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394 have been, was but little connected with his career. At seven years old, that is to say in the year 1554 (he having been born in 1547), the little Jerome was removed from the care of his foster-mother, the musician's widow, and placed in charge of an illustrious and gentle lady, Doña Magdalena de Ulloa, whom he called his aunt, and who was in after-years regarded by him with the respect and affection due to a parent. Doña Magdalena was the wife of the Emperor's vice-chamberlain, Colonel Luis Quixada, who was one of the very few persons intrusted with the secret of Don John's parentage, This gracious lady resided chiefly at Villagarcia, not far from Valladolid, where she was frequently left alone with her young charge, Quixada's duties requiring his presence in the Netherlands with his sovereign. She knew that the boy was the son of a person of distinction; and she had reason to suspect that his father was of very high rank indeed. For, a fire having occurred in the house at Villagarcia at a time when the vice-chamberlain was with his household, the gallant colonel rushed to save his young charge, whom he saw in safety before he rescued his wife. Doña Magdalena knew well that only a sense of duty would have induced her husband to attend to any one before her at a time of danger: duty could be owing by Quixada only to an exalted personage; Jerome, therefore, or John, as he was afterwards to be called, must be of illustrious birth.

Not only was the boy placed in new hands, but from the time when he was transferred to Villagarcia he was clothed like a youth of rank, and treated with much more respect than when he roamed the fields and attended a village school with peasant lads as the musician's son. Doña Magdalena, childless herself, found a solace and an occupation in rearing and educating her foster-son, whom she herself instructed in his religious duties, making him the channel of her large charitable bounties. She took care also that he should be taught by competent persons such branches of knowledge and such accomplishments as were thought necessary for his condition.

In 1558 Doña Magdalena and Don John accompanied Quixada to Yuste, where the worn-out Emperor had settled himself in retirement, and where he still required the services of his faithful vice-chamberlain. Here Charles saw, and expressed himself as much pleased with, his as yet unacknowledged son, and especially praised the pains which had been taken to make him religious. The family of Quixada had been but a short time settled in the neighbourhood of the convent when the duties which had brought them there were terminated by the Emperor's somewhat sudden death. Don John is supposed to have been one of the group of attendants, nobles, and ecclesiastics who stood round the bed of the dying Emperor; and he attended the monarch's real funeral, but not the rehearsal of it of which the living Charles was a spectator.

The Emperor left behind him a paper in which he distinctly acknowledges Don John (there called Jerome) as his son. In it he further states his wish that the lad should become a friar. But he does not desire that there should be any forcing of inclination; and, in case of Don John declining the cowl, he provides for him "each year, from twenty to thirty thousand ducats from the revenues of the kingdom of Naples; lands and