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
their Clergy impoverished their Nobility destined for the slaughter their Countrey ruinated and all their Privileges engraven upon a Marble pillar exposed to the publick view violated and infringed c. It was proposed at the same privat meeting to change it into a Common-wealth But the Archbishop of Lisbon with powerful reasons made abortive that designe and set their thoughts upon endevouring to win the Duke of Braganza to accept of the Crown the Dukes name was John son to Theodosius son to Katherine who was daughter to Edward son to Emanuel King of Portugall so it was agreed that one Don Gaston Cotigno should make this Overture to the Duke who went immediatly to his Highness at His Country house and there told him of the generall discontent of the people of the generall consent of the Nobility and Clergy to receive Him as their King and that the present conjuncture of affairs seemed to invite Him to embrace without delay so profitable and necessary a design for that now the House of Austria was at a low ebb distracted with Wars on every side all the Forces of Spain employed against Catalonia that they could not want assistance from France and others that were jealous of the greatness of that House that now was the time for him to recover that Right which hath been so long detained from his Ancestors that Fortune seldome offers a man a Kingdom that this opportunity being let slip in vain might He hereafter hope for the like or for succor from the Portugals when Hee shall be clapt in prison at Madrid that if He would not take it upon Him the whole Kingdome was resolved to change it into a Republick and then He should not only be equalized with the rest of low Condition but hated by all and looked upon as one who refused to bee an instrument of His Countries Liberty and so should bee the most unappy man amongst them After a long silence the Duke told him He thanked him and the whole Nobility for their affections toward Him but that this was a business of such weight that it required a more mature deliberation That he knew well that this was an Affair of that kinde that knew no medium betwixt the Crown and the Halter The next night communicating the whole business to his Wife who is sister to the Duke of Medina Sidonia a Woman of a Manly courage fit for such a bold Enterprise and wavering with Himself whether Hee had better consent to the Nobility or fly to Madrid his Wife thus briefly spake to him My Friend if thou goest to Madrid thou runnest the hazard of losing thy Head if thou acceptest the Crown thou runnest the same hazard If then thou must perish better dye nobly at home then basely abroad At which words the Duke was so animated that he came forth of his Closet and bad one of his Confidents goe and acquaint the Nobility that he was resolved to undertake the same Enterprise and run the same hazard with them all whereupon immediatly for this business could not suffer delay the Nobility about Midday dispersed themselves into severall places of the City as they had agreed some amongst the guard of Swisses some towards the lodging of the Infanta some to the Castle others to the Spanish Fleet in the Haven others to the Spanish Corps de Gard before the Kings Palace and others to the Lodgings of Vazconzellos And at the hour appointed a Pistoll being shot off near the Palace the next fell upon the Swisse guard and others hearing the noise of them fell on in their appointed stations made themselves Masters of all in a moment without killing but one Swisse who made resistance besides Vasconzellos who was killed in his chamber and thrown down out of his window to be a publick spectacle to the people Others presenting themselves before the Vice-Queen she told them That if this insurrection had no other aim but to revenge themselves upon Vasconzellos she assured them upon returning to their obedience to gain a generall pardon from the King But she was answered That as for their most unjust grievances they had now received satisfaction upon Vansconzellos and had no other King but Don John the fourth Hereupon the cry went all over Lisbon God save King John and from one of the clock till three all shops were shut but then all were again set open with so great joy and content of the Citizens that all rancor and malice set a-part the most inveterate enemies embraced one another with tears of joy The Infanta for more security they removed away from the Palace to the House where anciently the Infanta's of Portugal were wont to dwell leaving her some Souldiers to guard her The Archbishop of Lisbon went in solemne procession through the Citie and to encourage the people and fix them the better in their resolutions in chusing a new King made use of one of the nails wherewith Christ was nail'd to the Crosse which he carried in his hand thereby authorizing this insurrection with an act of Religion to intimate to the people that all was ordained by the speciall providence of heaven and that in defending the cause of Braganza they should defend the cause of God To corroborate which conceit they made use of certain old Prophesies and new Prodigies that in the person of this Duke was verified a certain apparition of Christ to King Alfonso just as he was ready to give battell to the five Kings of the Moores by which he was promised not onely victory but that he and his generations should reign to the sixteenth Generation at which his Race should be thought extinct but should flourish again when it should be least of all thought upon They made their observations also upon the day being the first of December on which day the Citie was recovered out of the hands of the Moors and seized upon by Philip the second so that it was a day fatall to Lisbon Amongst other prodigies that were given out to keep the common people the better in their loyalty to their new King one was that the next day in the chamber where Vasconzollos was killed there were found so great a number of Bats that none could enter into the room Also that the plot should be kept secret so long time for it was plotted some weeks before it was executed was reckond as a great wonder that among so many persons of different degrees kindred age rich and poor the design should be kept undiscovered Another as great a wonder was that Lisbon a Citie so wonderfully populous and the whole Kingdome should with one universall acclamation accept of the Duke not one person gain-saying That all the Forts and Castles garrison'd by Spaniards should be delivered up without resistance and that all the Spaniards also should be sent away and the quiet of the Kingdome setled without the effusion of more bloud then of two or three persons The Marquess de la Puebla kinsman to
design of changeing the commanders in cheife of all the Emperours armies and the Spanish thereby to make the people desperate because of the failing of faith and credit of the recruiting and arming the Gallies of Spain Sicily and Naples for the maintaining commerce secret intelligence in Toulon and Marseilles of the capitulation of the Venetian with the grand Turke and the meanes whereby they drew the Turke to assent to their demands and the little security the Turke had from them all which I invented feigned and contrived together with many more letters Cyphers Papers c. without any intelligence correspondence or amity with any officer or Minister of state of this kingdome but that I alone without the helpe or assistance of any other have feigned and invented all the foresaid designs whereof I gave information to the Nuntio and his secretary to the said Ambassadours and to Monsiuer de Peny with whom I have kept correspondence in France since the breaking forth of the warre the which as a truth I sweare before God and declare it for discharging my conscience I aske of God forgivenes also of the King our soveraign whom God preserve of the Emperour of the Lord Duke against whom I directed most of those forgeries of the Duke of Medina las Torres of the Marques of Leganés of the Duke of Villahernosa of the Count of Oniate of the Marques of Villa Franca of the Marques of Mirabel of the most illustrious Lord Inquisitour Generall the father Confessour of the most Eminent Cardinals the Cardinal Borgia and Cardinal Spinola and Cardinal of Sandoval of the Lord Don Geronimo of Villanueva Pronotary of Arragon and secretary of state of Don Andrew de Rojas secretary of state of the Ambassadour of Genoa and of all the rest whom I have falsely defamed by these forgeries and Impostures and also I aske pardon of all the faithfull and loyall subjects of these kingdomes charging them to take example by me And to the end that it may be manifested to all times I thus make declaration that God may pardon me and for the satisfaction of this and all other Nations which I have disturbed with the wickednes of my inventions In witnes whereof I have hereunto set my name Dated in the Plaça Mayor and place of Execution in Madrid the 3 of August 1641. Thus ended Michael de Molina in whom the Refran or Spanish proverbe was verified Quien en un ano quiere ser rico al medio le ahorcan He that will be rich in one year shall be hanged at halfe yeares end FINIS THE RIGHT TITLE OF The present KING OF PORTUGAL Don John the Fourth With the most Memorable Passages of his Reigne LONDON Printed for Tho. Heath 1653. THE RIGHT TITLE OF The present King OF PORTUGALL Don John the fourth With the most memorable Passages of his raigne FOr the more cleare discovery of the Title whereby the present King of Portugal holds that Crown it will be necessary to know the fundamental constitutions of that Kingdom as well as the peâ—igree of that King In the year of our Redemption 1139. an Army of four hundred thousand Moors under the conduct of five Kings threatning as a vast deluge to overflow at once all the Country of Portugal were totally discomsited by a small handfull of Christians in the plains of Ourique where immediatly before the battel the people chose their Generall Don Alfonso for their King for before they were under the protection of the King of Castile Leon who after the fight called an Assembly of the three Estates in the City of Lamego where was solemnely enacted as followeth In the name of the most holy Trinity Father Son and holy Ghost Amen I Alphonso sonn of Count Henry c. by the grace of God lately advanced to the Royall Throne have called together the Bishops Nobles and Deputies of Cities in the Church of Saint Mary Almacave in Lamego where sitting upon my Royal Throne without any ensignes of Royalty my Deputy Lorenzo Venegas stood up anâ— spake thus You are assembled by the Authority of King Alfonso to see the Popes letters and resolve to confirm him for your King whereat all with one voice cried We will that he be our King The Deputy demanded shall he only be King and not his sonns after him They answered he so long as he lives and his sonns after his death then said the Deputy give him the Royall ensignes we give them answered they in the name of God So the Archbishop of Braga placed the Crown upon the Kings head who drawing his sword said Blessed be God that hath been my helper with this sword have I delivered you and overcome our enemies and now that you have made me your King let us make lawes for the government of the Kingdome they answered so will wee dread soveraigne we wil make such lawes as shall seem good to you and wee and all our children and posterity are wholy at your command we will first make lawes for the succession of the Crown as followeth 1 God save King Alfonso let him be master of the Kingdome and after him that there may be no trouble of choosing a King let his sonn raigne after him his grand child and so from father to sonn in secula seculorum 2 If during the fathers life the eldest sonn die the next brother shall be King and so forward 3 If the King die without sonns having a brother he shall succeed but not his sonn after him unlesse the Parliament will have it so Then Lorenzo Venegas the Kings Deputy desired the States to aske the King if the daughters should enter into the Succession of the Kingdome after some debate thereon it was resolved Because the daughters are of the Royall stock as well as the Sonns they should succeed on this manner 4 If the King have only Daughters the eldest shall be Queen after her father upon condition that she be married to a native of the Kingdome and that he be a Nobleman who shall not take upon him the name of King untill he hath a sonn born nor wear a crown on his head nor take the right 〈◊〉 of his wife 5 Lastly which most concernes the ensuing discourse it was thus enacted Sit i st a Lex in sempiternum quod prima filia Regis accipiat maritum de Portugale ut non veniat Regnum ad extraneos si casaverit cum principe extraneo non sit Regina quia nunquam volumus nostrum Regnum ire for de Portugalensibus qui nos sua fortitudine Reges fecerunt sine adjutorio alieno per suam fortitudinem cum sangine suo That is Let it be a law for ever that the Kings eldest daughter marry a native of Portugal that so the Crown may never descend to strangers and in case she should marry to a Prince that is a stranger let her not be Queen for wee will never have our Kingdom goe out of the
of the Count de Olivarez and of the Dutchy of St. Lucar so soon as it shall please his Majesty in acknowledgement of his services to make him a Grandee of Spain because the Title of Duke in Castile is not given but to those that may stand covered in the Kings presence Olivarez advertized all Ambassadors and Grandees hereof to the great displeasure of all his Family and Kindred then resolves to marry him with one of the principall Ladies of Spain To which end he cast his eye upon the first Lady of the Court Donna Juana de Velasco daughter to the Constable of Castile who for Nobleness of blood is not to be equalled by any the Subjects of that Kingdome For he shews in the Arms of his Predecessors five Royall Quarrers To accomplish this match it was necessary to annull the former marriage by an order from Rome The Pope deputes the Bishop of Avila with full power who notwithstanding the Protests of the woman gave sentence against her because she was not married by her own Parson although some more conscientious Divines gave their opinions in favour of the woman and that the marriage was good and valuable but the authority of the Favourite prevailed over these reasons and the marriage was solemnly broken In pursuance whereof Olivarez treated for a match with the said Lady and in spite of her Father and Kindred obtained her for his Bastard And here one might observe the base spirits of Flatterers for all the Grandees all the Nobility of the Court all Officers of State went to give Don Henry el para bien or joy of his marriage treating him by the Title of Excellency and giving him respect fitter for a King then a subject In the mean time he became so rediculous a personage in his carriag that not being accustomed to such ceremonies he often fell into great absurdities which made some Italians say Don Harrigo era un Facchino vestito da ReSpagnuolo That Don Henry was a plowman dressed like a King A Pallace was provided for Duke Henry so rich and sumpteous that never any Grandee of Spain had the like Presents were sent him from all persons and all Places the Duke of Medina de las Torres sent him a present valued at twenty five thousand Crownes Don Henry received the Habit of Alcantara with a Commanderie of ten thousand Crownes and was declared a gentleman of the Kings bed chamber with promise to have the Charge of President of the Indies and all to make way for to be governour to the Prince for which porpose the Prince was kept under the government of the Duchesse of Olivares and no Court formed longer then the ordinary and accustomed time Now the hatred was so generall and so great against D. Henry who could not forbear his base carriage and behaviour that the people sang publickly Enriquez de dos Nombres y dos Mugeres Hijo de dos Padres y dos Madres Valgate el Diablo el Hombre que mas quisieres Harry a Man of two Names and two Wives a Son of two Fathers and two Mothers The Divell take him that owns thee The declaring of this Bastard heir to Olivarez greatly displeased the Marquess of Carpio who married Olivarez sister because hereby was disâ—inherited the right Heir Don Lewis de Haro son to the said Marquess already declared so an honest Gentleman and of good parts and at present sole Favourite in the Court of Spain Upon the fall of the Conde Duke Don Henry immediatly lost the Title of Excellency his great train and the Kings favour and from a great Idoll became a Man of Clouts scorned by all men The Constable intended to take home his daughter and to declare the former marriage valuable But some Nobles with whom he advised thereof telling him that he should forbear such attempt for the former marriage being declared valuable his daughter will be declared an Adulteress whereto he answered I had rather Donna Juana were taken for my daughter and a Whore then chast and wife of such a Fellow Not long after D. Henry died without issue and his Father the Conde Duke of grief ended his dayes at the House where he was confined the one ending like a Comet after a great blaze for a short time the other like a Candle after a long time in a snuff Next followeth the unparalleld Case of Michael de Molina Exemplum sine Exemplo OR The unparalleld IMPOSTVRE OF Michaell de Molina Executed at Madrid in the Year 1641 Faithfully Translated out of the SPANISH LONDON Printed for Tho. Heath 1653. Exemplum sine Exemplo OR The unparallel'd CASE OF Michael de Molina Executed at Madrid in the Year 1641. Faithfully Translated out of the SPANISH MIchael de Molina born of honest parents at Cuenea a City in the Kingdom of Castile bred there in the Jesuits Colledg and after at the University of Alcala de Henares to try his fortune went thence to Court where to gain a living speedily he undertooke to give secret intelligence to the secretaries of the severall Ambassadours then residing at that Court and to give the more credit to his reports gave out That he was servant to Andrew de Rojas Cavalier of the order of Santiago and secretary of the Councell of State insomuch that he forged letters feigned discourses framed intelligences fitted for the purposes and affayres of the Ambassadors wherewith he dealt counterfeited the Kings hand invented Cyphers made consultations and orders to the number of 345 severall Papers and all with that dexterity that he deceived and abused not only the secretaryes of the Emperour the Venetian and French Ambassadours but also and most of all Don Lorenço Coqui secretary to the late Don Lorenço Campegi Nuntio to the Pope in whose house he was at length apprehended upon whose apprehension and search of his papers he told the officers That if the tenour of those papers should be looked upon as jests and conceits he should not speed so ill but if as a crime it would appear so great that one life would not be enough to pay for the same And his Majesty takeing notice that the busines was of that importance that the like had not been heard or found in any History Commanded that there should be on purpose a Court of Justice composed of two of the chiefe Nobility and two of the Cheife Judges before whom when the said Michael de Molina was sufficiently convinced and had made a large confession which for its matchlesse strangenes shall be verbatim set down he was sentenced as followeth IN the town of Madrid July 31 1641. the Lords of his Majestyes Counsell who by particular order have taken cognizance of the accusation given in by Don Marcellino Faria de Guzman Atturney nominated by his Majesty for this cause against Michael de Molina late of Cuenca prisoner in the Gaole of this Court for offences and high treason committed by him whereof he hath been accused doe condemne the said
were covered Amongst other discourse D. Francisco de Mello told her Majesty that he feared his Embassy would not be acceptable for that his Master had deprived her brother of one of his Kingdoms whereto her Majesty replyd that although she was sister to the King of Spain yet she was wife to the King of France and thereupon began to speak Spanish which the Ambassador observing demanded wherefore her Majesty had not vouchsafed them that favour sooner it being a language better understood by them the Queen answered for fear they should be daunted to hear her speak Spanish the Ambassador to improve the jest replyd Como a tam grande Senora si pero como a Castillana no. It was true considering her greatness but not her Countrey whereat her Majesty smiling went on promising them all favour and wishing many happy dayes to King John and the Prince his son thus having delivered to her Majesty a Letter from the Queen of Portugal they took leave to go visit the most Eminent Cardinal Richelieu who being advertised of their coming came forward to the third chamber to meet them and there received them with expressions of great affection after which he conducted them into his own Chamber where all three being sate his Eminence a personage for his most admirable abilities worthy to live many ages discovered divers affairs of importance to the Ambassadors and they oâ— the other side made his Eminence understand how highly it imported that the two Crowns of France and Portugal should be united by an indissoluble league and amity considering that the primary and principal aim of the house of Austria whose branches were spread over Europe was not only to be the greatest but the only Monarch of Christendom for which end it never made scruple to usurp Kingdoms and States upon the weakest pretences imaginable as have appeared in the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily and Navarre the Dutchy of Milan and several other States more lately in Germany the seizing upon the Valtelline that so being Master of that passage he may upon any opportunity lead an Army of high Germans into Italy Moreover considering the vast power and interest this Family hath not only in all the other States of Italy and Germany and in the Low Countries but also in almost all America it must be confessed that they have a large foundation of their imaginary universal Monarchy yet no one thing gave them so great hopes as the possession of Portugal First because by the addition of that Kingdom they became absolute Masters not only of all Spain but of all the East Indies of all the Eastern Trade of Ethiopia Persia Arabia China Iapan and all that incredible wealth that was raised out of the Portugal Traffique whereby the Austrian greatness if not their Monarchy was principally sustained therefore that it much concerned all States to endeavour not only to put a stop to the growth of that monstrous tree but to cut off some arms thereof that it may the less damnify and annoy the lesser trees that grow by it that to do this none was more concerned or more able then the Kingdom of France united with the Kingdom of Portugal which having bin reputed the right arm as Catalonia was the left of that huge Austrian Colossus and now separated from it and joyned with France will be able to do as great service against it as ever it hath been forced to do for it not only by assaulting the Spaniard at home in his own house but by intercepting the Plate-Fleet which coming from the West Indies must necessarily pass by the gates of their Enemies the Tereera Islands and so run a hazard to be lost or else be at the charges of an extraordinary Convoy Having thus discoursed with his Eminence of those and other weighty affairs he was pleased to offer not only all the assistance of the most Christian King but that he would disburse of his own for the Service of Portugal that he would presently send thither a Fleet of twenty Sail with his Nephews Admiral and Ambassador extraordinary whereupon the Ambassadors taking leave they were accompanied by his Eminence as far as the stairs which the Ambassadors endeavouring to hinder the Cardinal told them that the Ambassadors of Portugal were to be treated with no less respect then those of the Emperor or Pope Some few days after in the house of the Grand Chancellour there was appointed a Junta of the Ambassadors with his Majesties Commissioners together with the Secretary Chavigny where was soon concluded a peace and league between the Crown of France and Portugal and the Ambassadors with much courtesie and satisfaction dismissed It very much concerned the kingdome of Portugall to maintain amity and peace with the Crown of England not only for the Navigation and Commerce of both States but also for other particular ends in the present conjuncture of affairs principally to break the good correspondency that was at present maintained between the Crowns of Spain and England For this purpose in March 1641. were dispatcht for England Don Antonio de Almada and D r Francisco de Andrada Leiton personages of great abilities who arriving safe in spite of the Dunkerkers that chased them in England were received with demonstrations of great courtesie notwithstanding the earnest labouring of the Spanish Resident to the contrary It is true that his Majesty of England was so tender of his honour and conscience that he answered D r Antonio de Sosa Secretary to the Ambassadors sent before to make way that he would be first satisfied by what right and title his Master was made King of Portugal before he would accept of the Ambassage Whereupon the Secretary being one of the most exquisite wits of this age in the space of twenty four hours drew up and presented to his Majesty a writing which declared at large what here in substance ensueth Upon the death of King Henry the Cardinall without issue many pretended together with the Infanta Donna Catherine Dutchess of Braganza and Grandmother to this present King to the Crown of Portugal but all their pretences wanting foundation soon fell except that of Philip the second King of Spain who propt up his with force King Henry was Uncle equally neer to both but with this difference Catherine was the daughter of a son named Edward and Philip was sonne of a daughter named Isabella brother and sister to King Henry King Philip pleaded that he being in equall degree with Catherine was to be preferred for his sex Catherine replyed That the constitution of that kingdom allowing females to succeed and withall the benefit of representation in all Inheritances she representing Edward must exclude Philip by the very same right that her Father if he were living would exclude Philips mother This conclusion is infallible in jure whereto Philip answered That succession of kingdoms descending jure sanguinis there was allowed no representation Catherine destroyed that foundation alledging That the succession