X. 1808. June. have been to deliver him up to the French, and CHAP. to certain death; but though he had with strange want of circumspection walked into the snare, neither his courage nor his presence of mind forsook him. Oliveira, with Araujo and another officer, went out into the varanda to give directions concerning him; Raymundo, who was Neves, iii. left alone in the apartment, quietly locked the varanda door, and lost no time in gaining a place of concealment. 91-97. arms and Portuguez, Bellesta had left a letter for Junot, which the Junot disChamber of Porto, as soon as his departure left seizes the Spaniards them to the sense of their own weakness, dis- at Lisbon. patched to Lisbon, with assurance of their continued submission to the French. The news reached him at the close of an entertainment given by the French officers at the theatre, where, though the Russian admiral and his officers were present, the portrait of Buonaparte was displayed, with the Russian flag lying among other trophies at his feet. A sense of insecurity was manifested Observador amid their festivities; the avenues to the theatre 292. were occupied by armed troops, fire engines were made ready, and all the watermen were ordered to be at hand with their barrels full. The entertainment continued till four in the morning, and immediately afterward movements were observed which indicated that some important intelligence. had arrived; couriers were sent off, troops crossed the Tagus, and detachments marched to Mafra, Santarem, and other places. A body of Spaniards who were stationed in the Campo de X. CHAP. Ourique were ordered to the Convent of S. Francisco da Cidade, an unfinished pile of enormous 1808. magnitude, which the French occupied as barracks, and where a thousand men were waiting June. Portuguez, to disarm them as soon as they should enter. The Spaniards, when they drew nigh, suspected Observador some ill design, and fixing their bayonets, de295. clared they would not be quartered there. They were allowed to return without interruption; and in the evening they and their countrymen at Val de Pereiro, being in all 1200, were ordered to assemble at two in the morning, in the Terreiro do Paço, there to embark and cross the river on their way to Spain. Thither they repaired joyfully, and found 3000 troops awaiting them, with cannon placed under the arcades of that great square, and at the mouths of the streets which open into it; and they were summoned to lay down their arms and baggage, and surrender. In the course of that and the succeeding day, the Spaniards from Mafra and other parts were brought in as prisoners, in a condition which excited the compassion of the people, their women exhausted with the fatigue of marching in the burning heat of summer, some carrying children at the breast, and some, who were unable to walk, tied upon the baggage carts, lest they should be thrown off. The whole number of Spaniards thus arrested was somewhat above 4500; they were confined in hulks upon the Tagus. The officers were left at liberty upon their parole; but after a few days, when several X. 1808. June. had broken an engagement, which, considering CHAP. the manner in which they had been seized, they did not think themselves bound in honour to observe, they were placed under the same confinement as the men. Junot then informed his army, in public orders, that the infamous conduct of the Spanish General Bellesta, the revolt of two regiments, the arrest of some of his officers at Badajoz and at Ciudad Rodrigo, and the inability of the Spanish commanders to control their men, had compelled him to this severe measure. Happily it had been executed without shedding blood. These Spaniards were not enemies; they should receive pay and provisions as heretofore, and their actual situation in no degree altered his good disposition toward them. He expressed his satisfaction at the conduct of Neves, iii. his soldiers; and said, that if the English thought Observador proper to make an attack, they were now fully 300. at leisure to receive them. 99-109. Portuguez, clamation He addressed a proclamation also to the Por- Junot's protugueze, wherein with incautious effrontery he to the Poravowed the double treachery which had been tuguese. practised upon them and upon the Spaniards. June 11. After six months of tranquillity, he said, the peace of the kingdom had been in danger of being disturbed by the Spanish troops, who entered the country apparently as allies, but in reality with the intention of dismembering it. No sooner had he in the Emperor's name taken possession of the whole government, than they had begun to show their dissent: and at length X. 1808. June. CHAP. their conduct at Porto, and in other places, had compelled him to disarm all who were within his reach. "Portugueze," he continued, "I have hitherto been satisfied with your good disposition. You have known how to appreciate the advantages which must result to you from the protection of Napoleon the Great. You have had confidence in me. Continue it, and I will guarantee your country from all invasion, from all dismemberment. If the English, who know not how to do any thing except fomenting discord, choose to seek us, they will find us ready to defend you. Some of your militia and your remaining troops shall make part of my army to cover your frontiers; they will be instructed in the art of war, and if I may be fortunate enough to put in practice the lessons which I learnt from NaObservador poleon, I will teach you how to conquer." Junot 297. seems at this time to have aimed at conciliating the Portugueze soldiers, and making them act with his army. For this purpose he announced certain new regulations by which they were placed upon the same footing with the French June 14. as to their pay and provisions. Hitherto fourfifths of their pay had been in paper money, which was at a great discount; the proportion was now reduced to two-thirds. A promise was made that the first item in the monthly military expenses should be for the allowance of the Portugueze prisoners in Algiers. The manner in which it was notified that the troops were to be under French command, was not in the imperious tone Portuguez, X. 1808. June. which the Duke of Abrantes, as he styled him- CHAP. self, heretofore had used; they were to form part of the divisions, it was said, within whose districts they were stationed; consequently the French commanders were to include them in their reports, and inspect and review them, to see that they received what was their due, and to perfect and accelerate their instruction. The Observador artillery, cavalry, engineers, and marine, were to 303. be immediately under the orders of the respective French generals, who by this means would know their force, watch over their instruction, and see to their welfare: the intention of his majesty being, that the Portugueze troops should be treated in the same manner as his own in all respects. Portuguez, the Corpo Lisbon. But it was too late for conciliation and flattery, Festival of after so many acts of insolent oppression: and de Deos at an accident at this time occurred to manifest with what suspicious apprehensions the French June 16. and the inhabitants of Lisbon mutually regarded each other. The day arrived for the annual procession of the Corpo de Deos. In the days of Joam V. this had been the most splendid display which the Catholic religion exhibited in Europe; and though in latter years the management had been less perfect, and there had been some diminution of its splendour, it was still a spectacle of unrivalled magnificence and riches. The streets of the capital on that occasion, and that only, were cleaned and strewn with fine gravel; the houses were hung with damask; the troops VOL. II. E |