had a corresponding placard on her base, which read as
follows:

"Balthassar con mi medida el "Balthassar estimated the
orbe entero midio: y no whole world with my measure,
contento passo a medir la and, not content, he passed
eterno vida. to measure eternal life. It
is better to be able to
La indistancia conocida, measure the unknown distance
que ay del vivir al morir; between life and death
es mejor saber medir lo (which must endure eternally)
que eterno a de durar con with the rule of good works
regla del bien obrar, con and the compass of good
compas del bien vivir." living."

The space between the columns of this structure was occupied by
the prince (or rather, our sovereign)--the glorious shoot from the
Austrian trunk, and the beautiful flower which was the most brilliant
ornament of the august lily of Francia--who, because he had no room
in the entire sphere of his extensive monarchy, mounted gloriously,
by means of the wings of his brilliant and heroic virtues, to rule in
the heavens. His statue was so well conceived, and so commensurate with
the beauty of the architecture, that one would think it had a soul,
for it gave soul to the entire work. Not only did it take possession
of the eyes but also of the hearts [of the people] who rendered humble
adoration to the image of their prince. The prince was armed, with
breastplate and shoulder-piece embroidered with beautiful edgings of
gold, and his clothing was elegant and showy. In his right hand he
held an imperial and Caesarean crown. In his left hand was another
and royal crown, indicating him as sworn prince of the kingdoms of
Espana and of the empire of the Indias. On the base of the image was
an inscription which read as follows:

"Iurado Principe fui; y Rey, "I was the sworn prince, and
y Emperador fuera: mas ay would have been king and
que la Parca fiera, embidia emperor, had it not been that
tuvo de mi! Hiriome cruel, y savage Fate was envious of me.
perdi el ser Rey, y Cruelly did she wound me, and
Emperador: mas orto Imperio I lost the kingship and the
mejor por el perdido he empire. But I have gained
ganado: porque crece el another and better