Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/152

REIGN OF JOHN II., OF CASTILE. PART I. Oppression of the com- inons But the only witchcraft, which he used, was the ascendency of a strong mind over a weak one. During this long-protracted anarchy, the j3eople lost whatever they had gained in the two preceding reigns. By the advice of his minister, who seems to have possessed a full measure of the insolence, so usual with persons suddenly advanced from low to elevated station, the king not only abandoned the constitutional policy of his predecessors in regard to the commons, but entered on the most arbitrary and systematic violation of their rights. Their deputies were excluded from the privy coun- cil, or lost all influence in it. Attempts were made to impose taxes without the legislative sanction. The municipal territories were alienated, and lav- ished on the royal minions. The freedom of elec- tions was invaded, and delegates to cortes were frequently nominated by the crown ; and, to com- plete the iniquitous scheme of oippress'ion, pragmati- cas, or royal proclamations, were issued, containing provisions repugnant to the acknowledged law of the land, and affirming in the most unqualified terms the right of the sovereign to legislate for his subjects.^ The commons indeed, when assembled in cortes, stoutly resisted the assumption of such unconstitutional powers by the crown, and compel- led the prince not only to revoke his pretensions, contradixiese, no iria a dormir a Prdctica y Estilo de Celebrar Cor- su cama della." Fbi supra. tes en Aragon, Catalufia y Valen- 5 Marina, Teorfa de las Cortes, cia, (Madrid, 1821,) pp. 234, 235. (Madrid, 1813,) torn. i. cap. 20.- — Sempere, Histoire des Cortes torn. ii. pp. 216, 390, 391. -torn. d'Espagne, (Bordeaux, 1815,) ch. iii. pari. 2, no. 4. — Capmany, 18, 24.