The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1555-59 | Page 7

reposed. He was of a
family which was originally Portuguese. He had been brought up with
the King, although some eight years his senior, and their friendship
dated from earliest youth. It was said that Ruy Gomez, when a boy, had
been condemned to death for having struck Philip, who had come
between him and another page with whom he was quarrelling. The
Prince threw himself passionately at his father's feet, and implored
forgiveness in behalf of the culprit with such energy that the Emperor
was graciously pleased to spare the life of the future prime minister.
The incident was said to have laid the foundation of the remarkable
affection which was supposed to exist between the two, to an extent
never witnessed before between king and subject. Ruy Gomez was
famous for his tact and complacency, and omitted no opportunity of
cementing the friendship thus auspiciously commenced. He was said to
have particularly charmed his master, upon one occasion, by
hypocritically throwing up his cards at a game of hazard played for a

large stake, and permitting him to win the game with a far inferior hand.
The King learning afterwards the true state of the case, was charmed by
the grace and self-denial manifested by the young nobleman. The
complacency which the favorite subsequently exhibited in regard to the
connexion which existed so long and so publicly between his wife, the
celebrated Princess Eboli, and Philip, placed his power upon an
impregnable basis, and secured it till his death.
At the present moment he occupied the three posts of valet, state
councillor, and finance minister. He dressed and undressed his master,
read or talked him to sleep, called him in the morning, admitted those
who were to have private audiences, and superintended all the
arrangements of the household. The rest of the day was devoted to the
enormous correspondence and affairs of administration which devolved
upon him as first minister of state and treasury. He was very ignorant.
He had no experience or acquirement in the arts either of war or peace,
and his early education had been limited. Like his master, he spoke no
tongue but Spanish, and he had no literature. He had prepossessing
manners, a fluent tongue, a winning and benevolent disposition. His
natural capacity for affairs was considerable, and his tact was so perfect
that he could converse face to face with statesmen; doctors, and
generals upon campaigns, theology, or jurisprudence, without betraying
any remarkable deficiency. He was very industrious, endeavoring to
make up by hard study for his lack of general knowledge, and to sustain
with credit the burthen of his daily functions. At the same time, by the
King's desire, he appeared constantly at the frequent banquets,
masquerades, tourneys and festivities, for which Brussels at that epoch
was remarkable. It was no wonder that his cheek was pale, and that he
seemed dying of overwork. He discharged his duties cheerfully,
however, for in the service of Philip he knew no rest. "After God," said
Badovaro, "he knows no object save the felicity of his master." He was
already, as a matter of course, very rich, having been endowed by
Philip with property to the amount of twenty-six thousand dollars
yearly, [at values of 1855] and the tide of his fortunes was still at the
flood.
Such were the two men, the master and the favorite, to whose hands the
destinies of the Netherlands were now entrusted.
The Queen of Hungary had resigned the office of Regent of the

Netherlands, as has been seen, on the occasion of the Emperor's
abdication. She was a woman of masculine character, a great huntress
before the Lord, a celebrated horsewoman, a worthy descendant of the
Lady Mary of Burgundy. Notwithstanding all the fine phrases
exchanged between herself and the eloquent Maas, at the great
ceremony of the 25th of October, she was, in reality, much detested in
the provinces, and she repaid their aversion with abhorrence. "I could
not live among these people," she wrote to the Emperor, but a few
weeks before the abdication, "even as a private person, for it would be
impossible for me to do my duty towards God and my prince. As to
governing them, I take God to witness that the task is so abhorrent to
me, that I would rather earn my daily bread by labor than attempt it."
She added, that a woman of fifty years of age, who had served during
twenty-five of them, had a right to repose, and that she was moreover
"too old to recommence and learn her A, B, C." The Emperor, who had
always respected her for the fidelity with which she had carried out his
designs, knew that it was hopeless to oppose her retreat. As for Philip,
he hated his aunt, and