Volume III Part 7 (2/2)

[7] Martyr, whose copious correspondence furnishes the most valuable commentary, unquestionably, on the proceedings of this reign, is provokingly reserved in regard to this interesting matter. He contents himself with remarking in one of his letters, that ”the Spaniards derided Philip's negotiations as of no consequence, and indeed altogether preposterous, considering the att.i.tude a.s.sumed by the nation at that very time for maintaining its claims by the sword;” and he dismisses the subject with a reflection, that seems to rest the merits of the case more on might than right. ”Exitus, qui judex est rerum aeternus, loquatur.

Nostri regno potiuntur majori ex parte.” (Opus Epist., epist. 257.) This reserve of Martyr might be construed unfavorably for Ferdinand, were it not for the freedom with which he usually criticizes whatever appears really objectionable to him in the measures of the government.

[8] Grotius, De Jure Belli et Pacis, lib. 2, cap. 11, sec. 12; lib. 3, cap. 22, sec. 4.--Gentilis, De Jure Belli, lib. 3, cap. 14, apud Bynkershoek, Quaest. Juris Publici, lib. 2, cap. 7.

[9] Bynkershoek, Quaest. Juris Publici, lib. 2, cap. 7.--Mably, Droit Publique, chap. 1.--Vattel, Droit des Gens, liv. 2, chap. 12.--Martens, Law of Nations, trans., book 2, chap. 1.

Bynkershoek, the earliest of these writers, has discussed the question with an amplitude, perspicuity, and fairness unsurpa.s.sed by any who have followed him.

[10] Philip is known in history by the t.i.tle of ”the Handsome,” implying that he was, at least, quite as remarkable for his personal qualities, as his mental.

[11] Opus Epist., epist. 253.--Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, tom. viii. pp.

235, 238.--Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. 44.

[12] Carbajal, a.n.a.les, MS., ano 1503.--Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. 45, 46.

He was born at Alcala de Henares. Ximenes availed himself of this circ.u.mstance to obtain from Isabella a permanent exemption from taxes for his favorite city, which his princely patronage was fast raising up to contest the palm of literary precedence with Salamanca, the ancient ”Athens of Spain.” The citizens of the place long preserved, and still preserve, for aught I know, the cradle of the royal infant, in token of their grat.i.tude. Robles, Vida de Ximenez, p. 127.

[13] Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 268.--Zurita, Hist. del Rey Hernando, tom. i. lib. 5, cap. 56.--Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. 46.

[14] ”Espejo de bondad,” _mirror of virtue,_ as Oviedo styles this cavalier. He was always much regarded by the sovereigns, and the lucrative post of _contador mayor_, which he filled for many years, enabled him to acquire an immense estate, 50,000 ducats a year, without imputation on his honesty. Quincuagenas, MS., bat. 1, quinc. 2, dial. 2.

[15] The name of this cavalier, as well as that of his cousin, Alonso de Cardenas, grand master of St. James, have become familiar to us in the Granadine war. If Don Gutierre made a less brilliant figure than the latter, he acquired, by means of his intimacy with the sovereigns, and his personal qualities, as great weight in the royal councils as any subject in the kingdom. ”Nothing of any importance,” says Oviedo, ”was done without his advice.” He was raised to the important posts of comendador de Leon, and contador mayor, which last, in the words of the same author, ”made its possessor a second king over the public treasury.” He left large estates, and more than five thousand va.s.sals. His eldest son was created duke of Maqueda. Quincuagenas, MS., bat. 1, quinc. 2, dial. 1.--Col. de Ced., tom. v. no. 182.

[16] Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 255.--Gomez, de Rebus Gestis, fol.

45.--For some further account of these individuals see Part I, Chapter 14, note 10.

Martyr thus panegyrizes the queen's fort.i.tude under her acc.u.mulated sorrows. ”Sent.i.t, licet constantissima sit, et supra foeminam prudens, has alapas fortunae saevientis regina, ita concussa fluctibus undique, veluti vasta rupes, maris in medio.” Opus Epist., loc. cit.

[17] Garnier, Hist. de France, tom. v. pp. 405, 406.--Ferreras, Hist.

d'Espagne, tom. viii. pp. 235-238.--Guicciardini, Istoria, tom. i. pp.

300, 301.--Memoires de la Tremoille, chap. 19, apud Pet.i.tot, Collection des Memoires, tom. xiv.

[18] Aleson, Annales de Navarra, tom. v. pp. 110-112.

The king of Navarre promised to oppose the pa.s.sage of the French, if attempted, through his dominions; and, in order to obviate any distrust on the part of Ferdinand, sent his daughter Margaret to reside at the court of Castile, as a pledge for his fidelity. Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, tom.

viii. p. 235.

[19] Younger brother of Robert, third duke of Bouillon. (D'Auton, Hist. de Louys XII., part. 2, pp. 103, 186.) The reader will not confound him with his namesake, the famous ”boar of Ardennes,”--more familiar to us now in the pages of romance than history,--who perished ignominiously some twenty years before this period, in 1484, not in fight, but by the hands of the common executioner at Utrecht. Duclos, Hist. de Louis XI., tom. ii. p.

379.

[20] Gonzalo Ayora, Capitan de la Guardia Real, Cartas al Rey, Don Fernando, (Madrid, 1794,) carta 9.--Aleson, Annales de Navarra, tom. v.

pp. 112, 113.--Garnier, Hist. de France, tom. v. p. 407.--Zurita, a.n.a.les, tom. v. lib. 5, cap. 51.--Abarca, Reyes de Aragon, tom, ii, rey 30, cap.

13, sec. 11.

[21] Gonzalo Ayora, Cartas, cap. 9.--Zurita, a.n.a.les, ubi supra.-- Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. 197, 198.--Carbajal, a.n.a.les, MS., ano 1503.--Sandoval, Hist. del Emp. Carlos V., tom. i. p. 8.--Col. de Cedulas, tom. i. no. 97.

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