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 Reign of King Witiza. Roderick ascends the Throne, ravishes Count Julian's Daughter, and breaks open an old Castle at Toledo, said to be Inchanted.

WItiza's Reign was Disorderly and Infamous, in all respects, but particularly, noted for Cruelty, Impiety, and Contempt of the Church. True it is, at first he gave * 1.1 hopes he would prove a good Prince, and protect the Innocent; for he recalled those, who had been Banished by his Father, and restored all their Estates. Besides, he caused all the Records to be burnt, that there might remain no memory of the Crimes that had been false∣ly charged upon them. These were good beginnings, had they been follow'd; but it is hard to curb extravagant Youth and great Power. His first false step was, giving Ear to Flatterers, at whose Instigation, he fell into all manner of Lewdness; a thing natural to him, * 1.2 but which he had concealed, for fear of his Father. He kept a great number of Concubines, with the same State, as if they had been Queens; and the better to colour this Impiety, committed a greater, giving leave to all Men to do the like, and particularly, to Ecclesiasti∣cal Persons to Marry. Another Law was also Established, disowning the Pope. To give the greater force to these Laws, a Council of Bishops met at Toledo, but the Decrees of it, are not placed among those of the other Councils, as being contrary to the Canons of the Church. From this time, all things began to fall into confusion; for tho' many were plea∣sed with Libertinism, yet some were Zealous for the Observation of the Laws and ancient Customs, and began to think of restoring the Family of King Chindasuinthus, as the only Re∣medy against so many evils. Witiza was not ignorant of it, and from it took occasion to prosecute what he had began in his Father's days, which was to embrue his Hands in the Blood of that Family. There were living two Sons of Chindasuinthus, Brothers to K. Recesuin∣thus, the one called Theodofredus, the other Favila. Thedofredus was Duke of Cordova, where he built a Palace, then, and long after, very famous. He had resolved not to go to Court, as being jealous of the King. Favila, was Duke of Cantabria, or Biscay; and whilst Witiza in his Father's time resided in Galicia, had bore him Company, with the charge of Captain of his Guards, which the Goths, then called Protospatarius. Witiza slew him with a stroke of a Club, as some think, on account of his Wife. These were the first Works of his * 1.3 Cruelty, and Hatred to that Noble Family, before he came to the Crown. Favila left a Son, called Pelayus, or Pelagius, who afterwards, began to restore Spain after its general Deso∣lation, and at that time, was Lieutenant to his Father, but upon his Death, retired to his Estate in Cantabria; and Count Julian Marry'd to Witiza's Sister, had the charge of Protospa∣tarius. Witiza being come to the Crown, turned his Rage against Pelagius, and his Uncle Theodofredus. The latter, he caused to have his Eyes put out. Pelagius escaped out of his reach, as did Roderick, Son to Theodofredus, who was afterwards King. It is said, Pelagius went in Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as a Testimony whereof, the Staves used by him and his Companion, were shown long after at Arraria, a Town in Biscay. These Cruelties, and his other Vices, made Witiza odious to his People, he despairing of gaining their Affecti∣ons, resolved to keep them under by Terror, and to this end, caused the Walls of almost all the Cities in Spain to be Demolished. I say almost all, because some were exempted, as Toledo, Leon and Astorga. Besides, he destroy'd all the Arms of the Kingdom, pretending it was to secure the Peace. He Persecuted Gundericus, the Archbishop of Toledo, and some Priests, that still preserved their Innocence, and would not approve of his Enormities. Sinderedus, Successor to Gundericus, overcome by Witiza's cruelty, comply'd with him, and consented that Oppas, his Brother, or as some will have it, his Son, should be Translated from the Archbi∣shoprick of Sevil, to that of Toledo. The Death of Witiza was suitable to his Life. yet Au∣thors differ in the manner of it. D. Roderick, the Archbishop says, He was killed by the * 1.4 contrivance of Roderick, whose Father ended his Days at Cordova, in perpetual Imprisonment

and Darkness. Other good Authors affirm, Witiza dy'd a natural Death, at Toledo, in the 12th Year of his Reign, which was of Christ 711. He left two Sons, whose Names were Eba and Sisebutus. Some People favouring these two Youths, and others their Adversary, * 1.5 there arose great Contests and Confusions, which ended in a greater Destruction than could have been imagined.

Since the Division of the Goths, about these two Families, brought on their total Desolation, it will not be amiss to declare the Descent of them both. Chindasuinthus, by his Wife Riesber∣ga, * 1.6 left Recesuinthus, who succeeded him in the Crown, Theodofredus, Favila, and one Daugh∣ter, whose Name is not known. Recesuinthus dy'd without Issue, therefore the Nobles chose Wamba to succeed him. Chindasuinthus's Daughter was Marry'd to Ardebastus, who tho' a Greek, for his Valour and Birth, merited the King's Daughter, and had by her Ervi∣gius, he that was the Beginner of all those Calamities, Usurping the Kingdom, and Depo∣sing Wamba by wicked means. Ervigius by his Wife Liubigotona, had a Daughter, called Cixilona, Marry'd to King Egica, a Kinsman of Wamba; this Marriage being designed to cut off all Animosities, by uniting these two Houses. Of this Marriage, were born Witiza that was King, Oppas, Bishop of Sevil, and a Daughter, as grave Authors say, Marry'd to Count Julian. Witiza, as was said above, had two Sons, Eba and Sisebutus. Theodofredus, the second Son of Chindasuinthus, by his Wife Ricilona, a noble Lady, had Roderick, the Plague and Ruin of Spain. Favila, the third Son of Chindasuinthus, had Pelayus, no way like his Cousin, for by his Valour, the Christians in Spain began to make Head, after they had been cast down, and oppress'd thro' the madness of Roderick.

Spain being in this condition, Roderick excluding the Sons of Witiza, ascended the Throne of the Goths, by choice, as is believed, of the Nobles. The Kingdom was full of Distracti∣ons, * 1.7 by reason of the several Interests, the People were grown Effeminate, giving themselves up to Feasting, Drink, and Lewdness; the Military Discipline was quite lost, and the King∣dom of the Goths was now running headlong to Destruction. The new King had good natu∣ral Parts, and seemed to be well inclined. He was hardy, resolute, bountiful, and had ex∣cellent ways of gaining of Men. Such he was before his Accession to the Crown, but no sooner put into possession of it, than he sullied all these Vertues with no less Vices. Above all, he was implacable when offended, wholly given up to Lust, and had no Discretion in his Undertakings; and in fine, was more like to Witiza, than to his Father, or Grandfather. There are Pieces of Money of his to be seen, with his Name, and Effigies armed, and with a stern Countenance, on the reverse, these Words, Igeditania Pius, a Motto he merited not; but was given to Flatter him. King Roderick enlarged, and beautified the Palace built by his Fa∣ther near Cordova, which the Moors afterwards, called Roderick's Palace. He called home his Cousin Pelayus, and made him Captain of the Guards, the greatest Trust at Court. Wi∣tiza's sons he treated so ill, that they, for fear of worse Consequences, fled into that part of * 1.8 Barbary that was subject to the Goths, called Mauritania Tingitana. At that time, Count Re∣quila Governed that Province as Lieutenant, I believe to Count Julian, a Man in such Power, that besides it, he had the Government of that part of Spain about the Streight of Gibraltar, whence, is a short cut into Africk. Besides all this, he held a great Estate of his own, about Consuegra, inferior to none in the Kingdom. Hence sprung all the Mischiefs that ensued, for Witiza's Sons before they went over into Africk, had sowed the Seeds of a Rebellion, and were assisted by Oppas the Bishop, who was of the Blood Royal, and very Powerful. These Beginnings, which ought to have been suppressed, were heightned by another Accident. It was the Custom of Spain, for the Sons of the Nobility to be bred up at Court, and attend upon the King, and their Daughters upon the Queen: Among the latter, was a Daughter of Count Julian, called Cava, of singular Beauty. As she played with her Equals, it fell out she discovered some part of her Body, which the King from a Window perceiving, was so taken with her, he could think of nothing else. The continual sight of her, blew the Coals, and having used all possible means to gain her Consent, without any success, at last he Ra∣vished her; and by that Act, cast himself, and his Kingdom, headlong into Destruction, as * 1.9 a dissolute Man, and one wholly abandoned by God. Count Julian was at that time in Africk, his Daughter in a Rage, wrote to him, lamenting her Misfortune, and stirring him up to Revenge. The Count having received this News, resolved to hasten the Execution of the Treason he had till then been hatching. Therefore putting an end to his Affairs in Africk, he came over into Spain, being well skill'd in the Art of Dissimulation. Being come to Court, both in regard of his good Service, and for the sake of his Daughter, he was highly Ho∣nour'd and Intrusted. The better to carry on his Design, he persuaded the King, since Spain was at Peace, to send all the Forces he had towards the Frontiers, to oppose the Moors and French, who committed some Hostilities on the Borders, by this means to leave the King∣dom naked and defenceless. This done, he gave the King to understand, that his Wife be∣ing Sick in Africk, nothing could be so great a Comfort to her as the sight of her dear Daugh∣ter. The request was so reasonable, and he urged it so, that the King could not deny it. At Malaga there is a Gate called De la Cava, at which, there is a Tradition, she went out to take Shipping for Africk. At the same time, the King is said to have committed another great Error, which was, that he caused to be broke open an old Castle at Toledo, said to be Enchanted, locked up with many Locks and Bolts, it being a received Opinion, that when∣sover

it was opened the ruin of Spain was at hand. This the King imagined, was only a report spread abroad, to conceal some Treasures hid there, but being within found none, only a Chest, and in it a Picture, on which were drawn Men of strange Faces and Habit, with a Latin Inscription to this effect, By these People Spain shall soon be destroyed. The Coun∣tenances and Habit were like the Moors, whence it was inferred all the mischief would come from Africk. The King too late repented his rashness. Some look upon this as a meer Ficti∣on, I will give no judgment upon it, the Reader has his Liberty to believe, or disbelieve. I would not totally omit it, because grave Authors relate it, tho' not all in the same man∣ner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Witiza's Reign.
• * 1.2

  His disor∣derly Life.
• * 1.3

  Murders Favila.
• * 1.4

  Death of Witiza.
• * 1.5

  711.
• * 1.6

  Original of the di∣vision of the Goths.
• * 1.7

  Roderick ascends the Throne.
• * 1.8

  The fa∣mous Count Ju∣lian, who betrayed Spain to the Moors.
• * 1.9

  Roderick Ravishes Count Julian's Daughter.