Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/460

432 432 FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. PART 11. reigns, was to raise men of humble station to offices of the highest trust ; not, however, like their con- temporary, Louis the Eleventh, because their station was humble, in order to mortify the higher orders, but because they courted merit, wherever it was to be found ; ^ — a policy much and deservedly com- mended by the sagacious observers of the time/ The history of Spain does not probably afford an- other example of a person of the lowly condition of Ximenes, attaining, not merely the highest offices in the kingdom, but eventually its uncontrolled supremacy."^ The multiplication of legal tribunals, and other civil offices, afforded the sovereigns ample scope for pursuing this policy, in the demand cre- ated for professional science. The nobles, intrusted hitherto with the chief direction of affairs, now saw it pass into the hands of persons, who had other qualifications than martial prowess or hereditary rank. Such as courted distinction, were compelled to seek it by the regular avenues of academic disci- pline. How extensively the spirit operated, and with what brilliant success, we have already seen.® 5 The same principle made them motion are not wanting in Spanish equally vifrjlant in maintaining the history ; witness the adventurer purity of those in office. Oviedo Ripperda, in Piii-Iip V.'s time, and mentions, that in 1497 they removed the Prince of the Peace, in our a number of jurists, on the charge own; men, who, owing their suc- of bribery and other malversation, cess less to their own powers, than from their seats in the royal coun- the imbecility of others, could lay cil. Quincuagenas, MS., dial, de no claim to the bold and indepen- Grizio. dent sway exercised by Ximenes. 6 See a letter of the council to 8 Anle,Part I.,Chapter 19. — " No CharlesV., commending the course os parece a vos," says Oviedo, in adopted by his grandparents in their one of his Dialogues, "que esmejor promotions to office, apud Carbajal, ganado eso, que les da su principe Anales, MS., ailo 1517, cap. 4. por sus servicios, e lo que llcvan 7 Yet strange instances of pro- justamente de sus oficios, que lo