entirely outed them of the Ifland Ceylon and Coast of Cormandel, reduced Cochin, Cananor, Cranganor, and other Places in Malabar, and had gone near to have taken Goa it felf, their Capital City in India, if they had not come to a Peace with them in 1661; about which time John IV. dying, was fucceeded by his Son Alphonfus VI, who being guilty of Mal-Administration, and indeed incapable of Government, his Brother was fubstituted Regent of the Kingdom, and on the Decease of Alphonfus in 1683, took the Crown by the Name of Peter II. He dying in 17c6, was fucceeded A. D. 1706. by his Son John, the Fifth of that Name, who is now King of Portugal. During the War between France and the confederated Powers of Europe, which began in 1689, Portugal obferved an exact Neutrality, yet in the laft War they enter'd into the Grand Alliance in the Year 1703; but there not having happened any thing, during the Reign of the last or prefent Prince, remarkable to our purpose, we proceed next to the Naval Wars of the Spaniards. W CHAP. IX. Of the Naval Wars of the Spaniards. HEN the Roman Empire was drawing towards its Diffolution, and became unable to defend its Provinces from the Irruptions of barbarous Neighbours, Spain, as we have elsewhere obferved, fell a Prey to the Goths, who maintained themselves there, The Goths ounder a Series of thirty Kings, from the Time of their first Settle- verrun Spain. ment, Anno 418. to the Year 714; when the Moors or Saracens, A. D. 714. paffing over from Africa, by the Treachery of Count Julian, in about nine Month's time reduced the greatest part of the Country to their Obedience. Nevertheless there arose up amongst the Remains of the Gothick Race, fome great Men, who, by little and little, taking Advantage of the Diffenfions amongst the Moors, made head against them and laid the Foundation of those Kingdoms, which in the end proved too mighty for the Infidels. The first great Stand that was made against them was by the People of Afturias and Bifcay, who being impatient of a foreign Yoke, and ftrengthened by great Numbers of other Christians who fled from the Fury of the Moors to thofe mountainous Countries, chofe Pelagius for their King: Which Example was foon followed by thofe of Navarre, who about the fame time fet up Garcias Ximenes, the Founder of the Kingdom of Navarre, as Pelagius was of the Kingdom of Leon. 824. In the Reign of one of his Succeffors called Ramir I, who came to the Crown in 824, a numerous Fleet of Normans arrived on the Coast of Gallicia, where committing great Devastations, Ramir The Norman went against them, and forced them to retire with the Lofs of fe- by the Spaventy of their Ships, which he burnt. Thofe that efcaped from niards. 827 M m hence Fleet beaten |