Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/214

188 188 ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ISABELLA. PART passed in the rugged school of adversity, under the — eye of a mother, who implanted in her serious mind such strong principles of religion as nothing in after life had power to shake. At an early age, in the flower of youth and beauty, she was introduced to her brother's court; but its blandishments, so daz- zling to a young imagination, had no power over hers ; for she was surrounded by a moral atmo- sphere of purity, " Driving far off each thing of sin and guilt." 35 Such was the decorum of her manners, that, though encompassed by false friends and open enemies, not the slightest reproach was breathed on her fair name in this corrupt and calumnious court. Her bigotry. Sho gavc a liberal portion of her time to private devotions, as well as to the public exercises of re- jigion.^^ She expended large sums in useful chari- ties, especially in the erection of hospitals, and churches, and the more doubtful endowments of monasteries.^^ Her piety was strikingly exhibited 35 Isabella at her brother's court negocios de la governacion de mu- might well have sat for the whole chos reynos y sefiorios, parescia of Milton's beautiful portraiture. que su vida era mas contcmplativa " So dear to heaven is saintly chastity, <]ue activa. Porque siempre se ha- That, when a soul is found sincerely so, llava presente a los dlvinos oficios y A thousand liveried angels lackey her, i mlThn Hp Din<s Fri tTntn Driving far offeach thing of sin and guilt, ^ '^ paiaora de uios. lL,ra tanta And, in clear dream and solemn vision, SU atsncion que SI alguno de lOS Tell her of things that no gross ear can que celebravan o cantavan los psal- Tilloft^converse with heavenly habitants m"S, O Otras COSas de la yglesia Begin to cast a beam on the outward errava alguna dicion syllaba, lo shape, sintia y lo notava, y despues como The iinpolluied temple of the mind, nnp<?tro i Hispinnln so In pmptiHi And turns it by degrees to the soul's es- ™aesiro a oiscipuio se 10 emenoa- sence, va y corrcgia. Acostumbrava ca- Till all be made immortal." cla dia dezir todas las horas can6ni- 36 " Era tanto," says L. Mari- cas dcmas de otras muchas voti- neo, " el ardor y diligencia que vas y extraordinarias devociones tenia cerca el culto divino, que que tenia." Cosas Memorables, fol. aunquc de dia y de nochc cstava 183. muy ocupada en grandes y arduos 37 Pulgar, Reyes Cat61icos, part.