"When the weather cleared, he re-embarked, and after a pleasant
voyage of a few days reached Palamos in Spain, whence he went by
land to Barcelona. In that city he passed most of Lent, to give
time for an apartment being prepared for him in the palace, but got
to Madrid for Easter week. He was met by the whole court and by
many grandees, especially by the Marquis of Pescara, who manifested
singular courtesy, attending to him as his own son; whence a most
intimate and enduring friendship arose between them. He got the same
quarters which the Prince of Florence had occupied shortly before,
and his treatment was precisely similar. Next day he waited upon the
King, Queen, and Prince Royal, the Princess of Portugal, and the two
sons of the Emperor [Maximilian II.], who were being educated there.
By all he was received with distinguished favour, which continued
during the two years and a half he spent at Madrid. He occupied
himself in all those noble exercises which there, more than anywhere
else, were attended to, practising military games on foot and
horseback in public, and also privately under superintendence of the
Marquis of Pescara, who was then considered unequalled in them. He
frequently went out hunting with Don Carlos, by whom he was received
into much intimacy; and enjoyed a close friendship with Don John of
Austria, afterwards the famed commander by sea and land. He also
paid court to the ladies, and learned the sports of the jennet as
practised there, from Don Pedro Enciquel, afterwards Count of Fuentes
and general in Flanders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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