The following is the title of the work here alluded to—
El felicissimo viage del muy alto y muy poderoso Príncipe don Felipe, hijo del Emperador don Carlos Quinto Maximo, desde España à sus tierras de la baja Alemaña, con la descripcion de todos los estados de Brabante y Flandes, escripto en quatro libros por Juan Calvete de Estrella. En Anvers en casa de Martín Nucio, 1552.
(The happy journey of the most high and powerful Prince Philip, son of the Emperor Charles V., from Spain to his territories in lower Germany;—together with a description of all the states of Brabant and Flanders. Written in four books, by Juan Calvete de Estrella. Published at Antwerp by Martín Nucio, 1552.)
(T).
“I know the book you speak of——. It contains nothing but truth, and that cannot be said of the writings of all historians, some of whom give currency to falsehood by narrating events which never took place.” (Page 137.)
To the above passage, Don Adolfo de Castro appends the subjoined note, which, though bearing no direct reference to anything mentioned in the Buscapié, is nevertheless sufficiently curious to claim a place here.
“It cannot be doubted that many unfounded statements, by dint of being frequently repeated, come to be regarded as authentic historical facts. An example of this kind which may be here adduced had its origin in the Marques de San Felipe’s Comentarios de la guerra de España, e historia de Su Rey Felipe V. el animoso.[88] In that work we find the following passage—‘On the 24th of August, 1702, the combined English and Austrian fleet appeared before Cádiz. The vessels formed a line along the coast; some anchoring in the sands, and others slowly plying to windward. The Prince of Armstad, with five hundred English, landed at Rota, and the Governor of that town, after surrendering the place without opposition, went over to the enemy. His treachery was rewarded by the title of Marques, conferred on him by the Emperor of Austria. As soon as the Spaniards regained possession of Rota, the Governor was arrested. He was condemned to death and hanged by order of the Marquis de Villadarias, Captain-General of Andalusia.’
“Such is the Marquis de San Felipe’s account of the taking of Rota, by the English; and it was repeated by Fray Nicolás de Jesús Belando in his history of the Spanish civil war of that period.
“Don Tomás de Yriarte, in his lessons on the History of Spain (Lecciones instructivas de la Historia de España) relates the event in the same manner as the two writers above-named, adding that the Governor was hanged as a traitor, rather than as a coward.
“Don Antonio Alcalá Galiano, in his recently published History of Spain conforms, in his account of the taking of Rota, with the statements of the writers just noticed.