Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/419

DEATH AND CHARACTER OF FERDINAND. 391 XXIV. was frugal in his domestic and personal expendi- chapter ture ; partly, no doubt, from a willingness to rebuke the opposite spirit of wastefulness and ostentation in his nobles. He lost no good opportunity of do- ing this. On one occasion, it is said, he turned to a gallant of the court noted for his extravagance in dress, and laying his hand on his own doublet ex- claimed, " Excellent stuff this ; it has lasted me three pair of sleeves I " ^^ This spirit of economy was carried so far as to bring on him the reproach of parsimony. ^^ And parsimony, though not so pernicious on the whole as the opposite vice of prodigality, has always found far less favor with the multitude, from the appearance of disinterest- edness, which the latter carries with it. Prodigal- ity in a king, however, who draws not on his own resources, but on the public, forfeits even this equiv- ocal claim to applause. But, in truth, Ferdinand was rather frugal, than parsimonious. His income was moderate ; his enterprises numerous and vast. It was impossible that he could meet them without husbanding his resources with the most careful economy.^" No one has accused him of attempting grand admiral Henriquez, " we are roso ; un re d' Inghilterra ricco, to bave a chicken for dinner to feroce, e cupido di gloria; unredi day." (Sempere, Hist, del Luxo, Spagna taccagno e avaro; per gli torn. ii. p. 2, nota.) The royal aUri re, io no li conosco." cuisine would have afforded small ^0 The revenues of his own scope for the talents of a Vatel or kingdom of Aragon were very lim- an Ude. ited. His principal foreign expe- ^ Sempere, Hist, del Luxo, ubi dilions were undertaken solely on supra. account of that crown ; and this, <9 Machiavelli, by a single coup notwithstanding the aid from Cas- de pinceau, thus characterizes, or tile, may explain, and in some de- caricatures, the princes of his time, gree excuse, his very scanty remit- " Un imperatore instabile e vario ; tances to his troops. un re di Francia sdegnoso e pau-