The Story of Don John of Austria by Luis Coloma (macos ebook reader .txt) 📕
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- Author: Luis Coloma
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The King and Quijada talked for more than an hour, walking under the shade of the guardian oak trees, and when they emerged into the light not the perspicacity of even such an accomplished courtier as the Duque de Alba could have guessed from their faces what had passed between them. On reaching Jeromín and the Duque the King said to Quijada, "It will now be necessary to take the bandage off the boy's eyes." Then, turning to Jeromín, he asked him pleasant and even joking questions, and, as if recollecting something, all at once he said very kindly, "And with all this, Sir Peasant, you have never even told me your name." "Jeromín," answered the boy. "He was a great saint, but it must be altered. And do you know who your father was?"
Jeromín blushed up to his eyes and looked at the King, half indignant and half tearful, as it seemed to him an affront which had no answer. D. Philip then was touched, and putting his hand on the boy's shoulder, said with simple majesty, "Courage, my child, as I can tell you. The Emperor, my lord and father, was also yours, and for this I recognise and love you as a brother." And he tenderly embraced him without other witnesses than Quijada and the Duque de Alba. The huntsmen saw the scene from afar off, without realising what was happening. The baying of the hounds and gay fanfare on the horns announced in the distance that the hunters were returning after a successful chase.
Stupefied by this revelation Jeromín got on his horse, Luis Quijada holding his stirrup. On the homeward journey to Villagarcia he only once opened his lips, and turning round to Quijada, who followed, asked, "And my aunt, does she know?" "Everything," answered Quijada.
Jeromín hurried his steps as if he would be late getting to the castle, and running through the courts and up the stairs, he arrived at the parlour, opening and slamming the doors. Doña Magdalena was there alone and very pale. The child went to her, and took her hand to kiss it. "Aunt! Aunt!" "My lord, your Highness is no nephew of mine," answered the lady. And she tried to kiss his hands, and set him in her big chair while she sat on the carpet.
But the child, beside himself, cried with great energy that made his voice, all choked with tears, quite hoarse:
"No! No! My aunt, my aunt, my mother." And he kissed her tearfully, miserable and angry all at the same time, as one who cries for something lost through his own fault, and by force made her sit in the chair, and would not be silent or calm until he sat at her feet with his head leaning against her knee, making her promise a thousand times that she would always be his aunt, and that she would never leave off being his mother.
This all happened on a Thursday, and the following Monday, which was the 2nd of October, the acknowledgment of Jeromín took place in the Palace of Valladolid, as the King, D. Philip, had arranged. It is related thus in a manuscript, quoted by Gachard in the Maggliabecchiana library in Florence:
"Thursday, the 8th of September, it reached the lords of the Holy Office that the King would not go before he had seen the act, and so then they had it proclaimed for the 8th of October. And thus the King went to la Spina, and there they brought his half-brother, and he was pleased to see him, as he is handsome and sensible, and he ordered that he should be brought secretly to his house. And thus, the following Monday, he made everyone in the Palace recognise him as his brother, and embraced and kissed him, then his sister, then his son, and then the rest of the black cloaks."
It is, therefore, not true what Vander Hammen says of Philip giving his brother the Golden Fleece, either at Torozos or in the Palace of Valladolid. What really happened at this second interview was that the King gave his brother the family name, and changed his name of Jeromín for that of John, creating that which has descended to posterity surrounded by rays of genius and glory—Don John of Austria.
The change of Jeromín into D. John of Austria was so natural and spontaneous that no one asked how a peasant could have turned into such an accomplished prince; but rather, how such a sublime personage could have been hidden for so long under such a humble disguise.
The undeniable law of heredity had without doubt impressed the august seal of his race on the child; the extreme tact with which God had endowed him, and the counsels of such a finished courtier as Luis Quijada and such a refined, great lady as Doña Magdalena, had easily accomplished the miracle.
He was received by the public with enthusiasm, by the Court with respect, and with real brotherly affection by the Royal Family. The King, pleased with his work, began to hope for great results from it; Princess Juana opened her arms and heart with all the frankness and goodness of her beautiful nature; and even Prince Carlos, who was hard and suspicious of his relations, from the first moment was affectionate. He called D. John apart one day with much mystery, and, taking a paper from his breast, made him swear that he would follow Prince Carlos to war whenever the time came. D. John promised, and the Prince, satisfied, gave him a jewel with a big emerald for his cap.
But from the moment of his presentation at Court D. John met what we should call, but which was not so called in his days, a twin soul in his nephew Alexander Farnese, who, from the first, shared his studies and his childish games, as later he shared D. John's labours, triumphs, joys and sorrows.
The King had convened the Cortes in Toledo for the 9th of December, with the idea of causing his son D. Carlos to be sworn as Prince of the Asturias, and it seemed to him an opportune moment for presenting D. John as a royal prince in the official proceedings of the Court.
The ceremony was fixed for the 22nd of February, 1560, and on the 12th the new Queen Isabel de Valois, rightly called "of the Peace," Philip II's third wife, made her first triumphant entry into Toledo. She came by the Gate of Visagra, riding a white hackney, under a brocaded canopy with an embroidered fringe, and on the shields an "F" and "I," initials of Philip and Isabel. There were great festivities, which were interrupted by the Queen having a slight attack of smallpox, which is why she did not attend the function. On the eve of this ceremony Princess Juana sent her brother D. John a very beautiful suit, begging him to wear it the next day. The good Princess had herself settled and chosen the colours and trimmings, as she judged would best set off the good looks of the youth: a jacket and gown of deep red velvet, richly embroidered with gold and silver thread, and magnificent diamond buttons.
The oath was to be taken in the Cathedral, at that time orphaned of its Archbishop—who was the celebrated F. Bartolomé de Carranza, whom we have already met waiting on the last moments of the Emperor.
But the storm which was gathering over the unfortunate prelate had already burst in all its fury, and he lay, ex-communicated, in the rigorous prisons of the Holy Office.
In the absence of the Archbishop, the King addressed himself to the Chapter, who fulfilled his wishes with pomp and magnificence worthy of the archiepiscopal church. The whole "trascoro" was hung with brocaded cloths, and at the end of the nave was erected a platform forty feet square, with eight steps, all covered with a costly carpet and surrounded by a gilt balustrade. At the back of the platform rose a sumptuous altar covered with gold brocade, and adorned with the richest jewels of the Cathedral treasury. On the right a great canopy covered three thrones with faldstools and cushions, also of gold brocade; the centre one was for the King, the right-hand one for Princess Juana, and the left-hand one for Prince Carlos; at Princess Juana's side, but beyond the canopy, there was a seat, also of gold brocade, for D. John of Austria.
Photo Anderson
ALEXANDER FARNESE, PRINCE OF PARMA
Parmigiano, Museo Nazionale, Naples
Before the altar was a throne of crimson velvet for the Cardinal-Bishop of Burgos, who was to receive the oath, and at his side a little table, with a cushion in front of it, all covered with velvet, where the oath was to be taken upon a gold cross and an open copy of the Gospels. Right and left of the nave, and at the foot of the platform, extended many rows of seats, some with backs and some without, according to the rank of those who were to occupy them, Ambassadors of Foreign Powers, Bishops, Grandees, Castillian nobles, and members of the Cortes. The centre of the nave was empty, but in its entrances and at the ends, also in the seats raised above the nave, there was a dense crowd.
The first to arrive at the Cathedral, at half-past eight in the morning, was the Cardinal-Bishop of Burgos, in his Cardinal's hat and cloak; he came riding a white mule, with purple trappings, which was led by two deacons, and before him went the pastoral cross, although he was not in his own diocese. He was preceded and followed by all his household and a great following of canons and gentlemen of the town, who made a brave show. This person was D. Francisco Hurtado Mendoza y Bobadilla, son of the Marqués de Cañete, D. Diego, and grandson, through his mother Doña Beatriz de Bobadilla, of the celebrated Marquesa de Moya, favourite lady-in-waiting to the great "Reina Católica." He was much esteemed by Philip II for his virtues and learning, and as the author of the celebrated memorial presented soon after this date to the King, which has come down to posterity as a curious book, now rare, called "El Tizón de la Nobleza." The Cardinal dismounted at the door "del Perdón," where, arrayed in their pontificals, the Archbishops of Seville and Granada, and the Bishops of Avila and Pamplona received him.
The Court arrived a quarter of an hour later. First came the Prince of Parma, Alexander Farnese, with the Admiral of Castille, the Condes of Benavente and de Ureña, the Duques of Nájera, Alba, and Francavila, the Marquéses of Denia, Villena, Cañete, Mondejar, and Camares; the Maistre of Montesa, the Prior of St. Juan en Castilla and en León, and many other great lords, whose magnificence and luxury as regards their clothes, harness, and mounts were so great that the value of the trappings alone amounted to two thousand ducats, without counting that of the jewels and pearls; these were all embroidered like the clothes with gold thread, because ornaments of gold plates, being more showy, had been given up by the dandies as being vulgar.
Behind this brilliant, dazzling group Prince Carlos and D. John came together, surrounded by all the officers of their respective households, and the good looks of the latter formed a great contrast to the worn and deformed figure of the former. The Prince was pale to lividness from a quartan fever, and all the magnificence of his dress could not completely hide his crooked shoulders, the deformity of his back, or the unequal length of his legs. His dress was of dark grey cloth of gold with pearl and diamond buttons, and he rode a horse with rich trappings, the horse-cloth embroidered on grey cloth of gold to match his clothes. D. John's horse was black, and his trappings and horse-cloth were of velvet and gold, to match the costume, which we have already said was a present from his sister Princess Juana.
This illustrious and saintly Princess came behind them in a litter, surrounded and followed by her ladies, all on horseback, on silver saddles, gorgeously dressed, and attended by pages, and "delighted," according to Luis Cabrera de Córdoba, "to come without the French ladies, who, as the Queen was ill of smallpox, did not appear at the solemnity." In honour of the occasion the Princess had changed her usual simple dress for one of black velvet, with a few jewels and pearls in the head-dress.
Last came the King, preceded by the four kings-at-arms, four archers, and four mace-bearers, all riding, and in
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