Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/204

178 178 iLLNESS AND DEATH OF ISABELLA. lART that, seeing them, he maj be reminded of the sin- '- — gular love I always bore him while living, and that I am now waiting for him in a better world ; by which remembrance he may be encouraged to live the more justly and holily in this." Six executors were named to the will. The two principal were the king and the primate Ximenes, who had full powers to act in conjunction with any one of the others. ^° I have dwelt the more minutely on the details of Isabella's testament, from the evidence it affords of her constancy in her dying hour to the principles which had governed her through life ; of her expan- sive and sagacious policy ; her prophetic insight into the evils to result from her death, — evils, alas I which no forecast could avert ; her scrupulous at- tention to all her personal obligations ; and that warm attachment to her friends, which could never falter while a pulse beat in her bosom. iier codicil. After performing this duty, she daily grew weak- er, the powers of her mind seeming to brighten, as those of her body declined. The concerns of her government still occupied her thoughts ; and several public measures, which she had postponed through urgency of other business, or growing infirmities, pressed so heavily on her heart, that she made them the subject of a codicil to her former will. 10 I have before me three copies apend. no. 1 ; and a third published of Isabella's testament ; one in MS. in Dormer's Discursos Varios de apudCarbajal, Analcs, ano 1504 ; a Ilistoria, pp. 314-388. lam not second printed in the beautiful Va- aware that it has been printed else- lencia edition of Mariana, tom. ix. where.