1808.] 
Prince of Afturiag—others accufed the Prince 
of Afturias of being at the head of a party to 
dethrone his fatner. Solemn councils and 
Tong proceedings, followed up by exiles! and 
p gS; f , 
violent aéts, far frem calming opinions, have 
agitated them ftill more. 
On the 15th of March, a report was fpread 
that the King, who was at Aranjuez, intend- 
ed retiring to Seville; that a great council, 
which was held at the palace, had fo decided, 
but. that opinions were) divided; that the 
Queen and Prince of Peace wished to depart; 
and that the Prince of Afturias and his*bro- 
ther defired to remain. It was. foon known, 
that the troops which were cantoned at Ma- 
drid, had orders to leave it; anda general un- 
eafinefs prevailed, when a proclamation from 
the King, oa the 16th, reftored tranquillity. 
On the 17th, it was known that the Spa- 
nifh Guards had marched ‘for Aranjuez, and 
that the two Swiis regiments only remained 
here. On this intelligence, every body re- 
paired to the avenues of Araf:juez, crying to 
the foldiers, ** Spaniards! will you abanden 
your country? Will you prereé& the flight of 
a prince who facrifices his fubjects, and who 
is going to introduce diforder in our colonies? 
Have we as little {pirit as the inhabitants of 
Lifbon?” 
On the 18th, the citizens repaired in 
crowds to Aranjuez. Ref.ays of horfes were 
already placed on the road to Seville; the 
troops incumbered the to'wn; and the luggage 
of the court was packing up in all the apart- 
ments. The night of tne 17th to the 18th 
was a night of tumulf:; the houfe of the 
Prince of Peace was pre steéted by his guards, 
who had a private pafs - word. 
At four o’clock in th.e morning, the people 
crowded to the palace«of the Prince of Peace, 
and were repulfed by his guards; the body- 
guards efpoufed the c¢ aufe of the people, and 
fell upon the Prince’s guards; the doors were 
for€ed open, the furiaiture broken, and the 
apartments devaftated . Ihe Princefs of Peace 
ran to the ftaircafe, a1 id was conducted to the 
King’s palace, with a il the refpe@ due to her 
birth andrank. The Prince of Peace difap- 
peared. Don Diego ( sodoy, his brother, com- 
mander of the body guards, was arrefied.by 
his own guards. 
The King and Qu een fat up all the night 
from the 17th to :the 18th. The French 
ambaffador arrived fr¢ »m Madrid at five o'clock 
of the morning, and i aftantly waited on their 
Majetfties. 
The r$th, a procla mation fram the King, 
granting the Prince af Peace a releafe from 
all his employments,, and declaring that he 
took upon himfelf tlie commarid of his ar- 
mies, wac publifhedat Aranjuez aind at Madrid. 
On the receipt of this inteliigence, the 
people of Madrid agai n crawded to the houfe 
of the Prince of Peace , and to thafe of many 
of the minifters, in ev ery one of which the 
furniture and windows were broke:3. Nabody 
eppofed the tumulte-ti¢ Captain G gneral was 
State of Public Affairs in April. . 
351 
bewildered—-while the Swifs regiments re- 
mained cantoned in the barracks. 
The tumult continuing to increafe, the 
King thought proper, on the 19th, in the 
evening, to iffue the decree fubjoined; and 
on the 2och the fubjoined publication took 
place. Bt 
Royal Decree, 
My habitual infirmities not permitting me 
to fupport any longer the important weight of 
the government of my kingdom; and having 
need, in order to re-eftablith my health, to 
enjoy private life in a more temperate clie 
mate, } have decided, after the moft mature 
deliberation, to abdicate my crown in favour 
of my heir, my moft beloved fon, the Prince 
‘of Afturias. 
Confequently, it is my royal will, that he 
be forthwith acknowledged and obeyed as” 
king, and natural lord of all my kingdoms 
and fovereignties; and that this royal decree 
of my free and fpontaneous abdication, may 
be exaétly and direétly fulfilled, you will 
communicate it to the council, and to all 
others to whom it may appertain. 
(Signed) I, Tue Kine. 
Given at Aranjuez, the rgth March, 1808. 
To Don Pedro Cevallos. 
Edict.—Don Arias Antonio Mor y Velarde, 
Dean-Governor ad Interim of ibe Council. 
The King, our mafter, Ferdinand VII. 
communicates to me, by fundry orders I have 
jutt received, that his Majefty has taken the 
refolution to confifcate immediately all the 
goods, chattels, efteéts, ations, and rights of 
Don Manual Godoy, wherever they may be 
found; to which end his Majefty has taken 
all fuitable meafures toafcertain which goods 
belong to him. He has likewife taken the 
refolution to come fhortly to this city to have 
himfelf proclaimed; but his Majefty defires, 
firft, that the people of Madrid, fo devoted 
and fo attached to his royal perfon, fhouid 
give him proofs of calmnefs and tranquillity 
afluring them, that he has given orders againft 
Don Manual Godoy, his goods, and revenues, 
which no loager belong to him; that his Mae 
jefty thinks mott ferioufly of repairing the 
wrongs done tu his beloved fubjefts who have 
fuffered for his caufe; in fine, he will con- 
ftantly watch, and take every meafure capa-_ 
ble of fecuring their happinefs. 
His Majefty alfomakes known'to me, that 
he has appointed his Excellency the Duke of 
Infantado colonel of his Spanifh guards, con- 
ferring on himat the fame time the prefiden- 
cy of Caftille. The King, my matter, defires a 
alfo that the perfons who have been confined 
in confequence of the canfe profecuted at San 
Lorenzo, fhouid return to his Majefty’s fide, 
In order that this may be made known to all, 
and that the loyal people of Madrid may 
know how much the King toils for theit hap- 
pinefs and welfare, he has ordered me to come- 
municate it to you, which I do by the pre- 
fent. (Signed) Dow Arras More 
Madrid, March 20, 1808, * 
The 
