determination, than he was anxious to form a regular plan of operations.
A conference with the king of Portugal was absolutely necessary, but the
marquis was too well known on the frontiers to venture into that
kingdom: he therefore decided on entrusting this delicate negociation to
an intriguing friar, who had long been attached to his interest, and
whose sacred habit would give him free admittance into that
inquisitorial country. This friar, who was named father Nicolas de
Velasco, was of the order of St. Francis. He proceeded immediately to
Castro Marino, the first town in Portugal, where he pretended he came
only to settle the ransom of a Castilian prisoner confined in that
place. The king of Portugal, who was in the secret of the marquis
d'Aïamonte, gave orders to arrest him as a spy, and he was conveyed to
Lisbon loaded with chains, and there examined by the ministers
themselves, who sent him to prison, where he was for some time strictly
guarded, and treated with apparent severity; but he was soon after set
at liberty, on pretence of its having been proved, that his visit to
Portugal was merely to obtain the freedom of a Spanish officer, and he
was even allowed to attend at the palace to plead his cause, which gave
him an opportunity of conferring with the ministers, without being
suspected by the spies employed by the court of Madrid. He had also
frequent interviews with his majesty, who promised him a bishopric in
reward of his services; and the franciscan was so elated at such
brilliant prospects, that he became a constant attendant at court, where
he visited the queen, beset the ministers, and even entered into the
different intrigues of the courtiers, merely with a view to shew his own
consequence, and the degree of favour in which he stood with the king.
Thus, without absolutely revealing the secret of his mission, he
betrayed himself by his imprudent and ostentatious conduct.--Courtiers
are ever on the watch, and cast a jealous eye on every new favourite,
they therefore presently discovered his imprisonment to be a mere
pretext for introducing him at court. Different conjectures were formed
relative to his business in Portugal, and a Castilian, at that time
prisoner in Lisbon, soon unravelled the mystery. This man, whose name
was Sancho, was a creature of the duke de Medina-Sidonia, and was
treasurer of the army before the last revolution. The new king of
Portugal had thrown him into prison, together with all the Castilians
then at Lisbon, and he was treated with peculiar severity. He no sooner,
therefore, learnt that a Spanish franciscan enjoyed so much favour at
court, than he suspected some secret intrigue, and on this idea founded
his hopes of liberty. He wrote to the friar to implore his protection,
and expressed himself so respectfully, that he could not fail to
interest his vanity in his behalf; complaining at the same time of the
king of Portugal's having so long imprisoned, and hardly treated, a
servant and friend of his own brother-in-law, the duke of
Medina-Sidonia. To prove the truth of his assertions, he sent the
franciscan several letters from that nobleman, in which he charged him
with the execution of different affairs, in a style of confidence and
superiority suitable to his rank, and the protection with which he
honoured him.
The franciscan's answer was short, but expressive of the interest he
took in every one belonging to the duke de Medina-Sidonia. He assured
him that he would neglect nothing to obtain his liberty, only entreating
him to observe the strictest secrecy during the whole of the affair. The
artful Castilian, not to give cause of suspicion, waited some time the
effect of his promises; till growing impatient, he at last wrote again,
representing that he had languished seven months in a loathsome prison;
that the Spanish minister seemed to have forgotten his situation, since
neither ransom nor exchange had hitherto been proposed, and that his
only hopes of liberty centered in him.
The franciscan, ever happy to raise himself in the opinion of the duke
de Medina-Sidonia, applied to his majesty in favour of Sancho, and
obtained his liberty. He went in person to deliver him from prison, and
offered to include him in the passport granted by the king to some
domestics of the duchess of Mantua, who were returning to Madrid. To
this the cunning Castilian replied, that he now considered the city of
Madrid as a foreign land, and that he could not possibly appear at
court, without risking another imprisonment, since the severe and
inexorable prime minister would not fail to insist on an exact account
of the receipts of his office, though the cash had been pillaged during
the revolution, and not even the register remained; artfully adding, in
order to probe the franciscan, that the first wish of his heart was to
return to his patron, the duke of Medina-Sidonia, that nobleman being
sufficiently powerful to make his fortune, without being obliged to quit
Andalusia.
The franciscan, who was in want of a confidential person to acquaint the
marquis d'Aïamonte with the success of his negotiation, and to bring him
fresh directions for his future conduct, thought he could not possibly
fix upon a safer man than the devoted servant of the duke de
Medina-Sidonia. He therefore detained the Castilian some time, on
pretence of procuring him a passport, but in reality to make his
observations, and to try his fidelity. Frequent meetings produced strict
intimacy, and the more the politic Castilian took advantage of the
franciscan's vanity, to draw his secret from him. The friar wishing to
convince him of the credit and consideration he enjoyed at the court of
Portugal, could not abstain from saying, that he should soon appear in
another habit, being certain of a bishopric, and that he even flattered
himself he should one day be raised to the dignity of cardinal. Sancho
affected to disbelieve him, in order to force him to avow his design,
and the friar was so much piqued at his apparent incredulity, that he
could not help exclaiming "What then will you say, when you shall see
the duke de Medina-Sidonia seated on a throne?" Sancho thus drew him on
by repeated doubts of the truth of his assertions, till he at last
became master of every secret of his heart; and the franciscan confessed
that he was charged with a negociation in which the king was concerned;
that the duke de Medina-Sidonia would shortly be the sovereign of
Andalusia; that the marquis d'Aïamonte, to whom the king of Portugal
owed the discovery of the late conspiracy, was at the head of this
business; that the affairs of Spain were on the point of assuming
another aspect; and that it rested with him alone to become master of
considerable riches, if he would only consent to convey his letters to
the marquis and the duke de Medina-Sidonia. Sancho, delighted with the
possession of so important a secret, eagerly accepted the proposal, and
renewed his professions of attachment to the duke. He took charge of the
letters, and offered, if it were judged adviseable, to return himself
with the answers. He then set off immediately for Andalusia, but the
moment he reached the Spanish territories, he took the direct road to
Madrid; and on arriving in that city, went directly to the prime
minister's, who he desired might be made acquainted that Sancho, the
treasurer of Portugal, lately escaped from the prisons of the usurper,
requested to see him on an affair of great importance. The count-duke,
naturally haughty, and difficult of access, refused to admit him to his
presence, ordering him to return on the usual audience day; but Sancho,
though thus rudely repulsed, was still importunate, declaring that he
must see him, since the intelligence he brought related to the safety of
the state, and calling God to witness his good faith, and the diligence
he had employed to warn the minister of the impending danger.
The warmth of these expressions being reported to the count-duke, orders
were given for his admittance; when Sancho, throwing himself at the
minister's feet, exclaimed, that the safety of the state was now
secured, since he was allowed to present himself before him. He then
related his situation during the last revolution; the conspiracy formed
by the duke de Medina-Sidonia; explaining the plan of his intended
operations, his correspondence with the king of Portugal; the plot for
taking possession of the galleons, for delivering up Cadiz to the enemy,
and employing the armed forces under his command throughout his
government of Andalusia, against his lawful sovereign. To prove the
truth of his declarations, Sancho next produced the franciscan's
letters, written in cypher, to the marquis d'Aïamonte, and the duke de
Medina, and containing the whole plan of the conspiracy.
The count-duke was struck with surprise and consternation at such
extraordinary intelligence, and remained some time speechless: but on
recovering himself, he threw aside his natural haughtiness, and assuming
a gracious air, praised Sancho for his loyalty, adding, that he deserved
to be doubly rewarded, not only for having discovered so pernicious a
design, but for not having scrupled to reveal it to the nearest relation
of the principal conspirator. He was then conveyed to a private
apartment, with strict orders to prevent his seeing or conversing with
any one; and the minister immediately hastened to the king, whom he
informed of every thing that had passed, presenting him at the same time
with the franciscan's letters.
The discovery of so black a conspiracy deeply affected Philip, who had
indeed for a long time feared and detested the extraordinary pride of
the Guzmans; and when he reflected on the recent loss he had sustained
of the kingdom of Portugal, which he attributed to the ambitious
character of the duchess of Braganza, he could not refrain from
remarking to the minister, in a reproachful accent, that all the
misfortunes of Spain proceeded from that family. This prince neither
wanted penetration nor genius, but he was immersed in pleasures, and
hated business; every exertion which required attention gave him pain,
and he would willingly have sacrificed part of his dominions to the
indulgence of his natural indolence. The first emotions of his anger
being, therefore, passed, he returned the franciscan's letters to the
count-duke, without even breaking the seals; and gave orders to have
them examined by three counsellors of state, who were to give their
opinions on the contents.
This conduct vested the management of the affair entirely in the prime
minister, who employed three of his creatures to draw up a brief
statement of the case, and decypher the friar's letters. Sancho was
frequently interrogated, and endeavours were used to make him acquit the
duke of Medina de Sidonia, whom the prime minister was anxious to save:
he accordingly sent for Sancho, before he was questioned by the
commissaries, and affecting those confidential manners so frequently put
on by the great, to seduce and flatter those with whom they have
business to transact. "In what manner, my dear Sancho," said he, "can we
possibly justify the duke de Medina from an accusation, which is
grounded merely on the letters of an obscure friar, who most probably
has been bribed by our enemies, to make us suspect the fidelity of a man
who has hitherto rendered such services to his majesty in the province
of Andalusia."
Sancho, perfectly convinced of the truth of his deposition, and fearing,
that should he waver, or endeavour to soften his evidence, he might
forfeit his expected reward, persisted in asserting that a conspiracy
was actually formed against the state, of which the duke was the chief,
and the marquis d'Aïamonte the principal negociator; that he had himself
seen their letters in the possession of the franciscan, and that an
insurrection in Andalusia would infallibly take place, if speedy
precautions were not taken to prevent the evil designs of the governor
of that province.
The minister, who was unwilling to dive too deeply into this business,
took an opportunity of informing the king, that the Franciscan's letters
had been decyphered, and that, according to all appearance, he had been
suborned to seek the ruin of the duke de Medina; adding, that Sancho
himself might very probably have been deceived by this artful friar,
since neither any of the duke's own letters, nor witnesses of any sort
could be produced against him, and that the whole of this accusation
turned on letters, which might very well be the off-spring of calumny.
It would, however, be adviseable, in an affair of such great importance,
to take all possible precautions, and to contrive to entice the duke to
quit his government, in which it would be difficult to secure his
person; and then to send a supply of troops to Cadiz, making sure at the
same time of the marquis d'Aïamonte, and if on enquiry they were proved
guilty, they might afterwards be delivered up to all the severity of the
law.
The advice of the prime minister was a still more imperious law to
Philip the IVth than to any of his subjects. He was naturally mild,
indolent, and an enemy to sanguinary measures, he therefore readily
confided the whole of the business to the management of the count-duke,
who immediately dispatched his nephew, don Louis de Haro, with orders
to acquaint the duke de Medina, that whether innocent or guilty, he must
repair directly to court; assuring him, however, that should the
accusation be proved against him, he might depend on his pardon, but
that his ruin would be inevitable, should he delay obeying the commands
of his sovereign. Another courier was also sent off to secure the person
of the marquis d'Aïamonte; and the duke de Ciudad-Real, at the head of
five thousand men, entered Cadiz at the same moment.
The duke de Medina was thunderstruck at this intelligence. No
alternative remained but implicit obedience, or flight into Portugal:
but the idea of passing the whole of his existence as an outlaw, in a
foreign country, was too humiliating, and too unworthy of a man of his
superior rank; and there was no situation in Portugal equal to that rank
to which he could possibly lay claim. The count-duke's influence over
the king was well known, he therefore determined on confiding in the
promises of that minister, and set off immediately for Madrid,
flattering himself that his ready obedience would dispose his majesty to
believe him innocent, and even to grant him a pardon, should he be
proved guilty.
The duke proceeded directly to the prime minister's, and on receiving
reiterated promises of forgiveness, disclosed the whole plan of the
conspiracy, which he attributed entirely to the marquis d'Aïamonte.
After this confession, the minister introduced him privately into the
king's closet, where the duke cast himself at his feet, which he bathed
with his tears, and in that humble posture owned his guilt, and
solicited forgiveness in the most affecting expressions of sorrow and
repentance. The gentle heart of the king was moved with compassion, and
melting into tears, he granted him his pardon, telling him at the same
time, that he owed it to his remorse, and to the solicitations of the
count-duke. He then dismissed him his presence; but it being not thought
expedient to expose him to fresh temptations at so critical a juncture,
he received orders to remain at court. Part of his great property was
also confiscated, as having in some degree contributed to inspire him
with sentiments of independence; and the king placed a governor, with a
garrison, in Saint Lucar de Barameda, the usual residence of the dukes
de Medina-Sidonia.
So anxious was the prime minister to convince the king of the sincerity
of his relation's repentance, that he tried to engage that nobleman to
challenge the duke of Braganza, (as he termed him) to single combat.
Medina-Sidonia was greatly surprised at this extraordinary proposal, and
could not help reminding the minister, that the practice of duelling was
forbidden by all laws, both human and divine; but on perceiving the
count-duke still persisted in his design, he added, that it would be
very difficult to proceed to such extremities with his brother-in-law,
unless his majesty could procure a _bull_ from the pope, to shield him
from the dreadful excommunications pronounced by the church against
duellists.
The minister replied, that in a moment like the present one, such
scruples of conscience were unseasonable, and that it was his duty, by
some striking action, to prove himself worthy the gracious pardon he had
received, and at the same time remove every possible suspicion of his
having any secret intelligence with the rebels. "But if," continued he,
"you are absolutely decided against fighting, all I require is, that you
will not disavow the challenge I will take upon myself to publish in
your name." The duke, who plainly perceived that the whole of this
business was intended to amuse the people, consented to the proposal of
the challenge; the form of which was drawn up by the minister himself.
Several copies were distributed throughout Spain, Portugal, and most of
the courts in Europe. We will also insert it here, as a singular
composition, much more worthy the pen of a knight errant, than that of a
grandee of Spain, possessed of the first dignities of the kingdom.
DON GASPAR ALONÇO PEREZ DE GUSMAN, _duke of Medina-Sidonia,
marquis, count, and lord of Saint Lucar de Barameda,
captain-general of the sea, ocean, coasts of Andalusia, and armies
of Portugal, gentleman of the bedchamber to his catholic majesty_,
WHOM GOD PRESERVE.
"Whereas the treason of John (formerly duke) de Braganza, is a fact
of the utmost notoriety; now I wish to make alike public his
detestable intention of accusing the trusty house of Guzman of
disloyalty, a house which has remained for centuries back, and
will remain for ever obedient to its king and master; and this it
has proved by the blood of all its relatives and dependants shed in
his cause. This tyrant has poisoned the minds of foreign princes,
and likewise those of the misguided Portugueze, who have embraced
his party; and in order to give credit to his own wickedness, to
animate them in his favour, and (although in vain) to injure me in
the opinion of my master, (whom God preserve,) he has persuaded
them that I am of his party; founding and establishing his
preservation on the report he had himself circulated, and with
which he had infected the minds of every one; thus flattering
himself, that could he succeed in making the king of Spain suspect
my loyalty, he should not meet with so much opposition from me in
the execution of his designs, as he has done elsewhere. For this
purpose he has made use of a franciscan friar, sent from the
corporation of the town of Aïamonte, to Castro-Marin in Portugal,
to obtain the liberty of a Spanish prisoner, which friar, being
himself sent prisoner to Lisbon, has been worked upon to declare me
of his party, and to that end has even published some letters
which confirm his assertions, and accuse me of intending to favour
the entrance of all foreign troops which might approach the coast
of Andalusia, for the purpose of facilitating the means of
obtaining the supplies he had demanded from the said foreign
princes. And would to God it had been the case! since I should then
have called the world to witness my zeal by destroying their fleet,
a fate they must have experienced, according to the orders I had
issued in case of such an attempt. The above are some of my motives
for this appeal; but the principal subject of my griefs is his
wife's being allied to me by blood, which blood, being corrupted by
this rebellion, I am desirous of shedding, thinking myself bound to
prove to my king and master, by this action, the grateful sense I
have of his having expressed himself satisfied of my loyalty; and
also to remove from the minds of the public, the suspicions they
most probably had imbibed, from the false impressions made upon
them by the traitor.
"I therefore challenge the said John (formerly duke) de Braganza,
as having broken his faith to his God and to his king; and I defy
him to single combat, hand to hand, with or without seconds, at his
choice, which I also give him of weapons. The place of combat to be
near Valentia d'Alcantara, which serves as boundary to the two
kingdoms of Portugal and Castille, and there will I wait for him
eighty days, beginning from the first of October, and ending on the
nineteenth of December of this present year. The twenty last days I
will appear in person, in the market-place of the said Valentia,
and on the day he shall appoint, I will wait for him on the limits.
This space of time, although very long, I grant to the said tyrant,
that the affair may be made known, not only to him, but to the
greater part of the countries in Europe; nay, indeed, to the whole
world: and on condition that he will grant a safeguard to the
cavaliers whom I shall send forward a league into Portugal, as I
will grant one to those of his party a league into Castille, when I
promise myself to make known in the fullest manner the infamous
action he has committed.
"If he fail to obey this call upon him as a gentleman, and refuse
to comply with my challenge, as the only means left me to
exterminate this phantom; and I should perceive that he is not
hardy enough to meet me in single combat, to prove how I and all my
friends do, and ever have served our sovereigns, whilst he and his,
on the contrary, are traitors; I hereby do offer (under the
pleasure of his catholic majesty, whom God preserve) my town of
Saint Lucar de Barameda, the principal seat of the dukes de
Medina-Sidonia, to whomsoever shall kill the said John de Braganza:
and prostrating myself at the feet of his said majesty, I humbly
entreat him not to entrust me with the command of his army on this
occasion, which requires a degree of prudence and moderation, that
the excess of my wrath would prevent my exercising, but only to
permit me to serve in person at the head of a thousand horse, from
amongst my proper subjects; so that depending alone on my own
courage, I shall not only contribute to the restoration of
Portugal, and the punishment of this rebel, but in case he refuse
my challenge, I may then be enabled, by the aid of my troops, to
throw him dead or alive at the feet of his said majesty: and to
omit nothing which may prove my zeal. I also offer one of the
finest towns in my domains to the first Portugueze governor or
captain who shall surrender a place in Portugal, whether of great
or small importance to the service of his catholic majesty; but
after doing all I possibly can, I shall never have done enough for
his said majesty; since all I possess, I hold from, and owe to him
and his glorious ancestors."--Given at Toledo, this 29th of
September, 1641.
The duke de Medina, conformably to his challenge, did not fail to appear
on the field of battle. He was armed _cap-a-pee_, and escorted by don
John de Garray, colonel-commandant of the Spanish troops. Parleys were
beaten, and defiances published in the usual form; but no one appeared
on the part of the king of Portugal. That prince was indeed much too
prudent to act a part in so ridiculous a comedy; and even had the affair
been of a more serious nature, it would have been highly improper in a
sovereign thus to expose his person with a subject of his enemy.