The sun, it is said,
hid his face rather than shine on so barbarous a deed.
hid his face rather than shine on so barbarous a deed.
Camoes - Lusiades
His maxim was that of the
Jesuits; so that a contemplated good might be attained, he cared not how
villainous might be the means employed. When the enemies of Inez had
persuaded him that her death was necessary to the welfare of the state,
he took a journey to Coimbra, that he might see the lady, when the
prince, his son, was absent on a hunting party. Donna Inez, with her
children, threw herself at his feet. The king was moved with the
distress of the beautiful suppliant, when his three counsellors, Alvaro
Gonsalez, Diego Lopez Pacheco, and Pedro Coello, reproaching him for his
disregard to the state, he relapsed to his former resolution. She was
then dragged from his presence, and brutally murdered by the hands of
his three counsellors, who immediately returned to the king with their
daggers reeking with the innocent blood of his daughter-in-law. Alonzo,
says La Neufville, avowed the horrid assassination, as if he had done
nothing of which he ought to be ashamed.
[262] Pyrrhus, son of Achilles: he was also called Neoptolemus. He
sacrificed Polyxena, daughter of Priam king of Troy, to the manes of his
father. Euripides and Sophocles each wrote a tragedy having the
sacrifice of Polyxena for the subject. Both have unfortunately
perished. --_Ed. _
[263] Hecuba, mother of Polyxena, and wife of Priam. --_Ed. _
[264] The fair Inez was crowned Queen of Portugal after her interment.
[265] Atreus, having slain the sons of Thyestes, cut them in pieces, and
served them up for a repast to their own father.
The sun, it is said,
hid his face rather than shine on so barbarous a deed. --Ed.
[266] At an old royal castle near Mondego, there is a rivulet called the
fountain of Amours. According to tradition, it was here that Don Pedro
resided with his beloved Inez. The fiction of Camoens, founded on the
popular name of the rivulet, is in the spirit of Homer.
[267] When the prince was informed of the death of his beloved Inez, he
was transported into the most violent fury. He took arms against his
father. The country between the rivers Minho and Doura was laid
desolate: but, by the interposition of the queen and the Archbishop of
Braga, the prince relented, and the further horrors of a civil war were
prevented. Don Alonzo was not only reconciled to his son, but laboured
by every means to oblige him, and to efface from his memory the injury
and insult he had received. The prince, however, still continued to
discover the strongest marks of affection and grief. When he succeeded
to the crown, one of his first acts was a treaty with the King of
Castile, whereby each monarch engaged to give up such malcontents as
should take refuge in each other's dominions. In consequence of this,
Pedro Coello and Alvaro Gonsalez, who, on the death of Alonzo had fled
to Castile, were sent prisoners to Don Pedro. Diego Pacheco, the third
murderer, made his escape. The other two were put to death with the most
exquisite tortures, and most justly merited, if torture is in any
instance to be allowed. After this the king, Don Pedro, summoned an
assembly of the states at Cantanedes. Here, in the presence of the
Pope's nuncio, he solemnly swore on the holy Gospels, that having
obtained a dispensation from Rome, he had secretly, at Braganza,
espoused the Lady Inez de Castro, in the presence of the Bishop of
Guarda, and of his master of the wardrobe; both of whom confirmed the
truth of the oath.
Jesuits; so that a contemplated good might be attained, he cared not how
villainous might be the means employed. When the enemies of Inez had
persuaded him that her death was necessary to the welfare of the state,
he took a journey to Coimbra, that he might see the lady, when the
prince, his son, was absent on a hunting party. Donna Inez, with her
children, threw herself at his feet. The king was moved with the
distress of the beautiful suppliant, when his three counsellors, Alvaro
Gonsalez, Diego Lopez Pacheco, and Pedro Coello, reproaching him for his
disregard to the state, he relapsed to his former resolution. She was
then dragged from his presence, and brutally murdered by the hands of
his three counsellors, who immediately returned to the king with their
daggers reeking with the innocent blood of his daughter-in-law. Alonzo,
says La Neufville, avowed the horrid assassination, as if he had done
nothing of which he ought to be ashamed.
[262] Pyrrhus, son of Achilles: he was also called Neoptolemus. He
sacrificed Polyxena, daughter of Priam king of Troy, to the manes of his
father. Euripides and Sophocles each wrote a tragedy having the
sacrifice of Polyxena for the subject. Both have unfortunately
perished. --_Ed. _
[263] Hecuba, mother of Polyxena, and wife of Priam. --_Ed. _
[264] The fair Inez was crowned Queen of Portugal after her interment.
[265] Atreus, having slain the sons of Thyestes, cut them in pieces, and
served them up for a repast to their own father.
The sun, it is said,
hid his face rather than shine on so barbarous a deed. --Ed.
[266] At an old royal castle near Mondego, there is a rivulet called the
fountain of Amours. According to tradition, it was here that Don Pedro
resided with his beloved Inez. The fiction of Camoens, founded on the
popular name of the rivulet, is in the spirit of Homer.
[267] When the prince was informed of the death of his beloved Inez, he
was transported into the most violent fury. He took arms against his
father. The country between the rivers Minho and Doura was laid
desolate: but, by the interposition of the queen and the Archbishop of
Braga, the prince relented, and the further horrors of a civil war were
prevented. Don Alonzo was not only reconciled to his son, but laboured
by every means to oblige him, and to efface from his memory the injury
and insult he had received. The prince, however, still continued to
discover the strongest marks of affection and grief. When he succeeded
to the crown, one of his first acts was a treaty with the King of
Castile, whereby each monarch engaged to give up such malcontents as
should take refuge in each other's dominions. In consequence of this,
Pedro Coello and Alvaro Gonsalez, who, on the death of Alonzo had fled
to Castile, were sent prisoners to Don Pedro. Diego Pacheco, the third
murderer, made his escape. The other two were put to death with the most
exquisite tortures, and most justly merited, if torture is in any
instance to be allowed. After this the king, Don Pedro, summoned an
assembly of the states at Cantanedes. Here, in the presence of the
Pope's nuncio, he solemnly swore on the holy Gospels, that having
obtained a dispensation from Rome, he had secretly, at Braganza,
espoused the Lady Inez de Castro, in the presence of the Bishop of
Guarda, and of his master of the wardrobe; both of whom confirmed the
truth of the oath.
