Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/381

357 ALLIANCES AND DEATHS. 357 Ferdinand, however, endeavoured to cheer his chapter IV son with hopes which he did not feel himself; but '- — the young prince told him that it was too late to be deceived ; that he was prepared to part with a world, which in its best estate was filled with vanity and vexation ; and that all he now desired was, that his parents might feel the same sincere resig- nation to the divine will, which he experienced himself. Ferdinand gathered new fortitude from the example of his heroic son, whose presages were unhappily too soon verified. He expired on the 4th nisdeam. of October, 1497, in the twentieth year of his age, in the same spirit of Christian philosophy which he had displayed during his whole illness. ^^ Ferdinand, apprehensive of the efiect which the abrupt intelligence of this calamity might have on the queen, caused letters to be sent at brief inter- vals, containing accounts of the gradual decline of the prince's health, so as to prepare her for the inevitable stroke. Isabella, however, who through all her long career of prosperous fortune may be said to have kept her heart in constant training Reginam, hortatur et Rex, ut a 24 Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., principis latere Margaritamaliquan- epist. 182. — L. Marineo, Cosas do semoveat, interpellet. Inducias Memorables, fol. 182. — Carbajal, precantur. Protestantur periculum Anales, MS., ailo 1497. — Oviedo, ex frequenli copula ephebo immi- Quiiicuagenas, MS., dial, de Deza. nere ; qualiter euin suxerit, quamve Peter Martyr, in more of a clas- subtristis incedat, consideret iie- sic than a Christian vein, refers rum atque iterum monent ; medul- Prince John's composure in his lat- las lajdi, stomachum hebetari se ter hours to his familiarity with the sentire Reginae renunciant. Inter- divine Aristotle. " ^Etatem quae cidat, dum licet, obstetque prin- ferebat snperabat ; nee mirum ta- cipiis, instant. Nil proficiunt. men. Perlegerat namque divini Respondet Regina, homines non Aristotelis pleraque volumina," oportere, quos Deus juffali vinculo &c. Ubi supra, junxerit, separare." Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 176.