John, of Austria, 1547-1578; Spain -- History -- Philip II, 1556-1598
Very early the next day D. John started for the Escorial, where, as a
loyal prince and an honourable gentleman, he told his brother the absurd
plans and mischievous intentions of D. Carlos, to whom he explained his
audience as a command from the King, who had sent for him to give him
urgent orders about the galleys at Cartagena.
D. Carlos had no suspicions and continued his preparations, until the
situation was complicated by a notable incident, very characteristic of
the time. That year (1567) the general Jubilee granted by Pius V, in
honour of his elevation to the Pontificate, was being celebrated, and to
gain it he fixed the 28th of December, the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
On the 27th D. Carlos went late to the convent of St. Jerónimo to
confess and to gain the Jubilee the next day. It was already eight
o'clock, and he went in a coach, with a very small retinue. It should be
noted that the official and usual confessor of D. Carlos was Fr. Diego
de Chaves, and that on that day he asked for some other brother.
The result was that this confessor would not give the Prince absolution,
because he said that he harboured the mortal sin of hatred of a man, and
that this hate would not end until he had killed him.
The brother, as we have said, refused absolution. The Prince said,
"Father, make up your mind quickly." To which the friar answered, "Your
Highness must consult the theologians."
D. Carlos got up very much put out, and sent his coach to Atocha to
bring theologians, and fourteen came, as many as the coach, which was
small, would hold, two by two. "And then," says the account of one of
the Prince's attendants, who was there that night, "he sent to Madrid
for Alvarado the Augustin, and for Trinitario, and the Prince disputed
with each, and persisted that they should absolve him, even for killing
a man who was on bad terms with him. And as all said they could not,
they resolved, for the sake of the people, to give him an unconsecrated
wafer at communion."
"Here all the theologians became upset, as other very deep things
happened which I do not tell you. And as they were all there, and the
negotiations were going so badly, the Prior of Atocha took the Prince
apart, and with skill began to confess him and ask him the rank of the
man that he wished to kill, and he answered that he was of high rank;
but he could not drag the name from him (the Prince). The Prior deceived
him by saying, 'Sir, say who it is that it will be possible to absolve
you, according to your Highness's wish.' And then he said that it was
the King, his father, whom he was on bad terms with and had to kill. The
Prior very quietly said, 'Alone? or who do you think will help you?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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