WHen the Emperour Charls the Fifth resolved to quit the Government of the Empire, and to retire himself into a solitary way of living; fearing to leave his Son exposed to the good fortune of Henry the Second, of which himself had already felt the effects, he concluded with that [Page 2] Prince a Truce for the five first years of his Son's Reign. Amongst other Propositions for a Peace between the two Crowns, which were made du­ring this Truce, was proposed the Marriage of Don Carlos Prince of Spain, and onely Son of Philip the Second, and Mary of Portugal his first Wife, with Madam Elizabeth the Eldest Daughter of France. This Princess was very young, but won­derfully accomplish'd for a person of her age: And as this Marriage was resolv'd upon with great joy on both sides, as soon as it was proposed, she could not chuse but conceive a very great esteem for him that was de­stin'd to be her Husband; her young heart finding in that occasion a sui­table object to fix it self upon, did much please it self in the thoughts of it; and she did by degrees insen­sibly ingage her self in an inclination, which, though altogether innocent, did afterwards prove more trou­blesome [Page 3] blesome to her vertue, then ever she thought it would. The Prince of Spain was no less contented then she with his hoped for happiness; and as all that people said to him con­cerning Madam, gave him a very lovely Idea of her person, he aban­don'd himself with pleasure to all those thoughts of love and desire, which that Idea inspir'd him withall. The Princess's Picture, which, accor­ding to the custome, was sent him by the King of France, finished that conquest in him, which the reputa­tion of her beauty had already be­gun. Those that brought it, said, it was extremely like her; and Don Carlos easily believ'd them in a thing he so much desired might be true. When he considered this Picture, there was no way that he would not willingly have tried, to let Madam know the thoughts he had of her. He could by no means endure that she should be ignorant of the joy, [Page 4] which the hopes of possessing her fill'd him with. Sometimes he was even asham'd of the excess of his good fortune, and could almost have been contented to allow himself the time of winning the Princess's heart by his merits and services, rather then to obtain her by the common ways; but knowing that to be an impossible thing, he thought he should be well enough satisfi'd, if he could but at least acquaint her with the diversity of his thoughts.

In the mean time, the face of affairs was wholly changed, by a sudden and unexpected breach of the Five years Truce, the Princes of the House of Lorrain, or those that at the sollicitation of Paul the Fourth, brought about this rupture. The Pope's aim was, by raising troubles in Flanders, to free himself from the Duke D' Alva, who had the com­mand of a Spanish Army, and had for some time kept him, as it were, [Page 5] block'd up within the Walls of Rome. One part of his design, which was the diversion of the Spanish Arms, succeeded according to his desire; but in Flanders he found more opposition, where the French lost two Battels, in which the greatest part of their most valiant men were either kill'd or taken prisoners; and, which reduc'd their affairs to so ill a a condition, that they resolv'd spee­dily to buy a Peace at what price soever. This Peace was the work of the Duke of Savoy, General of the Spanish Army, and of the Constable of Montmorency his Prisoner. The Constable represented to the Duke, That he could never hope to find a fairer occasion of recovering the possession of his Estates, from which his Father had been driven by Francis the First; and the Duke on his side prevailed so far with Philip the Se­cond, that the Treaty was conclu­ded a little while after, at Chateau-Cambresis. [Page 6] It is easie to judge of the grief of Don Carlos at the breaking of the Truce, and how great his joy was when the Negotiation of a Peace was reassumed; and yet this Peace, which seemingly gave such seasona­ble grounds for his hopes, was that which at last proved their utter de­struction.

During the time of the Negotia­tion, Philip the Second was made a Widower, by the death of Mary Queen of England, his Second Wife; and being obliged by several weigh­ty considerations to a Third Mar­riage, he demanded for himself the Princess, that had before been pro­mised to his Son. The French would doubtless much rather have given her to the Heir of the Crown, who was much of the same age with her, then to a Prince old enough to have been her Father, and by whom she could have none but younger Chil­dren, and by consequence incapable [Page 7] of inheriting the Crown: but, all things considered, he could not hand­somely be refused. Though this news was like the stroak of a Thun­der-bolt to poor Don Carlos, who was told it at first before a great deal of company, yet he was enough Ma­ster of himself, to hinder any body from taking notice of the grief it caused in him; but the violence he did himself, cost him dear, when he was alone. All his thoughts were nothing, but the continual inspirati­ons of Love and Rage. But the trou­ble he was in not permitting him to resolve upon, nor the present state of his fortune to undertake any thing that might ease his mind, his De­spair was insensibly turned into Me­lancholly; and from thence pro­ceeded that reserved way of living, which rendred him so odious to the King his Father, who never once dreaming of the true cause of his discontent, and judging of his Son [Page 8] by himself, did attribute it to the impatience he thought this young Prince might have of Reigning.

As for Madam, though what she felt in her self for Don Carlos, was rather a disposition to love him, then a true and well established passion, yet the fear she had that there was something more in it then as yet she apprehended, made her have an un­speakable distrust of her self▪ Till then she had an extreme curiosity to know the effect her Picture had pro­duced upon the Prince; nay, and she had desired sometimes, that his heart, if it were possible, might in that respect enjoy less quiet then her own: But as soon as she knew the change that was happened in their fortune, she feared nothing in the world so much as to be lov'd by him. What pleasure soever there be to be thought handsome, she wish'd that what all people said of her charms had been false. In this diffe­rence [Page 9] of thoughts, her mind not having all the tranquillity necessary to bring her handsomely off, in an Action so hard for a person in her circumstances, as her first arrival at the Court of Spain was, she stopp'd her journey as long as she could have the least appearance of an excuse; and though the Duke D' Alva had marri'd her in his Masters name, in the moneth of June, she did not leave Paris till the end of Novem­ber. She staid to see all the fine Houses that were in her way, and did not come into the Province of Aquitane, till the year was ready to expire, as if those delays could have done that in her heart, that her own reason was not capable of doing. When she was at the Pyrenaean Moun­tains, Fortune, that sometimes pleases her self in bestowing her fa­vours upon those that least expect them, helped her to one stop more, then ever she had hoped for.

[Page 10] Anthony of Bourbon, King of Na­var was charged with the conduct of the Princess into Spain, and he was to remit her upon the Frontier into the hands of the Cardinal of Burgos, and the Duke De l' Infanta­do. This King possessed onely the lower Navar, because the Upper had been usurped from his Wives Great Grandfather by the Spaniards; but yet, not to prejudice the right he pretended to upon them both, he would not acknowledge the place that at that time separated his Do­minions from those of the King of Spain for the true Spanish Frontier, but he required a declaration from the Deputies, that the Delivery he should make of the Princess in that place, should in no way hurt his pre­tensions. The Declaration was of too great consequence to be accor­ded without express order, and there­fore they were forced to write to Madrid, and expect His Majesty's [Page 11] answer in the place where they were. Philip would have been glad to have been spared this trouble by the Court of France, and that this Com­mission had been given to some body else, rather than to the King of Na­var: But the Princes of the House of Guise, at that time the new and absolute Masters of all Affairs, had their particular reasons, for keeping the Princes of the Bloud, as much as they could, from approaching the Court or the King's Person, and their design being onely to seek out fair pretensions so to do, they were ra­vish'd to find so plausible an one, of delivering themselves from him that troubled them the most. In short, the King of Spain saw himself oblig'd, either quickly to satisfie the King of Navar' [...] demand, or else to bring the business to a Negotiation, to obtain of the Court of France that he might be called back, and another sent in his place. This last way seem'd to be [Page 12] of an insupportable length for a Prince, that was in expectation of the most lovely person in the world for his Wife: Wherefore this great Politi­tian satisfied, for that time, his amo­rous impatience to the prejudice of his Interests, and wrote to his De­puties to grant the King of Navar his demand. Presently after the Queen began her Journey to Ma­drid, and was met upon the way by Don Carlos, who was accompanyed, besides many other considerable persons, by his Cousin Alexander Farnese the young Prince of Parma, and by Rui Gomez de Silva, Prince of Eboli, his Governour, and the King's great The Father Hila­ [...]rois of Coss. Min. in his Elogy of this Queen.Favourite. At the first news the Queen had of the Prince's coming, such opposite sentiments did raise themselves in her mind, and did agi­tate her with so much violence, that she fell into a [...] in her Womens [Page 13] arms, and could not be brought to her self, till Don Carlos was ready to ask leave to salute her. After the first civilities, these two illustrious Per­sons, taken up with the mutual con­sideration of each other, left off speaking, and the rest of the com­pany holding their peace out of re­spect, there was for some time a si­lence extraordinary enough in such an occasion. Brantome in his Philip the 2 d. Don Carlos was not shap'd according to the ex­actest rules of Symmetry; but be­sides the excellency of his comple­xion, and one of the finest heads in the world, his eyes were so full of fire and life, and his Mien was so softy and martial, that he could not with reason be thought any ways unpleasing. At first, the wonderful beauty of the Queen did even dazle his eyes; but the consideration of what he had lost in losing her, quick­ly changed his admiration into sor­row; [Page 14] and fore-seeing what he was like to suffer for her, he came by de­grees to look upon her with some kind of fear. In the mean time the Duke De l' Infantado thought, that the Queen staid out of civility, to know when it was Don Carlos plea­sure to go, and that the Prince out of respect staid for the same reason. This made him put the Queen in mind, that it was time to be going; and by that means he drew them both out of a greater perplexity then per­haps he was aware of. The Prince having taken his place in the Queens Coach, never lifted his eyes from off her all the way; and he had all the conveniency he could desire to consider her, and undo himself. The Queen soon observed it; and a se­cret Sentiment, of which she was not the Mistris, made her find some kind of sweetness in seeing the disorder Don Carlos was in. Yet she durst not at first seem to observe him too ex­actly, [Page 15] and he could not look upon her without trembling: But at last their eyes, after having avoided one another's rencounter for some time, not able to do themselves any far­ther violence, and meeting one ano­ther by chance, had not the force to withdraw themselves from the con­templations of so tempting objects. It was by these faithful Interpreters, that Don Carlos told the Queen all he had to say to her. He prepared her by a thousand sad and passionate looks to suffer all the obstinacy and greatness of his passion. The heatt of this Prince, burden'd by its own secret, and press'd with the grief of its misfortune, could no longer de­fer to ease it self; and the opinions he conceived by the troubled and discomposed carriage of the Queen, that she was not ignorant of his meaning, gave him so sensible a joy, that it made him forget, for some moments, both the good Fortune [Page 16] of his Father, and his own unhappi­ness. This little satisfaction gave him a liberty of mind at the first meet­ing of the King and Queen, which otherwise he could not have hoped for; but the Princess was so intent upon her melancholly thoughts, that the presence of her Husband could not draw her out of them. When they were arrived at Madrid, and that the King had received her at her coming out of the Coach; after the first Ceremonies practised in those occasions, she set her self to look fixedly upon him, without thinking on what she did, as if she had ob­served whether or no he took notice of the trou­ble she was in. Brantome in his Dis­course of this Queen.The King, far enough from suspecting the true cause of her disturbance, askt her roughly enough, Whether she were displeased to see that his head was already full of gray haires [...] These words were ta­ken [Page 17] for an ill omen by those that stood by, and some judged from that very time that the union between two persons so different in that, as well as upon several other accounts, could never be happy.

The Court of Spain that had hearkened to the wonders that were commonly reported of the Queens Beauty, as to the ordinary exaggera­tions given to the good qualities of Princesses, was infinitely astonished when it saw that all that had been re­ported of her came short of the truth.

This Princess was born into the World with all the advantages Na­ture could bestow upon her, and she was then in that flourishing Age which is requisite to make a perfect Beauty. All beautiful persons do not touch all sorts of hearts; but the Queen was equally adored by the People, and in the Court. As of­ten as she shewed her self in publick, [Page 18] so often she triumphed over the hearts of all those that saw her. It was so hard to see her without lo­ving her, that it is to this day a Tra­dition in the Court of Spain, Brantome, in her Elo­gy. That no wise man would venture to look her long in the Face. In fine, if it be true, that beauty is a kind of Natural Royalty, one may say, That never Queen was more properly Queen then she: It had been hard that her happy husband, possessor of so many perfections, should not have been charmed by them. The smallest actions and gestures of this Princess appeared to him extreamly taking. He found alwayes in her an attracting sweet­ness, equally different from the coy severity of the Spanish Women in Publick, and the too extravagant Sallies of their passion when in pri­vate. Sometimes in making reflecti­on upon these things, he admired his [Page 19] own happiness, but it was only in himself; for he did not think it be­coming his Grandeur to let so young a person know the weakness she was the cause of in him. And if she sus­pected any thing of it, she had quick­ly lost that thought, by considering the little trust he seemed to put in her, his severe carriage towards her, and his regularity to shut all his ca­resses within the bounds of the night, as if he had been afraid lest she should have seen him in some posture less grave then that in which he was usually seen by other People. This way of proceeding, so little obliging in appearance, and so differing from that agreeable unruliness of the pas­sions, that ordinarily accompanies the happy condition of satisfied Lo­vers, did in no wise answer the Idea the Queen had form'd of the life that two Married People, happy enough to love one another, ought to lead. So that she lookt upon her [Page 20] Husband as a Man of whom she pos­sessed nothing but the Body, and whose mind was wholly filled with Politick thoughts and ambitious de­signs. In the mean time, she was so extreamly loved by him, that the enjoyment of her, far from dimi­nishing his passion, did but augment it: whether it were that the possessi­on of the object loved, which satis­fies so fully the desires of most Hus­bands, served only to increase his, by discovering to him every day new hidden beauties, or that the secret he made to her of his love redoubled it's violence.

In the mean time Don Carlos was marvellously unquiet to know what thoughts the Queen had of him. And though every time she lookt up­on him, he thought he discovered in her eyes a secret and passionate lan­guishing, which appeared not there at other times, yet he durst not be­lieve even what he saw: whatsoever [Page 21] impatience he had, to have a clearer knowledge in this point, she being but very seldome alone, during the publick divertisements that were made in honour of her Wedding, he was a great while without being able to entertain her in private: but at last, fortune, which pleaseth her self, in furthering those designes, that can have no other then unhappy events, offer'd him an occasion of so doing, when he the least expected it. The King being come into Spain but a little while before the Queen, had not as yet paid the last honors due to the Body of the Emperor, who then lay in State some dayes journeys from Madrid, in the Monastery of the Hieronimites, where He had end­ed his dayes. The Queen was well pleased to accompany her Husband in this Voyage, to see a Countrey that was reported to be the most beautiful part in all Spain. The Convent of the Hieronimites of St. [Page 22] Justus is scituate in a Valley at the entrance of Extramadura, which stretcheth it self along the Banks of the River Guadiana, from the Fron­tiers of Castilia to that of Portu­gall.

This Valley is encompassed with hills of an extraordinary height, the least fruitful places of which are co­vered with those eternally-green Trees, which are not to be found but in those hot Countreys. A thousand little Brooks, that have their Springs among these Woods, after many curious turnings and wind­ings cast themselves into the River that crosses the Plain; and the Soile that is made fertile by this great quantity of running water, hath al­wayes brought forth an infinite num­ber of Orange-Trees, Lemmon-Trees, and other such like plants that grow under this happy Climate. These Brookes in the hottest dayes of Sum­mer do maintain in the shady walkes [Page 23] of this Desart, a cooleness, which by all the Artifice of Man cannot be pro­duced in another place, and the Greens which alwayes grow upon their Bankes have so lively a lustre, that the pencil of the skilfullest Painter could never compose one so beautiful. The Court being arri­ved unto this solitude, which Charles the Fifth had rendred so famous by his retreat, the King after having per­formed the first duties of Piety, would needs see a young Religious Man that his Father had much loved; and a­mong other things he was curious to know the original of this Friendship: he was told, That the Emperor go­ing one morning, when it came to his turn, to wake the other Religious, found this young Man, who was then a Novice, buried in so profound a sleep, that he had much adoe to make him rise; that the Novice at last getting up with much discontent, and at best not above half awake, [Page 24] could not keep himself from saying to him, That he might well enough be contented to have troubled the quiet of the World, so long as he had lived in it, without coming to disturb the repose of those that had forsaken it; and that this answer had so taken the Empe­ror, that he had testified a particular inclination to him ever after. After some other discourses, all the Com­pany separated themselves to take a Walk in this agreeable Wilderness, so that the Queen, who was wearyed with the journey, was left almost alone with Don Carlos. And as those that stayed with them were not of a qua­lity to interest themselves in their conversation; Don Carlos ravished to find such an opportunity, proposed to her to go and rest her self in a little Wood of Orange-trees that was be­hind the Apartment of the Emperor; thither they went, and the Prince who was afraid of being interrupted, pre­sently began the discourse with a li­berty [Page 25] made the Queen lose the suspicion she had of his design. At first he conjured her not to disquiet her self for the things he had to say to her, and to believe, that he would never give her any other trouble then that of hearing him. Afterwards he be­seeched her to remember the time, when they were destined for each other, and to consider what impres­sion so charming a hope must needs have made upon his heart. You may easily believe, Madam (continued he) that the sight of you, hath not de­faced this impression; and I feel but too well, that it will never be defaced in me. The Queen at first could not keep her self from taking pleasure to see a man have so passionate senti­ments for her, and such as no body ever yet durst testifie to her. But af­terwards making reflection on the words of Don Carlos, she compre­hended so well their force, and they gave her so sad an Idea of the state [Page 26] of that Prince's mind, that they made her conceive a great deal of pitty for him. She confessed to him, That the esteem she had heretofore had for his per­son, at the time she was designed to be his Wife, did not permit her to see his suf­fering without grief, nor to deny him those consolations which she could give him without offending her duty. The Prince answered her, That he pretend­ed to no other consolation, then that of seeing her, and speaking to her: But the Queen, who perhaps was afraid of saying more then she had a mind to, rose up at these words, and walking towards the Prince of Parma and Rui Gomez, whom she saw coming towards her, she onely told Don Car­los, That if he were wise, and lov'd her truly, far from seeking her company, he would do what he could to avoid it. Don Carlos was extreamly satisfied with the Declaration he had made to her of his passion, and his carriage afterward was as free, as before it [Page 27] seem'd to be constrain'd. The Qneen was one of the first that took notice of this change: and, as there is no forme under which love may not be disguised to insinuate it self in­to a heart, no not so much as that of reason and vertue it self, she thought her self obliged both out of prudence and generosity, to keep secret the passion of this Prince. In this thought she could not hinder her self from letting him know, that she lookt upon the change of his hu­mour as an effect of his discretion. Don Carlos, the first time he could find an opportunity of speaking to her in private, after the return of the Court to Madrid, took the liberty to put her in mind of it; and he assured her, with a great deal of pleasure, that there was no sort of humor, nor manner of life so contrary to his na­tural inclination, but his passion could make him undertake for her sake. Af­ter this, they made one another Con­fidents [Page 28] of as many particularities of their lives as were fit to be related. Don Carlos told the Queen all that had passed in his heart and mind, ever since the first time he had heard her spoken of. And she (when he had done speaking) made him the Histo­ry of her Infancy, with a thousand little circumstances, which employ­ed as agreeably his intention, as they would have seemed tedious to an in­different person. Onely when she came to that part of her Discourse that touch'd the resolution of their Marriage, she did not enlarge her self upon the Sentiments she had had on that occasion, with so much liberty as the Prince had done upon his; but the violence he saw she did her self to hide them; told him more then she concealed. In such pleasing Enter­tainments it was that these two illu­strious Persons spent the time they could have to be together; when fortune, already weary of favouring so [Page 29] innocent a commerce, ingaged Don Carlos in an adventure, that was the foundation of all his misfortunes.

Of all the Ladies, in whom the Queens beauty caused envy and jea­lousie, there was none that had greater reason to hate her upon that account, then the Princess of Eboli; in wit and beauty she surpassed all the Court, and for this reason, as well as because of the great favour her Hus­band was in with the King, she held the first ranke among the Ladies. She had an equal Love for magnifi­cence and pleasure, and, as she thought, nothing capable of resist­ing the charmes of her person and wit, she had at first form'd a design upon the Kings heart: but the Queens beauty having rendred her project fruitless, she attempted to make Don Carlos in Love with her, not think­ing to find in the heart of the Son, the same obstacle that had hindred her success with the Father. Rui Gomez, [Page 30] in quality of the Prince's Governour, was lodged in the same Apartment with him; the Princess of Eboli his Wife, besides the conveniency of seeing Don Carlos, had often occasi­on of obliging him, in reconciling him with her husband, with whom he had some little Quarrels every day. Don Carlos who was very ge­nerous, and who saw with what zeal she employed her self for him, was not wanting in gratitude to her for it, and lived very civilly with her.

These favourable dispositions gi­ving the Princess good hopes con­cerning her enterprize, she quickly found out the meanes to bring him to the point she desired. The admirati­on he had for the Queen, caused in him a certain contempt of all other Women. Besides, it is well known, that most young people of that qua­lity love naturally to divert them­selves to the cost of others, and the flattery of those that praise them, ac­customes [Page 31] them to those sorts of dis­obliging Jests, in stead of reproving them for it. Don Carlos, who was not exempt from all the faults of his Age and quality, and the Prince of Parma, yet younger, and more hot­headed then he, having one day played one of their ordinary tricks to some women of the first Quality, who complained of them, the Prin­cess of Eboli had much ado to ob­tain of Rui Gomez not to speak of it to the King. That very night this Woman being alone in her Closet with Don Carlos, she began to re­proach him with the little considera­tion he had for the Ladies, and after having made him a thousand Raille­ries upon that Subject; she conclud­ed, that the friendship she had for him must needs be very strong, to make her pardon those kind of things. The Prince who perceiv'd not her de­sign, and who was oblig'd in grati­tude to profess much affection to her, [Page 32] answered her, laughing; That she had more reason to employ her self for him, then perhaps she thought; because, the little consideration he had for all other Women, came from the Monopoly she had made of all the esteem he was capable of for that Sex. The Princess charmed with those words, which she took for a declaration of Love, answer'd him in a manner that opened his eyes, and made him perceive his good for­tune; At first he was of the mind to make use of it, and, it seemed to him, that never Infidelity was more excusable then that he was going to commit.

This Princess was of those Wo­men, who, without having all their Features exactly proportion'd, have something that touches more then the most regular Beauties. But, how dangerous soever she were, Don Carlos was yet full of the passion he had for the Queen, his imagination represented her to him at that instant, [Page 33] with those graces and that sweetness, that made all other Beauties appear rude and insipid in comparison of hers; and, the force of this Idea made him all on a sudden look upon the Prin­cess with a disdain, which she had no reason to expect from him. Yet he answer'd her Compliment in the most obliging manner he could, without satisfying her desire: but, she saw well enough that he pretended an affection which really he had not. A Woman, that hath seen her self in this condition, never forgets it, and remembers it with rage, if she hath not cause to remember it with plea­sure. We shall see the effects this rage produced in the heart of the Princess of Eboli; in the mean time, Love, that had pitty of her Adventure, brought a new Personage upon the Stage of this Court, to repair the fault of Don Carlos.

It was Don John of Austria, Na­tural Son of Charles the Fifth, that [Page 34] the King took about that time out of the hands of a Spanish Nobleman, who had brought him up as his own Son; and, though this young Prince had alwayes thought himself to be so, he was as fierce and as ambitious as if he had known his true birth. When this Spaniard who passed for his Father, came to cast himself at his feet, before he presented him to the King, Don John lookt upon him in that posture with as much tranqui­lity, as if he had a long while ex­pected this change. Seeing nothing in the New Rank he was entred into above his courage, he was not at all dazled with it, and all the Court saw with admiration the Son of Don Lewis Quisciada accustome himself in less than half an hours time to act the Son of an Emperor.

This new Prince not being of an humor to make use of all precautions necessary to defend his heart against the charmes of the Queen, fell in [Page 35] Love with her as soon as he saw her. And whether it were that his passion flatter'd his vanity, or that he hoped to make it serve to the establishment of his fortune, when he perceived it, he made no attempt to cure himself of it; and as he was naturally a dis­sembler, it was easie for him to hide the assiduity he manifested about the Queens Person, under the pretext of the necessi y of his appearance at Court. His overcarefulness soon displeased Don Carlos; and though this Princess would have perswaded him that she was glad of that obsta­cle, to hinder the freedom of their conversation, that so she might be less exposed to suffer the expressions of his Love, yet she conceived an aversion for Don John, of which she would not examine the rea­son.

There is no rencounter in the life of Man where dissimulation is of so great use, as in love, nor any in which it is [Page 36] harder to dissemble. The Prince could not alwayes be so absolutely Master of his passion, when the pre­sence of Don John was troublesome to him, as that this latter did not at length perceive something thereof; And as there is nothing so penetra­ting as the eyes of a Rival, he had quickly deceived the reason of it. This knowledge gave him an ex­treame curiosity, to know, whether the Prince's Passion were known to the person that caused it, and whether she answered it or no. To be the better inform'd of this, he resolved to coun­terfeit being in Love with a French­woman that waited upon the Queen, who was handsome enough to render this counterfeit probable, and who appeared to be more in her favour then any of her other women. He spared nothing of all he could imploy to corrupt her; but it was impossi­ble he could draw from her the secret of her Mistress, because she knew it [Page 37] not; for, the Queen, far from ac­quainting any body else with it, would have been glad, if she could, to have hid it from her self. He took pre­tence of talking to this Lady, that so he might leave Don Carlos alone with the Queen, and he became insensibly as commode as till then he had been troublesome. He thought, that if they were of intelligence with each other, he should know nothing of it, by interesting himself in their con­versations, because they would then take heed of him, and that his assi­duity would but make them hate him the worse, and keep him the more out of their privacy, into which he desired passionately to be admitted. The Queen appeared so reserved, that he despaired of entring into hers: He attempted then to get that of the Prince, whose free and ingenuous nature promised him a greater facili­ty; in this design he changed wholly his carriage towards him; He used no [Page 38] more that familiarity which the qua­lity of an Uncle gave him, and he be­came the most respectful of his Cour­tiers. He managed so dextrously the occasions of making People take notice of Don Carlos's good quali­ties, that this Prince, who suspected not his esteem of flattery, because he knew that he deserv'd it, came by degrees to think that his Uncle loved him. Don Carlos did in the end, even put a great deal of confidence in him, but as that of a truly generous Man, and who loves really, never ex­tends it self to the secret of his love when he is well used: The Prince at length intrusted all things to his Un­cles knowledge, besides that one he desired to know.

Don John growing desperate, with not being able to discover any thing, resolved to take Counsel of some body that had more experience than himself in those matters. As he was the handsomest and best pro­portion'd [Page 39] Prince in Europe, he had at first mightily pleased the Princess of Eboli, who knew not that the Queen was to be fatal to all her designes; Yet, she did not wholly spoile this last, as she had done the others. Don John was one of those happy com­plexions, that are never sensible to beauty, but in view of the pleasures it can give; and that of the Princess of Eboli promising much, touched at least his senses, if it did not reach his heart, as the Queens had done. On the other side, he consider'd the Princess as a person whose Counsels might serve him very considerably, in a Court, where all things were new to him. He prevented by his officious­ness the testimonies of good will which she sought to give him; and appeared so transported with joy at the first Marks he saw of it in her, that she well judged he would answer to greater with much ardour. So that they had soon established a Com­merce, [Page 40] by so much the more agreea­ble, as their hearts were not enough concerned in it to trouble their plea­sures by jealousies, and those other too delicate scrupulosities, that great passions use to inspire.

Don John living in this manner with the Princess of Eboli, resolved fully to acquaint her with all he knew concerning the love of Don Carlos. It is easie to judge of the joy she had at the hearing of this news: she was so taken up with it, that she made no reflection upon the interest Don John took in the Queens heart: Onely she counselled him, continually to observe all things, be­cause how circumspect soever one be, it is impossible not to forget one's self sometimes, when one is truly in love. And as she examined not the interest he seem'd to take in this matter, so he was not too curious in searching out the reason of that zeal, with which she promised him [Page 41] to employ her self in it. He thought, without deeper examination, that it was an effect of the complaisance she had for him, and of the curiosity or­dinary to those of her sex. It is pro­bable, that two so clear-sighted per­sons would soon have discovered, what they had so much interest to know, if it had not been for an ac­cident which broke all their mea­sures, in absenting Don Carlos from the Court, and which cannot well be understood, without following the Story to its first source.

Mr. de Thou, Aubigné Etr. Among the reports that had run about in the world concerning the Emperour's retirement; the most strange of all was, that the con­tinual negotiations he had had with the Protestants of Germany, had bred in him some inclinations for their opinions, and that he had hid himself in that solitude, onely to have the greater liberty of ending his [Page 42] days in those exercises of piety, that were most conformable to his secret disposition. It was said, he could not pardon himself the ill treatment he had made to those brave Princes of that party, that the chance of War had brought into his power. Their vertue, which in the midst of their misfortune shamed his prosperity, had bred in him by degrees some sort of esteem for their opinions. He durst not any longer condemn a Re­ligion, to which so many great per­sons made it their glory, to sacrifice all that men can have most precious in the world. This esteem appeared by the choice he made of persons, strongly suspected of Heresie, for his Spiritual conduct, as of the Doctor Cacalla his ordinary Preacher; of the Archbishop of Toledo, and above all, of Constantine Pontius Bishop of Drossa, and the Director of his Con­science. It hath been known since, that the Cell where he died at St. [Page 43] Justus, was filled on all sides with little Papers, written with his own hand, concerning Justification and Free Grace, which was not very far from the Doctrine of the Innovators. But nothing confirmed this opinion so much as his Will, there was al­most no pious Legacies in it, nor any foundations for Prayers for his Soul; and it was made in a manner so diffe­rent from those of all zealous Ca­tholicks, that the Inquisition of Spain thought it had right to take notice of it, yet it durst not make any noise before the King's arrival. But this Prince having signalized his entry into that Countrey, by the exem­plary punishment of all that were adherents to the new opinion; the Inquisition growing bolder by his example, attacked first the Arch­bishop of Toledo, afterwards the Em­perour's ordinary Preacher, and last of all Constantine Pontius. The King having suffered them to be imprison­ed [Page 44] all three, the people look'd upon his patience as a Master-piece of his zeal for the true Religion; but all the rest of Europe saw with horrour the Confessor of the Emperour Charles (in whose arms that Prince expired, and who had, as it were, re­ceived into his bosome his great Soul) delivered to the most cruel and most shameful of all punishments, and that too by the hands of the King his Son. In effect, the Inquisition thinking fit in the prosecution of their Process, to accuse these three per­sons of having an hand in making the Emperour's Will, had the boldness to condemn them to be burnt with the Will. The King awaken'd him­self at this Sentence as at a clap of Thunder: At first the jealousie he had of his Father's glory, made him find some pleasure in seeing his me­mory exposed to this affront; but afterwards having considered the con­sequences of this attempt, he hinder'd its effect by the most gentle and se­cret [Page 45] ways he could choose, thereby to save the honour of the holy Of­fice, and make no breach upon the Authority of that Tribunal. As for Don Carlos, at the first news he re­ceived of this business, he talk'd of it onely as a matter fit for raillery; but seeing that the Inquisition con­tinued in good earnest its pursuit, he conceived an indignation proportio­nable to what he owed to the memo­ry of the Emperour. To comprehend the reason of the particular interest he took in that business, we must know, that this great Personage, who, amongst other heroick qualities, did sovereignly possess that of un­derstanding himself in men, had con­ceived extraordinary hopes of his Grandson. When he retired himself into Spain, he would needs have him along with him: And it was in that excellent School of Wisdom and Magnanimity, that Don Carlos had confirmed himself in his natuaal [Page 46] love for glory, and for all Princely vertues. The desire he had to an­swer worthily the pains of so illustri­ous a Preceptor, had in some sort ripen'd his Wit before the time, and made it bring forth fruits, that were not to be hoped for in so early a sea­son. The Emperour knew how to manage the fiery and violent nature of the Prince with so much artifice and dexterity, that he had visibly mo­derated it in a short time. But it be­ing to be feared, lest this great ardour of mind should incline him to evil courses, if he had endeavoured utter­ly to have suppressed it, he gave it all the liberty necessary, by encou­raging him in the pursuit of glory, of which one may say, That this wise Governour abandon'd all the Beauties to the violence of his Pu­pil's desires. It is easie to imagine, that this education had imprinted in Don Carlos an extraordinary respect for the Emperour his Grandfather, [Page 47] and that the endeavouring to blot the memory of that illustrious De­ceased, was an offence to him in the most sensible part of his Soul. Don John and the Prince of Parma, inter­ressed in this glorious memory as well as he, were not less provoked with the affront. They blamed all three the King's weakness, who did not resist this insolence with all the vio­lence they could have wish'd, and they conceived for him a contempt, that never ended but with their lives. And as they were yet too young to comprehend, that the most absolute Kings have no rights so sa­cred in the minds of their people, as those that are taken from the pre­tence of Religion, they spake pub­lickly of the attempt of the Inquisi­tion with as great transports of passi­on, as people of their quality were ca­pable of having, upon so justifiable a subject; nay▪ and they went so far as to threaten, that they would utterly [Page 48] destroy the holy Office, and all its supports. The people, who learn'd these passages no otherwise, then as the Inquisitors, or those who were employ'd by them, were pleased to relate them, did testifie, how ex­tremely they resented such proceed­ings. The King fore saw at the very first, the ill consequences that might follow unto the Princes from their indignation, but knowing that they had so far forgot themselves, as to blame some of his own actions, he would not speak to them of it him­self, for fear of drawing upon him some disrespectful answer. Rui Go­mez, whom he charged with this Commission, acquitted himself of it with all the earnestness, that the importance of the matter seem'd to require. Don John and the Prince of Parma, who had naturally more the mastery of themselves then Don Carlos, rendred themselves to his rea­sons; and Ambition being their pre­dominant [Page 49] passion, they had all the sorrow imaginable, to have put so considerable an obsticle to their for­tune, as the hatred of the Inquisitors, which by this means they had brought upon themselves, and by consequence that of the People. The Prince on the contrary, whose nature was to be the more irritated by opposition, could never be brought to confess that he was in the wrong. In the mean time, the Doctor Ca­calla was burnt alive, with an Effi­gies that represented Constantine Pon­tius, who was dead some days be­fore in the Prison. The King was forced to suffer this Execution, that so he might oblige the holy Office to suffer the Archbishop of Toledo to appeal to Rome, and that the Empe­rour's Will might be no more spoken of.

This accommodation of affairs ap­peased Don Carlos, but it did by no means please the Inquisitors; and [Page 50] that being a sort of people incapable of pardoning, they raised so great murmurings among the people, that what care soever the King could take, there was no way of making the noise cease, but by absenting the Prince from the Court for some time.

Alcala was then in its greatest lustre, and all the considerable per­sons that went into Spain▪ fail'd not to visit so famous an University. The King pretended, that the Princes had the same curiosity; and his pre­tence to hasten their voyage the more, was, that the Prince of Parma was shortly to leave them, and to go under the conduct of the Count of Egmont into Flanders, where he was to be married. When Don Car­los knew this resolution, and that now he must necessarily leave the Queen, he began to see the preci­pice into which he had thrown him­self, and the interest of his love forced from his mind a repentance of [Page 51] his past carriage, which was more then the interest of his safety and greatness could ever have done. The King, who could by no means endure to be separated from Rui Gomez, obliged the Count of Egmont to take this Favourites place about the Princes during the voyage of Alcala. This Count was one of the most accomplished Captains of of his age, and was covered with the glory he had gotten in the last War at the Battels of St. Quintin and Gravelin, and of so many great men that had been formed in Charles the Fifth's School, no one had ever had a grea­ter share then he in the esteem of that Emperour. The Dutchess of Parma well foresaw the storm, that since that time was raised in the Provinces, which the King her Brother had in­trusted her with, and she judged it convenient to represent to him the inconveniences that were to be feared from those novelties he had a mind [Page 52] to introduce. This Commission de­manded a man of the quality and pro­fession of the Count Egmont, and one accustomed to speak to Princes with that noble liberty, which is so useful to them, and of which so few of those about them are capable▪ Don Carlos, who naturally loved all extraordinary men, engaged the Count to entertain him▪ as they rode along▪ with a description of the last Battel, in which he had commanded. The Count, who was charmed with his curiosity, satisfi'd it fully; and Don Carlos made appear an extreme impatiency of seeing himself in a con­dition to do something like that he heard related; he assured the Count of Egmont, that if ever the troubles in Flanders came to break out in an open War, as the Governess seem'd to apprehend they would, nothing should hinder h m from coming into those Provinces, there to learn under him his Apprentiship of War.

[Page 53] The voyage of the Princes was not long, the Town of Alcala pre­sented Don Carlos with a Horse of great price, but as furious as he was handsome. The Prince having de­sired to see him mounted, was ill satisfi'd with all those that rode him, and would needs try how he could ride him himself: The Horse, whose mouth was already very much heat­ed, as soon as the Prince began to prick him, took a fright, and ran away with him with so much vio­lence, that Don Carlos thought it his best way to throw himself off; but he did it so unfortunately, that he was left for dead upon the place; and though he came to himself some hours after, yet when the Chirur­geons had examin'd the wound he had received in his head, they all despaired of his life. In this extremi­ty, he sent the Marquis of Posa, his Favourite, to carry his last Adieu to the Queen. The Princess of Eboli [Page 54] went to him, at the first report she heard of this accident, to see after what manner he would receive her. The dissimulation of the Queen, who was not prepared for so rude a trial, abandon'd her at this news; and though her mouth, accustom'd to be silent, did not permit her grief to de­clare it self by complaints, her si­lence, and the disorder she was in, discover'd more of her thoughts, then all the words in the world could have done. Yet how great soever her affliction seem'd to be, there had been always so much friendship seen between her and Don Carlos, that no body was surprised therewith. But the Princess of Eboli, that was a great proficient in the mysterious Sciences of Love, could not comprehend, how so violent a despair in the Queen, should be nothing but an effect of friendship. In the mean time the peo­ple, inspir'd by the Inquisitors, did not seem to discover any great sor­row [Page 55] for this misfortune, but look'd upon it as a manifest punishment of God upon Don Carlos for his impiety. The Queen, who thought she had now nothing more to housewife, could not refuse her self the sad con­solation of letting the Prince know, the pitiful condition in which he left her. She wrote to him all that love and dispair can suggest most tender and most affecting; and she made the Marquis of Posa go back to him, with order presently to bring back her Letter, in case he should not arrive at Alcala till after the death of Don Carlos.

The joy with which the Prince's soul was filled at the receit of this Letter was so great, that it restored him his life. As soon as he was out of danger, the King made him be brought back to Madrid, thinking that the animosity of the people would in part be appeased by this cruel adventure. The first time the [Page 56] Queen saw Don Carlos, she ask'd him for her Letter; but how earnest so­ever she were to have it back, the Prince, to whom this testimony of her affection was dearer, then the life it had rendred him, persisted al­ways in his resolution to keep it, not thinking that this Letter was once more to decide his destiny. At his return, he found the Princess great with child, and her greatness did provoke his jealousie to a de­gree, that made him make so odd and unreasonable▪ complaints to her, that any body but she would have thought that he had lost his wits. Whilst his Cure was finishing, she lay in, of the Illustrious Arch-Dutchess of Flanders, who was af­terwards Heiress of her Beauty and Wit, as well as of her Name. A lit­tle while after she fell dangerously fick of the Small Pox; but the pray­ers of the people for her were so effectual, that she recovered, not [Page 57] onely with a greater degree of health, but also Brantome in his Discourses upon this Queen.much more beautiful then before. Don Carlos had hardly had the time to testifie his joy to her for her recovery, when she was forced to go to Bayonne, whither the Court of France was come to meet her, and where the charms of her conversation, and her prudent and modest carriage did not cause less admiration of her in peoples minds, then her beauty caused disturbance in their hearts. Don Carlos saw with all the dis­content imaginable these divers hin­derances, which Fortune raised up one after another to interrupt his commerce with the Queen, when this last Voyage, after which he thought he should have nothing more to fear, drew upon them an affair, which imbitter'd the sweetness of their life by some obstacles, that never had an end.

[Page 58] Mr. de Thou. Jeanne de Albret Queen of Navarre, and Widow of the late King Anthony, had a pretty while before this time declared her self of the New Reli­gion; and she was a Princess that govern'd her Subjects with a Piety, that might well be an example to all her Sect; and with a Justice, whose equal perhaps had never been seen in the Court of any King. Her Son, whom she brought up in the same belief, was look'd upon from that very time by the Religionaries of France as their Protector. The Spaniards seeing that the pretensions of that House upon the upper Na­varre, fell into the hands of this Child, brought up in an hereditary hatred against them, that was sharp­ned by the difference of their Reli­gion, and upheld by a party so re­doutable, as was that of the Hu­gonots at that time, to deliver them­selves from all these fears, resolved [Page 59] forcibly to take away this young Prince, with the Queen his Mother, & the Princess his Sister, out of the heart of their Dominions, and to carry them into Spain▪ & put them into the hands of the Inquisition. The chief of the Catholick party in France, being of intelligence with the Duke D' Al­va, to deprive the Hugonots of so considerable a support, as was that of the House of Navarre, engaged themselves with joy to contribute whatsoever depended on them, for the happy success of this enterprise. An infamous Villain called Captain Dominick, born in the Countrey of Bearn, was charged with the execu­tion of the business, by reason of the perfect knowledge he had of the Countrey. Part of the Troops that waited then at Barcellona for a fa­vourable wind to pass into Barbary, were appointed to advance them­selves as far as Tarragona. From this Town it was easie secretly to lead a [Page 60] considerable Body of Horse through the Mountains, and so to surprise the Queen and her Children at Pau in Bearn, where they made their resi­dence, and where they had almost no other Guard then the hearts of their Subjects. But though their de­sign were wonderfully well laid, the great Destiny of the young Prince rendred it vain: It preserved him to be one day the Restorer of France to its antient splendor, and the ter­rour of the Spaniards. A little while before the voyage of Bayonne, Ca­ptain Dominick, assisted by some Governours of the French Frontier, that depended upon those who made him act, had disposed all things ne­cessary upon the places appointed for his attempt. After that he was gone into Spain, where he went to receive the Orders of the Duke D' Alva, for the advancement of the Troops destin'd for its execution. The Duke, who was then at Alva, [Page 61] after some conference with him, sent him back to the King, who held the States of the Kingdom at Mouzon. The Captain fell dangerously sick in going thither, and was forc't to stay at Madrid, where he was necessarily to pass. During his illness he was assisted in all things by a French man a servant to the Queen, and who was his Countryman; Not knowing how to testifie his gratitude, he chanced one day to say to him, That his life was of greater importance then perhaps he thought, and that the care which was taken of him should be one day magnificently rewarded. These words were pronounced after a manner that might make one judge, they had some extraordinary foundation, and they caused in his Friend the curiosi­ty of penetrating the Mystery they seemed to contain. The Captain could refuse nothing to a Man, to whom he thought he owed his life: And whether it were that the fear of [Page 62] death had inspired him with some re­pentance of his crime, or that the Disease had disturb'd his brain, he pay'd with this secret the services he had received. This Friend told it the same day to the Queen his Mi­stress, who was then at Madrid, and who lived in a strait friendship with the Queen of Navarr.

At the recital of this horrible Plot she could not withold her tears; and whilst the Captain was curing, and ordering all things with the King that concern'd his Enterprize, she made notice of it be given in Bearn, and at Bourdeaux, where the Queen her Mother was at that time. The Attempt having failed in this manner, the Queen, conducted by the Duke d' Alva, went to meet the Court of France at Bayonne: This Court was divided into two Factions, almost as great enemies, one of the other, as they were both one and the other of the Hugonots their common [Page 63] enemies. Although they were both Catholicks, one of them did more especially attribute to themselves this quality: It was that which was headed by the Friends of the Duke d' Alva, the first Authors of the Bearnish Conspiracy. And as they were already laying the foundations of the League, that appeared ten years afterwards, they lived in a per­fect intelligence with the Spaniards, but it was not so with the other Faction, which was that of the King, and of which Catherine de Medicis was the chief; Arbitraryness, and In­dependency were the only end of all this Woman's Actions; she knew, that all inward commerce with the Spaniard was but so much slavery, and she put no other trust in the King her Son-in-law, and his Ministers, then that to which she was obliged by necessity, and her Relation to them.

[Page 64] In the mean time, how reserved soever she were, the Complices of the Duke d' Alva having a familiar intercourse with her upon account of some other intrigues, turned so ma­ny Stones, and set so many Spyes about her at this Interview at Bayon­ne, that at last they knew of a cer­tainty that it was the Queen of Spain that had ruin'd their enterprise; but, they could never comprehend how this enterprize should come to her knowledge.

The Duke d' Alva could not be­lieve that so young a Woman was capable of venturing upon so bold and delicate an action.

The familiarity of this Princess with Don Carlos had alwayes been suspected by him, because he knew that Don Carlos naturally hated him.

He thought she had done nothing without advising with the Prince; and, as there are but few g iefs so [Page 65] sensible, as that one feeles for having done a wicked Action to no purpose; He took so strong a Resolution to Revenge himself on them, that at last he brought it about. Yet Don Carlos knew nothing of this Conspi­racy before the voyage of Bayonne; but, the thing being afterwards di­vulged, the Queen confessed the truth to him.

The Prince amazed at the horri­bleness of this villanous attempt, could not hinder himself from saying, in the presence of Don John and the Princess of Eboli, That he would one day cruelly punish those that gave such base Counsel to the King his Father.

Mayerne Thurquets hi­story of Spain. The Duke d' Alva was known by all the World to be the Au­thor of the Plot, and the King did nothing without the ad­vice of Rui Gomez, so that this threat could regard none but those two Ministers; and, the Princess of [Page 66] Eboli having told it to Rui Gomez her Husband, this favorite judged it was high time to begin to fortifie himself against the Authority which the Prince's age began now to give him.

These two Ministers did equally share the favour of the Court, onely with this difference, that one might say, That the Duke d' Alva was the Kings Favourite, and Rui Gomez the Favourite of Philip.

This concurrence had sometimes bred some difference between them, but their common interest reunited them upon this occasion. The Duke d' Alva, who did Soveraignly govern all Military Affaires, know­ing the warlike inclinations of his Prince, feared he would lessen his Authority upon the first beginnings of any War, by taking the manage­ment of it into his own hands. And he was perswaded that Don Carlos would never pardon him a business [Page 67] that was past between them some years before.

Cabreras History of Phi­lip the 2d. The King had Assembled the States of Arragon, there to make his Son be ac­knowledged lawful Successor to him in the Government of the Spaines.

In this Ceremony it being come to the Duke d' Alvas turne to swear Fidelity, the Herauld called him by his Name three times in vain. A moment afterward he came out of his ranke to acquit himself of his duty, and Don Carlos turn'd him back ve­ry disdainfully, but the Duke excusing himself upon the multitude of busi­uess he was engaged in that day, by reason of his Office of Great Master; the King obliged the Prince to ac­cept his Submission. As for Rui Go­mez, who disposed absolutely of the Justice, and of the Kings Exchequer, he was afraid least the Prince, who naturally loved to give, should him­self [Page 68] meddle with bestowing Favours, of which nothing should remain to others, but the merit of executing them. He had been Governor to Don Carlos, and he could never sa­tisfie the King (to whose will he was wholly devoted in this employment) without using the Prince with the same rigour, with which he himself used him. And, as this austere car­riage was the true cause of Don Car­los his antipathy to his Father, it is necessary here to relate some particu­larities thereof, though perhaps a little meane and chil­dish Hugo Bla­sius, Dutch­man, in his A­croma.Don Carlos being hardly entred upon his Age of rea­son the Queen of Bo­hemia his Aunt, who lived then in Spain, made one of her Pages, whom he loved above all the rest, be severe­ly chastised for a very light fault, and he being at that very time extreamly violent in all his passions, complain'd [Page 69] to her of it with a great deal of eagerness, and this Princess having threatned to have him whipt, if he would not hold his peace; Don Car­los, whom one could not more sensi­bly injure, then in using him like a child, was so out of pat ence at this threatning, that he gave her a box on the Eare. As soon as she had left him, he began to perceive what he had done▪ and was much disquieted about it; when the Steward of his Houshold presented himself before him, melted into Teares. Don Carlos, to whom al extraordinary ob­jects were susp cious▪ in the condition he was in, asked him the Subject of his Tears, and knew by him that his Father had known his crime, and had condemn'd him to death: Those that were present with him observed, that he received indeed this Newes with some astonishment, but yet without any other marke of fear, then asking▪ Whether there were no par­don [Page 70] to be had for him? One went presently to the King to demand it, and came back with this Answer, That he had obtained it: but, that he should not be quit without losing the Hand wherewith he had struck the Queen. It would be a fine thing in­deed (cryed he briskly at this An­swer) to see a one-handed King. He was told, That it was happiness enough for him that the King con­tented himself with this punishment: But, a person of the Company ha­ving represented to him in private, That if he submitted himself to some voluntary Correction, his Fa­ther might be touched with some pit­ty for him; he approved that Coun­sel, and sent to pray the Cardinal Spinosa to come and Whip him; a thing, which without that conside­ration, he would never have done.

Some years afterward, just upon his recovery from a Sickness he had had, [Page 71] the King having taken him aside to reprove him severely for some fault, Don Carlos, who thought himself blamed wrongfully Dicos y echos, di Phi­lippe 2.was so livelily toucht with what his Father said to him, that he fell into a relapse of his Fever at that very mo­ment.

So harsh an Education had ac­customed the Prince to see all his Sen­timents and Inclinations contradicted; and, as he was of a disposition di­rectly opposite to that of his Father, he did not ordinarily govern himself after such a manner, as the King could have desired. This had often obli­ged Rui Gomez earnestly to desire that he might be excused from wait­ing on him any longer; he was a­fraid that the King would at last, as Fathers ordinarily do, accuse him of the little comfort he had in his Son; but, this Favourite knew not, that those people, who, like his Master, [Page 72] think themselves very wise, and who brag of constancy above all other ver­tues, would a thousand times sooner condemn their own Children, then blame a Man they have once chosen; and, are not so much afraid of appear­ing unfortunate in their Families, as unskilful in their judgments.

Rui Gomez seeing the Kings obsti­nacy, to continue him in his charge, had us'd Don Carles with all rigour imaginable, as it were to take away all occasion of blaming him for his ill conduct, so that he judged well that he was to fear all things from the resentment of his Scholar; and, being sollicited by his Wife, who, under pretence of taking care of her hus­bands safety, revenged her despi­sed fav urs: He did all things possi­ble to obl ge the Duke d' Alva to joyne himself with him against Don Carlos, letting him know, how the Prince had threatned them both.

What earnestness soever the Prin­cess [Page 73] of Eboli shewed to have her part in this combination; her Husband, who had some suspition of the since­rity of all her officiousness, did not think it fit to entrust her with so im­portant a secret. She told him not all she thought she knew concerning the correspondence betwixt Don Car­los and the Queen. But Rui Gamez, who had a very piercing wit, making reflection in private upon what she had told him, had soon divined the rest. But what Idea soever he attempted to make in his mind concerning this correspondence, he could never form so perfect a conception of it, as when he thought there was some love at the bottom. A thousand things upon which he had not reflected at the time when they were done, came then into his memory. He re­membred how he had observed, that when the Queen was spoken of in Don Carlos his presence, that Prince look'd upon those that spake of her, [Page 74] as if he had feared, lest they should observe him at that time, and lest that they said of her had been onely to try him. In other occasions, where it seemed, that all the company disputed who should praise the Queen best, Don Carlos praised her not at all in his turn, as the others did: and when he must necessarily speak of her, he was always afraid of saying too little, and his mouth not accu­stomed to disguise the sentiments of his heart, could ill do a thing it was ignorant of. Rui Gomez considered again, that though the Prince had no consideration for all other women, yet he appeared before the Queen with a certain sweetness and com­plaisance, that never bely'd it self, and that render'd him uncapable of being known to those that were ac­quainted with his humour. In fine, it was not hard to believe, that the marvellous beauty of that Princess, from which the most insensible were [Page 75] forced to turn away their eyes, and against which the oldest and wisest men of the Court had much ado to defend their reason, should make up­on the heart of a young Prince, who saw her familiarly every day, the im­pression it made upon all other.

Rui Gomez was confirmed in his opinion, by communicating it to the Duke D' Alva, from whom he thought not to hide it. And as it or­dinarily happens, that when one hath discovered one part of a secret, the desire one hath to know the rest, makes one endeavour to Divine it, they began to doubt at that very time, that the Queen answer'd Don Carlos his passi n. This passion at first flatter'd their animosity, they were glad for some moments that they had in their hands an infallible way of revenging themselves upon this Prince, by discovering his Love to his Father: But afterwards com­ing to make reflexion upon the [Page 76] King's jealous humour, and upon his natural cruelty, they considered the strange extremities, to which appa­rently it would carry him, and were stricken with horror at that thought. How redoubtable an enemy soever they had in the person of Don Carlos, they intended not to attaque his life, nor ever thought themselves capable of such an intent. No body becomes wicked all at once; and it is not for all sorts of Souls to resolve upon a great piece of villany the first time it comes into their thoughts. Vice is arriv'd to by degrees as well as Ver­tue.

These two Ministers apprehended above all things, lest the Queen should preoccupy her Husband's mind about the affair of Bearn, so that afterwards he would not believe the truth. They judged, that in the inquietude the King was in, to know how this enterprise had been disco­ver'd, he would fix himself upon the [Page 77] first opinion should be given him of it. This Prince even desperate with the ill success of his design, looked no more upon the Duke D' Alva with so favourable an eye as he was wont to do, and perhaps meditated in his own heart his open disgrace, thereby to discharge himself of the blame of this conspiracy. To avoid this blow he was forced to discover to him the truth; but because the end of this discovery was to convince the King, that it was not through the Duke D' Alva's fault that their attempt had failed, the Duke did not judge it convenient to speak to him himself. Rui Gomez was not much less suspected th n he in this affair: he had almost as great a part in it as the Duke. They thought then that they had need of some third person to render them that good office: and finding none so proper for their pu pose as Antonio Perez, the Secretary of State, they [Page 78] resolved to engage him in their intel­ligence. This man, who had no in­terest to hurt either the Prince or Queen, appeared to them difficult to be gained. Nevertheless Rui Gomez presumed enough upon his address, to attempt the bringing it about. The thing proved much easier to him then he thought. Perez was passio­nately in love with the Princess of Eboli, and till then he had never been able to obtain any thing of her. He ask'd at first whether she were of the secret; and being told that she was not, after all the refusals he knew he must make, he engaged himself to do all they desired of him. This dextrous Lover knew how furious the Princess was; he doubted not but she was almost desperate, that an intrigue of that consequence should lie hid from her, and knew she was capable of doing any thing to gratifie him that should discover it to her. Rui Gomez went presently to give an [Page 79] account of his negotiation to the Duke D' Alva, proud of his good success, and the most contented man in the world to have given his Wife's Gallant an infallible way of cor­rupting her. And Perez knew so well how to make use of his Secret with his Mistris, that he made her buy it as dear as he pleased.

In the mean time the Queen, who proved great with child at her return from Bayonne, lay in of the Infanta Katherine Michaelle, her Second Daughter, who was since Dutchess of Savoy. The Ministers, who knew the power the Queen's beauty gave her over her Husband's mind, thought fit to take the time of her lying in to justifie the Duke D' Alva, that so they might give the King the leisure of forming a resolution upon that they, intended he should know, before he could have time to talk with the Queen by her self. The charge Perez had of Forreign [Page 80] Affairs, gave him often opportunity of entertaining his Majesty in pri­vate. On the morrow morning he brought in the discourse of the Con­spiracy of Bearn, upon this account, that they had heard, that the Queen of France seemed to be very angry at it, and that she began to revenge her self for it in favouring the Re­bels in Flanders, who were then in the first Fits of their Fury. At fi st he confessed to the King, that he had a long time hesitated to discover to him what he knew, concerning the ill success of this enterprise, what obligation soever lay upon him to do it; but that after having well thought upon it, he believed he could not without a crime continue to be silent: After that he recount­ed to him exactly that which the Duke D' Alva had learn'd at Bayonne, concerning the manner in which they had been discovered; he added the discourses which Don Carlos had had [Page 81] upon this business, in presence of Don John and the Princess of Eboli, against those that were concerned in it; and he ended, in praying the King to pardon him the secret, he had till then made him of those things, he could not tell him, with­out offending in some sort the Two Persons of the world, who, after his own, ought to be most sacred in his Subject's hearts.

This discourse put the King's mind into an extraordinary perple­xity; and though as yet he did not suspect the Queen of any thing, his love made him find the union of sentiments, which by this Affair ap­peared to be between her and Don Carlos, very strange. His mind pos­sess'd by this first motion of jealou­sie. made him look with indifference upon the attempt they had made upon his Authorit [...]; and the care of his Grandieur, which was so natural to him upon all other occasions, [Page 82] gave place, for this once, to a more sensible and more delicate conside­ration. He observed then for the first time his Son's assiduity about his Wife, and he remember'd they had been a long while together destin'd for each other; but he came pre­sently to himself, and considering the vertue and courage of the Queen, he wholly condemned all such weak suspicions. She had already given other marks of the love she con­served for her Countrey. Some time before, the difference of the Precedency of the Two Crowns having been decided at Rome in fa­vour of that of France, she could not so well dissemble the joy she had of it, but that she let go some small testimony of her mind. Her first La­dy of Honour would have represent­ed to her, that she ought to be more concerned in the discontent of her Husband upon this occasion. But the Queen answer'd her, That as she [Page 83] did not wonder at the King's grief, so neither ought he to wonder at her joy; and that for her part she was glad to have all the world know, Father Hilarion of Cossa, in his Elogy of this Queen.that the House out of which she was is­sued, was better then that unto which she had alli'd her self. The King making reflecti­on upon this discourse, was fully per­swaded, that what she had done against the enterprise of Bearn, pro­ceeded from the same principle of affection for her Kindred; and he considered this horrible enterprise, in which Don Carlos seemed to desire to out-vie the Queen, as a generosity pardonable in so young a man.

Yet though he was willing enough to be at quiet in this point, he re­solved to have a clearer knowledge of their commerce for the time to come; but he thought there was no other jealousie mingled with this [Page 84] resolution, then that he ought to have of his Authority. He made great changes in the most important Offices of the Court, that so he might bestow upon the Princess of Eboli the first of all those of the Queen's houshold, without making appear any affectation in his choice. The familiarity this woman had main­tain'd with Don Carlos, ever since her Husband had been his Gover­nour, render'd her fitter then any other to penetrate into his secrets. This consideration, joyn'd to that she had already reported of the threatnings he had made in her pre­sence, contributed as much as the favour of Rui Gomez, to make her be chosen by the King for this em­ployment. Don Carlos, who thought still that she loved him, ever since that which had past between them, was not in the least disturbed at her new promotion; and the Queen, who knew that her Husband had [Page 85] too many friends in France, to be ig­norant of what she had done, was no way surprised by all this change of Offices. She imagin'd the reason of it at fi st, and Don Carlos trying to re-assure her, in answering for the Princess of Eboli, the Queen press'd him to tell her, from whence came the great confidence he had in that Woman? but he could never get leave of his modesty to satisfie her demand. Yet he perceived af­terwards that he was deceived, when he saw how carefully the Princess of Eboli watched them. And he not daring to complain of the incon­venience he received by her presence, she pleased her self wonderfully in tormenting this poor Prince. She feigned to have more friendship for him then ever. Never failing to wait upon the Queen, wheresoever she were, as soon as she knew that he was with her, and she made as if it had been her that drew her thither. [Page 86] But though this Woman's vigilancy was incredible, the Queen and Don Carlos found a little while after an opportunity of entertaining one ano­ther in particular. The King, who was as much busied about his Escuri­al, as one may imagine, by the fear­ful expence he was a [...] for it, invited the Queen to go see the beginnings of the Proud Structure he was raising, to be an eternal Monument of the Victo­ry of St. Quintin. All that renew­ed in this Princesses soul the remem­brance of a Battle, that had been the fountain of all the misfortunes of her Life ought not apparently to be very pleasing to her.

Nevertheless, she saw the Prepa­rations tha were made for immorta­lizing the memory of that unfortu­nate day, with all the cheerfulness and expressions of contentment the King could have desired of her, or that he had in himself. It was in this place that the Princess of Eboli [Page 87] left the Queen and Prince alone with the King, and that the King having also left them, to give his order to some of his Builders. Don Carlos, who could not longer live in such a constraint, took that time to conjure the Queen to give him some assured meanes of talking with her in pri­vate, when it should be necessary for their common interest so to do. He prest her to it in so touching a man­ner, that she consented to him at the very first, seduced by that poor Prin­ces despair; So that they set them­selves to find out some probable wayes, but they all appear'd so dan­gerous to the Queen, that she re­solv'd never to make use of them, how easie soever Don Carlos would make her believe they were. The state of Affaires stood thus, when the Marquess of Bergh, and the Baron of Monteigni, Deputies from Flan­ders arrived at the Court. And as their Commission was very dange­rous, [Page 88] they had founded their princi­pal hopes upon the report of the Princes generosity, and the good na­ture of the Queen. To be unhap­py, was enough to deserve the Pro­tection of that Princess, and he that was vertuous had merit enough to pretend to the friendship of Don Car­los. The Deputies represented to them the sad condition of the Nobi­lity of Flanders, since the ill Offi­ces that the Cardinal of Cranvella, the principal Minister of the Dutchess of Parma their Governess had done them with the King. They exag­gerated their innocence and fidelity in the past troubles. They particular­ly conjur'd the Prince not to aban­don so many of the Emperors bra­vest Servants, and the most dear ob­jects of his tenderest affections to the violent and precipitate counsels that the jealousie of their Vertue, and the envy of their Glory inspir'd the Duke d'Alva with, and, they assur'd him▪ [Page 89] that the report of his courage was the onely consolation they had in their misfortune.

Don Carlos, whose natural incli­nation for the War had till then been suspended by the violence of his love, was extreamly ashamed at the hearing of this discourse, that he had never yet done any thing for the getting of Glory; he was yet more animated by the Letters which the Deputies presented him from the Count of Egmont: This Count summoned the Prince to make good the Promise he had given him here­tofore, to go in person into Flanders as soon as the Warr should be there kindled. He represented the Affairs of those Provinces in so favourable a disposition for Don Carlos, that the Prince resolved to make the Go­vernment of them to be given to him, and hoped, when he should be there, quickly to put himself into a condition of undertaking all that his [Page 90] valour and ambition should counsel him, after that the troubles should be once appeased by his presence. He had hardly well formed this resoluti­on, when the Image of the Queen presented it self to his imagination more lovely and charming then he had ever yet seen her, and made him doubt whether he should ever have the force to leave her or no; but, making a serious reflexion upon the State of his Affaires, he plainly saw, that all things ought to con­firm him in his first resolution.

At the beginning of their affection the extreame tenderness of the Prin­cesses Age, had not permitted her to hide from Don Carlos the esteem and pitty she was toucht with for him; but afterwards, time having made her wiser, and perceiving that the testimonies of Friendship she gave him, as innocent as they were, did yet nourish his Love; she represented to him upon all occasions the ill con­sequences [Page 91] of this Passion, and the miseries to which it would expose them both. How much soever he were possessed with it, he could not hinder himself from acknowledging that she was in the right, and he durst not seem to take it ill that she lived with him for some dayes after a more reserved manner then ordinary. In so cruel a disturbance of mind, he thought, that he ought to make one generous effort upon himself, to deliver this Princess from an unfortunate Passion, that gave her so just causes of inquietude; And that he could not bet­ter rid himself of it, then by a long absence, and a great deal of business; He thought so indeed at first, but he quickly changed his mind at the pre­sence of the Queen and considering what was the pleasure of seeing her, he well perceived he should never re­solve to see her no more. In this thought he went and gave her an account of what had passed between [Page 92] the Deputies and him, and of the project he had formed. He askt her pardon a thousand times over, for being able to think for some mo­ments that he could live absent from her; but, the Queen, who aimed at nothing but to cure him of his pas­sion, obliged him▪ notwithstanding his resistance to pursue his design of the expedition into Flanders, and to make him resolve upon it the more easily, she represented to him, That this Voyage would dissipate the ill­humour the King was in, through his suspicion of their affection; and that, so being less observed at his return, and more considerable and absolute, by reason of the glory he would doubtlessly acquire, they might live together with less inquietude. Don Carlos partly perswaded by these reasons, but much more by the blind obedience he had sworn to the Queen in all things, declared himself openly in favour of the Nobility of the [Page 93] Low-Countries, to the great scandal of the Inqu sitors, who held them to be almost all infected with Heresie, and who had not yet forgotten the business of Charles the Fifth's Will. He made the King be told, That if he would give him the Government of these Provinces, he would be an we­rable to him upon his Life for their O edience. It would be difficult to express to what a degree Rui Gomez and the Duke d'Alva were allarm'd at this design.

The Authority that an employ­ment of that consequence was like to give to the Heire of the Crown, appeared to them to be their evident ruine. They judg'd, That at his return from this expedition, in which he would infallibly have good suc­cess, this Prince would be his Fa­thers first Minister, and that by consequence they must depend upon him.

The Duke d'Alva above all, who [Page 94] had the same pretensions with Don Carlos, engaged Rui Gomez, who was more familiar with the King than he, to make him consider, How much this enterprise would raise his Son above him in the hearts of the Flemmings.

Perez, without seeming to act by consent with them, put him also in fear of the strait League which Don Carlos would doubtless make with France, by the meanes of the Queen, if he were once Master of the Low-Countries.

These Advertisements made all the impression they were capable of ma­king upon the mind of a Prince na­turally jealous of his Authority, and fearful of his Sons Ambition.

The King thought no more of any thing, but how to refuse Don Carlos with a good grace; and so, that he might not take his refusal for an affront.

He made him be told, That he [Page 95] granted his Request; and, that he was ravisht that they had both hapned upon the same intention, but that he was resolved to go himself, & establish him in Flanders, and that they would shortly go away together for that de­sign: that it would not be handsome for him to live securely in Spain and in the mean time to expose his onely Son to the accidents of so fu ious a Rebellion; and that he would share the danger with him, and afterwards let him reap all the Glory.

The noise of this Voyage was im­mediately spread abroad into all parts, by reason of the preparations the King made for it to deceive Don Car­les; yet no body could believe it.

In the mean time, how groundless soever this noise appeared, it filled the minds of the Rebels, yet waver­ing with terror; and the King, to confirm it more and more, made so considerable an Expence in Equipa­ges, [Page 96] that even Bergh and Monteigni, who had laught at it till then, cu st no longer doubt of its t uth. The Queen and Don Carlos were at first cheated by appearances, as well as the others, but they undeceived them­selves sooner then any.

When the Equipages were finisht, the King, who saw that people would soon be disabus'd, if he began not his Journey, could find no other expedi­ent to excuse his stay, but the feign­ing to be sick. This pretence wrought its effect pretty well in the Countries afar off; but, what care soever he took to make his sickness be believed in his Court, and what constraint soever this poor Prince brought himself under, to live after a manner, that might confirm the opi­nion, he had a mind to give of him­self, he could never deceive his Wife, and his Son.

In this conjuncture, one day that a great deal of company that had [Page 97] been with the Queen, and had dis­coursed a long time about the Kings Voyage into Flanders, were gone out, Don Carlos, Don John, and the Prin­cess of Eboli being left alone with her, at first they made an observati­on altogether, How Courtiers do of­ten torment themselves to divine the Causes, and effects of that which shall never be. After having some time laughed at those that had spoken of the Voyage, Don Carlos came in­sensibly to laugh at the Voyage it self, and at the violence the King did himself to counterfeit the sick Man; He said, That Charles the Fifth had made Voyages enough for himself, and his Son too, and that the King would repose both for himself, and his Father. The Queen did not hear these words, because she was obliged to talk privately with some persons that had business with her.

In the mean time, while Don John, and the Princess of Eboli [Page 98] talked softly together, Don Carlos in a pensive posture set himself to make a little Book, in which he wrote these words in Capital Letters upon the first page, Brantome in his Philip the 2d. The great and admi­rable Voyages of King Philip; and in every one of the other pages of the Book he wrote one of the following Titles, The Voyage from Madrid, to the Escurial, The Voyage from the Escurial to Toledo, from Toledo to Ma­drid, from Madrid to the Aranjuez, from the Aranjuez to the Pardo, from the Pardo to the Escurial. And after this manner, he filled the whole Book with the Kings Voyages to his Houses of Pleasure, and to some of the greatest Townes in Spain. The Queen could not keep her self from laughing at this imaginati­on of the Prince, how dangerous so­ever she thought it; but as she read this paper, one came to tell her, [Page 99] that the King was newly fallen into a swoon, and that he was very ill. At this news she had onely the lei­sure to recommend the Book to Don Carlos. The Prince, who would needs follow her, as soon as might be, con­tented himself to throw it into a lit­tle Closet, of which he shut the door after him. He knew not that the Princess of Eboli had false Keys to all the Queen's Locks. He was hardly out of the room, but she sei­zed upon his writing; and when she had seen what it was, she was ex­tremely glad to have in her hands so considerable a means of prejudicing him in the King's mind. The first thing she thought of, was, how she might do to keep this Paper without any ones knowing that she had it. She doubted not, but the Queen had seen the consequence it might be of, and that she would seek it, as soon as she should be come back. For this purpose, without losing a moment of [Page 100] time, she caused another little Book to be made, in all points like that of Don Carlos's, and which contained the same things. She made the Prince's writing to be perfectly well counterfeited, and put that false Book in the place of the true, which she gave her Husband. The Queen, at her return, having found this coun­terfeit writing in the same place, that Don Carlos had told her, was in so great haste to burn it, that she threw it into the fire, almost without read­ing any thing in it, no wise doubting this cheat.

In the mean time, the King's dis­sembling was turned into a reality. At his coming to himself out of the swoun he had been in, he was found to have a strong Fever, which soon chang'd it self into a regular Tertian Ague: but people gave less credit to his sickness when it was true, then they had done, whilest it was but feigned. The Rebels of Flandeos [Page 101] seeing that this report had lasted so long, doubted no more but that it was a trick of that Princes policy. And in that opinion they pursued their designes with more heate then before. This news redoubled both the Kings melancholy and his sick­ness. Don Carlos seeing that the in­stances he should make to be sent into Flanders would but disquiet him more and more, would not renew them; but his Father, who thought him not so discreet, and who saw him unces­santly by his bed-side, took his assi­duity for a dumb sollicitation; yet this assiduity had other reasons: The Queen never abandoning the sick man, Don Carlos could not see her any where else but living in his pre­sence with great circumspection, and not daring almost to speak to one another before him. Don Carlos suf­fered very much by this constraint, and their interests received a conside­rable prejudice by it: In so delicate a [Page 102] conjuncture, they had a great many advices to give one another, and a great many measures to take by con­sent. There was no hopes that the K ng would be cured of a long while, and the Physicians assured them, that his Ague would be of a great length. The Queen and Don Carlos judging, that there would be too much dan­ger in writing to one another, re­solved to chuse some faithful person, to whom they might safely tell what they would have one another know. The Prince, who thought that his Uncle Don John had been their very good friend, cast his eyes upon him, to honour him with this confidence: But the Queen thought, she had seen divers times in the eyes of this Uncle, something that spake to her of Love; and she had observed some kind of officiousness in the Princess of Eboli for this same Don John, that shewed there was some intelligence between them. These considerations [Page 103] obliged the Queen to make Don Car­los change his design, yet without ac­quainting him with her reasons. The Prince had not dared to propose to her the Marquise of Posa, his Fa­vourite, because she knew him not so particularly as she did Don John. This Favourite was the most accom­plish'd of all the Noblemen, who had been bred up in the quality of Children of Honour, or Compani­ons to the young Princes. Although he had a great deal of vivacity, he was one of those naturally regular Souls, equally capable of force and mode­ration. Don Carlos, who had an ex­cellent faculty of discerning, had at first remarked a character of mind, so rare amongst young people. The Marquis was no less charmed with the ardour that Don Carlos testifi'd for all great and noble things; and they had formed for one another an affection, hardly enough to be found between a Prince and a Courtier, [Page 104] because it was founded upon nothing, but the mutual admiration of each others vertue. And as there is no Personage at Court more hard ot dangerous to act, then that of Fa­vourite to the Heir of the Crown, the Marquis had entreated Don Car­los to make the least noise he could of the privacy, wherewith he was pleased to honour him. So that though they lived in a perfect union, there appeared almost nothing of it in publick, onely that the Prince found his conversation much more agreeable then that of other people, and all the world did the like. The mystery they made of their friend­ship, rendred this Favourite more fit to serve the Queen and Don Carlos upon this occasion. And not being known to be so much devoted to the Prince, as indeed he was, the dis­courses he should have with the Queen would be much the less sus­pected. But she, knowing that Don [Page 105] Carlos was easily to be deceived, would het self examine the Marquis of Posa, before she would open self to him. The first time she met him, at the King's Apartment, under pre­tence of some command she had to lay upon him, she found the means of engaging him in a particular con­versation. His prudence appeared to her so great, that she was even charmed therewith. He was not less taken with the Queen's wit; and his natural moderation was never of so great use to him, as upon this occa­sion. Considering the manner in which this Princess made her self known to him in this discourse, which was heightned by the lustre of her beauty, and her charming sweetness, any other man, that had not been so absolutely Master of him­self as he was, would doubtless have fallen in love with her. But though he did not do so, they could not hin­der one another in the rest of the [Page 106] commerce they had together, from conceiving for each other all the esteem and friendship they both me­rited.

We are always apt enough to believe, that people divine those se­cret sentiments, that are truly ours; but we fear not being suspected of those we have not. The Queen, who troubled her head about nothing, but hiding those that Don Carlos had for her, and who had none for the Marquis of Posa, but what were ve­ry consonant to reason, took not so much care as she ought to have done to conceal them. She feared not being suspected of having any cri­minal ones for that Favourite. The Marquis, that he might answer her goodness as he ought, was often engaged to shew more eagerness for her service, then the exact rules of Prudence would have permitted to be seen. And as they we e neither of them without enemies, this car­riage [Page 107] quickly made a noise in the world. But they not imagining it would so do, because they were con­scious of their own innocency, hardly took any notice thereof.

In the mean time the King was cured, and the Queen proved with child. At first he was extremely glad of it, whether it were out of the hopes of having another Son besides Don Carlos, or that as yet doubting of the perfect establishment of his health, this greatness appeared to him to be an assured mark of it; but his joy was not of long continuance.

The Ministers, who were afraid of the secret favonr of the Marquis of Posa, ordered the matter so, that the Queen's commerce with this Marquis came quick­ly to the knowledge of the King. This suspicious Prince, at the very first notice thereof, had his mind troubled with jealousie; and not finding his reckoning in some ac­count [Page 108] of time, he was pleased to make upon the state of his Wife's greatness, Mayerne Tur­quett, in his Histo­ry of Spain.did not stick to think the Marquis guilty of a crime, that would have drawn upon him more envy then all his vertues. This thought made a strange disorder in his heart. All the graces both of body and mind, that nature had so liberally be­stowed on this unfortunate Favou­rite, and that were capable of touch­ing the most barbarous Soul, rendred him by so much the more odious to the King, as that Prince considered no more all those precious Talents, but as so many criminal charms, that had seduced his Wife's heart. Never­theless, how dangerous soever this disposition of the King's mind were, perhaps his reason would have re­turned to him, had it not been for a thing that hapned at that very time, and which made him fully be­lieve, [Page 109] what he did but suspect be­fore.

Mr. Mezeray, in his Great Hi­story. Among other publick testimonies of joy, that were made for his recove­ry, there was a magnificent Tourna­ment, in which every Cavalier was obliged to declare himself for some Lady of the Court, and to wear her colours. The evening before this great day, the Marquis of Posa hap­ning to be in the Queen's chamber, which was full of company, she made him name to her all the Ladies, that had Knights to defend their beau­ties. The Prince and Don John were the onely men that could declare themselves to be hers; and they not having done it, perhaps through fear of discovering something of what they had in their Soul, it so fell out, when they had done speaking, that the Queen was the onely person that had no body to run for her. She [Page 110] observed it her self, and complaining of it in a Jesting way, the Marquess, who knew he might use any sort of pleasantry with her, told her with a wonderful serious look, That she must blame Nature for it; and, that if she had been Beautiful like the others, she would doubtless have found some Knight▪ as they had done.

All the Company applauded this Raillery, and the Queen answered him as seriously, as he had spoken, That, to punish him for his insolency, she commanded him to be her Knight, that so he might have the shame of serv­ing the least beautiful of all the La­dies.

This Gallantry was publick, and all the People of the first quality at Court were witnesses of it.

Yet the King could not keep him­self from thinking, that there was some Mystery in it, and that this conversation was an Artifice of the Queen, to give her Lover an assured [Page 111] meanes of declaring himself for her with impunity: Yet, he was not at first fully confirmed in this opinion; but on the morrow morning, when he saw the Marquess enter into the Lists, carrying for his Device upon his Shield a Sun in its highest elevation, with these words, Nothing can see me without being burnt.

This Prince was fully perswaded of the sad thought that stuck in his mind: The unfortunate Knight won the Prize of the first Courses, and though that were ordinary enough with him, the King at this time took his address for an effect of his Love; and, this imagination toucht him so to the quick, that he could not en­dure to let the Justing be finished: And he fe [...]gned that he found himself ill, to have a pretence of breaking them off, and to hinder People from perceiving the fury into which this in­nocent Spectacle had put him.

[Page 112] At first he resolved to give the Marquess of Posa his death in such a manner, that neither he nor the Queen could be ignorant of its cause; but Rui Gomez, whom he consulted about it, made him see the conse­quences of a business of that nature, and that was like to make so much noise. He let him know the strait Friendship that was between Don Carlos and this Marquess, and made him comprehend that there was no­thing that was not to be feared from the resentment of the Prince, for the loss of a Person so dear to him, if once he came to know the Authors of it.

He contented him­self * Mayern Tur­quet.to have the Mar­quess Stab'd some time afterwards, one night in the Streets, as he was reti­ring himself from Court; the better to keep the truth of the busi­ness from being inspected, when the [Page 113] Assassines saw him dead, they feigned in the presence of his Attendants, that they had taken him for another Man. The Queen resented, as she ought, the loss of so perfect a friend, and she saw, at the very first, all she was consequently to suffer by it. As for Don Carlos, he could not at first discover the true cause of it, but af­terwards he considered the little ap­pearance there was, that a Man so well known, as the dead Man was, should be taken for another: On the other side, he saw, that there was no body but his Father that durst undertake such an attempt, so that he did not hesitate no more then the Queen, to divine, who was the Au­thor of it. In the mean time they neither of them mistrusted, that it was of the Marquess that the King had been Jealous, and imagining ra­ther that which was like to have been, then that which really was; they thought that this Favourite had been [Page 114] killed as a Confident, and not as a Lover, and that they were discovered. In this opinion, considering the Kings unmeasurable passion for his Wife, his aversion for the Prince, and his natural inclination to shed blood, they judged themselves lost.

And they thought, that the King being well assured that they could not escape his vengeance, had begun by this Assassinate, that so he might make them feel it the longer.

There is nothing so secret in Prin­ces Courts that is not discovered by some people, which one doth not di­strust. Don Carlos much about this time, sitting down one day at the Ta­ble, found under his Plate a Paper, which contain'd these words.

There are some very just Counsels which yet are not given, but one comes not out of desperate affaires, without ex­traordinary resolutions. Those, in whom Heaven hath put such qualities, [Page 115] as are to render a great many others happy, besides those that possess them, are obliged to accomplish their destiny, which prevailes over all other Obliga­tions. Generous Soules perish not but for want of having an opinion bad enough of the wicked. That Patience, which abandoneth the dayes of a Gal­lant Man to the violence of his Ene­mies, is weakness, baseness of heart, crime, and not virtue. Humanity for those that have none, is the most dan­gerous sort of folly.

In the mean time the Prince resol­ved to try one innocent way, before he would have recourse to the ut­most extremity. This way was, to renew with great earnestness the re­quest he had made to be sent into Flanders, where the state of Affairs demanded a more present, and speedy remedy then ever; He did it in termes, that made the King com­prehend, that he would have what [Page 116] he desired, and that there was no safe­ty to refuse him; He judged it his best way to express his mind in this absolute manner, for he thought, that if he were discovered, he had no­thing more to Husband, and if he were not, it might happen that the King, sollicited by his jealousie, and affrighted by this imperious way of proceeding, wou'd grant him any thing in the World to be rid of him.

This unfortunate Father, whose mind was more free to see the con­sequences of his Cruelty, after he had satisfied it, was again fallen into his natural timidity: He saw plain­ly that he must necessarily send an Army into Flanders, and he was afraid of irritating Don Carlos his resentment, yet fresh for the death of his Friend, if he refused him the Command of this Army, which he demanded in such high termes.

Rui Gomez, who had found the [Page 117] King so resolute in the business of the Marquess, was not a little astonished to see him so unresolved in an occa­sion of much greater importance. The Interest which this Minister had in his Masters welfare, made him look with dread upon the weakness of that Prince, who was going to put the Arms into his Sons hands, wherewith he was like to have his own Throat cut the first.

As there is no Reason so strong, as fear, to oblige the most unstable spirits to determine themselves, the King was ready to resolve himself in favour of Don Carlos.

Rui Gomez, who saw it well, knew not how to hinder it, but having a ve­ry present wit, he be thought himself all of a sudden of that Book of the Kings Voyages, which his Wife had found in the Queens Closet, written with Don Carlos his hand, and which he had lookt upon ever since as a Toy, which might yet prodnce some [Page 118] great effect, if it were employed with discretion; And, now he thought he had found the occasion of using it.

He told the King, That he thought himself obliged to let him know a little thing, that till then he had not thought worthy of acquainting him with, but which in the present conjuncture, would help him much the better▪ to guess at the Genius and Sentiments of his Son.

The King▪ to whom this affair ap­peared of greater consequence then Rui Gomez made shew of thinking it, would needs examine the Book him­self; and, knowing it to be of his Sons own Writing, he entred into a profound thoughtfulness, in which this Minister thought it best to leave him.

After that he was a little come to himself, from the first trouble of Mind, into which so bloody a Raille­ry, made by two persons so dear unto [Page 119] him, had at first cast him; his anti­ent suspicions of Don Carlos, his love for the Queen, awakened themselves in his Soul with more violence then ever. He could not comprehend that a Wife and a Son should divert them­selves in that manner, at the cost of a Father and a Husband that was their King, without living in the most Cri­minal Familiarity: But, the Mar­quess of Posa coming presently into his Mind, he could not believe that the Queen was in Love with them both, especially, Don Carlos and the Marquess being so united as they were; and, he concluded, that it must necessarily be, that one was the Lover, and the other the Confident: yet, what effort of wit soever he could make, he could never determine in himself which was the Lover. But, which soever of the two it were, he still found that the death of the Mar­quess was but too just, and that Don Carlos was equally culpable.

[Page 120] However the matter went, he would not authorize the Railleries his Son made upon his manner of life, by giving him the means of leading so different a one in Flanders.

If this Prince, who had yet done nothing, had the boldness to treate his Father with so much contempt, what would he not have dared to have done, if Fortune had been fa­vourable to his ambition?

The King made him be told, That in the fearful disorder in which Flan­ders was, he thought he could not send him thither, without exposing his life to inevitable danger; but, that the Duke d' Alva should go thither with a powerful Army within a short time, and that as soon as this Army should have rendred his side the strongest, he should be free to do whatever he would desire.

This refusal fully confirmed the Prince in the opinion he had, that his ruine was resolved upon, so that [Page 121] he rendred himself to the instances that the Rebels of Flanders had been a long time making to him by the Count of Egmont and their De­puties, to go and put himself at their head. They promised him, That if he would grant them a few things, that were very reasouable, they would obey him with more fidelity, then the Catholicks obey'd the King.

Don Carlos doubted not, but that if he were once Master of this Re­volted People, the King would a­bandon to him the rest of Flanders, though it were but to hinder him from possessing himself of it by force, as it would be easie for him to do.

The Marquess of Bergh and Mon­teigni had several Conferences with him upon this Project, and they took together so just and so solid Measures for the executing of it, that they could not fail of success, [Page 122] provided, that the Prince conserved to himself the liberty of Acting. It was that to which they exhorted him principally, and if he had taken their Counsel, he had began his journey at that very time. But, Don Car­los judged, that there would be too much rashness in declaring himself af­ter that manner, before he had esta­blished the correspondency that were necessary for him: but, he promised them, that in the mean time, he would make use of such powerful precautions for the safety of his per­son, that he should be able to give them a good account of it. Mr. de Thou.Besides, a Cof­fer filled with Fire Armes, which he made be set at his Beds-head; he caused some little Pistols to be made, of a new Invention, to carry alwayes about him, without being seen. And that he might hinder himself from being surprised in his sleep, he com­manded [Page 123] a famous French Artist, who workt at the Escurial, to make a kind of Lock for his Chamber that could not be open'd but on the inside, and he put every night under his Bolster two Swords and a Case of Pistols.

Whilst this unfortunate Prince hastened perhaps his undoing, by the sole opinion he had that he was undone; his Enemies forgot nothing to take from him all wayes of recon­ciling himself with his Father. The King had not yet seen the Queen in private, since the death of the Mar­quess of Posa, and they feared that all their labour would prove to be in vain, if he saw her again, and that she would easily take out of his heart all that which they had put into it. Although it might happen that what they feared should not come to pass, yet it was possible that it might come to pass: And considering the consequence of which the thing was [Page 124] to them, they ought not to put any thing to the hazard.

To take from this Princess the oc­casion of undoing in one night, that which had cost them so much care and time, they bethought them­selves of a meanes which would ap­pear ridiculous, if it had not suc­ceeded.

Mayerne Tur­quet, La Planches History; La Places Memoire; Mon­sieur de Mezerai; Le Laboureur; Di­ogenes, &c. At the Voyage which the Court of France made along the River of Loire in the time of Fran­cis the Second, there ran a report, That his Servants sought out little Children to bathe that young King in their blood, whom they feigned to be trou­bled with the Disease which is cured by this strange remedy: Nay, and there were some persons that went some dayes journeys before the Court, and who examined carefully the children of the places where it [Page 125] was to pass, to observe those that they found fit for the use which the Physicians were to make of them. These unknown persons spread so ge­neral a fear in all their way, that all the people thought no more of any thing, but how to hide from them that which they pretended to seek. The Queen-Mother having discover­ed the Authors of this horrible re­port, made some of them be taken; They discovered at their death by whom they had been set on; but, those which received their Confessi­on, judged it not safe for them to divulge it.

If the continual infirmities of the King made so extravagant a calumny be so easily believed among his own People, it is not hard to judge of the effect it produced in Forreign Coun­tries, where those sorts of Newes al­wayes find more credit then in the places where they are done. The King of Spain testified a great deal of [Page 126] trouble about it. He was afraid that his Wife had some secret disposition to this same illness, which is often an hereditary distemper. The Small pox which she had had since that, was ac­companyed with some equivocal ac­cidents that were common with that infirmity. They resolved to make the King believe, That she had had some others, much more dangerous then the former at this last greatness. And as he had a mind very easie to be wrought upon in that which con­cern'd his health, they thought that if they strengthned this story by the testimony of some persons not to be suspected, it would be enough to hin­der him from ever seeing his Wife a­gain in private. The Princess of E­boli was to give him the first notice of it▪ she was obliged so to do, by the fidelity she had promised him, in the employment she had about the Queen. And that same French-wo­man for whom Don John had formerly [Page 127] made appear some inclination, was to confirm that which the Princess should say. This young woman was one of those medling spirits, born for the management of an intrigue; and she was inconsolable, that all the favour she had with her Mistress, had never been able to interest her in any important confidence. The Prin­cess of Eboli commanded Don John to counterfeit the Lover a second time, by that meanes absolutely to gain to them this dangerous Person. This Prince, who found some sweet­ness in troubling the Kings happiness, obeyed with great eagerness. But the young woman, much offended by the coldness he had had for her, would not believe him except he gave her some extraordinary assurances. Don John, in haste to finish his business, did not stick to make her a promise of Marriage▪ upon condition that she should tell the King whatsoever they would have her. The thing suc­ceeded [Page 128] much more easily then they had hoped. The King▪ whose Love was already changed into in­dignation, ran blindly into the Snare they had laid for him. The Duke d' Alva who had deferred his Voyage, to attend the Success of this Artifice, went away for Flanders the day after. He took leave of Don Carlos in termes that were conformable to the answer which the King had made to that Princes last requests: And Don Carlos treated the Duke very ill for fear of having his designs suspected, if he had appeared too calme in an oc­casion, which ought to touch him so sensibly.

In the mean time this Prince re­ceived from all parts the best newes he could have wished for. The Prince of Orange and the Admiral de Chatillon, with whom he was to consult upon all he had to do, en­couraged and hastned him by their Letters, whether it were to serve [Page 129] him or to undo him, God knows. The revolted party in the Low-Countries, absolutely confiding in his generosity, demanded of him no con­ditions. But that which perfected his resolution, was, the assurance of a considerable Fleet, which the Grand Signior was to send upon the coast of Flanders, to favour all his designs. But as his principal hope was founded upon this assistance, it is necessary to consider this business in its first be­ginnings.

Mr. de Thou, Strada, &c. At the time that Queen Mary was Go­verness of the Low-Countreys for the Emperour her Brother, a certain Jew, that was a Portuguez by birth, na­med John Miquez, for whom she had a very particular esteem, ravish'd in her Court a young Lady of the first Quality, and of an extraordinary beau­ty. The King of Spain, who prote­cted the kindred of this fair person, having made the Ravisher be driven [Page 130] out of all the States of Christendom, where he sought for a Sanctuary, he retir'd himself to Constantinople, and from thence into Caramania, to the Court of Selimus, eldest Son of Soli­man the Magnificent. This young Prince, who was confin'd to that Countrey by his Father, according to the custome of their House, had no other care then how to pass the time as well as he could in the midst of pleasures and divertisements, in expectation of the Empire. Miquez, amongst other Talents, possess'd the Art of diversifying these pleasures after a hundred several manners, of which every one had a new and par­ticular charm. He knew how to give them that sweet point, which makes them be felt with so much delight, and which is so easily blunted by an unskilful hand. And having culti­vated, by a long and curious exer­cise, the Genius he had for that Sci­ence, he had carri'd it to a perfection [Page 131] infinitely beyond the imagination of Vulgar. Swell'd with pride for his skill in these rare Arts, he doubted not, but he should in a short time have the first place in the favour of a Prince like Selimus, who under­stood perfectly the worth of volu­ptuousness. This man knew, that those services which make the greatest noise, are not always those that are most sensible to the hearts of Sovereigns. It seems, that those one renders them in publick, are suffi­ciently recompenced by the glory that follows them; but they alone can recompence those which are known by no body but themselves. The success surpassed Miquez his hopes, and Solyman dying in this conjuncture, the Jew saw himself by these glorious ways the declared Fa­vourite of the greatest Prince upon earth. This high degree of power quickly gave him the occasion of satisfying the desire of revenge, which [Page 132] the persecution that he had suffered had engraven in his heart against the King of Spain. One day as he was in a debauch with the Sultan, that Prince having admir'd the excellency of the Wine of Cyprus, the Jew fell a laugh­ing at him, for the passion he shewed for a Liquor that grew out of his Em­pire; and he told him that he ought to spare it more then he did, because he bought it. Selimus a little netled with this raillery, swore that he would take Cyprus that very year; and he added, striking the Jew upon the shoulder with his hand, that because Miquez loved that marvellous Wine no less then he, he declared him, from the time they were speaking, King of that Island, which yet, he said, was but a small part of the gratitude he owed him.

At the time that all things dispo­sed themselves for this enterprise, the Moors of Granada were prepa­ring that famous rising, which brake [Page 133] forth soon afterwards. They sent their Deputies to the Ottoman Court, to beg its assistance. Miquez preferring the pleasure of revenging himself, before that of making him­self a King, undertook their business with so much heat, that he made his Master resolve to send to their suc­cour the redoubtable Navy that was then Equipping, for the conquest of the Kingdom that was destin'd to be his. He had conserved great cor­respondencies in Flanders, and he pre­sently gave advice to the Consistory of Antwerp of this important diver­sion. This Consistory, which was the principal Council of the Rebels, having received at the same time the news of Don Carlos his Engagement in their favour, sent word thereof to Miquez: and to testifie how much trust they put in the Prince, they sent him the Jews Dispatches, and his Cipher, that so he might himself negotiate with him at Constantinople, [Page 134] if he thought it useful for the com­mon interest so to do. Don Carlos de­sired, for the greater surety, that this Fleet, which was to take Land upon the Coast of Granada, might be land­ed in Flanders. He wrote of it to the Ottoman Court, and Miquez answer'd him, that the Bashaw of the Sea had a secret Order to do whatsoever the Prince should command; whether it were that the thing were true, or that they had onely a design to make it believed, thereby to engage Don Carlos, at what price soever it were.

About this time, one night, as he was at play with his Uncle, at the Queen's Lodgings, they had some difference between them, in which Don John, who was vex'd at his loss, was carried by his passion to say some things against the Prince, beyond the bounds of liberty that his Play could give him with the Son of his King. Don Carlos, who knew himself suf­ficiently, answered him in few words, [Page 135] with moderation enough; but yet in terms that seem'd to reproach him with the defect of his birth, to make him remember his duty. Don John touch'd in so sensible a part, was out­raged therewith to the point of an­swering the Prince, Brantome in his Discourse of Philip 2d.That it was true in­deed that he was a Ba­stard, but that which comforted him for it, was, that he had a better Father then he. This word drew out all Don Carlos his patience: he treated his Uncle so rudely, that on the morrow morning there ran a report, that he had given him a box on the ear. The Queen and the Prin­cess of Eboli, who were present, had much ado to hinder them from com­ing to blows. The Queen especially, who was frighted with every thing in this conjuncture, and as if she had had some secret presentiment of the con­sequences of this quarrel, employ'd all her Authority to oblige them to [Page 136] make up the difference upon the place: but it was not done with an equal sincerity on both sides.

The King, to be faithfully in­structed of whatsoever passed at the Queen's apartment, had linked him­self in a streight commerce with the Princess of Eboli: This woman had obliged Don John to observe the Prince's actions more narrowly then ordinary, ever since the death of the Marquis of Posa.

It was easie to Don John to acquit himself of this Commission. The Prince, who though him his best friend, had told him something of his design in general terms; but though Don John had forgot nothing to know the particulars of it, he had not as yet been able to learn any thing of them. Yet since their difference, the desire of revenge had made him so clear-sighted, that what care soe­ver Don Carlos took to furnish him­self with Arms in secret, Don John, [Page 137] Historia de D. Juan d' Austria. what by address, and what by money, dis­covered it at the end. The King judged well, that the Prince did not take all these precautions, to have them always about him, he comprehended pre­sently, that his Son must either have some design to steal away, or to do him some violence. He knew not which of the two to think, when Don Raimond de Taxes, Master of the Post-Office, came to advertise him, that a French-man belonging to the Queen, had demanded of him very secretly three Horses, to be ready to go away at the beginning of the night. This advice drawing the King out of the doubt in which he was, cast him into a greater, which was, whether he should content himself to make the Prince be watched, so that he could not possibly escape; or whether he should all of a sudden make him to be arrested. But Perez [Page 138] bringing to him at the same time the news of the Moores rising, which he had newly received; the King af­frighted by so many unhappy con­junctures, resolved to assure himself of his Son's person.

It was true, that the Prince's de­parture was resolv'd upon for that night: he had received a few days before some news out of Flanders, that permitted him no longer to de­lay. The Counts d' Egmont and de Horn, trusting to the innocence of their intentions in their past carriage, and to the merit of their serv ces, had delivered themselves into the hands of the Duke d' Alva, who made them be put in prison, and a little while after cut off their heads. So manifest a piece of treachery had cast the Re­bels into despair, and their Leaders, seeing there was no more safety for them but in their Arms, made Don Carlos easily see, in acquainting him with these things, that it would short­ly [Page 139] be too late to help them. He wrote forthwith to Don Garcia Alvartz O [...]o­rio, who was to be the companion of his flight, to come incontinently to him. The Prince had sent him to Sevil, there to receive a considerable sum of money; but not having time to make use of all the diligence requi­site, he brought him Cabrera's Histo­ry of Philip 2d. Historia de Dom. Juan d' Austria.but an hundred and fifty thousand Crowns. As Don Carlos retired himself from the Queens lodgings, Rui Gomez walk'd with him, to give him an ac­count on the King's part of the news they had received from Granada. This Minister entertain'd him so late, that the Prince seeing he had not night enough left to go so far as he desired, before his flight could be dis­cover'd, thought it his best way to put it off till the morrow. Rui Gomez retir'd himself, after he had seen him in bed; but being ignorant of the [Page 140] change of his Mr. de Thou, Mayerne, &c.resoluti­on, he set some of his most faithful and reso­lute men at all the avenues of the Prince's apartment. It had been to be wish'd for the King's justification, that Don Carlos had been taken in at­tempting to escape.

But when they had waited two or three hours, without seeing any ap­pearance of his coming out, the King resolved to pass on, not thinking that he ought to hazard all things for a formality. Don John had observed the manner in which his chamber door was shut, and whilst Don Carlos was yet at the Queen's chamber, the King had commanded the maker of that extraordinary Lock, to spoil the spring of it some how or other, that so it might no more shut so close, but that it might be open'd on the outside. Whatsoever this Workman could do, the spring made a great noise in opening; but the Count of [Page 141] Lerma, whom the King made enter first into the room, found the unfor­tunate Prince sleeping so soundly, that he had the leisure to take away the Swords and Pistols that were under his bolster, without waking of him. After this, the Count sate down upon a Coffer that stood by his bed­side, and in which Don John thought the Fire-arms were kept. Then the King judging by the Count of Ler­ma's silence, that he had done what he ought to do, entred himself into the Chamber, preceded by Rui Gomez, the Duke of Feria, the Great Commander, and Don Diego de Cor­duba, all armed with Swords and Pi­stols. The Prince being awakened with much ado by Rui Gomez, as soon as he had opened his eyes, cried out that he was dead. The King told him, That all they did was for his good. But Don Carlos seeing that he seized on a Box full of Papers, that was under his bed, entred into so fu­rious [Page 142] a despair, that he was going to throw himself, all naked as he was, into a great Fire▪pan full of Coals, which the extremity of the cold had obliged his servants to leave lighted in his chimney. They were fain to draw him from it by force, and he ap­peared inconsolable, that he had not had the time to smother himself in it. They presently unfurnish'd his Chamber, and in stead of so many magnificent things, which they took out of it, they put into it, for its onely furniture, a scurvy Ground­pallet. None of his Officers after that time ever appeared in his pre­sence. His Guards never let him go out of their sight▪ Matthien his Hi­story of France. Mr. de Thou, &c.They caused a mourning Suit to be made for him, and he was no more waited upon, but by men clothed in the same dress, and who were unknown to him. This un­fortunate Heir of so many Crowns [Page 143] saw no more any thing about him, which did not represent to his eyes the frightful image of death.

In the mean time the King saw the designs and intelligence of his Son by the Papers which he had seized. He was astonished at the greatness of the danger he had run; but, he was yet more touched, when amongst seve­ral Letters Mayern's Hi­story of Spain, Du­plex's History of France, &c.of the Queens Hand-wri­ting he found one, which appeared to him the most Passio­nate and most Amorous in the world. It was that which the Marquess of Po­sa had carried to Alcala, and which Don Carlos would never be perswad­ed to restore. As the Queen had writ­ten it in the first transport of her grief, for the Mortal Accident that had be­fallen that Prince, she did not think any consequence could be drawn from what she could say to a Man, whose life was despaired of; or, that it [Page 144] could produce any other consequence then to make him die more content­edly. So that she had abandon'd her self to all her tenderness in wri­ting it, and had in it expressed the dearest and most secret Sentiments of her heart, with all the violence that so lamentable an occasion could in­spire. Yet it was without any Passio­nate expressions that could interest her honour, or so much as offend her Duty.

But the King drew very different consequences from it: The fury he conceived for it was at first accompa­nyed with so lively a grief, that it would perhaps have bereaved him of his Life, if the desire of revenge (so natural in those occasions) had not preserved it.

But reflecting presently in himself, That he was Master of those that had so cruelly offended him, this a­greeable thought made a barbarous joy succeed to the rage he had in his [Page 145] Soul, which changed his tormenting despair into a tranquility full of hor­rour. The same day Monteigni was clapt in prison, to leave some time after his head upon a scaffold, and the Marquis of Bergh in favour of Rui Gomez his ancient friend had leave to poison himself. The intimacy of these Two Noble-men with Don Carlos was known to all the world. They were both, as well as he, declared enemies of the Cardinal Spinosa In­quisitor General, and this Enmity was enough in Spain to make a man suspected for his Religion. They ac­cused this Prelate to be the Authour of all those violent Counsels that the King had taken against their country, but the Cardinal accused them them­selves of having made several Packets of Calvin's Catechismes he brought out of France, by the help of a Pass­port from Don Carlos. All the passi­onate proceedings of this Prince, against the Inqu [...]sitors about the will [Page 146] of Charles the fifth were not as yet forgotten. All these things joyned together did strangely dispose the people to believe the Innocent Prince engaged in the new opinions, of which he had never so much as heard any body speak; The King saw well that there was nothing but Religion that could make so strange an action, as that he had done be endured. He doubted not but that with these favorable dispositions, and the proofs he had of his Son's intelligences, he could, if he would, Sacrifice him with impunity to his revenge. In this belief, he put into the hands of the Cardinal Spinosa all the Originals he had found in Don Carlos his Cabinet, excepting onely the Queen's Letters. He established the Inquisitors, So­vereign Judges between his Son and him; and he protested, he would wholly refer himself to their Judg­ment. He knew that the choler of that sort of people never dies, and [Page 147] that he should find their resentment against the Prince as violent, after several years of interval since their quarrel, as if it had been but a week before.

Although the King had made ri­gorous prohibitions Cabrera's History of Philp 2d. Hist. D. Juan.to write of the imprisonment of Don Carlos into Forreign Countries, the news of it was soon spread abroad. The most part of the Princes of Christendom begg'd his pardon; the Empress espe­cially wrote concerning it to the King her Brother, with all earnestness ima­ginable. Her eldest Daughter had been promised a long while before to the Prince of Spain. The King, who feared all that might give more li­berty and credit to his Son, had al­ways deferred the accomplishment of this Marriage. Amongst other pre­tences of this delay, he made a report be spread, that since Don Carlos his [Page 148] fall at Alcala, the Physicians did not think he could ever have any chil­dren. This report passed for an Arti­fice, and the Empress her self did in no wise believe it. In the mean time, it was so much the easier to the King to draw this Alliance out into length, because Don Carlos did not press it so much as he might have done. How advantagious soever it were for his designs, he made a scruple of marrying a Princess that he could not love. The Empress, who knew not the secret of his heart, could find but this one Match worthy of her eldest Daughter: and not thinking the Queen of Spain's death so near as it was, she did not foresee, that this Daughter was to take the place of that unfortunate Queen, and that the King her Brother, as it were by a kind of fatality, was to marry all the Princesses, that had been promised to Don Carlos. The King, who saw fur­ther then she, took a particular care [Page 149] to manage her upon this occasion, Crabrera's Histo­ry of Philip 2d.and to justifie him­self in her opinion. In the mean time this news cast the Rebels of Flanders and Granada into a despair, that pro­duced very bloudy effects: and they would yet have been more cruel, if the Turks had kept their word; but Miquez judged not, that without the support of the Prince of Spain, he ought to hazard the Ottoman Fleets in places so far from all possibility of help, in case of disadvantage. He yielded himself to the opposition, that other Ministers of that Court made against the continuation of his enterprise; and it was changed into that of Cyprus, where he made known, by the marvellous services he rendred, Cabrera's Histo­ry of Philip 2d. Mr. de Thou, Stra­da, &c.that all his Genius was not shut up within the Walls of the Seraglio; and that the love of [Page 150] pleasure doth not always render those that are possess'd with it, incapable of great actions.

In the mean time the Inquisitors formed the Process of the unfortu­nate Don Carlos, with an incredible affection and diligence. Their ancient animosities against him appear'd so openly, that nothing but the interest of Religion, which was mingled with them, could have made them be supported. Cabrera Hist. de D. Juan.They sent to look among the Ar­chives of Barcelona, for the criminal process that Don John the second of that name, King of Arragon▪ had caused heretofore to be made against Don Carlos Prince of Viana, his eldest Son. They made this Process be translated out of Ca­talonian into Castilian, to serve them all at once, both for a Model and a President. The business was pro­posed to the Inquisition, under the species of Lewis the Eleventh, Dau­phin [Page 151] of France, and King Charles the Seventh his Father. And all their opinions being the same, one may judge of them by that of the famous Doctor Navarra, which is inserted Cabrera in the History of Philp 2d.in the History of Philip the Second. He decides, that a King, who discovers, that the presumptive Heir of his Crown will go out of his States, ought to make him be stopped by force, if his evasion can be a subject of division in the Kingdom, and that the enemies of the State are in a capacity of drawing any consi­derable usefulness from it; but espe­cially if those enemies are Hereticks, and that there be the least reason to fear or suspect that this Prince favours them. The Sacrifice that the King made of his natural affe­ction, to the repose of the State, was preferred by the Inquisitors▪ before the obedience of Abraham, [Page 152] Mr. le Laboureur upon Castalnau, in his Ch. of Don Carlos. They compared, all with one voice, this Prince to the Eternal Father, who had not spared his own Son for the salvation of Man­kind.

His Trial could not be long before Judges that were so well disposed. The sole Letters of the Admiral de Chatil­lon, the Prince of Orange, the Count of Egmont, the Consistory of Ant­werp, and of John Miquez were suffi­cient to forme his Sentence; and Don Carlos was Condemn'd to per­petual Imprisonment. The resent­ment he testified for this made all those tremble that had given the King such Counsel, or that approv'd it. They thought that they should never escape his vengeance, if he re­covered one day his Liberty, and they had no rest till they had utterly compleated his ruine.

The Cardinal Spinosa remonstrated [Page 153] to the King, That there was Cage strong enough for this Bird, Campana and Cabrera's Hist. Phil. 2d.and that he would quick­ly be necessitated, either quite to rid himself of him, or else let him fly.

The People, in whose opinion to be justified it is enough to be unfortu­nate, testified every day more and more their Passion for the Princes being set at Liberty. The King, who was afraid of some Sedition, durst no more absent himself from Madrid; He judged, after a mature deliberation, that there could not be any safety, neither for him nor his Ministers, in setting the Prince at Li­berty; and, that he could no way avoid all that he had reason to fear from him, but by putting him to death. During some time, Mr. de Thou, le Laboureur Mayerne, Duplex, &c.they min­gled in all he took a slow Poyson, that [Page 154] was speedily to cause in him a mortal languishing; they spread some of it upon his wearing Cloathes, upon his Linnen, and generally upon all things that he could touch; but, whether it were that his youth and good con­stitution were stronger then the Poy­son▪ or that those persons that inte­rested themselves in his life, obliged him to make use of preservatives, this way did not succeed. They must then explain themselves more clearly, and the unfortunate Prince was told, Matt. Hist. of France.That he might choose what kind of death he pleased. He received this strange newes with the indifferency of a man, who loved something else more then his life, and who feared the same de­stiny for the person he loved.

Though the Spanish Historians have spoken of the weaknesses and passionate expressions of this Prince, thereby to blot his memory, and to [Page 155] justifie his Father; yet it is certain that there never came but one thing out of his Mouth that could pass for a Complaint, which was, that the Queen having by force of Money found the meanes of making him be commanded, on her behalf, to ask leave that he might see the King; as one of his Guards came to him, to tell him, That his Father was com­ing; Say my King (answered he) and not my Father. Mr. de Meze­rai in his great Hist.The submission he had for the Queens Or­ders, made him resolve to fall upon his knees before the King, and tell him, That he beseeched him to consi­der that it was his own blood he was going to shed. The King answer'd him coldly; That when he had bad blood, he gave his Arme to the Chirur­gion to draw it from him. Don Car­los even desperate to have done a base­ness without effect, rose up briskly at these words, and askt his Guards [Page 156] Whether the Bath in which he was to die were ready.

The King, whether it were the longer to feed his eyes with this bar­barous Spectacle, or that perhaps he was a little shaken, and sought how he might handsomly render himself, asked him, If he had nothing else to say to him. The Prince, who would willingly have redeemed what he had done at the price of a thousand other lives, well perceiving that it was now too late to husband any thing, either for him or the Queen, could not forbear answering once for all, with all his natural fierceness; If some persons (said he) for whom my Complaisance ought not to end but with my life, had not obliged me to see you, I should not have been guilty of the Cow­ardise of asking you pardon, and I should have dyed more gloriously then you live. The King retir'd himself after this Answer, without shewing any disturbance. Don Carlos put [Page 157] himself in the Bath, Duplex Hist. of France.and having cau­sed the Veines of his Armes and Legs to be opened, he commanded all that were present to withdraw. Afterwards taking into his hand a Picture of the Queen in Miniature, which he alwayes wore about his neck, and which had been the first occasion of his Love, he re­mained with his eyes fixed upon that fatal Image, till the cold convulsions of death surprized him in that con­templation, and his Soul being al­ready half gone out of his body, with his Blood and Spirits, he lost insensi­bly his sight, and then his life.

The time of his death is not pre­cisely known: It is only known, that it arrived a great while before it was published. There was a long Rela­tion of his Sickness printed, which they said was a Malignant Dysentery, caused by his disorders▪

The Grief of the People, and the [Page 158] despair of the Princes Domesticks brake out so loudly, that the most passionate Historians A Relation Printed at Madrid in Spanish, and since at Venis in I­talian. Campana Cabrera's Hist. of Phil. 2d, &c.have not dared to dissemble it. The Count of Lerma, whom the King had intrusted with the o­versight of Don Car­los, whilst he was in prison, had con­ceived so extraordinary a Friendship for him, that he appeared inconsola­ble to the eyes of all the Court. The King, to whom these regrets were but so many reproaches▪ took that way he thought most certain to make them cease; He recompenced mag­nificently all Don Carlos his Ser­vants: He gave the Government of Calatrava to the Count of Lerma, and made him Gentleman of his Bed­chamber. It was well seen that these Liberalities were not grounded upon any gratitude for the affection they testified for Don Carlos; neverthe­less [Page 159] the People diminished nothing of their eagerness to honour this Prin­ces Memory. And it being known that the King designed to make his Obsequies with an extraordinary Magnificence, the Town of Madrid demanded, that they might be per­mitted to be at the Expence of them, and that all the care of performing them might be left to them. Though the King foresaw that this Funeral would be accompanyed with Elegies, which would not be very honourable for the Enemies of the dead Man, he durst not refuse their Petition. Cabrera's Histo­ry of Philip the 2d.The Hi­storians of his time do particularly extol the tranquility of mind, that he made appear upon the day of that Pompe, when look­ing from a Window of his Pallace upon the disposition, and march of the Ceremony, he decided, upon the place a difficulty, that was raised concerning the Precedency of the [Page 160] different Councils of State that were there present. The two Sons of the Emperor that were then at the Court of Spain were the close Mourn­ers. When they were come near the Church, Cabrera's Hist. of Don John.the Car­dinal Spinosa who went before them, immediately after the Body, took leave of them, and retired himself, under pretence of a pain that took him in his head. But as he was known for the most dangerous, and most irreconcileable Enemy Don Car­los had ever had, there were several Voices heard crying round about him, Cabrera's Hist. of Don JohnThat he could not suffer the presence of the Prince, neither dead nor living. The first thing exposed to sight, was that famous Encomium of the Scripture for a dead Man, Wisdome.which was writ­ten in great Let­ters [Page 161] of Gold over the Church-porch. He hath been ravisht from us, for fear least the Malice of the Age should have chang'd his heart, and least his mind should have been seduced by flattery. All that an ingenious grief can invent to ease it self, was employed in the proud Mausoleum where this Prince was Interred. But, as all those Orna­ments had a reference to the Latin Inscription that served him for an E­pitaph, it sufficeth to give the sence of that Inscription, to make the In­vention and design of the whole Pomp be compre­hended: Relazion de la Muerte y essequias del prencipe Dom Carlos. To the eternal Memory of Charles Prince of the Spaines, of both the Sicilies, of the Gaules, Belgick and Cisalpine, heir of the New World, in­comparable in greatness of Soul, in Li­berality, and in love for the Truth. Thus it was that the elevated Genius, and heroical inclinations of the unfor­tunate [Page 162] Don Carlos, were at last repre­sented under their proper names of Virtues, after having been so long disguised by his enemies, under those of Vices.

During the time that the King kept Don Carlos his death secret, he resolved to make the news of it be told to the Queen at the time she should be in Travel: He hoped, that so sensible a trouble of mind, joyned to that of her body, in the condition she was in, would finish his revenge; but he quickly knew, that she was better informed then he desired. And as she could not be ignorant that Don Carlos had been sacrificed to his Father's jealou­sie, Mr. le Labou­reur, upon Castel­nau, in his Ch. of Don Carlos. Mayerne, &c.she did not at all constrain her self to hide the resent­ment she had of it. Her just anger cast her Husband into new inquietudes. He thought, he had much to fear from her wit and cou­rage, [Page 163] but yet more from the extraor­dinary consideration the Court of France had for her, and the streight correspondence she held with the Queen her Mother.

A few months after the Prince's death, the Dutchess d' Alva, who had one of the chiefest Offices in the Queen's House, came one morning into her chamber with a Potion in her hand. Mr. le Labou­reur. Mayerne▪ MS. of Mr. Peirese, &c.The Queen told her, That she was well, and would not take it. But the Dutchess going about to force her to it, the King, who was not far off, came in at the noise of their contest: At first he blamed the Dutchess for her peremptoriness; but this woman having represented so him, that the Physicians judged this remedy necessary for the Queen's happy lying in, he rendred himself to their authority. He told the Queen with great sweetness, that because [Page 164] this Medicine was of so great impor­tance, she must needs take it. Because you will have it so (answered she to him) Mr. de Meze­rai, in his gr. Hist. I am contented. He went immediately out of the Chamber, and some time after came back, Mayerne Fur­queit's History of Spain. M. S. of Mr. Pei­rese, &c. clothed in deep Mourning, to know how she did. But whether it were, that there was some mistake in the Composition of the Drink, or that the extraordinary disturbance the Queen was in, and the violence she did her self to take it, gave it a ma­lignity which it had not in its self; she expired the same day in the midst of violent pains, and after several great fits of vomiting. Her Child was found dead, Mr. le Laboreur.with its skul almost quite burned away. She was then at the beginning of the four and twentieth year of her age, as well as [Page 165] Don Carlos, and in the greatest per­fection of her beauty.

Fortune did so exemplarily revenge the death of these two persons, that it would be unjust to keep the know­ledge of it from posterity. The beau­ty of the Princess of Eboli soon changed the confidence the King had in her, into a violent love. Rui Go­mez her Husband, as jealous of the confidences the King made to his Wife, as of the favours she did the King, resolved to rid himself of her; but the Princess having discovered his design▪ prevented it, by ridding her self of him. S nce that▪ she kept Don John at a distance from the Court, under pretence of divers em­ployments, but in effect, because he would have treated her with that au­thority, that their long and familiar commerce had given him over her; She made the Government of Flan­ders be given him, in hopes that he would perish there; as he had done, if the courage and conduct of the [Page 166] Prince of Parma had not saved him▪ In this conjuncture she was told, that he had discovered the ill offices she had done him. The fear she had that he would ruine her▪ in letting the King know all that▪ had passed between them, made her resolve to shew him some Letters of the Prince of Orange, that were of an extraordinary conse­quence. They imported, That the marriage of Don John with the Queen of England was concluded▪ and that the Rebels of Flanders had engaged their word to acknowledge him for their Sovereign, as soon as this marriage should be consummated, and that without any other condition, then Liberty of Conscience. These Letters were given by Perez to the King, who presently knew the Prince of Orange his writing; and as he aban­don'd himself to his fear in the Prin­cess of Eboli's presence, she took that time to tell him the answer that Don John had heretofore made to Don Carlos, when he call'd him Bastard: [Page 167] She also put the King in mind of the Pride▪ with which this same Don John had received the acclamations of the Army of Granada, where the Souldiers, charmed with some great action that he had done, cried out in his presence, This is the true Son of the Emperour, She added his obstinacy to make himself King of Tunis, and the loss of the Goulette, which he had suf­fer'd to be taken, to revenge himself upon the King, for not favouring his designs. These divers reflections, joyned to the pressing danger of the pretended Match with England, did penetrate so far into the King's mind, that thinking he had not the least time to lose, he found a way of making a pair of perfum'd walking Boots be sent to Don John, which cost him his life. Some time after it was discovered, that the Princess of Eboli had on purpose made the Prince of Orange write those Letters, which she said were intercepted, and which had been so fatal to Don John. The [Page 168] King conceived so great a horrour for this wickedness, that it extinguish'd his Love. The Princess and Perez were confin'd to a Prison, there to end their days. Perez afterwards ma­king his escape, spent the rest of his life very miserably, in wandring through all the Princes Courts in Europe. And last of all, Philip the Se­cond himself, after he was grown old, among the griefs caused him by so many disasters, was stricken with an Ulcer, which bred an incredible quan­tity of Lice, by which he was even eaten up alive, and stifled, when they found no more wherewithall to nou­rish themselves upon his body. After this manner were expiated the ever to be deplored deaths of a magnani­mous Prince, and of the most beauti­ful and most vertuous Princess that ever was. And thus it was, that their unfortunate Ghosts were at last fully appeased by the Tragical Destinies of all the Complices of their Death.