Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/380

356 356 THE ROYAL FAMILY. PART perstitious princess imputed the misfortunes which "' had fallen of late on the royal house of Portugal. Emanuel, whose own liberal mind revolted at this unjust and impolitic measure, was weak enough to allow his passion to get the better of his principles, and passed sentence of exile on every Israelite in his kingdom ; furnishing, perhaps, the only exam- ple, in which love has been made one of the thou- sand motives for persecuting this unhappy race. ^^ smMeni,!- Tlic marriage, ushered in under such ill-omened ness of ^ ~. r -IT Prince John, auspices, was celebrated at the frontier town of Va- lencia de Alcantara, in the presence of the Catholic sovereigns, without pomp or parade of any kind. While they were detained there, an express arrived from Salamanca, bringing tidings of the dangerous illness of their son, the prince of the Asturias. He had been seized with a fever in the midst of the pub- lic rejoicings to which his arrival with his youthful bride in that city had given rise. The symptoms speedily assumed an alarming character. The prince's constitution, naturally delicate, though strengthened by a life of habitual temperance, sunk under the violence of the attack ; and when his father, who posted with all possible expedition to Salamanca, arrived there, no hopes were entertain- ed of his recovery. ^ 22 Faria y Sousa, Europa Portu- Hist, del Rey Hemando, torn, v. guesa, torn. ii. pp. 498, 499.— fol. 127, 128. — La Clede, Hist, de La Clede, Hist, de Portugal, torn. Portugal, torn. iv. p. 101. iv. p. 95. — Zurita, torn. v. lib. 3, The physicians recommended a cap. 6. — Lanuza, Historias, ubi temporary separation of John from supra. his young bride ; a remedy, how- 23 CaTbajal, Anales, MS., ailo ever, which the queen opposed 1497. — Florez, Reynas Catiiolicas, from conscientious scruples some- torn, ii. pp. 84G. 848. — Zurita, what singular. " Hortautur medici