of Philip, after the death
of Isabella. Thus, by a singular fatality, the two princesses who had
been destined for the son were each of them married to the father.

The revolutionary movement in the Netherlands was at this time the great
subject that engaged the attention of the Spaniards; and Carlos is
reported to have taken a lively interest in it. According to Antonio
Perez, the Flemings then at the court made positive overtures to the
prince to head the revolt.[1437] Strada speaks of Bergen and Montigny,
then at Madrid, as the channel of communication through which Carlos
engaged to settle the affairs of that distracted country.[1438] That a
person of his ardent temper should have felt sympathy with a people thus
bravely struggling for its liberties, is not improbable; nor would one
with whom "to think and to speak was the same thing,"[1439] be at all
unlikely to express himself on the subject with much more freedom than
discretion. And it may have been in allusion to this that his almoner,
Suarez, in a letter without date, implores the prince "to abandon his
dangerous designs, the illusion of the Evil One, which cannot fail to
bring mischief to himself and disquiet to the monarchy!"[1440] The
letter concludes with a homily, in which the good doctor impresses on
the prince the necessity of filial obedience, by numerous examples, from
sacred and profane story, of the sad end of those who had impiously
rejected the counsels of their parents.[1441]

But although it is true that this hypothesis would explain much that is
enigmatical in the subsequent history of Carlos, I must confess I have
met with no confirmation of it in the correspondence of those who had
the direction of affairs in the Low Countries, nor in the charges
alleged against Montigny himself,--where an attempt to suborn the
heir-apparent, one might suppose, would have been paraded as the most
heinous offence. Still, that Carlos regarded himself as the proper
person to be intrusted with the mission to the Netherlands is evident
from his treatment of Alva, when that nobleman was appointed to the
command of the army.

On that occasion, as the duke came to pay his respects to him previous
to his departure, the prince fiercely said, "You are not to go to
Flanders; I will go there myself." Alva endeavored to pacify him, saying
that it was too dangerous a mission for the heir to the throne; that he
was going to quiet the troubles of the country, and prepare it