Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/208

64 b4 CASTILE UNDER HENRY IV. PART decessor. Some few, indeed, who looked back to I-. the time when he was arrayed in arms against his father, distrusted the soundness either of his princi- ples or of his judgment. But far the larger portion of the nation was disposed to refer this to inexpe- rience, or the ebullition of youthful spirit, and in- dulged the cheering anticipations which are usually entertained of a new reign and a young monarch. ^ Henry was distinguished by a benign temper, and by a condescension, which might be called familiar- ity, in his intercourse with his inferiors, virtues pe- culiarly engaging in persons of his elevated station ; and as vices, which wear the gloss of youth, are not only pardoned, but are oftentimes popular with the vulgar, the reckless extravagance in which he indulged himself was favorably contrasted with the severe parsimony of his father in his latter years, and gained him the surname of" the Liberal." His treasurer having remonstrated with him on the prodigality of his expenditure, he replied ; " Kings, instead of hoarding treasure like private persons, are bound to dispense it for the happiness of their subjects. We must give to our enemies to make them friends, and to our friends to keep them so." He suited the action so well to the word, that, in a few years, there was scarcely a maravedi remaining in the royal coffers. ^ 1 " Nil piulct nssuctos sceptris : mitis- 38,39. — Pulijar, Claros Yarones, nSuor.nrs.rbW novo." tit. I. - Castillo, Cronica, i. 20.- LiicBTi. Pharaniia, lib. 8. Uuzman, ueiieraciones, cap. 33. — 2 0vicdo, Quincuagcnas, MS., bat. Although Henry's lavish expendi- 1, qiiinc. 1, dial. 8. — Rodericvis ture, particularly on works of archi- Sanctius, Historia Hispanica, cap. lecture, gained him in early life the