having now an opportunity to revenge himself with Justice did it to the purpose For having received a letter from the Emperour to the King that the affairs of the House of Austria grew worse and worse every day so that if speedy order were not taken all would be ruined that his Majesty ought to consider wel the quality of the person that had made him lose Portugall Catalonia and so many other Dominions c. He presently communicates the same to the Queen together with his instructions that he had a part of what he should doe therein for the Letter was open and so had audience of the King where it may well be imagined with what violence and ardor he prest the affair against his enemy To all these assaults that came upon the neck one of another this was none of the least that the Prince Don Balthazar Carlos the only son of the King was now going into the fourteenth year of his Age yet to the great astonishment of all the world he continued under the tuition of Women without any Officers and servants given him after the manner of Princes whereas at the same time one of the Kings base sons of the same age had a Court formed him was declared Generalissimo of Portugall Prince of the Sea and Grand Prior of Castile for the order of Malta and named Don John de Austria and had the Marquess of Castanieda given him for his Governor whereat the people murmured greatly For this Don John was begotten upon a Woman of base Extraction called la Calderona a Comedian not handsome but of extraordinary pleasantness who is since made a Nunne The Youth being of excellent parts and like to make a gallant Man was much affected by the King though he be quite of another complexion The King having before been earnest to have
Michael Molina to be hanged on a gallowes and his goods to be confiscated to the Kings use the execution whereof they leave to the Lord Judge D. John de Quinnoues and this is their will and pleasure This sentence was made known to the prisoner upon the first of August and execution done accordingly in the Plaça Major of Madrid the third day following at which time and place the Proclamation usually made at the execution was thus THis is the Justice which the King our Soveraigne Lord commandeth to be done upon this man for having committed high treason and published falsities forgeries and horrible cheats on the affaires and grave ministers of state for which he commands that he be hanged by the neck till he die to the end that it may be to him for a punishment and to others an example then concludes Quien tal haze tal pague He that thus doeth let him thus pay for the same As he stood upon the ladder ready to be turned off he delivered in writing to father Andrew Emanuel of the Society of Jesus a declaration the contents whereof ensueth word for word LOyall subjects of our soveraigne Lord the King I am Michael de Molina born at Cuenca the grievousnes of my crimes is so great that a punishment can hardly be invented to equalize mine offences against God against our soveraigne Lord the King whom God preserve against the Emperour against my native country against the Lord Duke de Olivarez and Sant Lucar against the most grave faithfull and loyall Ministers of state whom I have discredited with my forgeries and lies The clemency of the King our soveraigne whom God preserve hath been very eminent in sentencing me so mercifully God grant to whom I now goe to render a strict account that there be found mercy for me in the life to come and that I then pay not for the clemency shewed me here I do here declare and confesse upon mine own free will that not having the feare of God nor man before mine eyes I have been the cause of the gretest part of the mischiefes that this Monarchy suffereth and of those calamities and miseryes which you faithfull people yet suffer for which I humbly beg pardon of all those that are absent as well as of you here present For I am the man that feigned that the King our soveraigne Lord whom God preserve and the Emperour instigated thereunto by the Lord Duke of Saint Lucar and fomented by him did plot the death of our most holy father Urban the 8 th Pope head of the Church and vicar of Christ for which purpose I invented and contrived orders of the King our soveraign and of the Emperour letters from the Duke Orders instructions and judgments of the Counsellours of State with letters from Vice Royes and Embassadours with purpose to abuse and deceive the Nuntio and the Embassadours of severall Princes and thereby to get money from them not caring for the dammage might arise and accrue from thence to the world and to this Monarchy and not contented here with I invented that in case the said death could not be effected that then endeavour should be to call a Councell and to depose the Pope or make a schisme in the Church I invented and forged that the Lord Duke did by order from the King the Emperour and the Counsell of state endevour to kill the Cardinal Richelieu Favorit to the most Christian King of France for which purpose and for the death of the Pope I feigned persons that were to have been instruments of the same I gave notice to the Ambassadours hereof shewing them letters and Orders which I feigned as I judged meet I made them believe that I was an Officer of the Counsell of state and that by that means I came to the knowledg of these plots and conspiracies whereby I have disturbed the world caused jealousyes and suspitions amongst all the Princes of Europe and the mischiefs that this Monarchy now suffereth I also advertised the Embassadours and the enemies of this state of letters consults orders and decrees made by the King and Counsell for driving the French out of Piemont the Correspondencies of the Cardinal of Savoy with the subjects of that state for effectuating the same the coming of Prince Thomas from Flanders to Savoy for the same purpose and to lay siege to Casal of an Army to be raysed and maintayned in Alsatia of an intention to kill Duke Bernard de Weimar General of the Swedes the intentions of the King our Soveraign with the states of Venice and Genoa concerning Piemont and Casal the purpose of supplies which both states of Venice and Genoa would send to France and Holland and the intentions of the Pope to assist France against Spain the intent of England to â—â—gue with Spain the purpose that the French and Hollanders had to joyn their fleets to hinder all succours of Flanders and to surprise the plate fleet and infect the coasts of Spain the design that the Hollander had upon Antwerp in the year 1638. the successe of Fontarabie whereupon I feigned letters from the Prince of Conde and from the Duchesse de Cheverâ—use also concerning the imprisonment of Don Gualterio Peni Secretary and Resident for France in this Court with whom I had intimate friendship which was the ground of all these disasters of the secret compliance between the Cardinall Infante and the Prince of Orenge of the conspirarcy by the Prince of Orenge to kill the Cardinal Richelieu the design of Holland that the States of Flanders should be independent of Spain and our King should renounce his right to the Cardinall Infanta to the end the Hollanders should receive him and subject themselves to him of the capitulations and agreement twixt the King our Sov and the Duke of Modena whereby I feigned that the said Duke was to assist with six thousand men at his own charge against France and that the King was to give him the charge of Viceroy of Catalonia and twenty thousand souldiers to enter into France by Catalonia which was the first ground of the warr at Salsas and Perpignian the key of Catalonia of the general resolutions of the year 1639. in order to the affayres of Germany Flanders and Italy of the purpose to take away the Nuntio's Court in these kingdomes for the disorders and excesses of the same of the great resentments of the King our soveraign against the King of France for his leagueing with the Swedes his confederation with the Turks and Protestant Princes of Germany for his protection and league with Holland for his commerce with Venice and Genoa to the great discommodity of Spain for the disunion which he endeavoured to make between Spain and England of the resentment that the King our Soverain had against the Pope for his amity and assisting of France and not his endeavouring rather as a father of the whole Church to pacify the warres by all meanes possible of the
race of the Portugals who have made us Kings by their own valour without forreign assistance by their own valour and with the effusion of their own blood This law was put in execution after the death of D. Fernando the 9 King of that race whose daughter Donna Beatrice being married out of Portugal to the King of Castile D. John the first was excluded from succession and a new election made from which new election that we may hasten to our purpose lineally descended D. Emanuel the fourteenth King of Portugal who had six sonns and two daughters in this following order 1 The Prince D. John 2 The Infanta Dona Beatrice married to the Emperour Charles the fift by whom she had Philip the second 3 The Infanta Dona Beatrice married to Emanuel Duke of Savoy by whom she had Philip Duke of Savoy 4 The Infanta D. Lewis who left only Don Antonio illegitimate 5 The Infante Don fernando died without issue 6 The Infante D. Alfonso Cardinal Archbishop of Lisbon and Abbot of Alcobaza never married 7 The Infante D. Henry Cardinal and Arch bishop of Braga 8 The Infante D. Edward who left two daughters the eldest was Mary married out of the Kingdom to Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma the yonger was Catherine married in the Kingdome to John Duke of Braganza After the death of King Emanuel succeeded his eldest sonne Don John called King John the third whose only sonne that had issue called Prince John dieing before his father left D. Sebastian who succeeding his Grandfather was slain before he was married in that Signal battell in Africa famous for the deaths of three Kings anno 1578. where were unfortunatly lost with their King most of the Nobility and Flower of Portugal Upon the death of King Sebastian the crown returned to the eldest survivour of his Granfathers brothers which was D. Henry the Cardinal whose function for he was a priest rendred him as uncapable of marrying as his age for he was 67. years old rendred him unable for generation so that during his raigne which lasted not two years the chief discourses and debates not only of Portugal but of all Christendome was who rightfully and who probably should succeed King Henry There were some pretended right but wanted power others had power but wanted right and there were some pretenders that had neither right nor power First The People claymed jure Regni to have the right to elect their own King Secondly the Pope challenged jure Divino to be the arbitratour if not donour in all controversies for Crownes and that Alfonso the first King to obtain the title of King became Tributary to the sea of Rome Thirdly Don Antonio illegitimate sonn to the Infant D. Lewis pretended that his mother was lawfully wedded as well as bedded with his father Fourthly Catherine de Medicis widow of Henry the 2. King of France as descended from the King of Portugal D. Alfonso the 3. and for that all since that King have raigned unjustly Fiftly Philbert Duke of Savoy sonne to Beatrice younger daughter to Emanuel would not lose a Crown for want of laying claym thereto knowing that of all the pretenders that were not natives he was looked on as the fittest to resist King Philip not only for his personal valour but also for his dominions bordering on the Dutchy of Milan which in case of need he might invade by the assistance of the French his neighbours upon the other side 7 Reinuce the yong Prince of Parma laid claim to this Crown in right of his Mother Mary lately deceased alleadging that jure primogeniturae the male line was to be served before the female so that untill the line of his Grandfather the Infante D. Edward were wholy extinct neither Philip the 2. nor the Duke of Savoy could have any right Seventhly Catherine Dutches of Braganza pleaded that in all successions there are to be considered these four qualityes in the persons pretending viz thâ— line the degree the sexe and the Age that the better line is first to take place although others should have advantage in the other three qualities That in succession of Crowâ—es the last possessour is to be succeeded jure hered latis which allowâ—s the benefit of representation that she representing the Infante D. Edward the better line did by her representation precede Rainuce for the law allows not a Grandchild that benefit and by her better line exclude King Philip who descended from a daughter lastly by the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdom she was to be preferred before all other the pretenders for that she was both born and married within the Kingdome Eighthly Philip the 2. after all resolved that so faire a Crown lyeing so conveniently for him should not escape him yet because force is of harder digestion first to make triall of the most gentle meanes to effect his proposed ends to this purpose he employes the best wits of all the Vniversityes in Christendom to prove his and disprove all other claymes After much bickering it was alledged in favour of King Philip first against the Prince of Parma and the Dutchess of Braganza that successions of Crowns were to be decided by the Law of Nations not of the Empire upon which onely her jus representandi patrem was grounded that the neerest male in degree to the last possessour ought to succeed that the Infante D. Édw. being deceased before his brother Henry was King could have no right in himself therefore could derive none to his posterity for nemo dat quod in se non habet That it was very unreasonable that Catherine should be lesse prejudiced in her self for her sex then King Philip should be in his Mother Next it was alledged against the Queen of France that prescription of above 300 years whereas Lawyers allow 100 years a sufficient Title for any Kingdome lay most evidently against her Against the people it was answered That untill the Royall Line of a Kingdome be quite extinct there can be no right of election in them But the main Argument whereby King Philip confuted these and all other pretenders was his sword wherewith like another Alexander he cut that Gordian knot wherefore not to lose time nor opportunity whilst the University invented the most powerful Arguments he made all preparations possible for a powerful Army to be ready in the mean time wrought so effectually with Father Leon Henriques a Jesuit and Confessor to King Henry and Frier Ferdinando Castillo a Dominican that all intentions prejudicial to King Philips designes were craftily diverted as from declaring the Dutchess of Braganza next heir whereunto King Henry was most inclinable also from marrying in hopes of issue whereto he was once so farre perswaded as to endeavour a dispensation from Rome but his hopes and intentions were soon after cut off by death the newes whereof arriving to King Philip he marched away immediatly with an Army of above twenty thousand old Souldiers towards Lisbon where he found no
formed a Family and Officers for the Prince the Conde Duke alwayes hindred the same because first hee feared that the Prince who was of a most lively spirit would then finde out that abroad whereof the King was kept ignorant at home Secondly to gain an opportunity by prolonging the time for Don Henry his Bastard to fashion himself for the Court and by his Match and Honours conferred upon him be at length reputed fit to bee Governor to the Prince and succeed in the grace and favour of the King At length the King being earnestly sollicited by the Queen formed a List of the Servants that were to serve the Prince in his Court now to be erected because he was of the Age of Fourteen years giving notice to the Duke that provision might be made of al things necessary for a Court The Duke tooke the List and changed a great number in the same which displeased the King extremely having been before for other reasons sufficiently moved after the King spake of the Princes Lodgings desiring to know the Dukes Opinion who answered That his Highness would be very well in the Lodgings of the Infante Cardinal deceased But why my Lord replyed the King will not He be better in those Lodgings you are in at present which are the very Lodgings that my Father and I had being Princes The Duke was with this struck dumbe perceiving well that his disgrace drew neare for certain it is That his extreme insolence hastned as much as possible the Resolution that the King had taken For that very Evening his Majesty wrote him a Billet with his own Hand whereby hee forbad him to meddle any more in the Government and from henceforward hee should retire to Loeches not farre from Madrid untill farther Order should bee given The Duke read this Billet without any disturbance resolving in a matter of that weight not to discharge his minde but to his Wife only to whom he sent the Note by a Post to Loeches Next day she came weeping to her Husband and after two houres discourse went to speak with the King who soon dispatcht her the same day shee cast her self with teares at the Queens feet beseeching her to intercede for them in consideration of the many services and sincere faithfulness of the Duke her husband The Queen gave her a short answer Lo que han hecho Dios los vasallos y los malos sucessos no lo puede deshazer el Rey in ye What God the people and evill successes have done the King nor I can undoe This businesse was not known Friday and Saturday to any but Don Lewis de Haro of whom the King made use to talk with the Duke about some secret affairs This Don Lewis de Haro is Nephew to the Duke but so hated by him that lately his mother dying who was sister to the Duke he would not once send to visit him notwithstanding Don Lewis carried himselfe so Nobly in this occasion that casting himselfe at the kings feet he beseeched him that in regard the Dukes removall was irrevocable yet that it would please his Majesty at least that it should be done with all the mildness and with as little diminution of his Honor as the Justice of his Majesty could permit The King hereupon granted that the Duke should continue three days in his Palace that hee should assist at the Councels and Assemblies and give Audience for his particular affairs Also it was permitted to the Duke that in presence of the chief Notary and of Secretary Carnero hee should review all his Papers and burn what hee pleased which he did Though the King were thought too indulgent therein The same day as some came to have Audience of the Duke he bad let them know That he was a little indisposed and suffred none to enter Saturday morning the King sent to demand the Key wherewith he entred the Kings Lodgings at his pleasure but hee sent to demand Audience of the King which Hee granted him in publick before the Patriarch and divers Gentlemen of his Bedchamber where he spake more then a quarter of an hour and whereas the King was wont to heare with attention those that spoke hee now seemed to be careless of what the Duke said who having made an end went immediatly into a Junta where he shewed himself as rigorous as ever and handled so roughly two of the Secretaries that they said afterwards one to another Que Diablo tiene el Conde en la Cabeâ—a nos ha tratados como trapos viejos What the Devill aileth the Count He hath handled us like Scullions The same day some Ambassadours demanded audience of him but had not admission under pretence that he was not well Finally that evening being St. Anthonies day the disgrace of the Duke began to be noised in the Palace but with such excess of joy as that the next morning was found a paper stuck up at the Palace gate with these verses En el dia de Sant Antonio Hisieronse milagros dos Empeço a reinar Dios Y del Rey se echo el Demonio Upon the day of Saint Anthony God did his reign begin The Divell on the same Saints day Was cast out of the King Next day being Sunday the joy was so universall that had it not been a little curbed by the fear that men had that the Duke by his craft would regain the Kings favour there would have been publick fires of joy however all that day the Fruterers Bakers threw their Wares to those that would have them without taking any money to testifie their excess of joy and contentment Munday the King Queen Prince Infanta and Dutchess of Mantua passing all in one Coach towards the Carmelites a great multitude of people followed crying Viva el Rey por lo que ha hecho viva el Rey y muer a el mal govierno God save the King for what he hath done let the King live and the ill government die There arrived also an infinite number of people to participate of the common joy which was taken for the disgrace of the Duke Tuesday the Dutchess with extraordinary submissiveness attempted again to make an accomodation but all in vain whereat the Duke was so enraged against the Queen whom he looked upon as the sole cause of his disfavour that as soon as the King was departed to goe to the Escuriall he carried himself in the Councels and Junta's in such a manner that he made the world believe he was yet to stay which not onely cooled the generall joy but amazed the Queen so greatly that that night she wrot a most pressing letter to the King concerning him Thursday evening the King returning towards Madrid met on the way ten Grandees of Spain and asked them what was happened at Madrid that made so many come together Don Melchior de Borgia answered him That the time was how come that his Majesty might know the true devotion of the Grandees towards the Crown and that
he went to visit his Majesty he would go to receive the Duke as farr as the middle of the chamber Besides the Princes of this Family had always a guard of their own to wait upon them even in the Kings Court. This then was the reward of that unfortunate prince for having left his Countrey Kindred Friends Interest fot having served the Emperour eight yeares at his own proper charges for having ventured his life upon all occasions with the formost expecting no other pay then thanks and no other recompence then honor Yet there wanted not some to defend the Emperour in this action alledging that it was no new thing for that Charls Duke of Burgundy had in the same manner delivered up the Count de St. Paul to the King of France who put him to death whereunto it was answered That all the misfortune of that Prince is by Philip de Comines and others attributed to that foul fact Ex isto tempore saith one nihil Carolo prospere successit sed calamitati accessit calamitas donec victus ab Helvetiis ad Nanecium miserrime trucidatus est When D. John the present King of Portugal had been fully informed how his brother was treated he was resolved to revenge himselfe by Arms but the Castilians beginning to make incursions upon all the borders of Porougal diverting his thoughts made him look neerer home to put the kingdome into a posture of Defence to fortifie his chiefe Townes and to train up all the people to the use of Arms. The Castilians in the inroads that they made into Portugal laid all waste before them spared neither sex nor age upon the taking of any place which so inraged the Portugals that to revenge themselves they did the like in an incursion into Galitia During these extremities of Barbarisme upon the confines of the kingdome there was wonderful tranquillity and unanimity at home onely some few thought themselves so farre obliged to the Catholick King as to re-establish him in his Throne amongst whom D. Sebastian de Matos Archbishop of Braga a creature of the Count de Olivarez was the principal who at the beginning of the revolt opposed himself so much that divers Gentlemen were once resolved to send him after Vazconzellos This Prelat having imparted his designe to D. Lewis de Meneses Marquess de Villa Real an ambitious man and to his sonne the Duke de Camigna both discontented becaus they thought themselvs not preferred according to their merits perswaded them that it was a most unworthy thing to suffer themselves to be subject to a fellow-subject but rather return to the obedience and loyalty of their ancient Soveraign who is able to bestow upon a deserving man more in one day then the Duke of Braganza in an hundred years c. Insomuch that they were soon gained Next the Archbishop draws in D. Augustine Manuele a man of noble blood excellent parts necessitous and never yet employed in any business all notable motives to make a man embrace desperate designes After him was assaulted Pietro de Baeza an upstart Christian as they call those Christians whose ancestors were once Jewes this Gentleman famous for his vast riches and his great intimacy with that eminent Favourite the Count Olivarez was wont to say That Olivarez favour would one day advance him either to high honor or else to a high gallows which proved precisely true as will appear anon These with some few other Conspirators oft assembled themselves privatly to consider how their designs might be speedily put in execution for which purpose some were of opinion that many more were to be drawn into the plot But then it was feared on the one side that thereby the design might be discovered on the other side that there was a necessity thereof for that without communicating to others the business rested onely in the Idaea Others advised that the assistance of the King of Spain was to be got in readiness but that then the King of Portugal would make as great preparations and so render that way difficult yet some replied that thereby the Spaniard by way of intelligence might be the more easily let in but that seemed as difficult because the whole Militia was in the hands of persons most trusty to the King Another time they had thoughts of taking the King out of the way by some sudden violent death which by some more moderate was opposed and that rather some way was to be invented to cause his Majesty to renounce his title to the Crown and to retire himself out of the danger represented unto him In this wavering condition most of them inclined to a mediocrity although the same in all eminent attempts is the very stepmother of good success Moderate resolutions are the most of all pernitions where a designe is to begin with execution Yet some more valorous and less wary then the rest were of opinion that they should presently set upon the the work and leave the successe to the disposition of Fortune insomuch that of many Irons that were in the fire none was yet hot Amongst the conspirators divers of them notwithstanding his Majesties express prohibition kept secret correspondence with the Court at Madrid by the means of divers persons much suspected The King of Portugal who had alwayes an eye upon the Archbishop of Braga and the Marquess de Villa Real knowing their disaffection from the beginning at length intercepts some of their Letters wherein was discovered the names of the conspirators and the whole treaty wherefore his Majesty desiring to secure all their persons at once without any noyse gave order that by sound of Trumpet and Drum as the custome is it should be proclaimed That his Majesty intended to goe abroad forth of the Citie whereupon all the Nobility out of their great affection to his Majesty were soon assembled to wait upon him When the King saw them all ready he commanded first to call a Councell of State where some of the conspirators assisted being there sate he caused them all to be arrested one by one without the least disturbance which certainly could otherwise have been hardly prevented for if the conspiracy had been known before the persons were in custody there would not have been so much danger of their escape as to have been immediatly without expecting the course of justice torn in pieces by the people Besides the wisdome of his Majesty would that by the usual forms of Justice their crime might be as manifest to the world as their punishment So so on as these were safe in prison his Majesty proclaimed a pardon to all complices of this conspiracy that should come in within four days and confess their fault but the diligence of the King had been so exquisite that there was not one man left to take the benefit of that grace Not many days after they were all solemnly arraigned found guilty of high Treason condemned and executed in manner following Upon the last of August 1641.
THE RISE FALL OF THE Late Eminent and powerful Favorite of SPAIN The Count OLIVARES THE Unparallel'd Imposture OF MICHAEL de MOLINA Executed at MADRID in the Year 1641. The Right and Title of the present King of Portugall Don JOHN the fourth With the most memorable Passages of his Reign unto the year 1644. Translated out of the Italian Spanish and Portughez By Edw Chamberlayne Gent ' In tenui Labor London Printed by T N for Thomas Heath at his shop in Russell street near the Piazza's of Covent-Garden 1653. FIDE ET FORTITUDINE The Right Hon ble Algernon Capell Earl of Essex Viscount Maldon Baron Capell of Hadham 17â—1 To the Reader THE Originall Structures from whence the materials of these pieces are taken seeming more spacious then was necessary I have taken the pains to pull them down and rebuild them in the narrow room here presented wherein my principall care hath been ut misceam utile dulci that no part of these new buildings may be without commodity or delight although the beauty of them may be somewhat defaced for translations are ever prejudiciall to the grace and splendor of the Original especially when done by an unskilfull pen yet I choose rather to be censured of weakness in exposing to the publick then of envy in engrossing to my selfe a Commodity that might any way benefit my Countrey-men Amongst the many curious Pieces that came to my hands in forraign parts I have made choyce of these in the first place wanting opportunity for a more weighty task because pieces of this nature have this peculiar unto them that they are acceptable to most intelligent persons for that they represent sunccinctly many curious particularities whereof generall Histories cannot take any notice The first of these Relations was written at Madrid in Italian by an Agent there to one of the Princes of Italy at the time that the Conde Duke de Olivarez was banisht the Court of Spain I have pruned off some superfluous branches and ingrafted a few necessary Cions borrowed from other trees The second was written at large in Spanish by the Alcalde or Judge to whom was committed the prosecution of that whole business The Book was swoln with various digressions and infinite quotations as their manner is which would have been very impertinent ro an English Reader The former part of the third Discourse was written in the Portugal Tongue and the later part in Italian the one amplified with the numberless authoritics of Civilians and the other with many prolix excursions which in English would have been as tedious as improper If the Reader reaping in few houres the fruits of many dayes labour shall receive content I shall not onely be satisfied for this pains but encouraged for another undertaking Faults to be corrected PAge 10. line 8. for Aunt read Cousin p. 14. l. 2. leave out would P. 47. l. 8. for in read ni P. 51. l. 26. read fuer Ça P 52. l. 17. for having read he P. 57. l. 24. r debauched P. 102. l. 19. for mus read mas P. 104. 24. for in r. ni There are many false pointings and other inconsiderable mistakes whereof the Printer humbly demands pardon THE RISE FALL OF THE Late eminent and Powerfull Favourite of SPAINE Don Jaspar de Guzman Conde Duke of Olivares and S t LUCAR DON Jaspar de Guzman son of Don Henry Count de Olivares was born in Rome at the time that his Father was there Ambassador from Philip the second and it was noted as an unlucky presage that he drew his first breath in the Palace of Nero which gave occasion to some Wits to style him the Nero disguised because his actions were always very cruell yet without shedding blood his deliberations violent but without noise his carriage courteous but without love his words very fair but without effect Being the third Son of his Family he be took himself to the study of the Law at Salamanca where he was Corrivall with three Learned persons for a Prebendary at Sevill which he obtained Not long after coming to Court at the time when Don Balthazzar Zuniga was in favor with Philip the 3 d upon the fall of the house of Lerma he easily crept into the favor and familiarity of Philip the fourth then Prince and complying in all things with his humor became absolute master of his Will by that time the death of his Father had made him absolute Monarch of Spain To assure himself in this height of Honor and Power he held at a distance from his Majesty the Princes of the blood particularly Prince Philibert de Savoy and it is believed that jealous of the vivacity and Noblenesse of spirit which began to shine in the Infante Don Carlos who was idolized by the Spaniards he hastned his death As for the Cardinall Infante Don Ferdinando he speciously pretended that it was necessary he should be employed in the Wars of Germany and afterwards in the Government of Flanders Sent most of the Grandees and persons whose parts or power gave any occasion of jealousie to the Conde Duke to Employments farre from the Court thereby so powerfully suppressing the worth of all other that none being left to oppose him he became the sole Arbibitrator of the Monarchy and absolute Master of his Masters will As for the Queen whom the the Laws of God and Man forbad to bee separated from her Husband she was kept in such awe and subjection by the Dutchess of Olivarez her first Lady of Honor that though she had the Title and outside of a Queen she was little better than a slave to the Duke who would often intimate to the King that no other account was to be made of a Woman but as a thing necessary to propagate the species Now although some rigour should bee used in the examination of all the actions of the Conde Duke it will not be denyed but that he had most rare endowments for a Minister of State for the zeal and passion he had for to Aggrandize his Master and his Dominions knew no bounds He gave himself wholly to the transaction of publique Affairs insomuch that he would not allow himself one hour of Recreation He was the declared enemy of all Presents not suffering any of his servants to sell his Favor or their Credit with him But on the contrary spent of his own Revenues for the service of the King professing that all he had was devoted to the publique good and that hee did nothing but to augment the grandeur of the King and to serve the State Yet some that would seem to see farther then vulgar eyes say That the reason why hee received no presents was because hee conceived that to be the only way to continue in favor and that by other ways being as covetous as cruell hee found out the true secret of heaping up treasure without appearing ambitious To this end he got into his hands Commanderies of all the three
if heretofore they had not waited upon him according to their obligations his Majesty knew well â—he reason of the same The King being arrived at the Palace in Madrid asked whether the Duke was â—etired it was answered No. The King 〈◊〉 a chafe turning to Don Lewes de Haro â—ying Que aguarda el hombre la fuerca What doth the man stay for to be thrust out Hereupon the Duke seeing no more hopes left prepared himself to be gone spending the whole night in viewing his papers and burning a great part of them In the mean time the people longed to see the day of his departure and one more impatient then the rest set abroad this Distick Phosphore redde diem quid gaudia nostra moraris Ecce Comes Cecidit Phosphore redde diem Friday about one of the clock afternoon he departed not without much artifice For fearing to be torn in pieces by the people having caused Coaches and Mules to stand ready for three dayes together before he intended to depart But as the Coaches with six Horses waited at the great gate of the Palace he went forth by the back gate behind the kitchin and put himself into an ill-favoured Coach drawn with four Mules where having drawn the Curtains and placed himselfe between two Iesuits as if he had been going to execution he took his way by the street of Atocha at the same time that his Family in his velvet Coaches passed the ordinary way where they were met with a company of Boyes that thinking the Duke was there discharged a showre of stones at the Coaches but being shewn that the Duke was not there they ceased so that the Duke by this subtilty arrived safe at Loeches a place whereof he had the Royalty In the mean time the Dutchess continued at Court governing the Prince and little Infanta but without once entring into the Queens chamber Now the consequences of this disgrace of Olivarez are many and those very remarkable In the first place the King hath thereby recovered the credit and reputation which he had utterly lost in the opinions of all men as well forraigners as sublects who saw him so wholly led away by the will of the Conde Duke that he seemed rather a Subject then a Soveraign But on the Saturday after the departure of Olivarez the King called a Councell of State in his Lodgings where he spake so judiciously that all admired his ability and testified by their tears their great affections and respects towards him The subject of the Kings discourse was to advertise the Councell how he had deprived the Conde Duke of his dignities not for any crime that he had committed but to satisfie himself in giving satisfaction and content to his subjects That his desire was That the memory of the Conde Duke might be kept in esteem among all men for the good services which he had so faithfully rendred to the Crown so many years protesting for the future not to give the Title of Favourite to any of his subjects but to assist himself in all Councels and that all weighty affairs should pass through his own hands commanding to every one of those there to speak their opinions freely without partiality at all times and not to conceale the truth from him Whereto the Cardinall Borgia as head of that Councell answered That they would give obedience to these his Majesties commands as to Laws Divine Next day his Majesty having called together all his Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber whereof most are Grandees of Spain he demanded the assistance of their Tenants Friends and Kindred for the speedy settlement of the kingdom Which together with other testimonies of prudence and care that his Majesty manifested made all men say It was now the time that Philip the fourth deserved the surname of Grand which had been given him by the flattery of Olivarez at that time when he caused his Majesty to lose his Dominions and Reputation Next day the King caused all his plate to be coined into money by whose example also the Nobility and Commons sent theirs to the Mint and all contented themselves to be served in earthen ware The next consequence of Olivarez disgrace was the advancements of divers Noblemen to their dignities and the pulling down of the Favorites of the Conde Duke The third effect and perhaps that which Olivarez resented most of all is the miserable condition of his Bastard son a business of that strange and extraordinary carriage that it is worthy a large Treatise but was briefly thus The Conde Duke being at Madrid twelve years before he was in favour at Court fell in love with Donna Marguerita Spinola whose Father was a Genoway and mother a Spaniard This Lady though noble and rich yet was not free from temptations amongst which riches and honour are the most efficacious Don Francisco de Valeasar Alcalde of the Court and Palace one of the highest places of Judicature in Spain although he had a wife one Donna Marguerita to his lust maintained her and her family at his charges and with profuse presents and Iewels kept her wholly to himself At length Olivarez with much difficulty got a share in her also and she soon after had a son named Julian which none then made doubt to be the son of the Alcalde who neverthelesse understanding that others had had a finger in the pye as well as himself took no affection to nor care of the child so he was brought up idly by the mother untill the age of 18 years at which time his mother dying and he finding himself without father or mother went boldly to the Alcalde and besought him to declare him his son that so he might not be exposed to the world without Father and without Name protesting that he would never lay claim to any thing but onely under the name of Valeasar he would get his living with his Sword The Alcalde wholly uncertain that he was his child would not be induced to declare thus till upon his death-bed and then rather out of charity then belief that he was his son So then by the name of Julian Valeasar he went first into the Indies where for some Roguery he was condemned to be hanged but because the Vice-king there was a great friend to the Alcalde he gave him his pardon Thence he went into Flanders and Italy where he served as a common Souldier but was very debosht and of rude behaviour In the mean time Olivarez having no further hope of children sent to search out this vagabond Valeasar who he remembred was born at the time that he had to do with his mother but before Valeasar could be found he had married D. Isabella de Azueta a common Strumpet nevertheless November 1641. to the astonishment of all men Olivarez owned him for his son and declared him so by a publick act by the good will and pleasure of his Majesty wherein he names him Don Henry Philipe de Guzman heir apparent
that the person of Don Duarte should be secured and how much it behoved his Imperial Majesty in this particular to shew his affection to the Catholick King his brother and to the whole house of Austria shewing that this Prince was the main prop of the house of Braganza that God had left this only remedy in the hands of the house of Austria whereby Portugal may be reduced to obedience that it would be a great error not to make use of this opportunity that if he should escape out of their hands he might by his great insight in Warlick affairs assist his brother and thereby much infest the Catholick King The Emperor having heard this discourse of Mello was at first so farr from being perswaded that he answered him he abhorred the breach of publick Faith and the violation of Hospitality that this would be against the Liberties of the Empire and against his own honor to imprison a Prince for no fault but on the contrary that had deserved so well of the Empire and to whom his Majesty confessed himself very much obliged The Arch-Duke Leopold brother to the Emperor did so farr detest the motion that he said he washt his hands of so foule and shamefull an act yet Mello not at all discouraged pursues his design corrupting with sums of money the Count of Tratmansdorff and some other pensioners to the Crown of Spain but they at length ashamed of the imployment Mello resolves upon a more subtil invention which was to perswade the Emperor to hearken to one Father Diego de Quiroga who of a Souldier turned Monk and was now Confessor to the Empress this Father being wont to give his opinion of such actions as these according to the rules of Interest of State would perswade the Emperor not only that with good conscience he might secure the person of Don Duarte but that for divirs reasons of State he ought to do it His Imperial Majesty at first very unsatisfied in the business was resolved not to do it but by the importunity of Mello and the ghostly perswasions of Quiroga he was at length induced to alter his resolution and to give order to D. Lewes Gonzaga that he should go to Leipen the Princes quarters and to summon him to Ratisbon in the mean time to prevent the ill impression that this would cause in the minds of all men of honor and honesty it was reported abroad that D. Duarte was fled for some misdemeanor and thereupon proposal was made of sixteen thousand crowns to any man that could bring him alive or dead of which the Prince being ignorant escaped very narrowly the hands of some of those people that went searching for him in hopes of the proposed reward when he was com to Ratisbon he was cast into a vile prison appointed only for persons of mean quality and all his Servants imprisoned D. de Francisco de Mello not content herewith now sollicites the Emperor afresh that he may be delivered into the Spaniards hands and sent prisoner to Milain whereto his Majesty would not hearken but on the contrary sent a message to D. Duarte promising upon his word not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard but to procure speedily his liberty But his ill usage increasing D. Duarte made all the means possible to get audience of the Emperor which would never be granted nor was it any wonder for there is no face mere ugly or more terrible to the offender tehn the face offended hereupon the Infante made his protestation calling God and man to witness the wrong and injurie done unto him by the Emperor to whom he was neither subject by any obligation or birth that when his brother was made King of Portugal he was in the Emperors service wholly ignorant of any designe of his brothers that if the King of Spain was offended he might revenge himself upon the person offending that that business no way concerned the Emperor All which particulars were acknowledged by his Imperial Majesty by a messenger sent to Don Duarte in prison assuring him again that he should not be delivered into the hands of his enemies yet that his liberty could not be granted for some reasons of State whereupon D. Francisco de Sosa Coutigno Ambassador extraordinary from Portugal to Swethland in the name of the King his Master represented at large to the Diet at Ratisbon the whole proceeding requiring justice and libirty for the Infante But nothing can prevail against Interest the effects of all Manifesto's Petitions and Intercessions were that the Infante was removed from place to place and sent farther off where he had still harder usage only the Emperor seemed yet immutable in his resolution not to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniard untill the most powerfull means in this world to conquer all difficulties was used which is money for upon promise of forty thousand crowns the Emperor contrary to the immunities of the Empire to the rules of hospitality to the priviledge of free Princes to the Law of Nations and contrary to his word and promise so often reiterated yeilded that the most innocent Prince should be sent whether the Catholick King should think meet so he was hurried away towards the State of Milain to remain prisoner in that Castle by the way as he entred into the Spanish Territories he was received by the Count de Siruela the Governor of that state wherethe Commissary of the Emperor took his leav to return to whom D. Duarte said openly Tell thy Master that I am more sorry that I have served so unworthy a Prince then to see my self a prisoner sold into the hands of my enemies but that the just Judg of the World will one day suffer the like dealing towards his children who are no more privildged for being of the house of Austria then my self that am of the blood royal of Portugal and that posterity will judg of him and of me The Emperor in his instructions to those that convoyed the Infante gave express order that in case their prisoner made any attempt to escape they should kill him upon the place Being arrived at Milain he was clapt up in the prison where all the Rogues and Banditi are to be kept with a guard in the same chamber so rude that he could hardly take any sleep Any man of honor would have been pierced to the very soul with this harsh treaty how much more a Prince of so high blood who knew himself descended from so many glorious Kings and allyed to the greatest Princes of Europe for which cause the Kings ever treated the house of Braganza much different from the Grandees of Spain giving them the respect due to soveraign Princes in so much that Philip the second who desired to a base that Family always received the Duke of Braganza under the same cloth of State within the Royal Curtain in all publick Assemblies allowing him always a chair with a cushion and as oft as