" said his father, and at the
same time ordered the windows and doors to be strongly secured, and the
keys of the latter to be delivered to him. All the furniture of the
room, with which Carlos could commit any violence, even the andirons,
were removed.[1454] The king, then turning to Feria, told him that "he
committed the prince to his especial charge, and that he must guard him
well." Addressing next the other nobles, he directed them "to serve the
prince with all proper respect, but to execute none of his orders
without first reporting them to himself; finally, to guard him
faithfully, under penalty of being held as traitors."

At these words Carlos exclaimed, "Your majesty had better kill me than
keep me a prisoner. It will be a great scandal to the kingdom. If you do
not kill me, I will make away with myself." "You will do no such thing,"
said the king; "for that would be the act of a madman." "Your majesty,"
replied Carlos, "treats me so ill that you force me to this extremity. I
am not mad, but you drive me to despair!"[1455] Other words passed
between the monarch and his son, whose voice was so broken with sobs as
to be scarcely audible.[1456]

Having completed his arrangements, Philip, after securing a coffer which
contained the prince's papers, withdrew from the apartment. That night,
the duke of Feria, the count of Lerma, and Don Rodrigo de Mendoza,
eldest son of Ruy Gomez, remained in the prince's chamber. Two lords,
out of six named for the purpose, performed the same duty in rotation
each succeeding night. From respect to the prince, none of them were
allowed to wear their swords in his presence. His meat was cut up before
it was brought into his chamber, as he was allowed no knife at his
meals. The prince's attendants were all dismissed, and most of them
afterwards provided for in the service of the king. A guard of twelve
halberdiers were stationed in the passages leading to the tower in which
the apartment of Carlos was situated. Thus all communication from
without was cut off; and, as he was unable to look from his strongly
barricaded windows, the unhappy prisoner from that time remained as dead
to the world as if he had been buried in the deepest dungeon of
Simancas.

The following day, the king called the members of his different councils
together, and informed them of the arrest of his son, declaring that
nothing but his duty to God, and the welfare of the monarchy, could have
moved him to such a