his Masters who had the charge and gouernment of him For he was at this age so skilfull in the seuen Liberall Sciences that they who were the most learned in them spake of them in his presence With much feare and bashfulnesse for at euery other word he corrected the Imperfections which proceeded out of their Ignorance And at the eighteenth yeare of his age he wrote the three bookes of Mathematickes and Astrologie which are so renowmed at this day amongst the Arabians Hee wrote also the abridgement of Histories the great Art of Algebra and the booke of the exercise of the militarie Art and that which hee entitled The Mirrour of Princes At the one and twentieth yeare of his age he wrote the three Bookes of Philosophie vpon the Texts of Aristotle in forme of a Comment Notwithstanding that which was most to be admired was that at the fiue and twentieth yeare of his age he spake eleuen Languages reading and writing them as perfectly as the very Naturals themselues The King Abilgualit his father being himselfe a wise man yet vndertooke no enterprise without his counsell and aduice because hee found that in so doing his affaires euer succeeded according to his hearts desire This valorous Prince hauing liued after this manner a certaine season and hauing ordayned a Iurgo di canas and other disports called vnto them the great Alcaydes who were Gouernors of his Kingdomes one of which at his comming presented to the King Abilgualit his father an Alfange which is a Sword or Cimiter of inestimable value for the handle was of the finest Emerald the pommell of a stone called a Balais Tabeli the scabberd and chape hilt of fine gold wrought with the hammer with sundry sorts of precious stones enchaced Hâ—ia and the blade most excellently damasked Some of the Alcaydes hauing seene and handled it from hand to hand they all concluded in saying that were it but halfe a hands bredth longer it would then be the best weapon in the world whereat the King Abilgualit was much distasted because hee had taken a great liking thereof and therfore caused the Prince Jacob Almansor to be called that hee might see it and giue his iudgement thereon admonishing the Alcaydes that none should aduertise him of the fault they found who being come to his presence he commanded that the Alfange should be showne him who was so wel pleased with the sight of it that he presently spake these words This Weapon is worth a Citie The King his father replyed that hee should looke well theron and consider what fault there was to be found therein but hee said hee found none the thing being as well framed and wrought as he could desire Then his father the King Abilgualit acquainted him how the Alcaydes did say that the Blade was too short Whereat the Prince taking the Alfange in his hand said with a smiling countenance these words To the hardie and couragious caualiers no weapon no weapon is too short and then stepping with his right foot one step forwards with the Alfange in his hand prosecuting his reason hee said because with one pace forward it will bee made as long as one would desire This his speech was so pleasing to his father Abilgualit that he presently cast his armes about his neck and embraced him saying Certainly my Sonne thou mayest well seeke out other Kingdoms to conquer for those which I shall leaue thee are too few for that wisdome and valour which the Soueraigne God hath giuen thee and girding the Alfange about him hee said that it could not belong to any but to him since hee found no fault with it This being thus ended the Prince went downe with all the Alcaydes that were present to play at the Canes and at other deuices in such sort that all admired his dexterity in deuising guiding such delightfull disports The next day with many gracious fauours he dispatched those Alcaydes Which done hee said it were not reasonable to shew himselfe gracious only to the Alcaydes of his Kingdomes and to leaue his poore Subiects comfortlesse and vnrewarded With which resolution he commanded all the poore about his Court to bee called that they might also bee partakers of his bounty and when they were come hee placed himselfe at the Gate of his Treasurie and as they passed by him hee gaue to euery one of them a handfull of gold coyne vntold which hauing done he vnderstood after by his tellers that hee had that day distributed two and twentie Arrobas Arrobas and thirteene pounds of gold This being reported to his father Abilgualit hee was reprehended by him as being too free and aduised him to stay his hand lest otherwise he might becom poore saying that a King without his Treasure is like a dead man among the liuing But the Prince answered that he might rather be said to be dead that is close fisted towards his followers because hee could not expect any comfort of them in his necessitie and in the day of his distresse and that hee was not borne but to doe good in imitation of his Creator who vsed so much clemencie towards his creatures whose second cause or Instrument hee esteemed himselfe here on earth and that none might iustly reprehend him in that behalfe seeing hee considered that nothing was more certaine then death and that he could carrie nothing out of this life but 〈◊〉 poore shrowd or Winding sheet Mortaia and those good or euill deeds which he had done in this life to giue accompt of them to that high most omnipotent God as to a iust Iudge at the day of that fearefull finall Iudgement These reasons were so agrecable to his father Abilgualit that considering well the great worth of the Prince he or dayned eft-soones in his life and Kingdomes such order and course as the next Chapter declares CHAP. II. How the King Abilgualit resigned his Kingdom to his Sonne Iacob Almansor and retired to a solitarie life THe King Abilgualit perceiuing the great valour of his Sonne the Prince Iacob Almansor and that he himselfe was old being aboue seuentie yeares of Age he resolued to resigne his Kingdome into his hands and to retire to his rest and resigned the same accordingly with the agreement and consent of the great Alcaydes of his Kingdome in such sort that the Prince Iacob Almansor was crowned and sworne for King the tenth day of the Moone of Moharram three and thirtie yeeres of the Higera being then fully complete Aune Chr. 654. Ian. which Coronation was confirmed the third day of the Moone of Rabeh being the second of that yeare Hauing began his Raigne and Gouernment he tooke also a new habit in his conditions kind and manner of Liuing which because they are worth the remembring I will not forbeare to rehearse at large in this briefe Treatise For contrary to that gallantry and brauerie which he vsed whiles he was Prince hee clothed himselfe in the plainest sort
Seates Saying that seeing Learning ought to bee honoured so ought also the men that were learned being the Sonnes of so honourable a Mother Being thus assembled one of them declared the Propositions which hee mayntayned in his facultie the rest arguing on the contrary And if any doubt arose on the allegation of Authours there stood alwayes readie at the doore of the Librarie a learned man that had the custodie thereof who brought presently the Book which the King called for whereby the doubt was resolued This course hee commonly continued till noone and then hee went to his dinner and caused all those learned men to dine in the same roome and to bee serued as himselfe Dinner being ended the King Iacob Almansor went vnto them with many thankes for that good which hee acknowledged of them commending their learning and knowledge appointing them also what points they should studie against the next meeting that they might be the better prepared to yeeld him a good resolution and named which of them should mayntayne the Conclusion Hauing dismissed them from his presence he entred his Library and spent there the rest of that day studied in what facultie hee most desired for he was so great a Louer of Learning that whiles I serued him I heard him often say That hee had no greater griefe in the world then that the necessarie care of the Gouernment of his house and Kingdomes would allow him no more time but one day of the weeke for the getting of Learning and that if it were lawfull for him to doe it without being noted of negligence he would neuer meddle of any other thing all the dayes of his life and that hee neuer did any thing that grieued him more then the aceepting of the office of King and taking on him the Rule and Gouernment of the Royall Scepter of his Kingdomes in the life of his father Abilgualit whereby he had lost much time which he might freely haue employed in Learning without being troubled with the care of the Rule and Gouernment of the Common-wealth and therefore often wished that his Sonne wore of ripe age of Mature Iudgement and Counsell that hee might leaue him his Royall Scepter and rest from that great care which he had of the common good of his Subiects CHAP. VIII In what manner he commanded the Sciences to be read in his Kingdomes and of the Vniuer sities and Colledges which he caused to bee built and endowed with the Hospitalls for the sicke and the poore SO friendly was this King Iacob Almansor to Learning and to Learned men and so desirous that the exercise of Learning and the number of those that were Learned might increase in his Kingdomes that hee commanded the building of the famous Collegiate Hospitall which at this day is adioyning to his Royall Palace and was by him endowed with a large and ample reuenue wherein he also constituted Learned Professors and Masters in all Faculties to reade and teach the Sciences with good Salaries allowing also therein Prouision of Diet Apparell and Bookes for all the poore Students without putting their Fathers and Friends to any charge vntil they were Graduates and there graciously gaue them the Titles of their Degrees This was done in the one side of this Hospitall where hee established seuen Academies In the other side hee appointed a place for the poore diseased where they were cured as they are at this present with such seruice regard care and diligence as they are also at this day which because it is notorious I will speake no more of it in this briefe Treatise of his life And thâ—â— King Almansor entred sometimes into this Hospitall by a false doore out of his Pallace and passed his time visiting the sicke and comforting of them obseruing how they were vsed and whether there were any negligence in the Officers thereof And then he went into the Academies to see the Students how they studied and commanded the Masters there that some of the best able should rehearse some notable things of those which there they had learned and reioyced exceedingly therein and caused gifts to be giuen to them which contented him best saying that those poore diseased and those Students were his Sonnes and that he that cherished and comforted them ought to account that hee cherished and comforted his owne Royall person Hee commanded also that other Hospitalls should be builded in all the Principall Cities at his charge through out all his Kingdomes for the like purpose and gaue order to his Alcaydes who were Gouernours that they should visit them with the like care and diligence as he visited those of his Court He gaue direction also that these Hospitalls should receiue all Pilgrimes and Passengers of all Nations whatsoeuer whether they were poore or rich giuing them entertaynment both for Dyet and Lodging in conuenient sort for themselues their Seruants and the Beasts which they rode on by the space of six dayes and that if they were poore they should giue them at their departure wherewith to defray their first dayes Iourney There was euery yeare giuen him a Bill contayning the Examination of the Students that were brought vp in the Hospitall of his Court and of the others through out his Kingdomes and of the abilitie and Talent of euery one and for what employment hee was fittest As also there was yearely giuen him a Note of the Offices that were voide eyther of the Alfaquies of the Mesquitas being his Churchmen or of the Cadies or Iudges of the Cities and at Easter hee supplyed them bestowing them all himselfe on whom he thought good And so the Offices which became voide in those Hospitalls as well of the Masters Professors as of other Ministers which held there any charge or place of esteeme hee alwayes preferred the Students which had beene bred and brought vp there and commanded the like to bee done by the Gouernours of his other Kingdomes By this good worke hee cured many of their Infirmities augmented much the Sciences and holpe many poore Students to studie free from care by his good prouiding to relieue their necessities which made them all pray to God for his health and long life CHAP. IX Of his great Deeds and Battayles wonne by himselfe personally present and by his Captaynes and how he came to be called Almansor AL the Exercises and the diuision of the Weeke whereof wee haue hitherto intreated were done by the King Iacob Almansor when he was in his Royall Palace and in his Court in Peace But when he had any necessarie occasion to trauell or any war in hand which required his personall Presence he left the former charge and care to bee supplyed by one of his faucured Alcaydes being a man of such Learning Experience and abilitie as was requisite in such sort that there was no default were his absence neuer so long And albeit he neuer embarkt himselfe to make warre by Sea on any King but did all by his Generalls and
And especially seeing in the periods thereof I find it rigorous it seemeth to me to be but losse of time to treat of recouery Hence-forward therefore let no more paines be taken in that behalfe For I am very conformable to the will of our Souereigne God and do giue him infinite thankes for this great fauour which he vouchsafeth me in taking me out of the troubles and calamities of this miserable life Then hee caused the King Abilgualit and the Infant Abraham Alamzari to bee called who being come before him on their knees and halfe prostrate on the ground kissed his hand and he giuing them his blessing said thus vnto them My deare and welbeloued Sonnes the last period of my life is now at hand the Souereigne God being pleased to take mee out of this World That which I admonish you is that yee loue like true Brethren holding good conformitie in your minds and confirming it with good deeds for so shall yee liue in Peace and no enemie shall bee able to hurt you And if yee continue not in Peace and good conformitie yee shall soone see your Kingdomes ouerthrowne And turning his eyes to the Infant Abraham he said thus And you Sonne Abraham on paine of my curse I command you that you be alwaies obedient to the King Abilgualit your brother and hold him hence-forward in my place for your true Father and Lord for I am confident in his wisdome and vertue that he will hold and vse and regard you as his Sonne Then directing his eyes to his Sonne Abilgualit hee said And so I command and charge you Sonne Abilgualit on like paine And they lamenting and weeping in such sort that they could scarce speake answered that they would obey him Then he called in his Alcaydes the Gouernours of his Kingdomes those of his highest Councels and the men of wisdome and learning who attended in the vtter chamber the rest of his kinsmen friends who when they had saluted him and kissed his hand he commanded his Morabito Mahomet Algazeli who being his fauorite sate at his beds head with the helpe of other attendants to lift him out of his bed and sitting spake thus vnto them My beloued Sonnes and true Friend in our Soueraigne God The time is now come in which my Soule is to passe out of this miserable world to yeeld account of the good and euill which I haue done in this life I haue beene King and Gouernour of these Kingdomes and haue bred you taught you cherished and loued you as a Father and haue also chastened your excesses and ouer-bold attempts with zeale and desire to doe that which was requisite But being a man I know that in all things I haue erred as a man for wee are all weake and miserable Sinners I therefore earnestly intreate and beseech you with all humilitie that if I be any way indebted to any of you that yee presently declare it and that I may cause him to bee recompenced And if there be none I aske pardon of you all in generall of that which is past for I for my part doe pardon and forgiue whatsoeuer in word or deed is by mee to bee pardoned of any errours or neglects of yours which you haue committed against mee And this only I lay before you that hee which vseth not Mercie towards his Neighbour must expect none at Gods hands at the last judgement Which when they had heard so great was the griefe they all conceiued and such plentie of teares in their eyes that they could not answer a word for a good space considering that by losing their King Iacob Almansor they lost their chiefest good so great was the loue which they bore him Yet after awhile they answered that they all did pardon him and if need were would giue all their goods and aduenture their liues for him If hee were so pleased to command as readily as they or any of their Ancestors had formerly done for his seruice and that hee should no way doubt of their pardon and promise since they were there present to fulfill it Then the King Almansor could not refraine weeping yet rendred great thankes for their louing offer and blessed them worning them also that neither they nor any other Friends of his should faile to be present at his buriall for in their loue hee receiued great consolation Which they all promised and departed from his presesence so afflicted and sorrowfull that they shut vp themselues in such sort that in three dayes there was no Councell held nor any businesse dispatched in Court vntill he somewhat amended and then they sell to negotiating and dispatching affaires yet with griefe and sorrow for their good King as they had great reason CHAP. XII How the King Iacob Almansor dyed Of his sumptuous Enterment his Tombe and Monument and of the Epitaphes ingrauen on his Sepulchre THe amendement of the King Iacob Almansor was not such as out of which any certaine signe of Recouery could be had but it was rather a space for the Indication of the last Parocisme of Death during this Interpolation So that albeit his Seruants were in some hope the good King being well assured of his death neglected no moment nor minute for the disposing of all things as hee held himselfe bound Hee willed all his moueable goods and monies to be giuen to the poore for Gods sake which were forthwith distributed accordingly Then he gaue libertie to all his Slaues and Bondmen Hee reserued nothing but only his Librarie charging the King Abilgualit he should keepe it for himselfe and esteeme it as it deserued and that in lieu thereof hee should place in marriage a thousand poore Orphans gining to euery of them a thousand Miticales in marriage On the fift day after hee died naturally leauing this present life on Thursday in the last watch of the night on the third day of the Moone Rageb in the hundred and second yeare of the Hixera On the day following This yeare in about the yeare of our Redemption 723. the King Abilgualit wrote vnto all the Alcaydes of his Kingdomes a Letter to this effect that they all should mourne and solemnize his Funerall Prayse bee giuen to the Souereigne God Amen Hereupon they gaue order for his Enterment for which the King Iacob Almansor had prepared and framed on the top of a high Hill on the Southside of that House called Albazatin that sumptuous Hermitage which is there seene at this present and adioyning to it his Sepulchre being a Vault made of a rich kind of Iasper of such largenesse as would containe fortie persons and vpon it caused a solid stone to be erected on foure Pillars of Alablaster and on the sides foure smooth stones with his Epitaphs written in them in the greater Arabicke verses with a very faire Character This Sepulchre is about a mile distant from the House of Albazatin There were assembled at his Funerall fifteene hundred Alfaqui or principall Priests with the
â—â—â—â—â—SOR THE LEARNED AND VICTORIOVS King that conquered Spaine His Life and Death published By ROBERT ASHLEY Out of the Librarie of the Vniuersitie of OXFORD Seneca Otium tuum non emineat sed appareat LONDON Printed for Iohn Parker 1627. TO OVR GRACIOVS SOVEREIGNE King CHARLES THis briefe Historie of the life and death of Iacob Almansor the Victorious was intended to the now deceassed yet euer renowmed for Learning and worthily stiled Iacobus Pacificus your Royall Father The death of some who had vndertaken the Printing and the generall Visitation of this your Realme with sicknesse hath delayed the publishing and altered the designe of the Dedication The Wandering Ghost of this Learned Vertuous and Victorious Almansor who neuer suffered repulse being now come into England and clad with an English garment presseth into your Kingly presence and expecteth condigne entertainment Though the Storie bee ancient and your Time and Religion also from his much different yet he hopeth that Vertue and Valour are neuer out of season Nor the Wisdome and Industrie of any bee hee Heathen Mahometan or Christian to be disesteemed As Alexander was enflamed with the example of Achilles who liued long before him Caesar by that of Alexander of a different time and Nation the one being a Grecian King of Macedon the other but a priuate Gentleman of Rome and Scipio a young Roman that triumphed ouer Africke was animated by the Historie of Cyrus the great King of Persia described by Xenophon So if at this day among Christians they that haue any heart are enkindled in their courage when they reade of the Clemencie of Caesar the Magnanimitie of Alexander the Integritie of Aristides the Constancie of Cato or the Iustiâ—e and Goodnesse of Traian being but Heathens of former Ages that knew not Christ nor Christian Pietie with more reason Almansor of much later Age though a misbeleeuing Mahometan may well expect euen in these times among the professors of perfect Pietie his Vertues should not be vnregarded nor his well ordered life and death be buried in obliuion I leaue them that list to dispute the truth of his Historie or whether it bee not a patterne of Perfection deuised as many haue supposed the like of Cyrus described by Xenophon Howsoeuer the Truth bee I hold the one and the other of better vse being thus published then to be buried in silence I doubt not but your Royall Fathers Instruction and your owne worthy disposition hath figured in your noble brest many worthier Christian patternes for Imitation Yet by comparing our selues with Heathens with Infidels with Mahometans and other Misbeleeuers we attaine the better and cleerer knowledge of our aduantages and defects Hereof your aduenturous Trauailes in your younger yeares haue giuen you good experience Hee that knoweth no Countrey but his own knoweth not the worth or wants of his owne Commendandus ante omnes qui sapientiam toto orbe requirit saith Marsilius which oportunitie of personall Trauaile being not alwayes permitted it must bee supplyed by Bookes and Histories The aduertisement following will informe the particulars how this briefe Historie came to the Presenters hands who remaineth In all humilitie your Maiesties deuoted Subiect Robert Ashley An Aduertisement HAuing during my younger yeares had some trayning in the Arts and Learned Languages in the famous Vniuersitie of Oxford and by aduice of experienced friends hauing after seriously sought to attaine the knowledge of the Lawes vnder which wee liue in the place where they are professed and hauing beene long since ingaged and denominated among the Professors thereof yet finding the practise to haue ebbes and tydes as haue for the most part all other humane employments I haue stolne and snatched at vacant times some oportunities what by Trauaile Bookes and Conference to get some knowledge of forreigne Countries and vulgar Languages especially those of our Neighbours I meane the French and Dutch the Spanish and Italian that by the perusing of their Writings I might also bee made partaker of the Wisdome of those Nations hauing beene long of this opinion That as no one soyle or territorie yeeldeth all fruits alike so no one Climate or Region affordeth all kind of knowledge in full measure With this resolution being not letted by other occasions J spent the best houres of some few Weekes not many yeeres sithence in a superficiall suruey of the famous Librarie of that flourishing Vniuersitie where I had beene trayned which I found richly replenished with Bookes of all Sciences and Faculties not only in the Learned Languages Latine Greeke and Hebrew besides the vulgar Tongues of our Neighbour Nations but euen with some furniture as well of Manuscripts as of printed Copies in the Arabian Aethiopian and Armenian Languages with the Egyptian Wisdome and Characters not speaking of the Chaldaick and Syriak because they are accounted by many but as Hebrew-dialects There are also some Turkish Persian Manuscripts Indian Malayan and Mexican Characters and Writings Yea China it selfe being thought by many to bee inaccessible to Strangers though by sundry Seas and Lands it bee farre separated from vs hath vouchsafed to inrich this great Magazin or Storehouse of Learning with diuers and sundry parcels of her Wisdome imprinted in her strange Characters Amongst the rest I happened on an Arabian Historie concerning the losse of Spaine by Roderigo King of the Gothes which by commandment of King Philip the Second was translated into Spanish out of the Arabian Copie remayning in the Escurial where I my selfe haue seene a glorious golden Librarie of Arabian Bookes In the midst of that Historie I found a Summarie Collection or obsernation of the life and death of a Learned Arabian King Iacob Almansor the Conquerour of Spaine Of the excellencie of this great King some hauing heard and read that among other his vertues hee was an infinite louer of Learning hauing assembled together in his Librarie fiftie fiue thousand Bookes in an ignorant Age when long before the Inuention of Printing all Monuments of Learning were only preserued by the laborious industrie of the Writers hand and Pen. Weighing also his wise distribution of his time with his exact Iustice Wisdome of Gouernment his Temperance of Dyet Fortitude and Prudence in his Militarie affaires with the Prosperitie of his Conquests and successe of all his enterprizes they became desirous to bee acquainted with the particulars of his life and longed to haue it communicated vnto them in a Tongue which they better vnderstood To their honest desire hauing oportunitie in my hand I thought it conuenient to giue satisfaction by translating it out of the Spanish Copie which was printed at Saragoza 1603. remayning in that vnparalleld rare Librarie of the Vniuersitie of Oxford and therehence out of the larger Historie of the Conquest of Spaine by the Moores being then the Subiects of this Almansor by me excerpted and published I present it to publicke view that Christians finding their vertuous Industrie to be equalled or ouermatched by
be sorrowfull then to ordaine Feasts and Triumphs with Musicke and Disports which in effect were vsed according as is vsually accustomed Let these things but passe through your memorie and clearer vnderstanding and then Pride and Ambition will fall vnder your feet and you shall easily subdue them For I assure you that one dramme of Pride will weigh heauier then one hundred Quintals of good vnderstanding in the wisest man in the World and see it is the verie gate by which the Deuill the accursed of God entreth to tempt men and ouercommeth captiuateth and ouerthroweth them into the fearefull horrible euerlasting Hell from which the Souereigne God for his great Mercie free vs and deliuer vs. Amen The fourth thing of which I admonish you is that you yeeld Justice administring it indifferently to all that shall aske it for I assure you that the King which shall not so administer it will soone be dispossessed of his Kingdome as a man vnworthy to reigne For God permitteth vnbeleeuing in this World reseruing the chastisement thereof for the day of his finall Iudgement and maintaineth the World and all his creatures with Iustice and Mercie albeit some are without the true knowledge of him but he readily chastiseth with rigour euen in this life vniustice and wickednesse when malice increaseth and men are obstinate therein like a Iust Iudge as he is Be no teller of Lies for it is the basest thing in the World and the Lier is the Deuils Disciple a man without Vertue a Traitour to the Truth and an enemy therof one to whom no credit is to be giuen the least punishment that men allot him is that although he speake the truth yet he is not beleeued Let your Speech be moderate that men may not note you for a Pratler which would make you vnregarded and held for a man of little discretion All these good aduertisements in my Letter haue their contraries and therefore our Souereigne God gaue you freedome of will and liberty of choice that you might follow the good and of chew the euill and without his helpe you can doe nothing This only I will warne you that you set God before you in all your waies doing Iustice with charity simplicitie and vprightnesse and you shall not erre whatsoeuer you take in hand And although I might write much more in this Letter Yet this may suffice for there is included in it whatsoeuer can bee required of him that will well consider of it to put it in practice as I intend it to his intire satisfaction which I doubt not but you will performe with the helpe of our Souereigne God his blessing and grace whom I humbly pray and beseech to grant it you as I giue you mine and haue you in his keeping Amen From this house of Albasatin the twentieth day of Rageb in the ninetie and fixth yeere This Letter being receiued by the King Abilgualit made him reioyce exceedingly he tooke so earnestly to heart this his Fathers reprehension and put his Rules in practice in such sort that he caused them that serued him to admire for hee endeauoured with great care and diligence to amend the faults and negligences which hee had committed especially in administring Iustice and began to follow the footsteps of the King Almansor his Father in his manner of Gouernment and in all the rest that hee vsed whiles hee raigned in so much that in very short time he made them see the amendement hee had made of his Life and Gouernment in such sort that all his Alcaydes were much contented therewith though in some particular distasted for in all other things he could imitate his Father sauing only in his Liberalitie and Charitie sodim these the King Almansor did much exceed him And this I beleeue was the chiefe cause that hee neuer got so good a name as his Father For certainly Liberalitie is a great vertue in Kings wherewith they draw the minds of men to loue and serue them vnfaynedly with claritie who on the contrarie when they feele not their own interest comming let fall the wings of their courage and cheerefulnesse louing and seruing more coldly and faintly because the irascible facultie hauing her residence as she hath in the heart and louing to be honoured and esteemed and desirous to haue her trauailes gratified with selfe proper interest when that ceasseth the working of the will doth ceasse Especially in men of the Sword which of all others are most necessarie for Kings as well for preseruing their Estates as for the conquering of new Kingdomes and Signiories Which was the chiefe cause that this King Abilgualit could neuer get any new Prouinces but with much difficultie preserued that Kingdome which he had inherited from his Father and was at the point to haue lost all for want of being free and generous towards his men of warre as was requisite for their encouragement for they being accustomed 〈◊〉 such gratification and largesse as the King Iacob Almansor vsed towards them grew soone distasted with the contrarie in his Sonne Abilgualit which was the cause that he could neuer rayse any Army by Land or by Sea worth the speaking of to doe any seruice of account which merited the remembrance of Histories This may suffice for this particular seeing my purpose is onely to write the life of the King Iacob Almansor CHAP. XI How King Iacob Almansor became sicke to to Death and how he assembled his wisemen and the rest of the Alcaydes Of his prudent speech hee made them and the Pardon hee demanded of them THe King Almansor spending his time quietly in that house of Albazatin and Albillan in company of Mahomet Algazeli and his Disciples after some time fell sicke of an infirmitie of long continuance and seeing himselfe to weare away and that all the remedies which his Physicians applyed profited little one day when they were about him in consultation concerning his Disease and the difficultie of the Cure by reason of the manifold Syntomes his great age and debilitie of Nature considered hee said thus vnto them Yee my Physicians endeauour and labour to restore my health but if Gods pleasure be otherwise your purpose is but vaine For I assure you that when God hath determined to end a mans life the Medicines ministred by the Physicians doe little auaile him but serue rather to the hastening his end And so doe I conceiue of those which yee haue hitherto applyed vnto me I lay no blame on you but commend your Learning and Knowledge and that good affection wherewith you haue endeauoured to recouer my health for which I thanke you and esteeme as much of your seruice as if you had preuailed But I will not suffer you to be any longer deceiued for the first day that I fell into this infirmitie I assured my selfe it would be my death knowing the same to bee a lingring extraordinary Disease differing from the rest which I haue endured in the course of my life