a man whom he knew intire and immoveable in his resolutions The example of Villas Hermanos was fresh in memory and the image of it in his thoughts troubled him representing him as miserable as his friend Giron He resolved to bow rather than break goes to Madrid humbles himself makes means of Reconcilement to the Cardinal causes his Son to obey renders the place and obtains of Charles the moiety of the Priory for his Son the other moiety being left for Astuniga and enough for both Another difficulty arises in the enjoyment of the Benefice The great Master of Rhodes who had unjustly outed Astuniga to invest Diego in the place would not acknowledge any Prior but Diego gave him all the Authority of Grand Prior and sent him Orders for a general Assembly of all the Knights of the Order in Spain Diego summons them and would have had them assembled without other Authority than his the Cardinal hinders it sends for him and tells him If you were in the Isle of Rhodes you might do your pleasure but in Spain where I command know you must come to me and have my permission Thus he reduced to reason the three Grandees of Spain who had most opposed his Authority who having made a great noise had experience to their shame of the greatness of his Judgement the height of his Courage and his marvellous Address being compelled to throw themselves at his feet whose head they slighted and had in contempt The Fable of the Giants destroyed by Thunderbolts and buried under the Mountains they had accumulated instructs a Minister of State sometimes to use force and severity against potent men who to trouble the publick peace would by destroying his Authority attain the King 's These Crosses and the unwillingness of the great Ones to acknowledge the honour he had acquired in Spain with the ingratitude of the people whose ease he affected and procured the happiness they enjoyed gave him sensible displeasures and made him call to mind the tranquillity and sweetness of his Religious life in the Monastery of Castanet Neer which there was in view a little hill covered with Trees where he often went to search under their shadows the light of truth in Holy-Writt and after some hours reading kneeled and with hands and heart lift up to Heaven conversed with God in Prayer and Meditation then retiring immediately into a little Cabbin made with his own hands in imitation of those Angels of the Desart the ancient Hermits he fed his body with Bread and Water but his Soul with plentiful repasts of spiritual delicacies The holy pleasures of this solitude he panted after amidst the Crosses and oppositions he encountered in the State saying often to his greatest Confidents If I might obtain leave how willingly would I change this Palace for my Cabin at Castanet the Authority of Governour of Spain for the silence of that solitude and my Mitre of Toledo and Cardinals Cap for the habit of that poor place A Minister of State hath not in the troubles of Affairs a more solid comfort than that of Piety which is the Policy of Heaven if any be exercised there as well as part of the Politicks of this World Charles often advised by the Cardinal to come into Spain to enjoy his Crown and dissipate by his presence the Troubles that daily grew up at last leaves Flanders and by an Express to the Cardinal gives him notice he was Embarqued The Cardinal goes from Madrid and advances with the whole Court to meet his Master making choice of the Burrough of Alcande scituate on the Banks of the River Guadalayer to attend his coming and taking with him Prince Ferdinand under a strong Guard on which depended the peace and safety of Spain in his journey he passed through Bâ—zeguillas a Village on a Hill and Dined there but the worst Dinner he ever made for there the Spaniards generally believe he had that venomous Dose of Lingering Poison which destroyed his life which is the more probable for that the Provincial of the Observantines of St. Francis being on his way with some of his Order to go to the Cardinal a man on Hors-back came to them with his face muffled up in a Hand-kerchief to prevent their discovery and said Fathers if your business be to the Cardinal make haste to him before he Dines and advise him not to eat of a Pigeon that shall be served in to him for 't is poysoned Marquine the Provincial arrives at Bozeguillas and recounts to the Cardinal what the strange Gentleman told him The Cardinal having thanked him for his Care of him made him this Answer Father if I have been poysoned it was not this day but a while ago reading at Madrid a Letter from Flanders when me-thought I drew in poyson by my Eyes since which I protest I feel my self dye every day Nevertheless I am not so well assured of this as to exclude all doubt of the truth thereof We are all under the Conduct of Gods Providence which takes away and restores our health as he judges most necessary for our Salvation Let 's obey then those holy Decrees that are irreversible But when his malady came on him he returned to his former opinion telling his Physitians that he should perish by the Treason of those Wretches that attempted his life The Spaniards write that after Dinner at Bozeguillas his malady heightned so apparently that putrified matter broke out under his Nails yet this could not hinder him from imploying the small portion of life that remained in the service of the State He had written to Charles that it concerned him to command from his brother Ferdinand Alvarez Osorio the Dominican Bishop of Astozia the Prince's Tutor and Peter Gusman Grand Prior of the Order of Calatrave his Governour who apprehending the Arrival of Charles in Spain might give the young Prince Counsel to the disservice of the King it being long reported that these men would never brook the Flemings whom they hated and to avoid a meeting would retire to Arragon with Ferdinand and cause him to be Crowned King of that Kingdom But he was designed by Heaven for greater Fortunes and was Emperour after his Brother Charles the fifth and had the Royal Crowns of Hungary and Bohemia in right of Queen Anne his Wife Heiress to Ladislaus and Lewis her Father and Brother Kings of those Kingdoms he had four Sons and eleven Daughters of whom Joan d' Austria was marryed to Francis de Medicis great Duke of Tuscany of which Marriage was born Mary de Medicis Queen of France and Navarr Wife of Henry the Great and Mother of Lewis the thirteenth late Regnant a Princess of eminent Vertue singular goodness and incomparable magnanimity maternally descended from the Houses of France and Austria as well as those of Hungary and Bohemia for the Emperour Ferdinand her Grand-father was younger Son to Mary of Burgundy only Daughter of Duke Charles and Isabel of Bâ—urbon Charles judging the
Worshipped by the Indians and a wedge of Gold weighed above a thousand Ducats which doubtless had been an Idol to which they who tormenâ—ed the Indians paid their devotions At Sevil proposal was made for raising another Army to recover the honour lost by the defeat of the former some preparations were made but the affairs of Pope Julius the second put a stop to the proceedings This Prelate who troubled all Europe sent his Nuncio into Spain to desire Aide from Ferdinand against the Council of Pisa where the Cardials had chosen another Pope and to demand vengeance against Bernardine Cardinal Caruajale a Spaniard whom he had struck out of the Catalogue of Cardinals as Author of that Council and prayed the King to devest him of the Bishoprick of Siguenza which he held in Spain Ferdinand to please the Pope took the Bishoprick from Bernardine and gave it Frederick of Portugal But the storm being over Bernardine was afterwards restored to the Bishoprick that he might end his life with some kind of Dignity in the affair of Julius the second the generosity of the Cardinal in acknowledging the fauours of those who had obliged him was remarkable he writ to this Pope who had sent him the Cardinals Cap that he would return him to Rome four hundred thousand Crowns when he pleased that he would Levy an Army at his own Charge if the Pope needed it and would in person lead them into Italy against his Enemies The fruit of a good Office is never lost where it is sown in a generous spirit CAP. IX SOon after the affairs of Africk put on a better face the Kings of Tremesen and Tunis sent their Embassadours with presents to Ferdinand to treat of peace which was concluded and free Commerce established between the Moors and Spaniards of Oran This peace with Africk pleased the Cardinal exceedingly who having been the first Author of the Warr of Africk rejoyced beyond measure to see the fruits of his Labâ—urs in a happy peace The Affairs of Europe rann a course quite contrary Julius the second increased the trouble he makes a League with Ferdinand and the Venetian against the French And he who ought to have been the father of Christians laboured nothing more than to set his Children by the Eares Ferdinand to prepare himself for this League sent for the Cardinal to Burgos to advise with him the Cardinal came thither and for his Lodging they had marked the Count of Salines house where Prince Ferdinand brother of Charles afterwards sirnamed the fifth was Lodged The King his Grand father commanded him to Remove but the Cardinal would not by any means accept of that Lodging And when the King would have forced him by absolute and express commands to that purpose be excused himself saying the Countess of Salines with her Ladies were Lodged there and that by the institution of his order he was prohibited to Lodge with women which he Religiously observed both at Court and in his journeys The day following the Cardinal walked with Prince Ferdinand into the Palace Gardens the King spies them from his Window and Calling to the Prince bespeaks him aloud in these words Son You are in very good company and if you take my advice will never part from it Knowing he was with a man who could make Princes such as they ought to be Wise Religious and Generous from the Garden the Cardinal attended the young Prince to the Palace where he took leave of him to retyre to his Lodgings the Prince offered to bear him Company the King coming upon them in the Complement advised him to it but the Cardinal thanked for the honour and obtained permission to Go alone The resolutions taken in the Assembly at Burgos by the advice of the Cardinal were that the King should not hasten the Warr but choose any way rather than that of Armes to bring affairs to a solid peace but this advice was soon changed The Cardinal receives Advertisement of a secret League between the Kings of France and Navarr thereupon he prepares for Warr advises his Master to it And presseth him to hasten the raising of an Army The discovery of the League was thus The King of Navarr was passionately in Love with a Lady of the Court whose beauties had charmed his reason This Love by the prerogatives of the Crown which few Women know how to deny was come to enjoyment A Secretary of State and prime confident of this Prince took part in this affair of Love as if it had been a matter of State Visits the Lady declares his affection beggs her savour she who had as great need of this mans pen as the Liberality of the King grants his desire the King surprizes them together and stabbs the Secretary For Kings can no more admit partakers of their Loves than of their Scepters A Priest of Pampelune called to Confess the dying Secretary having cleared his Conscience ransacked his pockets there among other things he finds this secret Treaty which he gave or sold to the Spanish Embassadour resident in the Court of Navarr They sent it to the Cardinal The Tenour of the League was that the King of Navarr should refuse Ferdinand passage through his Countreys when he marched in the aide of Julius the second That he should enter Spain with an Army when required by France That for this restitution should be made him by France of his Patrimony than in the possâ—ssion of the Duke of Nemours father of Germain then Queen of Spain and of all the Rites and Possessions of the house of Albret detained by France That he should receive from France an Annual pension suitable to his Royal Dignity That France should by negotiation or Armes procure restitution to be made him of that part of the Estate of Queen Catherine his Wife about Burgos then detained from him The Cardinal having read those Conditions Levyed an Army and carryed things to that point that the Spaniards attribute to him the Warr of Navarr as the Author of it though in truth the Violence of Julius the second and Ferdinands Ambition caused that Warr memorable in History for the blood shed therein which hath afforded us this observation That Warr is a bloody burying place or Caemitere of Mankind The year 1513. being the next after the trouble of Navarr Carryed Julius the second out of the world to prevent his spreading of further mischiefs soon after Ferdinand fell sick of the malady whereof he dyed this affected him with extraordinary sadness To make him merry the whole Court turned Revellers the Ladies endeavoured to please him by their divertisements of Balls and Dances the Gentlemen by Justs and Turnaments Alfonso Mendoza Husband of the Cardinal Niece was of the party and expended seven thousand Crowns to fit himself for the solemnity a great expence in those times this was to be paid out of the Cardinals purse who used to reject and disallow all vain expences but paid this cheerfully telling those
Reason would prefer the Noble yet was he far from abandoning or slighting vertue from which Nobility is derived and by which it is maintained The Gifts and Largesses he bestowed out of his proper stock on particular persons and the publick are worthy remarque His advancement of an infinite number of persons of integrity and merit to the Offices of Magistrature the Dignities of the Chureh and Charges of War preserve to this day in Spain the memory of the Grandeur of his Spirit and will remain an everlasting monument of Glory and Benediction to his name The Hospitals built at his Charge in Spain and endowed by him with Revenues the Religious Houses remaining there for durable works of his piety and bounty the publick Granaries stored with Corn for relif of the poor filled out of the Rents setled by him to that purpose the Seminaries and publick Nurseries of vertue for the Common-wealth where he provided for the education of youth of both Sexes left destitute of necessaries in that behalf declare and will record to perpetuity that the Grandeur of Ximenes consisted not so much in his Eminent and Great Employments as in his transcendent Liberality and extraordinary bounty The Temples of the Graces in the Cities of the Levant were by the Ancients built in publick places as in their Markets or near their Cirques and Amphitheaters to signifie that the Benefits and good Actions of great men ought to be not only open to private persons but communicated to the publick A Minister of State is a publick person constituted in the most eminent Dignity of a Kingdom next the Royal And if it be true that a good King is the Father of his people the Minister of State who is his Assistant ought to be a faithful Steward to dispence his favours and afford ready helps to the wants and necessities of the publick When Cinon the Athenian was grown Rich he caused the fences and inclosures of his Gardens to be laid open that the poor might have free ingress to gather the fruits he kept an open house and table for all that were in want and sent his servants loaded with Garments through the Streets of Athens to be distributed amongst them that were in want holding himself unworthy to possess a great Estate without imparting of it to others In like manner had Cardinal Ximenes when seised of that great Benefice whereby was vested in him the largest Revenue of that Kingdom filled his Coffers with Treasure and locked up there the Gold destined for other uses he had condemned himself as guilty of embezling and converting to his private benefit what ought to have been laid out in the Redemption of Slaves enlargement of Prisoners Cures of the sick comfort of the afflicted and sustenance of the poor But he made liberal destribution thereof suitable to the necessities of the several objects of his Bounty Certainly some good Kings are publick Springs whence the people have right to draw that is to have recourse to their Beneficence and good Ministers of State ought to be the pipes to those Royall Fountain to convey to the people the water of Relief The greatness of his vertues could not so exempt Ximines from Envy but that in his life time it attacqued both his Name and his Conduct though his death put a period to detraction and procured Reverence to his name honour to his memory and Elogies for his Government And 't is observable men never behold the Sun so earnestly as when he is Ecclipsed Innocence of all places of the world makes least Residence at Court where Ambition alwayes wars against eminent vertues This concludes it necessary for a Minister of State to fortifie himself with Constancy and Resolution to resist their malignity who would call him to account and charge him as answerable for all the sinister Accidents that fall out as if the Events of Affairs depended only on him Cardinal Ximenes had this vertue in the superlative alwayes like himself alwayes aquanimous alwayes firm stout and resolute in the beginning progress and end of his administration that he might have said of himself what the Roman Camillus once of himself in another sense That neither the Dictatorship had elevated nor Exile abated the height of his Spirit That neither the Archbishoprick of Toledo the Primacy of Spain the Cardinals Cap nor the Authority of Governour of a Kingdom had given him courage nor the crosses and misfortunes of Court taken it from him These great and heroick vertues have rendered him the compleat original and Architype of a perfect Minister of State which I propose to thir view who Govern the world under the Authority of Soveraign Princes that they may imitate his Zeal for the publick good his fidelity to his Prince his affection to persons of worth and wel-deserving his strong inclinations and vigorous actions for the good of the people and increasing the Glory and Grandeur of the State being the ends and principal marks aimed at in all Governments managed with wisdom and crowned with Success THE HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF Cardinal Ximenes Prime Minister of STATE IN SPAIN KINGS who are Masters of the Goods of this world advantage men in their fortunes and improvement of their estates but 't is the Sun that King of Starrs and first of all second Causes that enriches them with the Gifts of Nature so that those Regions which are blest with the more favourable aspect of this Eye of Heaven produce things of greater excellency than other Countreyes and give birth to men of more eminent parts and endowed with the rarest qualities in Natures gift Spain by the happy advantage of her scituation lyes so full and open in the Eye of that great Luminary that as enamoured of her beauty he vouchsafes her the light of his countenance and by the large measure of his irradiation afforded her contributes to her production of eminent persons In her was born Francis Cardinal Ximenes of the Noble Family of the Cisneres who deduce their original from the Suburbs of Villaizar in the Diocess of Toledo His Father was Alphonso Receiver of the Tenths of the Clergy granted by the Pope to the King of Spain who taken with the beauty of a young Maid of an honest family and the same place married her and had by her several Children whereof Ximenes was the eldest At the Font he received with the Graces of Heaven the name of his Father Alphonso which he after changed in the Cloister into that of Francis In his Infancy he had his Education in the Town of Areula D' Henares where he learnt the principles of the Latine Tongue and of good manners from thence he was removed to Salamanca to study those Laws which regulate the Estates and possessions of men where by the advantage of his pregnant Wit he became so great a Proficient that in a short time he was capable to instruct others His Family was reduced to so low an Ebb of Fortune
Maximilian who were lately come to Spain And thence to visit that glorious Temple of the Muses his Colledge of Arcala the love of Learning being inseparable from his soul insomuch that in the year 1502. in order to the Explication and Imprinting of the Holy Scriptures in Latine Greek Hebrew and Chaldee by persons of knowledge and skill in those Tongues at his charge in that City he bought up all the Manuscript Bibles he could hear of and caused most exact and correct Impressions to be made thereof in those Languages Seven Hebrew Copies cost him four thousand Crowns the Latine and Greek Manuscripts being eight hundred years old amounted to a greater summ besides a vast expence for maintenance and Salaries of Professors of those Languages and Correctors and Printers for fifteen years His design was to instruct the Priests in the Truths of the two Testaments and to leave the Church these Lights of the Holy Scriptures in their original purity As if he had foreseen that a few years after the perfection of this work Heresie would arise by false interpretation of Scripture to attacque the purity of Christian Doctrine And therefore he provided this Impression as a well furnished Armoury to defend the Church against the malice of her Enemies This great and painfull work being finished and the Printer presenting him with the first Copy of it with eyes and hands lift up for joy to Heaven My God said he I return thee immortal thanks for granting my desires of good success to this work Then turning to his Domestiques who were most familiar with him 'T is true said he my friends that God hath been pleased to crown my Labours with success in many important Affairs for the good of the State but there is not any thing in which ye ought to rejoyce with me more than for the happy accomplishment of this Impression and Explication of the Bible in the four Languages He had designed also a Translation of Aristotle's works and to adorn them suitable to the dignity of the subject And certainly since he thus revived good Literature 't is but just Learning should raise him to life again and that the Muses give immortality to his Name for he who labours for them ought in recompence of his Travels to receive from them the Auguste priviledge of never dying Much about this time Joan Heiress of Spain was delivered of her second Son at Arcala Ximenes layes hold of the opportunity for the glory of his Colledge and by the favour of this birth obtained for that City which he had made an habitation of the Muses exemption from Taxes and all manner of Impositions The inhabitants of Arcala in memory of the favour keep to this day the Cradle of that Prince and bless the name of Ximenes who procured it As he went out of his Lodgings the same day he met the Officers of Justice leading a Malefactor to the Gibbet he stops them and grants the wretched Criminal Pardon Telling them that though it was an Action beyond his Authority yet so much ought to be allowed his Dignity to hinder that day of general Joy to all Spain from being Capital to an Inhabitant of Arcala After this he built a Colledge for Maids of honest Families whom Poverty kept in ignorance and adjoyned to it a Nunnery for the entertainment of such who were inclined to bid farewell to the world with Provision that none should be taken into it but such as came voluntarily and as for those who desired to continue secular besides the vertuous breeding of the Colledge he gave them honourable portions and disposed of them in Marriage according to their conditions These works of Piety and the War against the Moors were the Treasury where he laid up those Riches Fortune cannot destroy CAP. VI. BEing at Medina Jerome Vianelli a Venetian â—ffered him a Jewell at 5000. Crowns and pressed him much to buy it though the price put upon it exceeded far the value of the Stone Ximenes liked well the neat glittering and sparkling brightness of the Jewel but I know sayes he to bestow the money better for in an urgent necessity I can relieve 5000. Souldiers with Crowns apiece his Levies for the Wars of Africk being then afoot The year 1505 Spain had great loss by the death of Queen Isabel the Most Illustious Princess of her Age no less Eminent for acquired habits of Goodness than Royal Extraction being as worthily adorned with the Crowns of Vertue as legally Crowned with the Diadem of Spain a Princess of Knowledge Piety and Generosity above the usual Capacity of her Sex She who had observed in Ximenes the Eminence of Rare Conduct attended with singular integrity made him Executor of her Last Will and Testament which was but a drop of that Ocean of honour those qualities procured him which rendered him so venerable in the State that never Minister was so much honoured in his life so much desired and missed after his death Every time he came to wait on his Master Ferdinand the King went out of his Chamber to meet him and at parting brought him to the Chamber-door nor would he siâ— till a Seat were given Ximenes So powerful are great Vertues as to obliege even the Scepters of the World to reverence them That Minister who is prudent and Generous whose designes tend only to the glory of his Master and good of the publick deserves the Surname of Guardian-Angel of the State and ought to be honoured as such by every one The death of Isabel gave Ximenes occasion to do Ferdinand good Service in Spain and to give new proofs of the greatness of his Conduct Isabel who was Queen of Castile had by her Testament made Ferdinand her Husband who was only King of Arragon Administrator general of the Kingdom of Castile Philip his Son in Law husband as was said of the sole Heiress of that Kingdom had other designes and by the instigation of some Grandees of Spain and presuming upon the amity of France intended to dethrone his Father in Law and take possession of Castile as the inheritance of his Wife He was at that time in Flanders with Joan about whom Ximenes had placed some persons of trust by whom she informed him of the designes of her Husband to trouble Spain and the ill usage she had from him for his Love to the Flemmish Ladies had divided the Husband and Wife and filled their Breasts with Jealousie and hatred of each other Joan writes to her Father the threats of Philip to drive him out of Castile contrary to the Testament of the Queen her Mother Philip surprizes Fernand's Embassadour with several Letters about him and without respect to his person caused him to be imprisoned Ximenes advertised of these threats and violences advises the Remedy for Ferdinand's service he knew Philip had Negotiations afoot in France to sollicite the Aid of that Court against his Father in Law Ximenes steps in and prevents it advises Ferdinand to a
strict Alliance on that side and to take to Wife Germain de Foix Niece to Lewis the twelfth The Marriage was accomplished and Philip surprized to see himself abandoned by them from whom he promised himself the greatest succour was forced to a Treaty of Accommodation with Ferdinand and agree to him the Administration of the Kingdom of Castile reserving to himself the honour only of being named joyntly with Ferdinand in all Letters Patents This Agreement quieted the Affairs of Spain though not long Philip comes thither with Joan his Wife visits the Cities of the Kingdom and acts as sole Master of it without seeing Ferdinand or permitting his Wife to see him Ferdinand though his Father in Law longs to see Philip and follows him from place to place but Philip flees from him till Ximenes by his prudence procured an Interview Philip instigated by the great ones desirous of novelties and envying the Authority of Ximenes appeared at the enterview in the Equippage of Conquest and Triumph not like a Son to meet his Father but marching with six thousand Warriers at his heels Ferdinand had only two hundred men of his houshold and retinue and mounted on Mules But this Flemish Bravado lasted not long the sage Advice of Ximenes made it vanish he goes to Philip at Burges shews him the injury he did himself to sow division in a State belonging to him that to raise Warr in Spain was to Assault his own House that Ferdinand had only the Administration of Castile and served only to keep it and improve it for him that the Counsels given him tended to his ruine that Don John Manuel his great Confident and Prime man of his Council was a person interessed and for his own advantage fomented divisions between him and his Father in Law that it concerned him in point of interest and for his own good to remove Manuel by some honourable Employment that an Embassy to Rome would be very fit for the purpose To remove from a Prince a pernicious favourite is to rid a Sick man of his Disease And because this Enterview is a principal piece of our Story I thought fit to give you the most remarkable particulars Philip going to meet Ferdinand had on his right hand Ximenes who went to him at Burges and on his left Don Manuel his High Treasurer those of his Court were in Armour and marched in a posture of Warr Ferdinands followers ridd on Mules as men of peace with Cloaks and Swords only the Principal Courtiers having forsaken him to attend Philip verified the old observation that Courtiers adore the rising Sun Ferdinand meeting the Troops of his Son in Law made a halt on a little rising Ground to give them way this place he chose as fittest in his judgement one of the sagest of his time to view and contemplate the disloyalty of the Court having of purpose taken up his standing in a narrow place where all those who had abandoned him to go to Philip must of necessity pass close by him And of them the Duke of Najar first presented himself mounted in Armour on a Spanish Jennet as for a day of Battel his Page carryed his Lance and one of his Captains led a Troop of men at Arms behind him Duke sayes Ferdinand you are ready for a Combat you alwayes carry a spice of the Captain It is Answered the Duke to serve the King our Soveraign Lord and your Majesty The next that came up was Garcia de la Vega Lord of Cnerva who had been Embassadour from Ferdinand at Rome and graced with his favours in a large measure Ferdinand a perfect Master of the Art of Dissimulation commonly called the Art of Reigning perceived by the Bunching of his Cloaths that he wore close Armour underneath and Embracing him said Garcia you were not so Gross a few dayes ago you are grown fat on the sudden These Embraces and Courtesies were smart Reproofs and cutting Exprobrations of their ingratitude and Ferdinand experimented in them that if the good fortune of the Court hath few sure Friends the â—ll fortune of it hath much fewer Philip upon the fight of Ferdinand would have alighted but Ferdinand spurting his Male prayed him not to Dismount Philip with Hat in Hand desired Ferdinands Hand to Kiss Ferdinand spreads his Armes and Embraces him Spain is so stored with Castles and fair Countrey-houses that in all that Road there was not one fit for the Conference of the two Kings which forced them to entertain one another in an Ermitage Ximenes followed them in and so did Don Manuel Philips Favourite Ximenes seeing him enter sayes to him Don John their Majesties would be private Let 's withdraw I will be Porter and keep the door for this time Manuel goes out somewhat displeased Ximenes re-enters and having shut the Door sits down with the Kings Ferdinands Counsels to Philip were the only entertainment of the Princes which were to this effect My Son the weight of a Crown is so great that a good King cannot bear it without help and the Government of people requires such continual care and incessant travels that a Prince hath need of ease by persons of fidelity and capable to manage publick affairs and herein the unhappiness of Princes is remarkable that they find few who mind more the honour of the State than their own profit or study the interest of their Master more than their own private advantages Take heed therefore my Son that you grant not to them you honour with your good will commonly called Favourites any thing to the prejudice of the people over whom God hath invested you with Soverain Authority whereof you must make good use and render him one day an account and undergo the sentence of an exact impartial Justice and abide the severity of its Judgement Think not that such men are called without cause the Leeches of the Court who hanging still at the Eares of their Prince yet ungrateful to their Benefactour have by their insatiable avarice base flattery and monstrous ingratitude merited those names of infamy and reproach of the vices they are infected with I had designed to have assisted you in the discharge of your Office knowing your Youth unexperienced in the Government of Kingdoms but since the great ones of Castile have perswaded you to the contrary I will retire and confine my cares to the Governmens of the States subject to the Crowns God hath given me but shall make it my Prayer to God to give you the Graces and Forces necessary for great Kings and during my absence from you I leave you another Father who will be of no less use to you than if I were with you in person I mean my Lord Arch-bishop of Toledo here present the many proofs and evident testimonies I have had of his fidelity and experience give me cause to Assure you that a King cannot be wrecked in the Government of his State where he sits at the helm May you believe his sage