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••••••P. V. The Death of the 〈…〉〈…〉 Sicily. Of Tamerlan and Bajazet. Pope▪ Benedict again received in Castile. The King of Castile has a Son born. Pope Boniface dies. Innocent the VII•••• chosen at Ro••••.
THE Lady Violante, Daughter to John King of Aragon, was during her Father's Life con∣tracted to Luis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Anjo••, as was said before. Her Marriage was delay'd, because * 1.1 she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 under Age, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Year it ••••s concluded upon. She was to have 160000 Florins Portion, and he to swe•••• never to lay any claim to the Crown of Aragon in her Right. This done she was nobly Conducted into France to her Husband. In the Month of March 1401, the King of Castile assembled the Cortes at Tordesillas, where many good Laws were enacted, particularly to restrain the Avarice of the Farmers of the Revenue and Officers of Justice. In the Month of May, Mary Queen of Sicily dy'd at Catane••, as was thought of Grief for the * 1.2 * 1.3 Death of her Son, who ended his Days at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Age of 7 Years. Both the Mother and Son were bury'd in that City. However her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 next of Blood remain'd King, and all the Nobility aim'd to marry their Daughters 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to him. He marryed Blanch, third Daughter to the King of Navarre, who afterwards inherited her Father's Kingdom. The Kings of Aragon and Nava•••••• met upon this Account on the Frontiers, there the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deli∣ver'd his Daughter to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Law, who sent her from Valencia to Sicily in a ••••eet com∣manded by D. Bernard de Cabrera, but her Departure and Marriage was in the Year 1402. * 1.4 In November the same Year the Queen of Castile was deliver'd of a Daughter call'd Mary, who was afterwards marry'd to her Cousin German Alonso King of Aragon and Naples, but they had no Issue for she prov'd Barren.
After the Defeat of the French and Hungarians at Nicopolis, Bajazet Emperor of the Turks * 1.5 lay'd Siege to Constantinople. At the same time Tamerlan the Tartar with an incredible Army, as is reported of 40000 Horse, and 600000 Foot, overran all the East. His Custom was when he sat down before a City, the first Day to put up white Colours in token of Mercy, the second Day they were red, to denote he would shed the Blood of the Inhabitants, and the third black, which signify'd the utter Desolation of the Place. It happen'd the City Berytus did not surrender before the second Day, and then sent out their Women and Child∣ren cloath'd in White with Boughs in their Hands to appease him, but he nothing mov'd caus'd his Horse to trample them to Death. A Genoese who follow'd his Camp took the Boldness upon this Occasion to put him in mind he was a Man, and he with a furious Counte∣nance answer'd. Dost thou think I am a Man? I am no such, I am the Scourge of God, and Plague of Mankind. Baj••zet seeing all Asia was in danger of being lost, rais'd the Siege of Constantinople and pass'd over into Asia. On that part of Mount Taurus call'd Stella they came to a Battle, and after a mo•••• Bloody Dispute 200000 Men being slain, Bajazet was over∣thrown and taken. Him Tamerlan put into a Cage, and in that manner carry'd him about Asia, treading on his Shoulder every time he mounted a Horse-back, and feeding him like a Dog with bits thrown from his Table. King Henry of Castile, though sickly, attended the Affairs of the Government, and sent Embassies to all parts; and particularly to the Levant he sent Pelayo de Sotomay••••, and ••••••dinand de Palaçuelos, who were present at that famous Bat∣tle between the Turks and Tartars. Tamerlan treated them courteously and at their return * 1.6 to Spain sent along with them an Embassador of his own to settle Peace and Unity with the King of Spain. He having concluded his Negociation return'd home accompanied by three Spanish Embassadors, who writ a Journal of that Embassy, which is still Extant. Tamerl••n's Glory was not lasting. At his return home he built a beautiful City which he called Mer∣canti. He left two Sons, who differing about the Inheritance tore in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Empire pur∣chas'd by their Father. This Year was unhappy to the Portugueses and Navarrois, for the Heirs of both Kingdoms dy'd. D. Alonso eldest Son to the King of Portugal was but 12 Years of Age. He was bury'd in the Cath••••ral of Braga. This Loss was the more tolerable, for that there were several Brothers besides, as the Princes Edward, Peter, Henry, John and Ferdinand, and two Sisters; Blanch and Elizabeth. At Painplona dy'd the Princes Charles 5 Years, and L••••ys, but 6 Months 〈…〉〈…〉 were bury'd in that Cathedral. The Grief of the Navarrois was the more inconsolable, for that there remain'd never an Heir-male, and the Crown must of course fall to the Female. This Wi••••er at the end of the present Year, and beginning of that of our Lord 1403, the Rains were so great in Spain that most Rivers over∣flow'd, * 1.7 doing great harm, Particularly Guadalquivir swell'd, above the Wa••••s of Sevil, and * 1.8 came as far as the Church of St. Michael. Alonso Perez, then Governour, by his Industry pre∣vented much Mischief that might have been done. The See of Toledo was vacant since the Death of the late Archbishop▪ D. Peter T••••orio. This was caus'd by the Discord betwixt the Popes, for Castile had in such manner disown'd Pope Benedict, that it did not submit to the other. To remedy this Evil the Cortes assembled at Valadolid. Thither the Aragonian Em∣bassadors repai••'d in favour of Pope Benedict, who after he had continu'd two Years at Avig∣non, in the nature of a Prisoner, made his escape in a Disguise down the River Rosne. His