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. IX. Catalonia reduced; Charles Duke of Guienne dies; Cardinal Borgia, the Pope's Legate, comes into Spain; Interview of the Kings of Castile and Portugal; The Master of Santiago strengthens himself against his Enemies; Barcelona surrendred to the King of Aragon.

IN Catalonia the Aragonians were now successful, for after the Death of the Duke of Lor∣rain, * 1.1 Girona was surrendred to the King. What remained of the Enemy, whose Chief Commanders were Reiner, Bastard Son to the Duke, and James Galeoto, were either besieged in a Town called S. Adrian, on the Banks of the River Bese, or overthrown by the General D. Alonso de Aragon, as they marched to relieve that Place. The King, tho' so old, ceased not to press the Enemy in Ampurias. As he lay encamped near Torella, he is said in a Dream to have seen a notable Soldier that died in that War, who advised him not to decamp from thence, because it would prove dangerous to him. The King took no notice of this Dream, but moved thence, and having taken Roses, and laid Siege to Peralada, was in great danger of his Life by a Camisade given at Night by the Earl of Campobaso, who commanded the Enemy. He was so surprized, that he fled half naked to Figueras. Nevertheless next day he returned to the Siege, and wasted the Country, which obliged the Town to surrender. All that Coun∣try being subdued, he marched with his Army and sate down before Barcelona, the Siege of which Place lasted long, he being resolved to carry that Town by Policy, rather than open Force. In Old Castile, King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth laboured to draw the People to their Party, some Towns surrendred to him, and among them Sepulveda. This done, they sent for the Archbishop of Toledo, resolving to reconcile him at any rate, and being come, went with him to Tordelaguna, a Town of his, on purpose to oblige him. Charles, Duke of Guienne, not regarding that he was contracted to the Princess Joanna, as doubting whose Daughter she was, was now making a Match with the Duke of Burgundy's Daughter. As soon as King Henry had notice of it, he went from Segovia to Badajoz to meet the King of Portugal at the beginning of the Year 1472. The Earl of Feria, in whose Custody that City * 1.2 was, in Hatred to the Master of Santiago, would not admit the King. Between that Place and Elvas the two Kings met, and treated about the King of Portugal's marrying the Prin∣cess * 1.3 Joanna, but nothing was concluded. The Portugues placed no great Confidence in the King, or the Master of Santiago, beside that King Ferdinand and his Queen became daily more acceptable to the People. For the present the Insolence of the Earl of Feria was winked at, but not long after King Henry went into Andaluzia, with a Resolution to punish all the Mutinous Lords. He came to Cordova, and would not go on to Sevil, because the Duke of Medina-Sidonia was possessed of that City, and had in it a good Body of Horse, for fear, as he said, of the Master of Santiago, his Enemy. For this Reason, as also because Toledo was again in an Uproar, the King returned without effecting any thing. In Toledo, the Earl of Cifuentes possessed himself of the Castle of S. Martin, then very strong, and secured the Deputy-Governor. Scarce were these Tumults in Toledo quelled by the King with the Assi∣stance of the Canons of that Church, when News came from Segovia, that that City was all in Confusion, which perplexed the King and forced him to speed thither, his Treasure being there. Great was the Misery of those Times, as well in Ecclesiastical as Civil Affairs. The Money was either Counterfeit, or of base Allay. Many Petitions were presented to the King for Redress of these Grievances, but all in vain. Ferdinand del Pulgar, a Man famous in those days, wrote a Pastoral Dialogue, being a Satyr upon the King and Nobles, refle∣cting severely on the Miscarriages and Abuses in the Government. The same Year, on the 12th of May, died Charles Duke of Guienne at Bourdeaux, having then concluded a League with the Dukes of Burgundy and Britany against the King of France. Bloody Wars followed afterwards between the King of France and Duke of Burgundy, which we leave to the French Historians. Gaston, Earl of Faux, has relation to the History of Spain, as pretending to the Crown of Navarre, in Right of his Wife Ellenor, but Death cut him off this Year at Ronces∣valles, in his way from France to Navarre.

The Bishop of Siguença aspired with the King's Favour to be made a Cardinal, and had good Pretensions to it for his Birth and Services, but was so displeased his Promotion was delayed, that he would not attend the King in his late Journeys to Portugal, or Andaluzia. Means were used to pacify him, because he was a Man in great Power, and had Kindred that were very great. The Master of Santiago being now a Widower, married the Daughter of the Earl of Haro, and the Lady Mary de Mendoça. This Match allied him to the Velascos and * 1.4 Mendoças, and made them of his Party: Particularly the Mendoças forsook the Duke of Medi∣na Sidonia. By this means the Master secured himself against the Malice of his Enemies. The Bishop of Siguença had fresh Assurances given him of obtaining a Cardinal's Cap, as soon as the Cardinal D. Roderick de Borgia, who was daily expected, arrived, as he did then at the City Valencia, his own Country, on the 20th of June. He was there nobly entertained, and went thence by Land to Tarragona to meet King Ferdinand, who having been with his Father before Barcelona, was returning to his Wife. There the Cardinal Legate gave him the Dispen∣sation

for his Marriage, referred by Pope Sixtus to the Archbishop of Toledo. Many Rea∣sons were given for this Journey of King Ferdinand. The true one was, to acquaint his Mother with the Match designed betwixt Henry Duke of Segovia and the Princess Joanna, which he endeavoured to break off. His Father gave little credit to it, besides that he loved his Nephew Henry, as being his Brother's Son. In fine, King Ferdinand hasted back to Va∣lencia, and thence to Castile, fearing some Revolution there. The Cardinal Legate came to the King of Aragon before Barcelona, at such time as the Besieged suffered much, yet continued obstinate. They had been many times summoned, but to no purpose. Therefore the King wrote a Gracious Letter to them, advising not to put him upon a necessity of coming to Ex∣tremities, but rather to make use of his Mercy, and promising to use them as his Children. This Letter softned their Hearts, and there being no hopes of Relief, they appointed Com∣missioners * 1.5 to Treat, and surrendred upon Conditions. All the French Garrison, with their Commander, the Son to the Duke of Lorrain, was suffered to depart in safety. All Persons that had been in Arms against the King were pardoned, except only the Earl of Pallas, who from those Places he possest on the Pyrenean Hills, with the Assistance of France gave some trou∣ble, and held out for a long time after. All the Acts, or Decrees made by the Citizens for Ten years last past, and during the War were confirmed by the King. On these Terms the City was Surrendred. Two Matches were agreed upon at Naples, one of Frederick Son to Ferdinand King of Naples, with Joanna Daughter to the King of Aragon, which afterwards took no effect. The other of the Princess Elenor with Hercules de Este Duke of Ferrara, tho' she was before Contracted to Galeaço Maria Sforcia. In Navarre the Princess Elenor Resided at Sanguessa, and after the death of her Husband delivered up the strong Holds of that King∣dom to the King of France, for Security of her Grandchildren, whose Unckle that King was. This Action much offended the King of Aragon, who in Revenge thereof, and of the Suc∣cours sent against him during the War of Catalonia, resolved to Recover Russillon and Cerdagne. With this Resolution, he set out of Barcelona on the 29th of December, preceding the beginning of the year 1473. Elna and Perpignan immediately opened their Gates to receive him, and generally the People were well affected towards him, wherefore it was not doubted the other * 1.6 Towns would follow their Example. The Cardinal Legate set out towards Castile: At Ma∣drid he was Received with great Pomp under a Canopy; before him went the Lords and Pre∣lates, and he went upon the Kings right Hand, the greatest Honour according to the Custom * 1.7 of Spain. It was proposed in the Popes Name to Raise a Sum of Money upon the Revenues of the Church, to be Employed in the War against the Turks. Many Objections were made, especially the Poverty of the Clergy, yet the Legate prevailed with the Assistance of the King. The Clergy of Spain were so ignorant that few of them understood Latin, and besides, they were wholly given up to their Ease and Luxury: Their Avarice was such, that they thought all too little for them, and by reason of their Ambition, looked upon Simony as a lawful Pur∣chase. In the Synod called by the Legate it was proposed to Remedy these Evils, and to that effect they made application to the Pope, that in all Cathedrals the Bishop and Chapter should choose Two Canons, whereof one should be a Canonist, the other a Divine. This Request being so reasonable was easily granted by the Pope, and he sent his Bull to that effect.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Catalonia reduced.
• * 1.2

  1472.
• * 1.3

  Kings of Portugal and Castile meet.
• * 1.4

  The Ma∣ster of Santiago streng∣thens himself against his Ene∣mies.
• * 1.5

  Barcelona surren∣dred to the King of Ara∣gon.
• * 1.6

  1473.
• * 1.7

  Reception of a Le∣gate in Castile.