Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/413

389 MONASTIC REFORMS. 389 to the queen, complaining in the bitterest terms of chapter the arrogance and ingratitude of the new primate. '. — Isabella, however, evinced no symptoms of dis- approbation, not altogether displeased, perhaps, with the honest independence of her minister ; at any rate she took no further notice of the affair. 2s Some time after, the archbishop encountered Mendoza in one of the avenues of the palace, and, as the latter was turning off to avoid the meeting, he saluted him with the title of adelantado of Cazorla. Mendoza stared with astonishment at the prelate, who repeated the salutation, assuring him, " that, now he was at full liberty to consult his own judgment, without the suspicion of any sinister influence, he was happy to restore him to a station, for which he had shown himself well qualified." It is scarcely necessary to say, that Ximenes was not importuned after this with solici- tations for office. Indeed, all personal application he affected to regard as of itself sufficient ground for a denial, since it indicated " the want either of merit or of humility in the applicant." ^^ After his elevation to the primacy, he retained ins austere the same simple and austere manners as before, dispensing his large revenues in public and private charities, but regulating his domestic expenditure with the severest economy,^" until he was admon- 28 Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, do, " in his palace with him, and fol. 11. as many asses in his stables; but 29 Ibid., ubi supra, — Robles, the latier all j^rew sleek and fat, Vida de Ximenez, cap. 13, 14. for the archbishop would not ride 30 " He kept five or six friars of himself, nor allow his brethren to his order," says Gonzalo de Ovie- ride either." Quincuagenas, MS.