Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/444

416 416 REGENCY OF XIMENES. PART II. whom he had served so faithfully, and the excite- ment which it occasioned brought on a return of his fever, according to Carbajal, in full force. But anxiety and disease had already done its work upon his once hardy constitution ; and this ungrateful act could only serve to wean him more effectually from a world that he was soon to part with.^^ In order to be near the king, he had previously transferred his residence to Roa. He now turned his thoughts to his approaching end. Death may be supposed to have but little terrors for the states- man, who in his last moments could aver, " that he had never intentionally wronged any man ; but had rendered to every one his due, without being swayed, as far as he was conscious, by fear or affec- tion. " Yet Cardinal Richelieu on his deathbed declared the same ! ^* As a last attempt, he began a letter to the king. His fingers refused, however, to perform their of- 23 " Con aquel despedimiento," says Galindez de Carbajal, " con esto acabo de tantos servicios luego que llego esta carta el Cardenal rescibio alteracion y tomole recia calentura que en pocos dias le des- pacho." (Anales, MS., auo 1517, cap. 9.) Gomez tells a long story of poison administered to the car- dinal in a trout, (De Rebus Gestis, fol. 206.) Others say, in a letter from Flanders, (see Moreri, Dic- tionnaire Historique, voce Xime- nes.) Oviedo notices a rumor of his having been poisoned by one of his secretaries ; but vouches for the innocence of the individual accused, whom he personally know. (Quin- cuagenas, MS., dial. {]e Xiin.) Re- ports of this kind were too rife in these days, to deserve credit, un- less supported by very clear evi- dence. Martyr and Carbajal, both with the court at the time, inti- mate no suspicion of foul play. 24 Carbajal, Anales, MS., ano 1517, cap. 9. — Gomez, de Rebus Gestis, fol. 213, 214. — Quinta- nilla. Archetype, lib. 4, cap. 8. — Oviedo, Quincuagenas, MS. " ' Voila mon juge, qui pronon- cera bientot ma sentence. Je le prie de tout mon cosur de me con- damner, si, dans mon ministcre, je me suis propose autre chose que le bien de la religion et celui de r^tat.' Le lendemain, au point du jour, il voulut recevoir re.xtrdme onction." Jay, Histoire duMinis- tere du Cardinal Richelieu, (Paris, 1816,) torn. ii. p. 217.