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I Remember, I promised to send thee far∣ther Advices of the War between Spain and Portugal, since the late Revolution in those Parts.
The Island of Tercera, was the only Place that held out against the New King, when all others, with Expressions of extraordinary Joy for their Deliverance from the Castilian Yoke▪ submitted to and acknowledg'd D. Juan de Braganza, as the Lawful Heir of that Crown
The Resistance which the Governor of this Island made, obliged the King to send thither a certain Number of Ships of War, to block up the Place, and hinder the Importance of any Provisions. And, this course prov'd suc∣cessful; for, though the Spaniards attempted several Times to relieve it, yet their Vessels were either taken by the Portugueze Fleet, or sent back again without doing their Er∣rand. So that at length, Dom Alvaro de Vi∣veiros, the Governor, finding himself reduced to great Streights for want of Necessaries, without any Hopes of being relieved, was forced to Capitulate and Surrender.
The New King has made an Allyance with the Suedes, which is of no small Advantage to him; having thereby established a Com∣merce with that Country, and furnishing him∣self from thence with Powder, Horses, Arms and all other Provisions of War.
He has also made a Treaty with the Hollan∣ders, but not with so good Success as the for∣mer. Thou hast heard what Possessions the Kings of Spain and Portugal have acquired in America, they being the first Discoverers of that New World. It happened, that about the Time of the late Revolution in Portugal, the Hollanders of Brasil took from the Portu∣gueze the Towns of Angola, St. Thomas, Ma∣ragnon and other Places belonging to D. Juan de Braganza in those Parts. The Knowledge of this coming to the Portugueze Court, cau∣sed the King to send his Ambassador to de∣mand of the States the Reason of this Breach.
They answer, It was done before the News of the Revolution had reached the West-Indies. This, with some Acts of Hostility in the O∣riental Parts, has lessen'd the good Under∣standing which was between them.
In the mean Time, the Spight and Hatred of the Castilians, encreased daily; much Blood was spilt on the Frontiers of Portugal, which obliged D. Juan to establish Six Places of Strength, quartering in them an Army of Thirty Thousand Men. The Spaniards to op∣pose these Forces, had likewise Four or Five Armies in Castile. There were many Skir∣mishes and Encounters, Stratagems and Am∣buscades on both Sides; and, it was hard to determine who had got the Advantage, till Fortune seem'd to favour the Cause of the Portugueze.
They had a Valiant and Expert Comman∣der, who was Governour of one of their Fron∣tier Provinces; his Name is, Fernand Telles de Menezez. This Hero animated by the Ju∣stice of his Cause, and spurr'd on by the Natu∣ral Ardour of his Spirit, pierc'd into the Bow∣els of Old Castile, took the Towns of St. Mar∣tin and Elges, demolishing the Castle belong∣ing to the latter, which also commanded all the Country thereabouts; and, being encoun∣ter'd by Two Thousand Five Hundred Spani∣ards, he fell upon them and cut them all in Pieces. He also render'd himself Master of a strong Place call'd Valverde, which he stor'd with all sorts of Ammunition, and left a Por∣tugueze Garrison in it.
They were no less Victorious in another Province, from whence the Portugueze Ar∣mies rush'd into the Adjacent Territories of Spain, taking the Towns of Aroches, Villar de Rey, Codicere, Anzinasola, and other Places of Note, without any Resistance, save that of a few Castilian Troops, most of which they took Prisoners, with a Booty or three Hundred Spanish Gennets. After this, they took Chelles by Storm, one of the most consi∣derable Towns in that Part of Spain. Nor was the King of Portugal onely thus success∣ful near Home, but his Affairs prosper'd also abroad. The Kings of Goa and Maroc sought his Alliance, with other Princes in the East-Indies; and, in General, all the Potentates in Christendom, excepting onely Spain, made Friendship with D. Juan de Braganza, and espoused his Interests.
There has been a General Assembly of all the Estates of Portugal; wherein, the Peo∣ple have testified their Joy and Satisfaction in their New King, by offering him, together with their Lives, the Disposal of their For∣tunes, to be imployed for the Service of the Crown, and the Release of his Royal Brother Dom Duartus, of whom I formerly made Mention in one of my Letters.
Thou wilt not perhaps think me trouble∣some, if I relate to thee how the Spaniards used this unfortunate Prince after they had Imprison'd him: Neither is it altogether im∣pertinent, to let thee see, how spightful this Nation is in their Revenges, and how Cruel
in the Execution of their Resentments.
After Dom Duartus was delivered into the Hands of the Marquis Castel Rodrigo, the Spani∣ards gave him not the Entertainment and Re∣spect due to a Prince, but used him like a Slave or Malefactor, causing him to be lodged in a mean dark Chamber, his Hands to be chained every Night, his Robes to be taken from him, none of his Domesticks suffered to come near him, and doing all the Indignities to him that their Malice could suggest, as proper means to render his Imprisonment intolerable, and his Life a Burden. If thou askest me, for what Crime it was they thus punished him, I can tell thee of none, unless it were one, to be so nearly related to the King of Portugal.
But, this is not the only Example of the Spanish Cruelty; they executed their Revenge on poor unarm'd Peasants in the Field, the Duke d' Alva causing Three Hundred Portu∣gueze Husbandmen, as they were labouring in the Vineyards, to be murdered in cold Blood, sacrificing them, as he said, to the Chosts of the slaughter'd Castilians. And, it was attributed to their under hand Insinua∣tions, that four Portugueze Ambassadors, with Three and Fifty of their Train, were barba∣rously put to Death by the Japoneses, against the Law of Nature, and the Sanction of all Nations. Such Violences have never been practis'd in the Ottoman Empire; the Sanctu∣ary of the Earth, has not been prophan'd by an Injustice of so deep a Die.
There has been lately discover'd, a Second
Conspiracy against Dom Juan de Braganza, wherein were concerned Dom Joseph de Mene∣zez, Governour of St. Julien, the most Im∣portant Fortress of all the Kingdom, and Dom Francisco de Lucena, Secretary of State. These held a private Correspondence with the Duke d' Olivares; and, it was agreed between them, that the Governour of Badaiox, a Sub∣ject of the King of Spain, should be put in Possession of St. Julian's Fort, which is the ve∣ry Key of Lisbon, and that other Places of Strength should be delivered up to such Spa∣nish Officers as Olivares appointed. But, a Letter which was sent from Dom Juan de Ga∣ray, Governour of Badaiox, to the Governour of St. Lucies-Fort in Portugal, being by Mi∣stake carried to the Hands of the Count d' Obi∣dos, a Portugueze General, and a faithful Friend to the King, discovered the Intrigue, and the Traytors were seized and brought to Condign Punishment.
I cannot at present send thee any more News of the Portugueze Affairs. God grant thee a long and happy Life in the Favour of the Grand Signior.
Paris, 20th. of the 7th. Moon, of the Year 1643.