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. II. Of the Earls of Castile. The Reign of D. Fruela the Second, King of Leon. Fictions concerning the Kings of Navarre. The Reign of their King D. San∣cho Abarca.

MOst part of that Province, which we call Old Castile, the Romans named the Vacei, it is divided from Leon by the Rivers Carrion, Pisuerga, Heva and Regamon; on the o∣ther * 1.1 side it borders on Asturias, Biscay and Rioja, on the South, its Bounds are the Mountains of Segovia and Avila, which, about the same time we are speaking of, were the limits of the Dominions of the Moors and Christians. The Country is plentiful of Corn and Wine, but scarce of Oil, and better Watered than other parts of Spain. In this Province, tho' at first they did not possess it all, some powerful Men began to defend themselves against the Moors, and enlarge their Territories. They took the Stile of Counts or Earls, by consent of the Kings of Oviedo, whom they were obliged to assist in their Wars, and to come, when called to their General-Assemblies, or Parliaments. In former times, as we have before more particularly related, Counts or Earls were only Governours of Provinces for a time, after∣wards they were made so for Life, and at last, the Title became Hereditary. Yet even to this Day, many Dukes, Marquesses and Earls in Spain, after the Death of their Fathers, do not take upon them the Title till they have obtained the King's leave. It is not known for what term the first Earls of Castile enjoyed that Honour: but it may be imagined, they had the same beginning as all others in Christendom. The first of these Counts, is D. Roderick, who lived in the time of King Alonso the Chast. Next to him, the best Authors place D. James Porcellos, his Son, as the Chronicon Alveldense has it. This Earl lived in the time of Alonso the Great, King of Oviedo. He Married his Daughter Sulla Bella, to Nun̄o Belchi∣des, a German, that came in Pilgrimage to S. James. This Gentleman being thus Allied to D. James, together with him, built the City Burgos, that the People, who before, lived dispersed in Villages, might form one Body of a City, and it took the Name from Burg, the German word for a Town. Besides D. James, there were at the same time other Earls of Castile, for the Province was divided, as were Ferdinand Anzules Almondar, and his Son D. James. But the greatest of them all, was Nun̄ez Fernandez, who had for his Son-in-law, D. Garcia, Brother to D. Ordon̄o II. King of Leon, afterwards King himself. Upon this ac∣count, and because he had forced King Alonso the Great to resign the Kingdom, he was grown more insolent than D. Ordon̄o cared to bear; besides, many underhand, blew the Coals they saw begin to take Fire. The King thus incensed, sent for the Earls to Court, * 1.2 upon pretence of Consulting with them about most important Affairs. The place appointed for the meeting, was a Town called Regular, upon the mid-way, on the Borders of Castile and Leon. The Earls came without any Guard, and were Apprehended by the King's Order, and sent Prisoners to Leon. Soon after, they were also put to Death, to the great Grief of the People of Castile, who had been concerned at their Imprisonment. King Ordon̄o was making all necessary Preparations for War, as fearing the Revolt of that Province, when Death took him off. He dy'd at Zamora, in the Year 923. and was buryed at Leon, in the Church of our blessed Lady, which he had caused to be Consecrated. His Funeral was per∣formed with great Solemnity. Nun̄o Belchides, by his Wife Sulla Bella, had two Sons, Nun̄o Rasura, and Gustio Gonzalez. Nun̄o Rasura was Grandfather to the Earl Fernan Gonzalez, whom, our Historians extol, and raise to the Skies for his great Exploits. The Infants, or Princes of Lara, were Grandsons to Gustio. Thus the Blood of D. James Porcellos mixed with the Royal Family, is derived to many Noble Houses, in Spain and Abroad, and its Suc∣cession has not fail'd even to our Days.

D. Fruela II. Succeeded his Brother D. Ordon̄o in the Throne of Leon, not by Right, but Force. Such as the beginning was the end, and his Power lasted not long; for he Reign'd * 1.3 only 14 Months. He was remarkable only for Baseness and Cruelty, and therefore was called The Cruel. The Sons of a Nobleman, called Osmundus, were by him put to Death, and his Brother Fruminius, Bishop of Leon, Banished; for that he durst not lay violent hands upon him, being an Ecclesiastical Person. By his Wife Munia, he had D. Alonso, D. Ordon̄o and D. Ramiro; and out of Wedlock, D. Fruela, Father of D. Pelayus, called the Deacon. To whom was afterwards Marry'd Da. Aldonca, or Alfonsa, Grandchild to King Bermudo, Sirnamed the Gouty. D. Fruela was buryed in Leon; his Fame and Memory are stained, not so much for his dying of the Leprosie, as for his Cowardize, and the Rebellion that in his time cut off Castile from the Crown of Leon. The People there were offended at the Death of the Earls killed by D. Ordon̄o's Command, this disgust was heightned by forcing them to come to Leon, to all Law Suits, and the Parliament. They had no fair opportunity of Re∣volting before, and therefore did it in the time of D. Fruela. For their Governors they chose two Nobles, with only the Title of Judges. The first named, was Nun̄o Rasura, and Lain Calvo, Men in great Power at that time. Lain was the youngest, and Married to Nun̄a Bella, his Colleague's Daughter. To him for his Valour, was given the charge of Martial

Affairs. Nun̄o Rasura, being a Person of known Prudence and Experience, was to take care of the Civil Government, and Admistration of Justice, which he commonly performed at Burgos, and sometimes in other parts of the Province. Two Leagues from Medina de Pomar, is a Town called Bijudico, and in it an ancient Judgment Seat, on which, the People there have a Tradition these two Judges used to sit and hear Causes. They were Governed by the ancient Laws of Castile, which continued till King Alonso the Wise abrogated them, and In∣stituted those called Las Partidas. It is not known how long these two Judges lived, or what Acts they performed. From them descended very notable and brave Men, for Lain Calvo was 5th Grandfather to the famous Cid Ruy Diaz. Gonzalo Nun̄o, was Son to Nun̄o Rasura, and held the same Employ with no less Honour. His Wife was D^a. Ximena, Daugh∣ter to the Earl Nun̄o Fernandez, who was put to Death among the other Earls of Castile, by Kind Ordon̄o. Of her was born the Earl Fernan Gonzalez, a Person inferior to none of the ancient Heroes, for Virtue, Valour and Constancy; we shall speak of him in its proper place. Let us return to the Kings.

It is most certain, that the Histories of Navarre, are full of Fables, and Lies, insomuch * 1.4 that they look more like Romances invented to divert idle Persons, than true Relations, and Records of Antiquity. This appears plainly throughout all Ages, but particularly in this we now write of. They say that King Garci In̄iguez, being slain in a Battle by the Moors, his Wife Da. Ʋrraca, then great with Child, was also killed, that D. Sancho de Guevara, passing by where she lay, saw the Child put out its Arm at one of the Wounds, the Mother had re∣ceived, and therefore ripping her open, took out the Infant, and bred him privately, till he came to Age. That after an Interregnum of 19 Years, this Child was brought to the Parlia∣ment, and being there made known, was Proclaimed King. It is needless to show how in∣congruous and ridiculous the story is, the weakness of the fiction is too obvious. The Re∣cords of the Monastery of S. Salvador de Leyte, tell us, that Fortun the elder Brother of D. Sancho, Reigned for some time, and then being weary of the World, took the Religious Ha∣bit in that Convent. This we are assured of, that D. Sancho, by his Wife Teuda, had four * 1.5 Sons, Garci Sanchez, Ramiro, Gonzalo, and Ferdinand, and Five Daughters, Ʋrraca, Teresa, Mary, Sancha, and Blanche. The last of these, some Authors say, was Marryed to D. Nun̄o Lord of Biscay, but no Lord of that name can be found to have been about that time. This Prince was Fortunate, not only for the many Children he had, but for his Success in War. By his Valour, all that had been lost in Sobrarve and Ribagorza, was recovered from the Moors, and not content with that, he added Biscay to his Dominions, and all the Country along the Ri∣ver Duero, till the Fountains thereof, and the Mountain Doca, and as far as Tudela and Hu∣esca. Nay, that he came as far as Zaragoça, appears by a Castle seated near that City called of Sancho Abarca. Besides he passed the Pyrenean Mountains, and subdued that of part Navarre lying on the other side those Hills. Whilst he was busie in this War, the Moors thinking he could not pass the Mounts in Winter, laid Siege to Pamplona. D. Sancho having notice of it, furnished all his Army with Buskins, to endure the cold, and this is the true reason he was * 1.6 called Abarca, signifying a Buskin. It was easie for him that had Conquered Nature, to over∣come his Enemies, they were Forced to raise their Siege. Much mention is made in these Wars, of one Centullo, an Officer of great Courage and Conduct. D. Sancho by these actions had gained Immortal Glory, but he cast a blemish upon it, by making War against Castile, which besides, the disgrace turned to his loss, as will appear hereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the Earls of Castile.
• * 1.2

  Earls of Castile Executed.
• * 1.3

  Fruela II. King of Leon.
• * 1.4

  Of the King of Navarre. Fictions concern∣ing them.
• * 1.5

  Uncer∣tainties concern∣ing that Country abridged.
• * 1.6

  King San∣cho Abarca why so called.