Mercedes of Castile

nightingale

glorious li

st pour upon t

with rapture

se, who soar,

dred points of

dsw

ious hearts in Valladolid, awaiting the result with the impatience and doubt that ever attend the execution of hazardous enterprises. Among others who fe

hristian and the Mussulman contended for the mastery of the peninsula. The latter had long held sway in the southern parts of Leon, and had left behind him, in the palaces of this town, some of the traces of his barbaric magnificence. The lofty and fretted ceilings were not as glorious as those to be found further south, it is true; still, the Moor had been here, and the name of Veled Vlid-since changed to Valladolid-denotes its Arabic connection. In the room just mentioned, and in the principal palace of this ancient town-that of John de Vivero-were two females, in earnest and engrossing discourse. Both were young, and, though in very different styles, both would have been deemed beautiful in any age or region of the earth. One, indeed, was surpassingly lovely. She had just reached her nineteenth year-an age when the female form has received its full development in that generous climate; and the most imaginative poet of Spain-a country so renowne

s to the soul, indeed, were to be found her highest claims to loveliness, for they bespoke no less the beauty within, than the beauty without; imparting to features of exquisite delicacy and symmetry, a serene expression of dignity and moral excellence, that was remarkably softened by a modesty that seemed as much all

oss of diamonds sparkled on a neck of snow, to which it was attached by a short string of pearls; and a few rings, decked with stones of price, rather cumbered than adorned hands that needed no ornaments to rivet the gaze. Such wa

stress. Her eyes were black and sparkling, bespeaking a generous soul, and a resolution so high that some commentators have termed it valor; while her hair was dark as the raven's wing. Like that of her royal mistress, her form exhibited the grace and loveliness of young womanhood, developed by the generous warmth of Spain; though her stature was, in a slight degree, less noble, and the outlines of her figure

ed; while Beatriz de Bobadilla occupied a low stool at her feet, bending her body in respectful affection so far forward, as to allow the fairer hair of the princess to mingle with her own dark curls, while the face of the latter appeared to repose on the head of her friend. As no one else was p

d the princess, in continuation of some previous observation; "and I hope I have as much

illa; "for had it pleased you to wed the Grand Turk, the C

ing, and raising her face from the other's head. "Our Castilians might overlook such a sin, but I could n

on Carlos, a prince old enough to be your father; and then, as if that were not sufficient to warm Castilian blood, they chose the King of Portugal for you, and he might well have passed for a generation still more remote! Much as I love you, Do?a Isabe

ther, Beatriz; and thin

look the quiet rebuke of her mistress; "and worthy was it of a princess of the royal house of Castile! 'The Infantas of Castile,' you said, '

ispose of an Infanta of Castile, w

a sensible difference in these concerns. But unfit as Don Alfonso of Portugal was, and is, to be the wedded husband of Do?a Isabella of Castile, what shall we say to the next suitor who appeared as a pretender to your royal hand

vorites; and God, in his holy providence, saw fit to defeat their w

will so to dispose of Don Pedro, oth

ely, though she smiled affectionately on her friend as she took t

d bride of the Grand Master of Calatrava. What! was the purest, loveliest virgin of Castile, and she of royal birth-nay, the rightful heiress of the cro

, that Don Enriquez is our lord

s altogether unworthy to sit in your presence, much less to become your wedded husband. Oh! what days of anguish were those, my gracious lady, when your knees ached with bending in pra

ith the passion of the Son of God, who gave himself a sacrifice for our sins! Name it not, then; it was good for my soul to be thus tried; and thou knowest that the evil was turn

gladly hear something of him on whom her choice had finally fallen. Although ever disposed to do that which was grateful to her mistress, with a woman's coquetry,

r manner; "he would fain become the husband of the future Queen of Castile! But even our most unworthy Castilians

h dignity; "had I espoused the King of France himself, he would have learned to respect m

n Ricardo of Gloucester; he that they say was born with teeth, and who carries already a burthen so heavy on his

prince; that he is, one day, likely to wed some princess, whose merit may well console

reached Don Fernando, literally the first, as he proveth to

a, meekly, though she was uneasy in spite of her royal views of matrimony; "since nothing can so much tend to the peace of

around her pouting lips. "What if Don Fernando is the most youthful, the handsomest, the most valiant, and the most agree

to frown, even while she blushed deeply at her own emotions, and looked gratified at the pra

e Coca hath-and a surer eye, or truer t

that a maiden of royal birth is bound principally to consult the interests of the state, in bestowing her hand, and that the idle fancies of village girls have little in common with her duties. Nay, what virgin of noble extraction, like thyself, even, would dream of aught else than of submitting to the counsel of her family, in taking a husban

found the pure Castilian with

, than we can teach it to the Gaul. Then, Don Fernando is of my own race; the House of Trastamara cometh of Cast

ail him, when the stake was a royal maiden of a beauty surpassing that

ng the mastery of thee-such disc

l, my tongue is clos

n we remember our manifold transgressions, and our many occasions for forgiveness. As for this marriage, I would have thee think that it has been contracted on my part, with the consi

that we are alike bound to consult our own dignity, and the wishes of kinsmen and friends; and that our duty, and the habits of piety and submission in which we have been reared, are better pledges for our connubial affection than any caprices of a girlish imagination. Still, my honored lady, it is most fortunate that your hig

he former, while the present instant was one of the latter. She smiled, therefore, at this sally; and parting, with her own fair hand, the dark

her eyes betrayed that she now felt more as a woman than as a future queen bent only on the happiness of her people: "As this interview draweth near, I suffer an embarrassment I had not thought it easy to inflict on an Infanta of Castile. To thee, my faithful Beat

res, one hour of his life, which has been sufficiently long as it is; one grace of his person, if

arquis of Moya; hast listened to his discourse, an

n account of unfamiliarity with such matters-for, of all lear

nd admiration are freely given and fairly merited. But I distrust, myself, my claims to be thus viewed, and the feelings with which Don Fernando may first behold me. I know-nay, I feel him to be graceful, and noble

me house; if he is young, are you not equally so; if he is wise, are you not wiser; if he is comely, are you not more of an angel than a woman; if he is valiant, are you not virtuous; if he is graceful,

a comforter! I could reprove thee for t

our own. Let Don Fernando look to it! Though he come in all the pomp and glory of his many crowns, I warrant you we find him a royal mai

ladolid, albeit he hath many crowns, in possession, and in reserve. Notwithstanding all thy foolish but friendly tongue hath uttered, I distrust myself, and not the King of Sicily. Methinks I could

al mistress ceased speaking, she kissed her hand

rather, Se?ora, at encoun

. But, why linger here in doubt and apprehension, when the staff on which it is my duty to lean, i

, rather, it took refuge on that rock where she was accustomed to place all her troubles, with her sins. As the little assemblage left the chapel, one, hot with haste, arrived with the expected, but still doubted tidings,

mind and air, which ordinarily rendered her presence as attractive as it was commanding. An hour or two spent in meditation and prayer, however, final

e princess, taking a hand from a brow which had bee

ed outright, with a freedom that the long-estab

delightful person, to show it was no lie. For one so experienced, he hath a strong propensity to talk; and so, in sooth, while you, my honored mistress, would be in your closet alone, I could but lis

house of Trastamara have much gold at this trying mo

iar with the Jews and money-lenders; as these last must know the full value of his lands, the Ki

. But, Beatriz, bring forth the writing materials; it is meet that I, at on

imple, intendeth marriage against her kinsmen's wishes, it is the way to we

pens and paper. The king is not only my lord and sovereig

nd a fitting guide would she be to any modest virgin! No-no-my beloved mistress; your royal mother w

o?a Beatriz, and forgettest my request.

resumed to look into Isabella's face, in order to ascertain if she were really angered. There all was beautiful serenity again; and the Lady of Bobadilla, perceiving that h

zed for the step she was about to take, on the substantial plea that her enemies had disregarded the solemn compact entered into not to urge her into any union that was unsuitable or disagreeable to herself. She then alluded to the political advantages that would follow the union of the crowns of Castile and Aragon, and solicited the king's approbation of the step she was about to take.

of Don Fernando, of the inferiority of Aragon to our own Castile. The house of the latter kingdom is but a junior bra

ful and natural sentiments of the princess, herself,

it may never please God to conduct to a throne? Moreover, Don John of Vivero, I beseech thee to remember the errand that bringeth the King of Sicily to Valladolid. Both he and I have two parts to perform, and two characters to maintain-those of prince and princess, and those of Christians wedded and bound by holy marriage ties. It would ill become one that is about to take on herself the duties and obligations of a wife, to begin the intercourse with exactions that should be humiliating to the pride and self-respect of her lord. A