“I will,” answered Don Enrique, “upon certain conditions,” the sweet smile natural to him lighting up his face as he graciously raised them from their knees; “but it must be true repentance and no falling back into mortal sin. You are my witnesses, hidalgos,” turning to the assembled nobles standing closely pressed together, in a common fear of some general accusation, “of their own sentence against themselves, and now of my generous pardon. Now listen, my Lord Archbishop,” addressing the prelate who had so often tyrannised over his childhood, standing with his hands clasped in humble attitude before him, “and you, Villena, Master of Santiago, and Mendoza; on this day sixteen years ago I was born. Never, while I live, shall my birthday be darkened by deeds of blood, but you shall remain in strict imprisonment until a full restitution is made to the State of your shameful spoliation. Those of my guests whom I have summoned here as spectators to profit by the lesson may depart in peace, but those of the Regency, ‘_the Kings_,’ as they are called, shall be conducted to prison by my faithful _balasterdos_, there to remain till justice is satisfied. Guards, remove the prisoners!” * * * * * “It will all come out well,” whispered Don Pedro de Mendoza, a gay and rollicking cavalier, not easily intimidated, to the Marqués de Villena, much more cast down at his fall, as they passed up the horrible apartment out amid sheaves of glittering lances. “He has never found out we meant to depose him. Lucky for us, or our heads might really have been cut off!” * * * * * That the charming young king did not live to verify the promise of his youth (A.D. 1407) is one of the misfortunes of history. The delicate scabbard was not stout enough to hold the noble blade. In other words, his feeble health gave way under the cares of sovereignty. He died prematurely at the early age of twenty-eight, leaving an infant son, Don Juan II., to succeed him. Doña Catalina, his wife, or, as we know her, Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of Costanza (the daughter of Pedro the Cruel), married to John of Gaunt, was appointed regent for her son--a placid, good-tempered princess, by reason of her English blood, and a great favourite with the Castilians. CHAPTER XXI Juan II. and Doña Isabel of Portugal--Execution of the Conde de Luna Burgos and Valladolid never were capitals in the modern acceptation of the word, but they were at this time the centre of court life. The short lives of the illegitimate branch of the House of Castile, and their personal insignificance, intensified rather than detracted from the dramatic vicissitudes of their reigns.