Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/431

405 VI. PERSECUTIONS IN GRANADA. 405 tary and diplomatic. Immediately after the con- chapter quest of Granada he was made alcayde and captain general of the kingdom, a post for which he was every way qualified by his prudence, firmness, en- lightened views, and long experience.^ The latter personage, of more humble extraction,^ was Fray Fernando de Talavera, a Hieronymite monk, who, having been twenty years prior of the monastery of Santa Maria del Prado, near Vallado- lid, was made confessor of Queen Isabella, and afterwards of the king. This situation necessarily gave him considerable influence in all public meas- ures. If the keeping of the royal conscience could be safely intrusted to any one, it might certainly be to this estimable prelate, equally distinguished for his learning, amiable manners, and unblemished piety ; and, if his character was somewhat tainted with bigotry, it was in so mild a form, so far tempered by the natural benevolence of his disposition, as to make a favorable contrast to the dominant spirit of the time.' 1 "Hombre," says his son, the sion de Adan." (Quincuagenas, historian, of him, " de prudencia MS., dial, de Talavera.) It is a en negocios graves, de animo very hard case, when a Castilian firme, asegurado con luenga expe- cannot make out a better genealo- riencia de rencuentros i battalias gy for his hero. ganadas." (Guerra de Granada, 3 Pedraza, Antiguedad de Gra- lib. 1, p. 9.) Oviedo dwells with nada, lib. 3, cap. 10. — Marmol, sufficient amplification on the per- Rebelion de Moriscos, lib. 1, cap. sonal history and merits of this 21. distinguished individual, in his gar- Talavera's correspondence with rulous reminiscences. Quincuage- the queen, published in various nas, MS., bat. 1, quinc. 1, dial. 28. works, but most correctly, proba- 2 Oviedo, at least, can find no bly, in the sixth volume of the Mem. better pedigree for him, than that de la Acad. deHist., (Ilust. 13.) is of Adam. " Quanto a su linage not calculated to raise his reputa- 61 fu6 del linage de todos los hu- tion. His letters are little else manos 6 de aquel barro y subce- than homilies on the love of com-