The New Hampshire Gazette

AS the History of the World is a necessary Branch
of useful Knowledge, being a Description or Recital of
Things as they are, or have been, in a continued orderly
Narration of the principal Facts and Circumstances
thereof, it must certainly be entertaining to the curious
and thinking Parts of Mankind from Time to Time to
have Accounts of the several Kingdoms, Provinces,
Cities, Towns and remarkable Places; and may be of
Great Service as well as Amusement in the perusal of a
weekly Paper, which is generally allowed to be the
cheapest as well as best Method of giving us a true Idea
of the contending Parties now at War. And as the
King of Spain is endeavouring to conquer Portugal,
which is one of the richest Kingdoms in the World tho'
the weakest, some Account of it at this Time may be
seasonable.

The Kingdom of PORTUGAL.

This Country being in the same
Latitude, and contiguous to Spain,
the Nature of its Climate and
the Productions in general are
much the same; but in that of beautiful
Women (which is infinitely the finest that
Man can conceive) it is thought to surpass
all Europe. The Extent of the Kingdom is
a Hundred Leagues in Length, and about
Thirty five in Breadth: Its most Northern
Province lies between the Rivers Douro and
Minho, the Soil of which is so fertile, and
the Air so pure and wholesome, that many
of their Women will breed till they are
Fifty. Their Houses are full of Children,
and the Parents live to a great Age. The
Plains are covered with Sheep, and the
Mutton is the sweetest in all Spain. Here
also they have a perpetual Spring.

Portugal, is the most westerly Kingdom
of Europe, situated between 7 and
10 degrees of W. Long. and between 37 and
42 degrees of N. Lat. bounded by the Kingdom
of Spain on the N. and E. and by the
Atlantic Ocean on the W. and S.

This country is not so hot as Spain.
especially that part which lies on the coast
being cooled by the sea-breezes: but it is
not so fruitful as Spain, being encumbered
with some of the barrenest mountains on
that continent: however towards the bottom
of them, they are planted with vines,
which produce a great deal of good wine.
The soil also produces plenty of olives, as
well as oranges and lemons; but neither
their oil nor their sour oranges are so good
as those of Spain. Their sweet oranges,
however, which they introduced from China,
and for that reason are called China oranges,
are the best in Europe. They have not
corn enough for their subsistence; but are
supplied with it frequently from England
and Holland. As to their peasants and
country people, they eat scarce any other
but Indian corn; a very coarse food. The
flesh of their cattle is generally lean and
dry; but they have plenty of chestnuts, al-
monds, figs, and raisins. They make also
a great deal of salt, of the sea water, let in-
to shallow pans; especially in the bay of St.
Ubes, from whence they export a great deal,
especially to America. The foreign trade
of the Portuguese consists either in the ex-
portation of the produce of their own soil,
viz, red and white Port wines, oranges, le-
mons, and other fruits; or in the exporta-
tion of the merchandise they receive from
their plantations and settlements in Asia.
Africa, and America; of which, those from
Brazil, in America, are much the most con-
siderable: for, besides vast quantities of su-
gar, tobacco, rum, cotton, indigo, hides,
train oil, dying woods, and drugs, they im-
port vast treasures of gold, silver, and dia-
monds from Brazil, having lately discovered
some very valuable mines of these precious
minerals there; insomuch, that the value
of diamonds are sunk considerably. But,
notwithstanding Portugal is now one of the
richest kingdoms in the world it is, however
the weakest. They have neither fleets nor
armies sufficient to defend their sea coasts
or frontiers; and, were it not that the rest
of the powers of Europe know it to be their
interest to defend them against Spain, they
would soon be swallowed up by that potent
neighbour. This is a much greater secu-
rity than the double marriages contracted
between the two crowns, in the year 1729.
Portugal is an absolute monarchy, and the
crown hereditary. There are assemblies of
the states and cortes here, indeed, as well
as in Spain; but they only serve to confirm
the decrees of the Prince. The public an-
nuual revenues of the kingdom amount to
near one million sterling, clear of all pen-
sions and salaries: but the King receives a
much greater revenue from the produce
of the MINES of Brazil: which it is
scarce possible to make a just estimate of.
There is no country to which the English
trade to greater advantage: for, tho' we
import the greatest part of their wine and
fruit, they take our woollen manufacture in
return, with which they do not only clothe
the Portuguese of Europe, but numerous
colonies they have in Asia, Africa, and
America; and many nations that formerly
went naked, which the Portuguese have
taught to clothe themselves, and conform
to European customs. And, tis certain, we
have imported a great deal of gold from
Portugal, tho' the exportation of it from
thence is prohibited, under very severe pen-
alties, by their government.

The Province of Entre Douro e Minho Porto.

The City of Porto lies upon the North
Side of the River Douro: It is remark-
able for the vast Quantities of its Wine,
which it exports for England. The Port -is
spacious, but difficult to enter; but there
is a very fine Key, that runs from one End
of the Town to the other.

The City stands upon the Declivity of a
Mountain, which makes the Streets uneven;
but they are well paved, and kept clean:
It is fortified after the old Fashion, with
high Walls and Towers. There are Aca-
demies, where Gentlemen may learn the
usual Exercises, and other Arts and Sciences.
They have also Docks, where they build
Men of War.

One of their finest public Structures is
the Convent of St. Augustine. The Church
is a round Building, and richly adorned;
and in the Convent there is a Gallery, which
is remarkable upon account of its extraor-
dinary Length. The Place has no Defence,
but a small Fort.

BRAGA.

The City of Braga is Situated on the
South Side of the River Cavado, in Forty-
One Degrees and Forty Minutes Latitude,
and Eighteen Miles from the Sea: It is the
Metropolis of all Portugal, and was for-
merly of all that Part of Spain, which has
been recovered from the Moors, before the
Spaniards retook Toledo; and from that
time the Primacy was given to Toledo. The
Archbishop is both Spiritual and Tempo-
ral Lord of it: for which Reason he car-
ries a Crozier in his Hand, and wears a
Sword by his Side. It was a Colony of
the Romans, and was called Bracara-Au-
gusta, or Bracaraugusta, as appears by the
Inscription which they found there.

And as an additional Confirmation of
the Antiquity of the Place, in the Year
1748, in digging a new Foundation for
the Monastery of the Capuchins there, they
discovered the following Treasure, con-
sisting of a vast Quantity of Copper Coins
of several Roman Emperors, contained in a
large Urn, and of One hundred and Seventy
seven Gold Medals, in Four separate Ves-
sel, contained in another large Urn.

In the first of these there were Twenty-
one of the Emperor Nero, and his Mother
Agrippina, with this Inscription, "Divo Ne-
roni Consuli, et Agrippinæ Augustæ."

In the Second, were Eighteen of Titus
struck in the Life time of his Father, up-
on his subduing the Jews) thus inscribed.
Tito Vespasiani Augusti Filio, Judæis subactis.

In the Third, were Twenty-three of the
Emperor Trajan, upon his Return from
Cologne, as appears by this Legend, M. Ul-
pio Crinito Cæsari Trajano a Colo. Ubior:
Romam reduci.

In the Fourth, were Twenty-nine of Se-
verus, on his settling the Affairs of Africa,
with this Inscription, Flavio Valerio Imper-
atori Severo Africæ Moderatori, Pio Pacifico.

In the Vessel there were Thirty-six small
Pieces of the Emperor Tacitus, which were
struck upon his Election, being thus incri-
bed. Marco Claudio Tacito electione exercitus
Romani Divi Augusti Imperatori.

After the Romans, the Suevi made it their
Capital for the Space of 170 Years; and
their immediate Successor the Goths hon-
oured it as long in the same Manner.

The Buildings are of a durable Stone.
and are ancient, magnificent, and strong;
and the City-Walls were rebuilt by King
Ferdinand in the Year 1375, on the Foun-
dation laid before by Don Dionis: It is
also very worthy of our Notice, that St.
James preached the Gospel there.

The Cathedral is large, beautiful, and
strong; and the Archbishop's Palace is a
magnificent Pile.

The Inhabitants are computed to be a-
bout Three thousand Families, distributed
into Five Parishes, containing Three Con-
vents, and as many Monasteries; a fine
Hospital for the Sick, and a handsome Col-
lege for Students: Here, as in most Cities,
and many Market-towns, is a fine Building
called la Misericordia, for relieving of Per-
sons well born, and reduced; and all such as cannot publicly ask Alms, are from hence
plentifully relieved, and so privately, that
no one knows who are obliged to this House, and who not. Here also they educate young Maidens, give them Portions, and marry them to industrious Trademen.

Boys also are put out Apprentices, and, when they are out of their Time, are set up in their Trades. Foundling Children are received here too, and taken great Care of.

Antient History having recorded the Bravery of the Women of Braga, and their Victory being attended with remarkable Circumstances, the Reader, I presume, will not be displeased to be acquainted with them.

Some time before this Part of Portugal was subdued by the Romans, there happened a mortal Quarrel between the Inhabitants of Braga and those of Porto, in which the Ladies of Braga seem to have been as much concerned as the Men, not only by the Rage and Fury which they showed in the Battle, but also by the particular Privileges and Advantages granted them by the Articles of Peace. In short, Men were too weak to sustain their Fury; and they gave those of Porto such an Overthrow, as reduced them to the following Conditions, which being curious, I shall give them at large.

Imprimis, If a Woman of Braga marries a Man of Porto, she shall bring no Portion; but the Husband shall be obliged to present her Father, and each of her Brothers, with a very rich Suit of Cloaths.

Secondly, If she should commit Adultery, that it shall not be in the Husband's Power to kill her: but she shall be left to the Judgment of her own Father, or her nearest Male Relation.

Thirdly, That they shall make no Fortifications without the Consent of the Women of Braga.

Fourthly, That in War a Man of Porto should have no Post of Importance in the Army.

Fifthly, That, if any Man of Porto were permitted to accept of a great Post, that, in such Case, a Woman of Braga, completely armed, should tread upon his Neck, in order to qualify him for the Honour proposed.

Sixthly, That if a Man of Porto proposed to marry a Virgin of Braga, that she should be first deflowered by some one of her own Relations, whom he should think fittest for that Purpose; and the patient Bridegroom is obliged to lead her to her favourite Relation's Bed.

Seventhly, If a Man of Braga commit Adultery with a Woman of Porto, he shall not be punished; but, for his Atonement, he shall leave his Cloaths behind him.

The inexpressible Valour of the Women of Braga is so evident, by the particular Care that is taken of their Concerns in the Treaty, that one would be almost inclined to think, that Five or Six of the Articles were of their own drawing up.