IF there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's; to him I fay, that Brutus's love to Cæfar, was no less than his. If, then, that friend demand, why Brutus rofe against Cæfar, this is my anfwer not that I loved Cæfar lefs; but, that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and die all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all freemen ?-As Cæfar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I flew him. There are tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death for his ambition. Who's here fo base, that would be a bond-man? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo vile, that will not love his country? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. -I paufe for a reply.

NONE? Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæfar, than you fhould do to Brutus. The queftion of his death is inrolled in the Capitol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences, inforced, for which he fuffered death.

HERE comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, fhall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth: as, which of you fhall not? With this I depart―That, as I flew my best lover for the good of Rome; I have the fame dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

XII.

CHARLES V.'s RESIGNATION OF HIS

DOMINION S.

HARLES refolved to refign his kingdoms to

CH

his son, with a folemnity fuitable to the importance of the tranfaction; and to perform this laft act of fovereignty with fuch formal pomp, as might leave an indelible impreffion on the minds, not only of his fubjects, but of his fucceffor. With this view, he called Philip out of England, where the peevish temper of his queen, which increased with her defpair of having iffue, rendered him extremely unhappy; and the jealoufy of the English, left him no hopes of obtaining the direction of their affairs. Having affembled the ftates of the low Countries, at Bruffels, on the twenty-fifth of October, one thoufand five hundred and fifty-five, Charles feated himfelf, for the last time, in the chair of ftate; on one fide of which was placed his fon, and, on the other, his fifter the queen of Hungary, regent of the Netherlands; with a fplendid retinue of the grandees of Spain, and princes of the empire, ftanding behind him. The prefident of the council of Flanders, by his command, explained, in a few words, his intention in calling this extraordinary meeting of the ftates. He, then, read the inftrument of refignation, by which Charles furrendered to his fon Philip, all all his territories, jurisdiction, and authority in the Low-Countries; abfolving his fubjects there, from their oath of allegiance to him, which he required them to transfer to Philip his lawful heir, and to ferve him with the fame loyalty and zeal, which

they

they had manifefted, during fo long a course of years, in fupport of his government.

CHARLES, then, rose from his feat; and, leaning on the shoulder of the prince of Orange, because he was unable to ftand without fupport, he addreffed himself to the audience; and, from a paper which he held in his hand in order to affift his memory, he recounted, with dignity, but without oftentation, all the great things which he had undertaken and performed, fince the commencement of his adminiftration. He obferved, that, from the feventeenth year of his age, he had dedicated all his thoughts and attention to public objects; referving no portion of his time for the indulgence of his eafe, and very little for the enjoyment of private pleafure: that, either in a pacific or hoftile manner, he had vifited Germany nine times, Spain fix times, France four times, Italy feven times, the Low-Countries ten times, England twice, Africa as often, and had made eleven voyages by fea: that, while his health. permitted him to difcharge his duty, and the vigour of his conftitution was equal in any degree, to the arduous office of governing fuch extenfive dominions, he had never fhunned labour, nor repined under fatigue: that, now, when his health was broken, and his vigour exhaufted by the rage of an incurable diftemper, his growing infirmities admonifhed him to retire; nor was he fo fond of reigning, as to retain the fceptre in an impotent hand, which was no longer able to protect his fubjects, or to render them happy that instead of a fovereign worn out with difeafes, and scarcely half alive, he gave them one in the prime of life, accustomed already to govern, and who added to the vigour of youth, all the attention and fagacity of maturer years: that, if, during the courfe of a long administration, he had committed

committed any material error in government; or if under the preffure of fo many and great affairs, and amidst the attention which he had been obliged to give to them, he had either neglected, or injured any of his fubjects, he now implored their forgiveness: that, for his part, he fhould ever retain a grateful fense of their fidelity and attachment, and would carry the remembrance of it along with him to the place of his retreat, as his fweeteft confolation, as well as the best reward for all his fervices; and, in his laft prayers to Almighty God, would pour forth his ardent wishes for their welfare.

THEN, turning towards Philip, who fell on his knees, and kiffed his father's hand, "If," fays he, "I had left you, by my death, this rich inheritance "to which I have made fuch large additions, fome "regard would have been justly due to my memory on that account: but, now, when I voluntarily "refign to you what I might have ftill retained, I 66 may well expect the warmeft expreffions of thanks "on your part. With thefe, however, I difpenfe; "and fhall confider your concern for the welfare of "your fubjects, and your love of them, as the best " and moft acceptable teftimony of your gratitude It is in your power, by a wife and vir"tuous administration, to justify the extraordinary proof, which I, this day, give of my paternal "affection; and to demonftrate, that you are wor"thy of the confidence which I repofe in you. "Preferve an inviolable regard for religion; main"tain the Catholic faith in its purity; let the laws "of your country be facred in your eyes: encroach "not on the rights and privileges of your people: " and, if the time fhall ever come, when you fhall "wish to enjoy the tranquillity of private life,

❝ to me.

66

❝ may

"may you have a fon, endowed with fuch qualities, "that you can refign your fceptre to him, with as "much fatisfaction, as I give up mine to you."

As foon as Charles had finished this long addrefs to his fubjects, and to their new fovereign, he funk into the chair, exhausted, and ready to faint with the fatigue of fuch an extraordinary effort. During his difcourfe, the whole audience melted into tears; fome, from admiration of his magnanimity; others, foftened by the expreffions of tendernefs towards his fon, and of love to his people: and all were affected with the deepest forrow, at lofing a fovereign, who had diftinguifhed the Netherlands, his native country, with particular marks of his regard and attachment.

A few weeks thereafter, Charles, in an affembly no lefs fplendid, and with a ceremonial equally pompous, refigned to his fon the crowns of Spain, with all the territories depending on them, both in the old and in the new world. Of all these vast poffeffions, he referved nothing for himfelf, but an annual penfion of an hundred thousand crowns, to defray the charges of his family, and to afford him. a small fum, for acts of beneficence and charity.

THE place he had chofen for his retreat, was the monaftery of St. Juftus, in the province of Estremadura. It was feated in a vale of no great extent, watered by a small brook, and furrounded by rifing grounds, covered with lofty trees. From the nature of the foil, as well as the temperature of the climate, it was esteemed the moft healthful and delicious fituation in Spain. Some months before his refignation, he had fent an architect thither, to add a new apartment to the monaftery, for his accommodation; but