ALB. 
Eafler was called dominica in albis, on account of the albs 
worn by thofe baptized on Eafter-day. 
Alb, is alfo a name of aTurkifli coin, otherwife called 
afper. See Asper. 
ALBA, anciently a town of the Marfi, in Italy, fitu- 
ated on the north fide of the Lacus Fucinus, ftill retain¬ 
ing its name. It (lands upon an eminence, and is noted in 
Roman hiftory for being the (late prifon where captive 
princes were fhut up, after being barbaroufly dragged 
through the (treets of Rome at the chariot wheels of a tri¬ 
umphant conful. Perfes kingof Macedon terminated his 
wretched career in this confinement, with his fon, the laft 
hope of an illuftrious line of kings. Syphax the Numi- 
dian, and Bituinus king of the Averni, were alfo con¬ 
demned to this gaol by the particular clemency of the fe- 
nate, which fometimes indulged its favage difpofition by 
putting its captives to death. Alba being fituated in the 
centre of Italy, amidft difficult mountainous pafles, and 
far from all means of efcape, was efteemed a mod proper 
place for the purpofe of guarding prifoners of importance. 
Artificial ftrength was added to its natural fecurity by for¬ 
tifications, which remain to this day in a (late that proves 
their ancient folidity. For the entertainment of the gar- 
rifon, which was required in a place of fuch confequence, 
an amphitheatre was erefted, of which the ruins are ftill 
vifible, as well as the foundations of a temple, and other 
buildings of Roman times. Lucius Vitellius, brother to 
the emperor of that name, had a villa near this place, fa¬ 
mous for the variety and excellence of its fruit-trees, 
which he had brought from Syria. His gardens were the 
nurferies where feveral of the mol delicious ftone-fruits, 
that.are now fo common in Europe, were firft cultivated 
and multiplied. It mull have been neceflary at Alba to 
fhelter trees tranfplanted from Afia, and to treat them 
with great tendernefs and care, in order to rear them to 
perfection : for the climate of this high region is-extreme- 
ly rigorous in winter; the cold feafon lafts long, and is 
accompanied with violent (forms of wind and falls of fnow. 
The lake has been often frozen entirely over. 
Alba (Duke of), was indifputably one of the greateft 
generals of the (ixteenth century. This remarkable per- 
fon, whole cha rafter exhibits fuch a Angular mixture of 
vices and virtues, was born in the year 1508, and wasde- 
fcended from one of the mod illuftrious families in Spain. 
Deftined from his youth to the profeflion of arms, he made 
his firft campaign at the age of feventeen, and the year 
following was prefentat the famous battle of Pavia. Even 
at this early period the duke (hewed (igns of that cruelty 
which afterwards rendered him fo odiotts. Strada gives 
us the following inftance of it:—The emperor afking his 
advice on the manner in which he (hould punifh the re- 
voiters, he anfwered, “ That fuch a rebellious city fhould 
be razed to the ground.” Charles, who, notwithftanding 
his wrath, ftill preferved an affeftion for the city in which 
he was born, ordered the duke to afcend a tower, from 
which the whole extent of the city might be feen. On his 
return, he afked him, with a fcornful fmile, How many 
Spani(h (kins would make fuch a glove; the name of 
Ghent in French, in which language he addrefled him, 
fignifying a glove. Alba, perceiving he had offended the 
emperor, held down his head without making any reply. 
In th.e year 1542, the duke of Alba, having the com¬ 
mand of the fortrefs of Perpignan, which was befieged 
by the French, defended it with fuch intrepidity, that the 
enemy were obliged to raife the fiege, and return to France, 
without having eft'efted any thing. From this time he 
found himfelf daily rifing in his fovereign’s favour, fo that 
he was appointed grand mailer of the Imperial court; 
and, in 1546, was made commander in chief of the army 
in Germany. At the battle of Mulelberg he gave proofs 
of extraordinary courage, and contributed not a little to 
the victory obtained there. It was reported, that, during 
the combat, the fun flood ftill, as if to render the empe¬ 
ror’s triumph more complete. Charles had fufficient 
3 
ALB 235 
weaknefs and vanity to wi(h that this ridiculous tale might 
obtain belief, and he be confidered asafecond Jofliua. In 
the war with France the duke of Alba commanded the 
army under the emperor. At the fiege of Metz, in 1552, 
he performed prodigies of valour; though the place was 
fo well defended, that Charles was obliged to abandon the 
fiege. 
Whatever favour the duke of Alba had enjoyed under 
Charles V. his greatnefs was not at its fummit till the reign 
of Philip II. He was foon the acknowledged favourite 
of this cruel monarch, with whofe fanguinary difpofition 
his own perfeftly accorded. In 1559, he was fentto Pa¬ 
ris, to efpoufe the princefs Elizabeth in his mafter’s name, 
and conduft her into Spain. Six years afterwards, when 
Charles IX. king of France, the queen his mother, and 
Elizabeth, had an interview at Bayonne, the duke was 
again appointed to be the conduftor of the latter. He 
appeared with a mod fplendid equipage ; and, at the en¬ 
tertainments made on the occafion, (ignalifed himfelf great¬ 
ly by his addrefs and ability. 
The Flemings, robbed of their privileges, and, by the 
eftabliftnnent of the inquilition, deprived of their deareft 
poffeffion, liberty, had frequently addrefled their com¬ 
plaints to the court of Spain ; but their grievances always 
went unredrefled. The repeated contempt they experi¬ 
enced exhaufted their patience, and they took up arms. 
The duke of Feria and the prince Eroti advifed the king 
to employ gentle methods with them; but the duke of 
Alba was for compelling the rebels to return to their du¬ 
ty by force. This counfel was too well fuited to the cha- 
rafter of the king not to meet his approbation; accord¬ 
ingly he gave it the preference, and, without taking firne 
to weigh the matter deliberately, inftantly refolved to fend 
into the Netherlands a chofen army under the command of 
the duke of Alba, to whom he gave an unlimited autho¬ 
rity, with the title of governor-general of thofe coun¬ 
tries. For more than fix years the duke ruled the Ne¬ 
therlands with'a rod of iron. The unfortunate counts 
Egmont and Horne were the firft viftims of his rage, lo- 
fing their lives on the fcaffbld. Many people of rank ex- 
preffing themfelves to the duke with fome furprife at his 
rigour, he anfwered cooly, “ The heads of a couple of 
falmon are better than thofe of a thoufand frogs.” Such 
was his cruelty, that he frequently boafted of having cau 
fed upwards of eighteen thoufand men to fuffer by the 
hands of the executioner, during his regency. 
Notwithftanding tire innumerable complaints made 
againft him, the king loaded him with favours, and gave 
him his confidence in a greater degree than ever. Thus he 
lived many years, efteemed by his friends, hated infecret 
by thofe who envied him, and deified by his flatterers, 
till an unforefeen accident loft him the king’s favour, and 
baniftied him from the court. Garcias de Toledo, one of 
his fons, had feduced a lady of the firft rank under a pro- 
mife of marriage, which he’refufed to fulfil. The king 
gave orders, that he fhould be arrefted and confined tiil 
he had performed his promife. By the help of his father, 
who was no lefsaverfe to the match, than himfelf, Garcias 
found means to efcape; and, the better to fruftrate the 
king’s intention, was immediately married to his coufin, 
the daughter of the marquis of Villeux. Philip was fo 
highly incenfed at this (lep, that he forbade the duke to 
appear at court, and baniftied him to the caftle of Uzeda. 
This was a thunder-ftroke to the duke, who was thus 
obliged to fpend near two years in exile. 
Immediately on the death of Henry king of Portugal, 
in 1580, Philip refolved to affert his pretenfions to that 
kingdom. Succefs could only be hoped for from arms; 
and for this enterprife who fo fit as the duke of Alba, in 
whom all the talents and qualifications conftituting a great 
general were in the mod eminent degree united f Thus, 
when he lead expefted it, the baniftied duke received a 
vifit from two meffengers of the king, who demanded, 
whether his health would permit him to take the command 
qf 
