Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/400

376 376 RISE OF XIMENES. PART II. Established at Siguenza. 14 8 0. Kilters the Franciscan oriler. Ximenes, thus restored to freedom, and placed in undisturbed possession of his benefice, was desirous of withdrawing from the jurisdiction of his vindic- tive superior ; and not long after effected an ex- change for the chaplainship of Siguenza. In this new situation he devoted himself with renewed ardor to his theological studies, occupying himself diligently, moreover, with Hebrew and Chaldee, his knowledge of which proved of no little use in the concoction of his famous Polyglot. Mendoza was at that time bishop of Siguenza. It was impossible that a man of his penetration should come in contact with a character like that of Ximenes, without discerning its extraordinary qualities. It was not long before he appointed him his vicar, with the administration of his diocese ; in which situation he displayed such capacity for busi- ness, that the count of Cifuentes, on falling into the hands of the Moors, after the unfortunate affair of the Axarquia, confided to him the sole manage- ment of his vast estates during his captivity. ^^ But these secular concerns grew more and more distasteful to Ximenes, whose naturally austere and contemplative disposition had been deepened, prob- ably, by the melancholy incidents of his life, into stern religious enthusiasm. He determined, there- nes, pp. 8 - 10. — Suma de la Vida del R. S. Cardenal Don Fr. Fran- cisco Ximenez de Cisneros, sacada de los Memoriales de Juan de Va- Uejo, Paje de Camara, e de algunas Personas que en su Tiempo lo vi- eron : para ia Ilustrisima Senora Dona Catalina de la Zerda, Con- desa de Coruila, a quien Dios guarde, y de su Gracia, por un Criado de su Casa, MS. 1^ Suma de la Vida de Cisneros, MS. — Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. 3. — Robles, Vida de Ximenez, cap. 11. — Oviedo, Quincuagenas, MS., dial, de Ximeni.