diversion His Majesty happened
to shoot Valenzuela in the muscle of his arm, whether intentionally or
accidentally is not known. However, the terrified Queen-mother fainted
and fell into the arms of her ladies-in-waiting. This circumstance was
much commented upon, and contributed in no small degree to the public
odium and final downfall of Valenzuela in 1684. At length Don Juan de
Austria returned to the Court, when the young King was of an age to
appreciate public concerns, and he became more the Court favourite
than ever Valenzuela or Nitard had been during the Dowager-Queen's
administration. Valenzuela fell at once from the exclusive position
he had held in royal circles and retired to the Escorial, where, by
order of Don Juan de Austria, a party of young noblemen, including Don
Juan's son, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, the Marquis of Valparaiso,
and others of rank, accompanied by 200 horsemen, went to seize the
disfavoured courtier. He was out walking at the time of their arrival,
but he was speedily apprised of the danger by his bosom friend, the
Prior of Saint Jerome Monastery. The priest hid him in the roof of the
monastery, where, being nearly suffocated for want of ventilation,
a surgeon was sent up to bleed him and make him sleep. The search
party failed to find the refugee, and were about to return, when the
surgeon treacherously betrayed the secret to them, and Valenzuela
was discovered sleeping with arms by his side. He was made prisoner,
confined in a castle, degraded of all his honours and rank, and finally
banished by Don Juan de Austria to the furthermost Spanish possession
in the world--the Philippines,--whilst his family was incarcerated
in a convent at Talavera in Spain.

When the Pope heard of this violation of Church asylum in the Escorial
committed by the nobles, he excommunicated all concerned in it;
and in order to purge themselves of their sin and obtain absolution,
they were compelled to go to church in their shirts, each with a rope
around his neck. They actually performed this penance, and then the
Nuncio accredited to the Spanish Court, Cardinal Mellini, relieved
them of their ecclesiastical pains and penalties.

Valenzuela was permitted to establish a house within the prison of
Cavite, where he lived for several years as a State prisoner and
exile. When Don Juan de Austria died, the Dowager-Queen regained
in a measure her influence at Court, and one of the first favours
she begged of her