into a fantastick extravagancy of Acting the Captain who had never handled any Arms but a Breviary nor worn any Armour but a Frock Insomuch that when he sent Japie of Segonia to make Levies of the Militia at Valladolid the inhabitants instigated by Henry Almirant and others ran to their Arms imprisoned Japie fortified the Town and rolling the Cannons to the Ramparts cryed openly in the Streets This is against Ximenes the Tyrant of the people The like fury was practised in the Towns neer Valladolid and passing forward like Fire in a Forest drew the Cities of Leon Burgos and many more into the like Revolt The Cardinal was of opinion that violent Remedies would heighten the disease and inflame the more and inclined to reduce the Mutineers to their duty by the wayes of Sweetness and Gentleness Hence it was that he writ to them of Valladolid that had begun the disorder That he never intended to infringe their priviledges or violate their immunities But that if they had any to exempt them from the Levies of the Militia they ought to make them known to the Council where he would protect them to the utmost of his power But Reason and Gentleness are sometimes encouragements to greater Insolences in the people They of Valladolid sent the Cardinal an arrogant Answer that they had nothing to do with him nor the Council for the preservation of their priviledges but knew well enough how to maintain them by their Armes against his manifest Tyranny and yet doubtless this was the Language of the great Ones in the mouth of the people They send into Flanders a solemn Embassy to Charles against the Cardinal to represent the peril he put the State of Spain in The Cardinal whose prudence and courage crowned all his enterprizes with good success sent also into Flanders and by the negotiation of his Diego Lopez a man of Judgement and Dexterity prepossessed Charles and made it appear to him that the Revolts in Spain were effects of the envy and malice of the great Ones Moreover he ordered him to press for the Confirmation he desired and to declare that if it were not sent him he would quit the management of Affairs and go to Toledo to enjoy there that Repose which is not to be found at Court The business of the Militia was for some time interrupted and laid aside till these Seditious were banished Spain But as the institution thereof by the Cardinal was upon grounds of prudence and very necessary to the Kingdom Philip the second a Judicious Prince Re-established it in the year 1565. long after the decease of Ximenes The Training of the People to Warr is the fortifying of the State And the prudent Counsels of a Minister of State who designs the good of the publick are durable and Time the Father of truth dissipating the Factions and Fictions of those that Envy him give them the glorious advantage to serve after his death for the rule of good Conduct CAP. XI THe Affairs of the Marine claimed no less share in the cares of the Cardinal than the other Affairs of Spain The death of Ferdinand the malady of Queen Joan the absence and immaturity of Charles had made way for disorders to creep in to their Ruine The Cardinal re-establishes at Sevil the ancient Methods for Regulating the Maritine Affairs re-fitts the number of Men of Warr necessary for defence of the Coast and Chasing Pyrats Manns and furnishes them with Cannon Powder Bullets and Victuals Diego Columbo the Admiral son of the great Christopher Columbo who filled the new World with the Reputation of Spain and Spain with the Treasures of the new World addresses himself to the Cardinal as Regent of the Kingdom beseeching him to extend his Compassion and Justice to the Isles of the Ocean depending on the Crown of Spain where the merciless Spaniards treated the Natives ill committing inhuman Cruelties and using them worse than Mules or Asses forcing them to carry burdens and to undergo Labours and Toyler intolerable That these poor Islanders were men and carryed in their faces the image of God as well as the Spaniards That if they were duller and more ignorant than the Spaniards they were also better and more innocent than they The Cardinal sent thither Judges of known integrity and sufficiency to end the differences which avarice and fury had sown in the Islands and in order to the relief of the Islanders of whom some were killed daily by the Spaniards in their Sugar-works sent dispatches to Charles on that Subject desiring him to do therein as he thought fit Charles by advice of the Flemings and without the privity of the Cardinal commanded 400 Moors brought from the Land of Negroes into Portugal to be sent into the Islands to labour in the Sugar-works and ease the Islanders who were naturally weak and feeble The Cardinal advertised of this Order dispatched a Courrier to Charles to put him in mind of the inconveniencies might ensue upon the introduction of these Negroes who were a strong and Warlike people and would questionless teach the Islanders the use of Armes and the Art of Warr which would one day cause a notable Revolt Charles communicates to his Council the Advices of the Cardinal the Flemings divert him from following them and perswade him This Advice proceeded from the Cardinals Ambition because he was not consulted with in the Affair But in 1522. 5 years after the Cardinals death Charles felt to his cost the peril the Islands were in occasioned by the flighting of that Counsel for the Moors taking up Arms at the Isle of St. Domingo Attacqued the Town of that name and had put all to Fire and Sword if not prevented by the valour of Melchior Castre and Francis D' Avila who forced them to retreat and flee to the Mountains and being beaten thence by the Admirals Army they had the deserts of their Rebellion in the punishment of the Axe and the Rope inflicted on them The Warr of Navarr which happened in the time that the Cardinal ordered the Affairs of the Marine was an Evidence of his Courage and the haughtiness of his Conduct He sent an Army which stopped the Progress of the French more by the advantage of narrow and difficult wayes than their Valour and Arms and to deprive the Navarrois of occasion to take up Armes again and recalling home their Ancient and Lawful Lords he pulled down the Walls of all their places of strength except Pampelun and demolished all their Castles and Forts which was afterwards of great advantage to Spain which possessing Navarr without just Title kept it by the force of the Garrisons placed there and the weakness of the inhabitants Great States are subject to Revolts as gross bodies to Feavers Malaga a Martine Town of Spain takes up Arms and cryes Liberty on this occasion Complaint was made that no punishment was inflicted on Robbers taken in the City though Justice had been demanded for the Criminal by appeal
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
Maximilian who were lately come to Spain And thence to visit that glorious Temple of the Muses his Colledge of Arcala the love of Learning being inseparable from his soul insomuch that in the year 1502. in order to the Explication and Imprinting of the Holy Scriptures in Latine Greek Hebrew and Chaldee by persons of knowledge and skill in those Tongues at his charge in that City he bought up all the Manuscript Bibles he could hear of and caused most exact and correct Impressions to be made thereof in those Languages Seven Hebrew Copies cost him four thousand Crowns the Latine and Greek Manuscripts being eight hundred years old amounted to a greater summ besides a vast expence for maintenance and Salaries of Professors of those Languages and Correctors and Printers for fifteen years His design was to instruct the Priests in the Truths of the two Testaments and to leave the Church these Lights of the Holy Scriptures in their original purity As if he had foreseen that a few years after the perfection of this work Heresie would arise by false interpretation of Scripture to attacque the purity of Christian Doctrine And therefore he provided this Impression as a well furnished Armoury to defend the Church against the malice of her Enemies This great and painfull work being finished and the Printer presenting him with the first Copy of it with eyes and hands lift up for joy to Heaven My God said he I return thee immortal thanks for granting my desires of good success to this work Then turning to his Domestiques who were most familiar with him 'T is true said he my friends that God hath been pleased to crown my Labours with success in many important Affairs for the good of the State but there is not any thing in which ye ought to rejoyce with me more than for the happy accomplishment of this Impression and Explication of the Bible in the four Languages He had designed also a Translation of Aristotle's works and to adorn them suitable to the dignity of the subject And certainly since he thus revived good Literature 't is but just Learning should raise him to life again and that the Muses give immortality to his Name for he who labours for them ought in recompence of his Travels to receive from them the Auguste priviledge of never dying Much about this time Joan Heiress of Spain was delivered of her second Son at Arcala Ximenes layes hold of the opportunity for the glory of his Colledge and by the favour of this birth obtained for that City which he had made an habitation of the Muses exemption from Taxes and all manner of Impositions The inhabitants of Arcala in memory of the favour keep to this day the Cradle of that Prince and bless the name of Ximenes who procured it As he went out of his Lodgings the same day he met the Officers of Justice leading a Malefactor to the Gibbet he stops them and grants the wretched Criminal Pardon Telling them that though it was an Action beyond his Authority yet so much ought to be allowed his Dignity to hinder that day of general Joy to all Spain from being Capital to an Inhabitant of Arcala After this he built a Colledge for Maids of honest Families whom Poverty kept in ignorance and adjoyned to it a Nunnery for the entertainment of such who were inclined to bid farewell to the world with Provision that none should be taken into it but such as came voluntarily and as for those who desired to continue secular besides the vertuous breeding of the Colledge he gave them honourable portions and disposed of them in Marriage according to their conditions These works of Piety and the War against the Moors were the Treasury where he laid up those Riches Fortune cannot destroy CAP. VI. BEing at Medina Jerome Vianelli a Venetian â—ffered him a Jewell at 5000. Crowns and pressed him much to buy it though the price put upon it exceeded far the value of the Stone Ximenes liked well the neat glittering and sparkling brightness of the Jewel but I know sayes he to bestow the money better for in an urgent necessity I can relieve 5000. Souldiers with Crowns apiece his Levies for the Wars of Africk being then afoot The year 1505 Spain had great loss by the death of Queen Isabel the Most Illustious Princess of her Age no less Eminent for acquired habits of Goodness than Royal Extraction being as worthily adorned with the Crowns of Vertue as legally Crowned with the Diadem of Spain a Princess of Knowledge Piety and Generosity above the usual Capacity of her Sex She who had observed in Ximenes the Eminence of Rare Conduct attended with singular integrity made him Executor of her Last Will and Testament which was but a drop of that Ocean of honour those qualities procured him which rendered him so venerable in the State that never Minister was so much honoured in his life so much desired and missed after his death Every time he came to wait on his Master Ferdinand the King went out of his Chamber to meet him and at parting brought him to the Chamber-door nor would he siâ— till a Seat were given Ximenes So powerful are great Vertues as to obliege even the Scepters of the World to reverence them That Minister who is prudent and Generous whose designes tend only to the glory of his Master and good of the publick deserves the Surname of Guardian-Angel of the State and ought to be honoured as such by every one The death of Isabel gave Ximenes occasion to do Ferdinand good Service in Spain and to give new proofs of the greatness of his Conduct Isabel who was Queen of Castile had by her Testament made Ferdinand her Husband who was only King of Arragon Administrator general of the Kingdom of Castile Philip his Son in Law husband as was said of the sole Heiress of that Kingdom had other designes and by the instigation of some Grandees of Spain and presuming upon the amity of France intended to dethrone his Father in Law and take possession of Castile as the inheritance of his Wife He was at that time in Flanders with Joan about whom Ximenes had placed some persons of trust by whom she informed him of the designes of her Husband to trouble Spain and the ill usage she had from him for his Love to the Flemmish Ladies had divided the Husband and Wife and filled their Breasts with Jealousie and hatred of each other Joan writes to her Father the threats of Philip to drive him out of Castile contrary to the Testament of the Queen her Mother Philip surprizes Fernand's Embassadour with several Letters about him and without respect to his person caused him to be imprisoned Ximenes advertised of these threats and violences advises the Remedy for Ferdinand's service he knew Philip had Negotiations afoot in France to sollicite the Aid of that Court against his Father in Law Ximenes steps in and prevents it advises Ferdinand to a
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
a Lump of dead flesh would by no means part with it till Ferdinand her Father returned from Italy caused it to be taken from her and buryed privately The journeys she made were Noctural by Torch-light which occasioned many inconveniences by sickness amongst her retinue Loss of her Baggage and falls of those on Horse-back Ximenes threw himself at her feet and begged on his Knees that since she was resolved to make the Court Errant and Itinerary she would at least Travel by day but she Wedded to her folly answered That a Woman having lost her Husband which is her Son ought to avoid the light of the Sun in the Firmament and make no journeys but by night The art of a skilful Pilot is often of no use amidst the fury of the Windes and Waves And the prudence and conduct of a Minister of State are thrown away upon such Soveraings as are incapable of good Advice During these extravagancies of Queen Joan Ferdinand returned from Italy with Germain de Foix his new Wife and tooke a voyage by Sea to Savona to see his Wives Uncle King Lewis the twelfth while he staid in Italy he obtained of Pope Julius the second a Cardinals Cap for Ximenes with the Tytle of Cardinal of Spain formerly given to Peter Cardinal Triasio under Henry the third and then to Peter Gonsalve Cardinal Mendoza under Ferdinand in token of the Popes especial favour So that in the sequel of our Story we shall call Ximenes by the name of Cardinal Together with this dignity he received that of Inquisitor General of Castile for the Inquisition had of long time got firm footing in Spain having been introduced by Ferdinand and Isabel in the year 1577. by reason of the mixture of Moors with Christians and the superstitions of the former deeply rooted in the heart of that Kingdom The Rigour of this Ecclesiastical Justice struck terrour into ill Christians but was so far from making them better that it rendred them only more subtle and refined Hypocrites Cardinal Mendoza was his immediate Predecessour in that Office and Thomas Torquemata superiour of the Covent of St. Dominick at Segovia the first that bore it These new honours altered not the manners of Ximenes the Love of Learning and Advancement of vertue had still the same place in his soul and were Continued in their former Station He finished his Colledge of Arcala constituted Laws and made Statutes for the regulation of it filled it with able Professours drawn from the famous Universities of Paris Salamanca Valadolid Bologina admitting none from meaner places endowing it with great Revenues adorned it with a rich Library and brought it to such perfection that Francis the first of France passing that way when the fortune of Warr made him experimentally know good luck doth not alwayes attend the valorous and seeing this admirable Colledge said that his University of Paris was the work of many Kings but Ximenes alone had Compleated a Royal work Charles the fifth King of Spain and Emperour being one day to hear Mass in the Colledge at Arcala quitted the Chair and Cloth of State provided for him at the high Altar and took his place in the Quire in the ordinary Seats of the Priests of the Colledge being for the most part publick Professours and all of them Learned men telling them he would not lose the glory of sitting that day among men of so great Learning and making one of the Quire with them Such are the fruits of great Ministers Labours for vertue and the publick good future Ages reverence their names the Greatest Kings of the world admire their glory and think themselves honoured to be sometimes of the number of those who possess the Offices of Learning they have founded Such is the Liberal Return of gratitude vertue makes to those who enlarge her Kingdome CAP. VI. THE Spirit of Ximenes was not only great and high but Comprehensive and Capable of all Affairs those of Warr as well as peace found it a proper receptacle to entertain them both together The same time that his thoughts were busily taken up with impression of Books founding Monasteries building Colledges endowing them with Revenues and furnishing them with Regents and Students he had in prospect the Warr of Africk formed designes and made preparations for it When the Kingdom enjoyed a Secure peace and flourished in a deep repose and undisturbed tranquility he Levied Soldiers issued Commissions and provided moneys for the better Assurance of the State It was his Maxime That the Spirits of men being naturally free cannot endure servitude and subjection but of force and compelled by necessity and he would often say That never Prince was feared abroad or honoured at home that had not levyed an Army and at least made all the preparatives requisite to carry on a Warr. The desire of extending Christianity into Africk and to free Spain from the incursions and Robberies of the Pyrats of that Countrey who were grown so bold as to Enter the Spanish Ports to Spoil and carry away the Vessels of Traffick engaged him in the enterprize of a Warr of such Consequence There was at that time in the Court of Ferdinand a Venetian named Jerome Vianelli well versed in the Voyages of Africk having often Sailed those Seas that he knew perfectly all the Ports and safe Landing places on the Coast This man had intelligence of Ximenes design goes to him informs him of all the Avenues of the Coast and particularly the great Port of Mersalcabir near Oran capable to receive a very great Fleet Ximenes hearkens to him and finding him serviceable for his designes prayed he would see him often and commanded his Porters to admit him at all times and give him Entrance as often as he desired it By the constant mode of Courts it hath been alwayes difficult to get entrance to great Ministers of State which Custome as it preserves them from an infinite trouble of importunate persons so it deprives them of the knowledge of many persons of merit and worth whose generosity will not permit them to begg admittance from Servants and leave to enter from Grooms and Porters And 't is seldome seen that the persons imployed in these Services either keep out the former or admit the latter to their Masters presence Vianelli having the priviledge of free access to Ximenes visits him often and acquaints him with what he had seen in Africk Ximenes the better to comprehend what he said commands him not only to make a draught in Paper but to imprint in Wax the figures of the places By this representation he saw a Castle scituate on a Rock almost inaccessible having a Lanthorn on one of the Towres not unlike the Grecian Phares to serve Marriners for a mark of direction how to steer their Course in dark nights to safe Harbour This Castle had on one side the Port of Mersalcabir and on the other the City Oran called by the Moors Guharran which in their Languge
Italy and the house of Austria now entred into Spain carryed on the building Maximilian Grand-father of Charles passed the Mountains on that design Charles dispatched a Courrier to the Cardinal to demand his Advice in the Affairs of Italy the Cardinal sent it him and advised to divert Maximilian from the Siege of Breseia then in design and to turn his Forces against Milan for that City being once taken the other would be easily Conquered that to render himself yet more considerable in Italy he must gain the Popes affection and make use of him upon occasion to quiet the troubles of the Countrey and to serve himself of his Authority as a new Peru to furnish moneys for the Warr by obtaining Crusadaes for Spain which as usual would bring a Cross on Gold and Silver and raise him a Considerable Revenue He advised Maximilian to threaten the Pope into fear to force his Condescension to what he would not willingly grant and counselled Charles to make choice of a person Generous Vigilant and of great Authority to be Ambassadour at Rome and to gain from the Pope a person of innocent Manners and of a gentle and tractable disposition to be Nuncio in Spain For on this depends the good of all great Affairs and the peace of the Nation These Counsels the Princes of the house of Austria did then make use of to their great advantage and pursue the same to this day For the sage Answers of a great Minister consulted with in affairs whose like do often fall out in a State are the voice of an Oracle which foresees things to come and guides the designs of Posterity The Kingdom of Spain had been long infected with the falsity of Religions contrary to the Christian The Moors Preached there the Errours of the Alcoran and the Jews the sopperies of their Talmud and though they had woon the one and the other to the faith of Christ yet the Jews whose Religion is Obstinacy relapsed often to their former Worship Apostatizing from the faith they came to profess This exposed them to the rigours of the Inquisition being daily dragged before that severe Tribunal To deliver themselves from the pains they deserved they Deputed the principal amongst them to attend Charles in Flanders and beseech him to permit them to enjoy that which God gave man when he sent him into the World the Liberty of Choice in a Free will That Religion could not be imposed by force but instilled by Discourse And that he would grant them who were born in Judaism liberty to Judaise as their Fathers had done or become Christians at their pleasure In acknowledgement of this favour they offered him eight hundred thousand Crowns of Gold Charles assembles his Council to advise on this proposal they give their opinions in favour of the Jews and that in the necessity he was reduced to he should accept the eight hundred thousand Crowns The Cardinal Advertised by his Agent in his Masters Court of the Counsels of the Flemmings sent a Courrier to Charles advising him not to meddle with Gods right that Religion was above Crowns that Heaven knew to maintain its interest against his incroachments that he ought rather to imitate the Piety of King Ferdinand his Grand-father who in the necessities of the Warrs of Navarr had refused six hundred thousand Crowns of Gold offered by the Jews for the like indulgence Charles followed the Cardinals Advice That King is unworthy the Assistance of Heaven for preserving his estate who despises the Estate of God which is Religion and God who expelled out of the Temple the Tradesmen who made it a place of Merchandise outes those Monarchs from the Throne who sell for money the respect due to Divine Worship The interest whereof a good King and his Ministers preferr before the reason and interest of State Ill Customes never dye or grow old at Court though good ones presently make their Exit The Government of Provinces and Towns in Spain was heretofore committed to the persons best qualified and of greatest integrity in the Kingdom Time which carries away the best of things abolished this custome and made it absolete Favour brought in such men whose faults and defects the blindness of Court discovers not The Cardinal resolved to re-estabish what he found Just in the ancient Customes of Spain bestowed the same Governments on men whose nobleness of blood and integrity of life rendred them the most Considerable in the Kingdom But that the puissance of their Families and support of their Kindred being persons of quality might not debauch their integrity and encourage them to violence he Removed them to places distant imploying them in Governments of Towns and Provinces where they could expect no support but from their Vertue He who adds greatness of dignity to that of birth and quality tempts vertue and needs a Bridle to retain it within the bounds of Justice These eares of the Cardinal tended to the Glory of Vertue the aime and mark of his designs being the advancement of vertuous persons whose fortunes he raised in his Administration by his own beneficence or the Kings by his procurement He gave Adrian Florent of Vtricht Dean of Lovayn and his companion in the Government of Spain the Bishoprick of Tortosa with the Office of Inquisitor General of Spain which was an advantagious step for him to a Cardinalship and to mount him thence to the Papal Chair He preferred Alfonso Manriquez to the Bishoprick of Cordova And the Sieur Motta of Burgos a person well verst in Theology and Secretary to Charles to that of Badacos The advancement of Motta was great in appearance but in effect mean his Vertue and Learning had rendered him considerable in the Court of Charles and that of Rome After the death of Ximenes the King gave him the Archbishoprick of Toledo and the Pope a Cardinals Cap. But these Gifts were made him when he could not enjoy them and Fortune gave him only a View but no Livery and Seizen of the Grandeurs of the World The Letters of the King and those of the Pope which conveyed to him those eminent dignities sound him on his death-bed So that seeing himself on the brink of the Grave he took the Letters out of a Box and gave them one of his principal Domesticks to Read Having heard them he discoursed of the vain pretensions of Court and the cheating hopes of the World that the sutest course for a vertuous man to steer is to conform to the will of God and condoled their misfortune to see their expectations fall with him into the Dust But this care of the Cardinal to advance persons of merit evinces he was not guilty of retrenching the Pensions of the two Historians afore mentioned But rather that of Learned men the most knowing and Laborious for the publick are not the greatest favourites of Fortune whether it be for want of importunity in pursuing it or of Friends to introduce them into the Theatre of
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
seeing himself in the midst of his Enemies and over-powred his passage to the Garrison stopped resolves to dye as he had Lived a valiant man exhorts his Soldiers to sell their Lives dearly to their Enemies and not Cowardly give them away They obey and follow him and Roderich Driasio with his men hewes his way through the Moors beats defeats and Routes them Leaving a notable example of his Courage and strength remaining fresh in memory with the Moors to this day for pursuing with Javelin in hand a Moor on Horseback who fled from him he violently darted the Javelin with such force and vehemence that at one blow it pierced through and through the body of the Horse-man the Bow of the Saddle and the Neck of the Horse which hath begot a Proverb among the Moors who when they Curse one another in the Warrs to express their Cholar in a Phrase of superlative bitterness pray The Blow of the Captain of Mersalcabir light on them All this was done before Philips Arrival into Spain and is transposed hither to preserve the past pieces of this Story intire without mangling it by interruption by the recital of this CAP. VII THE same Year that Ferdinand returned into Spain and Ximenes received the Cardinals Cap the Moors not tamed by the Loss of Mersalcabir came a Cruising on the Coasts of Spain took a strong Town put to the Sword men Women and Children and elevated with this Success at their return into Africk threatned to besiege Roderich and hew him pieces in his Castle Cardinal Ximenes fully resolved to Continue the Warr and to expedite the prosecution designed to go in person if Ferdinand refused it and made overtures and proposals in Council to that effect This awakened the envy of his Enemies and afforded all Spain matter of Discourse as various the passions of men The great ones in Council were of Contrary Opinions and said abroad that the Ambition of the Cardinal was immense and extravagant that his condition suited not with Armes but peace that nothing could be more abominable then for a Priest a Monk an Arch-bishop a Cardinal to breath nothing but War and Blood-shed and desire to embrew his hands in the blood of slaughtered men That the Exchange would be no less ridiculous than strange for him instead of lifting his Cross to Trayle a Pyke and laying aside his Mitre to put on a Helmet Gonsalve who had gained the name of Great in the Conquest of Naples was then in Spain brought thither by Ferdinand by reason of the Authority his Actions had acquired him which was so great that it Created Jealousies and Suspicions in the Breast of the King against Gonsalve for his Valour and Victories So Dangerous is the nature of the Affairs of Fortune and of Court ill Service deserves punishment and good Service by the envy of the great Ones and Jealousie of the Master Gonsalves was then at Valladolid under an Ostracism in his owâ— Countrey But the name of great men cannot dye and his hath gotten immortal glory abroad and a singular Reverence in the Territories of Spain The Histories of Spain afford frequent instances of respect to Gonsalve's from the Spaniards in General and the particular honours done him by the Cardinal But amongst others 't is remarkable that after the Warrs of Granada a Prince of the Blood-Royal of the Moors named Zegri neer Kinsman to the famous King Abenamar having forsaken the Errours of Mahomet and by the pains of the Cardinal embraced the faith of Christ when he came to the Font prayed his God-fathers to give him the Name of Gonsalve Fernando Zegri telling them he desired with the Spiritual Grace of Baptism to receive that of the name of the great Captain Gonsalve whose valour he had so frequent experience of in the Warrs of Granada against this Nation To resume our Discourse of the Cardinals Enemies they were very Comical in the expressions of their Envy saying at Court that the great Captain was busie turning over his Beads at Valladolid while the Cardinal was commanding Armies That Gonsalves did the Cardinals business and the Cardinal Gonsalves The more moderate said that in Warrs for Religion the Arch bishops of Toledo had alwayes taken care of the Armies imployed against the Enemies of the faith And that 't was no new thing to see Priests on Horse-back in the head of an Army Others who pretended to a clearer insight into th' Affairs of Court and used to Comment upon the News of the time said it was the Cardinals design to send away all the Nobles of Spain into the Warrs of Africk that he might Govern at home without Contradiction That he could not be better fitted for punishment than to grant him his desire of being General of the Army and sending him over into Africk and so remove him from Court For then out of sight out of mind The business of Government is very painful and difficult that great Ministers besides prudence in Conduct have need of a Generous patience to resist the Envy and Calumnies of the Court. Ferdinand who knew the integrity of the Cardinal better than all the world beside judged more equitably heard his Advice weighed received and embraced it gave him thanks that for the good of Religion and Service of his Kingdoms he would expose himself to the toyles and hazards of Warr in an Age that required nothing more than the repose and quiet of peace the Cardinal being then seventy years old Ferdinand commands the Captain of the Gallies and the Admiral to fit up the Gallies and Vessels of the Kingdom to be ready at Malaga or Nova Carthagena as the Cardinal should direct The Captains of the Ships the Officers of the Marine the Commissaries of Victuals and of the Army betake themselves every man to the duty of his charge with great diligence and expedition to fit and make ready the Vessels Men Victuals and Ammunition The great Gonsalve advised the Cardinal to imploy in this Warr Peter of Navarr Earl of Olivarez a person of quality valour and experience and to make him his Lieutenant General of the Army The Cardinal upon his Recommendation calls Navarr to him and makes him Lieutenant General On the other side the Commissaries for Victuals and those of the Navy the Treasurers and Paymasters of the Soldiers either guided by the Cardinals Enemies or loving Spain more than Voyages into Africk slacken their former diligence and to their utmost power retard the fitting of the Fleet by diverting the Soldiers pay to other uses and consuming the Bisket provided for the Ships The Counsellors of state opposed the Cardinal in his Discourses of the Warr and advice for setting out the fleet alledging the Winter season was too rigorous and not yet over when Winter was past they said the heat of Summer drew on and would be more insupportable to the Soldiers than the Assaults of the Moors The Army this while mouldred away and was like in short time
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
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-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
from the sentence of the Judges of the City to the Admiral of Castile the Soveraign Judge in places neer the Sea oft escaped the punishments due to his misdeeds the people in Armes ran into the places subject to the Admiral 's Jurisdiction demolish the Tribunals of his Officers of Justice beat down the Racks and Gibbets set up for marks of their Soveraignty and to maintain the sedition roll the Cannons off the Ramparts shut the City Gates and declare that if the Cardinal would use his ordinary Violences to the prejudice of their Liberties they knew how to defend them by Force The Inhabitants brought into one place all their Utensils of Brass and Copper and having melted them down Cast new Cannons with the Armes of the City and these words atop The Defenders of the Liberty of Malaga caused these Cannons to be Cast The Flemmings in Charles's Court thinking to draw the Envy and Blame of the Rebellion of Malaga on the Cardinal's Conduct who they said was too harsh and Rigorous for the people of Spain encouraged those of Malaga by Letters to defend themselves against his Violence promising them their Assistance with Charles But the Cardinal slighting the threats of the Flemmings carryed on his Affairs with Courage and Prudence and like a sage Pilot who scorns to forsake the Helm in a Tempest continued his Conduct and applyed the Remedies he thought proper for these Popular Commotions by sending 6000 Foot and 400 Horse of the Militia of Spain under the Command of Anthony Cueva directly to Malaga with Order to use the inhabitants as Enemies of the State Cueva marches with these forces and being within two dayes March of the City the Citizens better advised sent their Deputies to tender him Obedience He goes thither and enters the City disarmed the Rebels and Hanged five only for an Example and Terrour to others Thus without Expence without spilling the blood of the Subject whereof a Minister of State ought to be alwayes sparing the Cardinal quenched the fire of Rebellion kindled in a place from whence it might have easily dilated to the utter Consumption of the soundest parts of the State Of so great importance it is that the Authority of a Minister be intire and like that of the Soveraign's it represents The flames of Rebellion were no sooner quenched in one part of Spain but the Grandees blew them up in another and alwayes with design to charge the Cardinals Conduct with the blame of the Conflâ—gration They set up Velasio Cuellar high Treasurer of Spain and Superintendant of the Finances against the Cardinal and to engage him to Arm with more Ardour and Eagerness they make Mary Velasio his Wife of the party who perswaded him to seize Arevale which he did and Cantoned it with his Forces whom he disposed into several quarters Fortified by him in that Countrey The Admiral of Spain was the principal Boutefeu and main Incendiary and Ringleader of this new Commotion he foments it goes by Night to the Duches of the place speaks to the Inhabitants encourages them to hold out stifly promising them Succours of Men and supplyes of Money in case they were Assaulted And that he would come in person to defend them from the Violences of the Regent till the arrival of Charls into Spain for their deliverance The Cardinal knew of these Troubles and the Abettors thereof and fearing to lose Velasio a person of quality he tryed every way before that of force to reduce him he writ exhorted intreated and threatned if he obeyed not but all to no purpose This obliged him to send thither some Regiments of Horse and Foot with a train of Artillery under the Command of Cornelius The Forces arrived at the place and the Captain summoned Velasio to render himself declaring that in case of disobedience he would put all to Fire and Sword and him to death by the hand of a Hang-man and transmit to his posterity the infamy of his Crime Velasio seeing himself deceived by the Admiral and other Grandees who had made him promises of Forces and other Succours they could not perform consulted his own safety obeyed opened the Gates and received Grace and Pardon instead of the Punishment he deserved The Cardinal having appeased this Sedition also without Charge or Blood gave Charls Advice thereof and intreated him to cause the Admiral to be punished as the Author of all those troubles that arose in Spain whose proceedings confirm by a pregnant instance That th' Obedience due to Kings is a very brittle and frail thing if not upheld by fear and the reverence of Majesty To preserve which the Cardinal instituted the Militia in the Kingdom that he might have Armes ready at hand to resist the motions of Insurrections and suppress them in the birth without giving them time of growth and increase And to render the strength of the Militia more considerable he caused a great quantity of Artillery to be made and filled Arsenals with it in the four Corners of Spain for the Conveniency of drawing them where it should be necessary for defence of the Royal Authority with these fulminous Engines The Cannon is the last reason of Kings and if not the best yet certainly the best able to defend them CAP. XII THhough the Cardinal Regent of Spain after Ferdinands death had in his hand the Regal Authority yet hitherto you have seen him exercise only the Office of a Physitian to cure the distempers of it But now that he hath restored it to health and peace he bends all his thoughts to the exercise of Justice the principal business of Kings He began with the Governours of Towns and Cities sending Judges impartial and not subject to Corruption to inquire into their demeanour and inform him of their deportment and behaviour in their places and where he understood they were Tyrannical to the oppression of the poor who groaned under their violences he deposed them from their dignities and having made their names infamous left them more miserable than those they oppressed He of Toledo was the first example of his Justice The Officers of Justice who behaved themselves ill had the punishments they deserved some of them who had been more covetous than Just having sold the right of the Poor to the purse of the rich were whipped through the Streets of those Towns where they had been in Commission with a Hang-man at their backs and before them a Trumpet who proclaimed their shame in the Enormity of their Crime The like usage had they who in places of Judicature had exacted sees that were not due The greater Gentry who were Justices in the Countreys whereof they were Lords those Eagles which break through the Spider-webb could not escape the punishment due to their violences by being exempt from the Jurisdiction and power of the Judges for the Cardinal caused them to be handled with the Rigour they deserved Arrojou a Knight of the Order of Calatrava acted in his Commandery
of Zoritan like a Tyrant in the Countrey he Usurpes The Maids and Women whom Nature had made most Beautiful and Vertue most Amiable he Sacrificed to his extravagancies And what Love could not obtain Force ravished from them Those were taken from their Parents and these from their Husbands to serve the pleasure of this Beast The Cardinal sent a power Competent to Attaque him but by flight to Flanders he changed his place but escaped not his punishment The Cardinal by Letters signifies to Charles the Exorbitances and Enormities of this Ruffian and the punishment due to his Crimes and prayed him to make him an Example of his Justice by severity answerable to the heinousness of his Actions The Treasurers of the Finances who had embezelled the publick Moneys which are the blood of the people were strictly Examined and Narrowly sisted nor were these Spunges squeezed only but punished for their Rapines These Actions of Justice drew an universal Love to the Cardinal from the people of Spain who reverenced his Name and most of the Grandees sought his Friendship with Oaths and protestations to defend his Authority as their Lives and not without reason For Justice the Mother of other Vertues being the Daughter of Heaven and Queen of the Earth gains them that Exercise it the savour of God and good will of men The happiness of the Kingdom was this great mans Aim and in order to attaining a compleat felicity he continued the Exercise of his Justice in Reducing every part of the State into their proper bounds The military Orders of Knights in Spain are divers and of great Latitude the greatness of their power made them usurp on others within their Jurisdiction and abusively assume Priviledges not due to them But the Cardinal forced them to make restitution of what was not theirs Regulated their Jurisdictions and Abrogated the Priviledges they had arrogated to themselves The favour of Court having introduced more Members into the Council of State than Merit or Vertue had filled it with Persons unworthy that place But he who knew that the Ministers who serve in this Sacred Temple of Policy ought to be persons of the greatest experience and singular integrity purged it of all those who were unfit for that dignity and filled their places with better men Having reformed the Council he turned to the Train and Attendants of the Court where the importunity and impudence of the Mean and the Recommendations of the great Ones had introduced a multitude of men who had no other Vertue to boast of than a confident Miene a proud Gate and vain Discourse He resolved to Cashiere these dronish Lurdanes and stop those unprofitable Mouths that ate the Kings Bread but did him no Service which he did with one dash of his Penn Crossing out the Allowances made them who were so leight in their Vanities that they were blown away with a Feather That Monarch wants a Guardian to order his Affairs who by the Pensions he bestows feeds with the Bowels of his People such men as are neither necessary for him nor serviceable to the publick This Retrenchment was Just but his taking from two famous Historians of that time the Pensions given them as due to their Labours is marked as unjust in the History of his Administration Peter Martyr and Gonsales D' Oviedo were crossed out amongst the Retainers but revenged with their Penns the Loss of their Pensione staining his name with spots of so black a dye as the whole series of the past Age hath not been able to wash out But it may be he was forced to this By their example to take from others all cause of Complaint But what an example is this to robb them of their Reward who deserve it and take away the Pensions of two Learned men who served the publick Or if he thought this necessary to be done he should have made up their Pensions out of his own fortunes and paid them out of that estate which was sufficient to pay an Army Peradventure 't was Charls his pleasure it should be so Had he so little credit with Charles whose 〈◊〉 he preserved for him as not to prevail with him to continue the Pensions of two Historians who could have given Charles and his name immortal Glory This seems sufficient to condemn his Severity and call it Inconsiderate But the greatness of his Conduct in other matters his excellent Justice and singular favour and propensity to oblige men of Vertue make it hardly credible that so great a person who had done so much for Learning should commit so gross a sault but give cause to impute it to some other Minister whose enmity against these Historians might have engaged him in so foul a fact Thus Alvarez Gomez in the History of his life excuses him and observes that he lamented several times that occasion was often given him to exercise just Severities in taking from men what they unjustly possessed and not to express his Liberality in giving unto them those Largesses he esteemed due from him to Vertue To do good to men of merit is to pour Oyle into Lamps which proves no less usefull to others in the light they receive from them than beneficial to them in enabling them to impart it That the Exchequer be full and the Treasury of the Prince abound in Cash is certainly one of the things most necessary for the State this defends it this augments its Grandeur and renders it formidable to its Enemies The Cardinal who harboured in his heart as one common Center an extraordinary zeal for the Service of his Master and no less affection for the good of the people designed to fill the Treasuries of Spain to serve the glory of his Master but without any intention to inrich his King by the impoverishment of his people saying Thrift and Frugality Parsimony and good Husbandry were great Revenues to a monyed King as the King of Spain And that Gifts made without reason and against Justice are the Moths that eat through his Baggs and the Thieves that empty his Coffers Charles in four moneths of his Reign gave away to his Courtiers or rather Leeches of his Court two Millions of Gold This he said with grief to see so prodigious an excess of Profuseness and Lavishment Not but that he allowed Liberality place among the Vertues of a Prince but that he would have it exercised with Moderation and Justice Henry the Admiral Pacieco D' Ascalone and Henry Fortune had obtained of Ferdinand a million a piece of Lievres of Gold charged on the Revenue of Peru and should have received it at the return of the Plate-Fleet The Cardinal made void and annulled these Gifts And though Fortune was of Kin to his good Master Ferdinand he took from him his Million as well as from the others Kings said he ought to dispense the effects of their Justice indifferently to persons of all sorts but those of their Liberality to them only who serve their
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
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