r
dull his appreciation of the obstacles with which the latter had to
contend. In the _Opus Epistolarum_ he seeks, not always with entire
success, to do justice to the great regent. Through his laborious
efforts to be fair to the statesman, there pierces his personal
dislike of the man. Trivial jibes and small criticisms at the
Cardinal's expense are not wanting. The writer shared the feeling of
the Spanish Grandees, that it was "odious to be governed by a friar."
He also derided the Cardinal's military spirit. One of the regent's
earliest measures suppressed all pensions, but though he excepted
Martyr by name, pending the King's decision, no answer came from the
Netherlands; the Italian fared as did other pensioners, and he
never forgave the Cardinal. Many of his letters of this period were
addressed to his compatriot, Marliano, who was the young King's
doctor, and were evidently intended for the monarch's eye. In
these epistles, adverse judgments and censures of Cardinal Ximenes
frequently recur, and the writer used the greatest frankness in
describing men and events in Spain, and even in offering suggestions
as to the King's policy upon his arrival.

Yielding to the repeated instances of the regent, Charles finally set
out to take possession of his unknown kingdom. He landed, after a
tempestuous voyage, near Gijon, bringing with him a numerous train
of Flemish courtiers and officials, whose primary interest lay in
preventing a meeting between himself and the regent, and whose
presence was destined to cause a serious estrangement between the
monarch and his Castilian subjects. Their first purpose was easily
accomplished. While the Cardinal awaited him near Roa, the King
avoided him by proceeding directly to Tordesillas to visit his mother.
This ungracious and unmerited snub was applauded by Martyr, who
dismissed the incident with almost flippant mention; nor did he
afterwards touch upon the aged Cardinal's death which occurred
simultaneously with the reception of the unfeeling message sent by
Charles to the greatest, the most faithful and the most disinterested
of his servants.[4]

[Note 4: Consult Hefele, _Vie de Ximenez; Cartas de los
Secretarios del Cardinal_; Ferrer del Rio, _Comunidades de Castilla_;
Ranke, _Spanien unter Karl V_.]

During the opening years of his reign, the boy-king proved a docile
pupil under the control of his ministers.[5] Peter Martyr wrote of
him: "He directs nothing but is himself dir