Don Carlos, Don Juan of Austria, and a number of nobles, who escorted her the first day's journey and then returned to Madrid. Philip, who had started before her, met her in Guadarrama, and they there took leave of each other and went to different convents to pass the Easter recess, as was the King's custom. At the beginning of May they again met at Valladolid, where Don Carlos and Don Juan spent a few days with them. After a week of amusements they finally took leave of each other, and the Queen proceeded to Bayonne. She was again met on her return by the same party, and Don Carlos was so delighted to see her that he sprang off his horse and kissed her hand. In the autumn of 1565 he had a fresh fit of ague. His voracity was unabated; and the Prince of Orange writes to his brother Louis: "The Prince of Spain, after having eaten sixteen pounds of fruit and four pounds of grapes, drank two cups of water, which caused him a syncope, and produced his illness.' But whatever may have been his moral or physical defects, there was not a single princess in Europe who was not longing to be his wife. Catherine de Medicis wanted him for her daughter, Madame Marguerite. Mary Stuart_was another candidate for the Prince's hand, and the match was ardently desired for her by her uncles, the Guises. The Emperor of Austria tried to secure him for the Archduchess Ana; and the Infanta Donna Juana, Philip II.'s sister, the widow of Don Juan of Portugal, for herself. Donna Juana was so eager about it that she rejected a number of other suitors. She was one of the most beautiful and most gifted women of her time; but she was ten years older than Don Carlos; and whether for that reason or, as Gachard suggests, because she had been to him almost a mother, Don Carlos beVOL. IV.-NO. XIX. NEW SERIES. came furious when any allusion was made before him to this marriage: 'He would rather die,' he said, 'than be forced to marry her.' The Prince showed more sense in this difficult matter than was common to him, and insisted on following his own inclinations. Of all the princesses who were offered to him, he showed most liking for Ana of Austria, and several times alluded to her as his favourite. Philip, meanwhile, irresolute as usual, diplomatised with the French, Scotch, and Austrian Courts, giving hopes to each. Volumes of letters and instructions were exchanged between the King and his agents, yet, notwithstanding, Don Carlos died unmarried. It is not easy to explain Don Carlos's passion for his cousin, Donna Ana, for he only had seen her portrait. It is certain, however, that he had fastened his fancy upon this princess. This was one of the numerous subjects of discord between the father and son. Don Carlos found, every day, fresh ground of annoyance in his father's conduct. On the whole, however, his unequal character, his excesses, and general extravagance justify his father's treatment of him. Don Carlos complained that he had not been appointed governor of a province although he was nineteen, while his father had been Regent of Spain at sixteen. He complained that although he had been destined from his infancy for the government of the Low Countries, he had never been sent there. He showed his aversion for all the members of his household who had been appointed by the King, and did his best on every occasion to render Philip II. ridiculous. It is said he kept a book in which his father's progresses were caricatured, and he went so far that Don Honorato Juan, who was devoted to him, wrote him a letter of remonstrance on his behaviour from Valladolid in 1566. This letter enables us to understand the pupil and the D master. Honorato divides his advice into three parts-the respect he owes to God, his duty to his father, and his manner of treating those dependent on him. On this latter point, on which he most dilates, he recommends him to be courteous to his father's ministers and officers; he bids him be kind to his inferiors, and charges him not to offend any one or be anxious to find out their defects and the faults they have committed. Doctor. Suarez wrote in the same sense to him. Their advice produced no effect, however, if we judge by Don Carlos's subsequent behaviour. Honorato died soon after, and appointed his pupil his universal legatee. The only person Don Carlos seems to have had any affection for was his stepmother, Isabel de Valois. 'Il estoit,' says Brantôme, 'le fléau de toutes fors de la royne, que j'ai veu qu'il honoroit fort et respectoit, car estant devant elle il changeoit du tout, d'humeur et de naturel, voire de couleur.' From this affection has arisen the transformation of these personages by poets and romancers into passionate lovers. On the part of the Queen a dishonourable passion is totally and utterly incredible, while it was no less natural and creditable that she should do all in her power to alleviate the sufferings and soothe the sorrows of her unfortunate step-son. It is not quite certain that we can affirm the same of Don Carlos. The suspicion does not occur to Gachard, and yet it seems to me as if no other cause would so completely account for the behaviour of Philip. From the moment of the Queen's arrival in Spain the Prince appeared to devote himself to her. It may have been the result of gratitude for the attentions which the Queen had shown him. The Princess Donna Juana had taken the greatest care of him during his infancy, and had treated him with the love of a mother, and yet we can find no sign of any such regard for her. When Isabel was on her way to Valladolid the King intended to send his son on pilgrimage to Guadalupe in Estremadura. He changed his mind, we do not know why; but there was some mystery in the matter, for the French ambassador, St. Sulpice, did not venture to mention it in a secret letter: ce qui n'est encore guères divulgué, et n'est besoing qu'on en parle, car l'occasion de ce ne s'en peult escripre.' St. Sulpice begged Philip to allow the Prince of Eboli to accompany the Queen to Bayonne ; the King answered that the Prince his son was going to Our Lady of Guadalupe; and he could only trust him with Eboli, for he was afraid if he did not always keep by his side that he would be found in the place from which he started on his jour ney.' In a letter on which Gachard comments, of one of the Queen's ladies, the Prince's affection for the Queen is alluded to pointedly: La royne et la Princesse sopent souvent en un jardin qui est pres de la méson, et le prince avec elles, qui aime la reine singulierement. Je crois qu'il voudroit estre davantage son parent." Philip prohibited the Prince from visiting the Queen during her illness in 1564, although the French Ambassador was admitted whenever he chose. M. de la Ferrière, in a recent work upon the subject, quotes part of a diary kept by a French lady in waiting on the Queen for the use of Catherine de Medicis. This diary describes the way the Court passed their time in Aranjuez and Toledo, and frequent allusion is made to the Prince, who, we find, never lost an opportunity of accompanying the Queen. The details given bring before us their daily life with the greatest exactitude. The lady says: One day at Aranjuez the Queen and the Princess Juana went out and met a man mounted on a donkey with fish pasties; on these they breakfasted, with water from the rivulet which they drank with their hands. They then took possession of a cart, into which they climbed-Mademoiselle de Bourbon, the Count, and one of the Queen's ladies; I followed on an old mule; and thus we made our way to a meadow at the end of an avenue, where were some colts, cows, and goats. The Queen and the Princess set to work to milk the cows, and having no vessels they used the Princess's hat. They soaked some bread in the milk and ate it, and afterwards mounted on donkeys, for want of something better to do, and went to see the stags. Afterwards we returned to the castle. The Queen went to the room where the King was dining, and after talking to him a little she and the Princess took their dinner in a gallery near her room, which looks upon the King's terrace. Afterwards the Prince and Don The Juan went to shoot with crossbows. King joined them and shot a little, and then retired to read in his rooms. . The next day the Queen and Princess went out again They sent for their horses: the Queen mounted on the little one belonging to the Cardinal, and begged the Princess to ride the other in the French manner-a very uncommon custom here for women, for even widows only ride on mules. The said lady was so little accustomed to ride on horseback that she fell from the first horse she mounted, but without hurting herself, She tried another, which she managed better, and shot with her crossbow at a stag. They breakfasted on the grass on sweet oranges-a custom of the country. At five o'clock they both went to the island, and passing a small rivulet on a plank the Princess fell in, and had to go home and change. The Queen went on alone until seven o'clock, when the Prince met her and they remained together until ten o'clock, when the King joined them. The next day the King dined with the Queen. et faire musicque, qui fut ung fort beau service plus avecques cerymonye espaignolle que françoyse. → The next day La Princesse et elle monterent chez le roij veoir les manteaulx et l'acoutrement de l'empire avec les troys couronnes, qui est la plus riche chose que l'on sçauroit veoyr: car tout est couvert de riches perles : les moindres sont de trois ou quatre escus, et la plus part sont de cinquante ou soixante, principallement celles des couronnes, le tout et en pointes, où il y en a si fort grande estant plein de diamans en roses, en tables, ble; et après cella luy fut montré l'or comme quantité que je n'en vy jamais tant ensem-. il vient des Indes, qui est si pur qu'il ne le fault point puriffier. L'on luy montra sept licornes: il y en avoit quatre qui n'estoyent pas de la haulteur d'ung homme, et trois autres qui estoyent plus haultes d'un homme de deux pieds. These letters are full of charming details. Why should M. de la Fer rière find so much fault with habits so simple? Jamais vie ne fut plus monotone ni plus vide '—yet ing country pleasure. The diary. every day is passed in some charmonly extends over twenty-six days, and La Ferrière exaggerates in saying, 'Il nous livre les secrets de l'alcôve, nous révèle les habi tudes de la vie privée de Philippe II.' If it does reveal them, and these days are a specimen of the rest, Philip has been a much misrepresented man. In the summer of 1566, after the Prince had passed a few days in From Aranjuez the Court went Madrid with Don Juan of Austria, to Toledo. Le dimanche jour de Pentecouste, elle avoit une robbe de satin gris esgratigné, chamarré de franges d'or, la cotte de velours blanc bordie de deux larges passemenz d'or et d'argent à jour, coyfée à la françoyse. Ce jour-là elle ouyt le service divin en la salle, célébré en la royalle fort dévotement et honorablement. La royne fut servie de mesme, le grand maistre allant à chascun service à la viande avec ques tous les principaulx de ses officiers tous nuds testés depuis la cuisine accompaignez de la garde des trompettes, tabourins, héraulx d'armes avecques leurs cottes, et huissiers avecques leurs maces d'argent pour donner ordre dans la salle they joined the royal family in the country, where the Queen was confined of a daughter. Don Carlos was to have been the godfather of the infant princess, but Tisnacq reported the Prince was so weak that Don Juan had to hold the child and take it into the Queen's apartments. Montigny and Berghen now arrived in Madrid, in hopes of obtaining from Philip II. some measures of relief for the Low Countries. They urged their suit with the most praiseworthy zeal, but while they were at Madrid news came that the insurgents had destroyed the images in the churches, and were endeavouring to drive the Spaniards out of the country. The King was bitterly displeased, but was unable to decide what to do. Montigny and Berghen are supposed at this time to have invited Don Carlos to go to Flanders and place himself at the head of the Government. If his father disapproved, they promised to support him themselves and to raise the country in his favour. This is the story told by Cabrera, the historian of Philip II.; but as no documents exist to prove it, Gachard is sceptical. In December Philip, accompanied by his son, opened the Cortes at Madrid. The King was entreated to go in person to Flanders, leaving Don Carlos as Regent during his absence; but Don Carlos desired most intensely to go to the Low Countries also; and when he learnt what was going on, he presented himself in the session-room one day when his father was absent, addressed the deputies, and swore he would be revenged on any one of them who should propose to the King to leave him in Madrid. The King was much annoyed. He seems at first, however, to have shown the greatest forbearance. He appointed Don Carlos president of the Council of War and State, gave several important affairs into his charge, and increased his allowance for his private expenses from seven to ten thousand ducats. Don Carlos at first showed himself sensible of his father's kindness, and endeavoured to deserve it. His amendment, however, was shortlived, and in a few months his habits were more disordered than ever. The immense sums received by him were insufficient for his extravagance: he was always in debt, and took advantage of his position to extort money from every one. Once, says Gachard, he took a fancy to the furniture of a bedroom which the Count of Modica had obtained from Milan, and which might be worth about fifteen hundred ducats. He offered two thousand for it. His purse being empty, he sent for Grimaldi to borrow the sum. The Genoese banker immediately counted it out to him, and offered his services for anything he might want. Don Carlos took him at his word and asked for ten thousand ducats. Grimaldi excused himself, and said he had not the money; upon which the Prince, with dreadful threats, gave him twentyfour hours to bring it, and turned off a son of Grimaldi who was one of his pages. In vain they told him the banker's offers were mere compliments, and the sum he asked for was out of all measure. He answered, that with a Prince like him such compliments should not be used; that Grimaldi lent the King large sums, and that if he did not immediately procure the ten thousand ducats harm would come to him and his family. The result was, Grimaldi was obliged to give him the money. At another time he bought a diamond from a Portuguese merchant for twenty-five thousand ducats without having a maravedi to pay for it. Philip meanwhile continued his preparations for his journey to Flanders, and, since go he must, intended to take the Prince with him. The royal fleet was in Galicia, the provisions were embarked for the voyage, and the furniture of the royal household had been sent to the port. The banners which were to distinguish the King's and the Prince's ships were ready, and the guards on foot and horseback had started. Don Carlos's dream was almost realised, and his delight knew no bounds. Suddenly the King changed his mind and put off his expedition until the following year. Philip sent as his representative the Duke of Alva. The effect on Don Carlos was frightful. His hatred to his father knew no bounds, and he lost no opportunity in public and private of showing it. Many times,' says Gachard, he had thought of escaping from Spain; from this moment he thought of nothing else, and determined to go to Italy, from which he could proceed according to circumstances to the Low Countries or the Emperor's Court.' To carry out his plans he converted himself into a conspirator; he slept surrounded by arms, and took every precaution to avoid being surprised. He had a mechanical apparatus made by a French engineer, Louis de Foix, by which he could open and shut his door while in bed. Not having money enough, he sent emissaries into the provinces to obtain money from the merchants and bankers in his name. One of his servants, Osorio, went to Seville with twelve blank bills signed by his Highness, in the following form : Garcia Alvarez Osorio, one of my servants, who will deliver this to you, will demand in my name the loan of a sum of money for an urgent and imperious necessity. I pray you to give it him, for besides fulfilling your duty of vassal you will give me great pleasure. The said Osorio will see to the means of repayment. I ratify beforehand all that he will agree to do with you. wrote also to some grandees of Spain, begging them to accompany him; but he received satisfactory answers from very few. To all he endeavoured to prove the necessity he found himself in to take this determination in consequence of the King's treatment of him. He depended chiefly on Don Juan of Austria, who had just been appointed Admiral of the Armada. They had been brought up and had lived almost always together, and Don Carlos must have been fond of his uncle if we can judge by the frequent presents he made him and their fraternal intercourse. The Prince closeted himself with Don Juan, told him what he intended to do, and promised that if he would go with him he would give him the crown of Milan or Naples. Don Juan did his best to dissuade him, and pointed out to him the innumerable objections to his project; but the Prince was not in a state to be thwarted, and he urged Don Juan to make up his mind to accompany him. Don Juau begged for twenty-four hours to reflect. The continual benefits which he had received from the King must have influenced him. Charles V. had intended his illegitimate son for the Church, but Philip II., besides having publicly recognised him as his brother, had covered him with honours and entrusted him with political and military offices, posts of the highest importance. Don Juan wrote on the following day to the Prince, saying the King had sent for him to the Escorial, and thither he immediately went to give an account of all that had occurred. Philip had already a suspicion that his son was plotting something to disturb the peace of the Court, but never imagined that matters would reach this point. He concealed every trace of emotion, and continued his religious ceremonies with He imperturbable gravity. News came The result of these negotiations is unknown, but it is probable he did not contrive to obtain the money, and Gachard says that at the time of Don Carlos's arrest he only possessed a hundred ducats, which he had just borrowed from his banker. He waited to carry out his projects until his father had left Madrid. Philip went to the Escorial on the 20th December. During his absence Don Carlos wrote letters to the sovereigns of Europe informing them of his intentions, and one which he meant to send to the King, complaining of the continual annoyances to which he was subjected. |