safety of the nation, which cannot be done without the prompt and exemplary punishment of the vile and degenerate wretches who deceive their country and their king, by usurping the title of their defenders, while they are selling them to the enemy. From that severe punishment, such justices and places are not to be exempted as show any slowness in checking disorder and confusion, or do not execute your excellency's orders with the necessary punctuality and zeal. His majesty invests you with such great authority, in order that you may be convinced of the implicit confidence which he places in your energy and zeal. The necessary orders have been dispatched for that purpose to the respective juntas of government, that they may possess full knowledge thereof, and obey your excellency, to whom I communicate the above royal order for your information, and compliance with the same. God preserve your excellency many

Ordinance of the Marquis in consequence of the above Letter. Dated Leon, Dec. 1808.

In pursuance thereof, I ordain that all the inhabitants of the kingdom of Castile, Leon, and Asturias and Galicia, of from 16 to 45 years of age, are immediately to arm themselves with such musquets, carbines, pistols, sabres, and every other description of arms as they have in their possession. That all

vinces and districts, to be immediately incorporated with the armies. All other persons shall also arm to defend their respective provinces; all horses and mules belonging to any persons whomsoever, are put in a state of requisition, and are immediately to be delivered up for the use of the armies.

All armourers and smiths are, in preference to any other business, to devote their exertions to the fabrication of arms and pikes; the latter being destined for those inhabitants who cannot be supplied with any other sort of arms.

All persons refusing to enlist or deliver up horses, mules, and other necessaries, shall be committed as traitors to their country, and be punished in an exemplary manner. All vile deserters shall be shot as soon as apprehended, without any exception or mercy. Cowards who in an engagement with the enemy are the first to run away and cause disorder and confusion, may be killed on the spot for their own punishment, and as an example to others.

All those gallant defenders of their country, worthy of the heroic Spanish names, who distinguish themselves by deeds of superior valour, shall be rewarded in such a manner that their names shall be handed down to posterity, with those marks of public approbation which shall be best calculated to immortalize their glory.

MARQUIS DE LA ROMANA.

December 4, 1808.

Napoleon, emperor of the French, king of Italy, &c.

Con

Considering that the council of Castile has shown, in the exercise of all its functions, equal falsehood and feebleness: That after having published throughout the kingdom, the renunciation of king Charles the 4th, and of the princes don Fernando, don Carlos, don Francisco, and don Antonio, of the crown of Spain, and after having recognized and proclaimed our legitimate rights to

December 4.

We have decreed and do decree as follows:

Art. 1. The members of the council of Castile are removed as cowards, and unworthy of being the magistrates of a brave and generous nation.

2. The presidents and procurators of the king shall be arrested as hostages. The other members of the council shall be required to remain at Madrid in their houses, under pain of being prosecuted and punished as traitors; are nevertheless excepted from the present dis

&c.

Napoleon, emperor of the French,

We have decreed and do decree as follows:

Art. 1. The tribunal of the Inquisition is abolished, as contrary to the civil sovereignty and authority.

2. The property belonging to the Inquisition shall be put under sequestration, and be united to the domain of Spain, to serve as a guarantee for the vales, and for all other parts of the public debt. (Signed) NAPOLEON.

December 4.

&c.

Napoleon, emperor of the French,

We have decreed and do decree as follows:

Art. 1.

The same individual cannot possess more than one commandery.

2. From the 1st of January next, every individual possessing several

&c.

December 4.

one he prefers preserving-the others shall revert to the disposal

VÓL. LI.

NAPOLEON,

In

In our Imperial Camp of Madrid,

&c.

December 4.

Napoleon, emperor of the French,

Considering that the religious of the different monastic orders in Spain are too multiplied:

That if a certain number be useful to assist the ministers of the altar in the administration of the sacraments, the existence of too considerable a number is injurious to the prosperity of the state:

We decree as follows:

Art. 1. The number of convents at present existing in Spain, shall be reduced to a third. This reduction shall be produced by uniting the religious of several convents in one single house.

2. Dating from the publication of the present decree, no admission to the noviciate, no religious profession shall be permitted, until the number of the religious of each sex shall have been reduced to the third of the number of the said religious now existing.

In

consequence, and in the space of a fortnight, all the novices shall quit the convents into which they have been admitted.

3. All the regular ecclesiastics who wish to renounce their usual living, and to live as secular ecclesiastics, shall be free to quit their houses.

4. The religious who shall so renounce, conformably to the preceding article, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of a pension, whose amount shall be regulated by their age, but which shall not be less than 3,000 reals, nor exceed the maximum of 4,000.

5. Upon the amount of the property of the convents which shall

be suppressed in execution of the first article of the present decree, shall be raised the sum necessary to increase the portion of the cures, so that the minimum of the salary of the curates shall be raised to 2,400 reals.

6. The property of the suppres sed convents which shall be disposeable after the raising of the sum ordered by the foregoing article, shall be united to the domain of Spain, and be employed as follows:

1. The half of the said property to guarantee the vales and other parts of the public debt.

2. The other half to reimburse theprovinces and cities the expences occasioned by the supplying of the French armies, and the insurrectional armies, and to indemnify the cities and country for the damages, losses of houses, and other losses occasioned by the war.

(Signed) NAPOLEON.

In our Imperial Camp of Madrid, December 4.

&c.

Napoleon, emperor of the French,

We have decreed and do decree as follows:

Art. 1. Dating from the publication of the present decree, the feudal rights are abolished in Spain.

2. All personal dues, all exclusive rights of fishery, or other rights of the same nature on the coasts, rivers, and banks of rivers, all bannalities of mills are suppressed.

Each shall be permitted, by conforming to the laws, to give a free impulse to his industry.

(Signed) NAPOLEON.

In our Imperial Camp of Madrid,

&c.

December 4.

Napoleon, emperor of the French,

Considering that one of the establishments which are most injurious to the prosperity of Spain is that of the barriers existing between the provinces:

We have decreed and do decree as follows:

Art. 1. From the 1st of January next, the barriers existing from province to province shall be suppressed.

2. The custom-houses shall be removed, and established on the frontiers. (Signed)

NAPOLEON.

Napoleon, emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector of the confederation of the Rhine, &c.

Taking into our consideration, that one of the greatest abuses which have been introduced into the finances of Spain, arises from the alienation of the different branches of the imposts, and that nevertheless imposts are from their nature inalienable.

We have decreed, and do decree as follows:

From the publication of the present decree, every individual who shall be in possession, either by grant from the king, or by sale, or by any other means, of any portion whatever of the civil or ecclesiastical imposts, shall cease to receive them, and those from whom they may be leviable, shall be answerable for the payment of their respective imposts to the agents of the king or of the treasury.

can invent. Portugal, unfortunately, is threatened with all these evils, and its inhabitants have no means to avoid the horrors to which they are exposed, but by having recourse to arms, to repel by force, the odious and wicked designs of their enemies. We have therefore resolved, that the whole Portuguese nation shall be armed in the manner which to each inhabitant may be practicable, that all the males without exception of person or class, shall provide themselves with a pike, 12 or 13 palms (6 or 7 feet) in length, and such other arms as their circumstances may permit.

That all the cities, towns, and considerable villages, shall be fortified by blockading the entrances and principal streets with two, three, or more cross-beams, in order that all the inhabitants may be enabled to defend themselves vigorously when the enemy shall present himself.

That all the officers in Lisbon, and administrators of districts, shall within the space of eight days from the date of this decree, deliver in to the military governor-general of their respective provinces, a list of such persons as from their activity, ability, good conduct, and the respect they are held in by the people, are qualified to take a command, always preferring in similar circumstances, those who are already military officers, and pointing out such of the said officers as by their age, incumbrances, or other circumstances, ought no longer to fill the posts they occupy.

That all the generals charged with the military government of provinces, shall divide their governments into districts, and appoint an officer of known activity and probi

or militia, whom the chief and other officers shall obey in consequence of the said appointment, who shall visit the different villages of their district, examine the state of the several companies, and from the persons recommended to them, appoint such for officers as they shall judge deserving and capable, who shall immediately begin to exercise their companies, which shall assemble on all Sundays and saints' days in their respective districts, in order to render themselves expert in the use of the arms they have, and in military evolutions; comprehending all the males from fifteen to sixty.

Lastly, we have resolved, that every person who shall not take up arms, but refuse to concur with the nation in general, to the defence of our country, shall incur and suffer the punishment of death; and the same punishment shall await all those who shall furnish any succour or aid to the enemy, by supplying them with provisions, or assisting them in any other mode.

In like manner, any village which shall not defend itself against the assailants of the kingdom, but permit their entrance without making every possible resistance, shall be burnt and levelled with the ground.

And we hereby order all generals, military governors of provinces, the intendant-general of police, and all corregidors, auditors, and in general all officers military and civil to aid and assist in carrying into effect the provisions of this royal decree, which shall be affixed up in all the public places, all the cities, towns, and villages of this kingdom, in order that it may be known to every inhabitant.

Approved by the council of

war,