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
left the Court first threatning that if he continued there he himself would depart the Kingdom The King orders the Case to be drawn up and laid before a Consult of the Counsellors of State the Chancellor Judges c. and it was concluded among them by the Majority of Votes That the Infante not being a Sovereign Prince his bare Affirmation was not to be taken for Proof that the Suspension and Removal of the Conde was in it self a Punishment as it reflected Dishonour upon him and his Family but that he ought not to be punish'd 'till some Proof was made of his Crime The Infante would not yield that the Case had been fairly stated or the Votes free and signifies the same in a Letter to the King wherein he expresses his Resentments of the whole Proceeding with some heat While the Business was thus agitated by way of Letters and Messages each side was seeking by other ways to make his Party good the Infante had written to the Courts of Justice the Chamber and Council of Lisbon to acquaint them with his Case sending them Copies of his Letters to the King He afterwards called together at his Palace the Counsellors of State and the Nobility to inform them of what had past among whom besides those that had been all along devoted to the Cause the Conde had gain'd himself many new Enemies by his Advancement and his over-haughty Carriage as it seem'd to them in the time of his Greatness And the Party was so strong against him that 't was now evident his Ruin was at hand For many of those fawning Wretches on whom by a Fault common as 't is said to great Men he had misplac'd his Favours having rais'd them by his Bounty were now not only ready to abandon him but they would needs be employ'd in avenging the Infante's Quarrel upon their Benefactor The Infante at the beginning of this Broil was made to remonstrate in his Letters That if the King refus'd to do him Justice he should be forc'd to leave the Kingdom and end his Days in a foreign Country But was now put upon another Resolution which was to retire to the Province Tras Os Montes and join that part of the Army which was commanded by the Conde de St. John one of his principal Confidents many of the disaffected Nobility proffering themselves to follow him and share in his Fortunes The Conde upon the Infante's first Complaint petition'd the King for leave to retire but it appearing that the Contrivers of all this Bustle aim'd not so much at the Conde's removal from the Government as the King 's who was not like to stand long after the Fall of his Minister he was oblig d to continue at Court and they were not wanting about the King that were putting him upon vigorous Resolutions which might if followed have recovered his expiring Authority Some advised him to go in Person to Corte Real the Infante's Palace attended with his Counsellors of State the Nobility and Officers of the Army and Arrest the Infante together with the Camarists those he had named for Gentlemen of his Bed-Chamber supposed to be the Managers of all this Disturbance but this Counsel never took effect some think because it was delay'd so long that the Infante being inform'd of the Design had time enough to put himself in a posture of Defence it is certain that he immediately after declared He would run the same Fortune with his Gentlemen and never suffer them to be Arrested It is reported of a certain Person and as I remember I have been shewn the Man that he came and offered to the King and Conde That with his Majesty's Leave he would go to Corte Real and give a good Account of the Camarists but this Proposal was rejected as it well deserved to be The great Courage the King us'd to shew on other Occasions to the loss of his Credit now fail'd him when he had so much need of it his Authority and his Honour lying as they did at stake He seems to have been so much sunk at this time as to become incapable of conceiving or entertaining a Resolution befitting a King in his Circumstances The Conde when he saw that he cou'd do no good any other way wou'd have had him retire to Alemtejo and there put himself at the Head of his Army there being reason to believe that the main Body would prove faithful to him after having gain'd so many signal Victories under his short Reign Both sides were endeavouring about this time to make a Party among the Soldiery the Infante had wholly gaind the Conde de St. John but he had receiv'd Orders from Court that neither himself nor any Person under his Command shou'd stir out of his Province 'till further order and it could not be in his power to do any great harm supposing the rest continued in their Duty The Commanders had been made acquainted with the Differences at Court by the King's Order who had signified to them his Resolution to protect the Conde representing the Infante's Complaints as groundless The Fleet likewise which had been cruising on the Coasts was commanded into the River and Order given that none belonging to it should come ashore without leave It does not appear that they who were for setting up the Infante durst as yet openly solicit the Army It 's true the Queen had a very strong Party in it as appears by the strict Guard that was kept on the Frontiers this Year to prevent the coming of any Overtures of Peace from Castille which the French Faction that was headed by the Queen labour'd all they could to hinder but it was not as yet pretended that the King and Queen had separate Interests However her Majesty was working under-hand to promote the Grand Design sounding the Inclinations of those in Command against the time when it should be ripe for Execution Count Schomberg who was General of the Strangers and had in effect at this time the Direction of the whole Army was oblig'd by Orders from France to hold Correspondence with the Queen and to support her Interest The Queen took occasion to acquaint him by Letters how that all things were like to run to Ruin through Alfonso's Extravagances should he continue in the Government desiring to know of the Count What Reckoning might be made of the Officers in the Army in case the Differences at Court came to an open Rupture It is not probable for Reasons to be mention'd anon that the Count gave her any great Encouragement to proceed in the Design however he did as he was order'd and inform'd her Majesty how the principal Commanders stood affected and what might be expected from each of them severally in rhe Case propos'd he was so very particular in his Account that it took up about four Sheets of Paper and this Pacquet had like to have preserv'd the King and ruin'd the adverse Party for it narrowly escap'd falling into his Majesty's Hands
Compensation elsewhere and that the Catholick King might bestow upon him either the two Calabrias with the Kingdom of Sardinia or the Government of the Low Countries with the same Authorithy and Emoluments as it was possess'd by the Cardinal Infante and some places for himself on the Frontiers but the Cardinal would consent to nothing of all this saying That the Prince must resolve to be wholly French or wholly Spanish that is have no dependence upon the King of Spain or have nothing to do in France Yet since the King of Spain was so willing to part with these Countries he desired that the Kingdom of Sardinia might be given to the King of Portugal and he would desire his Master to agree to it so as that the Portugueses should have cause to be satisfy'd This saith he to Don Luis is the finest Expedient in the World both to content the King and let the World see that my Master seeks to get a handsome Retreat for his Ally for if the King of Portugal shall embrace this Expedient the Catholick King will be put in Possession of several Kingdoms the least of which is more considerable than that of Sardinia I do not find that the Cardinal propos'd any other Expedient besides this and this is enough to show what an extream Passion he had to serve his Master's Ally he would have him surrender up all his Dominions for that poor and little Kingdom of Sardinia which the Spaniards on several such occasions have offered to give away but could never get any one to accept of it and yet it seems the Cardinal thought this was too much for the King of Portugal for he propos'd it as he saith himself without any hopes of succeeding There was indeed another Expedient offer'd at but it came from Don Luis which was That on condition the Prince might have some Place of surety given him such as Havre de Grace the Duke of Bragança should have Olivença bestow'd on him be re-establish'd in his Estate and Honour and have over and above the Office of Constable of Castille But this Expedient was laught at by the Cardinal he thought that what Don Luis offer'd was too dear at the price of Havre de Grace and therefore he would bid nothing at all When he was brought to consent at last that the Prince of Conde should have the Government of Burgundy with the Castle of Dijon and the Duke of Anguien his Son the Place of Grand Maitre he did not so much as pretend to an Equivalent for his Ally of Portugal but screw'd from the Spaniards avesness for his Master and the Restitution of Juliers for the Duke of Nieubourg As for the King of Portugal he was to surrender up all his Kingdoms and Dominions and content himself with his Paternal Estate and a Pardon for what was past which as the Article saith was all that his most Christian Majesty by his powerful Offices could procure for him but in case that he did not accept of the same within three Months after the Ratification of the present Treaty his said Majesty promis'd engag'd and oblig'd himself upon his Honour in the Faith and Word of a King for himself and his Successors not to give to the said Kingdom of Portugal in common or to any Person or Persons therein in particular of what Dignity Estate Quality or Condition soever any Aid or Assistance Publick or Secret Directly or Indirectly of Men Arms Ammunitions Provisions Ships or Money nor any thing else either by Land or by Sea or in any other Manner and that he would not suffer Levies to be made in any parts of his Kingdoms or Estates nor grant Passage to such as might come from other States to the Assistance of the said Kingdom of Portugal so that hitherto the House of Bragança hath not been very much obliged to France But before I proceed further I find my self obliged to justify the Cardinal's Memory from a most horrible crime which the French men themselves do not stick to charge him with for they among others pretend that at the making of this Solemn Promise he had already resolv'd to violate his Faith and that he was intending to send those succors into Portugal which afterwards arriv'd there from France at the very time when he was obliging his Master who was then but a young Man and under his Direction to swear the contrary but I think there is Cause to believe that so detestable a Perfidy had not as yet enter'd into his thoughts It s true what he saith to Mr. Le Tellier That for some reasons unknown to the Spaniards his yielding in the point of Portugal was not so advantageous to them as he made them believe would look very suspicious were it not a usual thing with him on all other occasions to affect being thought a greater Fourbe than he really was for we find him bragging in most of his Letters how he cheated the Spaniards in making them think more highly of almost every one of his Concessions than they deserved whereas they took his Eminence for the Duppe all the while But I do not in the least Question but that he really did design to abandon Portugal to the Spaniards at this time according as he was now obliged by all that is Sacred among Men I will not urge for a Reason that he all along most solemnly protested to Don Luis that in case the Portugueses submitted not to the conditions offer'd them by this Peace he would perswade his Master to hold them for his Enemies for I believe few will give much heed to Protestations made by his Eminence on these occasions but he spoke his mind without doubt in another Letter sent by him to Mr. Le Tillier to be communicated to the King wherein he represents the affairs of Portugal to be in so deplorable a State That the Queen Regent was neither in a condition to defend her self nor in any terms of accommodation with the Spaniards so that as things stood both she and her Son were in great danger not only of their Crown but of their Persons But notwithstanding all this he doth not advise the King that the Troops should be ready for a Voyage to Portugal against the signing of the Treaty in order to preserve that Crown and save the Persons of the distressed Queen and her Children had he any such design in his head at that time we should in all probability find him giving some hints of it in these Letters But to put this matter out of doubt he talks of sending to that Princess to let her know That he thought it most expedient for her to submit her self to the King of Spain from whom he was perswaded she might obtain an Equivalent to advantage elsewhere for what Estate she and her Son were possess'd of in Portugal since he had been often told by Don Luis that his Master in order to compleat the Peace would not stick to bestow on her Son the
AN ACCOUNT OF THE Court of Portugal Under the Reign of the present King Dom PEDRO II. WITH Some Discourses on the Interests of PORTVGAL with Regard to other Sovereigns CONTAINING A Relation of the most Considerable Transactions that have pass'd of late between that Court and those of Rome Spain France Vienna England c. LONDON Printed for Thomas Bennet at the Half-Moon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1700. THE CONTENTS PART I. OF the King of Portugal Page 3 Of the Publick Revenues and the Forces of the Crown both by Land and Sea 19 Of His Majesty's first Queen 43 Of the late Queen 109 Of the Queen Dowager of England 125 Of the late Infanta 128 Of the King's Issue by his second Marriage 148 Of his Natural Daughter 160 Of the Ministry 164 Of the Marquess of Alegrete 165 Of the Duke of Cadaval 171 Of the Archbishop of Lisbon 172 Of the Marquess of Aronches 178 Of the Secretary of State 179 PART II. OF the Interests of Portugal with Relation to Rome Page 1 To Spain 44 France 62 The Emperor Holland the Northern Crowns c. 114 England 119 THE PREFACE THE Contents of the following Papers were intended to fill some few Chapters in a General Account of Portugal but the Author in digesting his Materials found them like to swell into almost as great a Volume as he design'd for the whole which made him resolve to venture them out by themselves as despairing of being read should the Bulk become so great as the taking in of the other Parts of his Subject wou'd make it This is the true Reason why the Court of Portugal appears thus unaccompanied with such other Matters as shou'd have been plac'd before and after it which is what the Author was far from designing when he first began to write It was then for many Reasons the least in his Intention to single out the Court from that great Variety of Subjects which Portugal affords to one that is not altogether an idle Spectator in it It is true that he thought it convenient in describing the State of that Kingdom to be more full in this part of his Account than they usually are who write of Foreign Countries For to understand the Affairs of any Nation it is absolutely necessary to have some competent Knowledge of the Court that is to say of such as preside themselves at the Helm or have any great Influence upon those that do The Court in this sense being to a Politick Body what the Mind is to the Natural communicating Life and Motion to all the Members and as that Vital Principle appears to be disposed or affected one may soonest discover the Symptoms of a Vigorous or a Weakly Constitution And one who is well acquainted with the State of That may be enabled to give a good Account of the Publick Proceedings by tracing them to their Original Causes and Motives and may withal make some probable Conjecture what they are like to be in any suppos'd Case for the time to come It was likewise thought necessary in order to understand the true State of Portugal to know in what Terms that Kingdom stands with its several Neighbours those more especially in whose Will or Power it is to do any great Good or Harm Now the best way to know how far Portugal is to expect either the one or the other from them is by considering what it hath receiv'd already former Experience being the surest Evidence in this Case It is therefore the Design of those Discourses that make the Second Part of this Piece to shew how Portugal hath been served by its real or pretended Friends as often as they have been put to the Trial or had any occasion to discover themselves and it is conceiv'd that the Transactions that have pass'd between this and other Crowns since the House of Bragança came to be in possession of the Throne are set in a just Light so far at least as that the Reader may easily perceive what the true Interests of Portugal are and whether or no they have been duly cultivated by such as have the Management of Affairs in that Kingdom But the chief Business of this Preface is to justifie the Author's Credit with the Reader which may possibly be called in question in regard to several Particulars in the following Account He is far from the Folly of thinking himself exempt from Mistakes it is very likely that he may have been guilty of many in that great variety of Matters which he hath had occasion to mention He does not remember that he ever saw any Relation of our English Affairs made by Strangers that had not many palpable Errors in it which makes him the less confident of his own Performance And he expects the like Allowances that are usually made to those that write of Foreign Countries However he must acknowledge at the same time that those grosser Faults that are commonly observ'd in ordinary Travellers wou'd be much more inexcusable in him he having liv'd for some Years in the Country he writes of his Acquaintance was amongst intelligent Persons who had lived there much longer he hath been somewhat conversant with the Portuguese Authors and hath brought away with him a Collection of such of them as are most esteem'd and out of these last he is ready to produce his Evidence for such Passages in this Piece as are most likely to be call'd in question In relating that great Transaction wherein His present Majesty's first Queen had so large a share he hath taken the principal Matters of Fact from the Catastrophe de Portugal written in Defence of the Party which got the Vpper-hand the Substance whereof as the Writer pretends was read before the Three Estates of the Kingdom It is true that Reflections very different from his are frequently made here upon the very same Facts The Author on many Occasions as little approving of that Writers Sentiments as he does of his Stile throughout the Book which is that of a most passionate and furious Declaimer rather than a just Historian In speaking of the Portuguese Affairs with relation to Rome he hath likewise made great use of the Publick Acts of the King and the Estates as also of the Conde da Eryceiras Portugal Restaurado He hath also followed the same Noble Author in what he relates concerning the Negotiations with the Court of France The Conde had Opportunities to inform himself of these Matters at the best Hand that is from the Reports and Letters of Publick Ministers His Lordship hath indeed given us in England great occasion to complain of him but that may have been for Reasons which will never make him suspected of being much prejudiced against either Rome or France Cardinal Mazarine's Conduct in the Cause of Portugal at the Pirenees is describ'd from his own Letters The Information received by the Author concerning the great part which the English had in the Victories obtain'd over the Spaniards and in concluding the
manner of Wickedness The Fidalgo's a Title common to such as are of Noble Families who us'd to look upon themselves as above the Law or beyond its reach are now in a great measure reduc'd to order Justice has its Course among them as well as the meanest Subjects Elderly People represent them as a sort of petty Tyrants exercising with great Barbarity a kind of Despotick Power over the Lives and all that belong'd to those about them But if there were any Grounds for such a Character this King's Government can never sufficiently be commended who hath wrought so great a Reformation among them that there may be found at this Day as Noble Instances of Humanity and Courtesie in Portugal as in any part of Europe Three times a Week the King gives Audience to his Subjects Tuesdays and Thursdays to all in general that desire it Saturdays to his Nobility and Officers of State in particular And this is the Morning's-work of each Day On the Days of general Audience the meanest Subject may have free Access to the King whether it be to acquaint him of their Grievances to beg his Charity or Requerer Serviços as they call it that is to petition for a Pension on pretence of Service and Service is pretended not only by those that have done any thing for the Advantage of the Publick or the Crown but likewise by such as have been for any time in Employment which they think entitles them to a Pension or a better Place His Majesty hears all with great Attention and Patience will let the Petitioner perceive he understands his Case and will remember him when he comes again and few part from his Presence dissatisfied The currant Money of this Kingdom was so miserably clipt that it was diminished to near half the Value as appears by an Order made by the Government That no Pieces of Eight should pass that weighed less than four Rials and a half But now it is all reduc'd to a just Standard to which end it being found necessary to Re-coin all the Money both Gold and Silver the King for the Ease of the poorer sort took the Loss of the Silver upon himself The Publick Revenues are managed to the best Advantage The Accounts which were formerly all in Confusion are said to be reduc'd into an exact Order and kept with great Regularity The Customs and Imposts are let out to Farm to Merchants the Contracter is he that will bid most Native or Foreigner The King it seems thinking that Merchants who know best how to deal with one another can afford to give him more than he could make of them himself and his Customs are said to be much improv'd by this Method For the King takes Care to make his Advantage of the Farmer 's Diligence The Contract never exceeds the Term of Three Years which expir'd an exact Account is taken from the Entries in the Custom-House of the Gains that have been made and regard had thereto at the next Auction and the Price through the Emulation of the Bidders is often rais'd much higher than was look'd for A Course not unlike this is taken when the King has occasion to furnish his Magazines with Stores or wants any Foreign Commodities of which Publick Notice is given to the Merchants and the Bargain is made with him that will take care to procure them at the lowest Rate The King is so punctual and speedy in his Payments that the Merchants are encouraged to deal with him for little Profit so that they are never wanting to under-bid each other And I have been told that sometimes the King has generously put a stop to them when in the Heat of Contention they have been descending below a just Price His Majesty it seems thinking it uncoming him to take Advantage at other Mens Follies By this means he has his Stores always at the best hand and no Under-Officers being employ'd in buying them in he never suffers by their Knavery nor can he be cheated by the Merchant who delivers them into his Magazines for it is always a Condition in the Bargain That a fair Trial shall be made of the Goods and no more paid for than will bear the Proof The Revenues of the Kingdom are so very great that did they all come into the King's Hands he would be one of the richest Princes in Europe as will appear by the following Chapter But so many Assignments are made upon almost every Branch of them the King 's private Patrimony as Duke of Bragança not excepted so many Pensions paid to particular Persons and Families that they seem almost wholly diverted from the Publick Treasury This extravagant Alienation of the Revenues was set on foot 't is thought by the Spanish Kings and that in prosecution of their Design to reduce Portugal into the form of a Province they supposing that if the Rents of the Crown were dissipated Portugal could no longer subsist as an independant Kingdom as not having wherewithal to support the Government or encourage any great Men to head them in case the People were dispos'd to a Revolt while the Royal Revenues being divided among private Families might oblige all that shar'd in the Spoils to adhere to the Castilian Interest It hath been often laid to the Charge of the Three Philips That they did their utmost to weaken the Crown of Portugal while they had it in possession they are accus'd of little less than consenting to the Hollanders seizing upon the Portuguese Conquests in the East and West-Indies and all in pursuance of that Maxim of Philip the Second That it is much better to be Master of a ruin'd and quiet Kingdom than one that is rich powerful and turbulent John the Fourth this King's Father when from Duke of Bragança he was made King of Portugal by the Nobility and People thought fit to accept of the Crown with all its Incumbrances and it was not for his Interest to make himself so many Enemies as must have been impoverish'd had he re-united the alienated Revenues to the Crown So that he was fain to maintain his Government and carry on the War by extraordinary Imposts upon the People these have been since increas'd and the Assignments multiply'd And this King tho' perhaps there never was a more frugal Prince in his Domestick Management for they say he knows what every part of his wearing Apparel costs him and will strive as hard as the poorest Customer to beat down the Price yet by giving way to his generous Inclinations to do good to others he has so impoverish'd himself that he is hard put to it to bear the Charges of the Government which as 't is thought could scarce subsist were any other but himself at the Helm especially at this Juncture when he is at such extraordinary Expences in making new Levies and equipping out his Fleet. The People are already so charg'd with Imposts that nothing further can be expected from them For tho' they have had great
the Country for these many Years We had indeed a Story in the English Gazette I think it was in 1692 of their burning the Admiral of Sallee but at last it proved to be but a small Boat that was run ashoar It might be expected that they should in some measure recover themselves during the late War in which other Seafaring Nations were embroil'd whilst they enjoy'd the Benefit of a Free-Trade as in effect they did almost to the doubling of their Trading Vessels But it does not appear that they made any great Improvement in the Art of Navigation for there was hardly Skill enough among them to carry a Ship into the English Channel very few if any of them daring to venture upon that Voyage without an English Pilot I suppose it is for want of Seamen that the King's Ships are so much crowded with Land-Souldiers for these make the greatest part of the Complement That of the biggest Ships as I have been told consisting of 60 Mariners 80 others not yet qualified for Able Seamen and 250 Land-Souldiers Of His Majesties First Queen MArie Françoise Elizabeth de Savoie youngest Daughter to Charles Amadee de Savoie Duke of Nemours by Elizabeth the Daughter of Caesar de Bourbon Duke of Vendome Natural Son of Henry the Fourth King of France by Gabriele d' Estrees Dutchess of Beaufort commonly called la Belle Gabriele She was Born the 21th of June 1646 Contracted to Dom Alfonso the VI. King of Portugal the 27th of June 1666 arrived at Lisbon the Second of August following and having cohabited with that King for the space of near Sixteen Months was Divorced from him and Married afterwards viz. the 2d of April 1668 to his Brother the Infante Dom Pedro now King of Portugal This Lady who before her Marriage went by the Title of the Mademoiselle d' Aumalle was at first designed for the Infante whilst a Match was in Treaty between the King his Brother and her Elder Sister Mademoiselle de Nemours the present Dutchess Dowager of Savoy but that Match not taking effect she was Contracted as I have said to the King and another Marriage was concluded between the Infante and Mademoiselle de Bouvillon Daughter to the Prince of Turenne and Niece to the Mareschal of that Name But this was Broke off because the Infante could not be prevail'd with by any Perswasions or Menaces the King his Brother could use or the Entreaties of the Ministers and his own Servants to stand to what had been agreed upon in his Name and by his Order The reasons for his refusal I could never learn Soon after the New Queens Arrival at Lisbon King Alfonso began to express an extraordinary coldness towards her and in a short time he estranged himself very much from her Company his Indifferency growing into an utter Aversion insomuch that he forbore not openly to Exclaim against the Authors of this Match who as he hath been heard to say had advised him to that which he should have cause to repent of all his life-time all this was said by such as were ill-affected to that Prince to proceed from a certain un-fitness for Marriage which the Queen afterwards laid to his Charge Others are still of Opinion that it was occasioned by some secret cause of Dislike that rendred her Person disagreeable to him They that accuse the King of Inability impute the cause of that and of his Incapacity for Government which they accuse him of likewise to his Sickness in the time of his Infancy for at Three Years Old he had been seiz'd with a Malignant Fever and that was succeeded by a Palsie whereby as it is said all his Right Side became withered from Head to Foot insomuch that he remain'd Lame ever after on that Side but they that tell this accuse him likewise of delighting to Ride the most fierce and un-manageable Horses and to encounter with Wild Bulls and other Violent Exercises which one wou'd think should suppose a vigorous Habit of Body they represent him also as guilty of many Extravagancies on the account of lewd Women as in truth his vicious Inclinations to them were apparently the cause of most of those Disorders they lay to his Charge And this may make one suspect their sincerity likewise when they tell us That the same Distemper had so affected his Brain that he was never in his right mind It may no doubt with reason enough be said of this King That some have taken the Liberty upon what grounds I know not to say of his Father before him that he was none of the wisest Kings that ever reign'd in Portugal but then the Faults he was guilty of may be as well imputed to his want of Education as to any Natural or Accidental Defect in his Understanding For perhaps there never was one designed for a Crown more neglected in his Youth than this Prince had been He had been suffered to abandon himself to all the Extravagancies his childish Inclinations led him to and not only his own but those of his Companions these were not the Sons of the Nobility but such as himself had pickt up out of the Streets from among the Boys that he us'd to behold from the Palace Windows dividing themselves into Parties and Pelting one another with Stones the usual Pastime of Portuguese Children They that were of the Party favoured by the King and signaliz'd themselves most at this Exercise had the largest share in his Affections and some of them as they grew up with him became his Principal Favourites these from the very beginning of his Reign found entrance into the Court and would at times entice the King down into the Stable-Yard of the Palace and there together with a lewd Rabble of Grooms Blacks and Moorish Slaves entertain His Majesty with Wrestling Boxing throwing the Bar darting Knives setting Dogs to Fight the Young King making One amongst them and what he learnt from the Conversation of this vile Crew he afterwards on some occasions put in practice Such Education was not we may be sure very likely to qualifie him for the Affairs of State 'T is true the Chiefest of his Companions had been put from him immediately before his taking the Government upon himself and he having had the happiness to fall into better hands a great alteration was observed in his Conduct yet he was not so changed but that he found himself obliged to leave Affairs of Importance to the Care and Management of others This the new Queen soon perceiv'd and as 't is very likely she was encouraged to make her Advantage of the King's Unfitness for Business and to endeavour to get the Government of him and his Kingdom into her own hands This is certain that notwithstanding the King 's Neglect of Her she was not wanting to her self but took all occasions to make her self considerable She not only procured from him a Grant for the Augmentation of the Revenue settled on her in Marriage but began
Dom Nuno Alvarez Pereira upon the account of his Quality he being then as he is still the only Duke in the Kingdom was chosen Spokesman and he at the Head of the rest in the Name of the Queen the King's Brother and Sister the Court and the whole Kingdom admonish'd His Majesty to change the whole Course of his Life and not to expose as he did himself and the Nation to ruine Another time she assembled together the Officers of the Crown the Courts of Justice the Nobility and Gentlemen about the Court and the Magistrates of Lisbon The Design of this great Assembly was to make a more solemn Remonstrance to the King and withal to remove one Antonio Conti from about his Person this Conti had been one of those Boys that had had the good hap to get into the King's Favour by distinguishing himself at the Exercises aforementioned and by this means from serving in a Pedling Shop in the Capella a small Cloyster within the Palace he grew to be a considerable Person at Court becoming the King 's constant Companion in his Extravagancies and he was thought to contribute more to the corrupting of him than any other Person whatsoever The seizing of this Conti was the first thing to be put in Execution and therefore whilst the Queen Mother entertain'd the King in private the Duke of Cadaval with some other Lords took him violently out of the Palace it self where he had shut himself up in the King 's own Apartment which the Duke was ready to force and had done it had not Conti opened to him he having caus'd instruments to be brought in order to break down the Doors resolving to kill Conti upon the Place in case he refus'd to surrender himself Conti taken and with some others of the like Stamp convey'd on Board a Ship then under Sail for Brazil the whole Company came and presented themselves before the King and in the Name of them all the Secretary of State read a Remonstrance to him that had been drawn up by general Consent it contain'd an account of the Queens Complaints the Grievances of the Nation the King 's ill Conduct and the Exorbitancies of his Favourites The King was mightily surpriz'd to see himself thus unexpectedly attack'd by so great a Crowd of People for he had not the least Warning given him of their coming was so little prepared to receive and answer their Address that it was some time after the Company was gone before he knew what Business brought them thither and this makes it look as if there was some further Design in hand than barely the King's Amendment 'T is plain that in case the Queen had a Design to create a mutual Distrust between her Son and all the most Considerable Persons in the Kingdom in order to keep him out and secure her self in the Government she could not have taken a more effectual Course to gain her Ends. She might be sure that those she employ'd in such ungrateful Offices would be very unwilling to see Alfonso in a condition to call them to account the Portuguese Nation is as little addicted to Forgiveness as any perhaps in Europe and such as are apt to revenge Injuries themselves do of course expect the like Returns from those they have offended Alfonso was a Prince violent of his Nature had not been bred to restrain or dissemble his Resentments so that these who had thus violated the Palace of their King and had laid open his Infirmities to the World in so publick and solemn a manner as they had wounded him in his most sensible part could never think themselves seeure while it was in his power to revenge the Affronts And this seems to me to have been the Rise of that powerful Party which the New Queen found so ready to stand by her to prosecute her Quarrels and which enabled her at last to finish what the Queen Mother contrary to her intentions no doubt had begun that is the Ruine of the Unfortunate Alfonso This great Assembly dissolv'd the King coming to understand upon what account they had been with him and what they had been doing about his Palace after he had given way to the first Transports of his Passion began to think it was high time for him to assert his Authority and to secure himself from the like Insults or rather to beware of a Third Admonition His Mother by using him so like a Minor at the end of Five Years that had past since the time of his Majority did not a little confirm him in his suspicions that he was never like to come of Age while she liv'd nor perhaps enjoy the Crown at her Death for he had been for some time perswaded that her intention was to set up the Infante his Brother in his place wherefore he resolv'd once for all to withdraw himself from under her Jurisdiction by wresting if it were possible the power out of her hands 't is hard to tell whether these and the like thoughts were suggested to him or confirm'd by Dom Luis de Vascomcellos Sousa Conde de Castelmelhor but 't is not doubted that the Project of putting them in execution was form'd presently after the Queen Mother and her Party were withdrawn when the King shut himself up for some time with the Conde This Nobleman was of the First Quality and one of the best Families in Portugal but of Fortunes not equal to his Birth or at least not to his aspiring mind for tho' he was then but young yet he had for some time been entertaining great Designs in his Head which an occasion now offering it self he made appear that he wanted neither Courage nor Abilities to go through with He had improved his natural Endowments by Travel an advantage not common to those of his Rank in Portugal and he himself had been obliged to it by Necessity rather than Choice he having had the Misfortune to be engag'd with several other Noble-men in a Quarrel wherein one of them was kill'd It is reported of him that while he was in Italy in the time of his Flight he took occasion to declare That he must needs go home for his mind gave him that it would be his Fortune one day to become the greatest Man in Portugal The late King having granted him his Pardon and upon his Death-Bed reconciled the Parties he came again to Court and when Alfonso's Houshold was settled he by means of his Countesses Relations got in to be a Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber 'T was his Week when this great Stir was made about the Court but the Queen had not thought fit to make him of the Party and his Enemies give the World to understand that it was for this and no other reason that he dis-approv'd of the action But he appear'd a little too warm while the business was transacting to let one think he was so very indifferent for meeting with the Duke in a Gallery while he was in pursuit of
of their Forces drawn from all parts of their Dominions and Don John of Austria was about that very time in the Bowels of the Kingdom and expected every Day at Lisbon at the Head of a more numerous Army than had been on foot since the beginning of the War But upon the Conde's coming to the Government a sudden Check was given to the Enemy and Victory declared it self so frequently in favour of the Portugueses that this King notwithstanding his Deposition is still and perhaps ever will be distinguish'd by the Title of Alfonso the Victorious The People were much eas'd of their Taxes and the Soldiers better paid than before Pretenders at Court who us'd to be put off with Delays had all reasonable Satisfaction given them and many worthy Persons preferr'd to Employments in a word the Conde's Administration during the five Years of his Government gave so general a Satisfaction that such as converse with the Portugueses will find that tho' they have all the Veneration for his present Majesty that he justly deserves yet they seldom speak of the Conde's Times without regretting the want of him in the Ministry at present they accounting him the only Person able to support the declining State But of all other Alterations none was more taken notice of than that which People saw or thought at least they saw in the King as they did not look on him now with the same Eyes as formerly so without doubt his change of Condition and Company must have had a like effect upon him as it has on all other Men. He was now attended and respected by his Nobility and had Men of Sense and Honour about him whose Business it was to inform and help him out upon Occasions and to raise him in the Peoples Esteem and so he must needs make a very different Figure from what he did in that vile Company he before conversed with and while he was kept under and discouraged by his Mother whose Creatures holding their Places by the Opinion People had of the King's Incapacity were ready enough we may be sure to catch at any thing that might serve to expose his Weakness But it was observ'd that such of these as still kept in at Court and were us'd to be the most ready to cry out upon him for want of Common Sense were generally the most forward to admire the vast Improvements he had made in so short a time which were such that they could hardly take him for the same Person at least they could think nothing less than that he was alter'd to a Miracle they now thought he spoke Sentences like one inspir'd and they were seldom without some of his Sayings in their Mouths And that which astonish'd them the most was how it should enter into their Thoughts that this Prince was unfit to govern Portugal for now they discover'd him to be of so exalted a Genius as qualified him for the greatest Empire in the Universe And I make no question but they that talk'd at this rate were the first to trample upon that poor Prince at his Fall But there were still about the Court some ill-natur'd People that had been unhappily engag'd in the same Party who could never be brought over by the Turn of the Times to change their Sentiments but affected rather the contrary Extream to these fawning Parasites as thinking it perhaps scandalous to be so much as in the Right with such Company They had so often talk'd of the King's Lameness in his Right-side that notwithstanding all Demonstrations to the contrary they were resolv'd to believe it still and to hold that it must have weaken'd him to that degree as to make him unfit for Government they agreed with the Compliers so far that in case the King of himself did or said any of those Fine Things that were told of him it must needs have been by virtue of some very miraculous Change indeed but they could not be perswaded that he acted of his own Head They thought indeed that he was inspired but that it was by the Conde and his Creatures whom they make the Authors of every thing that was well said or done by him And the Reason was that tho' he began a Discourse well enough and spoke to the purpose when any address'd themselves to him in case he was inform'd of their Business before-hand yet if they answer'd him again these Malecontents pretended that he was at a loss for a Reply or faultered or grew mute When Instances were given of his discreet Behaviour on Occasions when he could have no Instructions given him they would say He might perhaps have his lucid Intervals Or they would put it off with a cold Jest then current among them That they allow'd one half of the King to be still hale and sound and when he spoke a good thing they us'd to say it came from his Majesty's Left-side but generally speaking they thought all that he did or said came from the Right The Jesuit might think himself more witty when having occasion some Years since to mention Alfonso's Victories he told the People in his Sermon That one half of a Portuguese King was able to beat the great Monarch of Spain But as great as this Change in the King really was it was no thorough Reformation For tho' in the beginning he seem'd to take up and apply himself to the Business of State being constantly present at Councils Dispatches Audiences c. yet he was under some Constraint all the while and notwithstanding all that the Conde could do he would have his Sallies and sometimes break out into as great or greater Extravagances than before And that he might act with greater freedom he long'd to have his Conti near him again He had been advised for Vindication of his Authority to order this Man back from Brazil but withal to save his Credit with the People by the Conde's Perswasion he forbad him coming near the Court. His Inclinations towards his old Favourite were soon discovered by the adverse Party who ready to serve themselves of any Instruments engag'd Conti in their Interest and a Plot was laid to supplant the Conde and restore the Queen in order to which Conti was to perswade the King to recal the Exiles He had his Correspondents at Court who waiting their opportunity when the Conde was out of the way contriv'd it so that the King had two Interviews with Conti near Alcantara But the Conde who had his Spies abroad soon div'd into the bottom of the Plot and laid it open to the King who was so incensed thereat that Conti was banish'd to O Porto and the Conde had no further trouble with so unequal a Rival One of those two Noblemen who had been of the Party at the Acclamation as it was call'd of Alcantara was found to be in the Conspiracy and was banish'd likewise from Court The other was dead and had been in Disgrace some time before upon pretence that he had drawn
his Sword in the Palace and given a Challenge which is a Capital Crime by the Laws These three had in the beginning of this Government constituted a kind of Triumvirate among themselves tho' the Conde always bore the greatest Sway but he is accus'd of having us'd those under Arts that are so much practis'd at Courts to work the other two out of Favour And I have not heard what is said in his Defence in regard to the former but as for this whom he found tampering with Conti I cannot see why he should be blam'd for disarming an Enemy whom he caught contriving his own Destruction The Conde having now clear'd the Court of his Enemies both publick and secret saw his Prediction fully accomplish'd and himself without a Rival in a manner sole Governour of Portugal and he might have continued so had he not unhappily laid a Train for his Master's Ruin and his own in the way that he took more firmly to establish the Throne of that unfortunate Prince Alfonso had now no longer cause to apprehend any Designs of his Mother she had before been obliged to retire into a Monastery and the Plot to restore her by so contemptible an Instrument as Conti seem'd to be the last Struggle of the Party However she died soon afterwards and by the Conde's prudent Management and good Fortune there seem'd to be such an Union between the Royal Brothers that there was no cause to fear any thing from the Infante the only Person that could give Umbrage to the King so that had it not been for his unhappy Marriage he might have dy'd with his Scepter in his Hand But no sooner was this fatal Marriage contracted than all things seem'd to go backward and tend directly to the Ruin of them both the Conde had been the Contriver of the Match as the King when in an ill Humour us'd to reproach him and he was the first that suffer'd by it He had been perswaded that there was nothing wanting to the King's Security but his Marriage which might possibly take him off from his wild Courses but he thought it a sure way to silence a Report concerning a certain Weakness in him which was whisper'd about in order to make People believe that the Infante was alone capable of securing the Succession the Conde being himself fully satisfy'd that this Report was groundless at least he solemnly protested that he look'd upon it as an Imposture when ask'd about it by the Marquess De Sande as he was going to France to conclude the Marriage he assuring the Marquess That he had a Natural Daughter of the King 's at that time in his own House But the Match concluded on he soon found cause to repent of his Diligence for the Faction began to revive and re-assume new Vigour and to prosecute the same Designs under the Infante's Name which they had before been carrying on in the Queen-Mothers The Queen-Mother is reported by her Friends as well as others to have endeavoured what she could to set up this young Prince in his Brother's place She had settled his Court when he was but Fourteen Years old in almost as great Splendor as the King 's who was Sixteen before he had so much as a separate Apartment in the Palace This look'd as if she was providing a future Head for the Party for their Encouragement to stick the closer by her for the present But after her Retreat the Ministers with great Prudence and Success endeavour'd to endear the two Brothers to each other having them often together at the Palace at Alcantara and Salva terra the Infante partaking with the King in all his ordinary Recreations and sometimes in his less innocent Diversions The Ministers did not a little value themselves on this to the great Regret of their Adversaries thinking that they had brought them to a perfect Agreement and put an end to all those little Jealousies and Animosities that had been between them But no sooner was the Princess d'Aumalle design'd for the King but a Breach began that never could be clos'd The Infante's Refusal to approve of the Match that was made at the same time by his own Consent between him and Mademoiselle de Bouillon reviv'd the King's Jealousies insomuch that he began to accuse him of having still his Mother's Design in his Head to make himself King and threatned to clap him into a Tower but all in vain for the Infante persisted in his Refusal I know not but it may be about this time that he was highly exasperated by an Expression the Infante had let fall That he was sure the King could have no Children by his Marriage When the new Queen's Arrival was expected the Infante found himself destitute of Persons of Quality to attend him the Queen-Mother when she settled his Houshold had plac'd about him several Lords of her Party not much inferiour either in Rank or Number to those in the King's Service but these being employ'd elsewhere he had others given him that were in the King and the Conde's Interest and it fell out luckily as it was then thought for the Conde that the Infante took such a liking to his Brother Simon de Vasconcellos that of his own accord he took him into his Service and this Favourite seem'd to have no less share in his good Graces than the Conde had in the King 's But the preference of Vasconcellos so disoblig'd the rest that they withdrew from the Infante's Service they return'd indeed again at the King's Request but upon the Infante's making his Favourite Governour of his Houshold they retired a Second time and the King thought it too great a Condescension to recal them The Infante demanded to have others in their room the King gave him the Nomination of such he should think fit he named those that were disagreeable to the King who refus'd to confirm them and offer'd to restore the old ones But the Infante would not accept of them and so he was fain to be attended by the King's Servants when he gave Audience to the Marquess de Rouvigni who conducted the Queen to Lisbon After her arrival he desir'd leave of the King to retire from Court since he could not continue there in a State agreeable to his Quality The King told him He might go if he pleas'd but should have no Order from him Yet he thinking fit to stay 'till the Queen had made her Publick Entry the King would several times ask him in Raillery Why he was not gone But otherwise treating him with great Kindness Upon which the Infante took occasion to declare before Vasconcellos That he perceived some malicious Persons had done him ill Offices with the King and that the Conde de Castelmelhor was not free from suspicion but in case he prov'd guilty he would find a way to chastise him according to his Demerits Vasconcellos offended to hear his Brother so ill treated would stay no longer in the Infante's Service The Conde
was not satisfy'd after they had done all they could to serve her she having been treated with so much Respect that no Queen ever had so great an Authority But coming to that part of her Complaint wherein she said she had been treated like a Slave he chang'd his Note and in Portuguese for he had spoken French before he boldly told her That her Majesty was abus'd by some about her who deserv'd to be chastis'd had no Reason to complain of the Portugueses since the Respect they paid her came little short of Adoration The Queen after a warm Reply wherein she said She knew how to distinguish between the good and the bad Portugueses There being not above three or four that she complain'd of and signifying what she would do to those that had enrich'd themselves with the Rents belonging to the Queens of Portugal commanded the Secretary not to speak so loud He told her That if he spake loud it was that all the World might hear what he said The Queen bad him hold his Peace and be gone He not departing presently she rose from her Seat and was going away the Secretary imprudently laid his Hand upon her Gown either to kiss it according to Custom at her departure to signifie his Desire that she would hear him out but seeing her resolv'd to be gone he cry'd out to the Noblemen and Ladies present That he was unworthily us'd no King having ever treated a Vassal in this manner The Person who had this Dispute with her Majesty was Antonio de Souza de Macedo before mention'd as one of the first that came in to the King at Alcantara I cannot tell what he was by Birth but in himself he was a Person of Noble Qualities as appear'd afterwards by his Constancy in the Service of his Master and his Friend he was a Man of Letters and a Doctor in the Laws After the Revolt from the Spaniards he had written with great Zeal and Eloquence in defence of his Country's Cause and went Secretary to the solemn Embassy which King John sent to our King Charles the First to acquaint him of his having assum'd the Crown of Portugal and upon King Charles's Demand to know on what Right his Master's Claim was founded he drew up a Paper which entirely satisfy'd his Majesty In England he continued Resident for several Years and was very serviceable to the King in the time of his Troubles From hence he went Ambassador to Holland and in a very difficult Negotiation he acquitted himself much to his Master's Satisfaction and his own Credit and at his Return he was highly esteem'd at Court And the Conde could not do a more grateful thing to the Nobility than prefer him as he did to the place of Secretary of State tho' perhaps he might have some regard to himself as well as to the Publick in advancing this Man The Conde was young and Antonio de Sousa well practis'd in Business and by his Counsels may have been of as great use to the Conde as the Conde was to the King It is certain that he drew up Instructions for him to observe in the Administration of the Government and as the Conde was to be destroy'd before the King could be depos'd so it is very probable that this Quarrel was pick'd on purpose with Antonio de Sousa in order to make way for the Conde's Ruin The King coming to understand what had passed between the Queen and him did his endeavour to pacifie her Majesty promising that the Secretary should be severely punish'd but the Queen would not be appeas'd It unluckily fell out that this Broil happen'd at the time of Bull-feast The first Day was over and her Majesty could not be prevail'd upon to appear the second Day So that to conceal the Matter from the People the Bull-running was put off for that Day upon pretence that the King was indispos'd and she continuing out of Humour still the King was fain to be indispos'd the next and the following Days and by that time things were brought to such a pass that an end was put to all Sports and Pastimes for this King's Reign The Queen took so little care to conceal her Anger that the People soon came to know the Cause why the Bull-running was put off and began to murmur loudly against the Court that their new Queen should be so much abus'd and perhaps their Disappointment did not a little serve to raise their Clamours The Queen would be satisfy'd with nothing less than the Secretary's being turn'd out of his Place and banish'd from the Court which the Conde was very unwilling to consent to as thinking that should he give way to her in this Case he was like to be the next Man that should fall a Sacrifice to her Resentments however the Court perceiving a Storm ready to break upon them from another Quarter it was resolv'd in Council that the Secretary should absent himself from Court for ten or twelve Days and that the King should communicate this Order to the Queen and acquaint her That it was made only to content her Majesty and that it was hoped she would engage her self no more in such Matters for the future to prevent the ill Consequences that might ensue to the State Pursuant to this Order the Secretary to please the Queen departs from Court but the King forbore to communicate the Order to her for fear of exasperating her further at a time when he had his Hands full of another more troublesome Business While these things were done above-board a secret Plot was carrying on among the Heads of the discontented Party to seize upon the Conde and carry him off in the same manner as Conti had been serv'd before The Conde having Information of their Design may be supposed to have made the more hast to satisfie the Queen's Complaints For the very next Day he ordered the Guards about the Palace to be doubled the Cavalry to be mounted and the Centinels plac'd at the Avenues and as 't is said Command was given to the Soldiers to fall upon certain Noblemen in case they endeavoured to get into the Court it being suppos'd that they were coming to execute the Design Hereupon several Messages past between the Infante and the Court the Infante complaining That the Conde by arming the Palace had insinuated as if he was designing to violate it for which he requires Reparation of Honour accusing the Conde withal of attempting upon his Life by Poison and therefore desires that he might be removed from about the King's Person in order to his Punishment The King takes upon himself the doubling of the Guards and offers to send the Conde to throw himself at the Infante's Feet The Infante refuses to take this for Satisfaction and insists upon the Conde's removal The King offers to do him all Justice and desires him to name the Conde's Accusers in order to his Tryal But this the Infante would not yield to unless the Conde
other Business he cou'd the less bear with the many Impertinences that one in his Station must be perpetually plagued with or that being strictly honest himself he could have no Complaisance for such Ill-meaning and Ill-designing Persons of all sorts as he must have had to deal with either had not or he did not make much use of the Art of Managing a Multitude He was so unhappy in this respect that even when he yielded to the Demands of those that applied themselves to him he did it with so ill a Grace that he could hardly please them This rough Behaviour was no doubt the worse taken in him for that the People had been accustom'd to other Usage and that by the Conde de Castelmelhor whose greater Quality might have made the same thing seem tolerable in him which wou'd have appear'd unsufferable in Antonio de Sousa But the Conde us'd to carry himself after quite another manner for having the advantage of a more Court-like Education he had such easie and engaging Ways with him that he cou'd dismiss a disappointed Pretender not dissatisfied It is the Observation of a Gentleman that was a Publick Minister at Lisbon about this time and who in other respects gives de Sousa his just Character That People would sometimes go away much better satisfied with the Conde ' s graceful Denial than the untoward Grant of Antonio de Sousa One so little in Favour with the People already might easily be traduc'd to them and made to pass for as ill a Man as Enemies were pleas'd to make him Accordingly those dismal Stories concerning his murderous Intentions against the Nobility and good People of the City that wished well to the Infante were greedily swallow'd by the prepossest Multitude And besides the Havock he was to make amongst them it was found that he and his Servants had their Pistols and their Carbines with them in the Secretary's Office which was call'd fortifying the Palace and that cou'd be done with no other intent but to kill the Infante tho' he now seldom or never came there and to destroy all that should come to take his part These Discoveries wrought so effectually in the Peoples Heads that they dispos'd them for another Mutiny and brought 'em flocking to Corte Real fully resolv'd to stand by the Infante against all the wicked Plots of Antonio de Sousa Things being thus in a readiness the Infante was carried to the Palace attended by a confus'd Multitude of disaffected Nobility and Rabble and all to demand Justice against the Secretary of State and that not so much for his Cut-throat Designs for those may be suppos'd to have been contriv'd only to bring the People together as for his want of Respect to the Queen and the horrid Outrage committed by him on her Majesty's Person when he laid his Hand upon her Gown This was on the Fifth of October in the Morning while the King was yet in his Chamber the Infante staid at the Door for some of the Counsellors of State to go in with him when they entred the Chamber the King was so surpriz'd at their appearance that while the Infante was telling his Story he in a great Rage call'd for his Sword The Infante presenting him with the Guard of his own said as 't is reported Sir If you want a Sword against me make use of mine if against any other this shall defend you The Noise brought the Queen into the Chamber who presently fell a beseeching his Majesty not to be in such a Passion The King wou'd hearken to none of them being perswaded as he said that they had murdered the Secretary amongst them They assured him that he was alive But the King wou'd not believe them 'till he saw him whereupon the Duke of Cadaval went and fetch'd him from a private Room where the poor Man had lock'd himself up promising him Life if he wou'd go with him and he very honourably kept his Word tho' it was not without some difficulty for the Passage was crowded with Rabble whose Fingers itch'd to be at the Secretary and had certainly fall'n upon him and torn him in pieces had not the Duke turn'd about and with an Air of Authority said Antonio de Sousa goes along with me The King was somewhat satisfied at the sight of him but not appeas'd hereupon the Queen retired and the Infante after her into the Anti-Chamber The Secretary being left alone with the King gave him such Advice as preserv'd him for that time and defeated the Design of some that were Ringleaders in the Tumult Had the Violence of the King's Passion continued it had in all likelihood provoked the Rabble to some further Outrage but he became calm and easie and thereby still'd the Fury of the People who when their first Heat was over on a sudden began to relent While the King and the Secretary were yet together a Voice was heard crying All 's well All 's well which whether it began in the King's Chamber or was rais'd by some Friend of his in the Crowd the People fell a repeating The Queen was retired into her Apartment but the Noise brought her out again possibly she was surpriz'd and not well pleas'd with it The King coming out found her and the Infante together in the Anti-Chamber and by the Secretary's Advice took them with him to one of the Windows that looks into the Terreiro do Paco a large Square before the Palace shewing himself in their Company to the People below who seeing them all three together thought that all Quarrels were now at an end and saluted the King with their loud Viva's as the King was retiring either himself or some about him cry'd out The King pardons every Body the Mob took the Cry again A certain Lord vex'd perhaps that the great Bustle they had been making was like to end in this call'd one to the King and with an Heroical Boldness as those engag'd in the same Cause term it the Indifferent perhaps will give it another Name told him That they wou'd have none of his Pardon but Thanks The poor King answered That he gave them his Pardon and his Thanks too The surly Man reply'd They wou'd have nothing but Thanks But some were still for deposing the King out of hand One near the Infante crying out Let 's e'en clap him up at once and make an end of the Business Which shews what they had been aiming at all the while but the Infante turning quick upon the Person that spoke this put him to Silence with so stern a Look as shew'd that he himself had been abus'd by them as well as the King his Brother and 't is reported that some of the King's Party should confess That the King had let fall the Crown this Day which the Infante took up and put again upon his Head But the Faction had engag'd that Prince so far that it was now too late to think of a Retreat and something was to be done
Antonio Bento Bernardo the King 's eldest Son living born the 22d of October 1689 and sworn Heir to the Crown by the Three Estates of the Kingdom assembled in Cortes held at Lishon Decemb. 1. 1697 a Prince as they who frequent the Court report of a sweet and mild Disposition and likely to inherit the King his Father's Vertues as well as his Throne Dom Francisco born the 25th of May 1691 a Prince of great Vivacity and Spirit as appears by many pretty Stories of him which the Portugueses entertain themselves withal He is designed for a Knight of Malta at least to hold the Grand Priory of Crato the richest Commenda in Portugal or perhaps in all Spain of which he is at present in Possession Dom Antonio born the 15th of March 1695 He was cloath'd in a Jesuit's Habit upon his first coming into the World which he still wears or did at least not long ago her Majesty having devoted him to her St. Xavier and if the Jesuits are to be believ'd he is design'd to be of their Order Dona Theresa Francisca Josepha born the 24th of Feb. 1696. Dom Emanuel born the of 1697. Another Princess born in the beginning of this Year 1699. If I remember a-right her Name is Dona Maria Xavier Josepha Besides these his Majesty hath acknowledg'd one Natural Daughter whose Mother is reported to have been imploy'd about the Palace to sweep the lower Rooms This young Lady hath been bred up in a Monastery 'till the Year 1695 when the King bestow'd her in Marriage upon the Eldest Son of the Duke of Cadaval to the great Dissatisfaction of the Nobility insomuch that few or none of them would appear at the Publick Reception of the Bride I never heard that their Discontent proceeded from an Opinion that this Marriage of the principal Person among them was a Disgrace to the Fidalguia In other Countries perhaps and in former Times so Illustrious a Body might think their Blood debased by such a Match But their Dissatisfaction was said to proceed from another Cause they thought the Honour was too great for any Subject the Duke of Cadaval not excepted and that he was raised thereby too much above their Level tho' it be confess'd by all at the same time that next his Majesty his Excellency hath the greatest Authority and the greatest Estate and is of the Noblest Blood in the Kingdom Yet he is not of equal Quality to them on whom the French King hath bestowed his Bastards for they to whom his Most Christian Majesty hath done so very great an Honour are such Princes as are the nearest to his Blood much nearer than the Duke is to the King of Portugal no wonder then if so great a Value is put upon the like Honour in smaller Courts the Authority of the French being in this Age sufficient to alter if not the Nature at least the Appearance of Things and make Things look glorious in our Days which in former Times had another Aspect In one Particular the Portuguese Court seems to have out-done the French on this occasion that is in the Title given to this Lady upon her being first own'd For as I was inform'd at the time it was ordered that she shou'd be treated with Altesa Real whereas I do not find that the French King 's Natural Children have as yet got above Altesse Serenissime and this may possibly be the Reason why Monsieur L'Abbe d'Estrees the French Ambassador forbore to visit her 'till he had express Orders for it from France For his Master having been for some time used to prescribe Rules for the Ceremonial he might perhaps think it a kind of Usurpation for any others to take upon them to alter it But the Portugueses did not altogether innovate on this occasion for they had a Precedent at the Court of Madrid where the late Don John of Austria took Royal Highness upon him which perhaps may have been the cause why the Court of Portugal which is resolved in all things to swell up to the Grandeur of Spain gave the same Title to this Lady It is now commonly said in Portugal that the King 's Natural Children have a Right to succeed him in the Throne in default of his lawful Issue But I believe this Opinion to be as ill grounded as 't is derogatory to the Honour of that Nation Had Royal Bastards a Right to the Succession John the Second who ruled with a more Absolute Power than any King of this Nation either before or since would doubtless have left the Crown to his Natural Son Dom Jorge Duke of Coimbra Progenitor of the Dukes of Aveiro now in Spain he having laboured all he could to obtain the Succession for him but all in vain For he was forc'd before his Death to acknowledge for his Successor Dom Emanuel then Duke of Beja whose Brother that King had slain with his own Hands When Dom Antonio pretended to the Crown after the Death of Henry the Cardinal he had put an end to the great Controversie at that time on foot about the Succession had Bastards a Right thereto But he himself was far from thinking they had and therefore he grounded his Claim upon a supposed Marriage between Dom Luis Son of Emanuel with his Mother It was a Prejudice to him indeed that some suspected Judaism to lie lurking in his Mother's Blood However the Judges constituted by Henry to determine this Controversie alledged his Illegitimacy as a sufficient and the only Cause of his Exclusion The only Bastard that ever Reign'd in this Kingdom was John the First yet he never pretended a Right of Succession to the Crown but came in by Election of the Estates assembled in Cortes at a time when the Throne was declared vacant the other Pretenders being at that time Prisoners in Castille and what is more declared Illegitimate by the Cortes whether justly or not is another Question so that Bastard for Bastard it was thought fit in this Case of Necessity to Elect Dom John before any other Of the MINISTRY ALL Publick Affairs of Importance and such as immediately concern the King are here managed by a Sett of Ministers as many or as few as the King pleases to appoint who together are called the Council of State and as Members of this Body they are all treated with Excellency The Reason I suppose is because that Title is given to the Counsellors of State at Madrid tho' another Reason was given by one of their Number who said It was their due because they had all of them been Ambassadors To this Council the King refers all Matters of Moment seldom or never resolving upon any thing before the Affair has been considered and debated among them 'T is said the Reason why the King pays so great a Deference to this Council is partly because it consists of those who had a great hand in advancing him to his Brother's Throne He for this Cause thinking it but reasonable that
her in their Order his Excellency satisfying himself with this Equality with her Highness thinking that he had gain'd his Point while he kept the Elector below him The old Elector for his part contented himself with having got a good Match for his Daughter while the Portugueses had all the Advantage in the Ceremonial on their side and were not a little elevated with the Honour their Ambassador gain'd to the Crown though it was no more than was lost by the Father of their Queen Nor need we wonder that this Court should be so highly pleas'd with his Excellency's Dexterity and Success herein since the Ceremonial is become the Grand Concern of Europe and the Subject of the most important Negotiations now on foot For what is there that doth perplex and embroil most Courts in Christendom so much as the additional Sound of two or three Syllables in some Princes Titles Have we not lately seen the Force of Blood it self suspended in the most endearing Relations And is not Infallibility it self at a stand and all for want of one to determine the several Degrees that are between an Arm'd Chair and a Folding Stool This Nobleman at his Return had the Title of Marquess de Alegrete bestow'd upon him as a Mark of Honour in Reward for his Service But his Dexterity in Negotiations of this sort make but a small part of his Character He is represented by all that pretend to know him as a most accomplish'd States-man even by those who are so ill-natur'd as to allow that Title to no other Minister about the Court He is suppos'd to be well acquainted with the present Posture of Affairs in Europe and throughly to understand his Master's Interest and above all is accounted a Person of unbiass'd Integrity his Country-men generally esteem him a true Portuguese disinteressed in his Counsels and espousing no Party as having no other Designs in view but such as he thinks may make for his Master's Service and his Country's Good This is the Character that 's commonly given of the Marquess the worst that is said of him that I could ever hear is that his Tenderness for a numerous Family and Care in providing for them may have a little slackned his Vigor in opposing the Counsels of such as are thought to have something else in view than the Good of the State He is said to be very zealously addicted to the Religion of his Country He ascribed the happy Issue of his Negotiation at Heidelberg to the Prayers of two Sisters and a Daughter of his that are Nuns in the Convent of Madre de Deos a little without the City At least the King was of this Opinion when Cardinal de Alemcastro was commending him for his prudent Management his Majesty reply'd That this Lord had no part in the Success but that all was done to his Hand by the Madre de Deos. I have been told of another remarkable Instance of his Lordship's Devotion but know not what Credit it deserves having no other ground for it than the common Talk of the People among whom it was reported That when St. Antoninho a small diminutive Image of St. Antonio that hath been in great Credit for these three last Years at Lisbon was hired out to go Sargente Mor to the Fleet that went last Year 98 with the Vice-Roy to the East-Indies among other Perquisites promis'd to the Saint over and above his Standing-Wages of 10 Millr per Month the Marquess de Algrete bargain'd to give him a fine new Chappel in case he conducted a Relation of his Lordship's safe home from Goa Dom Nuno Alvarez Pereira Duke of Cadaval Marquess of Ferreira Earl of Tentugal c. mentioned on several Occasions before descended of the House of Bragança from Ferdinand the Second Duke of that Title and consequently the King's Kinsman This Noble Person notwithstanding his high Birth and vast Riches hath qualify'd himself for all manner of Employments having commanded both by Sea and Land and all along made a most considerable Figure in the State wherein he has at present the greatest Power and Authority next the King having a hand in all Affairs relating to his Majesty his Domestick Concerns not excepted If any part of the Publick Business be more than other his peculiar Province I take it to be the Revenue of the Crown whereof he is a great Farmer as the Foreign Affairs seems to be that of the Marquess de Alegrete It is agreed that the Authority of the Council of State doth in a manner wholly reside in these two Great Men. It is said they have been formerly in competition about the King's Ear and Favour wherein the Marquess was upheld by the Opinion his Majesty hath of his Prudence and Integrity The King no doubt hath a like Opinion concerning the Duke too but he they say by the Pleasantness of his Conversation contributes likewise to his Majesty's Diversion the Marquess consulting only his Country's Good and his Master's Service the Duke as 't is suppos'd doth not wholly neglect his own Interest Some will have it that he is biass'd in favour of France but perhaps the only Reason may be because both his Wives have been French-Women the present Duchess being Daughter of the Marquess of Harcourt The Duke being as I have said the greatest Subject in the Kingdom takes a particular Method to make People sensible of his Grandeur he is not of Opinion that he stands in any need of a pompous Equipage or a numerous Attendance to make himself appear considerable but like those famous States-men that have made the greatest Figures in the Modern as well as the Ancient Common-Wealths thinks the Authority of his Person sufficient to Command those Respects that are due to his Quality When his Excellency appears abroad in his Litter which certainly is not made for show he is followed only by a Trooper and by him because he is General of the Cavalry Dukes in Portugal had formerly their Guards allowed them but I have not heard that his Excellency chuses to be attended by a Soldier to keep up his Pretensions to that Priviledge He is a Familiar of the Inquisition as I suppose all other Noble-men are it being a Mark of Honour in this County but at an Auto da Fe other Noblemen serve as Guards to those poor Wretches that come out to hear their Sentence whereas his Excellency supplies the Place of a Door-keeper Many other things are told of his Excellency by such as pretend to give his Character but they are Matters which the Publick is not concern'd to know Dom Luis now Cardinal de Sousa Arch-Bishop of Lisbon and Capellaon Mor to the King which I suppose I may translate Dean of his Majesties Chappel a Prelate who as he is of a Noble Extraction seems to have a Mind suitable to his Birth and Quality and a Capacity sufficient to carry on his Designs which have been always great and always successful at long run notwithstanding
very little of that Leudness in them which abounds in so scandalous a manner in those of another Country But though Crimes of this sort are not taught in the Play-House there yet it is much suspected that they are practised amongst them the Women that tread the Stage having no better Character there than in other Places And this I presume might be the Reason why their Admittance into Lisbon was so vigorously opposed by the Arch-Bishop who to put a stop to all Importunities in their behalf published an Excommunication against the Players in case they should Act and against all that went to see them It was in vain for the Fidalgo's to desire his Lordship to recall the Sentence but at last they apply'd themselves to Nicolini the Nuncio who had now a fair Opportunity presented him to engage a powerful Party against the Arch-Bishop nor did he let slip his Advantage It is true Religion and Vertue were like to suffer by what he was about but those of Rome think these are things to be minded when they prove subservient to their Designs he therefore without more ado takes off the Excommunication by Virtue of his Legantine Power The Play-House hereupon opens and fills the Fidalgo's flocking to it like so many School-Boys let loose from under the Discipline of their Master and perhaps the more eagerly that they might a little mortifie the rigid Arch-Bishop His Lordship withdraws for a time to his Country-House that he might not be a Witness to so great a Slur put upon him and to suppress his just Indignation against the Nuncio But this was only a short Mortification which considering the Occasion must doubtless have turn'd to his Lordship's Credit even among those that were pleas'd with it at that time The Court of Rome hath since thought convenient to present him with a Cap viz. in the Year 1697 at a Promotion wherein his Lordship and Monsignor Cornaro the then Nuncio at Lisbon were the only Persons advanced to the Purple Dom Anrique de Sousa de Tavares da Silva Conde de Miranda Marquis de Aronches Brother to the Arch-Bishop and acting in concert with him a Minister of great Sufficiency but too much as 't is thought addicted to his Pleasures He hath served in several Embassies as to England Spain Holland and remains well affected to the People among whom he has resided Insomuch that during the late War such as would needs have the Ministers of State to take Parties have always given the Marquess of Aronches together with his Family to the Allies and we may suppose them to be much in the right if we judge how the Noble Families stand affected to other Nations from the Alliances they contract with Foreigners This Lord having given his Daughter to the Prince of Ligne a Fleming Subject of Spain and Prince of the Empire who succeeds him in his Estate and Title the same Person who by Procurement of the Family was sent Ambassador Extraordinary from his Portuguese Majesty to the Emperor and made that splendid Entry into Vienna of which the Publick had so large an Account in the Gazettes c. If I do not mention the rest that are of this Honourable Body it is because I am not so well instructed as to be able to give a particular Account of them But I must not omit to mention the Secretary of State who tho' he hath neither a Deliberative nor a Decisive Voice in any of the Councils is yet as some term him the Primum Mobile of the whole Kingdom His Office is compounded of that of Clerk of the Council and another long since abolished but revived for a small time by the Conde de Castelmelhor he that executed it was called the Escrivam de Puridade Puridade in old Portuguese signifies Secrecy or Privacy but is now out of use in that Sense The Office seems to have been much the same as that of Privado in Spain or Prime Minister in France but nothing remains of it now at least in the Secretary of State but what is purely Ministerial The Office of Secretary at present as 't is a Place of Great Trust so it is in a manner a Place of infinite Business he gives an Account to the King of whatsoever is done in the Council of State he is address'd to by all sorts of People that have any thing to do at Court of what Nature soever their Business is he proposes the Matter to the King and returns his Answer and is apyly'd to by Foreign Ministers on all occasions This Place is at present executed by Mendo Foyos Pereira one rais'd by the House of Aronches and as some say greatly devoted to the Family He is a Person not so considerable for his Birth as for his indefatigable Diligence in his Employment of which he acquits himself so well that it seems to be without Reason that some represent him of a narrow Capacity Foreign Ministers find it to be much for their Convenience to Manage the Secretary and hold a good Understanding with him if they desire to have quick Dispatches or when Matters relating to the Ceremonial are in Question For if he be ill us'd they may chance to meet with more Rubs in their way than they look'd for The Nuncio's that have been on ill Terms with him have not been insensible of his Resentments However it is thought advisable by those that have to deal with this Minister that in the Measures they keep with him they beware lest he perceives they are in any Awe of him since an over-great Complaisance may be of worse Consequence than a Conduct that is quite contrary FINIS Books Printed for Tho. Bennet FOLIO THucydides Greek and Latin Collated with five entire Manuscript Copies and all the Editions extant Also illustrated with Maps large Annotations and Indexes By J. Hudson M. A. and Fellow of Vniversity-College Oxon. To which is added an exact Chronology by the Learned Henry Dodwell never before Publish'd Printed at the Theater Oxon. Athenae Oxoniensis Or an exact History of all the Writers and Bishops who have had their Education in the University of Oxford from 1480 to the end of the Year 1690 giving an Account of the Birth Fortune Preferment and Death of all those Authors and Prelates the great Accidents of their Lives with the Fate and Character of their Writings The Work so compleat that no Writer of Note of this Nation for Two hundred Years is omitted In Two Volumes A new Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam By Monsieur de la Loubiere Envoy Extraordinary from the French King to the King of Siam in 1687 and 1688 wherein a full and exact Account is given of their Natural History as also of their Musick Arithmetick and other Mathematick Learning Illustrated with Sculptures Done out of French by Dr. P. Fellow of the Royal Society Father Malbranch's Treatise concerning the Search after Truth The whole Work compleat to which is added his Treatise of
Nature and Grace being a Consequence of the Author's Principles contained in the Search together with F. Malbranch's Defence against Mr. de la Ville and several other Adversaries All English'd by J. Taylor M. A. of Magdalen-College Oxon and Printed there The Second Edition with some Additions communicated by the Author QVARTO A Critical History of the Texts and Versions of the New Testament In two Parts By Father Simon of the Oratory A Discourse sent to the late King James to perswade him to embrace the Protestant Religion By Sam. Parker late Bishop of Oxon. To which are prefixed two Letters the first from Sir Lionel Jenkins on the same Subject the second from the Bishop sent with the Discourse All Printed from the Original Manuscripts A short Defence of the Orders of the Church of England By Mr. Milbourn Sermons and Discourses upon several Occasions In Three Vol. By Robert South D. D. Sermons and Discourses upon several Occasions By G. Strading D. D. and late Dean of Chichester Sermons and Discourses upon several Occasions By R. Meggot D. D. Of the Reverence due to God in his Publick Worship In a Sermon before the King and Queen at White-Hall By the Right Reverend Father in God Nicholas Lord Bishop of Chester Three Sermons upon several Occasions By the Right Reverend Father in God William Lord Bishop of Oxford Two Sermons one before the House of Commons the other before the Queen By W. Jane D. D. and Dean of Gloucester Three Sermons before the Queen By Nath. Resbury D. D. Five Sermons upon several Occasions By Mr. Francis Atterbury Two Visitation-Sermons and one before the Societies for the Reformation of Manners By Mr. William Whitfield The Certainty and Necessity of Religion in General or the first Grounds and Principles of Humane Duty Established In Eight Sermons Preached at St. Martins in the Field At the Lecture for the Year 1697. Founded by the Honourable Robert Boyl Esq The Certainty of the Christian Revelation and the Necessity of Believing it establish'd in opposition to all the Cavils and Insinuations of such as pretend to allow Natural Religion and reject the Gospel Both by Francis Gastril B. D. Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn A Conference with a Theist In Four Parts compleat By W. Nichols D. D. Mr. Luzancy against the Socinians In Two Parts A Discourse of Religious Assemblies for the Use of the Members of the Church of England By G. Burghorpe Rector of Little Gaddesden in Hertford-shire A Discourse of Schism address'd to those Dissenters who conform'd before the Toleration and have since withdrawn themselves from the Communion of the Church of England By R. Burscough M. A. The Inspiration of the New Testament Asserted and Explained in Answer to Mr. Le Clerc and other Modern Writers By G. Lamothe The Lives of all the Princes of Orange from William the Great Founder of the Commonwealth of the United Provinces Translated from the French by Mr. Tho. Brown Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem containing many curious Reflections very useful and necessary for the right understanding of the Excellency of Homer and Virgil. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor concerning himself treating of a Natural Man's Happiness wherein it consisteth and of the Means to attain it Translated out of the Original Greek with Notes by M. Casabon D. D. To which is added The Life of Antoninus with some select Reflections upon the Whole By Monsieur and Madam Daceir Never before in English The Art of Glass Shewing how to make all sorts of Glass Crystal and Enamel likewise the making of Pearls Precious Stones China and Looking Glasses To which is added The Method of Painting on Glass and Enameling also how to extract the Colours from Minerals Metals Herbs and Flowers A Work containing many Secrets and Curiosities never before discovered Illustrated with Sculptures Written originally in French by Mr. H. Blancourt and now translated into English With an Appendix contaning Exact Instructions for making Glass Eyes of all Colours Jacobi Patriarchae de Shiloh Vaticinium a depravatione Johannis Clerici in Pentateuchum Commentatoris Assertum Opera Studio Sebastini Edzardi Accedit Ejudem Dissertatio de nomine Elohim Aurocti Judicii de R. Simonii Historia V. Test Critica opposita An Essay concerning Self Murther Wherein is endeavour'd to prove That it is unlawful according to Natural Principles With some Considerations upon what is pretended from the said Principles by the Author of a Treatise intituled Biathaenatos and others By J. Adams Rector of St. Alban's Wood street and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty The Pretensions of the several Candidates for the Crown of Spain discuss'd and the Necessity of the King of Portugal's being declared Successor to his Catholick Majesty prov'd In a Letter from a Spanish Nobleman to a Counsellor of State at Madrid OF THE INTERESTS OF PORTUGAL With Relation to other SOVEREIGNS CONTAINING An Account of the most Considerable Transactions that have pass'd of late between that Court and those of Rome Spain France Vienna England c. PART II. Of the Interests of Portugal with Relation to Rome OF all the Courts with which this of Portugal hath any Intercourse that of Rome challenges the Pre-eminence and not without Reason considering what great Interest and Power the Pope has within the Kingdom for however He may be slighted in other Countries accounted Catholick he hath hitherto made shift to maintain his Authority in this by virtue of the extraordinary Devotion of the Portuguese Kings towards the Holy See which his present Majesty has inherited from his Ancestors together with the Title of The most Obedient Son of the Church It is well known what Power Popes have had in former Ages in other parts of Christendom and by what means they procured and maintained it notwithstanding the Opposition they almost every where met with from Princes who were perpetually strugling to preserve or recover their Liberty But the Case of Portugal seems peculiar in this respect That as it hath brought its self into a greater subjection to the See of Rome than any other Kingdom so it can plead the Merit of a voluntary Obedience Other Nations have shown that they were in a State of Violence while the Soveraign Pontiffs were exercising the Plenitude of their Power over them since all of them have in some measure more or less eased themselves of the Oppression while the Portugueses who doubtless might have gone as far as any towards the recovery of their Liberty do to this day bear the Yoke It is indeed with some Impatience for they are not insensible of its weight and smart and see plainly that its like to lie heavier upon them still Alfonso Henriquez their first King refused to accept of the Crown till it was made Tributary to his Holiness John the 2d who in other Cases knew as well as ever any Prince did how to assert the Royal Authority exceeded his first
the Portuguese Princes who placed their Glory in their Obedience to the same See But Clement the 9th's Pontificate lasted not long enough to give him time to bestow all the Favors that were designed for Portugal the Confirmation of the Bishops being reserved for his Successor Clement the 10th for that was not done till 1670. In 1671. to oblige the new Princess before Queen of Portugal the Purple was bestowed upon the Bishop of Laon her Kinsman better known since by the Title of Cardinal d'Estrees He being advanced at the Nomination of the Crown of Portugal and to enhance the Favour by making it particular the Great Sobieski had the like denied him when he interceded for the Bishop of Marseilles though he pretended to the disposal of a Cap as a Right enjoyed by his Predecessors upon their coming to the Crown but he was denied upon pretence that the Person named was none of his Subject so that Cardinal d'Estrees owed his Promotion purely to his being a Kinsman to the Princess of Portugal Innocent the 11th Successor to Clement the 10th after having been baffled in the Business of the Inquisition at his grand Promotion could not forget the Merits of the Portuguese Court and a Cap was bestowed upon Dom Verissimo de Alemcastro the Person that had been set on by the Court to put his Holiness at Defiance and after that Cardinal's Death another was sent by Innocent the 12th to the Archbishop of Lisbon in consideration I suppose of the many Contrasts he hath had with the Nuncio's so that his Portuguese Majesty seems now to be in Possession of a Right to dispose of a Cap as well as his Catholick or his most Christian Majesty and the Ministers here having resented it that the Nunciature at this Court hath not been an immediate step to the Cardinalat as it is in those of France and Spain his present Holiness has equal'd the King of Portugal to them in this particular likewise by advancing the late Nuncio Cornaro to the Purple at the same time as he did the Archbishop at the Promotion which was made for them two only So that by this time the Court of Portugal seems to have discovered the secret of gaining Favours at Rome and indeed they appear to be somewhat sensible that it must be a quite different method from that formerly used that will procure the Holy Fathers Esteem and work him into a Compliance They begin to tast and relish much the French Maxims thinking belike that there can be no better Pattern for the most Obedient Son of the Church to follow than that of his Eldest Brother insomuch that I find it in a Memoir said to have been drawn up for the Instruction of a Nuncio laid down as not the least necessary if not one of the hardest parts of his Task to beat out of the Ministers heads their fond admiration of the French King and the opinion they have taken up of his infallible Maxims with respect to Rome But the Ministers at present do not content themselves with admiring that Great Monarch they have made several attempts to copy after him its true they follow him as yet at a very great Distance but they may mend their Pace in time I have not heard that they have formally annulled the grant of John the 2d by which the Pope's Bulls are free from a Revision in Portugal and which seems to be the very Basis of his absolute Power in the Kingdom yet by what the Marquess of Alegrete saith in his History of that King it appears that they are not wanting who call in Question the validity of the Grant though his Lordship speaking there in Quality of an Historian leaves the matter to be disputed by the Lawyers but as a Minister of State he does that which in effect amounts almost to as much for upon a Nuncio's arrival his Patent of Legat is call'd for in order to be Examined by the King's Council and it hath been detain'd for above six Weeks to gether and at the restoring of it the Nuncio hath been told with an Air of Authority That the King is not well pleased with the Ample Powers contained in that Patent and expects that the Nuncio do not exercise it to the full but keep himself within Bounds and the Nuncio's under this Reign have had the Discretion not to exert the utmost of their Authority but it mortifies them that the Court would have it thought that they oblige them to this Moderation whereas they would fain seem to use it of themselves But there is one thing in difference between the two Courts which his Holiness lays much to Heart and by his Good-will is never like to desist from his Pretentions it being an affair which as all the World agrees by this time is of the last Importance at Rome for in truth it is a Money Business His Majesty hath at several times thought fit to raise the value of the Coin so that the same Pieces are now reckon'd at a third more than they were at the beginning of his Reign Now his Holiness thinks it but reasonable that the summs payable to his Bankers at Lisbon should be augmented in the same Proportion but the Ministers of this Court are of another Opinion and seem resolved never to be convinced of their Error the Nuncio's for some years have been labouring with all their might to undeceive them Cardinal Cornaro when he was just upon his departure press'd the matter home to them but all to no purpose he left them as obstinate to Conviction as he found them and it seems they will not be brought to understand otherwise but that the same Piece that before went but for two Testons is now worth three in the Payments made to his Holiness Now since it is not imaginable that the Court of Rome can be easily brought to desist from a pretension of this kind this Business may its feared sometime or other disconcert the good Harmony that is between the two Courts But there are other instances to show that the Portuguese Ministers do not make it their Business to manage his Holiness they are grown so hardy of late years that they will not stick upon occasion to break in upon the Ecclesiastical Immunities insomuch that in this Reign a Convent is not near so safe a shelter for Villains as it was formerly the Civil Powers assuming to themselves a liberty to judge what Crimes have the benefit of Sanctuary and in case they think the Crimes to be very heinous indeed the King's Officers shall make nothing to break into a Monastery and fetch the Criminal out by force in order to the Execution of Justice I confess they are still somewhat tender in this Point and if it shall be made appear that they are mistaken in the nature of the offence the Offender shall be returned again Being once at a certain place that hath the Privilege of an Asylum one of my acquaintance there coming
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
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