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their deadliest foemen, the Saracens, held

course of his hite, with now many kingdoms and peoples was he brought in contactEngland, with the strife of her Reforma

* History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King tion and the rise of her proud nationality; of Spain. By WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT. 2 vols.

Bentley.

VOL. XXXVII.—NO. III.

Flanders, with its deadlier strife for religion

19

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AMONG the many important subjects of inquiry which the history of the sixteenth century suggests, few are more striking than the sudden and prominent part taken by Spain in European politics. During the long succession of the middle ages, nearly every other European state and kingdom-Italy, France, Germany, England, the free cities of Flanders, the flourishing towns on the shores of the Baltic, even remoter kingdoms, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, by turns, or together, took part in the stirring drama of those times; while Spain, separated only by the chain of the Pyrenees, appeared as utterly cut off from the great European family as the regions beyond the Caucasus. Indeed, from those half-mythic times, when the chronicler told of Charlemagne's paladins, and the fatal pass of Rouncevalles, to the day when Columbus laid a new world at her feet, Spain scarcely ever appears on the pages of European history-scarcely even in European legend and romance. Even their deadliest foemen, the Saracens, held

PHILIP II.*

a far more prominent place in the popular mind than the Spaniard.

It was not until almost the close of the fifteenth century that Spain first challenged a place in the councils of Europe. But, under Charles V., mighty was her power and influence, and as mighty during the reign of his son. Unlike his father, who, not content with the strifes of diplomacy, charged with his armies mounted on his war-steed, and even when struck down by his "old enemy," and helpless as an infant, was borne on a litter at their head-Philip withdrew from personal warfare; but then, in the privacy of his cabinet, he wove those intricate webs of state policy, and issued those sanguinary mandates, which made the influence of the Escorial to be felt beyond the uttermost bounds of Europe. The history of this great Archimago of the Romish faith is, indeed, an important one -not to be manufactured with scissors and paste; nor is it a theme for the superficial historical student; for, along the whole course of his life, with how many kingdoms and peoples was he brought in contactEngland, with the strife of her Reforma

* History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King tion and the rise of her proud nationality; of Spain. By WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT. 2 vols.

Bentley.

VOL. XXXVII.-NO. III.

Flanders, with its deadlier strife for religion

19

and freedom; Germany, with the feuds of] its princes, and the contests of its people; and France, with her fierce conflict of rival parties, the treachery of the Guises and Catherine de Medicis, and that crowning atrocity, the massacre of Saint Batholomew. Even signal victories over the Turk -the Cross, as of yore, triumphant over the Crescent-cast a romantic splendor over that long reign. And all along there is the sullen countenance and cold, but expressive features of Philip the Second looking out upon us; and his dark sinister eye glares forth like that of some evil spirit, bent on the work of destruction, fearful indeed to contemplate, but from whence shall eventually arise abiding good. We are gratified to find that Mr. Prescott has undertaken this important history. No one can be better qualified for the task than himself, both from his previous knowledge of the history of Spain, and his command of hitherto unemployed materials, but, more than all, his skill and judgment in using them. Only the two first volumes are, as yet, before us, and to them we will now proceed to direct the attention of the reader.

Philip the Second was born at Valladolid, on the 21st of May, 1527. Ere the festivities customary on the birth of an heir to the crown could be completed, tidings of the capture of Clement the Seventh and of the atrocious sack of Rome arrived, and the emperor, who, doubtless, shared the general indignation, although he cannot be altogether acquitted of participation in the earlier steps which led to these results, immediately gave orders that all public rejoicings should cease. The disappointed Spaniards obeyed this mandate most reluctantly, and, singularly enough, prophesied that the reign of the prince, who, in after years, became so uncompromising and unscrupulous a champion of the Church, would be injurious both to her and to Spain. Well had it been for that age had the augury proved true. Charles seems to have exercised a praiseworthy care in the education of his only son. The first seven years of the boy's life were passed with his mother, Isabella of Portugal, an excellent woman, worthy of her namesake ancestress, and then he was transferred to the superintendence of Juan Martinez Seliceo, a professor in the college of Salamanca, under whose teaching he became a tolerable Latin scholar, and also made some progress in French

and Italian. Philip's proficiency in languages, however, never rivalled his father's, for, in conversation, he was rarely inclined to venture beyond his own mother tongue. He is said to have shown a more decided taste for science, especially the mathematics, while to the arts, especially architecture, he in after life paid much attention. While the learned professor of Salamanca thus superintended Philip's literary education, Don Juan de Zuñiga, commendador mayor of Castile, was charged with his instruction in all those athletic and graceful exercises which were indispensable to the accomplished cavalier of the sixteenth century. But little taste had Philip for these accomplishments, in which in youth his father had delighted, and, far worse, still less inclination had he to receive those lessons of lofty principle, of honor and truthfulness, which his noble-hearted tutor was well qualified to impart, and for which the wise father had warmly eulogized him. As Philip "grew in years, and slowly unfolded the peculiar qualities of his disposition," caution, reserve, suspicion, and an utter absence of generous feeling, became strongly marked, and, together with the acuteness beyond his years, which he is said to have displayed, and his perfect self-possession, must, even in his boyhood, have indicated "what manner of man he should be." The loss of his mother ere he was twelve years old, his appointment to the regency, his marriage with his first cousin, Mary of Portugal, at the early age of sixteen, and the birth of his son, the illfated Don Carlos, with the consequent death of his young wife, within two years after, may be noticed as we pass on to the first important event of Philip's history, his visit to his father at Brussels, in the autumn of 1548.

This visit was arranged with the greatest magnificence, for "the emperor was desirous that his son should make an appearance that would dazzle the imagination of the people among whom he passed,” and should flatter his Flemish subjects, too, by the assumption of a state to which they had been accustomed by their Burgundian princes. Sailing from Rosas with a fleet of fifty-eight vessels, commanded by the illustrious Andrew Doria, Philip arrived at Genoa, and after a few days' festivity, during which, however, we find he made his first essay in kingcraft most successfully, the narrator informs us that, while his answer to the suppliant was exceedingly com

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