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
Laws and that nothing is more necessary for the Common-weal than good institution and vertuous education of Youth CAP. IV. XImenes had not only a real Affection for Learning but a high esteem for its faithfull Attendants Honesty and Integrity though his affection to the one and esteem for the other terminated in Religion as the ultimate object of his best affections the Ascendant of his soul and Lady paramount of his passions To which he was so entirely devoted as to take the measure of his affection and esteem for Learning and Honesty from their usefulness to the advancement of Religion The zeal he had to propagate Christianity made him labour willingly and much for the Conversion of Infidels About the end of this year he attended the King and Queen in their Kingdom of Granada newly recovered from the Moors to give advice how this new Conquest might be best maintained and found time to preach so fervently to the Moors that in one day he converted three thousand of them to the faith of Christ And the multitude of the Converts making it impossible to baptize them all in the usual form within the compass of a day using aspersion instead immersion he sprinkled them all with baptismal water and so initiated them all the same day in the Christian Religion In memory whereof that day being the 16th of December was long kept Festival in Spain The Archbishop of Granada in his harangue to the Cardinal upon the Triumphs of that Kingdom amongst others hath this expression Sir I may say without incurring suspicion of flattery that your Victories surpass the King's for he gained Stones but you have gained Souls to God The greatest part of the unconverted Moors followed the example of a Prince of their Sect of the Royal Family of the Kings of Granada who became Christian and drew them with him to the knowledge of the true Religion These new Converts by the light of truth began to discover and detest their former errors and of their own accord laid at Ximenes feet five thousand Volumes of the Alcoran or Glosses and Explications of it all curiously bound neatly trimmed and exquisitely adorned with Claspes and Knots of Silver Gold and precious Stones which made out the Esteem that people had for the lying impostures of their Prophet Many Grandees of Spain became Suitors to Ximenes for one of those Books to adorn their Libraries but he refused and causing a great fire to be made exposed them all to the fury of the devouring flames except few that treated of Physick and had been found among the Alcorans Taking from these new Converts those objects which might renew the memory of the Errors in which they had lived most part of their time So frail and so fickle is our nature in good actions that our progress in the way of vertue is like that of Boats against the stream of a rapid Torrent which fall back in one hour more than they advance in a whole day This was not enough to contain them within the bounds of their duty some sighed for their lost liberty others relapsed into their old superstitions and taking up Arms resolved to force their way to both by fire and sword Ximenes who was yet in Granada stood the shock and bearing up bravely in a Sea of troubles that surrounded him sends an Express to the King And for better dispatch a Gentleman of Quality of the same City offered him an Ethiopian Slave so nimble and swift of foot that he would travell fifty Leagues a day But the brutish Sot having received the Pacquet instead of making haste overcharged himself so with Wine and Victuals at the second Inn he met with by the way that he slept there till the morrow after and he who should have been in two dayes at Sevil where the Court then was made it five ere he arrived there In the mean time the King had intelligence of the Revolt of the Moors of Granada from them who envying the greatness of Ximenes took care to send better Courriers than the Ethiopian and informed the King that Ximenes who through a rash and undiscreet zeal would have converted to Christianity in a moment men who were not only born and had lived but were for the most part grown old in the Profession of Mahometism had lost the Realm of Granada That he was utterly incapable to manage matters of State who proposed and made use of no other allurements to win over his Converts to submit their necks to the yoke of a new Government than the headstrong Capricchio's of his violent fancy and the rigorous Austerities he had practised in a Cloister Ferdinand believes them and remembring Ximenes had been introduced into Court and his Conduct extolled by the Queen his Wife goes to her Lodgings and all in a flame See now Madam sayes he the Triumphs of our Ancestors and our own purchased with the blood of the Nobles of Spain ruined in a moment by the humoursome follies of your Ximenes Ximenes by this time had intelligence from his friends of the negligence of the Ethiopian and the sense of the Court he acknowledges his fault to entrust the sottishness of such a Brute with an Affair of so great Importance And resolved for the future never to send Courriers on the like Occurrences but such as were persons of integrity and honest Repute which he observed making it his custom to honour and load with Presents such whom he imployed in dispatches of Consequence To retrive this miscarriage and remedy the present disorder of his Affairs he dispatched Roiiys his Companion of the Order to inform their Majesties of the Causes of the Revolt and the Remedies he had applyed The good estate of Granada quenched the fire of Ferdinands anger and displeasure against Ximenes and drew from him Letters of thanks to Ximenes for his great expence for the good of the publick in restoring peace to Granada and the dangers he exposed himself to to save his Cities from ruine and the Kingdom from destruction A Minister of State who labours with integrity to serve his Majesty ought by good Actions and patience to overcome the Envy and Calumnies of his Enemies which like thin mists are easily dissipated and being built on the sandy foundations of falseshood and lyes are soon shaken and moulder to nothing CAP. V. THE watchings and labours Ximenes underwent to suppress the Tumults of Granada had impaired his health into a Hectick Feavour so malignant that the Physitians could find no remedy for it A Moriseo-woman converted by him hears of this and sends him another woman of the same Nation to desire permission to cure his Feavour which being granted her within eight dayes by the use of Oyntments and some words she recited she restored him to perfect health This enabled him to go to Toledo to salute the Princess Joan Daughter and Heiress of Ferdinand and Isabel together with Philip of Austrich her Husband and Son to the Emperour
to his honour He writes to the Cardinal to imploy his Credit to procure him the continuance of the name of King and to proclaim him King throughout Spain The Cardinal sitts about it and plyes it closely called an Assembly of the Notable persons of the Realm composed of Prelats Grandees of Spain and Counsellors of State and causes overtures to be made and the Affair proposed to them by Laurence Galiud Counsellor of State his Confident a man of great Learning and Eloquence Who declared to the Assembly the pittiful condition and miserable Estate of Queen Joan now besides her self and uncapable to Govern shews them the necessity of having a Prince who might at least in name fill up what she could not indeed possess That Authority was the soul of the Kingdom and since it could not be found in the person of Joan they must seek it in that of Charles That it was no new thing for the Infantes of Spain to bear the Title of Kings in their Parents life-time He cited Presidents in the Reign of the Goths and their Successours In the Close of his discourse he drew out of his bosome the Prince's Letters not demanding advice but commanding obedience and concluded it better By unanimous consent to gratifie him in his desires with Congratulation to him for the Title he had assumed than to refuse him That he had already taken and was resolved to keep The Bishops and Councellours of State were of his Opinion The Grandees of the Contrary Henry Almirante and Frederick D' Alva swore before the Assembly They would never endure such an Usurpation The Cardinal turns to them and with a face and voice full of severity sayes King Charles has no need of your Votes for the quality he Assumes nor did I assemble you to desire them but of my free inclinations for your good to give you this occasion by the freeness of your Suffrages and cheerful Consent to merit the good-will and favour of our Prince But since you conceive that to be due to you of Right which was done you of Courtesie I 'le make you know you are not so necessary in this business as you mistake your selves to be And going out of the Council he sent for the Governour of Madrid and commanded him to cause Charles of Austria to be proclaimed King of Castile by sound of Trumpet in every Street of the Town which was solemnly done the same day Toledo followed the Example of Madrid and joyfully made the like Proclamation Such was the fruit of the Cardinals Severity that the Grandees durst not attempt any thing to hinder it Where a Minister of State sees Discourse and Perswasions too feeble to prevail he must use severity and force to back his Authority The Kingdom of Arragon followed not the example of Castile Alfonso of Arragon Bishop of Saragosa was Governour there by the Testament of Ferdinand The Arragonois wonderful Jealous of the Laws of their State refused to give Charles the Title of King during his mothers life And to second the refusal with violence Peter Gironne eldest Son of the Earl of Vrenne takes up Armes attacques the Dutchy of Medina Sedonia pretending a right to 't and besieges Luzerre on the Sea side The Cardinal sends against him a light Army under the Conduct of Anthony Fonseca and with him a Minister of Justice to punish the Rebells with the Axe and Rope Fonseca goes directly to Luzerre raiseth the Siege and puts the Rebells to flight who not long after came from those parts to increase the troubles raised by the Duke of Infantade on his side Who keeping in mind the offence given by the Cardinal by breaking off as he said the Marriage between his Niece and the Duke's Nephew exclaimed against him in Words and Writing publishing in his Manifestoes that the Nobility of Spain were oppressed by the Cardinal whom he called an unfrock'd Monk That the grandees of Spain had ever defended the Crown that it was more reasonable the Cardinal should obey them as Protectors of the State than that they should submit to the Cardinal who had nothing worthy the taking notice of but the quality he owed to the gift of blind Fortune and knew no more than the severities and humoursome Vagaries the Monks practise in their Cloysters when they persecute one another The Cardinal who was excellently judicious slighted these Rodomantadoes knowing that Choler without Force is a Wind that makes a noise but cannâ—◠〈◊〉 That the Grandees of Spain spend their Revenues on their Vanity and Luxury to the last Farthing having nothing left but noise and exclamations the feeble support of their huffing and pride when he could pay an Army with the Revenue of his Benefices And leaving them thus to Champ on the bit he gave them leisure to acknowledge their fault and feebleness and by the Experience of his powerful Authority to come to themselves and return to their duty which most of them did and among others the Duke of Infantade who after so many sallies and freaks sent him Letters of Submission and testimonials of his Affection and Obedience For they saw this Man intirely fix'd and resolute in his designs when just then he had rendred himself capable to command Armies learning daily the Theory and practick of the Art of Warr entertaining himself with Discourses of all points thereof amongst the sagest and most Ancient Captains Besides he had a standing Army of thirty thousand men raised out of the Cities and Burroughs of Spain who had no other pay than Franchises and Immunities These Forces made him formidable to his personal Enemies and to the Disturbers of the publick peace As wings carry the Eagle to the glory of Combat so Armies the wings of Royal Authority carry it against the Enemies of the State to their ruine and confusion but to its own certain Victory and Triumph The next Year being 1516. the Cardinal sent to Charles in Flanders Diego Lopez Ajala a person in whom he reposed much confidence to procure Letters Patents to confirm Ferdinands Testament which gave him the Regency to approve his Conduct and to give him full Authority over the Council the Tribunals of Justice the Governours of Towns and the Receivers and Treasurers of the Finances Diego had in his Instructions To let the King know that the Grant of these things by Letters Missive to the Council was not sufficient This he did to take away all pretence from the Grandees for stirring the people against him on colour that his Actions were not approved of by the Prince For upon his setting a foot thirty thousand men of the Militia of the Towns and Cities which received Immunities only for pay the great Ones of Spain gave out that these violent Courses tended to the subversion of the State That he Armed the people against them and with design first to destroy them and then to ruine the People That his irregular Ambition and exorbitant Pride had transported him
Persons or the Publick advantage others by their Labours and excell them in the fidelity of their Services and the Dignity of their Vertues The Revenue of Princes though great in it self is alwayes too little for the necessities of State and passing through many hands is much diminished ere it arrive at their Coffers The Cardinal to provide against this inconvenience gave the Offices of the Finances to men fit for them persons under no necessity to tempt them to Rapine And chose for Surintendant of the Kings moneys a Lord by Birth one of the Noblest of Spain and in Estate the Richest in the Kingdom Spunges full of water take in no more though steeped in it Great Buildings without good Foundations swagg and come to Ruine The Cardinal laid three Foundations necessary for Royalty whereon as on firm pillars the Authority thereof relies The first is Justice when the King dispenses it to his Subjects impartially and without respect of persons when the Scepter affords relief to the poor and the weak against the injuries of the Rich and the Powerful The second when the King hath a respect and good value for the Men of Warr that give proofs of their Experience and Valour in the Service of his Warrs The third when the King doth not squander away his Revenue but by thrift and parsimony keeps a good stock in Reserve for Royal Enterprizes which ought to be his ordinary Exercises who that he may be great must do great things Experience had taught the Cardinal the truth of this sage Maxim for in four months of his Regency under Charles by help of his Treasure he had compassed his designs ended a Warr of great importance calmed the Commotions of Spain made sure of Navarr reduced Malaga to Obedience maintained strong Garrisons on the Frontiers assured the Sea-coast made incursions into Africk sent a Naval Army against Algiers and delivered Bugie Pignon and Melillo from the Siege of Barbarosse great Admiral of the Turks If I said he have done all these things notwithstanding the oppositions of my Enemies what cannot a King do by his absolute power if he leave in his Treasure a stock for Royal Undertakings Money being the sinews of Warr and the object of mens Affections the Monarch who is Rich becomes puissant in the one and absolute Master of the other The glory the Cardinal had acquired by his prudent management of the State and his good Actions to private persons was greatly augmented by the Violences of the Turks and misfortunes of Africk which brought a stronger King at his feet to implore his Assistance The King of Tunis Son and Heir of Jabet Albuzen was guilty of the Crime of being Neighbour to a Monarch more powerful than he and possessing a Crown convenient for the Ottoman This brought a Warr upon him Barbarosse who had command from the Turk his Master to oute him from his Throne was the more willing to attacque him in that he had obtained from the Ottoman Poste a promise to succeed in the Throne and Title of the King of Tunis in case he Conquered him on Condition nevertheless to hold it of the Crown Imperial of the Turks The Corsayre undertakes it and over-powering Tunis enters the City and drives out the King who dispoiled of his Estate embarks for Spain to seek relief in Christendome for his disasters in his passage he was set upon with Tempests and Storms which though less than those he met with at Land put his Vessel in danger but he escaped a wreck at Sea being reserved for a greater at Land which had already deprived him of his Crown his estate his repose and reputation and had more miseries in store for him during the rest of his life which the Sea might have swallowed up and therein all his Losses and Calamities He Arrived in Spain and threw himself into the Cardinals Arms who received him gave him Retinue befitting a King comforted his miseries with kind entertainment and promises of Re-establishment in his Throne The Minister that represents a King and holds his Scepter in his absence ought to do Royal Actions and to reach forth a helping hand to distressed Princes is one of the greatest of these for if the Man that helps a Man is a God to that Man the King who is a God on Earth and his Minister in his stead succouring a persecuted King is a God to a God CAP. XIII THE same Year John Rio a Spanish Pyrate returned from his Course having taken many Genoa-Vessels and Rich in Booty and Prizes and at Anchor in the Port of Carthagena Nueva where he enjoyed other mens goods by the Laws of Pyracy when some Ships of Warr arrived from Genes attacqued him in the Harbour and being well Armed and fighting for the interest of their Republick they took this Sea-robber and carryed away his person and Vessels But this Action done within a Port of Spain was an offence against the Majesty of the King the Cardinal resents it as such and publisheth an Edict commanding all the Genoese in Spain to depart the Kingdom within fifteen dayes upon pain of Confiscation of their goods and of their Lives and in the mean time caused seizure to be made of their Goods wherever they could be found This Alarum'd the Republike seeing their Commerce to which they owe their Maintenance and Grandeur broken on that side and their Allyance much altered They betake themselves to their remedy and send Ambassadours to Charles in Flanders to disavow the boldness of those Ships which in the Port of Carthagene had violated the respect due to his Crown which had met by the way the punishment they should have received from the Republick had they arrived at Genes which the Tempest prevented in taking from them both their Ships and their Lives Therefore they implored his Majesty not to impute that to their State which was the Act of two or three private persons Charles was satisfied with this submission and revoked the Edict published by the Cardinal But he being Jealous for the honour of his Master which had a greater share in his thoughts than the care of his own life holding the Genoese to be very Cautelous people and desirous to penetrate the depth of their intentions upon information received that they held intelligence with the French about the Kingdom of Naples deferred the publishing of the Revocation and Restitution of the Genoese goods till he had sent Ambassadours to Genes to clear the doubt but the Ambassadours finding the Genoese sincerely inclined to keep good Correspondence with Spain he made restitution to the Genoese of their Goods and their liberty of Commerce The Honour of Kings is their true Patrimony preferrable to their estates Their Ministers ought carefully to preserve and couragiously defend it for as bodies without souls which give them life are easily corrupted so Monarchies without Honour and Reputation decline and come to Ruine Spain had long since laid the Foundations of Dominion over
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
Telodo as Primate of the Prelates so first of the Grandees of Spain and having precedence of all The Cardinal's answer was He would protect honest men and punish the wicked contemners of Justice and disturbers of the publick peace When they saw the Cardinal inflexible they sent to Charles in Flanders mis-represented the matter and obtained a prohibition to stay execution of the Judgement till he came into Spain Upon receipt of the prohibition the Cardinal and Council sent to Charles informed him of the truth of the Crime sent him the Process and remonstrated to him that having been appointed by God the Guardian and preserver of the Laws he ought to give Justice liberty in her functions and freedom and to do her duty intreated him to consider the Consequence of this Affair that if such Enormities were tolerated there should not be one King only in Spain but as many Kings as there are puissant great Ones Charles in Answer to the Cardinal and Council writ He had been mis-informed and that it was his intention Justice should be done The Judgement against the Offenders was Executed The Cardinal sending Regiments of Horse and Foot against Villas Hermanos where Giron's Son and several Young Lords of his quality Sons of the Grandees of Spain were assembled with some Forces and had added new insolences to the former Rebellion having caused the Effigies of the Cardinal to be drawn through the Streets in his pontifical habit with a Trumpet before it to publish the Ignominy But when they saw the Assailants they left their sport and betook them to their heels The Walls of the Town were beaten down to the foundations and they plowed up the houses fired and the places they stood on sowed with salt in token of malediction Seven men of the place who had said they knew no Lord but Giron were whipped by the hangman and with them some of Giron's Domesticks on a holy day that so important an execution might not be retarded To make Quixada amends and repair his damage in the loss of the Town they adjudged him Giron's Estate and proceeded further against his family and person To take from the Rebels all hopes of mercy this execution was confirmed by Letters Patents from Charles in Flanders This brought Giron to reason he humbles himself to the Cardinal and desires mercy and to make his prayers more effectual all the Grandees of Spain joyned with him The Cardinal by Letter interceded to Charles for a pardon that in bringing him to an exemplary humiliation and forcing him to begg pardon in person he had sufficiently punished him that the Grandees acknowledging their faults and truly humbled were not to be treated with the severities usual in other mens Cases The third puissant Enemy of the Cardinal among the Grandees of Spain was the Duke of Alva of great Authority of a great Family Illustrious in blood abounding in Riches powerful in Friendship and Allyance the Cardinal had his opportunity to bring him to reason as well as the others The Duke of Alva in King Ferdinand's life time in whose favours he had a great share obtained for Diegolus third son the Priory of St. John in Spain of the Order of Knights then at Rhodes now at Malta a Dignity of great revenue and equal Authority in the Kingdom Antony Alstuniga of an illustrious family was at that time in Legal possession but the Duke of Alva upheld by the Authority of the King and the great master of Rhodes took it from him by force contrary to Right and the Laws of Spain and setled his Son there who enjoyed it peaceably for six years till Ferdinand's death Astuniga seeing the Duke's credit buried with that Prince had recourse to Justice and summons the Usurper to a Legal Tryal The Process was decided at Rome and Diego enjoyned to make restitution of the Benefice Astuniga returns into Spain with the Decree implores the Cardinal's protection whom he knew to be the Defender of Justice and obtains it Charles in the mean time informed of this difference looked upon it as of importance to the State writes to the Cardinal and Council to put the Benefice in a third hand till farther order The Duke of Alva refuses to obey his Command believing it an invention to outt him from the Priory calls the other Grandees of Spain his Friends to his Assistance and fortifies Consabrona the principal place of the Priory The Cardinal seeing him act the King in Spain resolved not to endure it he commands forth a thousand Horse and 500 Foot of his Guards in the Suburbs of Madrid but at the instant falls sick to the danger of his life Madrid and all the Realm of Castile made publick Prayers for his Recovery on which as then depended the peace of Spain He Recovers and finding the Duke of Alva unwilling to obey resolves to force him but by the way proposed him a fair accommodation And it is remarkable this great Minister never took the way of Rigour till he had first tryed that of Sweetness and found it ineffectual to perform the duties of Justice in his Administration He proposed to the Duke That he should give the King a Gentleman of his Family to be answerable to his Majesty for the places of the Priory that should be put into his hands and to surrender them to the King if there should be cause when he had declared his Judgement by which means the Duke might have remained Master of the Priory and the Revenue The Duke stormed at this proposal and thinking that to accept it would have been to part with his own rejected it The Cardinal sends a leight Army to besiege Casabrona the Duke also sent thither a thousand Foot and some Horse with Victuals and Money The Cardinal's Troops met them by the way engaged and defeated them took their money and Victuals and marched to the place they were to invest The Duke of Alva's Son was within with a great number of young men of his Age most of them Sons of the Grandees of Spain All the Nobles of Toledo that had attained the age of 21 years assisting in the Defence The Herald summoned them to open their Gates and obey the King their Answer was high though not a word spoken for they set on the Walls of the place Biers covered with black to signifie tacitly their resolution rather to dye than yield The Duke of Alva this while was anxiously distracted in his thoughts On the one side he saw the shame that would attend his suffering a Piece of such convenience and profit to his Family to be wrested out of his hands and that his labours and great preparations would end in Affronts and greater Disgraces On the other side he beheld the thunderbolt hanging over his head ready to fall upon him to the ruine of his person and his house His Estate was already Confiscated by Decree of the Council which gave him fearful apprehensions of the Cardinal's severity as
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
Charge His Design for passing into Africk to propagate the Faith there diverted by Rouys his Companion He travels on foot and Beggs pag. 7. CHAP. III. Vpon the Death of Cardinal Mendoza King Ferdinand endeavours the promotion of his Natural Son the Archbishop of Saragosa to the Chair of Toledo But Queen Isabel prefers Ximenes to the Dignity He withdraws from Court to avoid the Investiture but upon the Popes Mandate Returns and Accepts it His Declaration not to admit of any Pension to be charged on the Revenue of the Archbishoprick He continues the plainness of a Religious life Mends with his own hands the Frock of his Order with other Evidences of Humility is complained of to the Pope who commands him to live more splendidly Ximenes obeyes is envied by the Monks of his order Their Generals extravagant address to the Queen His Brother Bernardin endeavours to stifle him in his Bed and leaves him for dead Ximenes recovers and perswades the King to ease his people of a heavy Tax called Alcabala and erects a Colledge at Arcala pag. 9. CHAP. IV. The Zeal of Ximenes for propagating the Faith He Converts three thousand Moores in one day The Manner of their Baptism The new Converts present him with five thousand Volumes of the Alcoran and Glosses thereon he burns most of them The Revolt of Granada charged on Ximenes by his Enemies the miscarriage of the Courrier he imployed The King expresses great Displeasure against Ximenes but he retrives all and obtains thanks from the King pag. 17 CHAP. V. Ximenes falls sick and is Cured by a Morisco Woman Bestows four thousand Crowns on seven Hebrew Copies of the Bible His great Care and Charge for a Correct Impression of the Scriptures He obtains great Immunities for his Colledge of Arcala and pardons a Malefactor led to execution He builds another Colledge pag. 21 CHAP. VI. The Death of Queen Isabel Ximenes Executor of her last Will and Testament The extraordinary Honors done him by the King The Dexterity of his Conduct in preserving Castille under the obedience of his Master Ferdinand The Arrivall of Philip Ferdinand's Son-in-Law in Spain The Enterview of Ferdinand and Ximenes's Advice to Philip. He attends them in their Conference and shuts out Don Philip's Favorite Ferdinand's Speech to Philip His Commendation of Ximenes His haughty Conduct in the Affairs of the Farm of the Revenews of the Silks of Philip's Death Ximenes the Constable of Castille and Duke of Najar undertakes the Government in Ferdinand's absence Vpon Ferdinand's Letter Ximenes resolves to Govern alone Is Chosen sole Guardian of the State The Distracted Vagaries of Queen Joan. The Troubles in Medina and Granada appeased by Ferdinand's Return Ximenes made Cardinal and Inquisitor-General of Castile The Honour done his Colledge of Arcala by Francis the first of France and Charles the Fifth Emperor of Germany pag. 24 CHAP. VI. The Cardinal's Design to invade Africk proposed to Ferdinand who excuses the enterprize for want of money The Cardinal furnishes money Mersalcaber is taken by Surrender The punishment of a Spanish Souldier for breach of the Articles Diego Ferdinando is made Governour of Mersalcaber and Deiasio his Lieutenant his extraordinary value pag. 37. CHAP. VII Ximenes resolves to pass in person into Africk in the head of an Army The raillery of the Court thereupon The Earl D' Olivarez by advice of the Great Captain made Lieutenant General The Officers of the Army retard and obstruct the Expedition The Cardinal complains to the King and if the Army should disband desires leave to retire into his Diocess The King gives new Orders for the Army to attend the Cardinal They mutiny the Cardinal employes Villaroel to advise Virnelli from his rigor against the Mutineers Viaanell's proud Answer Villaroel wounds him The Campmaster Salazars device to appease the Mutineers The Army lands They engage the Moores and after a stout resistance prevail Oran is taken the Cardinal enters Oran in triumph Divides the spoil amongst the Officers and Souldiers founds and endows an Hospital De Veras neglect in carrying the King News The Earl of Olivarez insolent carriage against the Cardinal his submission The Cardinal's return into Spain and the occasion Captain Arias's exemplary familiarity with death pag. 44. CHAP. VIII The Cardinal demands payment of the moneys he advanced for the War the Grandees and Officers strong opposition and Arguments against payment The Cardinal's Defence He prevails Lewys William made Bishop of Oran by the Pope is opposed by the Cardinal who makes fair offers of Accommodation which are refused by William in hopes of Sentence against the Cardinal his designs frustrated and he slighted The Cardinal prefers his friend Rouys to the Bishoprick of Avilas The Cardinal's advice to his friend before the promotion He disposes of his Nephew in Marriage His advice hereupon His Niece is married to a Nephew of the Duke D' Infantado The Cardinal breaks the Marriage The reason The Cardinal's respect to the Great Captain Extraordinary Honor done the Cardinal by Ferdinand The Cardidinal's Generous offer to assist Pope Julius the Second pag. 62. CHAP. IX A Peace with Africk New Honors done the Cardinal A War with France The Cardinal's Advice for the management His Discovery of the secret League between France and Navarr The Cardinal's Liberality in order to the King's health He builds several publick Granaries and a Magnificent Church and Monastery His famous Aqueduct which cost a Million of Gold The Pope demands Contribution from Spain towards building of St. Peter's in Rome The King consents but the Cardinal opposes and hinders it King Ferdinand's sickness and frowardness He alters his Testament made at Burgos and why Rejects the proposal of Ximenes for Governour of the Kingdom after his decease the reason He declares Ximenes Governour and dyes The Cardinal enters on the Government his excellent Conduct pag. 72. CHAP. X. The Dean of Lovain by Patent from Charles King of Spain claims the Government The Cardinal opposes him Reduces Porto Carrero and his rebellious Forces in Portugal to obedience Charles declares the Cardinal Governour is opposed in the new Title he assumed of King of Spain till address to the Cardinal who in spight of the Grandees Opposition caused Charles to be proclaimed King of Spain in Madrid and Toledo Peter Giroim takes up Arms but defeated by the Cardinal The Duke D' Infantadoes extravagant Speeches and Manifests against the Cardinal his submission The Cardinal's Forces The Grandees stirr up the people to Rebellion Valladolid Leon Burgos c. revolt Complaints to Charles against the Cardinal but frustrated by his prudence pag. 81. CHAP. XI The Cardinal's settlement of the Maritine affairs of the Kingdom He relieves the Islanders against the tyranny of the Spaniards His advice to Charles thereupon rejected but to the dammage of the Crown He stops the French and reduces Navarr to an entire obedience to Spain Malaga in Arms but reduced by the Cardinal's Forces Velasio High Treasurer
into the Country upon an Asse attended by a troop of Monks of his Order his house his family and his table were so ordered as not to be inconsistent with his Vow of poverty The Great Revenue of the Primate of Spain was imployed in works of Piety the poor receiving a moity of it for their sustenance whom he called the Lords and Proprietors of his Revenues The Bishops of Spain instead of imitating the good Example of his simplicity were offended at it and complained of him to Pope Alexander the sixth who sent him a Brieve advising him to change that mean fashion of life into a more splendid and becoming his dignity telling him it was not only convenient but necessary to maintain with some external pomp and lustre the dignities founded in a holy simplicity Ximenes obeys the Pope his table is better covered his Beds more sumptuous his utensils of Earth are changed into Plate and all the ornaments of Prelature more splendid and magnificent But his Golden Cross made him not a woodden Bishop he continued his conferences in Divinity with the Priests and his sermons to the people and it is remarkable he admitted no man into his family but upon the commendations of honesty and vertue But can it be expected Ximenes should quietly enjoy a Dignity so Eminent a Benefice of so vast revenue since 't is the course of the world that as Roses have their prickles growing up with them so crosses are inseparable Companions of great fortunes The first that attacqued him were the Monks of his Order who were at Court with him and offended that he kept them in his house to the Austere Rules of their Order and forbad them to intermeddle with any thing but their Beads And that being lately made President of the Kings Council he procured not for them the Prelatures of Spain spread ill reports of his person and made their Sermons invectives against his conduct Turning the pulpit which ought to be the Oracle of truth into a Theatre of Envy They rested not there but sent for their General from Rome and armed him with Calumnies against Ximenes The General arrived in Spain and hurried with faction and insolence predominant in him goes to the Queen and addressing himself with little respect accused Ximenes of Ignorance of Pride and of Hypocrisie Blaming the Queen for permitting such a man to fit in her Council and in the prime Chair of Prelature in the Kingdom Isabel well assured of the integrity and merits of Ximenes and moved at the palpable rudeness and irregular passion of this General asked him if he were in his wits and knew whom he spoke to Yes Madam saith he I am so well in my wits as to know I speak to Queen Isabel who is but a heap of Dust as I am and suddenly withdrew from the presence of the Queen more like a Fury than a Rational Creature But the accusations of these Monks having no other foundation but Envy hatred and untruths were easily dissipated by the patience of Ximemes to their shame but his Glory Thus these Ambitious men who went out of the world upon design to return with greater advantage attacqued his reputation But Bernardine his brother attempted his life Ximenes when he took the habit of St. Francis resigned to him his Benefices and was soon after followed by this young man who too became of the same Orders and afterwards tracing the steps of his Brothers fortune went to Court in hope of a Bishoprick but the success not answering his designes he imputed the cause to Ximenes and resolved to be revenged of him for the refusal or delay of his preferment Ximenes lay sick at Arcula D'Henares in Latin Complutum Bernardine was in his house and finding his Brother one day in his chamber without any attendant threw himself on the bed where he lay and pressing the bolster hard on his neck endeavoured to choke him and thinking it done went out of the Chamber Ximenes not quite dead was helped by his servants who came in and having acquainted them with Bernardines villany commanded them to apprehend him They search and having found him hid in a Cave drag him out and bring him to Ximenes who took no other revenge than that he sent him bound to the Monastery of Torrice to learn more wiâ—t Having recovered his health he spent some time in reforming the Conventuals of the Order of St. Francis called Cordeliers whom he reduced under the Rules of the Observantins to live without Revenews as Children of Providence and upon the Alms they receive His pains and the Cordeliers oppositions and complaints in this Affair almost exceed expression But by the end of the year 1499. his Constancy surmounted all difficulties raised by them and afforded him opportunity to employ his thoughts towards redress of the peoples grievances It troubled him to see the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon oppressed by a heavy Tax called Alcabala which forced them to pay the King the tenth part of all they sold or exchanged This Imposition was first laid towards defraying the Charge of the Wars of Granada against the Moors but continued to the grievance of the people after the War though ended to the great advantage of Ferdinand and Isabel Ximenes remonstrates to them that God had made them Pastors not Tyrants over the people that by the favour of Heaven they had obtained Victory over the Moors that it was an ill Acknowledgement of the mercy to continue in time of Peace and Triumph that Subsidy which was intended only for the maintenance of the War His advice was taken and the people discharged of the Tax This gained him great reputation all over Spain so that he never entred the Palace Royal but the people attended him with joyful Acclamations saying publickly He never went to Council but for the good of the Commonalty A wise Minister of State designs no less the good of the publick than the Honour of his Prince The disorders of War had banished good Literature from the Territories of Spain Ximenes desires ardently to see it brought back and replanted causes a Colledge to be built at Arcala and the seventh of March 1498. 〈…〉 stone himself endowed iâ— with Revenuâ—◠〈◊〉 furnished it with Regents which renderâ— it one of the best Academies of Spain Certainly the happiness of a Kingdom consists in the observance of the Laws which is better effected through careful education than fear of punishment Vertuous actions are derived from good habits acquired by practice and exercise of the wholsome Rules of good Education where this is wanting the severities of Magistracy are too weak to contain men within the limits of obedience to Law there being nothing so difficult as to subdue our passions when by long Custom and Continuance in Vice they have got such head as to master our Reason Hence that Maxim of the Wise man that Prudent Education added to the Gifts of Nature renders men vertuous and obedient to the
advice and gather the same fruits from his conduct as have given my name and that of Queen Isabel the reputation and glory of having happily governed Spain and to the inhabitants of these Kingdoms the felicity they enjoy After this Enterview the Kings parted Philip went to dinner at Bimo Ferdinand at Remefid and Simenes at Requete three little villages within half a league of the Ermitage but the advantage of accommodation was on Philip's part as feasted before dinner with the Royal Collation of Ferdinands entertainment For the Sage advice for the Government of a Kingdom is a true aliment of Prince's spirit The affairs of Castile were at this time carried according to the passion of the high Treasurer Don John Manuel Philips favorite and the Revenue of the Kingdom which is the blood of the people squandered away by him which highly displeased Ximenes It hapned one day that Bertrand de Salto one of the Kings Treasurers who had formerly treated with Ximenes about several affairs in respect to him came to let him know that the King by advice of Don Mannel had farmed out the Revenue of the Silks of Granada for ten years at a price and that he had the Charters in his hand ready drawn to be delivered to the Seal Ximenes reads them and observing that they were much to the damage of the King tore them in pieces and gave the pieces to a page of his Chamber who stood behind him which are kept to this day among the records of Arcala for a monument of the couragious liberty of this Minister then turning to the Treasurer Salto said he were you not one of my friends the King should cause your head to be taken off Dare you make Grants so prejudicial to the State Then going to the Palace he informed Philip of this disorder and forced him to confess they had surprized him This Prince began to relish the excellency of Ximenes counsels and fully resolved to live for the future in better correspondence with Ferdinand but was suddenly taken with a great sickness which with his life ended his troubles Ferdinand was then in his voyage for Naples his new Conquest the Grandees of Spain assembled in Ximenes Chamber to consult about the Government of Castile divers opinions were hotly proposed The Constable the Admiral and the Duke of Alva advised to send speedily after King Ferdinand then at Sea and to desire his return into Spain to take the Government upon him The Earl of Benevent the Marquess of Villena and the Dukes of Infantado and Najar contradicted this advice with so much passion that they came to high words with those that proposed it Ximenes who had been all this while silent the better to discover the intention of both parties to prevent danger to the State by this Rupture and Divorce of Opinions and by Amusing the passion of the four last to divert and frustrate their designs of trouble spake as followeth My Lords King Ferdinand hath ruled these Kingdoms above forty years 't is now high time he should govern his own since God hath given Castile men capable to Govern it and such as can give a good account of their Actions The Assembly by common consent chose Ximenes the Constable of Castile and the Duke of Najar as a Triumnivat to Govern the State to be Guardians to the Queen and Tutors to Prince Charles afterwards Charles the fift Ximenes informs the King of these passages and believing him to be then at Barcelona beseeches him to return into Castile But the Courrier sound him at the Isle of Isbice and that having given Italy Advice of his voyage he held himself obliged to perform it But in truth his vehement desires to see Gonsalves outed from Naples being the main occasion of the voyage would not permit him to return till he had seen it done Therefore he writ to Ximenes to govern Spain in the mean time with the fidelity and integrity he alwayes found in him Now Ximenes resolves to sit alone at the Helm and notwithstanding the resolutions of the aforesaid Assembly is by the Council-Royal chosen sole Guardian of the State the Queen and the Infant Charles he puts himself immediately into the Posture of Governour of the Kingdom Raises and Armes Regiments of Horse and Foot for the Guards of the Princes and his own The Grandees of Spain astonished to see a man bred in a Cloyster use force and have recourse to Armes for Authorising his Conduct blamed him as a light spirited person But he who knew of what importance it was to Awe the factious and have forces in readiness to suppress innovations gave them leave to talk but prosecuted his design Queen Joan by the Travails of Child-birth or rather as 't is said by the Charmes and Inchantments with some poysonous druggs given her by a Flemish Lady King Philips Mistress had a great weakness in her senses and was much disordered in her rational faculty This made her wander up and down the Countries quitting B Burgos and great with Child taking a Journey to the Burrough of Benferriale where she was delivered of the Posthumous Princess Catharine afterwards marryed to the King of Portugal While she lay In the Citizens of Medina took up Armes and being divided into two parties had brought the City to the brink of destruction the Province of Granada was up in Armes at the same time and the Guards of the Sea-coste from Guards to Defend were become Enemies to Assault the Countrey Ximenes by his prudence opposed the one contented the other and made all quiet again Yet he was not in quiet for the Queen after Child-birth having recovered her strength but not her senses made him follow her through the Countrey to his great inconvenience by the incommodities he underwent in an Age fitter for repose than the Fatigues of the Court This Princess could not be perswaded to Lodge any where but in the fields with the whole Court in Tents or in the Countrey Villages Ximenes put her in mind how incommodious this was for her and and what disorder she put the whole Court in for want of Lodgings She answered a Widdow ought not to go into Towns but wander in the Fields and live in Villages Thus she past from one Village to another carrying with her the body of her dead Husband Philip embalmed fancying she enjoyed his Person by the sight of his Carcase and causing it to be laid in the Parish Church of every Village she Lodged in with a Guard to keep constant Watch at the Coffin under a strict charge not to permit a Woman to approach it So Jealous was she of a body without life and incapable then to raise these passions in the beholders which he had caused in his life time being possessed of those natural beauties and endued with goodness so excellent which charmed Ladies affections into a passionate Longing and men into an intire Love for him This Princess fool'd with the Love of
excellent Captain Ministers of State endued with an excellent vivacity of Spirit and solid Judgement learn by little exercise the business of a Captain The Cardinal attained it so quickly and happily that had he lived in those great Republicks that triumphed over the best parts of the World they had to his name Ximenes added the Sirname of African CAP. VIII UPon the first design of the Warr of Africk the Cardinal furnished the King with money toward the Charge thereof on Condition of re-imbursement or case Oran were taken the King should grant it to the Arch bishop of Toledo unless he chose rather to pay the money The Voyage of Africk being generously accomplished and the Spaniards masters of Oran the Cardinal demands the money he advanced This gave his Enemies fresh occasion to attacque his reputation and calumniated his integrity The grandees of Spain who had designed to trouble the State after Isabels death and to take from Ferdinand the Administration of Castile saw their designs defeated by the Counsels of the Cardinal and themselves reduced to a private life in their houses with as little Authority as the meanest Burgesses of Madrid See here an opportunity of Revenge to out the Cardinal from Court and soon after with ease to Remove Ferdinand from the Administration they lay hold on 't and Remonstrate to Ferdinand that the Cardinals avarice was insatiable that there was no reason he should demand the money advanced having made vast gains by the richest part of the booty of Oran which he had reserved for himself in recompence of his Loans That the bravest warriers having lost their blood in battel returned with no greater felicity than that of being loaden with glory and Booty that the more generous contented themselves with the glory leaving the booty to the Soldiers But the Cardinal who had seen no Field but St. Michaels Chappel nor handled other Weapon than his Breviary while others with their Swords in their hands lay weltred in blood in the midst of their Enemies is not satisfied with the glory of Conquest and spoils of a City but must empty the Kings Coffers on pretence of a Lone which the King was not obliged to pay The King unwilling to drain his Treasures as what King is willing to do it approves of these discourses So easily do Monarks believe what they desire The Kings Officers spake almost to the same effect The Cardinal never daunted by the Crosses and Troubles of Court makes a generous defence alledges the Services he had done in the Warr that besides the money furnished to Levy the Army he had Conducted them to the place established order amongst them prevented the frauds and pilleries of the Captains at Musters which often proves the destruction of Armies for where the Soldier is not paid he must of necessity starve or disband That but for him Navarr had left the Cavalry useless in the Ships that the Combat had not been undertaken if not Counselled yea commanded by him As to the Booty of Oran he took only some Arabick Volumes for the Library of Alcala where they were bestowed That even that small parcel of the Booty was not for him alone but for the benefit of the whole Kingdom of Spain for whom he had founded the Colledge and Library and therefore he prayed his Majesty to pay him the money advanced or grant the City of Oran to the Church of Toledo according to promise Some of the Councel held this proposal reasonable and useful to the King in saving him the Charge of a Garrison at Oran Others had more generous sentiments and said that fear of expence ought not to Ravish the Crown of Spain of so important a place that the Cardinal in offering to maintain a Garrison there acted as a King and the King by refusing it to save his money should act as a private person and in derogation to his Royal Condition That honour is the true patrimony of Kings to which money ought to be subservient to preserve and increase it That by the Laws of the State no private person can hold a place of strength upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom that Agrede had been heretofore taken from the Earles of Montacute because it was scituate on the Confines of Arragon and the Village of Bâ—zâ— on the Sea side over against Africk from the Arch-bishops of Toledo That in Affairs of this Nature the History of Spain gives no encouragement to trust Priests more than men of other quality Oppo Arch-bishop of Toledo assisted Count Julian Governour of Granada to introduce the Moors into Spain who for many Ages shed the blood of the people pulled down the Altars destroyed the Temples And in several places established the Abominations of Mahomet The Cardinal patiently heard these several Opinions and saw they tended all to his Ruine but had before his eyes the Example of the great Captain Gonsalves who having Conquered the Kingdom of Naples and made it Subject to the Crown of Spain had no other Recompence but that of banishment in his own Countrey as living there without Office without imployment without any acknowledgement turning over his Beads at Valladolid or sometimes at Court where he was as inconsiderable For men how great soever their Vertues be are oftentimes in the hands of Fortune and of Kings as Counters in the hand of a Banker where that which now stands for a thousand presently signifies no more than one Yet Reason and Justice carryed the day the Cardinal had them on his side and the King caused payment to be made him of the moneys he advanced his Vertue which before defended his Authority against Envy and Obloquy preserved it still and triumphed over both and the Cardinal gave his Majesty thanks for altering those opinions which the envy of the Grandees his Enemies had once infused into his Majesty against him But this was not the only Trouble that sprung from the taking of Oran to the vexation of the Cardinal For among the conditions agreed on before the Warr one was that the Church of Oran should depend on that of Toledo in the quality of an Abby to which the Arch-bishop of Toledo and not the King of Spain should present Lewis William a Cordelier obtains a grant thereof by Bull from the Pope with the Title of a Bishoprick which he assumed but was hindred by the Cardinal from taking possession This man who leaving his Cloyster proposed to himself the glory of appearing in the World with the Mytre and Revenue of a Bishop frames a Process in the Council exclaims in the Court complains of the Cardinal protests against his Violence and proclaims to all the World that by the force of his great Authority he had Ravished a Bishoprick from him The Cardinal to stop the mouth of this impudent Monk who cared not what he said thought it prudence to propose a fair Accommodation makes him understand the Right accrued to the Arch-bishoprick of Toledo over the Church of Oran
who spoke to him of it that these Turnaments were the remedy for recovery of the Kings health which he should buy very cheap since his Nephew had expended no more So willing was he to part with his estate for the good of his Prince or relief of the people 'T was at this time he made provision against that publick exigency to which Spain is often reduced for want of Corn At Toledo Arcala and Torrelaguce he built publick Granaries and filled them with Corn. The Senate of Toledo in acknowledgement of the benefit hath Consecrated the memory thereof to perpetuity by an Inscription engraven in the midst of the Palace and the people preserves the memory of it by a Marble Table which to this day shews the Character of his Liberality in the great Market of the City and yearly on the fifth of October they Celebrate their grateful acknowledgements in an Harangue made of the Vertues and merits of this great man Soon after he erected a magnificent Monastery and Church at Torrelagave for the perpetual Celebration of his praises whose bounty raised him to the height of his fortunes he adorned the Church with Sacred Vessels and Vestments and furnished it with all necessaries for the Service of God and Ornament of Religious Worship For the convenience of this holy place and the publick he clave Rocks and boared through Mountains to make Aqueducts for conveyance of water thither from a spring at great distance from the Church the Aqueducts were Arched and Wide and cost him by the computation of the Spaniards no less than a Million of Gold this place to this day testifies the Generosity of this Cardinal in his affections to the publick for great edifices without flattery report to posterity the Grandeur of the Builders But though he built of his own for the publick good yet would he not permit others to be Magnificent at the Spaniards charges Pope Leo the Tenth who succeeded Julius the second had a design at this time to build at Rome a Temple to St. Peter suitable to the dignity of the first Church of Christendome and because the charge of such a building amounted to vast summs of money he sent his Bulls into Spain to demand Contribution from the Spaniards King Ferdinand consented but the Cardinal being a severe man and inclined to ease the people though he commended the Popes design approved not his exacting Money by his Bulls but with all his power hindered the Execution thereof and with a generous liberty writ his thoughts thereupon to Rome and told them his mind Ferdinand approached the end of his Reign and his Life by the malady before mentioned which handled him so rudely at Burgos that he left that place imputing to the Ayre the cause of that distemper he carryed within him When he came to Arand he sent for the Cardinal who set out to attend him and drawing neer to the Court the King went in his Litter to meet him to the astonishment of all that were about him his disease having so weakened him that he could hardly stand and in a few dayes after was laid on his death-bed The Cardinal was very desirous to wait on his Master to the last moment of his dayes but thought fit to withdraw to avoid the suspicion his attendance might occasion if he were appointed governour of the Kingdom which would be attributed more to the Ambition of the Cardinal than the Judgement of the King or the advice of his Council This was the reason of his retiring to Arcala D' Henares while God disposed of this Prince according to the Decree of his will Ferdinand in the mean time felt himself dying yet could not believe he should dye of this sickness The holy women of Avila had deluded his reason by her pretended prediction that he should out-live the violence of his distemper he was so possest with conceit of the truth of her assertions that he rejected and put off Matreuse the Cordelier his Confessor who came to dispose his Conscience to part with this World and appear before him who Judges Kings without respect to their Crowns and said That Man came to see him not out of zeal of piety or devotion but ambition and in hopes to obtain some gift Prince Charles his young Son sent Dean Adrian of Vtretcht to Visit him in his Sickness but he could not get audience and when the Secretaries of State moved in his behalf and were urgent with the King to admit him to his presence he refused answering them in Spanish What comes he for it may be to see whether I am dead or not However he admitted him afterwards and received the complement of Charles The great ones of the world can hardly part with it nor is there any place men are more loath to leave than a Throne But Death is as inexorable as necessary She respects not Scepters nor fears Crowns The Physitians and principal Councellors of State advertise Ferdinand he was arrived at the last hour of his life that he had but a short time left to think of the Affairs of his Conscience and Kingdom this made him Resolved to admit his Confessor and believe the Saint of Avila had not received from Heaven the advice she gave in the Affairs of his Kingdom he told them that by his secret Testament made at Burgos he had ordered Ferdinand his younger son Brother of Charles to be Governour of Spain and appropriated to him as a peculiar Legacy the grand Master-shipps of the three principal orders of Spain those of St. James Calatrave and Alcantara The Councellors remonstrate to him the injury he did the Crown in the Alienation of those three orders which himself had judged necessary to be kept alwayes annexed to it That he gave them to a Prince who might when he pleased make use of them against the Crown that the best and surest inheritance he could leave Ferdinand was the love and good will of his brother Charles That it was dangerous to leave the Government of Spain in the hands of Ferdinand whose youth made him sussceptible of ill impressions from the great ones to the ruine of the State Upon these Remonstrances he altered his Resolutions and appointed Charles Governour during the life of the Queen his Mother sole Heiress of that Kingdom But in the absence of Charles there wanted an administrator to manage the publick affairs with prudence integrity and generosity Laurence Galinda Caravegal one of the Counsellors proposed the Cardinal as eminently endued with all these qualities Ferdinand turns his head and answers Know you not the severity of Ximenes his spirit no wayes fit to treat with men Thus did he Reject him whose conduct he admired whose person he honoured going to meet him every time he came to do him service such was the inconstancy of this great King But there was some though a very light cause for this disdain of Ferdinand against the Cardinal The King wanted a great summ of
money and would have borrowed it of the Cardinal but he refused to lend it telling him boldly the moneys arising from his Ecclesiastical Revenues were neither his nor his Majesties but belonged to the poor of the Arch-bishoprick of Toledo whose necessities could not give way to the Loan he proposed Nevertheless the Cardinals merit prevailed more with Ferdinand than the memory of this Refusal having mused awhile his mind altered and he tells the Councellors Were it possible to frame a person of purpose fitted with vertues proper for the Government of my Kingdoms he could not be more capable than the Cardinal to discharge it if we could mitigate the excessive severity of his nature and temper it with some sweetness of disposition he hath to this time acknowledged Queen Isabels favours and mine and will certainly retain a grateful memory of them for the future with that he declared him administrator General of Spain and presently after breathed his last This change of the Testament at Burgos alarm'd the Governours of Prince Ferdinand they perswaded him to take on him the Government of the Kingdom and dispatch Patents in his name to the Councellors of State requiring their attendance to advise him in the Government One of them upon receipt of his Letters made Answer We will go to the Prince to pay him our respects but we know no King but Caesar which allusion to that piece of holy Scripture proved Prophetical Charles then King being afterwards Emperour The Cardinal in the mean time enters on the Government of Spain where he was so absolute that having long since the purpose of the Church he wanted only that of a Monarch and the name of a King he held the Government two years which he managed with prudence integrity and magnanimity inseparable from his actions he bore up couragiously against the disturbers of the publick peace and wisely appeased the Troubles of Spain checked and suppressed the boldness of the great Ones and plucked out of their hands the estates of the meaner sort ravished from them by violence and injustice insomuch that Spain did then acknowledge and confesses to this day She never enjoyed so perfect repose so secure a peace as under the conduct of the Cardinal who made it appear that the happiness of the people is so far from being inconsistent with the glory of Administration that the direct way for a Minister of State to acquire glory and honour is by imploying his cares with prudence and generosity to procure and promote the good of the People CAP. X. THE first Action he did after opening King Ferdinand's Testament which declared him Regent of Spain was The taking of Prince Ferdinand into his care And having given him a Retinue befitting his birth he kept him alwayes neer him to prevent the great Ones of Spain from drawing him to their party and making him their head to follow the motion of the members and to be at the discretion of his pretended Vassals After this he took order for performance of the honours due to Queen Germaine and the Maintenance of her family suitable to her dignity The Crosses that rendred his Conduct more illustrious attacqued him early Adrian of Vtrecht Dean of Lorain was sent by Charles into Spain in Ferdinand's sickness with Patents for the Government of Spain in case Ferdinand dyed After his death Adrian declared his Charge published his Patents in full Council and would have taken upon him the Soveraign administration of affairs The Cardinal opposed it and Remonstrates that by the Testament of Queen Isabel King Ferdinand was made Regent of the Kingdom untill Charles should have attained the Age of twenty years that Ferdinand being dead before that time he was by his Testament to succeed in his room And therefore the Regency belonged to him alone Moreover that by the Laws of the Kingdom it was prohibited that a Stranger should Govern the State and that Adrian being a Fleming his birth excluded him from what he pretended to This Contest had Abettors and maintainers on both parts the Cardinal had the good Patriots on his side and Adrian was upheld by the ambitious Grandees who desired nothing more than trouble to gain by Charles who was in Flanders must determine the difference but while his Judgement was expected the Cardinal and Adrian Governed joyntly and both signed all Orders and Commands though Adrian was but the shadow to follow the motions of the Cardinal as the substance acting in the publick Affairs The first that by Armes disturbed the publick peace was Peter Porto Carrero Brother to the Duke of Ascalon whose Successours are at this day Marquesses of Villa-nova This man of great power among the Portuguese beyond the River Guadiana stirred up the people on that side the River to take up Arms and set all in confusion throughout that Province his design was to possess himself by force of the great Mastership of St. James which the great Gonsalve pretended to and attended so long till death put an end to his pretensions his hopes his life and his displeasures Porto Carrero had obtained the Pope's Bulls to succeed Ferdinand in case he survived him On the other side Prince Charles who was in Flanders had the Pope's Bulls for the three great Commanderies of Spain The Cardinal upon the first news of Carrero's Arming without more ado sent towards him some Troops of his men at Armes under the Conduct of Ville Fanno who restored peace to the Province and beat the feeble Mutineer into more wisdom for the future The best remedy for Troubles raised by particular persons is the Publick Force This first Cloud thus dissipated the Cardinal brought the Court and Council to Madrid as a place where the Liberty of the Regency would be more absolute against the Grandees of Spain A Courrier arrives there from Charles with Letters to Queen Germaine the Council and Grandees containing his promise of coming into Spain the next Summer with Order to all that owed him obedience to pay it in the mean time intirely to the Cardinal These Letters came attended with private instructions to Adrian to found their opinions of the new Title of King of Spain which he had assumed on the death of Ferdinand Adrian speaks of it to the Cardinal and Council they wonder at the Novelty and Answer That by Ferdinand's death Charles had acquired nothing in Spain That the Queen his Mother lived there sole Heiress of the Kingdoms In their Letters to Charles they remonstrate that his Assuming the quality of King might cause trouble in the State by furnishing seditious Spirits with a pretence to take up Arms and declare that it was not Just to suffer the usurpation of the Royalty during the life of their natural Queen Charles answered that having taken upon him the quality of King at the request of the Pope and by advice of the Emperour it would not become him to quit it but would be of prejudice to his Authority and derogatory
Remove of Osorio and Guzman necessary for his Service Commanded it and writ to the Cardinal to that purpose The Master of the Courriers who received the dispatch instead of delivering it as addressed to the Cardinal carried the Pacquet to Dean Adrian who opened it though not directed to him and gives to Ferdinand his Brother's Letter where the young Prince saw the King his Brother's Command for Removing Osorio and Guzman He went to the Cardinal and with tears in his eyes entreated him not to make any change in his Family till his Brother's Arrival in Spain that Guzman and Osorio were very faithful to him and had great affections for him that they were given him by the hands of King Ferdinand his Grand-father and his Grand-mother Queen Isabel That to take them from him were to condemn the Judgement and vilifie the Memory of two Princes whom the whole world had honoured The Cardinal though surprized as not knowing of the Affair which Adrian had discovered to remove the Odium from himself exhorted the young Prince to obey the King his Brother on whom depended his Fortune and Grandeur that he ought to preferr the interest of Charles before that of his Domesticks and to conform to his will Ferdinand seeing that he gained nothing on the Cardinal's spirit gave him in choler this reparty Since you are resolved to destroy me and mine when you might have pleasured me in forbearing a little while to execute what is writ to you from Flanders I will take order my Servants shall not be Ruined as you have designed The Cardinal was moved at his threats but being Resolute and Couragious to maintain the interest of his Master told him Sir You may do what you please but before the Sun set to Morrow though all Spain stood against me the King shall be obeyed and you shall obey him the first of any Ferdinand neâ—â—ed at these words retired towards Aranda The Cardinal sent after him and gave the charge of his Person and of the Town to Cabanilla and Spinosa Captains of the Guards commanding them to be up all night with their Troops and not permit a person of the Princes Family to go out of the Town They obeyed him and on the morrow Osorio and Guzman were dismissed and the will of Charles was executed with Fidelity and Courage the principal qualities of a Minister of State in Affairs which concern the interest of the King with the Princes of his blood Some Grandees of Spain seeing the Cardinal proceed with absolute Authority against the Infant Ferdinand and themselves demanded of him a fight of his Commission The Cardinal pointed to the Soldiers of his Guards and told them Those Folks there with the will of the King are the power I have to command Castile then twisting on his finger the Cord of his Order wherewith he was girt This said he is sufficient to chastise proud Vassals and bring them to Reason A little after he caused some Cannons to be discharged and a Volley of Musquet-shot which was the last Answer but more terrible than the first This stopped their mouths and struck fear into these men who had been more curious than wise Scarce had the Cardinal ended this important Affair of Ferdinand's Family when a Courrier brought him news Medina Sedonia was taken by Peter Giron Son of Giron Lord of Vienna who took up Armes made himself Master of the Field and Siezed that place into his hands in Revenge of the injury of Villas Hermanos the Cardinal sent against him some Troops of the Militia then afoot under the command of Count Quignonio de Luna with order to take the Rebel and bring him alive or dead Another Courrier at the same time arrived from Charles to inform him of a design of the Turks against Oran For having set Sail from Flanders the ninth of September 1517. he met with some Corsayres by the way who informed him that an Army of Turks were upon their March to Oran this obliged him to advertise the Cardinal praying him to provide for the safety of that place with all Diligence possible as a Piece of great convenience for the Rendevouz of the Forces he designed to send to Africk for extending Christianity unto those Pagan Countries The Cardinal by the same Courrier assured him of his best care for preservation of Oran commended his design and advised him to pursue it that of so many Monarks who in past Ages had worn the Crown of Spain they only added a constant felicity to a long Reign who had laboured most in the propagation of Religion But Oran for this time had only an apprehension of the Turkish Armes for the Moors of Africk fearing the violences of the Turks obstructed their Passage and defeated their Army In the mean time Charles after a happy Voyage came to Villadichosa in Spain with the Princess Elenor his Sister afterwards Queen of Portugal and since that Queen of France by Marriage with Francis the first He gave the Cardinal notice of his Arrival and demanded his advice about his Entry into the Kingdom that he might make it like a King and be received of his people according to his desires and dignity The Cardinal advised him to Receive courteously such as came to meet him to compose his Countenance and order his Discourse and Habit suitable to the mode of Spain to send his Brother Ferdinand into Germany for that his presence in Spain was useless to his person and might prove prejudicial to his Authority that it concerned him to use his utmost dexterity in executing this Resolution to impute the cause to Maximilian his Grand-father and to appear much displeased at the separation the people of Spain having a passionate love for Ferdinand as bred amongst them and a perfect Spaniard in Language behaviour and inclinations That he would not come to any resolution against the Sicilians who had Massacred their Senators till he had first weighed the Condition of his Exchequer and the forces of his Kingdom That he would advance further into Spain and make haste to Madrid As to this last point the Flemmings relished it not but resolved to retain Charles in the remote parts of the Kingdom till the Cardinal's death which they were advised must shortly follow they desired nothing less than that this man should come to speech with the King apprehending a discovery of their rapines by his generous liberty and integrity to the King But Charles received those Counsels as lights for his Conduct and sent an Express to convey his thanks confessing himself much obliged by his cares his prudence and fidelity The Cardinal by the same Envoy Returns Answer That the services he had done him were of duty That he esteemed it his glory to have sustained the Envy of almost all the world in serving him That the predominant passion of his soul was his desire to see his Majesty and to put into his hands the Kingdom more sound and intire than he had
received it at the beginning of his Administration All Spain went to meet their new King the Constable Velasio was attended with seven hundred horse the Council made haste to tender him their duty and thinking they had no more to do with the Cardinal now Charles was arrived in Spain they took their journey without advertising the Cardinal But he out went them by his Courriers whom he sent to the King desiring his Majesty not to suffer a disorder of so ill example in the State that the Council the principal body of it should thus separate from their head and intreating him to command them back to Aranda Charles did so commanding the Council to return the way they came and go to the Cardinal that it would be more acceptable to him to see them together with him This put them in great disorder for having with them their Wives and Children they could not return without much inconvenience They sent to the Cardinal entreated him he would be pleased to permit them to attend his Majesty in the place the Courrier found them The Cardinal impatient of Contempt and highly offended at the slight offered him made no shew of Resentment but resolved not to bate them a step of their return to Aranda answers them That he was glad they were all in health that they all knew how punctual he had alwayes been in causing the obedience due to the King to be exactly performed And since his Majesty had advised them to return to Aranda it was his advice They should obey him with all the diligence in their power They as they parted rashly returned shamefully The respect due to a Minister of State is to be preserved even to Jealousie as that that maintains his Authority which Slights and neglects destroy At this arrival of the King in Spain the people were much moved and hotly demanded an Assembly of the States of the Realm The Cardinal was of opinion it ought not to be granted so soon but that the King must be first Received and Affairs setled in a quiet Posture saying It was of great concernment that Kings at their coming to the Crown should be received of their people with extraordinary reverence as a matter of great importance to their Authority This advice was slighted but the neglect cost Spain dear All the Kingdom was in trouble and the State in danger by the contests that arose about the place where the Estates should convene at last it was agreed the King should come to Valladolid for holding the Assembly There the envy of the Cardinal's enemies mustered all its force to affront his Person and attacque his Authority The harbingers of this great Minister having taken up a house for him the Marshals of the Kings Lodgings being Flemmings set on by the Grandees took it from them and for reason told them This Lodging must be marked for Queen Germain The Cardinal Jealous of his Authority and impatient of Affronts having discovered the practises of the Flemmings disputed it with them and carryed the Lodgings But he must shortly dislodge from the Court and the world though with the same honour he had lived there the Flemmings enter into a Cabbal to outt him the Court. Mota Bishop of Badaos a dignity he owed wholly to the Cardinal's favour to please Xeures the Kings favourite as the Spaniards say and his own interest advised Charles to remove the Cardinal from Court into his Diocess of Toledo Charles who was no less obliged to the Cardinal than to him who gave him the Crown of Spain forgot the services of this Grand Minister followed Mota's advice and by his inconstancy confirmed the Proverb that Services of great ones are no inheritance having sent a letter to the Cardinal the tenour whereof was this My Lord Cardinal I hold on my journey by Jurdefillas whereof I thought fit to advertise you that you may come to Mâ—jados the Bishop of Segorges House where I desire to see you and to receive your good Counsels not only for the conduct of my Estate but the ordering of my Family which I will regulate according to your sage Advice This is the last help I can receive of you in my Affairs for your long Services deserve repose and your Age requires it and I grant it willingly and advise you to retire to your house to enjoy it with more pleasure God alone can give you a just recompence for your long travels in the conduct of this Kingdom as for me I shall never forget them and will ever pay you the respects due from a good natured Child to a careful and bounteous Father This Letter of dismission by the trouble it gave the Cardinal cast him into a Feaver which brought him to his Grave though some Spanish Historians say that the Courrier who carryed it finding the Cardinal desperately sick delivered it not but that the Feaver holding him eighteen hours after whereas the Physicians advertised him he could not live above six hours he brought back the Letter to the Council and delivered it to Adrian Others write that he received it on his death-bed and called for pen ink and paper to answer it but that having written three or four Lines his strength failed him the pen dropt out of his hand and he soon after breathed his last These Lines or piece of a Letter were never published as if fate had been unwilling to discover to the world any thing imperfect to which this man had put his hand Certain it is the Cardinal perceiving he must shortly dye made an End worthy his good life Mustering up the force of his Spirit in the weakness of his body and discoursing piously and learnedly of the mercy of God the inconstancy of the World and the Vanity of the Court imbracing the Crucifix bedewing his face with tears he begged pardon from God for his sins and having protested he had not laid out one Rial of the Revenues of his Benefices for the advancement of his Kindred he received the Christian Viaticum the Holy Eucharist repeating often those words of David My God in thee have I put my Trust and went to enjoy in Heaven those Crowns which God gives them who govern people with prudence integrity and piety This happened on Sunday the ninth of November 1517. in the 80th year of his Age having worn the Mytre of Toledo 22. years and governed Spain as many under Ferdinand Isabel Joan Philip and Charles His body was interred in the Colledge of St. Idelphons in Alcala D' Henares which he had built his Tomb of white Marble and his Effigies of the same are to be seen at this day with this Epitaph worthy his illustrious Actions which comprehends in short both what he did before his Glorious Administration and his Acts in the State Condideram Musis Franciscus Grande Lycaeum Condor in exiguo nunc ego Sarcophago Praetextam junxi Sacco Galeamque Galero Frater Dux Praesul Cardineusque Pater Quin virtute Mea