ine. He immediately bethought him of his
cousin and counsellor, the Jesuit, whose order had early gained the ear
of the deceased monarch, and who himself enjoyed the friendship and
confidence of all that remained of the house of Avis. Borja received the
summons at Simancas, where he had founded a small establishment, and
whither he loved to escape from the court of Valladolid, to unstinted
penance and prayer. The sun of July had begun to scorch the naked plains
of the Duero, and the good father was in poor health. Nevertheless, he
repaired to Yuste and received his instructions; and then scorning
repose in the cool woodlands, at once took the road to Portugal across
the charred wastes of Estremadura. This haste, and the heat, threw him
into a fever, of which he nearly died in the city of Evora; and when
once more able to resume his journey, he was nearly lost, in a squall,
in crossing the Tagus to Lisbon. His mission accomplished, he eluded the
nursing of the queen and the Cardinal Henry, and hurried back to Yuste,
where he probably arrived early in September.

The usual gracious reception awaited him. The nature of his business in
Portugal has not been recorded by his biographers. But he seems to have
conducted it to the emperor's satisfaction. It was on this occasion, or
the last, that Charles returned certain letters addressed to him, by
Father Francis, on the politics and politicians of the day, and written
at his request, and on condition of close secresy. "You may be sure,"
said he, on restoring them, "that no one but I have seen them." The
confidence thus reposed in the judgment and observation of the Jesuit,
by the shrewdest prince of the age, shows how keenly the things of earth
may be scanned by eyes which seem wholly fixed on heaven.

The emperor likewise told him of a dispute between two nobles, which had
been referred to him for decision, and on which he desired his opinion,
because he probably knew on whose side the right lay. The dispute was
about a title to certain lands, and the parties were Borja's son,
Charles, then duke of Gandia, and Don Alonso de Cardona, admiral of
Aragon. Thus appealed to, the father behaved with that stoical
indifference to the voice of blood which somewhat shocked his lay
admirers, and commanded the loud applause of his reverend biographers.
"I know not," he said, "whose cause is the just one; but I pray your
majesty not only not to allow the admiral to be wronged, but to show