Portugal -- History -- Modern, 1580-; Portugal -- History -- Revolution, 1640
The Marquiss _de Ferreira_ was the first who spoke, and was for having
them executed without delay: he represented, That in such cases as these
Justice only ought to be consulted, and that Mercy was most dangerous:
That Pardon would seem not so much the Effect of the Goodness, as
Weakness of the Prince, or the Fear of their threatning powerful
Friends: That if these should go unpunish'd, it would bring the
Government into Contempt, and encourage their Relations to deliver them
out of Prison, or perhaps to carry Matters farther: That now, at his
Accession to the Crown, he ought, by an Example of Severity, to deter
others from ever attempting the like. He urg'd farther, That they were
Traitors not only to the King, but also to the State, whose present
Constitution they had endeavour'd to subvert: That he ought rather to
hearken to the Justice which he ow'd his People, and punish these
Criminals, than to his own Inclination of forgiving them, especially at
a time when his Preservation and the publick Safety were inseparable.
The whole Council being of the same opinion, the King yielded, and the
next day Sentence was executed. The Archbishop of of _Lisbon_ being
willing to save one of his Friends, came to the Queen, and sollicited
her for a Pardon, with all the Assurance of a Man, who thought that
nothing could be deny'd him, and that his former Services might claim a
much greater Favour. But the Queen, who was convinc'd of the Justice and
absolute Necessity of their suffering the Law, and how much a
Distinction of this nature would incense the Friends and Relations of
the rest, answer'd the Archbishop in few words, but with such a Tone, as
made him see it would be in vain to urge his Request any farther; "My
Lord, the only Favour I can now grant you, is to forget that you ever
ask'd me this."
The King, unwilling to disoblige the Clergy, and especially the Court of
_Rome_, who had not as yet acknowledg'd him King, or receiv'd his
Ambassadors, would not suffer the Archbishop of _Braga_, or the Grand
Inquisitor, to be executed, but condemn'd them to a perpetual
Imprisonment; where the Archbishop shortly after died of a violent
Fever, a Disease often fatal to State-Prisoners, who for some politick
Reason must not be led to open Execution.
Nothing could be equal to the Surprize of _Olivarez_, when this News was
brought him; he could not imagine by what means the King of _Portugal_
had discover'd their Design, nor would it ever have been known, had not
an Accident happen'd, which made him see that it was the Marquiss
_Daiamonti_, who had unravel'd the dark Design, and acquainted the King
with it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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