The History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain (Volume 3) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1779. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Appekd. compel she prince of Ascoli to take that lady for his wife, when she was. big with child by himself? And while it has been affirmed with certainty, that that unhappy man was taken off by poison, do not even the Spanish courtiers ascribe his death to the grief which he conceived from the affront to which he was obliged to submit, and the cruel necessity imposed on him, of acknowledging for his heir the adulterous bastard of another? Such, and so chaste has been the conduct of this king, who has the assurance to calumniate my lawful marriage as a violation of the sacred laws of chastity. "But I shall hasten to conclude this Apology, after offering some remarks concerning the nature of the sentence that has been pronounced against me. It is in this part of the edict of proscription, that the compiler, whether the king himself, or some ignoble instrument of his tyranny, has employed all the thunder and lightning of his eloquence. But I thank God, it intimidates me no more, than the anathemas of Clement VII. intimidated my kinsman prince Philibert; when he besieged and took the pontiff prisoner in his castle of St. Angelo. After the proofs which I have given, that I fear not all the power which my adversary is possessed of; and after contending for so many years against his best generals, with numerous armies under their command, it was weak in him Append. to expect to frighren me with the high found-,5io. ing terms of this proscription. I have less reason now than formerly to dread the attempts of those abandoned wretches, whom he has endeavoured to instigate against me. For I am not ignorant, that before this time he has bargained with poisoners, and other murderers, to deprive me of my life. He has now given me a public warning of his bloody design. And wi...