Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/518

 482 Readings in European History rose very early in the morning, rode sometimes a great dis- tance, and would not leave his sport, let the weather be never so bad. And when he came home at night he was often very weary and generally in a violent passion with some of his courtiers or huntsmen ; for hunting is a sport not always to be managed according to the master's direc- tion ; yet, in the opinion of most people, he understood it as well as any prince of his time. He was continually at these sports, lodging in the country villages to which his recreations led him, till he was interrupted by business ; for during the most part of the summer there was constantly war between him and Charles, duke of Burgundy, while in the winter they made truces. Trouble over He was also involved in some trouble about the county of Roussillon. Roussillon, with John, king of Arragon, father of Peter of Castile, who at present is king of Spain. For though both of them were poor, and already at variance with their sub- jects in Barcelona and elsewhere, and though the son hid nothing but the expectation of succeeding to the throne of Don Henry of Castile, his wife's brother (which fell to him afterwards), yet they made considerable resistance ; for that province being entirely devoted to their interest, and they being universally beloved by the people, they gave our king abundance of trouble, and the war lasted till his death, and many brave men lost their lives in it, and his treasury was exhausted by it. So that he had but a little time during the whole year to spend in pleasure, and even then the fatigues he underwent were excessive. When his body was at rest his mind was at work, for he had affairs in several places at once, and would concern himself as much in those of his neighbors as in his own, putting officers of his own over all the great families, and endeavoring to divide their authority as much as possible. When he was at war he labored for a peace or a truce, and when he had obtained it he was impatient for war again. He troubled himself with many trifles in his government which he had better have let alone ; but it was his temper, and he could not help it. Besides, he had a prodigious