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. VIII. The Affairs of Portugal; A bloody Mutiny at Lisbon; King Ferdinand Marries Queen Germana; King Philip comes into Spain, and declares against the Treaty with King Ferdinand; Death of Christopher Columbus.

THE Catholick King sent Ambassadors to the Princes appointed Guarranties betwixt him∣self * 1.1 and his Son-in-Law. In particular, he applied himself to King Emanuel of Portugal to understand how he would stand affected, in case the Agreement were broken. He an∣swered in general Terms, being in strict League with King Philip. In order to entertain whom, he made great Preparations, and caused much Plate to be provided either to Treat or present him, for it was believed he would Land in Andaluzia, and therefore might touch in some part of Portugal. But the Plague spread there and was come to Santarem, which made the King remove from Almeirin to Abrantes, a Town seated on a rising Ground and healthy. There on the 3d of March the Queen was delivered of Prince Luis, who proved a Person of singular Worth, Piety and Virtue, especially towards the end of his life, which was short. Yet in his youth he had by a mean Woman a Bastard Son called Antony, who was Prior of Ocrato, and famous, for that upon the death of his Unkle Henry the King and Cardinal; he took upon him the Title of King, and brought great mischief upon his Coun∣try. The joy for the Birth of the Prince was allaied by a mutiny raised in Lisbon upon a * 1.2 light occasion. In the Church of S. Dominick was a Crucifix, which over the wound of the Breast had a Glass. Some People hearing Mass there, thought the light that came from that Glass had been miraculous, which one there present being a Jew newly converted, freely contradicted. The People in a rage laying hold of him, dragged him out of the Church, made a Fire, then killed and burnt him. A Friar of that Convent coming out, made an Harangue to the rabble, exhorting them to revenge the injuries done to our Saviour by the Jews, which was pouring Oyl upon the Fire, for immediately the multitude ran to the Houses of the new Converts, Two of the Friars going before them with a Cross. Such was their fury and madness, that in Three days this mutiny lasted, they murdered above 2000 of those People, and among them, either through mistake, or for private grudges, se∣veral of the ancient Christians. The Flemmings and Germans that were aboard their Ships in the Harbour came to take share in the plunder of the Houses. The King hearing of this Tumult, sent James de Almeyda and James Lopez to take cognisance of the matter. The Two Friars that were the Ringleaders, were put to death and burnt, and many others pu∣nished. The Strangers hoisting Sails got away with a rich Booty. In Castile, on the one

side was expected the coming of the new King and Queen, and on the other was great re∣joicing for the Marriage of King Ferdinand and the Lady Germana. From Salamanca went the Archbishop of Zaragoça, with other Men and Ladies of Quality to Fuenterabia, to attend the Bride King Ferdinand, the Two Queens of Naples, Mother and Daughter, the Duke of Calabria and many more Lords went to Valladolid, and thence to Duen̄as. There on the 18th of March they were Married. The Queen was great Niece to the Catholick King, and * 1.3 Grandaughter to his Sister Ellenor Queen of Navarre. The Popes dispensation was obtain∣ed with much difficulty, the Emperor and his Son opposing it. With the Queen came Luis d' Amboise Bishop of Albi, Hector Pignatelo and Peter de Santandrea the King of France his Am∣bassadors. There came also the Princes of Salerno and Melfi, and other Barons of the Facti∣on of Anjou, to settle their Affairs. Next day after the Marriage, the King and Queen with all their Train set out towards Valladolid. In that City the King took a solemn Oath in the presence of many Prelates and Noblemen to oblige himself and his Successors to the perfor∣mance of all the Articles of the League with France. A few days after the Neapolitan Barons did Homage to the King and Queen as rightful Sovereigns of the Kingdom of Naples, for themselves and those that were absent. This Solemnity being over, the King set out for Burgos to meet the new King and Queen, who he expected would Land at Laredo, or some other Port of that Coast, with whom went the Archbishops of Toledo and Sevil, the Duke * 1.4 of Alva, the Admiral, the Constable and the Earl of Cifuentes. All these seemed inclined to see all that was ordained by the Will of Queen Elizabeth performed. At Torquemada the Catholick King received advice that his Son and Daughter were Landed at Corun̄a on the 28th of April. The cause of their coming so late was the stay they made with the King of England; and their being detained at Plymouth by the Weather. They Landed at Coru∣n̄a, King Philip being perswaded it was best for him to be the farthest he could from his Fa∣ther-in-Law, to have time to find how the Nobility and Commonality stood affected towards him, to behave himself accordingly; being resolved not to stand to the late Agreement, un∣less he were forced to it. This was the Advice of D. John Manuel who had great influence over him, and would have carried him to land in Andalucia if the Weather had permitted. About this time Gonçalo Marin̄o de Ribera Commander of Melilla for the Duke of Medina Si∣donia had the Town of Caçaça delivered to him by Composition. It is in the Kingdom of Fez, 5 Leagues from Melilla, and has a good Port, and remained in Propriety to the Duke of Medina Sidonia.

The coming of King Philip which ought to have produced Peace, and a general Satis∣faction, might have caused an absolute Breach, had not the Catholick King prudently * 1.5 quenched the spreading flame of Discontent which began to appear in all Places. The Humours and Designs of the Two Kings were opposite in all respects. As soon as King Philip Landed he sent to require the Earls of Benavente and Lemos, as also the other Nobility of Galicia and Castile to Declare for him, which was the way to raise Tumults rather than settle Peace. Finding this contrivance answered his expectation, and that many freely declared for him, he presently professed he would not stand to the late Treaty concluded at Salamanca. He also began to discountenance his Father-in-Laws Servants, and one day speaking to D. Peter de Ayala told him, that tho' he had in Flanders and England winked at his Proceedings in op∣position to his Service, he would no longer bear with it; and since he was his Subject, he should take care how he behaved himself. He turned away the Alcaides, and Alguaziles de Corte, sent by King Ferdinand to attend upon him, thinking his Father-in-Law designed to choose his Family. He was well instructed not to allow of any Tutor or Overseer, as D. John Ma∣nuel called it. His followers exclaimed against the Catholick King, especially for his Mar∣riage, and the Articles of it, which gave away the Kingdom of Naples from his Daughter and Grandson. In this particular, no doubt they had reason; but the King did it to gain the King of France. On the other Side the Catholick King, as soon as he heard of his Son-in-law, and Daughters Landing, sent D. Raimund de Cardona and Ferdinand de Vega to visit them, and went himself towards Leon in order to meet them; but stopped at Astorga till he knew their Will. He ordered the Marquess of Villena who was come to Burgos with a great Train, and the Duke of Najara who was raising his kindred and followers to go to Corun̄a in Warlike manner, to forbear proceeding after that manner, and to go thither with their usual Retinue. He pressed his Son-in-Law to dismiss 2000 Germans he brought with him, fear∣ing that might give some cause of Discontent to the People. He also sent Almaçan his Se∣cretary to join with his Ambassadors D. Raimund, D. Ferdinand de Vega, D. Peter de Ayala, and Gutierre Gomez de Fuensalida, that they might agree upon the Place where he should meet his Son and Daughter, which he desired might be very speedily, and King Philip's followers laboured to delay as much as might be. First Sarria, then Ponferrada were the Places propo∣sed for the interview, but none pleased his People, and particularly D. John Manuel who managed all, and feared that if the Two Kings met, the one being very subtle and the other open; besides the respect due to a Father, they would easily agree, which was what he chief∣ly laboured to prevent. To this purpose he told D. Peter de Ayala, that the Catholick King might be perswaded three things, whereon he much relied should never come to pass. First that at the Interview there should be no manner of Discourse of Business. Secondly, that the meeting should be in the Field, and not with equal Retinues, but that King Philip should

have much the greater. Thirdly, that the Catholick King should not Confide in the Favour of the Queen his Daughter, for it would not avail him Great Offers were again made to D. John Manuel for himself and his Children, to bring him over to King Ferdinand; but he had a Spirit above all that. At this time died at Valladolid Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the West-Indies, the first Discoverer of the New World. Now also the Marquess of Villena, the * 1.6 Earl of Benavente and the Duke of Najara were come to Corun̄a, and daily more People resorted thither, and more Men of Note, as the Duke of Bejar, the Marquesses of Astorga and Aguilar, Gazilasso de la Vega and the Duke del Infantado. This encouraged the followers of King Philip. The Catholick King stayed at Astorga till the 15th of May; thence he went to Ravanal, designing to go on to Santiago, and to appoint the Interview there. Some of his Council advised him not to be too hasty, because Delay would breed Discord among the Noblemen and the Favourites of King Philip, and by that means he would be reduced to sub∣mit to his Father-in-Law. This was the Posture of Affairs in Castile. The Princes of Ita∣ly and other Nations expected the Event of King Philip's going into Spain, believing the Catholick King would be Affronted and much Weakened. This they were the more apt to give Credit to, because they saw the Great Captain contrary to his King's Orders con∣tinued at Naples, which they could not believe to be without some Mystery. But he under∣standing these Surmises, sent before his Horses and Equipage, and with it Peter Navarro, to acquaint the Catholick King with the true Reasons of his stay, which were to Order the Garrisons, and appease the Soldiers, who mutinied for want of Pay. On the other Side, John Baptista Espinelo went away at the same time for Spain to Complain of the Great Captain, and blame all his Proceedings; which was easie to do because he had much Credit with the Catholick King. Calumny often prevails above Truth, at least its first Efforts are more vio∣lent. Thus the Catholick King resolved to use all means to draw the Great Captain from Naples; and to this purpose appointed his Son the Archbishop of Zaragoça to go, and take the Government of that Kingdom upon him. At the same time he sent John Lopez de Ver∣gara, Secretary to the Great Captain, with a Note under his Hand, wherein he solemnly Swore, he would give him the Mastership of the Order of Santiago, as soon as he came into Spain. This was believed to be only a Design to intrap him, for at the same time he Ordered Peter Navarro, created Earl of Olivito, to go with the Archbishop, and Apprehend him in Castelnovo. The reason why the King changed his Mind, was because he recei∣ved a Letter from the Great Captain assuring him of his Fidelity, and swearing to stand by him and keep that Kingdom at his Devotion, besides he promised he would soon be in Spain. Thus this Storm was laid, which at that time might have been of dangerous Consequence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Little Faith in King Fer∣nand.
• * 1.2

  A bloody mutiny at Lisbon.
• * 1.3

  King Fer∣dinand Marries Queen Joanna.
• * 1.4

  King Phi∣lip lands in Spain.
• * 1.5

  King Phi∣lip de∣clares a∣gainst the Treaty with King Ferdinand.
• * 1.6

  Christopher Columbus dies.