An Account of the Court of Portugal, Under the Reign of the Present King Dom Pedro II

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1700 edition. Excerpt: ...Bills for Secret, as well as Publick Service, and it is not impossible that the Holy See, may by this means undergo greater Scandal than it deserves, for the Fryars Account is allowed of upon his-own word, so that should he convert a considerable summ to his own use, he cannot be deed, deed, and yet it is no unheard of thing at Lislzorzz for one to be found out in reckoning some Thou' sands of Crowns for Bribes, which never were ex" pended in the Service..,. But these are not the only ways by which the Riches of Partuga/ are drawn to Rome; his Holiness hath his Apostolical Collectors (for so they are called ) to raise Tribute from the King's Subjectsas well as his own, and ssto receive his. share of the Taxes which the King levys in his own Dominions by his Holinels®s Permiffion. Dispensations for Marriages, must necessarily bri-ng him in'a veryv considerable and constant Revenue, the sorbidden Degrees being so very many in the Roman Church, whether upon the account of Consanguinity, or Spiritual Relation, that one would think there could scarce be a Wedding among Neighbours or People, that have for any time been acquainted, without a Dispensation: and it rarely, if ever happens, thata Match is broken off for want os one, supposing the Parties will' come up to the price-of it; if they apprehend any difficulty in'it, it is but beginning the Marriage at the wrong End, and then the Dispensation is granted of course', and the Price being rais®d according to the (xrality of the Persons, and nearneis of the Relation, great summs are continually drawn from Families of the better sort, who commonly marry within themselves," and some of them intrench so far upon the Laws of Nature, that the House of Austria in the last...