It would have been a very easy matter to have push'd the King from out his Throne, had he not had a Minister to support him, who was ambitious, could govern the King as he pleas'd, make him do any thing, and who would spare no pains to preserve himself at the head of Affairs; the only way therefore of compassing their Ends, was to remove this Man, which was at last brought about in this manner. One of his Friends was bribed to tell him, that the Prince had swore he would sacrifice him, if he continued any longer at Court. The Count upon this Information doubled the Guards, arm'd all the Officers of the Household, and would have had the King go at the head of them, and seize the Prince. But as furious as the King was in his Midnight-Revels and Debauches, he had not Courage enough to attempt any thing of this nature, justly fearing that he should meet with no small Resistance. Wherefore he only wrote a Letter to the Prince, to order him to come to the Palace. He excus'd himself, objecting that he could not come whilst the Count was at Court, who had spread so many Stories to his disadvantage, and endeavour'd all he could to blast his Reputation; besides which, the Count was Master of the Palace, and that therefore he fear'd he could not be in safety there. Several Letters pass'd between the King and Prince; the former offer'd, that _Melhor_ should come, and on his Knees beg his pardon. But this was not what the Prince wanted, and he openly refus'd to come to Court till _Melhor_ was banish'd from it. The News of this had put _Lisbon_ into a strange Confusion, and a Civil War was just breaking out; but _Melhor_ with grief perceiv'd that _Schomberg_ favour'd the other Party, and that the Grandees of the Kingdom had all unanimously declar'd themselves in favour of the Prince; who, assisted also by the Queen's Friends, grew too powerful for him. Nay, _Melhor_'s very Relations, and those whom he had rais'd, forsook him, and told him, that if he must sink, he should sink alone. Wherefore disguising himself, he by Night escaped from the Palace, and retired to a Monastery seven Leagues from _Lisbon_; which he soon after left, to seek a sure Refuge in the Court of _Turin_. Upon this the Prince immediately came to the Palace, to pay his Devoirs to the King; every thing fell under his Management, and he soon dispersed all the late Favourite's Creatures. The King, destitute of Counsel, lay at the Prince's mercy, who had a Design upon, but durst not as yet touch his Crown, for fear of being thought an Usurper; but waited with patience till it should be given him by Lawful Authority, that is, by a Decree of the States of the Kingdom. But then it was in the King's power only to call together this Assembly of the States, which he was often advis'd to do, there being an absolute Necessity of their Meeting, to remedy the present Grievances of the Nation.