Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/347

321 UNIVERSITY OF ALCALl. 321 deficiencies not to appreciate it in others. His chapter . . XXI. acute perception readily discerned the immense — benefit to his kingdom, and the glory conferred on his reign by the labors of his ancient minister, and he did ample justice to them in the unqualified terms of his commendation. It was on this occasion that the rector of San Ildefonso, the head of the university, came out to receive the king, preceded by his usual train of attendants, with their maces, or wands of office. The royal guard, at this exhibition, called out to them to lay aside these insignia, as unbecoming any subject in the presence of his sovereign. " Not so," said Ferdinand, who had the good sense to perceive that majesty could not be degraded by its homage to letters ; " not so ; this is the seat of the Muses, and those, who are initiated in their myste- ries, have the best right to reign here."^^ In the midst of his pressing: duties, Ximenes Ppiygiot r O ' edition ot found time for the execution of another work, ti'eBibie. which would alone have been sufficient to render his name immortal in the republic of letters. This was his famous Bible, or Complutensian Polyglot, as usually termed, from the place where it was printed. ^^ It was on the plan, first conceived by Origen, of exhibiting in one view the Scriptures in 33 Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, Epist., epist. 254.) These irrev- fol. 86. erent doubts were uttered before it The reader will readily call to had gained its literary celebrity, mind the familiar anecdote of King L. Marineo derives the name Com- Charles and Dr. Busby. plutum from the abundant fruitful- s-i " Alcala de Henares," says ness of the soil, — " cumplumiento Martyr in one of his early letters, que tiene de cada cosa." Cosas " quae dicitur esse Complutum. Memorables, fol. 13. Sit, vel ne, nil mihi cura." (Opus VOL. III. 41