Antonio Perez in ExileAuthor(s): Martin A. S. HumeSource: Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, New Series, Vol. 8 (1894), pp. 71-107Published by: Royal Historical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3678035 .Accessed: 08/01/2014 06:27Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp .JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. .Royal Historical Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Transactions ofthe Royal Historical Society.http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions7I ANTONIOPEREZINEXILEI BY MAJORMARTIN A.S.HUME,F.R.TIist.S. ECditorof theCalendarof StatePapersof Elizabeth(Spanish) NOTHINGis soattractiveto the historicalstudentas a mysteryto be unravelleduponwhichingenuityand research can be exercised; and hardlyany unsolvedhistoricalriddle has excitedmorespeculationand interestthanhas theextra- ordinary,and apparentlyinexplicable,treatmentextendedby PhilipII. to his formerprimefavouriteand trustedminister, AntonioPerez. Ihad noticedthatthevariouslearnedhistorianswhohad takenup thesubjecthad been mainlyconcernedin tryingto reduceto orderthehopelesslytangledweb of events during the fifteenyearspriorto theescape of Antonio Perez from Spain; and myoriginalintentionwas in this paperto dwell uponhis lifeand writingsin Englandand Franceforthenext eighteenyears until his death, withthe object of seeing whetherthelightwhichcouldbe thrownupon his character NOTF4I.See unpublishedsecretcorrespondencebetweenPerezand the Kingin13.M. MSS. Add.28262; interceptedlettersfromDon TohnandEscobedo to the King in B.M. Cotton.Vesp. vii.;uncalendaredMSS. Rolls House, E;iance, I592-95; Perez'sReZaciones,Paris,I598; Geneva,I644,and Ca^-tas, Paris,I603; Mignet'sAntonioPerez et Philippe, IIParis; Ochoa'sCorrespon- denciade Antonio Perez, Madrid,I851; MorelFatio'sL'Espaedans Ae*vi ef xzfiiSiecles, Paris; Froude'sA?tD?ZioPere2: angnsoEvedhistowoccaSriddEe, London,I892;GasparMuro'sPrincesa de EboZi, Madrid;FernandezDuro's A?tonioPerez en I1?bylaterra,Madrid,I892;BaconCorrespondencein Birch's AfiE^zoirsof theReignttfQveenEZiz.7beth;Bermudezde Castros Anfo?zioPerez, Madrid,I84I. This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions721'RANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY andmethodbya carefulexaminationof theamplematerial whichexistswouldaid us in the elucidationof theextra- ordinaryseriesofintrigueswhichbroughtabouthisfall.Like my moreeminentpredecessors,however,Itoo have been drawnintothevortexofthemysteryitself,andshallhaveto craveyourindulgenceforgoingbeyondthelimitindicated bythetitleof mypaper,and hopeto be abletojustifysuch indulgencebyproducingenoughnewevidenceto convince you,at anyrate,thatthelastwordhas notbeensaid upon the subject;andthatwe possiblyhave nowat hand the material,afterthreecenturies,forlayingbarethewholestory. AlthoughI assumethatveryfewpersonswillbe unac- quaintedwiththeprincipaleventswhichprecededthefallof Perez,itwill be well to clearthe groundbyagainrelating thembriefly.AntonioPerezwasthelegitimisednaturalson ofGonzaloPerez,thefamousSecretaryofStateofCharlesV, andsubsequentlyofhissonPhilipII.GonzaloPerezwasan ecclesiasticofhighrank,and forthesakeof decorumcould notbringup hissonhimself,butplacedhim,aftergivinghim a carefuleducation,in thehouseholdofPhilip'sbelovedfriend andfavourite,RuyGomezde Silva,PrinceofEboli,bywhom he was rearedalmostas his son. He was placedwhilst stilla mereyouthin theSecretariatof theCouncilofState, and,partlyowingto RuyGomez'sinfluenceandpartlytohis ownbrillianceandfascination,he rose rapidly,so thatwhen hispatrondiedin I 567he was already,at theage oftwenty- five,chiefSecretaryoftheCouncilofStatewithfourthousand ducatsa yearsalary,andpossesseda sinecureofficein Sicily whichbroughthimanothertwothousarld.He was noted, evenat thistime,forhis wit,his splendour,his dissipation, and hispresumption;but he was of coursea tnereupstart, and,as such,recommendedhimselfstronglyto PhilipII. It hadbeenoneofthesecretinstructionsin kingcraftleft bythegreatEmperorto hisson thathe shouldreducethe proudSpanishnobilityto impotencebygivingall important stateaffairsat homeintothehandsof creatuxesof his own making,whomhe couldbreakat will,employillgthegreat This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEX1LE 73 noblesonlyin hisforeignstatesor incourtsinecllres.Soon afterthedeathofRuyGomez,therefore,whenPerezwasonly twenty-six,Philipmadehimhis principalSecretaryofState, and thenceforward,for over tenyears,he was all powerful next to the King.His extravagance,his splendour,and his insolencegrewwithhis favour,but nonedaredto offendhim, forhe alone had theear of thesovereignnightand day. He treateddukes withthe most offhandedhaughtiness,called the Cardinal Archbishop,Grand Inquisitorand Primateof Spain,unceremoniouslybyhissurname;and,as willbe shown directly,addressedthe King himselfwithjocose familiarity, whichisrathera shockto thosewhohavealwayslookedupon Philipas an unapproachabletyrantbeforewhomall cringed. As amatterof fact he was nothingof the sort,butonlya timid,narrow-minded,laborious,and painfullyconscientious man. It will be well to explain here thepoliticalpositionin Spain at thetime. The nobilitthad by the methodsof the far-seeingCharlesV. been reducedto impotence,butformany yearsthecourt had been divided into two politicalparties, each of whichin its turnsoughtto bringthe King roundto its methods:firstthe more aristocraticparty,headed by the Duke of Alba, whichwas all forwar,haughtydefiance, and violentmeasures;the second,that of Ruy Gomez,in favourof diplomacy,chicanery,and underhanddealingwith opponents. The tact,wisdom,and influenceof Ruy Gomez and the personalcharacterof the King made Philip more inclinedto thelatterparty,althoughhe keptthetwopartiesin his councilsin orderto hearboth sides and to fomentthat rivalryamongst his courtierswhich he always considered beneficialto his own interests. WhilstRuy Gomez lived he saw that all theinfluential officeswerefilledwithmembersof thepartyof moralsuasion, and to thisparty,of course,AntonioPerezbelonged. The King's naturalbrother,too,Don Johnof Austria,had also been broughtup by the King and Ruy Gomezin the same schoolof statesrnanship,and whenthebrilliantyoungprince This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions74TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY was sentto suppresstherisingof Moriscosat Granada,Ruy Gomez took care that he was accompaniedby an adviser belongingto thesame party,Juande Soto.WhenDon John had suppressedthe infidelrevolthe foundhimselfa popu- lar hero. Hewas out of the leadingstringsof the court. He was the soldierof the Cross,and high-flowndreamsof glorysuchas thosegainedbyhisancestorsagainsttheenemies of the faith,bred in him acontemptfor atemporising policy. Vague chivalroushopes of empires gairled by his swordforhimselfand his faithdawned in his ambitious mind. The King's brothercould,of course,do no ill; but Ruy Gomez wasgravely concerned,and by his orders Juande Soto,the Prince'ssecretary,was warnedthat such ideas mustbe nippedin thebud. He was allowed,however,to accompanyDon Johnto the Mediterraneanto fighttheTurk in I57I,and was withhim throughthe gloriousvictorieswhichculminatedat Lepanto. Philipwassorelybesetfacetoface,as hewellknew withthe great newforceof Protestantism,whichhe mustcrushor be crushedby,and he orderedDon John to destroythefortress of Tunis, and rest contentwithhavingcrippledthe power of the Turkforyears to come.But Don Johnwas in the stirrupsnow,andwantedtoadd to Philip'sdifficulties,ofwhich he knew nothing,by foundinga great Christianempirein Africa,of whichhe shouldbe theruler. The Pope seconded his views,and wentso far as to givehima paperinvestment of the dominion. Don John,too, disobeyedthe orderto dismantleTunis.SecretarySoto had to bear the blame of Don John'sambition,and was recalledand madeaccountant- generalof thearmy,his place beingfilledby a manwhowas consideredby Perezto be above all doubt. This was Juan deEscobedo, anotherprotgeeducated and brollghtup by Ruy Gomez,a close friendof Perez,his colleague in the chiefsecretaryship,and a strongadvocate of the moral force partZ. With such aman DonJohn couldsurelynotgo wrong. 13utthe braveyoungprincewas strongerthanany sccretary,and EscobedoXzasgailacdover This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 75 to hisambitiousviewsmorecomp}etelyeventhanSoto had been,and was soon perfectlycrazyto makeDon Johnthe championof CatholicChristendom.As before,the Pope was eagerto givehis blessingto any harebrainedscheme fordestroyingheresyor attackinginfidelity;but Philip was surroundedby difficulties,of whichonlyhimselfand his secretaryPerezknew. His treasurehad beenseizedby Queen Elizabeth,hiscommercewas sweptfromthe sea by the Dutch,English,and Huguenotprivateers;creditand moneyweregone,and it was absolutelynecessaryforhim to makepeace withthe revoltedFlemingson any terms whichrecognisedhissovereigntyand theCatholicreligionin the Netherlands.His own troopstherewereunpaid,and a murderousSmutinousrabble. Alba'spolicyofbloodandfire, farfromcrushingthe Flemings,had onlyexasperatedthem andraisedup friendsto helpthem. So Don Johnwassentto carryoutthepolicyof concilia- tionandsurrenderwhichhadbeencommencedbyRequeQens, vrhohaddied. Escobedowaswarnedstrictlybeforehe left Spainthattheremustbe no nonsense.Peaceynustbemade at anycostHe andDonJohnwerefulloffineprojectsforthe subjugationof Englandand theestablishmentof Don John as king,withMaryof Scotlandforhiswife. He was to be a knight-errantwhoshouldreleasethefairprincessfromthe ogresthatheldher the Christianherowhowas to restore Englandto the Church.The adviceto do thishad been forcedupon Philipforyears. Alba, Feria,de (Quadra,de Spes,and othershad begged,bullied,and imploredhimfor thelastfifteenyearsto captureEngland. The Popeshad triedto forcehishandmorethanonce,butPhilipknewhow therisingof theCatholiclordsin thenorthof Englandhad fizzledout forwantof support.He knewhowfutilehad beenhiscountenanceto theRidolfiplot,and howthehead of the proudestnoblein Englandhad fallenwithouta protestbecausehe dared to countenancethe idea of a Spanishinvasion.So he gave his usual cold,temporising answer.There would be plentyof time to talk about 2 9 This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions76TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY England,he said,whentheyhad pacifiedthe Netherlands. 13utPerezwastoldto encourageDon Johnandhissecretary Escobedoto writeprivatelyall theythoughtand intended to him,Perez not fortheKing'sear,oh no! but onlythat Perezmight,whenopportllnityoccurred,slip a wordinto hismaster'searin theirfavouras soonas Flanderswasquiet. Andwritetheydid, fullyand freely,confidingin Perez, whocarriedall theirlettersto theKing,withhisowngloss uponthemand his ownspeciousanswersto them. They hadgoneto Flanderswiththeundoubtedinterltionofmaking a dash for Englandwiththe troopswhichwereto leave Flanders,butDon Johnfoundhe had reckonedwithouthis host. The statesof Flanderswouldnot receivehim as governorexcepton theirown terms,and thosewerehard enough. The Spanishand Italiantroopswerenotto be sent outbysea,butto marchoerland to Italy,whichDon John wellknewmeantthe destructionof his plan forcapturing England;buthe hadto givewa),t,fortheKing'sorderswere absolute. He was to makepeaceon anytermscompatible withPhilip'ssovereignty,andhe wasobligedto do it. Heart-broken,desperate,incoherentletterscame from thePrinceand Escobedoto Perez. All was lost,theysaid; theywerelikemadmenand readyforanydesperatecourse. Theyhad no moneyevento paythe troops,whowouldnot movewithoutit,andthesedrunkenwineskinsof Flemings, es-entheCatholics,floutedthem. Don Johnhimselfbegged, supplicated,entreated,to be allowedto comehome,nowthat the Englishaffairwas upset. He wasa soldierand not fit forsuchworkas this,he said. A woman,like Margaretof Parma,orthewidowedempress,orevena child,woulddofar betterandcapturethesympathiesof theFlemings,svhichhe couldnotdo,forhe hatedthemas muchas theydistrusted him. He was told coldlythathe muststayuntilmatters weretranquil,andwasto takeno rashsteps. So at last by Escobedo'seffortsenoughmoneyand billswereraised,and the mutinousrascalsof troopswhohaddisgrae:edthenarne of soldiersmarchedout amidstthecursesof all lSlaladers This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXIt E 77 and Don JohnenteredBrusselswiththe franticrejoicing of a peoplewho had emancipatedtheircountryby their ownfirmness. Fora fewweeksall wastranquil,andEscobedo,whohad raisedthe moneyto pay the troopson his own sworn undertakingto returnit,rushedoverto Spainunexpectedto urgetheKingtomakedueprovision.He arrivedlateinJuly, and,on his letterannouncinghisarrivalto theKing,Philip scrawledin thatfearfulhandof his,' We mustgetridofhim quickly,or he willvvorryus to death.' Escobedowasrough- spoken,honest,and importunate,ill pleasedwiththecourse of events,andindignantthatDon John'sdreamshad been frustrated.Thosefamousinterceptedlettersfromhimand Don Johnto PerezandtheKingwhicharenowintheCotton MSS. fullyconfirmPerezzsown accountof the roughand peremptoryway in whichhe wroteto the sovereign,and Perezinhis' Relaciones' alsogivesmanyspecimensof this. The King,tiredofhisimportunity,andseeingthedanger of sendingsuch-a manback to Don Johnin Flanders,told Perezto havehimmurdered.Pereztriedtwiceunsuccess- fullyto poisonhimat hisowntable)butat last on thenight of March3I,I578,Escobedowas stabbedto deathin the streetsof Madridby menwhomPerez had broughtfrom Aragonandpaidforthepurpose.Up to thistimetherewas nothingextraordinaryin thematter.The ethicsof thetime quiteadmittedtherightof a sosereignto ordertheprivate executionof an obnoxioussubjectwithoutjudicialprocess, althoughinSpainthecoursewasan unpopularone. Madrid, however,wasthen,as it is now,a greatplace forscandalous tittletattle,andthemorningafterthemurderall thegossips of ' Liars Walk' in the Calle Mayorwerewhisperingthat itiscobedohad beensacrificedto the privateresentmentof PerezandhisfriendthePrincessofEboli. One wordas to thelady. She was thewidowof Ruy Gomez,and herself belongedto the greathouseof Mendoza. She was nearly fortyyearsof age,had onlyone eye,andsvasthemotherof tenchildren.Herprideandarroganceamountedalmostto This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions78TRANSACTIONSOF THE ROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY mania,andon thedeathofherhusbandhadgiventhe King andeveryoneelsean immenseamountoftrouble.The very hourRuyGomezdiedshesworeshewouldbecomea nunin a conventshe had founded.She was in sucha hurrythat she wouldnotwaitfora propergownto be brought,but pluckedoF thatof herCarmeliteconfessor,whichwe are toldwas twicetoo large,and notso cleanas it mighthave been. She insistedupongoingto theconventin a rough cart,and soonset thewholecommunitybytheears. She defiedregulations,snappedher fingersat authority,and stormedat superiors.She quarrelledwitheveryonefrom St. Teresadownwards,andat last had to be turnedout of herownconventbytheordersoftheKing,whomshetreated as arrogantlyas shedid everybodyelse. TherewasanothersecretaryoftheKingnamedVasquez, a shy,timid,retiringpriestof obsc;urebirthand suspected Moorishdescent,partof whosedutyit was to keepPhilip well informedof everythingthatwenton in Madrid. He accordinglysent to Philipat theEscorial(wherehe was passingEaster)an accountof whatthegossipsweresaying aboutEscobedo'smurder,andadvisingthatsuchscandalous talk shouldbe stopped.Then I'hiliptooka veryextra- ordinarycoursewhicheventuallyled to all thetrouble.It alwayshad been part of his policyto make thosewho surroundedhimjealousof each other,thathe mightlearn theworstofall of them. So whenVasquezsenthis report to theKingsayinghowthepeopleweretalkingaboutPerez and the Princess,and urginghim to have a strictinqulry made,I'hilipat once senZ!Se repor!bPerezto drafta reply theretotobe sentto Vasquez.Perezdraftedthereply,which, aftersomeadditionbytheKing,wassent,to theeffectthat he (theKing)knewhowtheaSair had happened,andit was ' verydiSerentfromtherumourscurrent,andthattheperson whohaddonethedeedhadverygood reasonforit.' Perez saysthattheKingwasnotat all sorrythatsuspicionshould be directedawayfromhimself;buturhenEscobedo'swifeand childrenpressedthroughVasquezforan inquiryhc could This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 79 hardlyrefuse,and had to consultPerezaboutit,informing himthatVasquezwaspressinghimso hardthathe knewnot whatto do.Perez thereuponjumpedat the conclusion, perhapscorrectly,thatVasquezoutofjealousywastryingto ruinhim. He soonmadetheothersecretaryfeelhisenmity, andthecourtwas promptlydividedintotwopartieswhich lefttheKingno peace. Frominsultsto threatswasa small step,andVasquezcomplainedto theKing,whorepeatedhis complaintto Perez. For the next yearat leasta dozen differentattempts weremadeto bringabout peace betweenthe secretaries. Vasquez apologised,explained,and remonstrated.The greatnoblesand ChurchmenbeggedPerezand thePrincess toletbygonesbebygones.ThePrincessaboveallwasfurious. The MoorishhoundVasquezhad insultedherandmustbe punished.PerezwasoSeredembassiesandotherposts. He wouldhave nothing,he said,but revengeon Vasquez. The EscobedofamilyhadbeeneasilychokedoF bythePresident oftheCouncilof Castile,byan orderfromtheKingon the recommendationofPerez; andthematterwasfastbecoming merelya quarrelofPerez'sfriendsagainstVasquez'sfriends; butat thesametimethelatter,evidentlywiththeconnivance oftheKing,wasencouragingsomeofEscobedo'srelativesnot to letthemurderdropquiteoutofsight. Thingshad reachedat last such astrainedcondition thattheKingsentthePresidentof theCouncilto bringthe Princessto reason,as it was she evidentlythatwas making Perezobstinate.Hertermsof peacewerehigh. Perezwas to be confirmedin the chiefsecretaryshipand haveanother pensionofthreethollsandducatsa year,to whichshewould add a likeamount.Perezhimselfaskedfornothingbutto be allowedto retirefromoffice,knowingwellthatPhilipdid notwantto sparehim. The King,as usual,took a long timeto deliberate.The Presidentpressedhimto decide, thingscouldnot go on as theywere. The headsof both partieswentaboutarmedandfollowedbybravosandPeres openlyinsultedXrasquezat everyturn. He (Vasquez)com- 2 9 * This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsSoTRANSACTIONSOF THE ROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY plaineddailyto theKing,whotoldhimto look afterhiswork and nottroublehis head about such things. At last,when Perez saw the King was losing paticnce,he promisedto forgethis,rievanceagainstVasquez. Philipwasdelightedand made muchof him,but he soon became as bitteras ever againsthis colleague; and one night,withoutwarning,after Pertz leftthepalace,bothhe and the Princesswere arrested. Theformerwas lodged in the house of the officerwho arresteclhim,whilstthe latterwas taken to a bleak rough towertwentymilesoS.She was keptthereand in a similar place fora yearand a half,and thenimprisonedforthe rest of herlifein herowncastleat Pastrana. Perezwas treated withthe greatestkindness,and was soon afterallowed to remainunderarrestin his ownpalace.The King keptsend- ing him reassuringmessages; he would,he said, always stand by him; therewas nothingforhim to be afraidof, and so on. But a favouriteunder arrestis a verydifferentperson froma favouritefree. Encouragedby Vasquez,Escobedo'.s familywas stillpressingforinquiry;and Perezfoundhe had now but fewfriends. Public opinionwas excitedtoo, and jllclges,bishops,and thelike werepressingthatPhilipshould end thescandaleitherby releasingthe Secretaryor bringing himto trial. The Princess(Jezebel,as theycalledher)being out of the way, newovertureswere made to Perez,and he agreedto swearon his allegiance,jointlywithVasquez,to be good friendsin future. He was restoredto liberty,to office, and to favour,and it lookedas iftheaffairwouldat last blow over. But Perez was imprudent.Hestill receivedlarge presentsfromthe Princess. He gambled,squandered,and ruffledmoregrandlythan ever,and complaintsstill poured in upon the King.The Escobedos,encouragedby Vasquez, continuedto importune;the great Mendozas,the Princess' kinsmen,said Perezwas spendingthe fortuneof her family, and Perez'senemiessaid he u as livingat the rate of twenty thousand ducats ayear andonly honestlyearningsix. Pcrez's own wife,even,begged that her husbandmightbe This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 8 I judiciallyclearedof all this vague accusation,to which Philipanswered,' If thwiswergafnatterwhickwouldallowof yudiciaSprocess,it zvouldSavebeenorderedfrozntheyirsthour. TeGthewomanshemustbeqazet.' At last,in I582,Philipcouldstandout no longer,and orderedoneofhislawyersto makea privateinquiry.The man'snamewas RodrigoVasquez de Arce,and he went abouttheworkwitha stealthy,quiet thoroughnesswhich Perezattributedto personalmalevolence;butin anycaseit waseSectual. Forthenexttwoyearsevidencewas silently piledup.Everypersonalmostwhohad comeintocontact withPerezand thePrincesswas secretlyexamined.It was foundthatmostof the menwho wereconcernedin the murderhad mysteriouslydied of poison,and one of the survivors,the page Enriquez,tookfrightand madea clean breastof it. At the end of I584,afterPerez had been closelywatchedfora longtime,he was chargedwithcor- ruptionandtamperingwithstatepapers. He was privately assuredbytheKing'sconfessorthathe wouldnot be con- demnedin thevalueof a pairof gloves,butinJanuaryI 585 he wasfoundguiltyofcorruption,andsentencedto depriva- tionofofiRcefortenyears,imprisonmentfortwo,and a fine ofthirtythousandducats. His paperswereall seized,except some importantlettershe had in hiding,his property sequestrated;and as he saw he was to be sacrificedhe escapedintoa sanctuary.The sanctuarywas brokeninto bytheKing'sofficersand the prisonertaken,to theintense indignationof the Churchand the Inquisition;but Perez remainedin closeconfinementfornearlythreeyears. RodrigoVasquezdeArcethemeanwhilewasfollowingthe murdertraillikea bloodhound.The survivingaccomplices werekeptin prison,theoneconfessingandtheotllerdenying the charge,and at lasttheaccusationof murderwasformu- latedagainstPerezearlyin I588.His friendsandeventhe King'sconfessorwereindignant.How,saidthey,canhe de- fendhimselfnow,hispapersseizedandmostofhiswitnesses dead?He pleadednotguilty.The Escobedofamilywere N.S.VOL.VIII. G This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions82TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL lIISTORICA1, SOCIETY 'squared' and withdrewin OctoberI589,butyet thetrial lingeredon.Whenthejudgewas askedwhy,he saidthat everydayfreshordersuponthesubjectcamefromtheKing. The GrandInquisitor,theKing'sconfessor,Perez'swife,all beggedthatthescandalmightend. It was clearthatPerez couldnotbe convictedontheevidenceofoneaccomplice,and yetno verdictof ' notguilty' was given. Then Philiptook the mostextraordinarystepof all.By theadviceof the judgehe told Pere%to confessand to saythattheKinghad orderedthemurder,givingtkereasonswhy,and theKing's confessorassuredhimif he didso all wouldbe well. Perez fearinga traprefused.He wasimportunedandcommanded overandoveragain,andat lastput to thetorture,and con- fessedearlyin I590.The GrandInquisitorlwroteto the King'sconfessorsaying,' EitherI ammadorthisaSairismad.' Whatdoesit all mean? If theKingknewhe gavetheorder to killEscobedo,whydoeshe commandPerezto confessall? 13utPerezwouldtrustPhilipno longer,and by changing dresseswithhis heroicwifeescapedto Aragon. Therefor the nextyearand a halfhe was thecipheraroundwhich rageda greatnationalstruggleforthemaintenanceof the ancientlibertiesof Aragon. Imprisonedand rescuedtime and again; triedand acquitted;prosecutedby the King andtheprosecutiondropped,claimedbytheKing,claimedby theChurch,claimedbythepeople,he wasat lastrescuedby a popularrisingfromthe dungeonsof the Inquisitionand escaped. The Aragonesecarednothingforhimpersonally, and wereglad to be quitof him,thoughin his vanityhe thoughthe was theirhero. He escaped,to see Spain no more,and thelibertyof Aragonwas drownedin Philip's rengeanceforPerez'scrime,whateverthatwas. So far I havemerelytoldthe storyfromPerez'sown statement;let us nowfollowthe'pilgrim,'as he calledhim- self,intoexile. He escapedfromSaragossaon thenightof NovemberI5,I59T,Witllthe King'savengingarmyat his heels. He wasa timidman,ofweakframe,brokendownby lCaldinal Quirc)ga.Archlzishc)pof Ttleclo,aCreatfriontlof Pelezs. This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZ1N EXILE 3 indulgenceand suSering,and his escapewas anythingbut heroic. He says he wanderedamongstthe snowywastesof the Pyrenees,likea beatendog lothto leavehis master's house,tremblingforhis life,oftencarriedon theshoulders of his friends,grumblingat thehardshipsand dangershe endured,butstillin hismiserypluminghimselfwiththeidea tllatthewhc)leworldwas ringingwithhis persecution.The worldhadplentyofotherthingsto thinkabout. Francewas aflamewithwar. The HuguenotKingwasgrapplingwiththe CatholicLeague and the King of Spain. The stubborn Dutchmenwerestrongerthan ever againstPhilip; and England,pantingforrevengeon theArmada,was sending helpandmoneywhereverit couldbe usedagainstits deadly foe. Perez'splanwas to oiSerhis servicesand secretsto the enemiesof his sovereign,andso revengehimselSheltered fora timein an ancientancestraltower-of his henchman, Martinde Lanuza,on thefrontier,he senthisfaithfulfriend, Gil de Mesa,witha characteristicletteron NovemberI8 to thePrincessof Bearn,sisterof HenryIV.,askingforpro- tection.Even in thisfirstletter,in themidstof hisdanger andtrouble,hisvanityshowsforth:' As therecanbe noplace underheavell,'he says,' whichhas notresoundedwithmy persecutionand aderentures,it is probablethat theyhave reachedthe exaltedregionswhereyour Highnessdwells.' He callshimself,as he was fondof doingfortherestof his life,' a monsterofmisfortune,capableofexcitingtheastonish- mentanddeservingofthesympathyofall mankind. The HuguenotPrincess,kindlyas shewaspolitic,sawhow usefulsucha manmightbe,and hastenedto weIcomehim, andonlyagainjust in timeto escapethe pursuingtroops: he crossedthe Pyreneeson November23, I59I.He was lodgedwithall honourin thecastleofPau and mademuchof. The man musthave been extremelyfascinating,for he charmedmostpeopleandmadea warmfriendofthePrincess. Philipvtas furiousat his escape. Perezwas deep in his secretsandunderstoodhismethodsandrealcharacterbetter thananymanalive,and he knewwhatan instmmentsucha G5 This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions84TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY manwouldbe in thehandsof hisdeadlyenemies,England and the Huguenots.A pricewas put uponhis head,and Perezhimselfenlargesmuchupon the manyattemptsto get himout of theway. His closestfriendswere,he says, bribedto persuadehimto submitto theKing'smercy.That failingforPerezwastoowary-hesaysattemptsweremade to murderhim,andtellsa wonderfulstorr,all in superlatives, of a handsome,strapping,buxomgreatladywhowasto lead himintoa murdertrap,butfellin lovewithhiminsteadand savedhim. All thesestories,however,mustbe lookedat askance,fortheman'scuefromthefirstwasto surroundhim- selfwitha romanticinterest,and althoughhe was fondof callinghimself'abag of bones,'he was foreverairinghis conquestsandhisgallantry.Butcertainit is,froma contem- porarypaperrecentlypublishedby SehorFernandezDuro, thatoffersweremade in JuneI 592 by somepersonsin Navarreto captureand deliverPerezto the Spaniardsas soonas the PrincessleftPau.Perezknewthis,and took carenotto leaveherside. Whenshewentto Toursto meet herbrothertheKingearlyin I 593Perezwentwithher. Pau was too smallforhis ambitionand hopesof revenge,but whenhe metHenryIV. (whomhe charmed,as he didnearly everyone)heunfo]deda planforhelpingFranceandEngland to injureSpain thatat oncebroughthimthefavourof the King,whogavehimpecuniaryaidanda positionin hishouse- hold. It wasof thehighestimportanceto Henrythathe and Elizabethshouldact togetherin crushingPhilipand the League; and he jumpedat Perez'sproposalthathe should exercisehis fascinationon the EnglishQueento thatend. Henryin MarchI593wrotea letterto Elizabeth(nowin the RecordOffice)sayingthat one of thegreatestplea- suresof his journeyto Tourswas to have seenPerez,and ' findinghim apersonageworthyof the positionhe has occupiedand undeservingof the persecutionhehas suffered,he had decidedto avail himselfof his services. Tllinkingthatshetoowil]bc ,lad to see him,he hasdecided This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions85ANTONIOPEREZINEXILE to sendhimto LondonwiththeVidameofChartres;andhe imploreshertowelcomehim,keephimsafefromhisenemies, andsendhimback to him.' Perezhimcelfsenta fulsome letterto ElizabethbyGilde Mesa,at thesametimeasking permissiontocometo England,but assuringher thathe is the mostuselessand worthlesspersonin the world,except his persecutor.To HenryIV. on his departurehe wrote a characteristicletterfullof his aSectedfar-fetchedquips. Besidestheobediencehe owesto sucha master,he says,he mustreturnas he is ordered,forhe was leavinghis soul behind,andwithoutthathe couldnotlive. ' Pardonme,'he says,' theboldnessofthiscompliment,butthesoul,Sire,has its loves anduses complimentslikethebody compliments whichbreakandpassall boundsofearthlyrespect.I write, too, that your Majestymay entertainyourselfwith the Spanishlanguage,ofwhichyousayI am to be yourmaster. Surely,Sire,youllavechosena prettybarbarianfora master- barbarousin idea,in word,in all things.I understandrather, Sire,thatyouwillbe mymaster,and fromyourhandthis roughpebblewillmarvellouslyreceivepolish;forgreatarti- ficersthusshowtheircunningon suchcoarsematerial;even as royalsoulsimitatetheactsofGod in repairingthatwhich is destroyedbyotherswhodare to showtheirmalevolent powerbyusurpingthefunctionsoftheOmnipotent.' WhenPerezarrivedin Englandin theautumnofI593he foundElizabethveryindignantat HenryIV.'s suddenretlln to Catholicismand his impendingarrangementwiththe FrenchLeaguers,whichwaspartofPerez'splaninorderthat he mightuniteall the countryagainstSpain,in furtherance ofwhichplanhe soughtincreasedassistancefromEngland. Ceciland his mistresswere,on the contrary,muchmore inclinedto withdrawwhathelp theyhadgiven. Theycon- sideredthatHenryde Bourbonhad betrayedthemand the Protestantcause,and complainedbitterlyto Beauvoirde Nocle,Henry'sambassador.Hot-headedEssexwasas usual pantingfora fightwithSpain,andscoSedatthecautiousCecil and,whenhe dared,at theQueenherself.FromtheCecils This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions86TKANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL tIISTORICAI,SOCIETY and theirfriends,therefore,Perezgot but acool reception, whilstEssex welcomedhimwithopen arms. Elizabethfor atime refusedto give audienceto the'Spanish traitor,'as she calledhim,and thecourtladies,followingherlead,openly gibed at the emaciatedold beau, withhis gaudy taste in dressand his aSected gallantry. To AnthonyBacon,from whose letterswe learn most of what we knowof Perez in England, he was, of course,very welcomeas afriendof E:ssex; but therigidPuritanLady Bacon,Anthony'smother, Cecil's sister-in-law,one of the most learnedwomenof her time,did notapproveofthefriendship.She wroteto hergreat son Francis: ' I pityyourbrother,yet so longas he pities not himselfbut keepeththatbloodyPerez,yea a courtcom- panionand a bed companion a proud,profane,costlyfellow, whosebeingabouthimI verilybelievetheLord God dothmis- like,and doththeless blessyourbrotherin creditand health. Such wretchesas he is neverloxed yourbrotherbut forhis owncredit,livinguponhim.' But thelove of Essex made up forall.The solid splen- dour in lvhichhe lived,his lavish generosity,his wit and learning,all appealed to Perez'sself-indulgentnature; the parade of learnedaccomplishments,thenfashionableat the English Court,appealed to Perezalso,and he soon caught theprevailingtone. His wittystories,his apt illustrations,his curiousturnsofexpression,and his greatexperienceentirely captivatedEssex.Perez was lodged firstatSunbury-on- Thames,thenin Essex House,and subsequentlyin thehouse of the Masterof St. Paul's School; but was always main- tained lavishly,and with the most exquisitedelicacyby i:ssex.By-and-bythe doors of the courtwere opened to him,and his insinuatingaddressand piquant storiesabout Philip'samourssoon put himintotheQueen's good graces, his rewardbeinga pensionof I30z.a yearfromher. What wonderwas it that Perez was lothto go back to France,in themidstof warand poverty?To all requestsfromHenry thathe shouldgo back,he returnsthemostfulsomeanswers, butalwaysfindssomecxcuse for not doing so.One speci- This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 87 menofthiswillserve:' Puttingasideall otherobligations,the honouryoudo mein desiringmypresencecanonlyberepaid bymyremainingforeveryourservantand captive;not in prisonsor chainsof iron vile metals but in the nobler prisonsoflove.As suchI holdmyselfandas suchI willobey.' He curseshisill fortunethathe can do so littlefortheKing. ' Butforall therestit has deprivedmeofI blessit,forithas broughtmeto knowyourMajesty,and live underyourpro- tection a goodbargainindeed.' But he had enemiesin France,particularlythe chief ministerVilleroy,andhe begstheKingtoshuthisearstothe maliceof thosewhowouldruinhimin hisfavour.To the Duke de Bouillonhe writeson the samedayimploringhis interestto thesameend. He callshimself' amerespindle,' hispersonis theonlywreckleft,butthathe oSers,andifthe King reallywantshimforany particularservice,he would embark,evenif he onlyhadhiscapefora ship,in theassur- ancethathis faithand love forthe King wouldkeephim afloat.' Indeed,faithandloveseemtohavebeenhisprincipal stockin trade,and wereforeverin his mouth.Duringhis stayinEnglandhewroteandpublishedhisfamous' Relaciones,' and Essex,of course,paid forits publication.It had an immediatesuccess,and was at once translatedinto Dutch and French. It wasa clever,brilliantpieceofspecialplead- ing,showingPhilipin the darkestcolours,and Perezas a persecutedangel;but all theProtestantworldwas eagerto believeill of theSpanishKing,whosememoryhas noteven yetquiteliveddownthe execrationpileduponhimbyhis enemies.The book,withitsquaintstories,catchingaphorisms andwit,broughtliterarycelebrityto theauthor,and to this factwe owe morethanone descriptionof him. A young mannamedStanden,oneof AnthonyBacon'sfriends,whc dinedwithPerezin FebruaryI 594,writes:' Surelyhe is,as we say,an odd man,and hathhis fullsighteverywhere.' AftermentioningthehighpraisePerezgaveto theEarl of Essex (' forwhich,as I hear,he hathparticularoccasion'), Standensays: ' ButwhyshouldI writeof himto you: who This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions88TRANSACTIONS OFT.HE ROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY knowhimso well,whilstI had hardlyheardofhimbefore.And yetI knownothowI beginto admirehimalready.' Per- haps,however,forall hisaSectationPerez'scharactercan best be gatheredfromhisownwords. He wasveryfondof making giftsofthethennew-fashionedscentedSpanishgloves,and he himselfused to preparescents,essences,cosmetics,toothpicks, and othersimilarthingsforpresentsto his friends. He thus sendsa pairofglovesto Lady Rich, Essex's sister: ' I have beenso troublednotto havethedogskinglovesyourladyship desiresthat,pendingthetimewhentheywill arrive,Ihave re.solvedto sacrificemycelftoyourservice,and flaya pieceof myownskin fromthemosttenderpartof mybody,if such an uncouthcarcass as minecan have any tenderskin. To this lengthcan love and wish to serve be carried that a personshouldflayhimselfto makegloves forhis lady.But in mycase thisis as nothing,foreventhesoul willskinitself forthepersonit loves.'He thenplaysalongand wearisome set ofchangeson dogs and skinsand souls whichwas doubt less at thetimethoughtwitty.Indeed,he seemsto havequite fallenin love withhis allegoryofthedog,forhe repeatsit ad nauseasuin dozensof letterswhichIhave perused Perezallegedin I 594thatan attemptwasmadein London to murderhimbytwoIrishmensentfromSpain,althoughtheir guiltwas veryfarfromclear; and writingto Lady Rich on the subjecthe says: ' WhenProvidencegrantedyouthepower to kill, prudencewas also given you to use the antidote. When theytryto killme in Englandyour ladyshipcomes withsucha graciousletteraz thatnowreceived,whichis an antidote strong enough againstpoison,howevervirulent, and all humanviolence. If theorienthas its bezoarstones, England has its ladies who are more powerfulstill.' But amongstall these gallantrieshe was foreverworkingwith the Queen and othersto inflameher againstthe King of Spain,and persuadeherto join withHenryIV. againsthim. The hope$roseand fell as Essex or Cecil gained the upper hand, and it was seen atlast that Perez mightbe more useful to Esse:c in France than in 1 ngland. Moreover, This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE89 HenryIV. wasgettingimpatientand suspiciousat his long stay. The King professedthegreatestattachmentto him, andmadegreatpromisesif he wouldcomeback,and Perez at lasthadto go; butmuchagainsthiswill. His lettcrsto Essex at thisperiod,nowin theRecord Office,showclearlyhowhe regrettedleavingtheease and luxuryin whichhe lived in London,and forwhichhe yearnedfortherestof hislife. Wha,twas the good of life, hesaid,ifhewasawayfromtheEarl?To go wasdeath;to staywasto live. He goesso faras to call Essex his deity, as he grantshimmorethanhe asks. He onlywanteda hint, indeed,to throweverythingoverboardand stay; but,much as Essex likedhim,he wishedhimto carryout his plans in France. These plansweresufficientlyartfulandnottoo patriotic. Essex was determinedto bringabout afull Frenchallianceto fightSpain,andElizabethhad consented to senda specialambassadorto HenryIV. to oSerhimsmall partialhelpon theveryhardtermsof thesurrenderto her of certainFrenchportsas securityforherexpenditure.lt wasfeltthatHenrycouldnotagreeto this,and itwas to be I'erez'staskto forcetheQueen'shand,to sendalarmistnews about Spain's intendedaggression,and Henry'sabsolute need of comingto termswiththe enemyunlesslarge Englishaid weresent. If it werenot,thenHenrywould makepeacewithSpain,and Englandwouldbe fac:eto face alonewithher foe. Sir HenryUnton,whowas to be the envoy,vTaslet into the plot,and knewthatHenry'sun- ceremoniousrejectionofhisoffersandsimulateddesperation wouldon]ybe feigned;whilsttheregularEnglishambas- sador,SirThomasEdmunds,a friendofCecil's,wasofcourse in the dark. To Perezwas leftthe managementof the wholeintrigue.He bade good-byeto Essex at Gravesend in an agonyof tears,and his patronsurroundedhimwith everyconsiderationwhichcare and moneycouldobtain. A closesecretcorrespondencewas of courseto be keptup in cipher,and two Englishgentlemendependantsof Essex, namedWisemanand Wilton,were attachedto him,as This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions90TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY well astwoi:nglish secretariesandseveral servants. Essex senta letterto the Duke of Bouillon,sayingthat as the King had summonedPerez it concernedhis honourthat he should be well received. He would have been saferin England,and theymustexerciseexquisitecare in protecting himfromthewilesof his enemiessand should entertainhim suitablyto his qualityand his merit. Essex concludesby sayingthathe considersthe safetyand honourof Perezare in his charge,and he shallwatchoverthemwhereverhe is. Henry IV.had been told that Perez had receiveda pensionfromthe Queen,and had hintedas muchto him; but Perez falselywrotea solemnprotestationto theKing thathe had not receiveda farthing,except his entertainmentfrom the Earl of Essex.He gave afurtherproofof his un- scrupulousnessbeforehe leftEngland. As a sort of fare- wellto the Queen, he lefther a memorialin French-and verybad Frenchtoogivingsome ratherbanale and trite adviceabout statecraft,ofwhichshe knewprobablyfarmore thanhe did.He imploresherto keep his cipheratldcorre- spondencesecretforhis life'ssake,and amongstotherthings says that he hears Villeroy,the French King's minister, wishesto entertainhimin his house,and ' I will tryto get some profitout of thisforyourMajesty.' He urgesheralso to attackthe commerceand Indies of Spain and blockade theSpanishcoasts. He proposed,therefore,to acttraitorously to his own country,to England in drivingher intowar,and to HenryIV. by betrayinghis secretsto England. Many people dislilcedand distrustedhim,but none saw through himlike the twoCecils,fatherand son,whomhe hatedwith a11his heart. FurnishedwithEssex's letterto the governor,he was receivedat Dieppeon August2,I595,morelikea sovereign thana subject. The Kingsenta largeescorta1ldoneof his owngentlemenfora guardof his person,and thegovernor entertainedhimin his ownhouse. He writesto Essex in hisusualstrainaboutit,saying,' If everhumanwordswere madc fleshyourlordship'.svere,forSillCC Ihavc been here This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE9I thegovernorhas donenothingbut feedme.' He givesan accountin anotherletterto Essex,threeweekslater,,of the greathonourtheywerestill doinghim only,he says,to reconcilehimforleavingEngland. ' Butthistheycannever do.'He wasevidentlyalreadyhankeringto get backagain. The secretaryGodfreyAllen,writingto AnthonyBacon, constantlygivesfulldetailsoftheextraordinaryhonourspaid him. He was escortedintoRouenby a hundredof the King'sguard,andlvas receivedbytheDukeofMontpensier as an equal; and lateron,in September,whenhe wentto ParisJthe-Councilof State was,by the King's orders,so anxiousforhis safetythattheyproposedthat he should lodgein theBastille,and in anycase theyprovidedthathe shouldbe surroundedbytroopsnightandday. AnAragonese gentlemancalledBaronde Pinilla,whowasratherimportunate in tryingto getan interviewwithhim,was accusedof a plot to murderhim. Withoutproofof anykindhe was broken on thewheelin a dreadfulmanner,and thenwithhis com- panionsexecutedin thePlacede la Greve. Perezthewhile waswritingtoEssexandotherfriendsmagnifyingthedangers he wasin,but theEarlwas gettingimpatient,and senthis friendGeneralSir RogerWilliamswitha letterupbraiding Perezfornotmakingmattersmorelivelyforthemin:England. He says in eSect: ' I am doingwhatI can to pushon war in England,but you! you! what are you doingon that side?'At the sametimeWilliamstold Perezthatif he werenotsatisfiedin Francehe couldcomebackto E:ngland, andWilliamshad beenorderedto tell theKingthatParis wasnota safeplaceforPereztolivein,as thereweredeepplots againsthim.TheKingatthetimewasopposingtheSpaniards and the remainingLeaguersin Picardy;thitherPerezwas summoned.He waslow-spiritedand unhappy,alarmedfor hislife,andwantingto get backto the luxuryand comfort of Essex House. Whenhe got to Coucy,wheretheKing was,he grumbledat his lodging;and the provostmarshal wasorderedbytheKingto givehimthe bestin theplace. The roughnessoflifeduringa campaigndid notpleasehim, 3 0 This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions92TRANSACTIONSOF THE ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY and he wasforeverplaintivelyhintingto Essexthathe wishedtocomeback. But he wastoousefulthere. Henryshowedhimextra- ordinaryfavour,greatlyto hisownminister'sannoyance,and Perezat oncesentin ciphersecretintelligenceofall hecould learnoftheFrenchintentionstoElizabeth.At thesametime he of coursecarriedon his correspondencewithEssex for thepurposeofalarmingElizabethintowarwithSpain. He wasin a chronicstateof fearthathis secretcorrespondence wou]dbe discovered,andon oneoccasionnotwithoutreason. GodfreyAllen,whohad beenattachedto himas secretary by Essex,playedthetraitor,and sentcopiesof somesecret lettersto Cecil'sfriends.Allenwas sentoffto Englandon a speciouserrand,and on his arrivalwas seizedby Essex andshutup in ClinkPrisonin Southwarkformanymonths; buttheprobabilityis thatCecilwas perfectlywellinformed oftheintriguefromthefirst,andthatEssex and Perezcom- binedwere no matchforthe Cecils,fatherand son; for, as theresultsproved,Elizabeth'smasterlypolicyof' balance' wasnotmateriallyor permanentlychangedbyEssex'shot- headedandfoolishpugnaciousnessor Perez'splots. ButwithalPerezwasgettingimpatientforsomepersonal advantagefromHenry. Greatpromisesweremade. He was to havea largepension,fourthousandcrownsa year, theorderof theHolyGhostwitha thousandcrownsa year, a membershipof the Councilof Statewitheighthundred crownsa year,andthereversionof an abbey. He wroteto Essexthathe wantedto refuseeverythingfromFrance,and i3indhimselfforeverto theEarlandEngland,butHenryIV. seemsto havebeenas muchin lovewithhimas wasEssex. He hadaccessto theKingat all times,andVilleroyofcourse wasjealous; butHenrywasalwayson thesideofPerez,and onmorethanoneoccasionreproachedtheSpaniardforwanting to leavehim. ' I know,Antonio,'he said,' thatyouwantto getbackto yourdearEngland;butyou shallhaveall you askforifyouwillstaywithme.' He askedfora gooddeal, andaskedforit prettyoften.On thefalsenewsofhiswife's This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 93 deathhe wanteda cardinal'shat and a bishopric,and his friendthePrincesssaid shewouldmakeherbrothergethim thatoranythingelsehe wanted.He wasreceiving,although ratherirregularly,a largepensionfromHenryIV.,and was in completepossessionof theKing'sconfidence,but he was evidentlyunhappy.Essex wasimpatientandvexedthathe couldnothavehisway; theCatholicnobles,whowerenow gettingaboutHenryIV.,wereconstantlysowingdistrustin theKing'smindof thehonestyofPerez. Villeroy,whowas secretlyin the payof Spain,was his swornfoe; and timid Perezhimselfvvasin deadlyfear,or pretendedto be so,of assassination,orthathisdoubledealingutouldbe discovered. He was capricious,vain,and exacting,neversatisfiedunless he wasrunningdowntheFrenchto theirfacesandexalting Englandand Essex. As HenryIV. also saw thatCecil's counselswerestillparamount,andthatElizabethwas notto be drivenintowarwithSpain,excepton herownterms,he drewcloserand closerto Spain,and peace becamedaily fmoreprobable.Perezwas afraidthatHenryIV. mightbe persuadedto deliverhimto theKingof Spain at thepeace, andwishedmoreand moreto cometo England. He had -takenoSence}however,at Essex's coolnessand at the con- tentsof someinterceptedSpanishlettersin Englandnot havingbeencommunicatedto him. In fact,histemperat thistimeseemsto havebeenun- bearable-Naunton,who was now Essex's agentin Paris, givesan amusingaccountofhiscapriciousness.One dayhe complainedof Essex,qaid he was treatedlike asucked orange,andthatEssex hadheldout hopesto himthathad led himto refusetheFrenchKing'sbounty.He mustnow lookoutforhimself,he said. EvidentlyEnglandwouldnot help himto recoverhis wifeand family,or his estate,or indeedanythingelse but a crustof bread,whichcertain peopleevenbegrudgedhim. The nextday,saysNaunton, he wouldrail againstthe Frenchas a malignantnation. Thereweredifficultiesabouthis pension. He wouldthrow up everything-pensions,honours,andall- andgo penniless, This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions94TRANSACTIONS Ofi' THEROYAL HISTORICAL,SOCIETY if needsbe, to his dear Englandand F:ssex again. His hopesweresuddenlyfulfilled.He had remaineddiscon- tented,capricious,quarrelsome,and insolent,forsix months attachedto HenryIV.'s headquarterswhilsthewasbesieging LaFere,when the unexpectedassault and captureof Calais by the Spaniardsmadeit necessaryforEnglandto helpFrancein earnest.Essexwasauthorisedto fitout his expeditionto Cadiz,andPerezwassentto Englandwiththe Dukede Bouillon,inAprilI596,to signa treatyof alliance betweenEnglandand lirance He metEssexat Dover,and disgustedhimwithhis reproachesand his airsandgraces; but,moreunfortunatestill,his arrivalcoincidedwiththe receptionof thenewsin Londono-fthecomplete{ailureof Drake'sEnglishexpeditionto SouthAmerica,whichhad been undertakenon Perez'sstrongrecommendation.The Cecilstookcareto castalltheblameuponhim,andElizabeth wasfurious.She refusedto see him,and signedthe treaty withtheDukede Bouillonaloneoverhis heatl. Essex ran away fromhis importunities,and even faithfulAnthony Baconwentintothecountryto escapehim. Perezbegged Nauntonto takehimto Cambridge,to Bath,to anywhere. Nauntonprotestedthatthe honourof escortingso higha personagewastoogreatforhim. Mortifiedbeyondmeasure,he returnedto Franceto find HenryIV. mildlysarcasticabouthiswelcome,and VilIeroy andhisenemiesopenlyjubilantat his disappointment.He gotsomeconsolationandcreditfromthesuccessofEssexat Cadiz; butitwasclearthatunlesshe obtaineda permanent settlementof hisprivateaSairsat oncehe wouldbe sacri- ficedwhenthe inerritablepeace was madebetweenFrance andSpain. So in DecemberI 596he set forthhis demands in a sortof protocoladdressedto HenryIV. almostas if he hadbeena sovereign.Indeed,notlongbeforehe seriously talkedaboutwaCingwaron his ownaccountwiththeKing of Spain fora yearor two. Henonvdemanfledafixed pensionoftwelvethousandclownsa year,secllredon abbeys and Chttrchrccnues,acardinal'.shat f(lr11imselfor his This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIO PEREZ INEXILE 95 eldestsonGonzalo; thathe shouldat once be swornin as a memberoftheCouncil,witha giftoftwothousandcrowns; thathe shouldhalrea bodyguardof theRoyalSwissGuard; and that,whenpeacewas madewithSpain,oneof the con- ditionsshouldbe restorationto himof his estatesand the liberationof his wifeand children,whowerestillkeptiIl prison.All thiswas grantedand solemnlysignedby the King, ConstableMontmorerlci,Perez'sgreatfriend,being appointedto carryit out. It seemsto havebeenfulfilled fairlywell except asregardsthe cardinal'shat, which HenryIV.could not get, and the introductionof his namein the treatyof peace of Vervins,whichPhilipabso- lutelyrefused.For thenextfewyearshe was prosperous enough.No one trustedhimverymuch,forhe betrayed exreryone;buthewasamusingandbrilliant.HenryIV. Iiked hiswittytalkandMontmorenciwashisfirmfriend.He was a literarycelebrity,too,and hisletters,carefullypolishedup, werewithafSecteddiffidencepublished.His aphorisms,of whichhe was veryproud,were characterisedas golden preceptsbythetasteof the times. His lettersesrento his heroicsuSeringwife,in prisonforhis sake,are shallowand heartless,fulloffinefustiansentiment,butfullalsoofaffected playuponwordsandlong-windedstories,generallyinexalta- tionofhimselfHe continues,too,to sendhis presentsof gloves,toothpicks,scents,and ' axtbergtttspiZEs'(whichwere lwissovereignremedy)to hisfriendswithservile,high-faluting letter.s,and his correspondencewiththe King and Mont- morenciis as nauseousin itsflatteryas wasthatwithEssex. NVhenhisenemyPhilipII. diedin I 598he triedveryhard to getbackto Spain. It wassaid-and he asserts,confirmed bytheKing'sconfessor-thatPhilipwhenhe diedleftunder hispillowinstructionsforreparationto be doneto him; but ifso,thecommandwasneverobeyed,althoughI'erez'swife atldchildrenwerereleased. In vain11epetitionedtheDuke ofLcrma,his fortnerfriend,the newKing Philip,thePope theInquisition.He hadfledfromthechargeof heresy,and musttaketheconsequences.It was nowa questionoffaith, 3 o * This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions96TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY and out ofthe King'shands. Olcl,weak,and failingthough he was,the Spaniardstried,timeand again,to ruinhimwith the Frenchby arousingthesuspicionthathe was a Spanish agent,and at last theysucceeded. In I604,afterElizabeth.'s death,diplomaticrelationswereaboutto be resumedbetween Englandand Spain; and Perezwas beguiledintothebelief by Spanishagents that if he would break withthe French connection,and use his influencein England in favourof Spain in the new treaty,he would be rehabilitated.He threwup all hispensionsand places in France,and wentover to England,thinkingthathe would be associatedtherewith the Spanish envoy. Hefoundhimselfdeceived. JamesI. was furious,torehis beard,and said he wouldleave England himselfratherthan see Perez, whose presencehe thought wouldbe disagreeableto Spain.In vain did Perezwriteone of his servileLatin lettersto James; he was hurriedout of England,havinggot no furtherthanCanterbury,and returned to Francebroken-hearted.The restof hislifehe passed in sicknessand poverty,almostbegginghis bread.He drifted fromone poorlodgingtoanother,writingheart-brokenletters to formerfriendsand compoundinghiscosmeticsand essences. No one trustedhim,and a refusalor a contemptuousdolewas all he got.He triedhard in thelast yearofhis lifeto get reconciledto the Inquisition,and madethemost abjectand servilerecantationsto it and to the Pope.No use.He died pennilessalmost at last,in I6Ir,professingto be adevout Catholic,and was buriedin the (ConventChurchof theCeles- tinesin Paris. Now thedeductionI drawfromtheperfectlyauthenticated factsof Perez's lifein exile is that he was vain, unstable, false,and unscrupulous,and not aman whose allegations in his owndefencecan be acceptedwithoutsome corrobora- tion. Andyet theywere so accepted fortwo centuries and ahalf against Philip II., whose mouthwas closed. Perez's' Relaciones,'in whichhis versionof thestoryis told, representedhis enemy,of course,in theblackestcolours. It was an extremelycleverpieceof special pleading,implying This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE 97 farmorethanit said,butwas acceptedas gospelbygene- rationsyvhoseone idea-was thatPhilipII. was ablood- thirstymonster.Thefirstpersonto questionwhetheritcould betakenas an impartialstatementofthecasewasSenorBer- mudezde Castro,whofifty-tvoyearsago publishedseveral papersfromSimancasand elsewherewhichthrewmore lightuponthe subject. Thetleame Mignet'sbook,which madepublicthedepositionsof the witnesses,so carefully taken,overa periodof twoyears,I582-I584,againstPerez by the judge RodrigoVasquezde Arce,and also a large numberof lettersfromPerezwhilstin Francein theParis Archives.Manyof theveryinterestinglettersin theBacon Papersand Birch'sMemoirsof Elizabeth,as well as one or twoof thosein the RecordOffice,werealso used by Mignet.Thellin I850a completeeditionin Spanishof a11Perez'sthenknownletterswas publishedin Madrid,and in I878M. Morel-Fatiopublishedseveralfreshlettersfrom Perezto Montmorenci.Mr.Froudein I883wrotean essay on thesubject,main]yfoundedon the' Relaciones,'question- ingsomeof Perez'sfacts,and SenorGasparMuro,aboutthe sametime,producedhisreallyvaluableworkon thePrincess of Eboli,drawnfroma minuteexaminationof thepapers of thevariousbranchesof the houseof Mendoza. More recentlystilIsomeinterestingoriginaldocumentsuponthe subjecthavebeenmadepublicbyCaptainFernandezDuro. Nowmostoftheseenquirershavedeploredthedisappear- anceofthepaperswhichPerez'swifegaveuptotheKing'scon- fessorwhilstPerezwasin prison.Theywerenotat Simancas, norweretheyamongstthe archiyeswhichweretakenfrom Simancasto Paris. It wasthoughtthattheymustbe burnt: ' If onlytheycouldbe foundwe shouldknowall aboutit,' saidonewriteraftertheother. Well,I shouldnotliketo be certainaboutit,but I stronglysuspectthatthepapersor someof themarewithintwomilesof wherewenowareat theBritishMuseum.Certainit is thattherearehundredsof Perez'sconfidentialletterstotheKing,extendingovera period of manryears;letterscoveredwithPhilip'sownreplies,in N.S.VOL.VIII.H This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionstSTRANSACTIONS OFTI-lE ROYAL lIISTORICALSOCIETY thatfearfulhandwritingofhis; and althoughI hase onlyhad timemerelyto glance at them,I have seen quite enoubhto convinceme that theycontainveryinterestingmatter. Nor is thisall.Perezmanagedto secretea considerablenumber of letterswhichhe heldin Zerrorem over the King,and from whichhe wrotehis ' Relaciones'; and it is thoughtthatthey were destroyedby the FrenchGovernmentwhen he died. tioweverthatmaybe,thereare a largenumberof lettersfrom :FJscobedoto Perez,withtheKing'sremarksuponthem,in the Dutch Queen'slibraryat theHague whichexactlycorrespond withPere%'scitationsin his book,and whichare evidently eitherthosehe had or copiesof them. Motleyquotes some of theseletters;but as he was writinga historyof the Dutch Republic,and not about Perez,theirimportancein this re- specthas been overlooked. Let us see whetheran analyticalexaminationof Perez's statements,aided by thisnewmaterial,willenableus to forma judgment. The problemsare,Whywas Escobedomurdered? What had thePrincessof Eboli to do withit?And ifPhilip had orderedEscobedoto be killed,as he admittedthathe had, uhy was he so implacablein his persecutionof Perezyears afterthe murder?It seemsto me thatifwe get an answerto the firstquestionwe shall solve theothertwo.First let us see what Perez himselfsays.Recollecthe was veryartful, and wherehe is vague he is vague forapurpose; and he spreadsthc storyof the provocationsoSered by Escobedo over a considerableperiod,keepingthe dateof the murder in the background. He says generallythat Escobedo was encouragingDon Johnto undertakethe Englishaffair,and it was considereddangerousto sendhimback; thathis letters to theKingweredisrespectful;andhe givesseveralinstan.es of this,quoting lettersdated earlyin I577and one that especiallyoffendedPhilip,even beforeEscobedo went to Flandersin I 576.B'hat Perez says aboutthisis quitetrue; Escobedo was importunateand rude; whichis provedby interceptedlettersdatedin AprilI 577,in theBritishMuseum, ofwhichPerezknewnothing,and hythelettcrsintheHaauc; This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTON IOPEREZINEXILE 99 and lastlyPerezsays Escobedoand Don Johnhad some designsagainstSpainitself,butonlysupportsthatbyrepeat- ingsomethingt-hatEscobedosaidbeforehe wentto Flanders aboutfortifyinga rockoutsideSantanderand raisingSpain fromthere. It is truethathe alsomentionsthatEscobedo in oneof hisletterssuggeststhattheyshouldcomeback to Spain and' rulethecourt;but theletterin the Haguedis- tinctlyshowsthatit is theformationof a politicalpartyhe suggests,nottreason;forin it Escobedosays thatthepro- posedcombinationwouldbe thestaffoftheKing'soldage. EscobeeloandDon Johnwerequiteas eagerto undertake the EnglishaSair beforetheywentto the Netherlandsas afterwards,and yetEscobedowasallowedto go.The letter quotedby Perezas especiallyirritatingto Philipwaswritten in IS76beforeEscobedoleftforthe Netherlands;and the restwerewrittenearlyin I577,whenhe wasmuchdistressed at his disagreeabletaskof sendingtheSpanishtroopsaway xvithoutmoneyto paythem. Escobedosucceededin getting thetroopsoffat theendof April,and theEnglishaffairwas thenacknowledgedbyhimandeveryoneelse forthetimeto be impossible.Now in one of the originallettersI have foundin theBritishMuseumfromPerezto theKing,dated JuneI,I577(notethe date),he rejoicesthatthe Spanish troopshaveleftFlanders,and thatDon Johnhas beenwell receivedat Brusselson May I;and adds: ' Escobedoha.s donesplendidlyin successfullygettingthe troopsoutof the country.Your Majestyshouldnowthinkaboutgivingthat pensionto his son. The oppottunityis a good one,and it willhealsomeofEscobedo'sothergrierrances.' In the sameletterhe says: ' I havebeenthinkingthat the Pope and Don Johnwill pressyou to undertakethe Englishaffair,seeingso manytroopsandgalleystogetherfor theAfricanExpedition,andperfiapstSe opport?nitytzaybea goodone. If Escobedogoes withthe troopsto Italy,as I supposehe will,he willbe sureto findhiswayto Rometo pressthe mattereitherin personor by letter;at any rate we shallhavehimherein duetime.' Evidently,then,in the H 2 This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsIOOTRvANSACTIONSOFTlIEROlrAL lIISTORICALSOCIETY summerofI577therewasno greatdangerapprehendedfrom Escobedoin the Englishaffair,and anycauseof offe}lcehe mayhave givenbeforewas forgottenor forgivenin the successfulpacificationoftheNetherlands. I havefoun(la veryimportantletterin theBritishMuseum whichappearsto be the firstattemptof Perezto arousethe King'sfearsofDon JohnandEscobedowithregardto Spain itself.You willsee howinsidiousit is withoutallegingany solidgrounds,butonlyvaguehints-whichheknewwouldwork on Philip'ssuspiciousnature.It hasno date,but musthave beenwrittenin theearlyspringof I 577: ' OctavioGonzaga andEscobedoareaskingforknighthoods,andtheMarquisof Los Veleztoldmehe wouldspeaktoyouaboutit.I toldhim forGod'ssake to takecarewhathe was about,andfeelhis uzayfirst.I said" Do notletus dampourpleasuresbydis- countingthefuture,but letus esteemsuchrewardsas a prize forsuccessfullycuringthe invalid."He willsoundtheford, however,and if yourMajestysmilesuponnimyou willbe pesteredwithsimilarimportunitieseverytimeanythingfresh is accomplished.It is quiterightforyourMajestyto give favours,butdon'tteachus to askforthemon suchoccasiolls as this.' Thenfollowsthesewords:' I amnowelucidatingthe darkexpressionsin Don John'sletter.Whathe wantsis to leaveFlandersandcomehither.Thisis Escobedo'sdoings.I willsee throughit all,andwillsendyoumyopinion,which maybe oflittleweight;butmyloveandfaithwillexculpate me. No doubttheywishto comeforthe Spanishbusiness andto carryout thoseplansof theirs.TheythinkFlanders is toosmalla fieldforthemto runveryfarin.' NowPerezhad beenEscobedo'sclosefriend,and I have foundin the BritishMuseumhis originalletterto theKing recommendingEscobedoin themostflatteringtermsforthe postof Don John'ssecretary.He wouldcertainlynot have madesuchaccusations,forwhichthereseemsto havebeen no ground,withoutreason. Whatwasthereason? I believe thatat firstitwas a politicalone. Afterthedeathof Ruy Gomezthepartyof conciliationssas greatlyseakenedtarld This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILEIOI the Duke of Alba'spartybecameproportionatelystronger. It is evidentthatDon Johnand Escobedohad desertedthe partyof peace and had driftedto the militantside of the Albas,whichwiththeiraccessionwasrapidlybecomingpara- mount;a processwhichin theend wouldcertainlyupset Perezand his party. Perezthereforewishedto makethe King suspiciousof thewarparty,and in pursuanceof the same policyhe notonlypoisonedthe King'smindtowards hisbrotherandEscobedo,butin theconfidentialmemoranda I havementionedin theBritishMuseumtherearenumerous slightingand contemptuousreferencesto Alba and ' the Toledos,'as he calls hisfriends.It has alwaysappearedto enquirersthatthedisgraceof Albaon seeminglyinadequate groundszrequiredexplanation,butwe nowsee thatPerezwas constantlywhisperingdoubtsofthegreatsoldier'sloyaltyand arousingPhilip'ssuspicionsof him; and theoriginaldocuj mentsto whichI refershowthatforyearsthisundermining processwas carriedon by Perezforhis ownpoliticalends. We thussee nowthe motiveforPerez'sdetractionof his formerfriendand colleague,whohadforsakenhis partyand had goneoverto theopposition;andthisgivesus a keyto xnuchofthemysterythathasalwayssurroundedthematter. Nowaboutthemurderitself.Escobedoarrivedin Spairx in JulyI 577.His importunityand roughnesshad been shownforat leasta yearbefore,and are givenbyPerezas oneoftheprincipalreasonswhytheKingorderedhismurder. ButthemanwasnotmurdereduntilMarch3I,I578,SOthat surelycouldnothavebeentherealreason. It couldnothave been,as Perezsays it was,becausehe urgedtheinvasionof England,as he andeveryoneelseacknowledgedthatthatwas quiteimpossibleforthetime,nowthattheSpanishtroopshad leftFlanders,besideswhicheverymemberof theAlbaparty hadtriedpersistentlyfornearlytwentyyearsto drivePhilip intoinvadingEngland,andnoneofthemhadbeenmurdered forit.Philipheld the pursestringsand was well able to repressimpatientand warlikecouncillorswithoutmurdering them. Perezgivesas anotherreasonthatwithhis warlilse This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions102TRANSACTIONS OFTHEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY ideas it wouldhavebeendangerousto sendEscobedoback to Don John;and so it wouldhavebeenin theautumnof }577.But Escobedowas not murdereduntilMarchI578, wheneverythinghad changed.Perezassertsin oneof his letters,publishedin theOchoaCollection,thattheKinggave theorderforthemurderwhenhe wasat theEscorial;anclI havefoundthathe wastherein theautumnof I S77)butnot in thewinter,so thattheKingmusthavewantedhimkilled in theautumn. Ihaveanotherproofof thisin a letterI findin the museumfromPerezto the King,the onlydateon whichis \Vednesday,6th. I haveconstructedan almanacoftheyear, andfindthatthismusthavebeenNovember6, I577,and it is evidentthatmischiefwasmeantto Escobedothen. Perez tellstheKingmysteriouslythathehadseen' hisfriend' twice and talkedover'thematter'withhim; thathefoundthe Archbishop(Quiroga)obstinate,but readhim Don John's letter,whichsoftenedhim. And Perezthenadds: 'For God'ssake,yourMajesty,takecarehowyousendmypapers andothert}zings.Let themcomebya servantofSantoya's I am afraidof thepostandthecuriosityof peopleXparticu- larlyas VerdinegroLEscobedo'snickname]has arelative there.' Now at this timeand duringthe autllmntherewas, fromI'hilip'spointof view,a goodreasonforgettingridof Escobedo. Philipwasstrainingeverynervetokeepthepeace withthe Flemings,and the successof his wholepolicy dependeduponit; so thatto senda firebrandlike Escobedo to FlandersZhenwouldhavebeendisastrous.Butbythetime themurderwascommittedthisreasonhaddisappeared.War wasthenbeingwagedwithall thestrengthat Philip'scom- mand. The Flemingshadbeenbeatenat thebattleofGem- blours,Don Johnwas practicallysuperseded,andAlexander Farnesewasreadyat anymomenttotakesupremecommand. No harmcouldhavebeendonebyEscobedo'sgoingbackiIl thespringof1578,forthentwentyEscobedoscouldnothave carriedon thervarwithgreatervigourthanDon Johnand This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILE103 Parmaweredoing. It is clear,therefore}thatPhilipordered themurderin theautumn,whentherewasa reasonforit; but whenit was committedin thefollowingspringPhilipwas probablyas muchsurprisedas anyoneelse. The manEsco- bedowasa nuisance,however,and,afterall,it did notmuch matter.He probablyattributedit at firstto Perez'sundue zeal orperhapsspite,andtheless publiclysaid aboutit the better.No doubthe wasmaliciouslysatisfiedthatsuspicion shouldfalluponthePrincessof Eboli or uponanyoneelse awayfromhimself,and was notsorryto put Perezto some troubleor perplexitybyhandinghimVasquez'saccusatory letter,seeingthatthedeedhadbeendonewhentheneedfor it wasnotpressing.1 takeit thatthe firstmildimprison- mentwasforceduponPhilipbytheinsolentobstinacyofthe Princessand Pere7in refusingto be friendlywithSecretary Vasquez. The courtwasall in a turmoilwiththethreatsand defianceofthesetwoagainstVasquez,andit is difficulttosee howPhilipcouldhaveavoidedsomesuchstepas thatwhich he took. WhetlPerezwasin exilehe carefullyspreadtheideathat Philip'shatredto himaroseoutofjealousyof thefavourshe receivedfromthePrincessofEboli. I haveshown,however thatthemanwasa vain,amorouscoxcomb,whosegreatidea wasto makehimselfinterestingand hismasterodious;and SenorMuro'smonographuponthe Princesshas quitedis- posedof thefablethatPhilipwas her lover. Thereis no foundationforthe prevalentidea thatthe blackeningof Escobedo'scharacterto Philipwas fromthefirsta plotto avengesomeslightuponthePrincess.I havealreadygiven amplereasonsforit,butin additionto thisthePrincesshad livedin retirernentat Pastranauntilearlyin I577,and-could hardlyhateseen eitherPhilip,Perez,orEscobedoforyears beforethen. Accordingto the depositionsof herwaiting- maidbeforethejudge,Perez'samourswithheronlycom- mencedshortlybeforeEscobedo'sdeath,and anotherdepo- sitionsays that'shortlybeforethe murder'Escobedosaw sszmethingveryscandalousgoingon betweenthem,andhe,in This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsICTRANSACTIONS O}'THEROYAL HISTORICALSOCIETY hisroughway,jealousofhislate master's hoIlour, said: ' I can endurethisnolonger.I shalltelltheKing.' Jezebelthere- uponburstoutin afuryof obscenityand rage,calledEsco- bedoa foul-mouthedscamp,saidshelovedPerezbetterthan all theworld,andsworeto be revenged. I ventureto thinkthatit was notuntilthegradually piled-upevidencetakenbetweenI582and I587cameto the King'sknowledgethat his eyeswerefullyopenedto the iniquityofPerez'srelationswiththePrincessandto thefact thatthe latter,shortlybeforethe murder,had swornto be revengedon Escobedo. Thisshowedhimthatthemanhad reallybeensacrificedto thePrincess'vengeance,whilstthe blamein the last resourcewas to be thrownon to his shoulders;andit alsoprovedthatPerezmusthaveinformed thePrincessthathc hadtheKing'sauthorityforthemurder. Hence thesecondchargeagainstPerez whichhas alnvays beena puzzle namely,thatofdivulgingstatesecrets. A closeexaminationof PerezXspapersand theoriginal correspondencefromDon Johnand Escobedomusthave shownPhilip,as it showsus,thatPerezhad no warrantfor the darkestsuspicionshe triedto arouse. The Kingmust have recognisedthen,yearsaftertheoffence,thathe had beentrickedintobelievingthathisbrother,Escobedo,Alba, and theToledosweretraitors,in orderthatPerezand his partymightremainparamount.Hencethechargeof tam- peringwithdespatches.By the lightc)fthesefactsPhilip's extraordinaryvacillationand apparentlysnexplicablebe- haviourall throughthe aSair becomequiteclear. For the firsttwoyearsanda halfhe doubtlesstreatedthematteras a quarrelbetweenhis two secretaries,whichcallsedhim muchannoZlnceand inconsenience,and whichhe triedby everymeansto hcal,keepingthemurderin thebackground; whilsthe soughtto perplexPerez aboutit sufficientlyto markhis displeasurethat it was committedwhenit was, and lookedwithcomplaisaneyuponVasquez'sslymalicein keepingthesoreopen. The greatchangecamesvhenPhilipin Portugalhadneed This content downloaded from 193.147.185.45 on Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:27:07 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsANTONIOPEREZINEXILEIOs of Alba,and Perez'spartywas discredited.The grimold soldierwasa goodhater,andknewfullwellthatdisgraceand failurehadbeenbroughtuponhimbythe scentedfribblehe despised. Los Velezwas dead,and his placewas takenby Countde Barajas,a firmfriendoftheAlbas. The ' Toledos' werehavingitall theirownway.Thefavouritesecretariesnow wereZayasand Idiaquez,faithfulcreaturesoftheAlbaparty, andVasquez,thebitterenemyofPerez. Thelatterwasunder a cloud,farawayin Madrid ' les absentsonttoujourstort- andthepartyof RuyGomezhad sunkneverto riseagain. It is notwonderfulthat,undersuchcircumstances,Philipin Portugalshouldbe persuadedto entrustto thesleuth-hound RodrigoVasquezde Arce,anothercreatureof Alba's,the secretinvestigation;andwhenthedamningproofshadbeen laboriouslypiledup,andPhilipsawthepitfallintowhichhe hadbeenled,that,lateinthedayas itwas,heshouldpersecute to thedeaththemanwhohad betrayedhis trust,and had soughttomakehim,thekingofhalftheuniverse,thecatspaw of a vile woman'svengeanceand of an upstartfavourite's ambition. Nowwe can understandwhatpuzzledCardinalQuiroga so much thereason,ifl'hilipknewheauthorisedthemurder, whyhe shouldinsistuponwringingoutof Perezon therack theavowalofthecauseswhichledto it. A fewmoredaysof torturelikethe first,and Perezwouldhavehad to confess thatthe orderforthe murderhad beengixensix months beforeit wascommitted,and thatin themeanwhilethecir- cumstanceswhich,fromtheKing'spointofview,renderedit desirablehaddisappeared.Thatwouldhavebeensufficient to condemnhimwithoutgoingintothe restof thestory,as rvouldhavebeennecessarysubsequently,beforethetribunal of Aragon. When Philipwithdrewfromthe prosecution beforetheAragonesetribunalin whichPerezwas charged withthemurder,and falselypretendingtheKing'sauthority forit,forbetrayingstatesecretsand tamperingwithcipher desp