Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/235

MARRIAGE OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. 91 he gave clear indications of future excellence. A chapter short time before his death, he was heard to re- '. — mark, on witnessing the oppressive acts of some of the nobles, " I must endure this patiently, until I am a little older." On another occasion, being solicited, by the citizens of Toledo, to approve of some act of extortion which they had committed, he replied, " God forbid I should countenance such injustice ! " And on being told that the city, in that case, would probably transfer its allegiance to Henry, he added, " Much as I love power, I am not willing to purchase it at such a price." Noble sentiments, but not at all palatable to the grandees of his party, who saw with alarm that the young lion, when he had reached his strength, would be likely to burst the bonds, with which they had enthralled him.^^ It is not easy to consider the reign of Alfonso "'^ reign a •^ " usurpation. in any other light, than that of a usurpation ; al- though some Spanish writers, and among the rest Marina, a competent critic when not blinded by prejudice, regard him as a rightful sovereign, and as such to be enrolled among the monarchs of Cas- tile.^^ Marina, indeed, admits the ceremony at Avila to have been originally the work of a faction, and in itself informal and unconstitutional ; but he considers it to have received a legitimate sanc- tion from its subsequent recognition by the people. But I do not find, that the deposition of Henry the 34 Alonso de Palencia, Coronica, nica, cap. 94. — Garibay, Compen- MS., cap. 87, 92. — Castillo, Cro- dio, lib. 17, cap. 20. 35 Marina, Teoria, part. 2, cap. 38.