Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/279

DEATH OF HENRY IV. 135 the feeble mind of Henry had been long accus- tomed to rest for its support, and who was cut off by an acute disorder but a few months previous, in the full prime of his ambitious schemes. The king, notwithstanding the lingering nature of his dis- ease gave him ample time for preparation, expired without a will, or even, as generally asserted, the designation of a successor. This was the more remarkable, not only as being contrary to establish- ed usage, but as occurring at a period when the succession had been so long and hotly debated. ^' CHAPTER IV. 29 This topic is involved in no little obscurity, and has been re- ported with much discrepancy as well as inaccuracy by the modern Spanish historians. Among the ancient, Castillo, the historiogra- pher of Henry IV., mentions cer- tain " testamentary executors," without, however, noticing in any more direct way the existence of a will. (Cr6n.cl68.) The Curate of Los Palacios refers to a clause re- ported, he says, to have existed in the testament of Henry IV., in which he declares Joanna his daughter and heir ; (Reyes Ca- tolicos, MS., cap. 10.) Alonsode Palencia states positively that there was no such instrument, and that Henry, on being asked who was to succeed him, referred to his secre- tary Juan Gonzalez for a knowl- edge of his intention. (Cr6n.c.92.) L. Marineo also states that the king, " with his usual improvi- dence," left no will. {Cosas Me- morables, fol. 155.) Pulgar, an- other contemporary, expressly de- clares that he executed no will, and quotes the words dictated by him to his secretary, in which he simply designates two of the gran- dees as " executors of his soul, " {albaceas de su anima,) and four others in conjunction with them as the guardians of his daughter Jo- anna. Reyes Cat. p. 31.) It seems not improbable that the existence of this document has been confound- ed with that of a testament, and that with reference to it, the phrase above quoted of Castillo, as well as the passage of Bernaldez, is to be interpreted. Carbajal's wild story of the existence of a will, of its secretion for more than thirty years, and its final suppression by Ferdinand, is too naked of testimo- ny to deserve the least weight with the historian. (See his Anales, MS., aiio 74.) It should be remem- bered, however, that most of the abovementioned writers compiled their works after the accession of Isabella, and that none, save Cas- tillo, were the partisans of her rival. It should also be added that in the letters addressed by the princess Joanna to the different cities of the kingdom, on her assuming the title of queen of Castile, (bearing date May, 1475,) it is expressly stated that Henry IV., on his deathbed, solemnly affirmed her to be his on- ly daughter and lawful heir. These letters were drafted by John de Oviedo, (Juan Gonzalez,) the con- fidential secretary of Henry FV. See Zurita, Anales, torn. iv. fol. 235 - 239,