Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/440

412 412 REGENCY OF XIMENES. PART disdained to trample on a fallen foe, showed his II. .... usual clemencj by soliciting their pardon from the king. ^^ romenw'" -^"^ neither the talents nor authority of Ximenes, it was evident, could much longer maintain sub- ordination among the people, exasperated by the shameless extortions of the Flemings, and the little interest shown for them by their new sovereign. The most considerable offices in church and state were put up to sale ; and the kingdom was drained of its funds by the large remittances continually made, on one pretext or another, to Flanders. All this brought odium, undeserved indeed, on the car- dinal's government ; '^ for there is abundant evi- dence, that both he and the council remonstrated in the boldest manner on these enormities ; while they endeavoured to inspire nobler sentiments in Charles's bosom, by recalling the wise and patriotic administration of his grandparents. ^^ The people. 15 Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, fol. it is evident the cardinal's govern- 198- 201. — Peter Martyr, Opus ment was not at all to honest Mar- Epist., epist. 567, 584, 590. — Car- tyr'staste. Gomez suggests, as the bajal, Anales, MS., afio 1517, cap. reason, that his salary was clipped 3,6. — Oviedo,Quincuagenas, MS. oif in the general retrenchment, — Sandoval, Hist, del Emp. Carlos which he admits was a very hard v., torn. i. p. 73. case. (De Rebus Gestis, fol. 177.) 16 In a letter to Marliano, Mar- Martyr, however, was never an ex- tyr speaks of the large sums, " ab travagantencomiast of the cardinal, hoc gubernatore ad vos missaj, sub and one may imagine much more parandae classis praetextu." (Opus creditable reasons, than that assign- Epist., epist. 576.) In a subse- ed, for his disgust with him now. quent epistle to his Castilian cor- ^^ See a letter in Carbajal, con- respondents, he speaks in a more taining this honest tribute to the sarcastic tone. '■^ Bonus illc fra- illustrious dead. (Anales, MS., ^er Ximenez Cardinalis gubernator afio 1517, cap. 4.) Charles might thesauros ad Belgas transmitten- have found an antidote to the poison dos coacervavit. ***** Glaci- of his Flemish sycophants in the alls Oceani accolaj ditabuntur, ves- faithful counsels of his Castilian tra expilabitur Castilla." (Epist. ministers. 606.) From some cause or other,