The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. IV. Two Francis••ans 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Moors of Granada suffer Martyrdom. The Truce with Portugal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Two great Plagues in Spain and France. The Year of Ju∣bilee 1400.

AT the beginning of this War two Franciscan Fryars, whose Names are not known, * 1.1 zealo••s for the ••ropagation of the Faith adventur'd to preach publickly to the Moors in Granada, and many People flock'd to hea•• them: Being warn'd to desist, and they still going o••, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the King's Order apprehended and beheaded them, and they are reverenc'd as Martyrs. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Benedict, as has been said before, was forsaken by all his Car∣dinals at Avignon, the Ki•••• of France press'd, and only those of Spain own'd him. A great assembly of Prel••••es and other learned Men was held betwixt the French and Spaniards about him, but nothing was resolv'd upon, only they agreed both Popes should recal the Ecclesi∣astical ••ensures they had thunder'd one against the other, and appoint a Place of meeting to compose those Differences. In Pampl••na great ••••rt of the Cathedral had fallen seven Years before, and neither the ••ro••••ts of the Church▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 private Contributions were sufficient to repair it, therefore the King assign'd the 40th part of his Revenue for 12 Years to carry on that Work. This King desiring to recover the County of Eureux, and his Possessions in Normandy had sent an Embassy to that effect into France, but that not succeeding went thi∣ther himself to as little 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the King of France not being recover'd of his ••••disposition. Thus without doing any thing he return'd home in September 1398▪ Being come home he * 1.2 caus'd his Son Charles, but a Year old, to be sworn to as Heir of the Crown. The Joy of this solemnity was ••••ort, for the Prince dy'd soon after. The Portugueses humbled by their late * 1.3 Disappointments sent Embassadors to treat of Peace. King Henry answer'd he neither began the War nor would obstruct the Peace, provided it were Honourable. After much de∣bating, not being able to agree upon Articles of Peace they confirmed the former Truce. Castile was jealous of a Breach with Aragon. The Marques de Villena would not come to Court, and had a great Estate on the Borders of Valencia, he was much suspected to s••ir up the Arag••nians to War. A new occasion offer'd it self to deprive him of his Estate. Alonso and Peter, two Sons of the Marques had marry'd two of the King of Castile's Aunts, and had 30000 Ducats with each of them, which Mony was pay'd down to ransom the Marques taken by the English, as has been said. Peter dy'd in the Battle of Aljubarr••••a, and was Father to the famous D. Henry de Villena, who desirous of Knowledge study'd Negro∣mancy. D. Alonso never consum••ated the Marriage, excusing himself with the ill Repu∣tation of his Bride. King Henry as Nephew to these Ladies took their Business in Hand, and demanded to have their Portions restor'd, since the one was left a Widow, and the other never consuminated the Marriage. The Marques his Sons would give no ear to these De∣mands. Upon this account King Henry invaded the Marques his Estate, and easily made himself Master of all▪ except Villena and Almansa, in which were strong Garrisons of Ara∣gonians. Contemporary with D. Henry de Villena, and not unlike to him in Learning was D. Paul de Cartag••••a. He was born a Jew, and by his great insight in the Scripture con∣verted, * 1.4 and writ several notable Books. For his Learning and to encourage other Jews to embrace the Faith, he was first made Archdeacon of Trevin̄e, then Bishop of Carthagena, and lastly of Burg••s. He was also Chancellor of Castile, and Tutor to King John the IId. Before his Conversion he had four Sons. Gonçale the eldest came to be Bishop of Plasencia first▪ then of Siguença. Alonso the 2d succeeded his Father in the See of Burgos, and writ the Anacephal••osis of the Kings of Spain, also D••fensorium Fidei, and Defensorium Catholitae unitatis. The two younger Sons were Peter and Alvaro. Some think this Alvaro writ the Chronicle of King John, but it was his Uncle Alvar Garzia de San••a Maria, and others had a hand in it, particularly F••rnan Perez de Gusman carry'd it on to the end, and writ the Lives of the Famous Men of his time, and other Works.

The Discord betwixt the two Popes, and the little prospect there was of reconciling it, and uniting the Church, perplex'd ••••l Christendom. In Spain the last Year the Plague began * 1.5 to rage, and continu'd spreading it self particularly along the Coast from Barcelona, as far as Avignon in France. Besides, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were so violent that there ensu'd mighty Floods, and particularly the Rivers Ebro and Ʋrba overflowing their Banks, carry'd away Multitudes of Men and Cattle, destroy'd the Corn, and overthrew many Buildings. As soon as the Season would permit, the King of Aragon went from Barcelona to Zaragoça to hold the Cortes there, which sat on the 29th of April in the Church of S. Saviour. There the King being seated in his Royal Throne made a learned Speech, extolling the Bravery and Loyalty of the Aragonians, showing how thereby they had enlarg'd their Dominions, recommending to them to continue such for the future, and lastly requiring them to do their Homage, and take the Oath of Allegiance to him and his Son. All the King had de∣manded was perform'd with much Satisfaction of the whole Body. The publick Joy con∣ceiv'd on this Account was somewhat abated by the Apprehensions of a War that threaten'd

from France. The Bastard of Tardes passing the Pyrenean Mountains, possess'd himself of * 1.6 Termas, a Town on the Frontiers of Aragon towards Navarre, which extreamly alarm'd all the Kingdom. Giles Ruyz de Lihorri, Governour of Aragon march'd thither with a good Body of Souldiers, and some Men of Note. The French exp••cted not his coming, but abandoning the Place retir'd to France, to theirs, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Earl of ••aux, who sent them. Sicily was not wholly pacify'd. Some hopes of a Settlement appear'd, the Queen being deliver'd of a Son call'd Peter, on the 17th of November, who if he had liv'd would have inherited that Crown, but he and his Mother soon after dy'd, and all these Hopes vanish'd. Not long after in April▪ 1399; 〈…〉〈…〉 Queen 〈…〉〈…〉 were Crown'd at * 1.7 Zar••goça by the Arch-bishop of that Pla••••. 〈…〉〈…〉 of Villina, was allow'd to add the Regal Arms to his own, and was created Duke of Gandia in requital for what he lost in Castile. At the same time Pope 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being forsaken by the Gardinals was much press'd by his Enemies who besieg'd him. The King of Aragon sent two Embassadors to him, who treated with him about finding out some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of putting an end to the Schism and uniting the Church. He answer'd he would commit that Affair to those Princes that had own'd him, and particularly those of France and Aragon. But his meaning was not the same, for he charg'd them under Colour of Peace not to depart from Justice, which he said was wholly on his side, but that he coveted nothing more than to pu•• an end to those Divi∣sions. The Aragonian Embassadors 〈…〉〈…〉 give an Account of their Negoc••ation to the King of France. In an Assembly held 〈…〉〈…〉 upon this Affair, it was resolv'd to send to re∣quire the Pope to put a speedy end to the Schism, and to that purpose he should wholly re∣fers his Case to a Council of Bishops that was to meet, and the King of France would en∣gage 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the security of his Person, and furnish him with a sufficient Guard. Whilst these things were in Agitation, D. Peter T••n••rio, Arch-bishop of Toledo dy'd in Castile. He was * 1.8 a Man of Judgment and Resolution, fit either for Peace or War. He was first Bishop of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and thence without any Solicitation on his part preferr'd to Toledo. In his Ex∣pences at home he was Frugal, and spent the great Revenues of his Church in publick Buildings, and relieving the Poor. The Bridge of S. Martin at Toledo, a Castle near to the Monastery of S. Servandu••, the Cloister that joins to the Cathedral, with a Chappel in it and his own Tomb are all his Works. That Chappel he endow'd with Revenues to maintain 16 Chaplains to pray for his and the Souls of his Predecessors. At Alcala Real, on the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he built a high Tower, where a Light was kept every Night to guide the Christians that made their▪ escape from the Moors. At Talavera he founded a s••••tely Monastery of the Invocation of S. Catherine, design'd for the Canons of that Church, but they refusing to live as Regulars, he gave it to the Hieronimites. The Arcbishop's Bridge was also of his Foundation. After the Death of the Arch-bishop, the Chapter chose D. Guti••rre de Toledo, Archdeacon of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The King offer'd the Archbishoprick to Ferdinand Yan̄ez a Canon of that Church of the Order of S. Hierome, but he refus'd it. Pope Benedict gave it to his Nephew, P••t••r de Luna, but the King not approving of him, the Bishop of Siguença, Vicar of the Archbishoprick had charge of it for some Years, till the Popes election took place.

The Joy and Devotion of the great Year of Jubilee 1400, was much lessen'd by the Schism in the Church, tho the Christian Princes us'd all possible Means to put an end to it. * 1.9 To this purpose for the humbling the Obduracy of Pope Benedict the King of Castile at the perswasions of D. Peter Hernandez de 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Cardinal of Spain, publickly disown'd him. Yet the King of Aragon interposing three Years after he submitted to him again. From * 1.10 Lag••••doc and Catalo••••a the Plague spread over all Spain with such a mighty Mortality, that it oblig'd the King of Castile to give leave to Widows to marry the same Year their Hus∣bands dy'd, which before was forbidden. The King generally resided at Sevil, that being a Pleasant and Healthy place, and he very ••ickly. In July the first Clock was fixing in the Steeple of the Cathedral (for there were no such Clocks before in Spain) and a great Bell to it, the King, Noble••▪ and a Multitude of People being present, when on a sudden a Storm rising, a flash of Lightning kill'd several Men. This being taken as an ill Omen, Processions were made to appease God's Wr••th. Near the Town of Nieb••••, 5 Leagues from Segovia, an Image of our Blessed Lady was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and many People devoutly re∣sorting thither to visit it. Queen Cath••rine built there a Church for it, with a Monastery of Dominican•• adjoyning to it, which drew many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and settle there, so that in our Days it is grown up to be a pretty considerable 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Franciscan Fryars preach to the Moors of Grana∣da.
• * 1.2

  1398.
• * 1.3

  Truce with Por∣tugal re∣new'd.
• * 1.4

  Paul de Cartagen•• famous for Learning.
• * 1.5

  Plague in Spain and France, and great Floods.
• * 1.6

  French ex∣pell'd Aragon.
• * 1.7

  1399.
• * 1.8

  Works of Peter Te∣n••rio, Archbi∣shop of Toledo.
• * 1.9

  1400.
• * 1.10

  Plague in Spain.